9 challenge PM

By CLIFFORD FAIPARIK and MALUM NALU
NINE people are challenging Prime Minister Peter O’Neill for the Ialibu-Pangia Open seat he holds in Southern Highlands, according to Provincial Returning Officer David Wakia.
Wakia said O’Neill and the nine candidates had filed their nominations by the 4.06 pm deadline yesterday.
O’Neill, who has held the seat since 2002, filed his nomination last Friday followed by Leonard Pengepea. The other seven filed theirs this week.
He said in Port Moresby yesterday he was confident that his People’s National Congress would be returned to power.
“We are confident (of returning) with the work that we have done,” O’Neill said.
“Papua New Guineans will judge us on the work that we have done. There are too many rumours being spread that Papua New Guinea is being mismanaged.
“If we are mismanaging the country, why are we still building roads? Why are we still building airports and hospitals? Why are we funding districts? Why are we paying school fees for our kids, why are we continuously running the health system in our country?
“If we are providing services to the nation, which they truly deserve, we are doing the right thing for the majority.”
O’Neill said he saw no challenge from Sam Basil’s Pangu Pati and Gary Juffa’s People’s Movement for Change.
“I am not sure of the changes that they are driving,” he said.
“I do not think that they will be able to provide the vision and the policies that the country deserves.
“You must remember that some of these young leaders who are leading political parties have virtually no experience about running a country.
“Talking smart on social media is one thing, but mature leadership is different. The country deserves maturity.
“We are going to the Apec meeting in 2018. We don’t want to become the laughing stock of the Apec community.
“Twenty-one of the world’s leaders will be here because I invited them. That’s because they have the confidence in our country.”