Ian Ling-Stuckey

President of Murat LLG, Edwin Maigen has accused Ling-Stuckey of using district funds to feed National Alliance (NA) voters.

He has also brushed aside accusations made by Kavieng MP, Ian Ling-Stuckey who accused the New Ireland Government of lying about funding constraints due to Lihir Royalties diverted to the districts.

“We have no COVID-19 pandemic in New Ireland nor do we have a disaster-stricken province but millions of kina of people’s money is locked in to feed NA voters”.

He was responding to queries raised by Governor for East Sepik, Allan Bird in Parliament yesterday.

Minister Ling-Stuckey said there must be cooperation between banks, BPNG and the Government to address issues stemming from certain anti-money laundering and fraud policies that prevents Papua New Guineans from depositing large sums of cash.

Governor Bird said: “Our small people are being harshly dealt with by the banking system. They are not allowed to deposit K1000 in cash.”

The New Ireland Assembly voted out its open members during its meeting on Wednesday the 17th of March, citing numerous absences from assembly meetings.

It was claimed, both members were absent on Wednesday 9^th September 2020, Wednesday 16^th September 2020, Wednesday 23^rd December 2020 and Wednesday 17^th March 2021.

Treasurer and Kavieng MP, Ian Ling-Stuckey, made this statement when presenting a subsidy of K100,000 to New Ireland students at Lae’s University of Technology.

He also briefed students on the KDDA and New Ireland Provincial Government budgets, and educated them on the Marape Government’s Public Investment Program (PIP) budget.

During his visit, Minister Ling-Stuckey met with the University’s senior executive management team to discuss budgetary matters of the institution and do a budgetary presentation.

The university management also had the opportunity to discuss its five-year strategic plans and present a report on its infrastructural plans and budgetary requirements in alignment to the University’s vision and mission.

Minister Ling-Stuckey announced a funding commitment of K250,000 on behalf of the Marape-Basil Government at the end of the meeting.

The Budget, submitted by Governor Taboi Awi Yoto, consists of National Government grants of K236 million, and internal revenue (mostly from the resources sector) of K226.7 million.

Ling-Stuckey complimented Governor Yoto on the focus of the budget, which reflects the Marape-Basil Government’s agenda for national economic and social development.

He said he and the Treasury would work closely with the Governor and his provincial administration to ensure that the 2021 provincial budget is delivered according to plan.

The provincial assembly voted unanimously in favour of the motion.

The motion was moved as a result of the numerous absences of the two MPs for assembly meetings. Both members were absent from assembly meetings on Wednesday 9^th September 2020, Wednesday 16^th September 2020, Wednesday 23^rd December 2020 and Wednesday 17^th March 2021.

The motion was put to vote with no opposition and was passed with 17 votes.

This was the theme of discussions and message shared by the Minister for Treasury and Member for Kavieng, Ian Ling-Stuckey, with leaders and conflicting groups from indigenous and non-indigenous New Irelanders in Kavieng town.

A civil unrest occurred in Kavieng on Saturday, March 20^th, when frustrated locals set out to “cleanse” their town of vagrants and petty criminals.

The BMC comprises of Chairman and Treasurer, Ian Ling-Stuckey, Finance Minister John Pundari, Planning Minister Rainbo Paita and his Vice Minister, Dr Kobby Bomareo.

In explaining the purpose of the meeting, Ling-Stuckey said: “We have heard the frustrations of our local businesses, Members of Parliament and Government agencies, with late and declined government payments. This has to stop if we are to deliver services to our people.

Treasurer Ian Ling-Stuckey said this growth is for the people of PNG as the growth forecast will mainly benefit the non-resource economy.

The 2021 budget was passed today with only 49 MPs from the Government bench.

In his budget speech, under the theme ‘consolidation for growth’, Minister for Treasury, Ling-Stuckey, said PNG’s economy is expected to grow by nearly K18 billion over the next two years; from K81 billion to K99 billion.