PNG PM admits to corruption in immigration dept

Updated May 26, 2009 15:30:02

The Papua New Guinea Prime Minister has revealed that immigration officials in PNG have asked for gifts from people before they could process their visas and passports. Sir Michael Somare says some immigration officials have been unethical in their work, and should be replaced.

Presenter: Firmin Nanol
Speaker: Sir Michael Somare, PNG Prime Minister; Noel Anjo, Chairman of the NGO and Civil Society group

NANOL: Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare says some immigration officials have asked for bribes from people before they can get visas. He says some have even asked for six packs of beer from people who want visas and work permits to be processed - a job in which they are paid to do. Sir Michael says he has ordered PNG's Foreign Affairs Minister, Sam Abal, to clean up the Immigration department and replace corrupt officers. The Prime Minister says even he has to wait for more than 2 days to get his passport processed.

SOMARE: Yes we blame immigration, they are short of staff members, but this is happening. They will bypass others I know. I try to get a passport to, and like you, I have to wait for three or four days and I happen to be the prime minister. Other people come and get it quicker. Why? And I am not entitled to open my mouth and tell you, and I am telling you now. I have asked the foreign affairs minister to clean that division of immigration, to clean it up, replace people who cannot do their job, put them out. Get new, young well educated, well mannered, with good moral ethics to work in this office.

NANOL: Sir Michael says he has asked the Foreign Affairs minister to investigate the kind of support the government could give the immigration department to help them improve their services.

SOMARE: We now have to rearrange and reorganise and there is a need for a foreign ministry building, which we are looking at the possibility of the foreign ministry building, we place everything together so there is a better coordination over these two departments. In the meantime it's very difficult. We have only a few officers assigned to immigration. That is something that prime minister, I will have to take it up and if there is a shortage of resources, he will come back so that we can improve upon it.

NANOL: Sir Michael's comments come after a widespread looting of Asian shops in the country last week, which raised the issue of visas in PNG. Organisers of a protest against a so-called influx of Asians claimed many foreigners of Asian and Chinese origin come in to the country without following proper immigration processes. The Chairman of the 'NGO and Civil Society' group, Noel Anjo, told Radio Australia last week immigration officials accept gifts to allow foreigners of Asian origin into the country. He says that was one of the reasons they organised the protest against Asians and Chinese businesses, and wants the government to look into.

And that is exactly what PNG, Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare, has asked his Foreign Affairs Minister Sam Abal to do. He wants to replace corrupt officers with those who have good work ethics.

SOMARE: We find that there are culprits who are involved in these type of activities, then we gradually move them. There are a lot of good officers, may be one or two who are not following the rules and standard that we need to follow. People like that are repremanded and moved aside, tell them to go elsewhere. If they are found guilty, well we upset them.

NANOL: The PNG Parliament has also established a bi-partisan committee to look into the reasons behind the recent widespread looting of Asian and Chinese owned businesses in the country this month. PNG Prime Minister, Sir Michael Somare says the committee would also be asked to look into the Immigration Department. The 15-member Committee made up of both government and opposition members of parliament will report back its findings to the government for action.