Prime Minister Peter O’Neill

He said this during the launching of the Motukea International Port on Friday.

In his keynote address to the guests at the event, Prime Minister O’Neill highlighted the Sydney to Port Moresby undersea telco cable, which will bring improved internet services to PNG.

The PM said this will allow Papua New Guineans to have strong and efficient internet services.

He went on to say that those active on Facebook will continue to be so as the Government has no intention to ban the social media platform.

He said this in support of Morobe Governor, Ginson Saonu.

O’Neill said alluvial mining should be reserved for locals only.

Governor Saonu informed O’Neill that he had with him a letter from the Morobe Gold Field Small Scale Mining Association, on behalf of tenement landowner miners and interested miners in Wau Bulolo Region.

They called for the rejection of an exploration license application made by Wabua Mining Limited and Harmony Gold Exploration Gold Limited in the Wau-Bulolo Valley.

O’Neill was speaking at the Eighth Pacific Islands Leaders’ Meeting (PALM8) in Iwaki City, Japan, where he said cooperation is essential but countries must take charge of their own responsibilities.

PM O’Neill told the leaders at the PALM Summit that while overseas assistance plays an important role in achieving their development goals, they must rely more on themselves.

He said driving our own economic growth is fundamental to the development in our country.

He added that delivering true economic growth is all about building partnerships across the country.

Shadow Attorney General, Kerenga Kua, expressed indignation that the PM continues to travel the world while education, health care and other services in the country have collapsed due to irresponsible government spending.

“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,” Kua said.

The PALM Summit is held every three years in Japan, bringing Pacific Island nations together in discussion with Japan to develop initiatives for regional growth and cooperation.

Held in Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture, the theme for the two-day Leaders’ Meeting was “We are Islanders – Partnership towards Prosperous, Free and Open Pacific”.

Prime Minister O’Neill welcomed the talks that he said will provide an opportunity for the region to engage with Japan on issues of mutual interest.

Horie, who was Prisoner of War in Rabaul in 1945, is 103 years old, has traveled to Papua New Guinea 18 times and is a former Member of Parliament in Japan.

“It was an honour to meet Mr Horie,” said the PM in a statement.

“His tireless efforts to bring his countrymen home is outstanding and has earned him the highest respect in both of our countries.

"Papua New Guinea is the final resting place of so many courageous men and women from both sides of the war.

“Our nation will always accord the highest respect to those still buried in our soil.

This move is aimed at reducing the cost of rice in PNG.

Speaking at the end of an Official State Visit to the Republic of the Philippines, O’Neill said that a Memorandum of Understanding on agricultural cooperation has been signed that will lead to extensive rice cultivation.

PM O’Neill said understanding has been reached with the Philippines President, Rodrigo Duterte, and his Government to cooperate in the production of rice for the benefit of both countries.

He said this during the 34th Australia-Papua New Guinea Business Forum and Trade Expo in Brisbane, Australia.

O’Neill said the Australia-PNG relationship is enduring and constant with Australia being the largest foreign investor in PNG underpinned by a strong bilateral trading relationship.

The Prime Minister said the economic fundamentals of PNG are sound, and that its carefully managed debt is a tool for economic management and future growth including through infrastructure development, with more than half the Government’s debt being domestic debt.

During the meeting last Wednesday at Buckingham Palace, the Prime Minister and the Duke of York discussed issues of relevance for Papua New Guinea and the Commonwealth.

“Prince Andrew is clearly concerned by the recent Highlands earthquake and expressed his sympathies following the disaster,” the Prime Minister said from London.

“In almost all of our CHOGM-related meetings, for myself, the Foreign Minister, and senior officials, there was clear concern at the loss of life in the earthquake.

He is former Prime Minister of Ireland, Bertie Ahern. Although this was made known by President John Momis during a recent parliamentary sitting with his government, a formal joint announcement is yet to be made by both governments.

A reliable source within the ABG told Loop PNG that “President Momis and PM O'Neill have written a joint letter to the former PM of Ireland as a nominee for the position of Chair of the Bougainville Referendum Commission”.