The Catholic Bishops Conference in Papua New Guinea has welcomed statements by the Inter-government Relations minister, Sir Peter Barter, that criminal behaviour by public officials has held back the Southern Highlands.
The general secretary of the conference, Lawrence Stephens, says Sir Peter's comments hit the mark.
Mr Stephens says the problem of officials misappropriating funds is rife in PNG.
He says such people are causing deaths because money that could've been used in the ailing health system is stolen or taken away.
Mr Stephens says there is an attitude problem that isn't just confined to the Southern Highlands.
"The reports that come out of our newspapers and courts suggest that it's not just in the Southern Highlands but a problem across the communities in Melanesia and in fairness to us you can see that problem in other places it's just that were developing and we haven't caught up with the way in which you control some of the worst aspects of this common behavior"
Lawrence Stephens.
