Iwei ready to face the music

By JEFFREY ELAPA
TELEFOMIN MP Peter Iwei said yesterday that he is prepared to be referred to the Ombudsman Commission in the best interest of his electorate of 40,000 people in the West Sepik.
Iwei said when commenting on the recent report by Planning and Monitoring Minister Paul Tiensten, calling for the Ombudsman Commission to investigate him for paying K10,000 for  a bogus state cheque.
“Whether I’m wrong or right, I’m prepared to be referred in the interest of my people,” he said yesterday.
Explaining his action, Iwei said he was running out of time so he had no choice but agree to what the officers of the department were requesting, without realising that they were from an organised syndicate trying to fool him.
He said his projects proposals was submitted and approved but had taken a lot of time,
and, therefore, as requested by the officers from the planning office he had to make
the transaction.
They added that if he did not give the money as commission, his cheques would be send back to the unspent government account.
Iwei said he complied as requested because his people back home were expecting the money so that the projects would be implemented.
“My district is the least developed and neglected district in PNG.
“Governments do not consider the plight of my people.
“Now, I find out that officers have conned me for with a bogus cheque,” he said.
Iwei added that the bureaucracy should be blamed for all the evil doings in the government departments.