Massive scam within AIDS council: Barter

Sir Peter Leslie Charles Barter, OBE (born March 26, 1940) was a former Minister for Health and Bougainville Affairs in the Papua New Guinean Government and a strong and candid advocate for health issues in Papua New Guinea

There is massive corruption “involving millions of kina” within the National AIDS Council (NAC).NAC secretariat chairman Sir Peter Barter confirmed this yesterday.He has also described as “unacceptable” a letter from NACS acting director Romulus Pakure regarding more than two million condoms going past their expiry date without being distributed.Sir Peter confirmed this while international media reported of HIV/AIDS ravaging PNG as the NACS became “rotten to the core”.

“It’s a mess,” he told The National.“That’s all I can say about it.“There is an inspection going on, as well as an internal investigation,” Sir Peter said.“It’s quite a big scam involving millions of kina.”Australian Associated Press reported that the NACS had overspent its budget, with millions of kina wasted – most notably on unnecessary travel – while about 2% of PNG’s population became infected with HIV/AIDS.AAP reported that it had documents outlining alleged abuses by NACS staff.

The National AIDS Council is doing a great job so far but it needs more money to carry out it's programs, especially in the rural areas of Papua New Guinea

Sir Peter also told The National that the Government should shoulder its share of the blame.The NACS had been without a council and substantive director for almost two years, Sir Peter said. “The Government must also take the responsibility as well,” he said.“To correct something like this, that has been going on for so long, is extremely difficult.“The NAC first met on Dec 15 after almost 18 months without a council.

“After a shutdown over Christmas/New Year, a meeting was held last month.“The main focus was to get a director appointed to take charge again.“The NACS has been without a substantive director for almost two years,” Sir Peter said. “We are dealing with alleged corruption along with ways to operate with a 67% reduction in the budget, coupled with the devalued Australian funding.

“We are making progress towards appointment of a director, along with measures to prevent further wastage of funds,” he added.Sir Peter said a new director for NACS should be appointed towards the middle of this month or early next month.NACS acting director Romulus Pakure said in his (March 4) letter to Sir Peter that 586,064 condoms held in the AusAID/NACS warehouse at Badili had reached expiry date.“None of these condoms have been purchased by NACS,” he said.

“Rather, they are the remainder of inventories that were transferred to NACS following the wind-up of NHASP (support project) or part of a consignment donated in late 2007 which had a relatively short shelf life.“It is not known exactly when the NHASP condoms were purchased, however.

“Generally, condoms are supplied with a four-to-five-year shelf life.“Further, NACS has not purchased any pre-packed condoms that are unsuitable for current dispensing machines.“Only the Karamap pre-packed condoms, which were originally designed for retail vending machines, were unsuitable for use in the NACS dispensers.”

By MALUM NALU of The National

*** It makes me sick to my stomach and so disgusting to read everyday of the enormous corruption involving huge amounts of public money. Corruption is fast becoming a chronic disease that is rapidly consuming the fabrics of every good policies that are in place to bring development to PNG.

I fear for the implications of continuous corruption that will have on our next generation. I am helpless to say the least but I hope that every thinking and genuine Papua New Guinean should and must stand up to speak against such an evil trend. If we don't, who will?