Task Force Says Papua New Guinea Riddled with Corruption


A task force set up to investigate corruption in Papua New Guinea says unscrupulous 'mobsters,' including members of parliament, are undermining the South Pacific country's development. Investigators arrested 35 people including several current and former members of parliament and other public servants.

The anti-graft unit was established by Prime Minister Peter O'Neill to investigate allegations of corruption in key government departments, such as the Department of Health and the influential Department of National Planning and Monitoring.

Former Prime Minister Michael Somare accused the task force of carrying out a "witch hunt."  However, Sam Koim, chairman of the anti-graft unit known as Task Force Sweep, said corrupt officials had turned the South Pacific country's constitutional democracy into a "Mobocracy."

"Generally [in] our investigations we have discovered a frightening trend of corruption in this country," said Koim. "And the level of corruption had migrated from a sporadic to a systematic, and now an institutionalized form of corruption."

Investigators have seized millions of dollars from various suspects. A former planning minister in Papua New Guinea is to stand trial on corruption charges.

Corruption is expected to be a key issue in the upcoming general election.

A spokesman for Prime Minister O'Neill said the cabinet would consider the fraud report.  Meanwhile, Task Force Sweep will continue its work.

Comments

  1. closely observing.May 14, 2012 at 9:41 AM

    Cool, Sam Koim !!
    But let's hope your broom will also sweep in Nape.
    Otherwise, you and your organisation are also one of those statistics, you've just mentioned.

    ReplyDelete
  2. closely observingMay 14, 2012 at 9:49 AM

    Good On Sam Koim and Boys (Task Force Sweep) !!!
    We'll see wether you can also sweep Nape with your broom.
    PNGns are some of the smartest people these days, and they can hardly be fooled.
    Let's hope, you and your organisation are not part of your own statistics.

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousMay 14, 2012 at 4:05 PM

    Sweep playing politics. See their last paragraph of letter to PM PO. Good public servants do not make political statements except highlanders like Koim!!! Yes, PO, Koim, Sweep, Kulunga and Hagen Mobile are the 'mobocrats' running mibocratic government.
    Hehehe

    ReplyDelete

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