Stop profiteering sharks

THE revelation by a government-sanctioned committee that global healthcare giant International SOS had been operating the Manus Health Facility for three years without registration by the PNG Medical Board is totally inconceivable.
Despite repeated requests by Health Minister Michael Malabag and the PNG Medical Board for plans to be submitted for approval, ISOS continued to operate the facility in “deliberate” defiance of the laws of this country.
ISOS and its Australian subsidiary IHMS have left a trail of “bad blood” which has now come to haunt them as they face not only the coronial inquest into the death of Manus detainee Hamid Khazeai but the wrath of the PNG Government.
The ongoing inquest in Australia has focused on the plight of refugees and asylum seekers in offshore processing centres but has somewhat blurred the real issues that concern the local people.
What has brought such scrutiny and adverse publicity to PNG? Did the Government mishandle and mismanage the Manus refugees?
In fact, it is the doing of international commercial operators who jumped on the “Manus Band Wagon” for profiteering.
The sheer profitability of the “detention enterprise” has led ISOS and IHMS to presume that they are above our laws.
What makes these profiteering sharks think that they are untouchable and can do whatever they like in this sovereign state? Is it because big brother Australia shoved the bitter Manus pill down PNG’s throat?
The Manus facility, which has been operating for three years without a licence, is a glaring example and a rather visible manifestation of this attitude.
Anywhere else in the world, this would be a criminal offence and liable for prosecution and punishment.
Contracts for health services on Manus were not tendered in PNG nor awarded to local companies or partners, which is an example of unfair trade practices.
These so-called health providers have no proper establishment or infrastructure in our country, which would have helped our citizens or improved our health standards in the community, rather than the select few behind the walled compounds of the mine site clinics where they charge exorbitant fees.
They have not invested a toea, yet they are making millions from these illegal facilities.
They bring in fly-in, fly-out “professionals” who work here but pay no taxes to our Government as all their payments are routed overseas.
It has now been revealed that these medical practitioners did not have licences to work in PNG and were brought in on business visas under the pretext of consultancy.
Moreover, they refuse to respond to a multitude of queries and even formal letters from the Health Minister and Medical Board.
Would that be tolerated in Australia? Perhaps they think that protection and patronage from the Australian government gives them immunity and guile to disregard, even defy, the laws of this land.
All previous adverse events at the Manus Detention Centre, including episodes of unrest, poor medical outcomes and local police action against unruly refugees, are all squarely blamed on PNG.
These operators have a tendency to blame our Government and people whenever their shady work comes under international scrutiny.
As Minister Malabag prepares to present his submission on this “medical disaster” to the National Executive Council, some pertinent questions beg answers from the Australian and PNG governments.

• Why has the Manus Health Facility been established without a licence?
• Why have these operators for so long been excluded from scrutiny, review and inspections as provided by our laws?
• What infrastructure and public facilities has Australia and its appointed contractors put up against such windfall gains from PNG?
• What is the result/findings of the various inquiries into these issues?
• When is the Manus Detention Centre closing down?

The final question would be of particular interest to the Supreme Court which made that landmark decision last year.
It seems that neither government is in a hurry to close the centre in accordance with the court ruling. There was a flurry of diplomatic chit-chat initially but nothing has been heard from Canberra and Waigani since.
However, the PNG Government did the right thing by deporting ISOS country general manager Mark Delmonte for “total professional negligence” for the non-registration of the Manus facility.
As well, new registration for ISOS throughout the country has been put on hold until a full investigation is completed.