Following a report that initially broke in the Post-Courier on Wednesday the 2nd of July, the PNG Eco-Forestry Forum has joined a host of others, including the PNG opposition (The National, 3 July), Greenpeace and Transparency International (PNG) (Post-Courier, 4 July), in demanding a full investigation into allegations that an unnamed government minister skimmed more than $US40 million (K145 million) from logging deals and funneled the money into an offshore bank account in Singapore.
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Forum joins call to investigate allegations into $40 million scam
The PNG Eco-Forestry Forum has joined the call for a proper investigation into allegations of US$40 million scam involving a senior government Minister.
In what it described as “Just a tip of the Iceberg,” the Forum says if the allegations are true then there is every reason for people in PNG not to trust the government any more in its management of the forestry sector. It is also an international embarrassment as it seriously questions the credibility of the government in so far as good governance is concerned.
The Forum is concerned that this is not the first time allegations of corrupt practices involving forestry has surfaced as similar allegations continue to happen when the government finds it fit to do nothing.
Numerous Government sanctioned reports, including the Barnett Inquiry of 1998, reveal allegations of massive corruption involving bribery, illegal logging, and human rights abuses within the industry. Recommendations made in these various reports have never been formally tabled in Parliament or has any action been taken against those implicated, creating a situation where there seems to be two sets of laws, one for the politicians and the other for the common people.
Compounded to this is the gagging of democratic debates on these issues on the floor of parliament. The government continues to threaten and criticise one of the few print media companies that does not have any affiliations to the logging industry in its attempts to seriously address the issue of corruption in Papua New Guinea.
“The US$40 million scam only goes to indicate that the reasons for the government’s lack of action in dealing with forest corruption is because senior government MPs are indeed linked to this web of deceit and corruption.
The Forum calls on other decent and honest Members of Parliament to intelligently analyse and take appropriate position on this issue rather than keeping quite because we are talking about money that the people of this country need and not for one individual minister.
The Forum is challenging the government to come out openly and explain why there is such an account and for whom.
For more Information, contact the Forum on phone 323 9050 or email: teff@global.net.pg
PNG Eco-Forestry Forum
04th July 2008