TI focuses on preventing corruption and reforming systems, not exposing or persecuting individual cases. Transparency International's concern is a humanitarian one.
Corruption causes vast sums of money to be mis-allocated by public officials.
Funds earmarked for new schools, hospitals and institutions are redirected into projects of less social value by unscrupulous officers taking bribes by commercial contractors. The idea of forming a chapter of Transparency International in Papua New Guinea arose out of a seminar jointly sponsored by the Business Council of PNG and the Institute of National Affairs. The decision to proceed was made by a group of citizens who felt that the international organisation had a role to play in lifting the cloak of mystery from dealings involving businesses and government here in Papua New Guinea. TI PNG was officially launched in 1997. A coalition was formed which represents a cross section of both civil society and government bodies, which shared TI's concern with the abuse of public power for personal profit.