Rise in crime due to bad governance, says groups

 By JAMES APA GUMUNO

THE increase in crime is a reflection of the breakdown in good governance at the national and provincial levels, according to two business leaders.

Southern Highlands Chamber of Commerce president Berry Mini and Business Coalition Against Corruption chairman Garry Kulangil condemned the passage in parliament of amendments to the criminal code which will see the death penalty being imposed on serious crimes.

Mini said in statement the death penalty legislation was only a knee-jerk reaction. 

“The Government needs to do more than just passing laws,” Mini said.

“The increase in criminal actives and white-collar crimes across Papua New Guinea is a reflection of the breakdown in good governance at the national and provincial levels.”

Kulangil said they had seen police officers struggling to provide decent services, correctional service officers failing to provide secured prison facilities, the government failing to provide basic services to rural dwellers and the Task Force Sweep team serving only the government’s interests. 

He said political interference in the government system was creating a lot of problems for the people and justice was not to be done.

“We thank Chief Justice Salamo Injia and his judges as they are the only ones providing a balance so far,” he said. 

He called on the Government to repeal the laws passed last week and ensure that all provincial governments had an effective public service system to ensure services reach people in the rural areas.

For example, he claimed that the Southern Highlands education system had fallen in standard. 

“We have more kids dropping out and roaming the streets and these are potential high risk to the society. The government needs to look at how it can address such issue,” he said.

He said there were also “legalised stealing especially the tendering and procument processes” where money meant to improve services was taken by fraudulent firms.

“This is having adverse effect on service delivery. We have situations where overseas companies are performing below standard and yet the same companies are awarded new contracts,” he said.

Mini said the government was not enhancing or empowering people to get into businesses.