Prime Minister James Marape has called on law enforcement agencies, financial institutions and public officials to trace public money, enforce existing laws and recover funds obtained through financial crime.
Speaking at the closing of the Second Anti-Money Laundering, Counter Terrorist Financing and Counter Proliferation Financing Conference at APEC Haus today, Marape said PNG must move beyond discussions and deliver measurable results.
“Just simply do your job. Follow public money,” Marape said.
He stressed that investigations and enforcement should proceed regardless of political considerations or the electoral cycle.
“Election or not. Apply the law.”
Marape said scrutiny should extend beyond politicians to accounting and legal firms, as well as public officials responsible for authorising expenditure, including Section 32 officers in departments, provinces and districts.
He also called on police, the Financial Analysis and Supervision Unit, Taskforce ARROW, commercial banks and the Bank of Papua New Guinea to trace suspicious transactions and pursue the lawful recovery of criminal proceeds.
Marape singled out funding provided to PNG Power as an area requiring scrutiny, saying substantial public resources had been committed to the utility.
He reaffirmed the Government’s objective of securing PNG’s removal from the Financial Action Task Force grey list in 2028, but said reforms must continue beyond that goal.
“Fighting crime is everyone’s business,” Marape said, adding that protecting public money meant protecting resources needed for schools, hospitals, roads and other essential services.