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PM defends ‘Maprik boy’
By ISAAC NICHOLAS
PRIME Minister Sir Michael Somare has defended the engagement of
American Kevin Conrad and accused the Opposition leader Peter O’Neill of
misleading Parliament on the Petromin issue.
Sir Michael told reporters yesterday that information quoted by the
leader of the Opposition was from a draft cabinet submission that had
initially proposed a capital of K200 million to set up Petromin.
He said cabinet, in its deliberation, decided to allocate K5 million to
start work.
He said the money was from the K480 million meant for equity
participation in the recently shelved gas pipeline to Australia and not
from the budget.
He said the pipeline failed, so they had to divert the money elsewhere.
Sir Michael said Mr Conrad was his adviser on climate change, and had
arranged for him to deliver three speeches at the Columbia University on
the issue.
“To get consultants, I know their background and Conrad is an associate
professor. He was born and brought up in Maprik. His parents lived here
for 45 years, and he went to Ukarumpa High School and on to an
university in America and is now the associate professor at Columbia.”
Sir Michael said Conrad’s involvement with ANGCO and PNGBC, which were
raised by Mr O’Neill, were misleading.
“Mr O’Neill was the chairman of PNGBC when ANGCO was wound down; he
alone knows the reason why it was wound down so to blame someone using
parliamentary privilege is misleading.”
He said Parliament had passed a law to set up Petromin, and Mr O’Neill
also voted for it.
But Mr O’Neill last night defended his criticism of Mr Conrad, saying
the collapse of ANGCO and the expenditure of K17 million with no homes
built in a POSF scheme were serious issues that can’t just be brushed
aside.
He said the collapse of ANGCO happened well after he left as chairman of
PNGBC.
“It’s obvious that the Prime Minister cannot get his facts right,” Mr
O’Neill said.
 
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