TI wants more support for cops

TRANSPARENCY International Papua New Guinea is calling on the government to better recognise the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary.
The watchdog group said the government should fully resource agencies in it to effectively combat corruption and associated criminal issues. 
Transparency made this call in support of a media statement by India Institute chief executive officer Dr R Bhaskara.
Bhaskara said Papua New Guinea was faced with serious risks of money laundering from criminal activities, including domestic corruption.
He said the country lacked resources and manpower to control the problem.
The Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) was established in the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary to investigate unusually large amounts of cash transacted into personal bank accounts to establish the bona fides of the source.
It stated that in so doing, it would provide reports to other relevant authorities.
He said that while acknowledging the establishment and work of the FIU, the unit faced shortages in government funding that hampered investigations and officer morale.
TIPNG is focused on ensuring that the National Anti-Corruption Strategy that was endorsed by the O’Neill government late last year is implemented. 
Its implementation will lead to strengthening of
anti-corruption agencies such as the FIU and the Police Fraud and Anti-Corruption Directorate through increase resourcing and ensuring that investigators and prosecutors are adequately skilled to better deal with the corruption aspects of money laundering.
TIPNG will be canvassing support from other TI chapters in major neighbouring countries to ensure that their governments support and help the anti-corruption
efforts in PNG by unveiling and reporting questionable accumulations of funds and assets from PNG in their
nations.