Joseph Lelang

Shadow Treasurer Joseph Lelang made this comment in response to Ling-Stuckey’s recent press statement that accused former Prime Minister Peter O’Neill for digging a ‘very deep economic hole’.

In a recent statement, Minister for Treasury, Ian Ling-Stuckey, said after eight O’Neill years of spending well beyond our income, PNG’s debt has jumped by 248 percent per person to have reached the illegal level of over K33 billion.

Finance Minister James Marape said the funds are quarantined under law and as such, will not be touched.

He was responding to Kandrian-Gloucester MP, Joseph Lelang, who asked why the Government has also taken money earmarked as royalties.

In particular, royalty held in Trust with the National Forestry Authority to be paid to head clans of integrated land groups and within the timber concession areas under various timber agreements.

It is alleged the company is applying tax to local staff who earn below the income tax threshold.

In 2011, Parliament increased the tax income threshold from K10,000 to K15,000 per annum, giving tax breaks to those who earn less than the threshold.

Kandrian-Gloucester MP, Joseph Lelang, asked the Prime Minister if he was aware of such practice where companies were taxing employees below the tax income threshold.

He said a letter was sent to the Deputy Prime Minister’s Office regarding the issue in his district however, there was no response.

The petition, filed on 14 September by Walter Lunga, alleges two instances of bribery and instances of irregularities and omissions during polling.

Petitioner Lunga claims four ballot boxes had the same hand writing; something they raised objections to during scrutiny.

For bribery, the petitioner is also alleging food exchanges and promises made by Lelang during the election period.

Lunga will be calling 20 witnesses for the trial while Lelang’s lawyer indicated calling 14 witness.

Sarakolok West Transport (SWT) is owned by Eremas Wartoto and was given the contract for the renovation of facilities at the Kerevat National High school in November of 2008.

He was found guilty of misusing K6.4 million of that K7.9 million between January 29, 2009 and January 20, 2010.

Justice George Manuhu sentenced Wartoto to 10 years in prison with hard labor on Friday.

He said Wartoto’s downfall was a mixture of stupidity on his part, lack of due diligence and a lot of illegal help from the Department of National Planning & Monitoring.

This coincided with the endorsement of 24 candidates from respective provinces around Papua New Guinea by Party founder and leader Joseph Lelang, Member for Kandrian- Gloucester Electorate.

Two of the candidates are female.

With the theme, “Taim Bilong Yumi” the party is driven to set a benchmark to move the country to the next level by analysing the government’s systems and providing resolutions that are applicable and relevant to facilitate through reform.

Lelang said he only received K3 million from the K30 million submission.

“I want the Minister to come out and inform my people where the remaining K27million has gone to.

“Who knows this money may have being diverted elsewhere.

“While I acknowledge the K100,000 given to my district for the fishing project were allocated to the people of Tamuniai area who have voting population of only 30, it is hardly seen as a significant contribution.”

Zeming in a statement on Monday said it is regrettable that Lelang decided to return to his party.

He said the people of Kandrian-Gloucester have embraced the People’s National Congress party and its values when Peter Arul (1997-2002) and David Sui (2002-2007) were members of the party representing the electorate.

However, Lelang said Zeming’s statement was sarcastic and that he does not know what he is talking about.

That is the statement from Trade, Commerce and Industry Minister Richard Maru this week in Parliament when responding to a supplementary question from Kandrian - Gloucester MP Joseph Lelang.

“Under the World Trade Organisation, countries are allowed to impose protectionism leases particularly when it comes with issuing national strategy in agriculture development, particularly in relations to foods security issues,” Lelang asked.