Chan commends board of inquiry

THE new Deputy Opposition leader Byron Chan has commended the PNG Defence Force Board of Inquiry into the Moti affair.
He said the initial aim was to uncover the perpetrators involved in the clandestine escape of one, Julian Moti, the Solomon Islands Attorney-General designate; but had not uncovered those involved in the affair.
Mr Chan said instead, the inquiry uncovered alleged “graft and corruption” within the Defence Force which had set a precedence for similar inquiries into the other armed forces and government departments.
Mr Chan said in a statement yesterday that the matter of graft and corruption as allegedly seen to exist in the Defence Force could be happening elsewhere.
He said: “So, obviously, if the Government was serious about stopping corruption and corrupt practices, which was rife in high places, especially, within Government departments, then it must do something about these behaviours now.”
Mr Chan said the Moti affair had put PNG in a dilemma of truths and lies and that the inquiry should ensure that this type of criminal practises should never happen again.
“Those involved must be punished. They have put our country into total disrepute, tarnishing our reputation and transparency, which is almost nil in the Moti case.
“I also believe, the lower ranked soldiers were merely acting on orders and should not be severely penalised for their role in the Moti saga without knowing the serious repercussions of the whole affair.
“The inquiry must catch the big fish without fear or favour.”
Mr Chan also questioned the state of the inquiry into the Finance Department.
“When will this inquiry be brought forward?” adding that national election “was coming within the next three months and we need to know.”

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