This system of governance is embedded in Melanesian traditions, where the credibility and popularity of a leader amongst his electorate are defined, in part, by the wealth he is able to distribute and the power he is able to wield.
However, a 2010 report by Human Rights Watch found that in PNG national revenues from the extractive industries had been widely dissipated through official corruption, without leaving any discernible positive impact on the wider population.
One candidate in the 2002 elections, Allan Bird, published an open letter documenting his experiences: "I was shattered by the attitude of people on my side of the river whose sole drive in life appears to be to live off government or MP freebies for the rest of their lives… I have even had many individuals tell me in no uncertain terms that if I wanted to be an MP, I must pay (bribe) the voter because that ‘is the way we do things around here".
[10] The Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary (RPNGC) has become "ineffective, corrupt and often abusive" according to a leaked diplomatic cable from the US Embassy in Port Moresby.
The Commissioner referred to the common practice of paying police officers to avoid fines for minor offenses and urged the public to let themselves be charged instead of contributing to the culture of bribery.
The COI was launched following an early warning letter from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCHR), sent on 11 March 2011.
The evaluation and granting of SPABLs is managed by the Department of Lands and Physical Planning (DLPP), which is described in the Greenpeace report as "grossly incompetent and entirely corrupt".
[14] April Salome Forest Management Area is a pilot project for REDD initiative by United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change[15] It is also a mishandling and corruption showcase.
For example, the police’s Financial Intelligence Unit does not have sufficient staff to halt money laundering and fraud involving public funds.
The Ombudsman Commission of Papua New Guinea is an independent institution mandated to provide a means of redress for citizens suffering from administrative injustice.