"All Police Operations Up There is Entirely Funded by Exxon Mobil" - Gari Backi

Radio Australia - 22/11/2010

Papua New Guinea's suspended police pommissioner, Gari Baki, maintains that he never lied or misled the government over a $US4 million fund for security operations for the country's Liquid Natural Gas Project.

Mr Baki says the monies were part of funds he had requested and had approved by cabinet for use by the police in providing security for the multi-billion dollar LNG project.

He says it is not right for the police to rely on developers to pay for police security operations for the project.

Mr Baki says he was pleased when cabinet approved the funds.

"I made that plea to the government to ensure that we get this ten million [kina]," he told Radio Australia.

"It is part and parcel of the 101 million kina mobilisation budget that I have submitted to the government to assist in the policing of this island strategy."

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