Govt urged to reopen economy

The National Main Stories

IALIBU-Pangia MP Peter O’Neill has urged the Government to reopen the economy and let people get back to their normal lives – while continuing to maintain the Covid-19 safe practices.
O’Neill, the leader of the People’s National Congress Party, said he hoped that lifting of the state of emergency on Tuesday also meant the end of “dictatorial police powers and personal restrictions imposed on the people”.
He said his party would give the government a day to demonstrate that the new National Pandemic Act was not simply another version of the state of emergency restrictions and the continuation of police brutality.
“The Government must prove that it is genuine and that it has truly heard the cry of our people to end the suppression of human rights and business activities,” he said.
“The Government must be true to its word and restore the democratic process and personal freedoms.”
He said there should be no more cases of police stopping and harassing people and extorting money.
“This means there should not be a single roadblock anywhere in the country that prevents the movement of our people under the false pretence of the Covid-19 response,” he said.
“There must be free movement for our people and vehicles along the Highlands Highway, so that agricultural goods can get to markets.
“There must be no more closing of food markets and no more raids on villages and communities that are just excuses for violence and theft by a few corrupt policemen.”
He called on the people to report any harassment or intimidation to senior police officers, MPs and to the media.
O’Neill called on the Government to be honest about the Covid-19 testing results.
“Previous test results have been politicised and we really do not have a clear picture of whether the virus has spread in our country,” he said.

10 comments

  • I admire the current PM on some tough decisions he made for on behalf of the country which are good. However with respect to COVID-19 management , I agree with the former PM’s views. In handling of COVID-19 status at the national level, PMJM is found to be indecisiveness as his rational thinking for nation’s interest and decision making is deem to be thwarted by his two inexperienced Police Minister Kramer and PC Manning who may have vested interest for something else and not people’s welfare.

  • I believe the current government believes that PO & Namah can not come back in 2022. The timings are always different, have a dream how you going to come back….

  • We are already two days now back to normal lives but there is no cash flow. It will take some time restore because ordinary people right now have no money to buy and have experienced for a first day. Only few people bought food from the market.
    It will affect lot of parents to save up to pay out standing school fees for this year and even next year.And Government to do something.

  • Real issue is to let justice prevail. As true leaders, embrace each other and help clean up the mess and save PNG. There’s no use pointing fingers at each other. Solve the problems rather than creating more problems and the people become victims of your decisions.

  • With these ongoing restrictions, cash flow is low, unemployment and poverty rates are sky rocketing…
    the economy is collapsing…

  • What is PANDAMIC Act? Can they put out the content on the newspaper and ordinary citizen can read, understand and abide with it?

  • Yes It’s good to introduce New normal and end the SOE with constabulary operations but What about borders and international flights. Do we have any fence that fenced and protects the 750km outline. That’s why government has implemented the covid-10 Joint agency task force to compassionate as well as end and prevent the covid-19 to spread within the country to save the 8million plus people. Moreover, we have increasing numbers of covid-19 cases beside our neighbouring country like Indonesia and South Pacific Island countries. Therefore, the SOE in restricted areas should couninue because covid-19 is not yet ended throughout the globe.

  • Hi viewers I personally believe that our PM Mr. JM is on the right track trying and planning for the long run of the lives of the people of PNG for the Covic-19 and he is not playing politics to gain power. You can stay live to do business and any other things you can think of so therefore the Marape/Steven Government is on the right track. They are also trying to weed out the corrupt individuals in PNG and take back PNG and those that are always finger pointing and attacking the Treasury Minister, the Police Minister and the Police Commissioner all the time are the ones who are at fault of some sort in the eyes of GOD as this is my point of view.
    Thank you Marape/Steven Government for your fear in God so carry on God Bless.

Comments are closed.