By CLIFFORD FAIPARIK
PUBLIC Transport Authorities in the National Capital District are working together to expose allegations of official corruption in the transport Law Enforcement Agencies.
These Agencies includes Police, Motor Vehicle Insurance Limited (MVIL) and Road Transport Authority (RTA). And there seems to be a foreign owns racket that is producing fake licenses for the buses and taxi drivers and vehicle registrations for these vehicles.
Also there are corrupt police men and Motor Vehicle Insurance Limited (MVIL) officers receiving bribes to overlook unlicensed and un- roadworthy vehicles. These factors have contributed to the chaotic public transport services system in the city.
These factors were revealed during a meeting with the Police, MVIL, Road Transport Authority, National Capital District Commission (NCDC) and Pacific Corporate Security Serves at Unagi oval last Sunday. The meeting was to come up with solution to mitigate the chaotic transport services in NCD.
NCD Police Metropolitan Police Commander Superintendent Silva Sika revealed that police officers were getting bribes to allow unlicensed drivers and un-road worthy taxis and buses to continue doing their daily business.
“We compromise our enforcement powers. We are not doing enough. And there is corruption in us and this is one of the chronic issues of us in the law enforcement. We allow PMV and taxi to run around and not penalizing them. In the execution of our duties, we also create problems.”
MVIL Executive Manager Operations Helen Koka said that on their way to the meeting “we witnessed a policeman stopping a bus believed to be uninsured on the road. The bus driver went and stopped and the bus crew gave something to the police men and the bus drove off. Unfortunately we didn’t get the plate number. But yes, that’s going on.
We have people in MVIL collaborating. There are a lot of fraudulent activities going on. We want to fight it but we can’t do it on our own. Probably some foreign own fraudsters giving out fake license and fake insurance and registration out there. And MVIL is looking out to catch those people”.
“We have many challenges that we face in issuing licenses especially to PMV operators and taxi operators in the city. Although e have a very good data base that capture drivers and crew licenses, and with technology stepping up we have production of fraudulent licenses and registration papers. We have couple of incidences where my officers fought with PMV and Taxi drivers for producing fraudulent licenses and registration papers,” Koka says.
RTA Chief Executive Officer also urged PMV and Taxi Drivers to respect traffic rules.
“In PNG the Government is allowing citizens to operate public transport services like PMVs and Taxis. In other countries it’s the Government that runs public transport services. And so, you must not abuse these privileges.”
Meanwhile, Police Commissioner David Manning has written a letter to a senior RTA official on the 3rd of March to come for an interview on allegation of misappropriating K1.2million. This is part of the investigation into RTA which has also resulted in former RTA Chief Executive Officer William Penias appearing in Court last Thursday. Mr Penias now out on K3000 bail will appear again on the 17th April.
