Abel explains absence from Sydney conference

By HELEN TARAWA
TREASURER Charles Abel says he did not attend the Mining and Petroleum Investment conference in Sydney last week because he wanted to “concentrate on the close of the 2018 financial year”.
Deputy Prime Minister Abel was responding to a statement by Shadow Treasury Minister Ian Ling-Stuckey that his absence at the conference had “caused a national embarrassment”.
Abel told The National a “disciplined closure” of the 2018 accounts was fundamental to the success of 2019 budget.
“The mining conference is an important event in the year. But I gave my apologies and did not attend as I wanted to concentrate on the close of the 2018 financial year,” he said.
“With the close of accounts on December 14, it is important to conclude the revenue and financing elements of the 2018 budget, including the drawdown of the budgeted World Bank loan, the payment of TFF (tuition fee free) funds, provincial functional grants, the 3 per cent public servants final pay increment, service improvement programme balances and private sector bills.”
Abel said he had just returned from a trip around the world where he attended 64 meetings “where I presented all the economic fundamentals of our country to hundreds of international investors and took every question they wanted to ask”.
“I recently chaired the Commonwealth Finance Ministers Meeting in Bali at the World Bank and International Monetary Fund annual general meeting, and chaired the Apec Finance Ministers meeting in Port Moresby.
“Each time I had taken the opportunity to update (others) on the PNG economy.
“I’ve given many speeches on the 2019 Budget and responded to questions from the private sector at the PWC breakfast budget presentation.”
Ling-Stuckey claimed that Abel’s absence “left the organisers scrambling for excuses”.
“How can we project ourselves as a modern, professional economy to the rest of the world when we fail to meet even the most basic standards of politeness?” he said.
Abel said he had spent much time at the Prime Ministers instructions working on the Papua LNG and Wafi Golpu memorandum of understanding.
“With the prime minister and many ministers, MPs and public servants attending the mining conference in Sydney, I wanted to spend time making sure the 2018 Budget is properly concluded and we start 2019 on a good note.”