Richard Maru

“On behalf of the Government and the people of Papua New Guinea, I extend our sincere condolences to Mr Tong’s family, friends and colleagues for your loss.

“Comforting thoughts are difficult at a time like this, especially when a young man, early in his flying career, has passed away in tragic circumstances. Our thoughts and prayers are with you all during this very difficult period.

“The search for the aircraft was severely hampered by cloud on the ridges and valleys surrounding the accident site.

The EPA aims to consolidate on forty-two years of diplomatic relations between both countries.

Minister for National Planning, Richard Maru, said the decision to enter an economic partnership is a result of India’s recognition that PNG has much business and other opportunities for Indian businesses and the people of India.

The Minister for National Planning and Monitoring, Richard Maru, met with the National Institute of Transforming India and extended an invitation to them to visit PNG and also participate at PNG's inaugural National Planning Summit.

Also known as NITI Aayog, the National Institute of Transforming India is the policy think tank of the Government of India.

It was established with the aim to achieve sustainable development goals to ensure the cooperative involvement of the State Government of India in the economic policy making process using a bottom-up approach.

“The Government is concerned about the quality and safety of water that Goroka residents are consuming and using,” reveals Minister for National Planning and Monitoring, Richard Maru.

Speaking during a cheque presentation in Eastern Highlands Province on Friday, the Minister said in light of the upcoming APEC workshops and associated spin-off activities to be held in Goroka, the Government is allocating K257,000 to Water PNG to make an immediate assessment of the town’s water system.

This was the statement by Minister for National Planning and Monitoring, Richard Maru, in light of their planned trip to India on December 11.

“India was once a struggling economy, having difficulty in supplying food to its people, a trade imbalance in favour of the outside world, a population that was not so literate and struggling to improve the quality of life. A story very much like PNG,” says Maru.

“That story is different today.

The high profile Government delegation includes senior state ministers in the likes of the Minister for Education, Nick Kuman, Minister for Inter-Government Relations, Kevin Isifu, Minister for Information, Communication, Technology and Energy, Sam Basil, and Governor for West New Britain, Sasindran Muthuvel.

Other senior government officials traveling with the delegation include Electoral Commissioner Patilias Gamato and acting registrar general of the Civil and Identity Registry, Michael Kumung.

Minister for Planning and Monitoring, Richard Maru, says the Government has set aside funding for the project.

The 400-bed hospital project, which was announced in February 2016 and endorsed by the provincial government, is now being fast tracked by the Government.

Minister Maru said the move is to lessen the demand on the Port Moresby General Hospital, which is expected to be upgraded.

Minister for Planning and Monitoring, Richard Maru, announced this on Friday.

Maru said the Government will make it their business to build a hospital in every district so that people receive the basic health services they deserve.

Minister Maru reiterated the Government’s commitment to health, saying the ambitious plan is possible with the help of development partners.

He said this during the signing of two financing agreements for the Rural Primary Health Service Delivery project and the Boram Hospital upgrade in East Sepik Province.

This was revealed by Minister for National Planning and Implementation, Richard Maru, on the floor of parliament on Wednesday.

He said the Government has captured it in the 2018 budget.

The Minister was replying to questions from Finschhafen MP Reinbo Paita, who highlighted the hardships faced by the rural populace to get loans and do normal banking transactions because of the high bank fees.

“People in the villages cannot access loans because most commercial banks have unfriendly conditions,” said Paita.

He says a country endowed with so much Mineral resources should not have any excuses.

He made the statement when comparing non mineral rich countries like New Zealand to PNG, who have constant National budgets of up to 100 billion annually.

Maru was pleased that the development budget has seen an increase from K2.5 billion to K4.6 billion which is projected to feed the Government’s economic stimulus package.

He said it was important to increase the investment budget so that critical infrastructure such as roads and wharfs can be built.