Papua New Guinea seen to be one of the most corrupt nations in the world has an endless talk-battle on riding corruption from its Pacific shores yet, is very, very slow in making this a priority. One would even think that many of these tactics are a strategy to slow the process and cover the tracks of those convicted. It is not surprising the NEC decided Task Force Sweep is now ill funded and not necessarily under active operation after the force found poison in spiders and exposed them from twine in their corrupt webs!

Photo credit: Greenpeace

Source: Radio NZ

An anti-corruption group in Papua New Guinea says that despite constant promises to tackle corruption, the government is dragging the chain on doing anything about it.

Last month, the National Court halted the cancellation of Special Agricultural Business Leases, or SABLs, which the Prime Minister, Peter O'Neill, ordered after a Commission of Inquiry found that most of the leases were obtained corruptly.

But Eddie Tanago, of the group Act Now, says before the court order, the government didn't actually do anything to cancel the leases, and in some cases, cancellation orders have sat on peoples desks for months.

Mr Tanago says the SABL saga is part of a range of moves that have harmed efforts to tackle corruption.

"If the government is talking about facing corruption then it should look it. The government has stopped funding offices that are fighting corruption, for example, the Taskforce Sweep office. So, you know, that goes to show how the government is responding to corruption and a clear example is SABLs. They're talking, but they're not doing anything."

Eddie Tanago of the group Act Now.