KPHL FIGHTING BACK TO KEEP ROT GOING

By BUI WETAU - PNG Blogs

The Public Accounts Committee Chairman Sir John Pundari's comments today on page#3 of the Post Courier that the Management of the Kumul Petroleum Holding Limited led by its Chairman continues to argue that their existence (actions) is governed by a separate Act triggers me to say that KPHL must now be investigated thoroughly as the public can now see that there is something not right about the whole issue.

KPHL Chairman Mr Baing and his team of Management must know that the Act that they continue to seek refuge under was given birth to by the Parliament for the sole purpose of KPHL governing or managing resources (financial or others) which were to come under the new body's (KPHL) care. This is merely a function that would otherwise have been parked under the Department of Petroleum or even Treasury with key personals employed to undertake the responsibilities of management and if so the responsible agency whether it be DPE or Treasury would still be required under the Jurisdictions of the Independent State of PNG for them to report to the people of this country every detail of transactions relating to the management of such resources as they belong to the people of this country.

The Act that they continue to hide under was not enacted to give them absolute authority or right on their actions as the underlying aim was to 'create' a separate body to manage such resources of the Government which were considered quite new by its origin and the Government may have thought they could get more value out of it by separately managing this new category of revenues the Government was starting to enjoy following investments in the petroleum sector.

Therefore, whether it be an SOE or a Government Department functioning to serve the interests of the people, there actions, whether there may be instances of revenues generated which may not go into the Waigani Public Accounts (a good example is the National Gaming Control Board where revenues collected are not reflected in the National Government Budget as they are expedited outside of it) are all subject to the laws of the country as their operations or being in operation are solely to serve the people of this country and this is exactly what the Public Accounts Committee Chairman Sir John Pundari is simply saying - report to the people of this country how well you have been serving them.

This is not a very complicated request that may require further advice to answer as it's just to report on your performances to date so I see no reason in the KPHL Chairman's refusal to comply.

Go to this link for more: http://www.pngblogs.com/2019/07/kphl-fighting-back-to-keep-rot-going.html