Peter O’Neill

O’Neill made the call when speaking at the provincial assembly meeting on Thursday 26^th January 2023 in Mendi town.

The occasion was significant as O’Neill and Prime Minister James Marape for the first time met and discussed matters of interest to the province putting aside political indifferences.

“Me lida blo Ialibu Pangia for 20 years nau me go 25 years, taim ol lusim me taim, bai me retire na stap. But tingting blo me na nambawan priority blo me olsem lida em lo servim ol manmeri, em blo servim province blo yumi.

Former Prime Minister and Member for Ialibu-Pangia, Peter O’Neill made this call after the prices of fuel rose in recent days. He said people in island communities rely on outboard motor fuel, Zoom, to travel further afield to fish to feed their families and earn a living.

On Karkar Island where fishing is the main source of protein, Zoom is now prohibitively expensive at over K6 per litre.

The high price means only fishing grounds close to shore are fished and the normal outer reef fishing has slowed significantly or stopped.

In an interview with O’Neill with this newsroom today, he said Sir Michael was a very unique leader apart from all the leaders in the country, as well as the commonwealth.

“Firstly, I joined the rest of the citizens around the country and pay our last respects to the founding father of our nation, Sir Michael Thomas Somare.

He appealed to citizens to allow the rule of Law to take its course.

With four days before the 1^st of December, the date set by Parliament on the 13^th of November to resume Parliament session, citizens are eager to know what will transpire on Monday, 30^th of November when the Supreme court sits to hear application filed by Ialibu Pangia MP Peter O’Neill challenging Speaker Job Pomat’s recalling of Parliament sitting on Tuesday, 17^th November.

Ialibu Pangia MP and former Prime Minister Peter O’Neill is seeking the court's clarification, after Speaker of Parliament deemed the adjournment of Parliament to the 1st of December, illegal.

Chief Justice Sir Gibbs Salika yesterday asked both parties to assist the courts in solving this urgent constitutional matter by consulting their clients and negotiate with each other on an agreed date for Parliament to resume.

This is to ensure the state does not borrow to purchase equity in a project.

“The initial understanding we have with the second LNG and in particular Wafi-Golpu is that our participation in equity will be carried by the developer until the first export of either the gold and copper from Wafi-Golpu or in the second LNG Project, meaning we don’t have to borrow large sums of money that we are unable to repay.

Prime Minister Peter O’Neill said both projects, if approved, will bring in an investment of US$26 billion (K82.6 billion) and will have a significant injection into the economy of our country.

He said this in parliament on January 22^nd.

“In total there will be close to US$26 billion, which is close to K100 billion investment in the country and that will have a significant injection into the economy of our country,” said O’Neill.

This is in addition to other benefits that the State will get through a National Content Plan and Domestic Market Obligation.

The Prime Minister said this in Parliament yesterday in its first sitting.

“I think we are aiming for very good benefits out of this particular project in terms of equity that we will fully participate in that. In terms of royalties, (and) domestic market obligation.

Following the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the State and Total and its partners, ExxonMobil and Oil Search, the Prime Minister said they are happy with the current framework.

Among other things, Bryan Kramer asked if the other countries pay their teachers 12 toea a fortnight.

As his supplementary question on November 9^th, the Madang MP once again raised the longstanding issues that are affecting average Papua New Guineans on the floor of Parliament.

“Hamaspla i gat polio, hamaspla i gat drug shortij, hamaspla i baim titcha blo ol 12 toea, hamaspla i baim APEC CEO K500,000 – em sidaun lo baksait ya, mi no save, em niupla APEC ofis blo yumi?” Kramer stated whilst pointing across the floor.