THE current O’Neill-Dion Government of Papua New Guinea (PNG) has used the District Service Improvement Program (DSIP) funds as ‘baits’ to sway the Parliamentarians. This was revealed by PNG’s senior government officials in Port Moresby.
An anonymous public servant who works for the PNG Government in Port Moresby stated district slush funds have been reduced from the usual K10-million annually to a mere K1-million for the districts. He said, however, for those parliamentarians who support the O’Neill-Dion Government have received much higher and timely disbursement of district slush for their electorates compared to those who against the O’Neill-Dion Government. He said this also applies to appointment of government department secretaries and executive directors; favourisim and corruption at its best.
Meanwhile, in a recent media statement the Bulolo MP and Deputy Opposition Leader Hon. Sam Basil has proposed for DSIP funds to be ‘constitutional granted’ and not as the prerogative call and/or the discretionary in the hands of the Government of the day.
The Deputy Opposition Leader said when funds are at the parliamentarian’s discretion, they are open to abuse and misuse.
Mr. Basil said the parliamentarians at the Opposition side of the House become victims when the Government decides to give how much and which district they want to prioritize with funding.
He said when "constitutionalized" the funds will be strictly for development and could not be politicized by any Government like that is happening now. By law all districts will receive their funds regardless of which side of the House they sit.
"I want the district slush funds to be compulsory and acquitted like the district and provincial support grants,” Mr. Basil said.
Meanwhile, Member for Nuku Hon. Joe Sungi has revealed he is with the O’Neill-Dion Government because he wants to get the slush funds for his district. “I will join any Prime Minister because I want money for the district,” Mr. Sungi said.
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| Photo: Bulolo Open MP and Deputy Opposition Leader Hon. Samuel H. Basil. Image courtesy of PNG Opposition. |
This is corruption legalized
ReplyDeleteRalph, that is so true. "Corruption legalized," Sepik plain funding is seen as "political gimmick" and a scam to bleed taxpayer's money as elections is around the corner.
ReplyDeleteHow can we relly together to get to yhe root of corruption and weed it out. All good thinking comes to an end when we think about this things. Our crimes and dishonesty and corruptions have graduated to a level much higher then anticipated. God save us.
ReplyDeleteThe only way forward is for people to see the leaders in terms of qualities and vote them based on their qualities and strong urge to fight corruption. Amongst the corrupted, they are some who are not corrupted. People need to look more closer in the leadership to change this country.
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