PM Marape adamant, Davis Steven delayed ICAC Bill

PNG Prime Minister James Marape is adamant former deputy prime minsiter David Steven delayed the ICAC bill. 

 “The former Attorney-General and Deputy Prime Minister Steven Davis did delayed the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) Bill.

I make this statement in response to his statement that ‘several conflicting instructions for amendments from the PMJM nearly derailed the ICAC law and at one stage it was almost withdrawn’.

This is far from the truth, my instructions has always been to expedite the ICAC work and to bring to clarity certain ambiguities including ensuring that the Commissioners are from abroad and not PNGeans.

He should know, I am the driver of ICAC and reforms on ICAC, as I committed to do when I made my maiden PM speech on 30 May 2019.

He as Attorney-General, delayed this bill because he could not spend quality time on this important matter until I put him on notice.

We finally have it done and the new Justice Minister, Hon. Bryan Kramer, is tasked to get it operationalised as soon as possible.

Many Prime Ministers of the past just talked on ICAC since mid 1980s however, we delivered this into law and now we will set it up in our efforts to fight corruption. Of course some government’s helped including POs when constitutional amendments were initiated, but my government brought it all together.

If Hon Steven is serious about fighting corruption, perhaps he can explain to the people of PNG as to why he left government instead of staying on to progress ICAC and other good work that he helped started.

Any way I guess politics is politics. Every Leader wants to be PM so that was their play.

Back to ICAC, last week, I met both ICAC and Ombudsman in the presence of Justice Minister Kramer and Secretary Dr Eric Kwa to ensure both ICAC and Ombudsman are ‘twin towers’ in fighting corruption and ensuring good governance.

These ‘twin corruption towers’ will be functional and resourced to ensure we safe guard our country from corruption. 

Our efforts to collect more from our natural resources will be in vain if we do not eradicate corruption and remove loopholes in our system of government that facilitates corruptions.

So we will amend further the ‘light work’ Steven did on the Whistle Blowers Act we passed last year to ensure it fully protects all witness who report and assist prosecute corruption. We will also augment the Proceeds of Crime Act. 

We also working on the ‘Undisclosed Wealth Act’ to ensure people declare their extra source of income for the extra cars, extra houses, or extra money they have in their possessions that does not match their income levels.

I almost lost PMship due to some of such public policies (in fact the exodus of MPs from some government took place a day after ICAC was passed) but I fear no one except God (who is my Judge) plus all of you PNGeans.

Time is short so to all my colleague leaders, let’s not just talk from a distance, come let us work together. I am here to be corrected and advised if need be.

I spoke on forgiveness and working together in Loloata so leaders like Hon D Steven are encouraged to come assist in some of such good public policies. 

Let us all work for the ‘next generation and not the next election’ as Hon Steven you would say.

Life is short so we are leaving legacies; ICAC, Whistles blowers Act and Undisclosed Wealth Bill are some legacies the Loloata leaders want to leave behind for our country.

This is not about me but the next generations.”

Statement

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