PNG Opposition Issues Five-Point Ultimatum Over FATF Grey-Listing

PNG Opposition Leader James Nomane has laid out a five-point ultimatum to the Government, calling for an urgent national strategy to lift Papua New Guinea off the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list.

Nomane said the international designation could not be resolved through piecemeal action, warning that failure to act decisively would prolong increased monitoring and damage the country’s financial credibility.

 PNG Opposition Issues Five-Point Ultimatum Over FATF Grey-Listing

Speaking on behalf of the Opposition, Nomane said the first step must be the immediate establishment of a national FATF command centre under the direct authority of the Prime Minister.

He said the command centre should operate as a “war room”, with daily briefings, firm deadlines and full coordination between all government agencies involved in compliance efforts.

The second point of the ultimatum calls for the fast-tracking of all legislative amendments required by FATF, including laws dealing with beneficial ownership transparency, supervision of high-risk sectors and stronger enforcement powers.

Nomane said Parliament should be recalled in February to pass all grey-listing-related legislation without delay.

The third point focuses on enforcement, with Nomane warning that paperwork and policy reforms alone would not satisfy international assessors.

He said agencies such as the Financial Intelligence Unit, police, customs, the Independent Commission Against Corruption and the public prosecutor must be strengthened with specialised financial crime units, modern investigative tools and operational independence.

The fourth point demands visible, measurable outcomes that FATF can assess, including investigations, prosecutions and asset recovery.

Nomane said workshops, training sessions and policy documents would not be enough without tangible results.

The fifth and final point calls for a coordinated approach to international technical assistance, with all external partners aligned under a single national action plan.

“APG, OSTRAC, IMF and others must be aligned under one national action plan, not scattered across agencies,” Nomane said.

“The government must act now to show that it is absolutely serious. This must be the Prime Minister’s number one priority.”