The arrest of Peter O’Neill

BRYAN KRAMER MP
| Kramer Report | Edited

PORT MORESBY - When will Peter O'Neill be arrested? The appropriate authority to answer the question of when the former prime minister will be arrested to face the many corruption allegations against him is the police force.

But if someone were to ask for my opinion, I would say the short answer is sometime this year.

It’s public knowledge that O’Neill is accused of being at the centre of numerous corruption scandals, including the K71 million Paraka saga, the K50 million LR Generators issue and  the K3 billion UBS loan, to name just a few.

There are many more allegations being investigated.

So why hasn’t O'Neill been arrested and charged?

Well, because he has been evading arrest by refusing to avail himself to the police, hiding out in hotel rooms, fleeing the country and filing fake court documents to obtain stay orders.

So he has been able to continually avoid arrest due to a dysfunctional and ineffective police force which is a result of years of neglect and political interference.

In my view, the best means to fight corruption, including having O'Neill answer to the allegations against him, is to first fix the police force.

This includes taking immediate action to restore discipline, ensure sufficient funding as well as address the many welfare issues, including basic entitlements, adequate pay, housing and paying outstanding allowances.

Under the Marape-Steven government there has been significant improvements in the police force and it has been the number one issue on the floor of parliament and in the media.

2020 will be a blockbuster year for our police force as it addresses many internal issues as well as coming out to bat against corruption and addressing escalating law and order issues around the country.

There have been claims that I’m scared of Peter O’Neill?

Well, the last time I checked, I wasn’t the one hiding out in hotel rooms, crouching in the back of vehicles or fleeing overseas to avoid arrest.

People who are innocent will always be happy to make themselves available to the law to prove their innocence.

Those who are guilty will always run and hide.

Go to this link for more: https://www.pngattitude.com/2020/01/the-arrest-of-peter-oneill.htm

Big shakeup

Posted by The National

FOUR ministers were dropped in a major Cabinet shake-up announced by Prime Minister James Marape on Friday.
The biggest and only “casualty” was the Peter O’Neill-led People’s National Congress Party (PNC) which saw three of its Members of Parliament (MPs) chopped from Marape’s new 33-member Cabinet line-up.
The three are Elias Kapavore (Health and HIV/AIDS), Alfred Manase (Labour and Industrial Relations) and Petrus Thomas (Immigration and Border Security).
The fourth minister left out in the new Cabinet is former PNC member Charles Abel (Finance and Rural Development), now with Our Development Party (ODP).
Replacing them are four new faces, National Alliance Party (NA) leader Patrick Pruaitch (Foreign Affairs and International Trade), his party deputy Timothy Masiu (Information, Communications Technology) and United Resources Party (URP) leader William Duma (Commerce and Industry) and his party deputy Jelta Wong (Health and HIV/AIDS).
Wong is making a comeback to the Cabinet as he was the Police Minister under O’Neill’s Government.
Abel claims that he was leaving the Cabinet to assist the Milne Bay governor.
In announcing the Cabinet line-up, Marape said: “The appointments reflect (political) equality and fairness. (My new Cabinet also features) leaders with vast experience in governance, like Pruaitch and Masiu.
“I apologise to the people of Bougainville (with regards to the Cabinet changes) but the Autonomous Region of Bougainville now has a voice in the Cabinet in Masiu.”
The URP was also rewarded for its “loyal support” to Marape’s election as prime minister in Parliament since May with the appointment of Duma, taking over from Pangu’s Wera Mori (Commerce and Industry). Marape said former Environment, Conservation and Climate Change Minister Jeffery Kama (Triumph Heritage Empowerment Party), is now Labour and Industrial Relations Minister, replacing Manase who was dropped from the Cabinet line-up.
Wong replaces Kapavore who was also dropped from the Cabinet as Health and HIV/AIDS Minister.
Marape said: “I want the rot in the (health) department to be checked. Medicines must be delivered on time, corruption must be eliminated.
“The middlemen must be cut off and the distribution of medicines be tasked with Post PNG and PNG Defence Force.”
The prime minister also announced a reshuffle of ministerial portfolios and changes.
Rainbo Paita (formerly Communications and Energy) is now Finance and Rural Development Minister, Westly Nukundj (Public Service) is now Immigration and Border Security Minister and Soroi Eoe (Foreign Affairs and International Trade) is now Public Service Minister.
Marape said the energy portfolio that was formerly parked under the Communications and Energy Ministry “is now reverted to the Petroleum and Energy Ministry”.
The Communications and Energy Ministry is now renamed as Information Communications Technology (ICT) Ministry.

Go to this link for more: https://www.thenational.com.pg/big-shakeup/

For PNG's good, an unpleasant political task

By JAMES MARAPE MP - PNG Attitude

PORT MORESBY – On Friday I had the unpleasant task of decommissioning some fine Papua New Guinean leaders but at the same time uplifting leaders of the National Alliance and the United Resources Party into cabinet.

Government needs a cohesive and coherent mindset and, because I was leading a big coalition of over 105 MPs over the last five months, sometimes I was kept busy managing politics rather than the country due to differences of opinions from amongst different political parties in government.

Due to the continual contest of opinion I had to let few go, including the Pangu Party detaching from alliance with People’s National Congress.

The Pangu caucus continued to give hope for sincerity of its relationship with the PNC leadership but, since the cross-acceptance of the nomination by former prime minister Peter O’Neill on 30 of May and continual evidence of PNC’s interest in opposition leader Namah’s present court case against the election of prime minister James Marape, the cut by Pangu from alliance with PNC was bound to happen.

Most Papua New Guineans wanted change from the PNC influence. Well the country now has this by this rearrangement.

I am sacrificing my relationship with PNC and leaders I am close with but this is nothing tribal or personal but a national strategy to stabilise political numbers to get me and government security and cohesiveness to do what is right for our country.

In December I will be doing another performance review of my ministers and their departmental heads, and if performance warrants decommissions it will be so.

But for the meantime ministers are expected to do their job. For the interest of PPapua New Guineans, all ministers have their key performance indicators and their performance will be measured against those KPIs going forward.

I am not here to be a professional prime minister planning to serve long in this office, but to start a chain of changes that will progress our nation to a better future.

And so whatever time I have, I want to start by growing the economy by empowering Papua New Guineans to grow their own businesses.

Pangu gave political support independence at 1975, under new Pangu going forward we want to grant full economic independence to our people, our country.

All ministers are tasked to grow the economy in the first instances amongst other issues like fighting systematic wastes through corruption and complacencies in their respective ministries.

Irrespective of ethnicity, religion or gender, we want to encourage our citizens go into businesses harnessing from our own natural resources. That’s why we partnering our banks where government will park credit guarantee funds (K200 million every year) to assist Papua New Guineans to grow businesses.

Amongst everything else all my ministers are tasked to do, this is my anchor of taking back PNG, where no child will be left behind in the process of us making PNG the richest black Christian nation on earth.

In a nation blessed with gold, gas, copper, nickel , oil, timber, fish, tourism , agriculture, culture, and massive land and human resources, we can do it.

In this coming week I will inform Papua New Guineans of role of each minister under our government and some of our achievements to date.

Go to this link for more: https://www.pngattitude.com/2019/11/an-unpleasant-political-task.html

Marape v O’Neill

By REBECCA KUKU and HELEN TARAWA - The National

PRIME Minister James Marape has stressed that his “Move to the Opposition” ultimatum on Tuesday was aimed at the People’s National Congress (PNC) party and Peter O’Neill.
“There is no longer a PNC-led Government. The Government is now led by Pangu Pati.
“So as the leading party, Pangu is showing PNC and its party leader and former premier Peter O’Neill the (political) direction to relocate.
“We are making it clear that Pangu is detaching itself from the PNC,” he added.
Marape made the comments yesterday when The National asked if there was any ultimatum for PNC members, who were ministers, to leave their party.
He said ministers, PNC Members of Parliament (MPs) and members could choose to remain but as a party, Pangu was detaching itself from PNC.
“I have made it public knowledge that we are not here to run PNC’s interest or play second fiddle to PNC. So, party to party, we are detaching ourselves from PNC, especially from O’Neill,” he added.
Marape said it was up to PNC to decide what to do but “we’ve told them to go to the Opposition side (in Parliament)”.
“For the individual cases of ministers and members, they are welcome to choose to stay or move with the party,” he said, adding that “if they decide to stay, I will not kick them out”.
“Because our government is not based on parties. Take for example, the way I was voted as PM, I was supported by MPs from both sides of the political divide.
“And I have (to date) also invited two leaders who did not vote for me to join my Cabinet. So our Government is crossing party lines, we do not intend to be like past governments when the Cabinet members were appointed from a dominant party (in the Government caucus).”
Marape said it was basically about finding the best candidates to do the job.
“It is about bringing like-minded leaders who are ready to put the nation’s interest before their party and personal interests, regardless of which party they come from.
“So the PNC members in Government are welcomed to make their own decisions, but the Pangu-led Government is making it clear to all that we are now detaching ourselves from the PNC and O’Neill,” he added.
Earlier, Marape also spoke to The National saying: “The Government will respect individual leaders and MPs on their decision. The leaders will decide for themselves on which side of the House (Parliament) they wish to be.
“They have every right to make their own judgments, I have no influence in those party board room discussions. I made statements on behalf of the greater coalition we have, so we will let it rest with that.
“The Pangu Pati against the PNC has been declared. Individual members decide for themselves,” he added.
Parliament Speaker Job Pomat, a PNC member, said: “I support the Marape-Steven Government.
“I am the Speaker but I am also a member of PNC and will remain in the party and support the Government,” he added.
Another PNC member, Public Service Minister Westly Nukundj said he would serve the current PM and the Government of the day regardless of party affiliations.
“For us it is not about the political parties, it’s about the Government. And, we all remain committed to Marape. We voted him and we will support him,” Nukundj said.
“It is like-minded leaders coming together to run the country under a new leadership. Our position is we are committed to the current leadership and current Government.
“It is not just me but all the ministers.”

Go to this link for more: https://www.thenational.com.pg/marape-v-oneill/

PNC MPs will stay: O’Neill

Posted by The National

PEOPLE’S National Congress (PNC) Party leader Peter O’Neill yesterday claimed that all his 22 Members of Parliament (MPs) will remain with the party.
That will make PNC the biggest Opposition party in Parliament, with the position of seven other MPs who did not vote for James Marape as prime minister in June still unclear.
However, O’Neill’s claim that his party’s 22 MPs will remain loyal is doubtful as the positions of the eight ministers who are PNC members are also unclear.
Housing and Urban Development Minister Justin Tkatchenko, a PNC member, told The National yesterday: “I had made a commitment to support Marape as prime minister (PM) of Papua New Guinea.
“My commitment as Justin Tkatchenko Member for Moresby South is that I am supporting and will continue to support and commit to the current PM for the next two and a half years.”
But, Marape had said on Tuesday: “Any MP and ministers from the PNC who wish to remain in Government are encouraged to do so and team up with another political party.
“Any ministers from PNC who choose to remain in Government are encouraged to remain. But those who feel offended with this gesture of bringing in certain factions of the Opposition into the Government and wants to go with the PNC are (also) encouraged to do so.
“The removal of PNC is part of the cleaning process under the new Government. We want to do better and we have fought for a change of government.”
Should Marape stick to his words and action, Tkatchenko and seven minister aligned to PNC must quit their party to keep their Cabinet posts.
If the eight ministers remain in PNC, Marape is likely to drop them from his Cabinet, and do a major reshuffle to appoint new ministers.
O’Neill said all party members had resolved to remain with PNC including the eight ministers at a caucus meeting on Tuesday night.
“We met with all 22 MPs and resolved to remain with PNC. The ministerial appointments are the prerogative of the sitting prime minister,” he added.
The eight ministers from PNC are Works and Implementation Michael Nali, Immigration and Border Security Petrus Thomas, Labour and Industrial Relations Alfred Manase, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Soroi Eoe, Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology Nick Kuman, Public Service Westly Nukundj, Health and HIV/AIDS Elias Kapavore and Tkatchenko.
Again contradicting O’Neill, Tkatchenko said: “PNC had a caucus meeting in which all 22 (ministers) turned up … and they passed a resolution that we will support Marape right through to the next election.
“Whatever happens I will allow the prime minister to make the judgment on that. It’s about continuity, good governance and getting on with the job,” he said.
Tkatchenko said: “My ministry has done much work. We have already made very good inroads. I have no intention nor do I want to be part of this play-mongering, it is totally unnecessary. Like all the other PNC members, we made a commitment to support Marape as prime minister,” he stressed.
On Tuesday, Opposition MPs joined the Government following the appointment of Kavieng MP Ian Ling-Stuckey as Treasurer.
Opposition leader Patrick Pruaitch said in a statement that four of them were National Alliance (NA) members, except for Northern Governor Gary Juffa who is from the Peoples Movement for Change party.
The NA members were Namatanai MP Walter Schnaubelt, East Sepik Governor Allan Bird, North Fly MP James Donald and Ling-Stuckey.

Go to this link for more: https://www.thenational.com.pg/pnc-mps-will-stay-oneill/

Govt agencies told to write simple, workable policies

By HELEN TARAWA - The National

PRIME Minister James Marape is calling on Government agencies and departments writing policies not to reinvent the wheel.
In his address to the staff of the National Resarch Institute (NRI) and National Economic and Fiscal Commission (NEFC) yesterday, he urged policymakers and writers to keep it simple and workable.
“There are enough policies to go to the moon and back. If they are compatible, then we will take the greatest recommendations,” he said.
Marape said the Government would not divert the roles of NRI and NEFC.
“If there is any time our Government needs NRI and NEFC to step up, it is today and I ask you to step up and pick up some of our conversations, I look through some of the writings,” he said.
“You can model them and advise us what is achievable and together we can find the right path in which our country can grow into from 2019 to 2020 and beyond.”
Marape said the 2020s should not be another lost decade, it should be the right decade in which PNG sets sail in the right direction to make PNG the “richest black Christian nation”.
“Our human development indicators are very low, our corruption statistics are amongst the (highest) and economic index is the lowest,” he said.
“We have to get out of this and black is our past, rich is our destination and Christianity is the strategy through which we can get there.
“I looked into NRI’s eight programmes and they are important and are the contemporary programme that should have evidence on to support the Government in progressing our way forward.
“Please get that data to us to help us place our country in the right projection going forward.
“We want to live in a better PNG and we can never get there if we don’t work together.”
Marape said NRI and NEFC’s role would be maintained.
“You are not lost in the jungle of Waigani. We will never challenge your voice, even if it’s harsh. It is better to listen to harsh criticism than praise that is faulty all the time.”

Go to this link for more: https://www.thenational.com.pg/govt-agencies-told-to-write-simple-workable-policies/

Department of Pacific Affairs PhD graduate Philip Mitna promoted to Chief Superintendent

Posted by Australia National University DPA

The Department of Pacific Affairs would like to congratulate Philip Mitna for being conferred the rank of Chief Superintendent by the new Papua New Guinea Police Minister Bryan Kramer. Philip Mitna recently completed his thesis with DPA on Factors influencing Papua New Guinea’s foreign policy in the twenty-first century.

Although Philip is yet to formally receive his PhD, examiners were unanimous in their assessment of his PhD thesis which was awarded without corrections and recommended for an award.

Mitna is currently the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary’s Director for Research and Planning.

Go to this link for more: http://dpa.bellschool.anu.edu.au/news-events/stories/6963/dpa-phd-graduate-philip-mitna-promoted-chief-superintendent

Minister signs deal for EU’s K340mil development fund

Posted ON The National

NATIONAL Planning Minister Richard Maru yesterday counter-signed the financial agreement of the European Union’s 11th Development Fund totalling K340 million for the PNG Rural Entrepreneurship, Investment and trade project which will cover the Morobe, Madang and East and West Sepik.
Maru told a media conference in Port Moresby yesterday that EU had signed in Brussels so he had to sign on behalf of the PNG Government as the national authorising officer to lock both parties into the agreement.
“We will begin the process to provide the detailed scope and work on the programme after the signing of the agreement.
“No provincial government is a party to this agreement, the parties are the Government of Papua New Guinea and European Union.
“The K340mil comes to the State then through the Department of National Planning, the Government decides how they allocate the funds for the component of the project that we are now embarking on called PNG Rural Entrepreneurship, Investment and Trade Project.
“This project is not the only one funded by the EU in PNG, there are many other projects.
“EU is the second largest donor after Australia, very important partners and values the relationship.”
European Development Fund Programme director Roger Kara said after the EU received and recorded the documents, a project steering committee would be established to cover, see and direct the implementation of the project at a higher level.
He also said the development of a contribution agreement will also happen which will take six to 12 months that would be the implementation guide at the lower level with the provinces. “With such a large amount of money that’s involved, the government will be fully engaged in this process to ensure that there is relevance and coherence in that particular contribution back to the financial agreement so that we ensure the project is implemented and delivered accordingly,” Kara said.
“We will make sure as the department and from EU desk, NAO Unit collaborates intensively with the Department of Agriculture Livestock and PNG Cocoa Board to ensure these things are documented.
“We will request that the reporting requirements to the government is cemented so that there is necessary reporting.”

Go to this link for more: https://www.thenational.com.pg/minister-signs-deal-for-eus-k340mil-development-fund/

Donors must respect policies, says Maru

By HELEN TARAWA - The National

NATIONAL Planning and Monitoring Minister Richard Maru says donor partners interested in doing business with PNG must agree to spend 50 per cent of their development corporation funds on road infrastructure.
Maru, who counter-signed a financial agreement of the European Union’s 11th development fund totalling K340 million for the PNG Rural Entrepreneurship Investment and trade project for four provinces yesterday, said the Government’s relationship with donors was guided by the PNG Development Cooperation Policy 2018 – 2022.
“This document says that any donor wanting to do business with PNG through development cooperation funds, 50 per cent of those funds must go to infrastructure while the other 50 per cent can go to other elements,” Maru said.
“Papua New Guinea did not make a mistake in arriving in that.
“When you want to intervene in PNG in particular, the rural areas agriculture or any other sectors without roads you cannot deliver services.”
He said the PNG Development Cooperation Policy guided the Government on how to do business with donors.
“We expect them to respect the position PNG Government in our policy because we are a sovereign nation and any partner doing business with PNG must respect our policies and how we do business,” Maru said.
“In this case, the partners are the Government through Department of National Planning and Monitoring and I as the national authorising officer and EU.
“That is why I’m signing the agreement on behalf of the state today to bind the state in this agreement.
“In the negotiations, the partners might not agree on all elements in the way we want the agreement structured.
“Certainly, in our case we want roads to be included in this programme and the four provinces of Morobe, Madang, East and West Sepik have been included and we are thankful that EU has accommodated them.
“How can you spend K340mil without putting in any road infrastructure.
“We have insisted in planning that rural and commodity roads must be part of this scoping.
“Our farmers, once you give them farmer training, they must be able to get their products out to the market.
“We respect our donors but we expect them to understand our local situation and our context in PNG and have a mutual respect and when we are working on major agreements with major partners.”

Go to this link for more: https://www.thenational.com.pg/donors-must-respect-policies-says-maru/

State badly advised

Posted on The National

A LOCAL car dealer believes the Government should have engaged local businesses in bringing vehicles for the Apec meetings last year.
Freeway Motors owner Sam Tasion, pictured, said the Government had been ill-advised to bring in such vehicles as Maseratis and Bentleys in the first place.

Left: Freeway Motors owner, Sam Tasion

He said such decisions to bring in vehicles should have been left to entrepreneurs, especially car dealers.
Tasion, in response to questions by The National on those vehicles still parked at downtown Port Moresby, said: “After Apec, what’s next? These vehicles are now rusting away near the sea (downtown). Who will supply parts or service the Maseratis?
“Certainly some (people) in the government have hidden motives to bring in the vehicles. After usage, there is no value in the vehicles.
“Millions of kina have been spent to bring them in. Such as the Maseratis – only one Maserati has been sold.
“If Government was to promote SMEs or local businesses, why can’t it buy from local businesses? We (local dealers) have been in the game and know car usage. If there is no political will, there must be business will.
“The Government should promote sustainability, encourage self-sufficiency, impact society and protect national interest.
“What the Government should do now that Apec is gone is to split those vehicles to all local dealers like Boroko Motors, Ela Motors, Freeway and they sell for the country to make money, even if it’s less.”
Tasion further said the price of a Maserati had depreciated by 40 per cent or approximately K250,000.
Freeway Motors is a subsidiary of the Tasion Group of which Tasion, from Manus, is the chairman.

Go to this link for more: https://www.thenational.com.pg/state-badly-advised

Wewak MP Isifu injured in car accident

Posted on The National

WEWAK Member of Parliament (MP) Kevin Isifu was injured in a car accident on the Poreporena Freeway in Konedobu early Sunday morning.
Isifu was taken to the Pacific International Hospital (PIH) where he was treated but his condition is unknown.
NCD & Central Commander Asst Comm Donald Yamasombi confirmed that Isifu was involved in the accident.
“We cannot comment on the circumstances of the accident as the Police Traffic Division is still investigating.
“We can only confirm the car accident occurred on the Poreporena Freeway in Konedobu.
“Isifu was taken to the Port Moresby General Emergency Ward,” he added.
Chief of Emergency Medicine Dr Sam Yockopua said Isifu was sent to PIH emergency ward.
Attempts to get an update on Isifu’s condition from PIH were unsuccessful and neither could the MP be reached for comment.
Pictures of the accident scene had been posted in Facebook yesterday, and has garnered more than 700 views and shared by 300 FB members.

Go to this link for more: https://www.thenational.com.pg/wewak-mp-isifu-injured-in-car-accident/

POLICE HOUSING A PRIORITY

By Bryan Kramer - Minister for Police & Madang MP

Providing Police housing will be a priority of the Marape Steven Government. While the members of the Police Force have received much lip service over the years to address the on-going housing issues it will be a priority issue under the new Government. 

My office has already commenced discussions with the Chairman of country's largest Superannuation Fund, Namabwan Super, Anthony Smare, on developing a strategy in partnership with Government to address Police Housing.

Mr. Smare explained that Namabawan Super have plans to build 3,000 plus housing estates at 9 mile in Port Moresby. A project I hope the Government will buy into, providing some 1,000+ houses to members of the Police Force and their families. In addition to the Government housing component, we also discussed establishing a Police home ownership scheme where officers who have served over 10/15 years will quality for a home ownership scheme at cost.

There is no point for the Government to provide Police housing only to kick them out on the street without any recognition of their service to the country.

Last week I took the initiative to contact Red Sea Company who were contracted to built the 150 Police Housing Project at Bomana in 2015. A project that cost some K52 million and to-date remains incomplete on account of the previous Government's failure to meet its financial obligations. K40 million is still owed and contractor has yet to connect the power, water and sewerage facilities. Further, they are still to be furnished. We will also look at corporate tax credit schemes to start building police housing around the country.

On 8th July 2019, I will be officiating the opening of Gusap Police Housing Project in Ramu, a project funded by New Britain Palm Oil Ltd under a tax credit scheme. The company built 14 x 3 bedroom houses, 2 x12 single man quarters, 1x administration building, armory, heli-pad and back up power at a total cost of just K4.6 million.

My office will be looking at duplicating similar projects in other provinces as well as upgrading existing police houses that are in disrepair.

While it will a priority of the Marape Steven Government to improve the welfare of our 7000+ Police Force members, they will also be expected to clean up their act in providing services to the community and country or be terminated.

Picture Minister for Police and Chairman for Nambawan Super Anthony Smare taken at the Speakers Summit.

Apec report not ready

By GIDEON KINDIWA - The National

THE full report of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) Leaders’ Summit last year is yet to be completed because the Finance Department has not paid outstanding payments to contractors and suppliers, says Justin Tkatchenko, who was the Apec minister then.
And the tender process for the luxury Maseratis and Bentleys parked at the Port Moresby wharf may have to be repeated because of mishandling, he said.
Tkatchenko said almost K30 million were yet to be paid to service providers, most of whom were local contractors, and the report was put on hold until payments were made.
Despite that, the now Housing and Urban Development Minister said it was time to move on and complete the report and the debts would be included as part of the report.
“Still to date there’s an outstanding that Finance (Department) is still yet to secure. It’s taking too long and we cannot procrastinate on this, we will hand in our final report which includes the outstanding payments and allow Finance to deal with it directly,” he said.
“A period of 12 months was given to the Apec Authority with consent from the State Solicitor to complete the report and we still got until November to complete the report and hand it in, but we will do it before then.”
Tkatchenko had told Parliament after the summit that the full Apec report had been delayed by the Ombudsman Commission.
“We are going through a detailed process to ensure that the full report is given on the floor of parliament on the details of the Apec outcomes and also how the Apec expenditure was expended and the final amount of money that was spent,” he had said.
“This is delayed because Moresby North West MP Sir Mekere Morauta brought to the Ombudsman Commission about the vehicles and other things that were supposedly purchased and all the rest of it.”
Then-prime minister Peter O’Neill had also told parliament then that the authority had budgeted K300millionfor the summit and not K5 billion as Sir Mekere had claimed.
Tkatchenko said the money allocated to pay service providers was budgeted in the 2018 Budget and approved by Parliament but he did not know whether the Finance Department had run short of funding or had other priorities. He said he and former Apec chief executive officer Chris Hawkins had constant meetings with the department in trying to raise the issue but the funds had not been paid yet.
He said completion of the report was only awaiting the Department of Prime Minister, NEC and Finance Department to complete their financial reports respectively.
However, the Apec Authority will submit its reports based on the records it had as the need for closure to Apec was paramount for the authority.
Tkatchenko clarified that there was a process that needed to be followed under the Apec Papua New Guinea 2018 Coordination Authority Act 2014.
“The winding up of the Apec Authority is complete when I have received its report and deemed the final report to be satisfactory. This report will then be tabled in Parliament to repeal the act,” he said.
He said the authority was into its final stages of furnishing the report, which would cover all activities and performance of the authority. The final part of the report is the audited report of financial statements prepared by a first-tier firm of auditors and accountants with an office in Port Moresby and the Auditor-General’s Audit Tender Committee was in the process of appointing an independent auditor.
In regards to the tendering of the luxury Apec vehicles, Tkatchenko said: “It is being mishandled by the Department of Finance.
“The tenders were issued wrongly. Instead of putting it out as a tender with a reserved price it was put out as an expression of interest. The whole objective of recouping the funds that we started from day one was not achieved, and so we have to go through that process again.”
Tkatchenko said the department wrongly issued the tenders as expressions of interest and so many buyers were interested but their offers were low, which meant the funds that had been spent would not be recovered.
He also clarified that according to Finance, one Maserati and one Bentley had been sold and the rest were still being prepared for sale.
Meanwhile, Finance secretary Dr Ken Ngangan told The National last night that he would have to confirm with the department before explaining the tender process of the vehicles.
He said it was a sensitive matter and he wanted the public to know what was really happening because the Apec Authority kept on saying different things, the Apec Minister a different thing and so he would come back with confirmed details today.
“The Apec Authority was in charge of running the event and Finance was in charge of paying the funds, but we have run out of money to fully cover the costs,” Ngangan said.
“But I will raise this with the Budget Management Committee and we will bring it to the Treasury (Department) for them to allocate funds to pay the service providers.”

Go to this link for more: https://www.thenational.com.pg/apec-report-not-ready/

O’Neill's end brought forth the good; now call puppets to account

By JIMMY AWAGL - PNG Attitude

KUNDIAWA – It was a lively session on the floor of parliament before the election of Papua New Guinea’s eighth prime minister a few weeks ago.

One little remarked aspect of the controversy was Madang governor Peter Yama’s words to Kerenga Kua, member for Sinesine Yongomugl in Simbu and now petroleum minister.

The remarks have drawn widespread conjecture and condemnation, especially in Simbu. from many people, where people are questioning the integrity of Yama in calling Kua a ‘liklik mangi’ [little boy] in Pidgin.

Personal interest too often ruins the public interest. Even in the heated situation of a stressful parliamentary sitting, Yama should have shown the patience of a mature leader and representative of the people of Madang.

However, he egotistically levelled this derisive remark at his political rival, Kua, who without hesitation branded him as a political puppet.

Kua took the phrase ‘liklik mangi’ as no more than political rubbish from an ant speaking on behalf of floundering prime minister Peter O’Neill as the curtains were being drawn on the previous regime.

Yama may have been agitated that proposed gifts for Madang would be shelved under the new government. So Yama’s political strategy to develop Madang may be unaccounted; perhaps it will be picked up by new police minister Bryan Kramer.

Yama calling Kua a ‘liklik mangi’ sounds disgusting as it has instigated considerable commotion. The people have expressing a sentiment that the phrase ‘liklik mangi’ as insult to the people of Sine Sine Yongomugl and PNG.

The Simbu people, who share a provincial border with Madang (we are also brothers in culture and genealogy), demanded a public apology from the Yama but to no avail so far.

Kua is small in size but has a monster in brain. Kua is an expert at using parliament as a good avenue of debate, he fears no political giant and he speaks without fear or favour when it comes to public interest and welfare.

He has evaluated Yama’s degrading remark as demeaned his, Yama’s, leadership maturity and virtue.

Kua has never been politically disloyal or a yoyo in the many indecisive moments of PNG politics. He’s a steady man and is seen by the people as being a no-nonsense person as he argues for the interests of common Papua New Guineans.

His steadfastness helped cause the O’Neill regime to collapse at the eleventh hour.

And so James Marape came to trust a ‘liklik mangi’ to apply his leadership virtues in the important petroleum portfolio for the benefit of the people of PNG. The ‘liklik mangi’ became a political giant.

The appointments from opposition benches to ministries of Kerenga Kua and Bryan Kramer bestowed confidence among elite Papua New Guineans.

Their move to the government side brought a revolution to PNG politics. It is the start of good governance as people wish it to be in the best interests of the people.

Kua and Kramer will pursue the former crooked regime. This is the long overdue cry of the PNG people - to see democracy and the constitution liberated without fear or compromise.

Any leader who has misused and misappropriated public funds must be brought to justice since this is the people’s money.

The crooks, puppets and political yoyos need to be called to account.

We do not want politicians entering parliament for greed, or who lack visionary leadership, or who are cronies and thieves defacing the sovereignty and prosperity of the nation.

Go to this link for more: https://asopa.typepad.com/asopa_people/2019/06/oneills-end-brought-forth-the-good-now-call-puppets-to-account.html

PNG police minister calls for probe into Maseratis deal

By Johnny Blades - Radio New Zealand

Papua New Guinea's Police Minister is pushing for an investigation into the procurement of luxury cars for last year's APEC summit.

The government imported fleets of Maserati and Bentley cars for use in transporting dignitaries at the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation leaders meeting in Port Moresby last November.

Bryan Kramer, who was appointed as police minister this month, told local media he will file a complaint on the process behind procurement of the vehicles.

It was a controversial purchase for its apparent extravagance while PNG citizens struggle for basic health and education services across the country.

Assurances from the minister in charge of APEC, Justin Tkatchenko, that the cars would be onsold after APEC only added to public outrage.

The luxury cars, which were priced at about $US10 million, are understood to be mostly sitting unused in a Moresby parking lot. In the event, a number of APEC leaders, including New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern, opted not to travel in them while at the summit.

A range of vehicles were APEC vehicles bought for APEC, but the government has faced difficulties accounting for them all.

Mr Kramer has questioned whether the vehicle purchase followed Public Finance Act rules on procuring from overseas. The Act also requires any State assets to be acquired or disposed of by calling for public tender.

However, Mr Kramer has claimed there was a lack of transparency by the former Peter O'Neill-led government over the process.

Australia's Defence Minister Marise Payne meets PNG Prime Minister James Marape and members of his government, including Police Minister Bryan Kramer (third from right) and Housing and Urban Development Minister Justin Tkatchenko (to Mr Kramer's right). Photo: PNG PM Media

Earlier this year, Mr Tkatchenko said that the government would account for all funds spent on hosting APEC, and that a report would be tabled in parliament in due course.

In the interim, Mr O'Neill resigned as prime minister following a series of resignations from his government over concerns over issues relating to governance, economic management and other concerns.

Mr O'Neill was replaced last month by James Marape, his former finance minister. Mr Marape's new government coalition contains many MPs who were part of Mr O'Neill's government, of which Mr Kramer was a trenchant critic.

Now part of government for the first time, Mr Kramer sits at the cabinet table alongside various ministers whose projects he has vigorously criticised in public previously.

The minister stressed that he doesn't have the power to control police investigations. But he is now a position to push more for accountability on controversial dealings by politicians.

However, RNZ Pacific has learnt from sources in PNG that the country's National Intelligence Organisation has discovered a plot against Mr Kramer, although details are not available.

While ruffling feathers by questioning the business model of PNG politicians has earned Mr Kramer some powerful enemies, he appears to have the backing of the new prime minister.

Go to this link for more: https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/392607/png-police-minister-calls-for-probe-into-maseratis-deal

Pokanis updates new minister on issues

Posted by The National

NEW Correctional Services Minister Chris Nangoi was welcomed yesterday by the acting commissioner Stephen Pokanis and his staff at the Bomana Correctional Services Institute in Port Moresby.
Pokanis welcomed Nangoi and told him that the institute had many challenges and issues to be addressed, but also had many resources.
“Since its inception in 1965, the inherited facilities have all deteriorated over the years since Independence and are badly in need of upgrading,” Pokanis said.
“We need more houses to accommodate our staff and more dormitories to house detainees as the prisons are overcrowded.
“But apart from all these challenges, we also have many resources to offer, we have to re-strategise and look at the resources available to us and use them to address issues and overcome challenges.”
Pokanis also called on the new minister to allocate funding to upgrade and maintain facilities and build new dormitories.
He also called on Nangoi to push for staff pensions and to allow for leave of absence for low security risk detainees on parole.
Nangoi thanked Pokanis and said that in trying times and with limited resources, he was looking forward to working with like-minded leaders in the institution to address the issues.
“We will work towards activating leave of absence for low risk detainees and parole for detainees.
“We will also start taking stock of what we have and grow crops and use the human resource we have in the institution.
“Our duty is to ensure that the detainees are secured, rehabilitated and also doing things that will help sustain themselves,” he said.
Nangoi said he bring in people with experience and knowledge at all levels who could help to drive change in the correctional services.
He also thanked the Prime Minister James Marape and the Government of the day for having faith in his leadership and appointing him as the New Correctional Services Minister.
Former CS Minister Roy Biyama did not attend the handover ceremony as he was away attending to his electorate.

Go to this link for more: https://www.thenational.com.pg/pokanis-updates-new-minister-on-issues/

Mori says reappointment is vote of confidence

Posted by The National

WERA Mori says his reappointment as Commerce and Industry Minister is a vote of confidence by the new government.
Mori said he had an important task to ensure that the government’s vision of economic recovery was driven for the people’s benefit.
“We now have the opportunity whereby we can convert the opportunities we have arising from the expectations from our resources of both extractive and non-extractive industries for the benefit of our people,” Mori said.
“I have a big task and responsibility to drive the government’s Small-to-Medium Enterprise (SME) programme in this country.
“When the SME policy was introduced in 2016, we simply didn’t have a platform,” he said.
Mori said one of the models that would help drive the SMEs was through cooperatives.
“We use the cooperative model.
“We get landowners of plantation land to cooperate and farm blocks.
“They are anchored by one or two processors and exporters.”
Mori said the model would see plantations become productive again while allowing landowners to participate directly in the revenue generating activity.

Go to this link for more: https://www.thenational.com.pg/mori-says-reappointment-is-vote-of-confidence/

PNG about to lose K340m EU farmers’ grant: Bird

Posted by The National

PAPUA New Guinea is on the brink of losing a K340 million European Union grant for small holder farmers if the Government does not sign off the Enterprise Development Fund (EDF) agreement, East Sepik Governor Allan Bird says.
If the Government fails to sign by the end of the month, EU would back off with the “free money”, he said.
“The money is at great risk of going back to the EU,” Bird told FM 100’s Talk Back Show yesterday.
EU’s EDF is funding a pilot programme in PNG and the Pacific, creating enterprises for small holder vanilla and cocoa farmers of East and West Sepik. Bird said the programme was secured with an offer made by the EU headquarters in Belgium, which only needed one signature before PNG could access the grant.
“Brussels has already approved it. Their finance minister has already signed,” he said.
“There are three copies of the documents sitting here in PNG. It just needs one signature from PNG and you get K340m in foreign currency hit the central bank tomorrow.
“The problem is that certain people in planning now, after the money has been approved for something totally different, want to change the scope.
“The problem with donor funds is when you borrow money, you can do whatever you want to with the money. If it’s your own money, you can do whatever you like.
“But if it’s grants, it’s a tied grant. They are tied to very specific things to achieve specific outcomes and achieve impact.
“If you cannot get the outcomes, you cannot get the impacts then basically the programme fails.”
Bird said Prime Minister James Marape made a commitment that someone was going to sign it before the deadline.
However, Minister for National Planning and Monitoring Richard Maru said the people of East Sepik and the governor “need to understand that donor funds do not belong to one particular province; they belong to the Independent State of Papua New Guinea”.
“Work on this project began back in 2014 and EU has already agreed that the project will cover the four Momase provinces,” Maru said.
“This is not a Constitutional grant for the people of East Sepik, it’s a donor funding to the national government through the Department of National Planning and Monitoring.”

Go to this link for more: https://www.thenational.com.pg/png-about-to-lose-k340m-eu-farmers-grant-bird/

Kramer wants Apec report

Posted by The National

POLICE Minister Bryan Kramer has ordered the Asia Pacific Authority to submit its report on the procurement of the super luxurious Maserati and Bentley limousines for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) 2018 in Port Moresby last November.
“I need the report to understand how public funds were spent on those vehicles. When I fully understand the report and the issues, the appropriate action, if any, can be taken,” he added.
Kramer said the queries and issues could then be raised with those involved in the procurement exercise, and the matter discussed in the National Executive Council (NEC).
“From the responses to our queries, we can establish whether the procurement was conducted above board. At the moment, I don’t have any information or evidence to suggest that there was any wrongdoing.
“If we start chasing these issues without the report, we will be running around like looking into rabbit holes (wasting time and responses in investigating),” he added.
Kramer also said yesterday that he would file a complaint with the police to facilitate investigations into the procurement process.
“There are also other issues, like allegations that the National Capital District Commission awarded K3 million annually for a yoga programme without following proper procurement process.
“I will, in my capacity as the police minister, file the complaints that I have been holding on for some time.
“It is for the police to investigate and act accordingly. Not me, I don’t have the power to investigate.”
Kramer said: “When you procure things from overseas without following the Public Finance Act, you break the law. It doesn’t necessarily mean that it is a criminal offence.
“So you have to understand that (the issue is whether) anyone benefitted from the transactions. So you look at the purchasing price and see the tender process.
“You check the tender price and initial process and whether there was any eventual inconsistency in the tender bids. If something is supposed to cost only K5,000 and we ended up buying it for K25,000, then you have an issue.”
“I will file whatever necessary complaints that I have. Likewise, any Member of Parliament or the public can lodge police reports if you suspect that a crime had been committed,” Kramer said.
In January, then Apec Minister Justin Tkatchenko told Parliament that the full Apec report had been delayed by the Ombudsman Commission (OC).
“We are going through a detailed process to ensure that the full report is tabled in Parliament on the details of the Apec outcomes and also how the Apec expenditure was expended and the final amount of money that was spent,” Tkatchenko had said.
“This is delayed because Moresby North West MP Sir Mekere Morauta complained to the OC about the vehicles and other things that were supposedly purchased for Apec.
“The OC had ordered a stop to all of these processes until they completed their investigations.
“The process is going forward and we will have a report and it will completely show that the Apec summit was an absolute success and was not K5 billion as Sir Mekere claimed.”

Go to this link for more: https://www.thenational.com.pg/kramer-wants-apec-report/