Former Prime Minister, Peter O’Neill has described Prime Minister James Marape’s response on the recent court decision to find him not guilty of abuse of office as ‘rubbish’ and lack substance.
“If PM Marape thinks my words with a sense of direction and advice taste sour, he should simply ask Treasury to release a report on the cheques printed at Treasury and Planning buying political support.
“Your big and rough footprint is all over the Treasury, Planning and Finance. Is this what you call economic stimulus package? Is this what you term as economic management?” O’Neill asked.
He explained that the loans the Government obtained is clearly stipulated in the budget spreadsheet in bold letters for public interest and knowledge.
“Those loan repayments including interest and principal are consistent with previous year’s loan repayment interest which is around 1.2 billion a year. The records are for him and Treasurer to take a good look on how budget are framed annually.
“There is no additional payments. Yearly, loan rates are fixed and there is nothing to carry forward.”
Peter O’Neill is calling on Prime Minister Marape to take time and read the reports on MYEFO the Treasurer tables in Parliament.
“If he is not reading it, I urge him to study and understand it better. The arrears are normal course of government business and payments he is claiming are not out of the ordinary as he claims.
“This government lacks simple and basic knowledge and experience on hands to manage this country. He continues to fail.”
Prime Minister, James Marape in a statement rebutted to O’Neill’s claims after the court decision saying those claims by Mr O’Neill were not true.
He said: “Let us be clear on one thing. Mr O’Neill’s legal case relating to the purchase of the two generators was a police case. It was mounted in 2014 by Belden Namah, when he was Opposition Leader.
“As head of the present Government, I condemn these assertions he has made this week, that it was all politically-motivated. This kind of talk does nothing good for the integrity and image of our Police Force and Public Prosecutor who are mandated to keep watch over laws of our country.
“Mr O’Neill ought to be humble and not make a show of himself, as if he has been victimised by the Government.
"The major and real victims in this sad state of affairs is the people of Papua New Guinea, who have lost K120 million from the purchase of these faulty, un-functioning generators. “Not only do they not have the promised power supply, but have missed the chance to K120 million worth of services.
“For the former prime minister to allude to shady political push to vilify him is mischievous and rubs mud into the independence and integrity of the law and justice sector,” said Prime Minister Marape.
Mr O’Neill again responded: “What I am offering to the Prime Minster is simply, wake up from your slumber and face the reality. Let's address failed economy, stop the spread of Coronavirus, stop the daily killings and Corona related deaths and unnecessary borrowings.
“My government borrowed to build lasting road infrastructure, world class sports stadiums, wharfs, jetties that are currently serving the country and our people.
“So what has the Marape Government build or done for the country?
He said all the Government was doing for the past three years was just borrowing exceedingly well above the set GDP rate.