Namah rubbishes PM Marape’s K30b GDP growth claim
News that matter in Papua New Guinea
Sepik community welcoming PNG Party and Opposition Leader Belden Namah in Bulolo while campaigning for his candidate Tae Guambalek for the Bulolo open seat on Thursday. – National pic by LARRY ANDREW
Namah rubbishes PM Marape’s
K30b GDP growth claim
PORT MORESBY: Opposition Leader Beldan Namah says Prime
Minister James Marape's claim that he has grown Papua New Guinea (PNG)’s
economy by K30 billion in three years is complete nonsense and false.
“How is a country which
is said to have grown by a staggering K30 billion in Gross Domestic Product
(GDP) in three years unable to pay for the Rita Flynn Covid-19 (Coronavirus)
Control Centre’s bills amounting to a meagre K6.2 million (owed to the PNG
Sports Foundation)?
“The centre is crucial
for monitoring the domestic pandemic and it is closing down as a result of
non-payment of bills by the Government, forcing the Covid-19 Controller to warn
of a spike in infections.
“The Central Bank has
also warned that failure to address Covid-19 will impact economic performances.
Also, where has Marape spent the K6.7 billion that Parliament approved for
Covid-19 stimulus measures if the Government has not paid its urgent Covid-19
bills in the last few years?
“As to his claim of growing
the economy, I call upon Marape to name the sectors of the economy he has grown
which now impacts the GDP so positively,” he added.
PNG Cyber Monitor reproduces below a few General Election 2022 news updates as published by The National:
GDP claim is
‘nonsense’
June 27, 2022The
NationalMain Stories
“How is a country which is said to have grown by a staggering K30 billion in
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in three years unable to pay for the Rita Flynn
Covid-19 (Coronavirus) Control Centre’s bills amounting to a meagre K6.2
million (owed to the PNG Sports Foundation)?
“The centre is crucial for monitoring the domestic pandemic and it is closing
down as a result of non-payment of bills by the Government, forcing the
Covid-19 Controller to warn of a spike in infections.
“The Central Bank has also warned that failure to address Covid-19 will impact
economic performances.
“Also, where has Marape spent the K6.7 billion that Parliament approved for
Covid-19 stimulus measures if the Government has not paid its urgent Covid-19
bills in the last few years? As to his claim of growing the economy, I call
upon Marape to name the sectors of the economy he has grown which now impacts
GDP so positively.
“Indeed, the statistics at the end of the Central Bank Governor’s Monetary
Policy statement released in March 2022 indicated clearly that in 2019, the GDP
grew by 4.5 percent at the time Marape took Government in May of that year.
“Under Marape in 2020, the GDP grew by a negative 2.8 per cent and again in
2021 the GDP recorded another negative growth of 2.4 per cent.
“There is only a forecast (not actual) of a two per cent growth in 2022 which
depends on various events happening, like the reopening of the Porgera gold
mine.
“These figures alone from the Central Bank expose Marape’s lies.”
Namah said the Central Bank has said in the same policy statement: “Total
public debt is projected to be K52,756.2 million at the end of 2022, compared
to K46,781.2 million in 2021.
This is 51.9 pe rcent of the projected 2022 nominal GDP.
“While this debt level is below the 60 per cent debt-to-GDP ratio allowed under
the Fiscal Responsibility Act, the Government should ensure its borrowings are
put to productive use to stimulate growth.
“The bank encourages the Government to adhere to its Medium-Term Debt Strategy,
which would lead to sustainable debt levels and avoid any debt distress.”
The Central Bank also advises that growth predictions for this year and next
year were dependent on the reopening of Porgera gold mine.
It has cautioned the Government that forecasts for positive economic
performance in future will be affected by an emergence of new Covid-19
variants, low vaccination rate, and failure to reintroduce containment
measures.”
“These measures cannot now happen because of the closure of Rita Flynn Covid-19
Control and Vaccination Centre.
Namah said no where in the entire statement of the Central Bank was there any
indication of extraordinary performance or growth of GDP by K30 billion under
the Marape Government.
“Instead, the extractive mining and hydrocarbon sector has shrunk as a result
of the closure of the Porgera gold mine in (Enga) by Marape, the failure to
start-up Wafi-Golpu (in Morobe) and the failure to move Papua LNG (Gulf) to
Front End Engineering and Design (FEED) and construction stage.
“Despite repeated promises by Marape of a start-up, the Porgera gold mine
remains shut and it will not reopen under his watch.,” he said.
Namah reiterated former prime minister Peter O’Neill’s statement that the
closure of the mine at a time when gold prices were at its highest at K6,000
per ounce as “madness”.
Court reserves ruling on exHagen RO
THE Waigani National
Court has reserved its ruling on former Hagen Open returning officer (RO)
Willie Ropa’s application seeking permission to review his revocation and
appointment of Paias Nop as the new RO.
Ropa, through his lawyer Wesley Bigi, made the application before Judge Joseph
Yagi on Friday following Electoral Commissioner Simon Sinai’s decision on June
2.
“Sinai failed to notify Ropa that he would be revoked and Nop appointed or
given an opportunity to be heard, denying Ropa natural justice,” he said.
“Sinai’s decision to revoke Ropa and appoint Nop was not part of the court
decision on the proceeding between incumbent Hagen MP William Duma and Sinai on
the same matter.”
Bigi said Ropa was performing his duty as the duly appointed Hagen Open RO following
a court order on May 26, which ordered Amose Noifa to hand him the candidates’
nominations to proceed with the election.
“Sinai unexpectedly decided to revoke Ropa and appoint Nop without affording
Ropa the right to be heard is unreasonable, is harsh and unfair in the event,”
he said.
He said Sinai was on Ropa’s side throughout Duma’s proceeding until the Supreme
Court order that stayed the restraining order and reinforced Sinai’s
constitutional powers to appoint and reappoint.
Time to pick next PM from Mamose, says Namah
Sepik community
welcoming PNG Party and Opposition Leader Belden Namah in Bulolo while
campaigning for his candidate Tae Guambalek for the Bulolo open seat on
Thursday. – National pic by LARRY ANDREW
GENERAL Election 2022 (GE22) is an opportune
time to select a prime minister from Mamose, says Opposition Leader Belden
Namah.
The Vanimo Green MP made the remarks in Bulolo on Thursday when campaigning for
PNG Party candidate Tae Guambalek.
He said a radical leadership was needed to change the country where the prime
minister had not thought of stealing, had no thought of striking a contract
with an overseas company but had the heart for people to see service delivery
reaching them.
“I am in the business of forming the next government of the country and have
visited Upper Mendi, Jiwaka, Goroka, New Guinea Islands and whole of PNG in
campaigning for PNG Party candidates and now call on PNG citizens to rise up
for change,” he said.
“PNG must stand up for change. We mustn’t follow candidates for money and
material goods but look for quality leadership, quality candidate that will
stand with me to form the next government and deliver services to the people,”
Namah said.
He also said looking security forces in the country – PNG Defence Force, Royal
Papua New Guinea Constabulary and Correctional Service – their issues had not
been addressed by successive governments.
“Their living standards have not been looked into and most times when they are
deployed for security operations, they leave behind their families –
unattended,” he said.
“With my background in military, I think I can fix our country’s security
issues by increasing the number of our disciplined forces personnel to have a
good security system.”
MP: New trend set
June 27, 2022The
NationalMain Stories
“They have remained disciplined and professional by inviting all to host
election rallies to outline their party’s policies,” he added.
Kua spoke at a NP election rally on Wednesday held to support Nipa-Kutubu
candidate Damien Tegi in Nipa Station.
Present at the rally were regional Independent candidate Augustine Emil,
Nipa-Kutubu Independent David Kelei and Robin Pip.
A total of 19 candidates are contesting the seat. Four political parties – NA,
United Labour Party, Social Democratic Party and People’s National Congress
Party – fielded candidates challenged by 15 Independents.
A total of 104 candiates are vying for the six seats in Southern Highlands
(Ialibu-Pangia, Imbonggu, Kagua-Erave, Medi, Nipa-Kutubu and Southern Highlands
provincial).
“Southern Highlanders want a free, fair and safe GE22. They want all candidates
to work together towards a successful GE22,” Kua said.
Kua said election-related violence had destroyed the lives of many people, so
candidates and voters must learn from past mistakes and refrain from problems.
“After the five-year term, if voters are not satisfied with the performance of
their MP, they must now choose their leaders wisely,” he said.
He said NP believed in transparency, good and accountable leadership.
He said a ten-toea for the people in the district should not be misused for
self-benefit and must be used to deliver service to the people.
“It has always become a norm for elected MPs to pay school fees for their
children to go to expensive schools in Australia or other countries while the
children of the poor farmers struggle in deteriorating schools.
“Everyone is equal and the children of MPs and people need to be at the same
school. This is where accountability is lacking,” he said.
Victim’s family wants driver to pay
THE family of a young
girl killed during a road accident at Wewak’s Kreer Compound last week is
urging the driver to help them with funds for funeral expenses.
East Sepik Police Commander Supt Albert Beli told The National that
the driver was a senior government protocol officer who allegedly ran off the
road coming downhill from Kreer Heights on Thursday morning when the incident
happened.
Beli said the officer had been locked up at the station awaiting further
investigations surrounding the cause of the accident.
The deceased had been identified as seven-year-old Ellanor Maingu, an
Elementary School student.
Wewak District Development Authority chief executive officer Martin Maingu said
his young granddaughter’s life was shortened by the horrific accident.
He said: “She was walking to school with her cousin brother and two uncles that
morning (between 7am and 8am) when the vehicle on high speed coming downhill,
veered off the road and hit her.
“Ellanor was fighting for her life when we rushed her to the hospital (Boram)
but didn’t make it.”
Maingu and his wife had taken in Ellanor as their own when she was nine months
old.
“We want justice to prevail.”
Kua alleges oil money was misused by past
leaders
PETROLEUM and Energy Minister Kerenga Kua
alleged that oil money had been misused by former elected leaders.
“Nipa-Kutubu has the Kutubu oil project but lacks basic services. I am looking
forward to ensure that landowners benefitted,” he said.
“This issue has been debated in Parliament and in the last three years after
becoming minister, I have done my best to change the petroleum and energy laws.
“But I do not have the numbers in Parliament to support my proposed reformation
measures,” the Papua New Guinea National Party Inc leader said.
“Without the numbers in Parliament, my efforts are limited.”
Kua said using the money from the Kutubu oil, other provinces had good road
infrastructure and other vital services while the people in Kutubu, Bosavi,
Poroma and Nipa continued to suffer.
“There is absolutely nothing to show as a host district for the oil project,”
he said.
“The road to Kutubu is in very poor condition and candidates were hiring
helicopters to move there for campaign while the Bosave people still have no
road connection and living the same life as their forefathers.”
Kua said he had been grooming young leaders in the country and some of them
were top bureaucrats and politicians, such as the lawyer-turned-politician
Damien Tegi, contesting the Nipa-Kutubu seat.
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