A report by former Prime Minister Peter O'Neil of Papua New Guinea has raised serious concerns about the Connect PNG program, labeling it as a scam due to wastage, cronyism, and questionable payments. The report revealed nearly two billion Kina spent over two and a half years, with payments for personal expenses, media outlets, penalties, and accommodations raising suspicions of misuse of funds. O'Neil expressed support for the program's concept but highlighted instances of what he called "highway robbery" instead of actual highway construction. Read Mr. O'Neil's report below.
Department of Finance Papers show the Facts: Connect PNG is an Outright Scam!
By Peter O’Neil MP.Please forward.
The Connect PNG concept is admirable, and I have said multiple times, that as a policy, it has my support as did Link PNG under my Government,
However, the wastage, cronyism and payments to relatives made under Connect PNG amount not to building highways, but highway robbery.
The program has been established by Marape to enable systematic stealing from the people all while telling the people we should be grateful his government building a road here and there.
Thanks to a whistle-blower, on the 14th February, I tabled in Parliament, the Department of Finance
transaction history for all Connect PNG cheques and transfers made between the 14th of April 2021 to the 22nd January 2024.
Around 1,400 separate payments were made for a total of just under two billion Kina (K1,933,364,152.94) in two and a half years.
There are far too many dodgy payments to list but some examples of payments that seem to have no benefit to the Connect PNG program and require detailed investigation:
▪ K220,700 paid to Pacific International Hospital on the 26th July last year for the private medical
expenses of the Minister of Works for his medical evacuation.
▪ K170,000 cash transfer made to an individual for his accommodation and living expenses while at
university in the UK.
▪ K152,800 Payment on 1st May 2023 to MP owned Sunday Bulletin. No such payments to other media
since 2021.
▪ Payment of K785,209.15 made between May and December 2023 to a cleaning company for
“beautification” of Department of Works HQ gardens
▪ Four payments totalling K938,222.18 paid to a single legal services company for long overdue invoices
▪ K1.96 million interest paid to one construction company for late payment penalties yet not paid to
any other companies under Connect PNG
#
▪ K3,449,045.64 paid to a hotel in Mt Hagen for accommodation of just 18 soldiers to guard the Four
Lane Hwy. A sta
Source: Street Journalism/ PNG News & Updates
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