PNG minister referred for alleged misconduct

PORT MORESBY - A Papua New Guinea cabinet minister has been referred to the public prosecutor by the country's Ombudsman Commission for alleged misconduct in office.

Lands and physical planning minister Puka Temu has been referred for allegedly failing to submit four annual statements detailing his assets, income and business connections as required of a public leader under PNG law.

Chief ombudsman Ila Geno said in a statement Temu had responded to the allegations relating to statements due between 2000 and 2004 but the commission was of the view there was a prima facie case he was guilty of misconduct in office.

The matter has been referred to the public prosecutor for prosecution before a leadership tribunal.

Temu had "ignored friendly reminders time and again" to furnish annual statements, the commission said.

Section 23 of PNG's Organic Law states that a person subject to the country's leadership code who fails to co-operate with the commission to the best of his or her ability is guilty of misconduct in office.

Last week, PNG's opposition leader Peter O'Neill appeared in a Port Moresby court charged with seven counts of misappropriation and one of conspiracy relating to massive losses by a national superannuation fund.

The People's National Congress leader said he would stay in his job despite allegations he was linked to a scam that triggered the spectacular financial collapse of the National Provident Fund (NPF) when he was a banking executive in 1998-99.

PNG's police commissioner Sam Inguba rejected claims by O'Neill that the charges were politically motivated.

O'Neill has been bailed and his case adjourned to September 20.

Meanwhile in Port Moresby residents face power and water supply cuts after landowner protests over non-payment of rent for the sites of the city's hydro-electric power stations.

Disgruntled Koiari villagers in the Rouna Valley ordered power workers to shut down turbines yesterday after they failed to get a positive response from the Papua New Guinea government over rental demands.

Police have been sent today to guard the power stations in the valley, which also channels the city's water supply from a dam on the Sogeri Plateau.

PNG Power has imposed power rationing, resulting in power cuts, after the hydro shutdown forced it to rely on its two thermal stations in the city.

The landowners say the government has failed to honour a 2003 memorandum of understanding relating to land use payments totalling tens of millions of dollars dating back to 1953.

A government official said a response to the landowners was being finalised and their demands would be dealt with, but the government had to ensure the rightful landowners were identified before any payouts were made.

He urged the landowners to be patient and not to hold the government to ransom.

- AAP