Garry Juffa

Juffa gave an example of Northern Provincial Government issuing a stop-work on a portion of land acquired by foreigners who cannot speak the English language.

“Is English a requirement before a work permit is issued?” Juffa asked.

He said similar instances are happening around the country where shopkeepers, security guards, drivers and others who are working cannot speak English.

“What is your department doing about this?”

“Does your department carry out regular inspections and prosecutions?”

He said it was totally absurd to be suddenly making amendments and reforms now when the Government had five years to do so with adequate consultation with all stakeholders.

"To not consult stakeholders such as the people, is totally arrogant and autocratic. It smacks of election rigging.

“Why now? Why also withhold funding for Electoral Roll updates for provinces and why delays on security assessments and other preparatory work?”

The relatives of the deceased in the road accident are demanding K50 million from the company.

Ijivitari MP David Arore told Loop PNG this morning that the company has been neglecting the people of Oro for years and not paying compensations whenever their vehicles were involved  in accidents.

“The people have shown their grievances and demand the company this amount because of the company’s neglect in paying compensations.”

Aore and Sohe MP Delilah Gore will be leading the team to negotiate with Higaturu oil palm.

Ijivitari MP David Arore told Loop PNG other group of people from Kokoda are still making their way to town also to look for answers on the incident.

He said main shops and other business activities in town are currently close as hundreds of people converge to the Popondetta General Hospital seeking for answers.

He said Sohe MP Delilah Gore and himself will be talking to the people at the Police station regarding the incident.

Of the 29 passengers on the PMV truck, 13 were confirmed dead while 16 are currently admitted at the Popondetta General Hospital.

Juffa made the remarks after the Government has announced through the Minister for Public Service Sir Puka Temu that public servants will not see an increase in salaries for two years.

“This is a form of cruelty that will punish not just public servants but an entire nation.

“The public service is the vehicle required to transform Government policy into tangible outcomes and that is to deliver goods and services and successfully manage Government programs.

Juffa told Loop PNG that this thoughtless and sinister decision is no good news and is certain to cause much unhappiness in the public service.

“You do not need to be a rocket scientist or a human resource expert to conclude that an unhappy public service will ensure poor productivity...this in turn is sure to slow down any effort required for nation building.

“The public service is the vehicle required to transform Government policy into tangible outcomes... that is to deliver goods and services and successfully manage Government programs.

Juffa said sugar was just as bad if not more dangerous then tobacco and cigarette and harms and kills more Papua New Guineans then tobacco and alcohol combined.

He added that the national health cost and toll on the human resources of the nation was significant and could not be ignored.

Juffa said Mexico had imposed such a tax and was now reaping dual benefits of an improving overall national health for its people and increased revenues.

Juffa in a statement to Loop PNG said cancer was killing off many of PNG’s capable female workforce.

He said those women dying were not just breadwinners but also careers and nation builders and it was becoming a serious concern yet the national Government and especially NDOH was very lax in its approach towards rectifying the matter.

"Cancer is spreading and stalking our womenfolk especially.

“PNG is losing many young women in their prime to cancer. Many of these cases are easily preventable if detected and treated early.”

Properties destroyed include the burning down of houses, roadblocks and stoning of vehicles owned by the Sime Darby Oilpalm Company.

Juffa has asked for calm and has advised the community to work with leaders and Police to hand over the suspect immediately.

Juffa told Loop PNG that it is rumoured the suspect who is known has been responsible for 10 murders and has never been caught.

It is also alleged that he had been released early this year when he had been charged by a policeman who had been bribed.

He said not just that exemptions should be reviewed but taxes due should be collected.

“Our tax system is a broken machine which is a leaking bucket with wide open holes with which we are attempting at fetching tax revenues.”

He added that countless advise to restructure the IRC and deploy tax collectors to target those who avoid taxes keep falling on deaf ears.

Juffa said a proper intelligence driven tax strategy managed and operated by elite well paid Tax Officers and Customs Officers will ensure maximum collection of taxes.