austraLasia #2633 Don Bosco students stand up against corruption
PORT MORESBY: 29 April 2010 -- Students and staff of Don Bosco
Technological Institute (DBTI) in Port Moresby will sign a petition
calling on the PNG Parliament to reject an amendment known as the
Maladina amendment during its final reading when Parliament meets next
Tuesday. The amendment has resulted in vigorous debate in the public
forum, especially since it is seen as restricting the power of the
Ombudsman.
School principal Fr Valeriano Barbero told Transparency International
PNG chairman Peter Aitsi during a visit last Friday that the
institution was against the proposed amendment. Fr Valeriano said
the way they see it, the changes would weaken the commission’s powers
to hold leaders accountable for their actions in the use of public
funds.
“The Don Bosco school stands in support of what you are doing in
opposing corruption....We are behind you in stopping any bill that
might promote corruption in the country,” Fr Valeriano said. He told
students that if they wanted to stop corruption, they had to start with
themselves.
On March 9, Parliament voted 83-0 to amend section 27(4) of the PNG
Constitution, effectively disallowing the Ombudsman Commission from
issuing directives to prevent payment from public funds to office
holders if it feels there was impropriety. The bill will go through its
third and final reading when Parliament meets next Tuesday.
Transparency International PNG and concerned individuals and
organisations have gone on the campaign trail to try and stop
Parliament from voting for the amendment. They say that these changes
would take away the watchdog’s ability to stop politicians and public
office holders from wasting public money and make it even harder for
investigations to be carried out on leaders when they are suspected of
misconduct in office.
“It is right for us to hold our leaders to account because they
represent us, the people of PNG; if we let them take away that right
from us, then the situation will be that they don’t work for us but for
themselves,” Mr Aitsi told students.
“The number one step is to learn about the amendment so that you are
better placed to understand and know the implications it is going to
have on you in the future,” he said. Mr Aitsi encouraged the students
to be involved, saying: “This is our nation, and we must stand up and
be heard because if we don’t, the opportunities you see and have today
will not be here for your children.”
On May 4, TIPNG, through the Community Coalition Against Corruption
(CCAC) will deliver a petition to Parliament on these proposed changes,
urging politicians to vote against the Maladina amendment ________ AustraLasia is an
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