Papua New Guinea does not welcome foreigners who consort with criminal elements and corrupt state agents, the Chairman of the Permanent Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Defence, Hon. Belden Namah said today.
Mr. Namah made these remarks upon receiving information that a businessman, resident in Wewak, had been detained by officers of Immigration Office following strong allegations of “rogue and criminal activities” in the province.
Mr Namah said: “I am informed that this man is not just happy with conducting business on PNG soil but is abusing his privilege by forming friendship and patronage with both criminals and police officers.
“There is no place in this country for this kind of filthy criminal behaviour and those responsible must be dealt with in the harshest manner.
“I am informed this man has been on the radar of our Immigration and Citizenship Office for some time.
There are strong suggestions that he has been seen supporting known criminals and possibly benefiting from criminal activities.
“Further, there are suggestions and strong evidence that he has strengthened his position and protection by forming friendships with officers of the local police force.
“This associations are of the worst and most dangerous sort. It tends towards organised crime for which this country has very little response or protection.
“I commend the Chief Immigration Officer, Mr. Stanis Hulahau and his officers for carrying out their duties diligently in the face of mounting resistance by elements of the police who were compromised.”
Mr. Namah said the foreign businessman was extracted forcibly from a police cell in Wewak last week.
When it was discovered there was an immigration sweep against him, this man was arrested, detained in a locked police cell and the officer with the key disappeared.
Immigration officers forced open the lock and extracted the Person of Interest (POI) from the cell and replaced it with a new padlock before escorting the businessman to the Moem Airport to catch a Port Moresby bound flight.
The businessman is currently in custody at the Bomana Immigration Centre in Port Moresby. Mr Namah said:
“While this country invites foreign direct investment, it does not and will not welcome business people who will consort with criminals and corrupt state agents.
“This is the cheapest and the most dangerous sort of business activity. Such people will build their empires on criminal proceeds and will next go into drugs, arms and human trafficking.
“They will pay for protection from the police force and other state agencies and then we are lost.”
Mr Namah said as soon as his Committee is properly established and resourced, he will carry out sweeping public inquiries to identify, investigate and remove shadowy operations and individuals right around the country.
He called on people to be ready with information to submit to his office.
“I am not against genuine businesses,” Mr Namah said.
“I will screen all information received by my committee so those who might have ill will towards honest businesses will not use my office to gain mileage, of that be certain.”