Govt should stop borrowing

NEWS about the Government seeking K1.2 billion loan from the United States to fund the budget should not go unchallenged by Papua New Guineans.
Why is it that the Government keeps begging and borrowing when we are said to be rich in natural resources?
What development projects have we, as a country, benefited from all these continuous borrowing?
The Government came into power two and a half years ago, but nothing has changed.
We are becoming beggars and survivors of continuous borrowing.
This trend should stop.
I urge Prime Minister James Marape and the cabinet to stop borrowing and concentrate on development projects instead.
It seems these billions of loans are spent unwisely by our politicians and bureaucrats every time without proper auditing and accountability.
This should stop.
Let us be honest with ourselves and the nation’s taxpayers.
Treasurer Ian Ling Stuckey’s K1.2 billion United States loan will go towards current MPs outstanding 2021 and 2022 provincial and district services improvement programme funds.
Some of the funds will be spent of settling outstanding government debts and fighting Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic and its Delta variant.
Some of it will be spent on next year’s general elections.
The Government should be held accountable to the people by way of an honest reporting and we expect to hear that from the prime minister and his treasurer in the November budget sitting.
Our prime ministers, treasurers and finance ministers kept on borrowing and continue to do so with very little to show for over the last three years while the bulk of our people in the rural areas are crying over lack of government services.
It is reported in the media that business houses are now charging 20 per cent goods and services tax on all items these days and unemployment is rising.
The population is still increasing and the rural-to-urban drift is still growing.
We have seen and witnessed our politicians long enough to make some tough decisions in the coming 2022 general elections.
I urge every Papua New Guinean to start thinking and talking before casting our votes next year for good political parties and leaders who can put our country and people’s interest first.

Samson C Napo,
Former Bulolo MP