Marape's Connect PNG is a conduit for money laundering


A whistle-blower has exposed Connect PNG as a conduit for money laundering within the government. In response to leaked Department of Finance records revealing payments of K350 million to select Connect PNG contractors on the day of the Port Moresby riots, former Prime Minister and Member for Ialibu Pangia, Honourable Peter O’Neill, expressed deep concern and outrage over the substantial sums of money being channeled through Connect PNG to benefit government associates.

While expressing his admiration for the initiative's goal of building high-quality infrastructure, Peter O’Neill also conveyed his strong support for Prime Minister James Marape's efforts to develop the nation and connect its people. However, he found it profoundly disturbing to witness the systematic and extensive flow of taxpayer funds and donor contributions through Connect PNG, branding it as the largest and most prolific money laundering scheme in the country's history.

In a somewhat ironic observation, Peter O’Neill remarked that Connect PNG might have been aptly named because it seemingly connects taxpayers' money to political allies, potentially serving to sustain the current regime's grip on power.

Highlighting specific instances from the Department of Finance documents leaked by the courageous whistle-blower, Peter O’Neill pointed out a K13 million payment made to Ipwenz Construction on the day of the Port Moresby Riots under the guise of Connect PNG. This raised eyebrows, as the owner of Ipwenz Construction had previously been implicated in an incident during the National General Elections, where he was caught transporting cash to Tari with James Marape's son, yet no charges were filed, and the money was returned.

Peter O’Neill questioned the prioritization of this payment over crucial obligations like settling the outstanding dues to iPi Catering, a company catering to Porgera Landowners, even for feeding the soldiers. He emphasized that the government must recognize that the funds flowing through Connect PNG are derived from hard-earned taxpayer money, borrowed funds, or contributions from donors, and not their personal piggy bank.

He also accused the Marape Government and its Minister of Works of surreptitiously disbursing K350 million in urgent payments to political associates under Connect PNG on the very day the capital city was under attack, highlighting the breach of trust with the people. He stressed that Papua New Guineans are astute and resent being treated as gullible, adding that they are fully aware of the government's actions and not swayed by clever marketing.

In conclusion, Peter O’Neill asserted that both the citizens of Papua New Guinea and the global community are closely monitoring the government's actions, and he decried the exploitation of the less fortunate in the name of Connect PNG.

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