Dion to ministers: Admit K125m a mistake

EAST New Britain Go­vernor Leo Dion has called on government ministers who were implicated in the K125 million Nasfund issue to stop misleading and confusing  people.
He said they should humble themselves and admit that the issue had been a mistake by government, and stop trying to justify their actions.
He called on Acting Prime Minister Sam Abal and the government to set up a proper inquiry into the deal.
“No amount of public debate and political rhetoric will correct this mistake,” he said.
Dion said if the K125 million was still with Nasfund as claimed by the Kokopo MP Patrick Tammur  “then they should come out clean on the K94 million that has been dished out by Nasfund through National Capital Ltd”.
He said the K94 million was paid to Kokopo-based companies allegedly from overseas accounts on invoices presented by the Kokopo joint district planning and budget priorities committee.
Dion said a team of private investigators were sent to Kokopo recently to justify the work done for the value of millions of kina paid to the companies engaged in projects such as water supplies and road infrastructures.
“Their visit to Kokopo to justify things made it more suspicious,” he said.
He said provincial government-funded projects like the Ulagunan road in Kokopo LLG, Nangananga-Kunakunai bridge in Raluana LLG, the Kabanga bridge and the Bitapaka Rural police station post respectively were included as the projects funded under the K125 million.
He said the money had been spent by a Kokopo-based company which was “totally unbelievable” and further confirmed the corrupt dealings involving Nasfund deals.
Dion said a series of questions he and other MPs asked in parliament “have not been answered and addressed by respective ministers”.
“I know that a number of people have allegedly been paid millions of kina in fees and commissions for their part in the scam at the expense of the people of Kokopo, East New Britain and the country.
“They are still at large while leaders in responsible positions are unwilling to investigate this scam,” he said.
Dion said the revelation by the Kokopo MP in which he publicly claimed that no one, including himself, other ministers and companies had been paid millions of kina and that another K125 million would be provided in the 2012 budget to make good for this misuse was misleading.
“This is pathetic, misleading and stupid for people in responsible offices to pretend that all is well,” Dion said.
He said this matter “will only be settled through a proper investigation or commission of inquiry”.
He said provisions under the Crime Proceeds Act should be used to recover the assets and the millions of kina misused.