Don Polye

Govt should help missionary work: Opposition

Mr Polye has slammed the Prime Minister Peter O’Neill for ‘being naïve and complacent’ in this.

He made this comment when acknowledging the work of Sister Hermina, who left her country for Ethiopia as a missionary.

He has urged the government to make an inventory of its efforts if it had done any.

Polye said otherwise, the government had been providing overseas aid in the region on an ad hoc basis and that the country missed this opportunity.

He said that the Prime Minister and his government had lost their bearings in this matter.

K26 billion deficit calls for 2016 budget review – Polye

Polye made a similar call early last year to Mr O’Neill but was implemented late and that the country that failed to cushion the external, economic shocks, resulting in cuts in public expenditures.

Polye also called on the government not to make the same mistake again!

“In 2015 the Prime Minister and his government left the 2015 Supplementary Budget to the end of the year.

“The government lied to the people in 2015 that PNG LNG gas sales was based on a ‘Forward fixed contract price’ and would not be affected by the drop in the oil price,” he recalls.

Opposition queries PM move on B’villle portfolio

Opposition Leader Don Polye said stripping the ministry from a Bougainvillean MP who has local knowledge about the issues of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville government was a slap in the people’s face.

Mr Polye has cautioned Mr O’Neill as the minister responsible to treat the outstanding financial issue and Bougainville Copper mine issues among others with care.

“The Prime Minister has been playing down the seriousness of ABG by way of undermining the peace agreement with cuts in funds rightfully owed to the people.

Polye brands removal of Aussies as detrimental

“There is more to the orders to remove the advisers than meets the eye,’’ says Opposition Leader Don Polye.

“We understand the Prime Minister has a hidden motive for the removal of 33 advisers seconded to the public service,” he said.

He has taken a swipe at Mr O’Neill, describing it as a diplomatic blow to Australia and its adverse impacts which may affect the country.

“The advisers not only add values to the local public service with their expertise and experience but also help strengthen its capacity.

Polye calls for Chief Ombudsman job to be filled

The Opposition is calling on the Government to appoint the Chief Ombudsman Commissioner immediately.

In a media conference on Tuesday in Port Moresby, Opposition Leader Don Polye challenged Prime Minister Peter O’Neill to explain what was the holdup in the appointment.

Polye said the Ombudsman Commission applied the leadership code to protect citizens from improper and corrupt conduct by leaders continuing in office and therefore must be appointed as soon as possible.

Polye to Tkatchenko: Don’t talk about trivial things

“Justin Tkatchenko (Sports Minister) misses the point completely, he talks about things that are very trivial without addressing the real issues,” Polye’s comments referred to the Sports Minister’s response to his media statement.

 “I am addressing two issues, the first point is that the administration and management of rugby league as a sport in Papua New Guinea has been a failure, so much time and resource have been put into this particular sport but PNG is ranked below other smaller nations like Fiji (7th placing) and Samoa (4th placing).

Maru: We don’t engage clown investors

Local MP and Minister for Trade Commerce and Industry Richard Maru told Loop PNG today that this is what his district needed.

“Right now, 85 percent of students doing Grade 12 will be school leavers and such project is what the people of Yangoru-Saussia needed the most,” says Maru.

He was responding to Don Polye’s comments who queried whether an Israeli company engaged by a minister in his electorate is reputable.

Maru brands Polye as ‘chronic badmouthed’ leader

He said it was a shame for Polye to ‘’badmouth’’ an investor that came into the country and completed agricultural projects which included the Koroba Agro industrial centre, 9-Mile farm and others.

Maru, in an exclusive interview with Loop PNG today, said the Opposition Leader had never delivered any agricultural projects in the country and for him to speak against such an agricultural investor was “absurd’’.

“If he has allegations against the investor, he should wait for the court proceedings to confirm whether they’re right or wrong in their dealings.

Sports Minister lashes Opposition on funding

Justin Tkatchenko, the Minister for Sports and National Events, has blasted the Opposition Leader  Don Polye for the “constant stream of negative nonsense’’ that has now seen the Opposition seek to abandon national rugby league players.

Mr Polye yesterday called for a shift in funding priority for rugby to other sporting codes like soccer, swimming, rugby union among others, in which ‘our sports personnel excel’.

“We cannot continue to waste taxpayers’ money in a sporting code which secures low ranking in the world index,” he said.

Polye wants candidates to ‘respect electoral laws’

Mr Polye made the call on learning that the Electoral Commissioner Pautilias Gamato had warned against early campaigns until writs were issued next year.

“Time and time again the rule of law and our other laws have been undermined by those in power,” he said.

“Their scars are still fresh but with our intending candidates and most of my fellow MPs in the government, conducting early campaigns only makes the law and order situation worse in the country.’’