Prime Minister Peter O’Neill

Prime Minister Peter O’Neill told Loop PNG this morning that “NEC has decided that there will be no evictions and that people living in houses that were allocated will be given titles.”

The long delay was because NHC claims it had not received any payment for the properties already sold because of a wrong deduction code with the Finance Department.  

The PM slipped quietly into Madang last Thursday, October 29, 2016 at the invitation of former national parliamentarian, Si Peter Barter, to officially open the new wing of the Madang Resort Hotel.

Sir Peter, who is an acclaimed tourism promoter in PNG is the managing director of Melanesian Tourists Services, which owns the hotel.

“Absolutely not, inflation goes up and down but it has averaged 6 per cent over the last 15 years and it won’t change in one (year),” Prime Minister O’Neill told Loop PNG.

He also appealed to Papua New Guineans to have confidence in the country’s Government and management of the economy.

Bank of Papua New Guinea Monetary Policy Statement for the month of September 2016 forecasted the annual inflation rate to reach 7.5 per cent in 2017 because of excessive government spending to fund the 2017 National Elections and 2018 APEC meeting.

The Prime Minister in last Parliament said sale and evictions must stop throughout the country until an investigation is completed and a report tabled in the November sitting.

Yesterday the Post-Courier report of eviction of a 94 year old man from his Hohola home in Port Moresby saw the Housing Minister Paul Isikiel personally intervening and Oisa Evoa moving back to his home of 50 years after he had been evicted by police and a new owner last Tuesday.

Loop PNG reported last week a concerned doctor slamming the announcement by Prime Minister Peter O’Neill to bring in Cuban doctors to work in the public health sector throughout the country.

This followed Prime Minister Peter O’Neill statement that discussions to bring Cuban doctors to work in Papua New Guinea will be held in November.

Polye says he was concerned with the manner in which Prime Minister Peter O’Neill and his government were engaged in a witch-hunt to suppress those who stood up to protect the country’s rule of law, institutions, democracy and to fight corruption.

“These pilots among the students and citizens have expressed their rights to dissent as provided for in our Constitution.

“The termination, by the CEO of Air Niugini, is not in the best interest of the country and that is an assault on democracy and our Constitution,” says the Opposition Leader.

Speaking after the Forum meeting, the Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, Peter O’Neill , said the decision could be seen as somewhat controversial, but he feels comfortable with bringing French Polynesia and New Caledonia into the Forum.

"The fact of the matter remains that French Polynesia and New Caledonia are important territories in the Pacific region and this is a wise decision,” PM O’Neill said.

"Together they have a population of well over half a million people.

Prime Minister Peter O’Neill made this statement in Parliament on Thursday after the 2016 Supplementary Budget was tabled by Treasury Minister Patrick Pruaitch.

O’Neill said cuts in government expenditures to meet the shortfall in projected revenues, to implement the 2016 National Budget, will not affect its key policy areas of free education, free health care, support to churches and partners, infrastructure development and DSIP and PSIP funding.   

He made this statement on Thursday after Treasury Minister Patrick Pruaitch tabled the 2016 Supplementary Budget.  

“Coming to Parliament in 2002 under Somare Government, we inherited an economy which was projected to be in surplus by the previous government, (but) we inherited an K800 million deficit and the strategy at that time is to return to surplus as possible,” O’Neill said.  

The governor told Parliament in this morning’s session that in 2008, the then government committed K140 million worth of projects to his province.

"Taim danis na garamut i pinis, olgeta i lus tingting lo displa ol komitment," Benjamin said. (After the dance and beat of drum ended, the then government forgot about its commitment.)

He asked Prime Minister Peter O’Neill if the current government can find the K36 million to seal the Lorengau to Manus Highway Road. This was one of the projects committed.