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Finance sacks ECP
adviser
By CLIFFORD FAIPARIK
AN Australian adviser to the Finance
Department has been told his services were no longer required after he
was accused by the department’s top officials of “spying”.
But other sources say the adviser (named) was removed last Friday for
investigating and frequently raising issues about “questionable”
payments in the department.
The Australian, who was deployed to the Finance Department under the
Enhancement Cooperation Programme and attached to the expenditure
control section, was told to stay away from Vulupindi House after
officers reported him to Finance Secretary Gabriel Yer.
The expenditure control section is a sensitive section that handles
claims.
Finance Department officials familiar with his removal said the
Australian was not performing his role as stated in his contract.
“He was acting like a spy here. He takes our files and takes them down
to Canberra once a month,” a Financial Department official said.
“He just barges into our office, opens our drawers and pulls out files.
He shouts at us as if we do not know our jobs. He also questions the
Central Supply and Tenders Board for approving contracts to contractors.
“He was supposed to be an adviser and not get involved in the
Department’s operation,” the official said.
Australian High Commission’s public diplomacy manager Leigh Arnold
denied that the official was sacked but referred all queries to Mr Yer.
“We understand that the PNG Department of Finance was dealing with this
matter,” Mr Arnold said.
An official from Mr Yer’s office played down the report, saying the
adviser is being dealt with as an internal matter.
“Mr Yer would release an official statement soon,” he said. The ECP
issue has strained relations between Canberra and Port Moresby.
After it was introduced, the Supreme Court declared it unconstitutional,
and the policing aspect of it was scrapped, prompting the return of
Australian Federal Police officers deployed in PNG, to Australia.
ECP officers are deployed in Finance and Justice Department, including
the Public Prosecutors Officer, under the non-policing component of ECP.
But the PNG Government has stalled the deployment of 10 advisers for the
Police Department, with a Senate Committee in Australia raising concern
about this.
 
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