Ombudsman appointments delay a worry

 TRANSPARENCY International PNG has expressed concern over the delay in the appointments to the Ombudsman Commission.

Similar concerns were raised by Kundiawa-Gembogl Tobias Kulang in the media this week.

TI PNG chairman Lawrence Stephens said a well-staffed and legitimately-led Ombudsman Commission was an essential component of the Government’s efforts to restore trust in the fight against corruption. 

“We understand the distressing difficulties faced by the chair of the appointments committee,” he said. 

“We encourage people to be confident in the basic integrity of those responsible for appointing a chief ombudsman and other key office holders. 

“We call on the appointments committee, which includes the prime minister as chair, opposition leader and chief justice to ensure we have impartially selected staffing of this key constitutional body.”

He said delays in appointments created concern and doubt as to the intentions of public office holders.

“It is essential that such doubts be put to rest as a matter of great urgency,” he said.

“The members of the selection committee carry the trust of the people they serve and we call on them to be seen to be supportive of the government’s efforts to combat and reduce corruption.”

He said TI PNG was grateful to Kulang for focusing public attention on the failure of the administrative systems to pay attention to this serious situation.

“TI PNG looks forward to efforts to assure the people of PNG that our leaders are committed to supporting the essential components of our democracy,” he said.