Whistleblowers will be rewarded

The National Main Stories

By HELEN TARAWA
Prime Minister James Marape says his government will reward those who report bribery and corruption.
He urged all citizens to report corruption because the Whistleblowers Bill passed by parliament this week would protect them.
“For the next two years we will put the policy and legislation fundamentals in place solidly for our nation, including setting up the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC),” he said.
“There is no agent of James Marape going around asking for fees or commissions or asking people for favours.
“I ask every citizen out there including ministers of State.
“There are many people running around as if they are agents.
“Please report them to police with evidence. The Whistleblowers Bill will protect you.
“I want to go one step further again to relook at the Whistleblowers Bill to give reward to those who report bribery and corruption.
“Instead of you giving money or bribery to others, you report bribery and we will reward you and protect you in terms of you reporting bribery in our economy and our country.”
Marape said the Government must “systematically get rid of this culture and start the nation towards the right path in 2020”.
“Parliamentarians are doing what they are supposed to do in terms of putting laws but it’s up to every one of us throughout the country to help police and assist the Ombudsman Commission and assist the ICAC structure,” he said.
Marape said the Government would get reputable people to be on the ICAC, especially those who served in the judiciary bench either in Australia, New Zealand or Commonwealth judiciaries.
“We will have a solid structure set up that will ensure that our economy and country is fighting this scorch of corruption, bribery, nepotism, wantok system and everything else that goes with it,” Marape said.

14 comments

  • I’m proud to be a Papua New Guinean citizen. Our country PNG is known as a paradise. Absolutely, it’s a paradise and is floating on the sea of oil and gas. It’s a tinny Pacific island country in the middle of Pacific and Indian Ocean with multi cultures. It’s a land of milk and honey.

    PNG is like a state of USA and it should have develop rapidly with its vary own oil and gas or mineral resources. But now I come to realize that the only hindrance was the big giant; corruption! (Nationalism/Regionalism/Provincialism/Nepotism). I could say, we should now remove this ism-ism business. Let’s all become as one Nation/ Region.

    Since then, I was too worried about the future of our country. Corruption was even growing bigger and bigger like bush fire. And I thought, how could we fight against this giant to take back PNG for what it has lost in the past 45 years.

    But now my mind will be settled because my leaders have found a way out to fight against this giant (corruption). I agree for passing the whistleblower Bill as an Act. I’m ready to report any corruption for the betterment of my beloved country.

    Together we can develop PNG. Together we can TAKE BACK PNG.

    Should you please edit and publish it on The National- Opinions/ Nek Bilong Pipol?

    By George Jacob…. UPNG first year law student.

  • Passage of this Bill will have its effect. A positive effect on the issues that concern us, and the very issues that stagnate our progress.

    Today, PNG need to stand up as one nation and one people with one goal…getting PNG to be a rich and christian country… a country that should be the bigger brother to our pacific friends and a strong development partner in the APEC region.

    This Bill passed by one arm of government now needs the co-operation and seriousness from Citizens, and the Law and Justice sectors for it’s functionality.

  • CAN WE HAVE EMAIL ADDRESS AND PHONE NUMBER OF RESPONSIBLE PEOPLE PUBLISH ON PAPERS AND A PROCESS TO SCREENING SUSPECTED INCIDENTS . I NEED THIS ASAP , I HAVE A LOT TO INFORMATION AUTHORITIES .inside the group there must be POLICE SPECIAL FRAUD SQD TEAM TO HANDLE CRIMINAL CHARGES AND INVESTIGATE CASES and FINANCE AUDIT TEAM TO INVESTIGATE HAND IN HAND WITH POLICE/BANK OFFICIALS FROM ALL BANKS/THE TEAM WILL COME UNDER FINANCE AND REPORT DIRECTLY TO PMJM FOR UPDATE OF CASES. THIS MUST BE HEADED BY A AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL POLICE TEAM OF INVESTIGATORS AND ASSISTED BY INTERPOL.THE INTERPOL SHOULD BE ASSISTING AFP TO GATHER INFORMATION FROM OVERSEAS BANKS AND REAL ESTATES BUSINESS AND OVERSEAS BUSINESS CONSULTANTS AND BUSINESS REGISTRY OFFICES WORLD WIDE.

  • Totally agree with this move to rid this systematic habit of bribery. Reward and protection will be beautiful as they do in USA for those who report crime. Brilliant!

  • Protect the whistle blowers. Provide hotlines. Good start and get good results for the poor majority in the rural society.

  • Brilliant. Please provide email address and reliable contacts. We got lot to report from all over the country.

  • I am for it and will always go with this very brilliant idea. I will and am putting my life on the line to report any breaches of my country’s laws and anyone who thinks fit to deviate and find opportunity in it. My country is my home and I will stand with this Government in its fight against corruption. Though I may not be fighting big, I know, my little contribution in reporting any foul plays will make a big difference in this country. I AM PUTTING MY HAND UP FOR IT!!!

  • First and foremost, I take this moment to acknowledge and say thank you to GOD almighty for His guidance and wisdom in answering our prayers by putting up God fearing man, none other than Rt. Hon. Prime Minister, James Marape. I salute you all our elected leaders for making bold decision to support PM JM. on the act-Whistle Blowers Act. There are small concerned citizens doing their bit trying to rid this Monster, CORRUPTION,BRIBERY and so on in our cities,towns,districts,communities and hauslain in respective Provinces.

  • Yes Act to protect Whistle Blowers. Does that can cover for the security(Day &Night) for the whistle blowers? Information is power for better of worse! Passing the Act of Whistle blowers sounds good like music to some ears now bt i could be really bitter in reality in the execution and trials. What if the office of the Whistle blower Act enforcement agent becomes Another NID office with people trying to cue up not for NID cards bt this time its prize money claims on “hand” for being whistle blowers?

  • Now that we are fighting corruption, well we should enforce death penalty for Prime Minister, MPs, Secretarries, CEOs, Senior Govt officials who are found engaging in corruption first. Then you see a paradigm shift in corruption here in PNG.

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