Papua New Guinea - December 2023

A Finance Department directive issued 1 December 2023 transferred financial control over all payments by subnational governments from public servants to elected MPs and governors. A majority of provincial administrators, as well as lower-level public servants, told the country’s Post-Courier newspaper the move was unconstitutional and would worsen the problem of elected officials using public money as “slush funds,” redirecting money to their supporters and damaging service delivery. MPs already held a significant personal amount of control over public spending in their districts, which critics and analysts have for years argued contributed to systemic clientelism and even increased violence around electoral cycles – although the latter claim has yet to be proven.

Sources: Radio New Zealand, Papua New Guinea Post-Courier, Lowy Institute