The country’s internal security is further at risk with foreign syndicates operating illegal activities in the country and controlling institutions like immigrations and customs, Papua New Guinea Opposition spokesman and Member for Finschhafen, Rainbo Paita said.
He said while we are talking about the issues of fuel, the disparities of funding to the MPs, the high debt to GDP ratio and the high cost of living, there is a syndicate building up in the country that control everything in this country and the government needs to look into these serious issues at hand.
Paita said just like the escalating law and order issues in the country, there is an uncontrolled build up of foreign syndicates involved in transnational crimes such as the movement and trade of illegal drugs and other substances.
The alternative government nominee for the Prime Minister in a possible vote of no confidence come September said the syndicates are taking control of the government institutions like immigration, customs and conducting businesses illegally.
He said the public servants in those areas also compromised their duties and facilitate the processes for those syndicates freely move in and out of the country.
Paita said the responsible people are not safe guarding their institutions and protect the sovereignty and independence of the country.
He said the government institutions mandated to protect the interest of the nation are compromising and grants them all the freedom to move around freely and conduct illegal activities and taking over jobs and businesses reserved for our own people.
“What has the government done to stop these illegal people moving around freely and conducting illegal activities in the country?
“When will the government table the reserve list, and when will it protect its borders and tighten its government institutions like Immigrations and Customs? Its going worse, what is our stance on it,” he said.
Paita said what action will the government take as deterrent so stop people who facilitate and conduct such illegal activities like drug smuggling and trade, people smuggling and other illegal activities, the importing of illegal materials and import and sales of counterfeit products, placing competition to existing companies that pay taxes among other activities being conducted illegally by the foreign syndicates.
“They are protected and can go away from the laws of this country as well. They are growing in numbers, as they see that they can enter illegally and conduct businesses illegally and become rich over night while our people become spectators and the social economic conditions of our people continue to widen,” he said.
Paita said he is not talking about people who come in with money and skills to do business but he is referring to the illegal immigrant who come in illegally and conduct activities illegally.
He said those people have taken for granted the Melanesian culture of respect and continue to do things illegally and there must be a stop somewhere and the government has to act now to protect the country.
“Our country has become the haven for organised point for transnational crimes so what is the government doing to address that?,” he said.
“Inaction is destroying this country. The country demands the government to make strong decision, but i don’t see that happening. You need to have the guts to address the issues if you are to take back the country,” Paita said.
