A former Papua New Guinea Prime Minister, Sir Mekere Morauta, says that corruption in the country has become systemic over the past five years.
Sir Mekere was ousted in 2002 by the Sir Michael Somare led National Alliance coalition.
Sir Mekere initiated a series of sweeping economic, structural and political reforms from 1999 and he told students at the University of PNG last night, there is a need to return to the reform process.
He says much of his work has been undone by the current administration, which is guilty, by neglect, of fostering rampant corruption in both the public and private sector.
"By not doing anything, I know because I was there five years ago and I have the experience. It has become systemic because the government has done nothing and in many ways supported its extension to private sector and deeply enough in the public sector."
Sir Mekere Morauta
