Women against Crime and Corruption (WACC) Founder, Jenny Ligo, has welcomed Prime Minister Bob Loughman’s assurance of waiting for the outcome of a “full investigation report that will determine the actions to take against those implicated” in the quarantine fiasco.
This followed an allegation that the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Internal Affairs, Ishmael Kalsakau, used his official status to ask to be released from quarantine on Sunday last week without completing the required 14 days period. It was an allegation he denied in the media, saying he was allowed by the relevant authorities to be released.
MP Tony Iauko was alleged to have been allowed someone in quarantine to join him at night outside before the person reported back into quarantine. When asked for a response, he declined to comment.
Leader of Opposition, Ralph Regenvanu, has already filed a criminal complaint to the Police concerning the quarantine fiasco.
Ligo said WACC and its partners have welcomed the positive trend pursued by the Government to combat crime and corruption head on, since the prosecution and jailing of a former Prime Minister and his cronies for crimes involving bribery and corruption over five years ago.
“As far we are concerned, what the government at the time did was a total success, to prove to the Pacific Region and beyond, that we as a country, would not tolerate any form of criminal activity, to prove that our laws are passed by Parliament to safeguard everybody’s behaviour, beginning with those that pass the laws all the way down to the grassroots,” she said.
“In the latest allegations, we are all keen to ensure that once again, the government must be committed to maintaining our country’s focus to keep all forms of crime and corruption out of its ranks.
“If the leaders as alleged are found to have broken the law then they must be punished to make them suffer the consequences of their criminal activities.”
She said laws are passed to safeguard everybody, and not be used to punish the small guys while the big guys are allowed to walk all over the very laws they themselves have passed in Parliament.
In conclusion, Ligo said Vanuatu has improved its performances in leaps and bounds in recent years, but that it has a long way yet to go still, to grow out of the current category of countries in the Pacific that are ranked as the most corrupt following the most senior ranking institutions beginning with the Head of State and Prime Minister’s Offices, Parliamentarians, public servants and Police.
SOURCE: VANUATU DAILY POST
