STATE Enterprises Minister Arthur Somare chided members of the Opposition yesterday, urging them not to be envious of the 2008 Budget but to embrace it for the benefit of the people.
He told Parliament yesterday the “new” Papua New Guinea was bullish and bursting with confidence.
He added the country had performed well under the National Alliance-led Government as acknowledged by the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.
“The Opposition professes budget discipline but the current leader (Sir Mekere Morauta) who was treasurer in 2002 ,sanctioned a budget deficit blowout of 8% which cost Papua New Guineans K400 million running up the national elections,” he said.
“I now understand why he (Sir Mekere) would be totally envious today because we have achieved what he could never have achieved – an economy that is robust, dynamic and beaming with high investor confidence.”
Mr Somare, who is the member for Angorgam, said during Sir Mekere’s leadership from 1999 to 2002, State-owned enterprises (SoEs) were fraught with political interference and acts of recklessness.
“The Morauta years could be best described as reckless, tumultuous and turbulent for SOEs quite simply because his government had no desire, no answer, no solution but to sell at any cost,” he said.
He pointed out that asset value of SoEs today was six times greater than when Sir Mekere was prime minister.
Mr Somare thanked the treasurer for allocating K30million to supply rural areas with electricity and K20 million for the continuation of the information and communication technology reform process.
He reiterated that appropriate policy framework was needed before open competition could be allowed.