From the Office of the Opposition
Hon. Belden Namah
MEDIA RELEASE
The Prime Minister must immediately step aside from office and also relinquish the Police Ministry. This is to allow for the Police Anti-Corruption Squad and the Task Force Sweep to independently investigate the Paul Paraka saga.
The Prime Minister’s decision to appoint himself as Police Minister in addition to his position as Prime Minister is highly suspicious and inappropriate, given the fact that I have raised a major corruption case in which he is implicated.
In the May sitting of Parliament, I raised a major corruption case involving the corrupt payment of a staggering K71.8 Million to Mr Paul Paraka within the two years that Mr. O’Neill himself has been Prime Minister. I accused the Prime Minister of directing the payments inappropriately and produced a letter bearing his signature addressed to the then Finance and Treasury Minister, Hon Don Polye, and to the attention of the then Finance Secretary Steven Gibson.
I welcome that announcement, and I must say I am now encouraged by the fact that three arrests have already been made by the task Force Sweep team. I am further encouraged by the latest success of the Task Force Sweep Team where they have successfully obtained the all clear from the Supreme Court to carry out search as well as make arrests of Mr Paraka and others.
I am however concerned, that the lawfulness of the Prime Minister’s Letter of Directive to Don Polye, then Minister for Finance and Treasury, to make the payments to Paul Paraka Lawyers may not be investigated.
The K71.8 million would not have been paid to Mr Paul Paraka by the Finance Department, had it not been for several earlier political directives by other politicians and the ultimate Prime Ministerial directive.
The Political Directives form a key aspect of the Task Force Sweep and the Fraud and Anti-Corrupt Squad investigations into the fraud and corrupt cases. How can these two organizations conduct a free, fair and independent investigation when the Prime Minister has chosen to appoint himself as the Police Minister?
The nation is waiting to hear from the Prime Minster why he cannot appoint one among the 50 plus back benchers who are supporting him. Even some provinces and some regions are marginalised in cabinet representation. What is his reason for appointing himself?
The former Police Minister, Nixon Duban is not suspended, which might warrant the PM to hold on to the Ministry. Mr Duban is no longer a Member of Parliament. His election was declared invalid by the Court of Disputed Returns and is now a private citizen.
The motive couldn’t be any clearer. He is holding onto the portfolio to suppress the investigations into his part in the release of the funds.
The Prime Minister and also Police Minister, is in clear case of conflict of interest. He is implicated as the author of the letter of Directive. The Fraud and Anti-Corruption Squad and Task Force Sweep will report to him as Police Minister. The investigation is clearly compromised.
The Prime Minister has no choice but to do two things. He must relinquish the Police Ministry to another Member of Parliament and he must step aside for the authorities to conduct a thorough and exhaustive investigation. There can be no doubt at all, that the authorities will not conduct an independent and conclusive investigation into the authenticity or otherwise of the Prime Minister Letter of Directive when he is both the Police Minister and Prime Minister.
Minister Don Polye and James Marape must also step down for investigations into their roles as Finance Minister during the period of the various payments to Mr Paraka. Tens of Millions of Kina just do not get paid by Finance and Treasury Officials without Ministerial oversight and approval.
The Prime minister and the two Ministers must appropriately distance themselves and the Fraud and Anti-Corruption Squad to do their jobs unhindered and without fear or favour. The role of each one of these Leaders must be independently investigated without their imposing shadows hanging over the heads of the investigative authorities.
If the three gentlemen do not step aside then I ask the ombudsman Commission to consider issuing a Leadership Directive for them to do so.
Apart from the issues relating to the Ministerial and Prime Ministerial facilitation of the multi million kina fraud, there is also widespread belief that at least five current Ministers personally benefited from the kickbacks.
The civil society, the intellect and think-tank and the people of Papua New Guinea at large must now rise up against the monumental level of corruption that is being perpetrated by this Prime minister and his Government.
As Leader of the Alternate government, I call on the Prime Minister to do the most honourable thing, and that is to step aside and allow the investigations to be completed.
I take this time to also call on the Prime Minister to tell the nation, if the Australian Federal Police and Interpol are already investigating possible laundering of the stolen monies into Australia and other places by the beneficiaries.
Authorized by;
..............................
Hon, Belden Norman Namah
Leader of the opposition
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