Opposition Leader Don Polye

Leader Don Polye says: “Prime Minister Peter O’Neill and his government should swallow their pride and cancel hosting it.

“Our economy is in a crisis. Hosting it will only worsen the current cash-flow stricken economy as its costs will not be at K120 million as announced, but will run into billions of Kina,” warned Polye.

He has called on the Prime Minister and his Minister for National Events to make a list of measurable benefits the country will reap from hosting the event.

He made the statement after being heckled by the Government caucus when questioning Prime Minister Peter O’Neill on the financing of APEC 2018 in PNG.

Polye asked O’Neill on the actual figure the Government was spending on the APEC Summit and was moving to his second question when the government coalition interjected with comments and boos.

“Shut up and listen!” shouted Polye.

He further stated: “You don’t understand the economy, you listen. You economy illiterate leaders in this house.”

Works Minister Francis Awesa and Opposition Leader Don Polye, and his Deputy, Sam Basil, exchanged accusations after Lae MP Loujaya Kouza queried the criteria used to award K89 million to the Alotau-East Cape road.

She believes the outstanding roads in Morobe Province, namely the Bulolo-Menyamya and the Bumayong-Unitech and Milford Haven roads, should have been considered instead.

Awesa said the criteria of awarding road funding lies with the World Bank as they are providing the loan.

His remarks follow PM Peter O’Neill’s call on the Opposition to show maturity and try not to politicise important national events, especially APEC 2018.

O’Neill made the comments after Opposition member, Northern Governor Gary Juffa, stated that the K600 million earmarked for APEC can be used to fund crucial government services.

However, Polye guarantees the PM that they understand the issues well.

He said O’Neill should not overlook the real issues under the guise of international events.

Polye says he was concerned with the manner in which Prime Minister Peter O’Neill and his government were engaged in a witch-hunt to suppress those who stood up to protect the country’s rule of law, institutions, democracy and to fight corruption.

“These pilots among the students and citizens have expressed their rights to dissent as provided for in our Constitution.

“The termination, by the CEO of Air Niugini, is not in the best interest of the country and that is an assault on democracy and our Constitution,” says the Opposition Leader.

Its leader Don Polye described the row as an ‘embarrassment for PNG’.

“The Prime Minister and his Trade Minister should leave the matter with the Foreign Affairs Minister, whose department has the capacity and systematic memory to deal with it within the protocols of conventions and agreements.

“It should have easily been dealt with amicably without any complications through the diplomatic channels,” said Polye.

He said PNG is a ‘big brother’ among the Melanesian countries, adding it lodging a trade row with Fiji only reflected naivety and incompetency.

Polye said the reasons the university council gave to justify their termination were shallow, adding the justifications are the subject of the current investigation.

“Termination is not an appropriate tool to restore peace and order at the campus.

“The government deserves to be terminated by the people and not the students,” he said.

Polye, a former student leader, said the boycott of class was decided by the majority and not individuals with vested interests.

He said the Government failed in the austerity measures, and now the country is in recession and may slide further if no reliable policy measures are applied.

“The Prime Minister solely should be blamed for mismanaging the economy into unsustainable debts. He is economically illiterate. The Ministers for Finance and Treasury should also take responsibility, it shows they are not fit to manage the economy and the country is in the wrong hands,” said Polye.

The Member for Goroka made this comment after moving over to join the Opposition ranks on Friday.

Also on the same day, People’s Progress Party Leader Ben Micah announced his party’s defection from the Government to the Opposition.   

New Generation has three MPs in Parliament.

Prime Minister Peter O’Neill led 81 members of the coalition government to Alotau yesterday morning to camp before the vote of no-confidence on Friday.

The Opposition is camping in Port Moresby.   

However, before the matter could go into whether the opposition had standing in the case, preliminary issues were brought before the court by lawyers representing Prime Minister Peter O’Neill, Leader of Government Business James Marape and a member of the Parliamentary Committee on private business, William Powi.

The three leaders, through their lawyers, moved an application seeking to be added as additional parties in the case, saying they are directly affected in the motion filed by the opposition.