K5m cheque drama

 By MALUM NALU

 THE controversy over a K5 million cheque recently given by Prime Minister Peter O’Neill to a church has finally ended – with the money now going to its coffers.

Former Evangelical Lutheran Church of PNG head bishop Giegere Wenge, who received the cheque from O’Neill at the church synod in Finschhafen, Morobe, last month, had refused to hand over the cheque to church officials. 

Wenge, who was replaced as head bishop during the church synod in Finschhafen, told The National last week that it was he who made the submission for Government assistance towards the ailing Lutheran Shipping and therefore was entitled to have a say on how the money should be used.

But yesterday, O’Neill directed the church’s Voluntary Liquidation Supervisory Committee chairman Bart Philemon to pick up the cheque from Treasury in Port Moresby where Wenge had reportedly left it. It is understood that Wenge had allegedly requested Treasury officials to re-issue the cheque to a different payee.

O’Neill directed Philemon to take the cheque back to the church headquarters at Ampo, in Lae, and use the money to revive the ailing Lutheran Shipping. 

Philemon yesterday confirmed receiving the cheque but declined to comment further on the saga which has embarrassed Lutherans.

He told The National last week that the committee was trying to buy a catamaran from the Phillipines for K9 million to revive Lutheran Shipping but Wenge wanted to buy two vessels from Malaysia through a shelf company.

Wenge said the church might have appointed Jack Urame to replace him “but that does not mean that he’s going to get the money”.

The K5 million was part of an interest-free loan of K10 million O’Neill had promised the 2014 Synod at Karkar Island, in Madang, to revive Lutheran Shipping.

Lutheran Shipping went into liquidation in 2014 with debts of up to K27 million which Wenge has been fighting against.

A spokesman for O’Neill said on Sunday he had already stated the intent of the K5 million – to help in reviving Lutheran Shipping – and it should not be held back by Wenge.

“The PM has clearly stated the intent of the K5 million,” he told The National.

“The former bishop (Wenge) has no authority to alter the cheque, deposit, or try to use it for purposes other than what it was given for. To do so is wrong and the former bishop must hand over the cheque to the group appointed by the church with the responsibility of reviving Lutheran Shipping.

“The bishop must hand over the cheque to the Voluntary Liquidation Supervisory Committee led by Bart Philemon, that is charged with the responsibility of reviving Lutheran Shipping.”