‘PNC will continue to lead the way’

 By GABRIEL LAHOC

THE People’s National Congress (PNC) will continue to spearhead major Government policies and initiatives in the coming years, Prime Minister and party leader Peter O’Neill told the PNC national convention in Lae, Morobe, last week.

More than 1,000 PNC members and supporters, including senior party and coalition leaders, attended the convention at the Sir Ignatius Kilage stadium last Thursday and Friday.

O’Neill said political parties and past governments had initiated many policies but failed to implement most of them.

He said the PNC-led coalition government had initiated and implemented key Government policies within its short term in office, which were benefitting the people in areas such as education, health and infrastructure.

The prime minister highlighted his Government’s free education and health policies and its focus on increasing budget expenditure at the provincial, district and local level government levels.

Senior PNC ministers – Charles Abel (National Planning & Monitoring), Steven Davis (Civil Aviation) and Francis Awesa (Works) – supported O’Neill’s statement on the party’s initiatives and efforts in its “year of implementation”.

Abel said the current government was taking the implementation and monitoring of national development projects to another level.

Davis told the convention that Nadzab Airport would be upgraded to international status and join Gurney (Milne Bay) and Tokua (East New Britain) to have direct flights to Cairns, Australia.

Awesa highlighted the rehabilitation and upgrading of the Highlands Highway and added that the plant and transport board function within the Works Department would be revived shortly to improve operations.

Senior coalition partner and Enga Governor Peter Ipatas told the convention that political leadership had failed to meet the expectations of the people.

He challenged government leaders and current MPs to work hard to delivery vital services to their people.