PNG Parliament Votes Overwhelmingly in Support of Prime Minister Marape's Leadership

 Former Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, Peter O'Neill, has made shocking revelations concerning widespread corruption within the Connect PNG program. Despite expressing previous support for the initiative, O'Neill now asserts that the program has been misused for questionable payments, cronyism, and nepotism.

Peter O'Neill

During a parliamentary session, O'Neill, acting on information provided by a whistleblower, presented a detailed transaction history from the Department of Finance on February 14. The records cover Connect PNG cheques and transfers made between April 14, 2021, and January 22, 2024, revealing approximately 1,400 separate payments totaling just under two billion Kina (K1,933,364,152.94) over two and a half years.

Key Points and Examples of Irregular Payments:

1. Payments to Pacific International Hospital for Minister of Works' private medical expenses.
2. Cash transfer to an individual for accommodation and living expenses in the UK.
3. Payment to an MP-owned Sunday Bulletin with no similar payments to other media since 2021.
4. Payment to a cleaning company for the "beautification" of Department of Works HQ gardens.
5. Payments to a single legal services company for long overdue invoices.
6. Interest paid to one construction company for late payment penalties, not extended to other companies under Connect PNG.
7. Payment to a hotel in Mt Hagen for the accommodation of 18 soldiers guarding the Four Lane Hwy.

O'Neill highlighted these payments as evidence of systematic corruption on a grand scale within the Connect PNG program, alleging that it was designed by Prime Minister Marape to defraud the people and benefit himself and his associates.

Major Scams Uncovered:

1. Former staffers/relatives setting up road construction companies and being awarded Connect PNG contracts. Examples include IPWENZ CONSTRUCTION LTD and TUMLA CONSTRUCTION LTD.
2. Registering local government institutions as shareholders, changing ownership, and having Connect PNG award road contracts to these businesses. Example includes Tari Pori Development Authority Ltd (TPDA).
3. Diverting funds to companies owned by close associates under the pretext of road construction. Example includes Clean-Green Energy Limited.
4. O'Neill called for an immediate halt to all Connect PNG payments until an audit by the Auditor General is completed. He urged banks, both domestic and international, to scrutinize transactions involving firms linked to the Prime Minister and the Minister of Works, preventing potential misappropriation of funds.

He called on the Bank of Papua New Guinea (BPNG) and the Financial Analysis and Supervision Unit (FASU) to use their powers to protect the country from systemic financial fraud. O'Neill insisted that both the Minister and the Prime Minister should stand down to avoid interference in any investigations.

Highlighting that these funds belong to the taxpayers of PNG, O'Neill emphasized the need for accountability and urged Prime Minister Marape to take ownership of the situation. He commended the bravery of the whistleblowers and called for a thorough investigation into the alleged corruption within the Connect PNG program.

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PNG Parliament Votes Overwhelmingly in Support of Prime Minister Marape's Leadership