THE COURT REPORT
Illicit K10.6m payment
...reasons why. Firstly, neither the claimant or the recipient of the funds had any legally enforceable right to claim damages from the PNGFA. Secondly, payments from the LEDL are only supposed to be made to local or provincial governments. They should be made to fund agriculture or infrastructure development projects in logging areas. Also, the levy was only introduced in...
PNGi INVESTIGATES
COVID-19 Expenditure: Reporting the Red Flags
...unpaid debts at the time it was engaged by [Australia’s] Home Affairs [Department]’. Baker continues, ‘its directors include provincial government officials and retired PNG Supreme Court judge Don Sawong, who in 2017 unsuccessfully ran as a candidate for Prime Minister Peter O’Neill’s political party’. A leaked email acquired by Fairfax from a Bank South Pacific manager states ‘Australian Department of...
PNGi INVESTIGATES
PNG Architect Defeats Malaysian Timber Dynasty
...although a Forest Clearance Authority (FCA) was issued to Northern Forest Products Limited on 3 July 2017, and signed by the Chairman of the National Forest Board, ‘proper process was not followed’. Sabuin states that no public hearing on the FCA application was held as required under the Forestry Act, the Oro Provincial Forest Management Committee did not approve the...
THE COURT REPORT
Rimbunan Hijau behaviour “a sham, fraud and unconscionable”
...subsidiary, Niugini Lumber, to do the logging and another subsidiary, Timbers PNG, paid Pinpar’s bank guarantee required under the LMA. RH was ‘therefore in effectual and constant control’ of Pinpar. The Supreme Court also noted that RH and Pinpar shared the same registered office and the same Company Secretary. The royalties paid to TL Timbers and the provincial government were...
THE COURT REPORT
Yama Bribery Scandal Takes Another Twist
...that has seen two electoral officials convicted. The case centres on a complaint submitted by former Madang Governor, James Yali, to police on 19 July 2017. Yali alleges that Yama gave cash to two assistant returning officers, during the counting period. While police successfully convicted the two returning officers for receiving corrupt gratification from Peter Yama MP, Provincial Police Commander...
POWER PROFILES
William Duma: From Manu Manu to Horizon Oil
...a tightrope between legitimate and illegitimate conduct. The AFR reports: The files document … the narrow line Horizon was already walking in PNG, with a seemingly endless list of paid political consultants and community affairs managers, who were chasing rumours about shifting power structures, seeking “per diems” for provincial staff and arranging drinks with the then prime minister Sir Michael...
THE TOKAUT BLOG
Horizon Oil and William Duma Bribery Scandal
...third and final high profile individual alleged to have benefited from the Manu Manu land fraud). Once the fraud became apparent in the state lease award to PNG Deep Sea Fishing, the Milne Bay Provincial Government attempted to regain this illegally acquired property. Maladina launched litigation to frustrate the Provincial Government’s efforts. As a result of Maladina’s actions the Milne...
PNGi INVESTIGATES
How Don Polye helped swing the 2012 election for O’Neill
...of Waigani and across the country for the previous nine months, lining the pockets of MPs and candidates loyal to O’Neill, helping to secure their election success. Between August 2011 and February 2012 over K1 billion was distributed by the Department of Finance from two illegal accounts, including more than K500 million funnelled to carefully selected Provincial and District treasuries...
THE TOKAUT BLOG
Why do we venerate the architects of kleptocracy
...ensure value for money. Good Times, Fast Money Julius Chan has backed a coterie of businessmen who have fleeced the Provincial coffers Since 2007, Chan has concentrated his efforts on Provincial as much as National politics. Julius Chan has been Governor for New Ireland for the past 12 years, 12 years during which the good times and fast money have...
POWER PROFILES
New Treasurer a Plague on Development and Democracy Top Civil Servant Claims
...of his tenure, were not even drawn up in the province but were drawn outside the NIPGA [New Ireland Provincial Government Administration] system through the former Governor’s own contacts and business associates and were then taken straight to the JPPBPC [Joint Provincial Planning and Budget Priorities Committee ] which he himself chaired and then onto the Provincial Assembly for endorsement....
THE TOKAUT BLOG
Auditor General massively under funded
...the limited financial resources”. This is a critical situation. In total the Provincial Government Audit Division of the AGO is supposed to be responsible for auditing 947 government institutions located outside Port Moresby. Such is the size of this task, the Organic Law on Provincial and Local-Level Governments requires the Auditor-General to establish an Audit Service and appoint a Provincial...
THE TOKAUT BLOG
How to Bag a Million in New Ireland
While families across the country struggle to make ends meet, it appears for a small minority the path to millions is exceedingly easy, so claims the Ombudsman Commission (OC). The OC’s investigation into the award of K1 million to KPE Investment Ltd for the provision of agricultural services found that the Namatanai District Administration and the New Ireland Provincial Administration...
THE TOKAUT BLOG
Eastern Highlands Grandee Smith-Kela Implicated in Trust Account Plunder
...Provincial Administrator, Mr Munare Uyassi. The Ombudsman Commission observes: ‘The Eastern Highlands Provincial Government and the Eastern Highlands Provincial Administration under the leadership of Hon. Malcolm Smith-Kela, MP, Governor and Mr. Munare Uyassi, established the Trust Account without approval from the Minister for Finance and/or the Secretary for Finance, contrary to Section 15 of the Public Finance (Management) Act 1995’....
THE COURT REPORT
Scandal Prone Gummi Fridriksson Back in Court
...19 March 2003. This is just a month after the Provincial Supply and Tender Board issued – illegally according to the Public Accounts Committee – a certificate of inexpediency. One thing certainly appears clear, there is a very strong prospect that far from facing sanctions for its business deals with the East Sepik Provincial Government, CCS Anvil may be rewarded...
THE TOKAUT BLOG
Peter ONeill: Son of a Grotesque Political System
...public broadcasting and civil society investigative expertise, so the nation has a well resourced and skilful professionals probing public integrity and reporting their findings to the public. A risk based reform of all the slush funds, rotten government departments and defunct provincial authorities, focusing on the worst performers first. Of course, a comprehensive list of essential reforms would be much...
PNGi INVESTIGATES
Solomon Islands Paradise Destroyed by Plunder
...from 31,000 to 61,000 hectares. Apparently unimpressed by the central government’s inability to take decisive action against APID, the Renbel provincial government tried taking its own action. In September it cancelled APID’s Provincial Business Licence. This meant APID was barred from carrying out any business transactions or operations in the province, including on Rennell island. Unsurprisingly, APID responded with another...
PNGi INVESTIGATES
Good Times Fast Money in Sir Julius Chan Country
...the money was stolen. Image: An unknown woman stands between Sir Julius Chan and Mr Peng Chun Chee The special audit aimed to determine if Provincial and District Administrations expend Provincial Services Improvement Program and District Service Improvement Program funding in compliance with public finance laws and regulations. New Ireland under Sir Julius Chan’s leadership received an ‘F’. One contract,...
PNGi INVESTIGATES
Govt Stole Development Funds from Logging Communities
...might be expected by now in the light of the above findings, abysmal. According to the legislation and administrative guidelines, the LEDL Committee, Provincial and Local Level governments, District and Provincial Administrators, Provincial Works Managers, and PNGFA staff are all supposed to take a role in the monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of approved projects. Despite all the detailed...
PNGi INVESTIGATES
From Central City to Konebada: Milking Two White Elephants
...the mismanagement of funds. This may explain why there is no public record of officers ever following up on the scathing findings of the Auditor General. In Central City anomalies were found with the appointment of a Project Engineer, Mr Raul Santa Cruz. The Auditor General notes: ‘He was previously employed by the Central Provincial Government. There was no formal...
THE COURT REPORT
Peter Yama dodges electoral bribery charge
...National Court, after they failed to report a corrupt gratification they had received from a candidate during the vote count for the Madang Provincial Seat. John Tumaing confessed to receiving K50 from the candidate, and Nixon Kavo, admitted to receiving K500. Under the Criminal Code both men were duty bound to report this corrupt gratification to a law enforcement officer....
THE TOKAUT BLOG
Momis is the Word on Bougainville
PNGi has recently put a spotlight on provincial administrations across the country. Often overshadowed by the corruption big leagues in Waigani, provincial administrations have proven to be intractable sites of abuse. Today PNGi turns to the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG). As Bougainville approaches an independence referendum, won through hardship and sacrifice, its precious public finances are being lost to misappropriation,...
THE TOKAUT BLOG
Oro in the Auditor General’s spotlight
...crusading governor, Gary Juffa, is not surprised. Juffa is well aware of how badly impacted the Provincial administration is by corruption and has lamented his limited powers of intervention. Nonetheless, important changes are afoot. In July the Provincial Executive Council (PEC) suspended Provincial Administrator Sem Vegogo on 18 counts of misconduct and maladministration in office. This was less than a...
THE TOKAUT BLOG
Car hire a major drain on government resources
...hire cars in 2017 To this line of inquiry, we can now add the revelations from the latest report to be published by the Office of the Auditor General (AGO). This reveals how the hire car curse is afflicting Provincial governments right across the country. A lack of competitive tendering, unregistered business names, exaggerated hire periods and inflated rates are...
THE TOKAUT BLOG
An Emergency on New Ireland
...Provincial Government had sought the required three written quotations from two other suppliers as Hardware Haus had been selected as the new supplier and neither the contract value of K2,447,500 was sanctioned by the Provincial Authority to Pre-Commit Committee (PAPCC) nor the award of contract was approved by the Provincial Supply and Tenders Board”. Hardware Haus is owned by City...