By ELIZABETH VUVU
JUSTICE and Attorney-General Minister Dr Allan Marat is concerned that East New Britain authorities appeared to be turning a blind eye to the production of pornography in the province.
He said the authorities would have heard of the racket and he could not understand why they had not done anything to curb it.
“(Instead) why are they putting a lid on the issue?” he asked yesterday in response to a front-page report in The National.
“I have not seen copies of those locally-made pornographic materials yet, but I have been briefed by my aide, Bernie Benson, and others in ENB.
“To think that some who are involved in this activity but are still being retained by Government shows that the Government is involved.”
Mr Benson told The National on Monday that many pornographic materials were being produced in the province and many local girls and young women were involved.
One woman was a senior public servant, he said, and indicated that she would be referred to the authorities for investigation.
Dr Marat, who is the MP for Rabaul, said he was told that the locally-made pornography was widely distributed in the province and outside.
He regretted that there were people resorting to such activities when the Government was pouring millions of kina into the fight against HIV/AIDS
“This is not good for the country’s development,” he said.
He confirmed that Mr Benson was compiling a full report for him.