Transparency International PAPUA NEW GUINEA INC.

Transcription

1 Transparency International PAPUA NEW GUINEA INC. Our Values: Accountability Integrity Justice Democracy Solidarity Courage Transaprency Good Governance Respect January - March 2017 WHO WE ARE Transparency International PNG is part of the global civil society organization leading the fight against corruption. There are over 100 chapters worldwide and an international secretariat in Berlin, Germany. We raise awareness on the damaging effects of corruption and empower people to take action against corruption. We work with our partners in government, business and civil society to develop and strategize ways to tackle corruption. OUR MISSION To inform, educate and encourage people in Papua New Guinea to take action against corruption. Raising police ethical standards In partnership with the Internal Affairs Directorate of the Royal PNG Constabulary, TIPNG has been conducting ethics workshops with police personnel since The workshops aim to enhance the integrity of the police force. Earlier this year, TIPNG was invited by the Royal PNG Constabulary to present on 'Ethics & Civic Responsibility 'at its Disciplinary Workshop in Port Moresby. The session sparked much debate and discussion especially with regard to Citizens Rights when interacting with Police, Police Rights when interacting with citizens and the knowledge gap by both parties. It was unanimously agreed among the participants that more needs to be done and TIPNG looks forward to assisting the Police with getting information out to the general public. TIPNG has facilitated workshops with the police in the Momase, Southern, New Guinea Islands, Highlands regions and in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville. Ethics and integrity remains a key challenge to policing in Papua New Guinea. If left unchecked, corruption will continue to undermine the ability of the police to discharge their responsibilities effectively by alienating those they are supposed to serve. Strong internal disciplinary processes are essential to keep policing truly disciplined and professional. TIPNG will also be doing a presentation during the Constabulary s Cell Management Course in the coming weeks. Advocacy & Legal Advice Center WHAT IS CORRUPTION? Corruption is the abuse of entrusted power for personal gain. OUR PROJECTS Advocacy & Legal Advice Centre TIPNG s Advocacy & Legal Advice Centre (ALAC) is a service to the public that provides free legal assistance to victims and witnesses of corruption. It is an avenue for advocacy and to educate the public on their rights and responsibilities to counter corruption. ALAC can readily provide legal assistance in terms of structuring complaints, referring complainants to the correct authorities and building bridges with state agencies to combat corruption. Are you a victim or witness of corruption? Do you want to do something about it? Talk to the Advocacy & Legal Advice Centre Elections Integrity Building Project Mining for Sustainable Development Mike Manning Youth Democracy Camp If you have a corruption complaint, call our toll free numbers: or School Based Civic Education Project 1 Sir Anthony Siaguru Walk Against Corruption

2 A note from the Chairman YACA forum in Wewak I t is election time and time for us to think again. Every voter in PNG should remember that theft of public funds has become so common it seems almost acceptable. People with long histories of dubious dealings with the public purse are presenting themselves for election. Corruption is destroying development, damaging health services, restricting education and shamefully belittling PNG in the eyes of its own people and of the world. As we prepare for our national elections, TIPNG urges eligible votes to grip this opportunity to select leaders who will serve with integrity. We also ask all citizens to help make sure we have a free, fair and safe election. We are using this, our first newsletter of 2017 to add our voices to encouraging change and give readers a glimpse of the activities and projects we are involved in this year. As always we are reaching out again: creating awareness on corruption; gearing up for the elections; mentoring young people, and contributing to public affairs. This year TIPNG turned 20 years old. Our founding directors, the Late Sir Anthony Siaguru, Dame Meg Taylor, Mel Togolo, Richard Kassman and others saw clearly what dangers we faced if we did not fight back against corruption. They established this organization to promote integrity in the public office holders of PNG. Looking back 20 years we can see that corruption is still with us, still causes damage must still be challenged wherever we find it, in whatever form it takes. We also see that thousands have joined us in objecting to it and fighting back. We are committed to persevere. We will continue to work in partnership with the institutions of government to develop programs aimed at minimising cases of corruption. We continue to inform people, providing the information many need to feel empowered to take bold stands against corruption. Much of what we are able to do and so much of what we are asked to achieve has been made possible by business houses, corporate bodies and individuals who register themselves as members. This ongoing financial support and our membership register bolster us in our efforts. Your financial support speaks volumes about confidence in and a commitment to us all seeing a better PNG, fairer, well governed and honest nation. We grateful and encouraged by your generosity. Another opportunity to help, through the 11 th Sir Anthony Siaguru Walk Against Corruption, is available again this year Sunday 4th June and we invite organizations and families to come together once again in large numbers respectfully showing the community opposition to corruption. And we are looking forward to some very creative team attire, banners and slogans sending messages to PNG ahead of the election. See you at the Walk! Lawrence Stephens. In March, a Youth Against Corruption Association (YACA) forum was held at the Bishop Leo Secondary School in Wewak. The forum was themed Youth Leadership and the Fight Against Corruption. It was aimed at creating awareness about corruption in PNG, providing an avenue for young people to express how they feel about corruption and encouraging youth to work in partnership with government and other stakeholders in the community. Students from Passam National High School, Mercy Secondary School, Brandi Secondary School and youth from Saure Village attended the forum and most of their discussions were centered around the main issues they saw were affecting the town of Wewak. The Youth Against Corruption Association provides a common ground for young people to come together and express their opposition to corruption and offer solutions to create better societies. The youth forum in Wewak was funded by the British High Commission of Port Moresby. Two other forums were conducted in Popondetta and Goroka in The YACA hosts forums to create awareness on the impacts of corruption in PNG and allow the youth to communicate how they feel about it. The forums teach young people leadership skills that focuses on creating change within themselves first before reaching out into their societies. The youth forums provide TIPNG an opportunity to secure support and participation from the younger population in curbing corruption. Election information session with YPOMCCI TIPNG Research Coordinator, Mr Yuambari Haihuie, facilitating the information session. Pictures: Students in Wewak during group discussions and presentations TIPNG in collaboration with the Young Port Moresby Chamber of Commerce and Industry (YPOMCCI) hosted an information session on elections for YPOMCCI members. TIPNG's Interim Executive Director, Ms Arianne Kassman, said that it was important to inform young Papua New Guineans such as the members of the YPOMCCI about PNG's electoral processes. She added that elections are an important part of democracy where eligible citizens choose their leaders. It is an individual's social responsibility to ensure that he or she registers to vote and fully understands the election process. "Being aware of the process is important, but following the process to display the true spirit of democracy is of greater importance," said Ms Kassman. President of the YPOMCCI, Mr Christopher Elphick, expressed that some of the members would be first-time voters and the session was essential for the young voters to understand the mechanisms of PNG elections. He added that the youth made up a large percentage of the population and are the drivers of change in this country and YPOMCCI members are in that position to influence change through voting. TIPNG facilitated the session which focused on helping YPOMCCI members understand the Limited Preferential Voting (LPV) system used in Papua New Guinea, how to vote, registration to vote, understanding the ballot paper, polling stations, residential qualification, party politics and how to identify a good candidate. President of YPOMCCI, Mr Christopher Elphick 2

3 PNG still scores below average on the Corruption Index The Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) 2016 ranked Papua New Guinea 136 out of 176 countries with a score of 28 out of 100. The CPI scores countries on a scale of zero to 100, with 100 being perceived to be very clean and zero perceived to be highly corrupt. For several years running Papua New Guinea failed to make the changes needed to bring itself from among the countries seen as the world's "most corrupt". Countries emerging from wars and civil strife have made great advances in the CPI while PNG remains where it has been for years. Timor Leste in the Asia Pacific region has leapt up the index by 7 points from scoring 28 out of 100 in the 2015 CPI to 35 out of 100 this year. "We believe that unkept promises and failures to protect national assets would be among the reasons we have not been ranked higher. The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) was promised and it has still not been delivered. K8 billion from trust funds have gone missing and our government have no sign of any plans to recover it, " said TIPNG Chairman, Lawrence Stephens. PNG faces the issue of corruption at all levels of government, from the issuing of local permits to the enforcement of laws and regulations. There is little or no accountability for many of those who fail to follow the rule of law in dealing with state assets and decisions. Legal loopholes, delaying tactics and lack of political will facilitate domestic and cross-border corruption. Many offenders enjoy scandalous levels of impunity while average people are deprived of basic services because of corruption. Good things are happening The Government of PNG has taken steps to improve our ranking and to promote accountability and transparency in the nation's development. Most recently, the Government passed laws to fight money laundering and terrorist financing activities. This removed PNG from the Financial Action Task Force greylist. Other notable initiatives by the government include PNG's engagement in the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, Open Government Partnership and the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative. What needs to be done In order to improve on the CPI, PNG's public institutions must be more open and transparent about their work and their decision-making. More needs to be done in strengthening and supporting integrity institutions that enforce best practices and regulations with a view to reducing corruption and promoting good governance. Equally important is that citizens need to demand accountability from public officials and speak up and report corrupt dealings with the public and private sector. Through the 2017 National Elections, Papua New Guineans have the opportunity to make things better for themselves by exercising their rights to vote accountable leaders. It is hoped that the much talked about APEC meeting in 2018 will have anti-corruption as an agenda high on its priority list. The CPI reflects the views of observers from around the world including experts living and working in the countries evaluated. It is based on a combination of data collected by 12 reputable organizations globally. The information on PNG was sourced from five surveys: Bertelsmann Foundation Transformation Index 2016, Political Risk Services International Country Risk Guide 2016, World Bank Country Policy and Institutional Assessment 2015, Economist Intelligence Unit Country Risk Ratings 2016, and Global Insight Country Risk Ratings More information on the Corruption Perceptions Index can be found on 3

4 This poster was developed under TIPNG s School Based Civic Education project. It demonstrates the proper process for voting using the Limited Preferential Voting system as used for the PNG national and local level government elections. 4

5 TIPNG turns 20 years old This year in January, TIPNG turned 20 years old. Over the years TIPNG has developed a strong organization with excellent outreach, well recognized nationwide and internationally, a respected commentator, voice for the common people that want to see change and a peak body that pulls together other civil society organizations. Interest in establishing PNG's chapter if TI came about as a result of a seminar jointly sponsored by the Business Council of PNG and the Institute of National Affairs on the subject of Ethics in Business in Founding Chairman, the Late Sir Anthony Siaguru, together with a number of concerned individuals then came together to try to do something about the problem of ethics in the wider context of society. After much planning and strategising, TIPNG was established with the Late Sir Anthony as Chairman and other founding directors from the likes of Dame Meg Taylor, Richard Kassman, Mel Togolo. The important point to make here is that the decision to establish a TI chapter in PNG was made by Papua New Guineans and not imposed from outside. TIPNG's creators invited the organization here and were prepared to back up their commitment by giving up their time voluntarily for the good of the community. Twenty years on and what mattered then, matters even more now. Corruption adversely affects society and the nation politically, administratively, economically and socially. It diverts services from those that really need it and erodes public confidence in leaders and institutions. TIPNG will continue to promote honesty, transparency and accountability in public and private dealings involving government and businesses, raise awareness on the presence and effects of corruption and work in partnership with institutions to implement effective programs targeted to curb corruption. Founding director of TIPNG, the Late Sir Anthony Siaguru, KBE TIPNG is not anti-government, we are anti-corruption. We do not investigate but raise awareness and seek solutions that work. A key element in TIPNG s approach is mobilising civil society to encourage and support government action. It is TIPNG's vision to see a country civil society, businesses and the government work together to minimise incidences of corruption. Mining for Sustainable Development TIPNG is excited about one of its newest programmes, the Mining for Sustainable Development (M4SD). Through the M4SD programme, TIPNG in consultation with Government, Regulators, Civil Society and stakeholders of the mining industry aim to identify and evaluate the corruption risks within the mining licensing and permits processes in Papua New Guinea. The programme started in 2016 and the results will be published in This corruption risk assessment is being conducted in 19 other countries with local Transparency International chapters and each assessment will be part of a global report on the mining awards process. TIPNG will use the findings of PNG's national report to advocate with and on behalf of Papua New Guineans to ensure that our processes to obtain a mining lease are strengthened and less prone to corruption. Papua New Guinea has abundant mineral resources, with world class gold, copper & nickel mines and multiple international firms operating. The direct and indirect economic activity is sizeable. Why then are the majority of Papua New Guineans still lacking in basic service delivery and human development? Source: Mineral Resources Authority website: portal.mra.gov.pg/ The value gained from mining must be managed accountably and distributed transparently to citizens. The principles of Good Governance must be secured in the initial stage of the process when companies apply for mining leases to operate in Papua New Guinea. If that application process is corrupted then the issues will ripple along the whole lifespan of the mine. Building the integrity of elections TIPNG conducted election observations in the 2007 and 2012 National Parliamentary elections. In the 2012 election TIPNG fielded 282 elections observers, who came from all sections of society and from a range of urban and rural locations. Communities welcomed our observers and they felt they contributed to the integrity of the election process. It is TIPNG s view that the trust in the electoral process continues to dissipate however trust in the process is critical to the ongoing democratic development of our society. Voters in Papua New Guinea continue to experience restrictions during roll registration and when voting at the polls election after election. In the 2012 election our observers had indicated that in 21% of polling places observed the election was either mostly unfair or very unfair. This problem is compounded by inadequate application of procedures and law and the lack of awareness of these before an election period. To enable the general population in receiving election related information, the Election Integrity Building project is working towards through implementation of series of activities. These activities will hopefully result in better engagement of the general population better understand the electoral processes and to make informed decisions on how we can make our democracy work more effectively. TIPNG will work with its existing civil society partners and members through using various modes of media to disseminate Limited Voter Education through Civil Society Networks and Social Media, conduct Domestic Election Observations and carry out Post-Election Analysis. Election observers from Jiwaka Province in

6 Long serving boss farewelled In January 2017, TIPNG farewelled its longest serving Executive Director, Mrs Emily George Taule. Emily George Taule joined Transparency International PNG in March 2006 as Executive Director. She served TIPNG for 12 years with so much commitment, passion and inspiration. During her time with TIPNG, Emily was instrumental in devising the Sir Anthony Siaguru Walk Against Corruption - TIPNG's annual flagship fundraising and outreach event. The first Walk Against Corruption was held in 2007 in the country's capital, Port Moresby, and later garnered interest in various provinces in Papua New Guinea. The walk has been so successful year over that it has often been used as a practical example of citizen mobilization and fundraising among TI chapters. Some chapters have adopted the idea and have organized walks in their own countries. TIPNG's interim Executive Director is Ms Arianne Kassman. Emily George Taule, BEM Arianne Kassman Civic education materials trialed in schools Transparency International PNG (TIPNG) through its School Based Civic Education (SBCE) Project conducted a civic education teacher training workshop in Wewak, East Sepik Province and Kupiano in the Central Province. In these workshop TIPNG showcased its school based civic education materials and allowed teachers to deliberate on how to use the materials in their classrooms. Civic education is an activity that teaches people how to participate actively in the governance of their society. It is TIPNG's view that there are not enough materials in schools for teachers to teach civics and that it should be taught at a younger age. Through a Memorandum of Understanding with the Department of Education signed in 2015, TIPNG has been working to produce and deliver civic education materials to schools in PNG. TIPNG wants to bring civic education to other training institutions in Papua New Guinea in the hope to develop future generations of active, responsible and respectable citizens. Teachers in Wewak discussing the materials TIPNG has already conducted civic education teacher training with St Michael's Primary and Koki Primary School teachers in the National Capital District, Bena Bena Secondary School teachers in Eastern Highlands Province and education officers in Western Highlands Province. From the trainings, TIPNG anticipates on ascertaining an effective strategy of delivering civic education teacher a national scale this year. training on The School Based Civic Education project aims to help Papua New Guinea students and teachers understand concepts such as human rights, democracy, rule of law, elections and voting and advocacy and be able to apply these in their communities. Walk Against Corruption is on again! The 11th annual Sir Anthony Siaguru Walk Against Corruption (SASWAC) is on again and this time TIPNG is looking forward to organizations and families being more creative with their banners and attires. The SASWAC will be held on Sunday 4th June 2017 from 6am- 9am. The venue for the Walk is the Hubert Murray Stadium, Konedobu. Registration is already open. CATEGORY REGISTRATION FEES No. of people per team Cost The theme for this year's Walk is "Walk for Clean Business. Make it your business!" The Sir Anthony Siaguru Walk Against Corruption is TIPNG s major fundraising event. Its prime purpose is to raise funds for the operations of the organization. It is also an outreach event which provides a peaceful avenue where families, schools, individuals and organizations can freely and creatively express their opposition to corruption. The SASWAC this year will again have prizes awarded to the best dressed teams and teams with the best anti-corruption message. We urge all teams to get creative and thoroughly plan for their participation in this year s walk. Contact TIPNG to get a registration form or tipng.events@gmail.com Corporate Organizations (including government departments) Civil Society Organizations (including churches) Schools 10 walkers +2 teachers 12 walkers K2, walkers K200 K200 Families 10 walkers K100 Small Medium Enterprises 10 walkers K500 6

7 Be part of us. Sign up to be a member! TIPNG works hard to build and maintain its membership base of both individuals and organizations. TIPNG depends on public support. Each support gives us the mandate to speak out against all forms of corruption. Your donation supports a range of activities from a toll free hotline, legal support, printing of information materials or support for TIPNG's outreach activities. TIPNG's currently has 157 individual members, four families and 18 corporate organizations membership. Earlier this year, TIPNG was fortunate to receive a kind donation of K10,000 from Lady Wilhemina Siaguru. Lady Wilhemina is the wife of the Late Sir Anthony Siaguru - the founder of Transparency International PNG. Total amount raised from membership is K77, TIPNG calls on members to ensure that their membership for 2017 is renewed extends the invitation to intending members. Corporate members Catholic Bishops Conference General Electric International Inc. Global Constructions Limited Hastings Deering (PNG) Ltd Johnstons Pharmacy Kenmore Limited Lamana Development Limited Locally Engaged Staff Association Melanesian Trustee Services Limited Mineral Resources Authority Nasfund Contributors Savings Limited Nationwide Rent A Car Limited PNG Ports Corporation PNG Ready Mixed Concrete Tom Nomalan Foundation First name: Surname: Gender (Please circle): Female Organization /Association/ School: Male Address: Telephone: Mobile Fax: Tick to indicate your contribution. INDIVIDUAL Ordinary K10+ Student K5+ HOW TO PAY 1. Bank transfer TRANSPARENCY INTERNATIONAL PNG INC. MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION FORM Yes! I want to support the fight against corruption. BUSINESS (Large) K10,000+ (Medium) K2,000+ (Small) K500+ Do a bank transfer into our TIPNG BSP Account # Then post, or fax to us the completed membership form along with the bank deposit receipt to: The Membership Coordinator Transparency International PNG P. O. Box 591, PORT MORESBY, NCD Ph: /82 Fax: tipng.events@gmail.com 2. Up front payment at the TIPNG office You can also pay at our office. We are located on the 2nd level of the IPA Haus, corner of Lawes and Munidubu Roads, Konedobu, Port Moresby. DO NOT SEND CASH IN THE MAIL! Membership certificates will be sent a month after your membership registration. Ensure that you fill the correct postal address for your certificate will be mailed to you. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT! For more information about our programs or how to support TIPNG, contact us! Office location: 2nd level IPA Haus, Konedobu P. O. Box 591, PORT MORESBY, NCD Phone: /82 Office mobile Fax: comstipng@gmail.com 7

8 Walk for clean business. Make it your business! SUNDAY 4TH JUNE