Officer explains Whistleblowers Act’s objectives

National

THE objective of the Whistleblowers Act is to provide procedures for employees to report suspected improprieties in the work place, says a senior officer of the Independent Commission Against Corruption (Icac).
Icac legal officer Robin Wamo said the Act protected employees, who made protected disclosures, from occupational detriment and provide remedies to employees who suffered occupational detriment after having made protected disclosures.
Wamo, in a presentation to police officers in a workshop in Port Moresby, said the Act applied to any protected disclosure made after the date on which the section came into operation, irrespective of whether or not the impropriety concerned occurred before or after that date.
Wamo said anyone could make a disclosure and this included an officer of the public service, individual, employee of a statutory body and a person who held office constituted by or under an Act.
“Any persons who discloses information regarding any wrongdoing (corrupt practices) that has come to their attention in the course of their duty (work) in the workplace will be protected under the Whistleblower Act,” he said.
Wamo said, however, there were penalties against those who intentionally made a false or misleading disclosure as this was an offence.
“The penalty is a fine not exceeding K10,000 or six months imprisonment with hard labour,” he said.