DEC should be probed over PIP grants

 A SERIES of financial review reports by Deloitte on the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) in 2008 concluded that the department has been operating outside normal public financial procedures, including abuse of trust accounts.

Bank records of PNG Environment Protection Trust Accounts (#1000585083) showed that about K2.6 million was used up between August 2008 and October 2010 through daily transactions.

The account was operated like normal transaction cheque account, in which unused PIP grants were deposited into.

Apparently, all the PIP grants for the DEC have been scrapped off in this year’s budget, including the mine monitoring PIP, citing lack of outputs and capacity at the department. 

The DEC should be investigated over the use of PIP grants between 2005 and last year. 

Corridor observer

Port Moresby