By GEORGINA MICHAEL
WABAG MP Hon. Dr. Tom Lino says Papua New Guinea is rich in resources, but its people remain poor because of weak institutions, corruption and political interference.
Contributing to debate on International Maritime Organization (IMO) conventions in Parliament last week, Dr. Lino said the country was losing millions and billions of kina through weak oversight and inadequate funding for institutions responsible for monitoring illegal activities.
“ We are leaking out millions and billions of kina, and we are just opening the doors to foreigners to come in,” he said, alleging that some foreign interests were exploiting the country’s resources with the support of corrupt leaders.
“We are not poor, my leaders. We are rich, yet we are so poor,” he said, comparing the situation to diabetes, where sugar is present in the body but the body remains sick and deprived.
Dr. Lino said revenue was being concentrated at the top instead of allowing economic activity to generate broader benefits and government revenue through taxation.
He also questioned the reported loss of K4 billion, saying the country continued to lose money and resources while failing to adequately fund agencies tasked with preventing illegal activities.
“We keep complaining about K4 billion just shipped out for nothing, people are coming in and stealing our gold, yet we are still crying over money because we are simply not funding those organisations that are supposed to monitor those illegal activities,” he said.
Dr. Lino stressed that PNG must prioritise strengthening its institutions rather than relying heavily on contractors to deliver services and development.
“Grow the institutions and they will grow this country. Institutions of a nation build a nation, not individuals and contractors everywhere,” he said.
He argued that strong institutions would improve accountability, prevent financial leakages and help ensure the country’s wealth benefited its people.
Dr. Lino said this required removing political interference, appointing qualified people to leadership positions and providing institutions with adequate funding to perform their duties.
“Remove political interference, appoint those with knowledge about those institutions to run them and fund them. Make sure to step away and give them money,” he said.
He added that institutional leaders should be held accountable for their performance, with underperforming officials replaced. “Appoint the right person and give him money and when he does not p