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I have no conflict of interest, says Sir
Rabbie
TREASURY Minister Sir Rabbie Namaliu
yesterday said he had no conflict of interest in the carrying forward of
the National Development Bank Bill and its passage.
He, however, confirmed that a number of plantations in East New Britain
still owed money to the State and the Rural Development Bank.
Sir Rabbie was referring to The National’s report citing Rabaul MP Dr
Allan Marat’s suggestion that the National Development Bank Bill, passed
on Wednesday, might pose a conflict of interest on Sir Rabbie’s part.
Dr Marat had asserted that the Government, in the passage of the
National Development Bank Bill, may be running away from its liability
and mess created by its agent, the Plantation Management Agencies, and
leaving the local plantation owners, especially in East New Britain,
high and dry.
Sir Rabbie asked leave of Parliament to state that he had no conflict of
interest in the passage of the bill.
The National Development Bank Bill was passed to change the name of the
Rural Development Bank to NDB and safeguard the bank board from
political interference in its operations.
Sir Rabbie said there was a suggestion in The National article that the
bill might pose a certain conflict of interest by the leader introducing
it himself.
“I have no conflict of interest, whatsoever, in the bill. I do not think
that any liability from the bank would have been allowed to lapse.
Liabilities would have been sorted out,” Sir Rabbie said.
He added that his own province, East New Britain, had a number of
plantations that were acquired under the Plantation Estate Scheme in
1972 which enabled landowner groups to buy plantations from expatriates.
However, previous governments decided to abolish the scheme when they
found out that the plantations were not managed properly.
“Whatever arrangements made was the one done in that context. Quite a
number of these landowner groups still owe money to the State. Not just
to RDB but the former PNGBC as well. I wish to clarify the issue on the
floor of this House; if there is any liability, the bank will still be
responsible for sorting this out in terms of repayment in the case of
ENB.
He said the ENB provincial government had assisted the bank to get all
plantations together and discuss how to move forward on this issue
because the bank had threatened to mortgage a number of them.
“When the arrangement is done, blocks are allocated to each landowner
group to repay the loan.
“But I have no personal interest in this whatsoever; I do not have a
conflict of interest. The Prime Minister transferred the bill to me as
Treasury Minister,” Sir Rabbie said.
Meanwhile, the Rural Development Bank Board chairman William Lamur has
blasted Dr Marat for using parliamentary privilege to make defamatory
comments against RDB.
Mr Lamur said in the enactment of the National Development Bank, RDB has
not in any way avoided its liabilities.
He said Section 38 of the National Development Bank Bill stated that all
assets held by and obligations and liabilities of the previous Bank RDB
will immediately be transferred to and become assets, obligations and
liabilities of the bank.
 
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