Opposition Leader

In a statement issued today, Lelang accused the government of losing focus and not running the country’s affairs effectively. He was specific about the health sector.

While acknowledging tha problems like the shortages of drugs was nothing new to the country, he is concerned that this has been a recurring problem with no solutions in sight to address this.

Lelang also noted the recommendations made by the Public Accounts Committee which pointed out clearly that the public health system in PNG was dysfunctional.

In a recent press release, Mr Lelang called for a recall of Parliament to address the issue urgently.

Lelang said, “The fuel shortage is only symptom of another problem. Soon it will be shortages of imported food and other essential inputs for the smooth operation of business and commerce in the country.”

From Wutung in West Sepik Province to East Cape in Milne Bay, from the Shortland in the Autonomous region of Bougainville  to the isles of the Coral Sea in Milne Bay to Manus in the Bismarck Sea and New Ireland and New Britain in the New Guinea islands from Yonki to Lake Kopiago in the highlands and the Torres Straits in Western Province to China Straits in Milne Bay in the Southern Region and from Tewaii Siassi to Wutung in Mamose region,  we mourn our first Prime Minister, our finest and dearest Chief and Father. 

The reference filed was in question and opinion of Belden Namah’s appointment as Opposition leader and removal of former Opposition Leader, Patrick Pruaitch.

On the 16^th of December 2019, Acting Attorney General, Kerenga Kua, filed a reference against Belden Namah in question to his position as Opposition leader.

The reference was an authority under Section 19 (3) (1) of the Constitution for an opinion and questions relating to the interpretation or application of constitutional laws.

Namah criticised the Prime Minister’s ‘Marape Manifesto’ which he says will lead the country into destruction.

The Opposition Leader said it is more than 100 days since James Marape had taken office, yet there is not a policy or strategy being offered.

Namah said instead, the Prime Minister announced a ‘Manifesto’ on Independence Day, which was released to the public on September 13^th.

Pruaitch said four National Alliance MPs – Kavieng MP and Treasurer Ling-Stuckey, East Sepik Governor Allan Bird, Namatani MP Walter Schaubelt and North Fly MP James Donald – joined the government ranks together with Northern Governor Gary Juffa.

“The National Alliance believes that as Treasurer, Ian Ling-Stuckey will drive a rational economic agenda that will be in the best interests of all Papua New Guineans. As a party we have spent considerable time working on an agenda for economic recovery and some of those policies can now be implemented.

Opposition Leader Patrick Pruaitch accused the Government of diverting K150 million to a separate account rather than the Disaster Trust Account set up on March 1, 2018.

He claimed that there has been no transparency on the restoration work carried out by the Controller of National Disaster state-of-emergency.

He claimed that there has been no transparency on the restoration work carried out by the Controller of National Disaster state-of-emergency.

Pruaitch, in a statement, accused the Government for turning a blind eye to the suffering of tens of thousands of Papua New Guineans in the badly hit provinces of Southern Highlands, Hela, Western and Gulf.

He said conflicting information has been provided on funding for earthquake impacted provinces by the Department of Treasury and Dr Bill Hamblin, Controller of National Disaster state-of-emergency.

Mr Pruaitch said the public is entitled to facts and not rhetoric explaining why Kumul’s tax figure for 2014 alone was much higher than the total tax paid by Kumul Petroleum for the three years to 2016.

The Opposition leader said the Internal Revenue Commission records released in the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) annual reports show that the total tax paid to IRC by Kumul Petroleum in 2014, 2015 and 2016 was only K127.5 million, or K115 million less than what was due in 2014.

That was his response when responding to Deputy Prime Minister Charles Abel on cash flow issues in the country.

The Opposition leader said his advice from his very first budget in 2014 was to sharply curtail the level of borrowing.

He added that when Government is in receipt of record revenue, it is not the time to be making excessive loans and running large fiscal deficits.

He said the Government borrowed far too much in a brief period and most of it has been misspent.