Page 14 - IB APR 2017

Politics
PNG prepares to go to the polls

PM O’Neill upbeat

being of our people.”
by Sam Vulum
The Triumph Heritage Empowerment
Party leader Don Polye did not conceal his
RIDING on the perceived success of the
government’s core policies, Prime Min- interest in the top job, openly announcing
in many occasions that he sets his sight
ister Peter O’Neill is confident of retain- at nothing less than forming the next
ing government after the 2017 National government.
Elections.
Equally vying for the same is Op- Mr Polye said he had enough of serv-
position Leader Don Polye with other ing Prime Ministers as he suffered many
sackings for protecting the country and
hopefuls including People’s Progress her people.
Party leader Ben Micah, National Alliance He said that he received PM Peter
leader Patrick Pruaitch and Pangu Party
leader Sam Basil. They have publicly Prime Minister Peter O’Neill O’Neill’s boots when he rejected to com-
expressed interest - all are sitting Mem- mit the country’s future through the UBS
loan which the government borrowed
bers of Parliament who will be seeking to fund its shareholding in Oil Search
re-election in the polls which will open Limited.
with nominations on April 27. Polling
will start on June 24 and ends on July “If I become a minister again, I will
8. Counting will start immediately and a still be sacked because I hate Cabinet’s
corruption and decay in morality.
new government will be expected after “I want to be the Prime Minister myself
July 24. because I possess all it takes to be one,”
Coming from the outside is former
Prime Minister Sir Mekere Morauta who Mr Polye said.
He outlined that the current Prime
has indicated interest in re-entering poli- Minister Peter O’Neill and his govern-
tics from retirement. He has his sights set ment;
on the top job as well. • has mismanaged the country’s econo-
Prime Minister Peter O’Neill is banking Mekere Morauta ... eyes on the top job
on his coalition government’s core poli- my and wealth;
cies to return him and his party to power “Our government will continue to in- • abused human rights and democracy;
• breached rule of law;
after the elections. vest in education. Free education, along- • compromised public service and sys-
The policies include tuition fee free side universal healthcare, will continue
education, free primary health care and after the 2017 National Elections as we tems of governance;
infrastructure development, among are confident we will be returned to form • human development index deterio-
others. Government in August,” Mr O’Neill said. rated; and
• corruption has reached unprecedented
The Prime Minister in his many occa- While addressing senior public ser- levels.
sions has warned that people around the vants, MPs and Ministers of his govern- “I want to become the Prime Minister
nation had a serious choice before them, ment in the final leadership summit in
to continue the growth and reform of the April, Mr O’Neill said: “Now that we are as I know how to solve these problems.
“I have God-given wisdom, knowledge
past five years, or to go backwards. going back to our people to judge us, and understanding to free this country
“It is unlikely that a different Govern- before the next Parliament – it is good from the bondage of poverty and cor-
ment will continue free education and that we take this opportunity to take ac- ruption,” he said.
healthcare, or housing programs and count of what has happened in the past
infrastructure programs. few years. Mr Polye said he was lucky enough
“We have changed Papua New Guinea “And we are going to continue to build to become an MP in 2002 when he was
a young.
by putting our people first and if our Gov- on those achievements in the coming “I have not only learnt so much in my
ernment returns after the election we will years. capacities as World Bank and IMF chair-
continue with our core policies,” he said. “We have to continue to speak with
In another public engagement, Mr our people, to tell them what we have man, the Opposition Leader and Deputy
O’Neill said: “The People’s National done and what we will do into the future. Prime Minister.
“Finance and Treasury, Foreign Affairs
Congress Party-led government is fully “Ours is a Government that came to and Immigration, Works, Transport and
committed to our tuition fee free educa- office with a strong mandate from the Civil Aviation and Higher Education
tion policy and to building education people, and with a sound set of policies
from the grass-roots up. that was aimed at advancing the well- ministries have also moulded and shaped
me,” the Opposition Leader said.

14 Islands Business, April 2017