Peter O'Neill

In a substantial blow to diplomatic relations between Australia and its former colony, PNG has gone ahead with a threat to end contracts for foreigners brought in to the nation’s public service.

There had been 33 Australian public servants seconded to various PNG departments including officials from the Tax Office, Customs, the Auditor-General, the Ombudsman, Treasury and Finance.

“I had hoped that in 2016 the nation would have a mature and responsible Opposition, but with the way Mr Polye has sought to manage his affairs in the last week of the year I expect we will be disappointed.

“The people of Papua New Guinea are sick and tired of the cheap and personal gutter politics we have seen from opposition leaders in this term of Parliament.

“Papua New Guineans want debate on policy on substantive issues that matter to the lives of the men, women and children of our nation.

Mr Polye reiterated that he put the record straight on the projects.

He said that he was not only instrumental in designing the projects through the National Transport plan in the past government, but also in negotiating for soft loans to realise the dreams which the current government was boasting about.

“I was smart enough to tie funds for the projects into a conventional agreement with the donors, particularly JICA and ADB.

​Moves to dismiss PM’s stayed arrest adjourned

http://www.looppng.com/content/%E2%80%8Bmoves-dismiss-pm%E2%80%99s-stayed-arrest-adjourned

The National Court at Waigani has adjourned an application sought by heads of the National Fraud and Anti-Corruption Directorate to dismiss the stay on the Prime Minister Peter O’Neill’s arrest to next year.

Parker expected ruling on Dec 18

Justice Collin Makail adjourned the matter from Thursday (Dec 10) for listing on February 2, 2016. He also indicated that the substantive matter which is the trial review into the manner in which that arrest warrant was issued by the District Court will return on that date.

Matthew Damaru and Timothy Gitua in their capacities as the director and deputy director of the National Fraud and Anti-Corruption Directorate are seeking to set aside the stay on Prime Minister Peter O’Neill’s arrest.

For the last two fortnights public servants in some government departments received their salaries very late.

A senior government official told LOOP PNG that in the last two fortnights they had to “run around to find money” to pay salaries.

He says they were told the Government account is in the red by K3 billion.

However,  Prime Minister Peter O’Neill has brushed aside this talk, saying: “The Government has adequate funds to meet its commitments and the payroll for public servants”.

Leader of government business James Marape  moved a motion for a vote of confidence in the Prime Minister.

Those in the chamber  have just voted .. 78 members voted for the PM and 2 against.

The two who voted against the motion are Oro Governor Gary Juffa and Goilala MP William Samb

Parliament has just been adjourned to 3rd November for the tabling of the annual budget.

This is the Prime Minister’s response to the filing of a vote of confidence against him by the Opposition.

"It is desperate and ambitious, not done in the best interest of the nation but for personal interest driven by desire for revenge,’’ the Prime Minister charged.

"The country today faces huge challenges with El Niño and global economic conditions which require our Parliament's attention.

He says they are now fixing the neglect of the past.

O’Neill said this at the Papua New Guinea Defence Academy, 2nd Defence Force Commissioning Course (DFCC) Graduation Parade

“At barracks around the country we are rebuilding housing, we are rebuilding offices and we are restoring working conditions and restoring pride,” he says.

O’Neill says it is not a quick job to fix and it is going to take time.

The lawyers, Greg Egan and Terence Lambert, were preparing to represent PNG investigators in a major fraud case against the Prime Minister, Peter O'Neill.

But they were blocked from entering the country, apparently on instruction from Chief Migration Officer Mataio Rabura.

An executive member for the Law Council of Australia, Morry Bailes, says he is disturbed by the reports.