Source: Islands Business

Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O’Neill has told Parliament that constitutional changes would be made to establish the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC).

The body is likely to be in place by the middle of next year. It is expected to take over the functions of the Task Force Sweep and the police fraud squad.

O’Neill announced an amendment to the Organic Law on Provincial Government and Local Level Government to establish the district development authority.

The new authority will replace the joint district planning and budget priority committee. It will give district administrators the powers to hire and fire public servants. Governors can also appoint provincial administrators. The proposed amendment to the Constitution is the first part of the plan to create ICAC. It will be a body like the Ombudsman Commission and the Public Services Commission.

ICAC, in corporation with other agencies, will prevent, reduce and combat corrupt conduct in the public and private sectors.

The function of ICAC will be to receive, investigate and refer complaints to other agencies of suspected and corrupt conducts for possible prosecution and referrals.

However the establishment of the body will not interfere or duplicate the functions of the Ombudsman Commission, the public prosecutor or the police fraud squad. They will work closely together.

The constitutional amendment will go through the normal parliamentary process. It will require at least 75 votes to be passed.

The next part of the establishment of the commission will be the proposed amendment to the organic law to include the operations part of the body and will also go through the parliamentary process before it is amended.

The commission will be an independent body to consist of a commissioner and two deputy commissioners. The independence of the commission will not be subject to the direction and control of any person or authority. The proceedings and decision of the commission shall not be reviewed in any way except by the National and Supreme Courts.

It will be mandatory for the commission to present an annual report to the Speaker of parliament by the March 31 each year for the Speaker to present to Parliament.