Examine and review wealth distribution

THERE is a need for the Government to seriously examine and review its frameworks and plans on wealth distribution,  Madang Governor, Sir Arnold Amet said.
Sir Arnold said he believed issues of equitable distribution and wealth was in disarray.
“Is there no standard framework and mechanism by which we as Government and people are going to manage the distribution of these resources whether it is mining, gas or fishing with our people,” he asked.
Sir Arnold said wealth from resources was not achieving desirable results because the Government continued to deal with it on an ad hoc basis with no clear direction.
“I sympathise that the formulae and the way that we are managing these resources in the different categories are poor and so we remain poor,” he said.
He said the Kondra Bill had surfaced and would not go away easily unless proper wealth distribution was seriously addressed.
“The Government cannot turn a blind eye to it, because issues of equitable distribution are what underpin it,” Sir Arnold said.
He raised this concern during the mining seminar last Thursday, saying that despite many years of major projects, “people are still primitively poor.
“What I am echoing is the heart cry of the people, empathise with the people,” he said.
Sir Arnold was responding to a presentation by Mineral Resources Authority boss  Kepas Wali on mining benefits and responsible equitable distribution during the annual mining and petroleum seminar in Port Moresby last week.