The executive director of PNG's Institute of National Affairs says the conviction of a national MP for misuse of a public funds may provide a glimpse of a much bigger problem.
The Governor of Gulf Province, Havila Kavo, was found guilty of misusing about 50,000 US dollars from a trust account belonging to the people of Kikori district for infrastructure.
He is to be sentenced next month.
The Institute's Paul Barker says with the large amounts of district funds allocated to MPs and supposed benefit channels from the LNG gas project opening up, there is concern that abuse is more extensive than ever.
"This may be just the tip of an iceberg, that there is extensive abuse of trust funds, maybe involving some of the leaders involving some of the leaders associated with, for example, the district grants and bureaucrats as well involved in abusing, misappropriating or diverting these trust funds."
The executive director of PNG's Institute of National Affairs, Paul Barker.
