By MATTHEW VARI
Sunday, January 31, 2016 (Sunday Chronicle, PNG)
FOLLOWING the presentation for Transparency International’s (TI) Corruption Perception Index on Wednesday- TI PNG Chairman Lawrence Stephens urged those present not to blame culture as the source of corruption in the country.
He said that many things need to be done to address the issue.
“Corruption is not something that comes from customs. It is not something inherited in culture. It is often argued that systems are being misused through wantoks (relations) creating corruption.”
“No system of culture creates corruption; no traditional system of culture would allow anybody to work in another person’s garden and knock off his produce and pass it over the fence to another person.”
“You would be in serious trouble. There is no recognition that you steal from another person in your community,” Mr Stephens pointed out.
He said it was individuals that are allowing it to happen with a lack of reporting and responsibility adding that with, but not culture as the country’s various cultures do not condone such behavior.
“For some reason we are not reporting it enough. If we start encouraging it to happen more and if we check the people who do it you will find that things will change.”
He said other contributing issues like the courts system were adding to the perception being portrayed also.
“Among the challenges we face there is an incredible delay in the handling of court cases.”
“People go to court, they don’t seem to come out the other end very quickly and court cases seem to clog up our legal system and that appears to slow down the process and that appears to have an impact on how the public relates to efforts being made on corruption.”
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