Polye urges Auditor General to play more prominent role

By MATTHEW VARI

Sunday, January 10, 2016 (Sunday Chronicle, PNG)

LEADER of the Opposition, Don Polye, has called on the Auditor General’s office to do more in terms of financial disclosure of government public funds, especially that in terms of LNG revenues and other government dealings.

He added that as a constitutional body the AG office had more to offer in terms of its powers disclose major state financial dealings.

“I want the auditor general to work. The auditor general is a constitutional office empowered by the constitution to talk about and advice Papua New Guineans on monetary issues.”

“Money in the sense that if the proceeds of PNG LNG- if BPNG says such revenues are not kept within BPNG and if the PM says something else- then these are very contradictory statements.”

“There in itself is a strong division with two important individuals and that is where the auditor general comes in,” Mr Polye said.

He said that the AG needs to tell the people where their money really is.

“Where is the LNG revenue? What happened to it? Landowners have not even got one toea along with the five provincial government’s that have missed out totally.”

“It is the job of the government to advice, but if the prime Minister is not doing it, if the Bank of PNG is not doing it, if treasury or finance is not doing it. Who else?”

“The rightful authority, the constitutional office just like the Ombudsman Commission, just like the Electoral Commission is the Auditor General.”

Polye added that the opposition will continue to apply pressure on the AG, also adding that he had already drafted out a letter for the office to come out and tell the people for clarification.