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PNG'S most corrupt MP William Duma is at it again. He's now about to or is stealing from MVIL and NBD.
During the period when the Oneill govt was about to be overthrown last year the country's attention was on the vote of no confidence. Duma the coniving crook he is used the opportunity and quietly appointed his first cousin Michael Mell to chair the NDB Board. He also appointed his tribesman Michael Makap as MD for MVIL. Duma was the Minister for State Enterprises in the Oneill govt and both NDB and MVIL came under his ministry. These men are very close to Duma who personally pushed for their appointment without any going through any transparent recruitment process.
Duma has now not only charmed Marape to embrace him and appoint him to Minister for Trade and Industry but he has also somehow convinced Marape and his Cabinet to remove NDB and MVIL under the ambit of State Enterprises Minister and transfer it to Trade and Industry under himself. Marape has listened to Duma and did exactly that and has not explained to the country the rationale for this action.
MVIL is a cash cow which has been used over the years as a piggy bank by politicians. NDB has also been heavily politicised and large loans are normally given to politicians and their cronies and then written off as bad debt. That is why it is still dependent on public funding to survive as a bank.
Duma also convinced Marape to allocate some K300m in the 2020 budget to give to NDB in the pretext of trying to support SMEs and agricultural based businesses. These funds are being now drawn down. Duma is licking his lips and rubbing his hands and will use his relatives to steal.
This is his modus operandi, he appoints people and then manipulates them to steal and embezzle public funds.
The country warned Marape against allowing Duma to join the govt and Marape must now be regretting the decision in light of fresh allegations in Australia against Duma with respect to Horizon.
The appropriate thing for Duma to do would be for him to voluntarily resign but we all know he won't. Marape must now act decisively and strip the crook off the Minister for Trade and Industry. He must also go one step further and revoke the appointments of all his relatives he appointed to SOEs including Air Niugin when he was State Enterprises Minister.
Duma is addicted to corruption. It is deeply enshrined in his DNA and he will continue to steal for as long as he roams this planet.