Papua New Guinea to enact Independent Commission Against Corruption

Lawmakers in Papua New Guinea are planning to table the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) bill in Parliament next month. The Justice Minister and Attorney General Davis Steven said he has discussed the same with Prime Minister Peter O’Neil several times. Steven said Dr Eric Kwa, the department secretary was talking to Chief Secretary Isaac Lupari and government agencies involved in the preparation of the bill to have it ready for tabling in May sitting.

The Minister also blamed the bureaucracy for delaying the tabling. “The situation is such that our officials (bureaucrats) seem to have lost track of where it is. Let the Parliament debate the bill. It is a very poor way of running the country.” Steven said the Alotau Accord approved after the 2012 general election had placed priority on the anti-corruption agenda. “One of the efforts made was a public debate in the main lecture theatre of the University of PNG.” Transparency International had also been invited to give their opinion.