Richard Maru

Following the handing over of the International Convention Centre to the PNG Government and launching of the China-AID APEC Roads Projects, Maru said ties with China should be enhanced through a bilateral agreement focusing on aid.

He said recently the Chinese Government has supported PNG through various aid projects.

And it was only fitting that ties with the country be strengthened through the area of aid.

National Planning and Implementation Minister, Richard Maru, confirmed this in parliament yesterday.

He made the announcement after he was asked by Komo-Margarima MP Manasseh Makiba to allow local MPs to identify projects to be funded by the tax credit scheme.

The need to make use of the scheme has become greater after the devastating aftermath of the February 26 earthquake.

“At the moment the tax credit scheme has been suspended over a number of issues, one of them is the projects have no inputs from Governors and local MPs of parliament,” stated Maru.

The Summit aims to seek wide stakeholder input and also vital input of global experts on many of our development challenges. This is to assist the government formulate our new Medium Term Development Plan 2018-2022.

In a media briefing yesterday (March 7), Maru said many sponsors have shown interest in supporting the Summit and pledged their commitment.

Maru also announced that international experts will come from India, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia and other countries in the region.

“Prime Minister Peter O’Neill will be officially opening the Summit.”

Minister Maru was impressed with the planning of the proposed treatment and said he will make sure funding is made immediately.

The Minister made this remarks during a visit this week to the Port Moresby General Hospital to see where the POMGEN Management and Board are with plans since the announcement to have a cancer and heart facility.

Hospital CEO, Umesh Gupta, presented Maru the plan which utilises existing infrastructures and available space to open the new specialist centres.

Minister for National Planning and Monitoring, Richard Maru, announced in Banz on Monday that he intends to assist the province revive all rundown plantations.

Minister Maru informed locals that Jiwaka has one of the most fertile land in the Highlands Region.

However, many of the plantations that once thrived in the area have been neglected.

He said he wants to assist them revive the plantations and has already got the ball rolling.

Minister Maru also announced that he aims to introduce cocoa into the Province.

Despite the hospital being promoted to a provincial hospital status recently, there still remains infrastructural and personnel issues to address.

Maru visited the hospital on Sunday and gave his assurance.

The Minister made a surprise stopover at the Nazarene Hospital at Kudjip as part of his visit to Jiwaka Province.

Greeted by medical missionaries, Maru was given a tour of the facilities.

It was there the medical team informed him of their concerns.

These include facility upgrades and staff housing.

Andrew Tants, owner and operator of the Jiwaka Mission Resort, said listening to the Minister speak of the development aspirations he had of Jiwaka was well-received.

Tants said building the local economy was critical and as a player in the private sector, they had a role to play as well.

He also called on political leaders to work together to realise the development goals of the province.

“It was a very important topic he touched,” Tants said.

“For governments or provincial governments to be successful, they need to collect revenue.

The Minister for National Planning, Richard Maru, was responding to calls made by the Chairman of Transparency International, Lawrence Stephens, for the government to cease all funding to the NID rollout project, until such a time that the management of the project provides full acquittals of the K230 million that has been expanded on the project since its inception in 2015.

While speaking at the launching of the Department of Community Development’s annual operational plan, Maru urged donor partners to work closely with Government agencies instead of running parallel programs.

“You do not come into our country and run parallel programs and decide for yourself what the priorities are. And you run programs using Government institutions,” said the minister.

“I don’t want 10 experts from somewhere else coming here when there are so many local experts here as well.

Councilor Willie Malubun, from Busken Village, made a plea to Minister for National Planning and Monitoring, Richard Maru, during the Minister’s recent trip to Madang.

Malubu informed Maru that while funds had been allocated for the project, only a sawmill was bought.

Minister Maru said over the last five years, funds had been disbursed to all Members of Parliament for such projects.

And he failed to understand why such a project was implemented.