Peter O’Neill

Following the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the State and Total and its partners, ExxonMobil and Oil Search, the Prime Minister said they are happy with the current framework.

Among other things, Bryan Kramer asked if the other countries pay their teachers 12 toea a fortnight.

As his supplementary question on November 9^th, the Madang MP once again raised the longstanding issues that are affecting average Papua New Guineans on the floor of Parliament.

“Hamaspla i gat polio, hamaspla i gat drug shortij, hamaspla i baim titcha blo ol 12 toea, hamaspla i baim APEC CEO K500,000 – em sidaun lo baksait ya, mi no save, em niupla APEC ofis blo yumi?” Kramer stated whilst pointing across the floor.

He made this remark recently in Enga when signing the decentralisation of powers to the Enga Provincial Government.

O’Neill said Enga has quality leaders that will strengthen and embrace the work of autonomy in the province. 

“Work together and support the leaders rather than listening to petty politics on Facebook,” stated the PM.

He reiterated that for the last six years, the Government has been funding the districts and provinces through the DSIP and PSIP funds but people continue to complain.

Opposition Leader Patrick Pruaitch accused the Government of diverting K150 million to a separate account rather than the Disaster Trust Account set up on March 1, 2018.

He claimed that there has been no transparency on the restoration work carried out by the Controller of National Disaster state-of-emergency.

He said this in light of the recent announcement of a tri-lateral fund from the United States, Australia, and Japan, to counter the presence of China in the Pacific.

O’Neill said it was healthy there was competing sources of financing for the PNG.

“We need to have access to cheaper funds, and what it means is that the competition between China and Australia and the United States on the availability of funds to the Pacific and economy’s like Papua New Guinea at much lower rates is in the best interest of our country.

A confrontation between the army and members of the public ensued in Port Moresby over the weekend.

The tensions were a result of a car accident involving some soldiers, which escalated after they were attacked by the public, resulting in one soldier being hospitalised and another succumbing to his injuries on Saturday night.

In a statement, PM O’Neill said: “Any dispute should be settled by relevant legal authorities, and under no circumstances should groups take the law into their own hands.

Prime Minister, Peter O’Neill, made this announcement on Monday in Port Moresby when welcoming the three MPs from the Opposition joining the Government benches.

O’Neill confidently told media that all MPs have all received their DSIP and PSIP funds regardless of which side of the house they are in.

He added that the Government had budgeted for K10 million each for all MPs and made an assurance that the remaining balance will be paid to them before the end of this year.

PM O’Neill made this statement after meeting with the President of New Caledonia, Phillipe Germain, on Tuesday.

President Germain and his delegation left the country this afternoon after his three-day official visit.

PM O’Neill, when welcoming President Germain and his delegation on Tuesday, said both countries must create new pathways for economic cooperation in trade and investment, business, economic co-operation, capacity building.

He said partnership in important social and cultural areas and people-to-people links are vital to enhance friendship.

Prime Minister Peter O’Neill made this undertaking when responding to Opposition Leader Patrick Pruaitch and Shadow Minister for Attorney General, Kerenga Kua’s calls.

Opposition Leader Patrick Pruaitch released a statement recently calling on PM O’Neill to honour his commitment in Mendi to investigate concerns on the election for the Southern Highlands Regional seat.

Kerenga Kua had claimed that Peter O’Neill had been frequently attending various overseas meetings without addressing issues affecting the country.

Kua said the Prime Minister should return home and take a hard look at the sufferings of our people and tighten the government belt on wanton spending.

However, Prime Minister O’Neill responded and told this newsroom that Kua’s statement is just cheap politics.