The Community Coalition Against Corruption (CCAC) held its inaugural national meeting this week (Monday 25/4/2023) at Lae, Morobe Province, co-hosted by the Lae Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
The meeting was attended by 46 community-based organizations and industry representatives, including the PNG Council of Churches, Trade Union Congress and the media, and 18 members of the Lae Chamber of Commerce & Industry representing the business sector. Participants came from all regions of Papua New Guinea.
The aim of the CCAC National Meeting was to galvanize support through regional representation in response to the concerns being expressed by communities on the overall deterioration of the governance environment in our Country caused by the unabated spread of corruption.
Initially founded in 2002 and relaunched in 2021, the CCAC is a network of organizations and community groups that come together to discuss and make recommendations on national governance issues. Transparency International PNG (TIPNG) and the Media Council of PNG currently co-chair the CCAC. The Coalition’s operations, its agenda, and priorities are determined by CCAC members. The CCAC works through its membership to empower communities to be informed, mobilize and take action on corruption.
In his opening remarks at the CCAC 1st National Meeting, Co-Chair, Mr Neville Choi spoke about the CCAC: “At its core, the CCAC is a model for national unity against corruption. While all organizations represented at the meeting are doing great work in specific sectors of their communities, the CCAC presents itself as a platform through which organizations can come together and present a unified voice against corruption.”
Participants engaged in active discussions on issues of high national impact and urgency. The key issues shared at the meeting, amongst others, were: the conduct of elections and how we can improve, government procurement and improving the performance of the public service, the growing levels of violence in our communities, and the importance of free and independent media.
“A lot of these national issues are caused because of growing levels of corruption. Our communities are being marginalized, due to the rampant corruption that has taken hold of our public service which in turn pushes our people to the fringes of development. This causes frustration and tension to build up in our communities until it eventually explodes in the form of conflict and violence.” said Co-Chair, Mr Peter Aitsi in his closing remarks.
The recommendations from the CCAC meeting will be articulated into a consolidated list of priorities which will form the work plan that will be shared with the coalition. A steering committee has been set up to lead the work plan and drive awareness and attention to these issues nationally.
The CCAC meeting was made possible with the support of the UNDP under the European Union funded PNG Anti-Corruption Project and the Media for Development Initiative.
The Coalition’s operations, its agenda, and priorities will be determined by CCAC members. Any organizations interested in joining the CCAC can contact the secretariat at email address, barbra.ruin@transparencypng.org.pg
