Effective anti-corruption efforts needed domestically

PAPUA New Guinea can effectively contribute towards efforts to combat trans-national crime if there is ongoing Government commitment to adequately fund the relevant offices.
These include ongoing capacity building and appointment of skilled manpower to the relevant strategic offices because the lack of it may result in incapacity and inefficiency, which may result in undesired mutual efforts.
This was highlighted by lawyer to the Ombudsman Commission Nemo Yalo when he attended the anti-corruption workshop last Oct 29-31 in Lima, Peru.
The workshop was organised by the Secretariat of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) themed The fight against high-level crime is a common international responsibility: strengthening the co-operation mechanisms in the Asia-Pacific economic co-operation community. Prosecuting and preventing corruption, denying safe haven and recovering stolen assets.
“Effective anti-corruption efforts at domestic level contribute toward efficient and effective efforts at the regional and global level,” Mr Yalo said.
He said this when he presented a paper on PNG’s legislative scheme enacted to address high level corruption, serious crime and mutual cooperation with other countries.
He said the legislative scheme entailed primarily three pieces of legislations, which were the Mutual Assistance in Criminal matters Act 2005, Extradition Act 2005 and Proceeds of Crime Act 2005.
Mr Yalo said the scheme gave effect to United Nations Convention against Corruption, the Harare Scheme relating to mutual assistance in criminal matters within the Commonwealth and the London Scheme for Extradition within the Commonwealth.
While commending PNG Government’s efforts to be part of the international effort to combat trans-national crime, he observed that provisions under PNG scheme for a legislator to play a role in mutual assistance in criminal matters or extradition may pose difficulties unique to Papua New Guinea as recent experiences had shown.
Mr Yalo represented the county after being nominated by Chief Ombudsman Ila Geno as a result of a request by Chief Secretary to the Government Isaac Lupari.
Diplomats, senior government representatives from Apec member countries, World Bank representatives, Interpol and experts on trans-national crime attended the workshop.