Govt has agenda, Polye says

 LNG landowners and Hela leaders will continue to be used and dumped by the Government unless they begin to stand firm and demand for what is theirs, Opposition leader Don Polye says.

Polye’s warning to provincial leaders comes following the sacking of PNG Power chairman Larry Andagali.

Polye claimed Andagali was only used by Prime Minister Peter O’Neill to diffuse the looming tensions among the landowners in regard to the delay in the payment of LNG royalty benefits.

“Andagali should not be crying over spilled milk. I warned them, I warned that they (Hela leaders) will be used and dumped but they failed to take heed of my warnings,” Polye said. He said Andagali was sacked because O’Neill saw him as an obstacle to the privatisation of PNG Power.

“O’Neill is on a crusade to privatise PNG Power without a privatisation policy or policy guidelines because:

• He does not want the people to be aware of what he is doing, which is to privatise PNG Power; and
• if what O’Neill is doing (privatisation of PNG) is inconsistent with the policy guidelines, there will be a backlash against the Government, which the PM will not avoid.

“Hela leaders and its people are foolish to believe O’Neill and will not win this game until and unless they change their approach and realise they are only being used.”

Polye said the Government was on a crusade to privatise all State-owned entities and that it would continue to sack and dump those it sees as opposing its crusade.

He called for an open forum with Andagali and Hela leaders to discuss this issue.