Papua New Guinea's public service was a "totally dysfunctional blob", while its political institutions are incapable of producing leaders who would work in their nation's interest, according to US diplomatic cables released by WikiLeaks.
Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare is painted as a leader who sidelines MPs with integrity and dishes out jobs to his favourites, including his son Arthur, whom he appointed a government minister.
In a cable dated April 2006, the US embassy notes that Sir Michael sidelined three of his most effective cabinet ministers, who could have been expected to resist irresponsible moves to pass out favours.
"To not mince words, the pork has hit the fan," the cable said.
It said trying to getting business done in a lead-up to an election in PNG was "always hard".
"Somare has freed himself from inconvenient checks on his ability to wheel and deal," it said.
"These events just confirm that PNG's political institutions are still a long way from producing national leaders with incentives to work in their nation's interest."
The cables also noted comments from Australian embassy officials in June 2007 who described generational change in PNG as a "false hope".
"Other Australian officers described the PNG public service as a totally dysfunctional blob that is great at planning but appalling at implementation," the cable added.
A July 2006 cable said PNG was steeped in traditional magic and ignorant of modern economies.
It said Papua New Guineans were easy marks for Ponzi schemes, which proliferated throughout the country.
It said with an election looming the politicians were "dusting off their bottles of snake oil".
The cables said the government had presided over the closure of health centres and schools, the collapse of effective policing and a steady rise in crime but there would be little mention of this during the campaign.
"Instead the themes will be the ageless one of which clan/village can get its man into government and reap the benefits thereby."
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