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United States and Australia damn PNG's rotten political practises

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PAPUA New Guinea is entrapped by deeply corrupt politicians who have enriched themselves on resource revenues and Australian aid programs, according to United States diplomatic reports. Australian government officials are reported as saying that generational change in PNG politics following the eventual departure of the ailing founding father and former prime minister Sir Michael Somare is a "false hope" . They describe the PNG government as a ''totally dysfunctional blob'' . The damning assessments of Australia's nearest neighbour and former trust territory are contained in confidential US embassy cables obtained by WikiLeaks and made available to The Saturday Age. In a 2008 briefing the US embassy in Port Moresby noted that resource revenues and Australian aid have served "more to enrich the political elite than to provide social services or infrastructure. There are no large-scale local businessmen, but numerous politicians are relatively well off&

United States and Australia damn PNG's rotten political practises

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PAPUA New Guinea is entrapped by deeply corrupt politicians who have enriched themselves on resource revenues and Australian aid programs, according to United States diplomatic reports. Australian government officials are reported as saying that generational change in PNG politics following the eventual departure of the ailing founding father and former prime minister Sir Michael Somare is a "false hope" . They describe the PNG government as a ''totally dysfunctional blob'' . The damning assessments of Australia's nearest neighbour and former trust territory are contained in confidential US embassy cables obtained by WikiLeaks and made available to The Saturday Age. In a 2008 briefing the US embassy in Port Moresby noted that resource revenues and Australian aid have served "more to enrich the political elite than to provide social services or infrastructure. There are no large-scale local businessmen, but numerous politicians are relatively well o

Parkop respond to fake audit report

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This so called Audit Report that was circulated by people with vested political interest, especially known agents of intending candidates for NCD Regional is a fake report. What they did was use the front cover of the Audit Committee Report and put it against selective documents they stole or manage to bribe staff of the Commission to release so as to create an impression that it was an authentic audit report. The NCDC Audit Committee is an Independent Committee. It regularly audits NCDC Accounts and expenses and its finding is presented to the management of NCDC before it is submitted to the Auditor General in accordance with the Public Finance Management Act and the Auditor Generals Act. Neither I nor NCDC Management have anything to hide. We run a transparent regime and we try as much as possible to follow the law and procedures. As far as I am concern, all expenditure expedited under my Chairmanship be it to PNG Gardner or who ever are all in accordance with the law and procedure a

Parkop respond to fake audit report

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This so called Audit Report that was circulated by people with vested political interest, especially known agents of intending candidates for NCD Regional is a fake report. What they did was use the front cover of the Audit Committee Report and put it against selective documents they stole or manage to bribe staff of the Commission to release so as to create an impression that it was an authentic audit report. The NCDC Audit Committee is an Independent Committee. It regularly audits NCDC Accounts and expenses and its finding is presented to the management of NCDC before it is submitted to the Auditor General in accordance with the Public Finance Management Act and the Auditor Generals Act. Neither I nor NCDC Management have anything to hide. We run a transparent regime and we try as much as possible to follow the law and procedures. As far as I am concern, all expenditure expedited under my Chairmanship be it to PNG Gardner or who ever are all in accordance with the law and procedure

I haven't retired yet - Somare

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Sir Michael, 75, was "retired" by his family in June over fears for his health – he has had three heart operations since April – and his ability to run the country. They announced his resignation without consulting the veteran politician, who they said was in intensive care and too ill to discuss his future at the time. Since then, parliament voted to declare the position vacant and appoint a replacement, former finance minister Peter O'Neill. But Sir Michael, who had been in parliament for more than 40 years and has served more than 17 years as prime minister, has issued a defiant statement, saying he is willing and able to complete his term and that there had "never been any vacancy in the position of prime minister". "Let me be clear. I am ready, willing and able to complete my term as the only legally elected prime minister of Papua New Guinea," he said. His son, Arthur, said Sir Michael would return to Papua New Guinea at the weekend from Sing

I haven't retired yet - Somare

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Sir Michael, 75, was "retired" by his family in June over fears for his health – he has had three heart operations since April – and his ability to run the country. They announced his resignation without consulting the veteran politician, who they said was in intensive care and too ill to discuss his future at the time. Since then, parliament voted to declare the position vacant and appoint a replacement, former finance minister Peter O'Neill. But Sir Michael, who had been in parliament for more than 40 years and has served more than 17 years as prime minister, has issued a defiant statement, saying he is willing and able to complete his term and that there had "never been any vacancy in the position of prime minister". "Let me be clear. I am ready, willing and able to complete my term as the only legally elected prime minister of Papua New Guinea," he said. His son, Arthur, said Sir Michael would return to Papua New Guinea at the weeken

Wartoto flying high only at our expense

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I refer to Frank Kolma’s Building Blocks article “Go for the skies, Wartoto” (Aug 29). I must say that as a seasoned and experienced journalist, the thrust of the article is rather mystifying and bizarre. Although he has made considerable effort to justify his purported patriotic stance, it simply is inconceivable that he has attempted to score some brownie points. If this is how to obtain funds from the government, then he has scored a distinction. The article provides an open invitation for people who have political connections to raid the nation’s treasury at anytime they want and often with no moral restraint or legal recourse from the unsuspecting public. The media has an important role to play, considering if that episode ever occurred in Australia, both Paul Tiensten and Eremas Wartoto would be brought before an inquiry. Just spare a thought for the public, who are mostly illiterate, living below the poverty line, cannot afford school fees or access state-of-art medical treatmen