Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Proposed whistle-blower law revisited

By ISAAC NICHOLAS

THE Government will be reviewing the proposed whistle blower protection legislation in a bid to stem the tide of corruption in the bureaucracy, Prime Minister Peter O’Neill said yesterday, The National reports.
He said the departments of Prime Minister and NEC, Justice and Attorney General and other departments have started reviewing key activities in its effort to weed out corruption.
O’Neill said these included:
qReviewing the proposal for a whistle-blower protection law;
qReviewing the proposed Freedom of Information law to install new and higher level of transparency and accountability;
qReviewing all laws dealing with corruption with a view to strengthening existing laws;
qReviewing the proposal for an Anti Corruption body such as the Independent Commission against Corruption; andqReactivating the implementation of commission of inquiry reports.
“At the very top of these priority activities is the need for government to immediately put in place risk management strategies especially for high risk departments to curb corrupt practices.”
He said this task is now being undertaken by the chief secretary to government.
O’Neill also outlined the eight key action areas which all stakeholders including the government must concentrate their efforts and resources to effectively combat corruption and improve good governance.
He said the action areas involved strengthening and promoting honest leadership, transparency and public exposure of corruption, effective people management, integrity of public finance management system, accountability and oversight, compliance and enforcement, public awareness and education and coordination and partnership.
O’Neill outlined these key areas when unveiling PNG’s first anti-corruption strategy 2010-30 in parliament yesterday.

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