Maru aims to work with Govt

YANGORU-SAUSSIA MP Richard Maru wants to work with the Government to enforce a reserve list of businesses for citizens.
He made it clear this week that he would not join the Government but move to the middle benches and contribute ideas.
Maru resigned from People’s National Congress (PNC) party last Friday after not receiving funding support from the Government in the last 18 months.
He said he could not continue to “play politics while his people suffer”.
Maru said he wanted to get pass the Foreign Investment Regulatory Legislation as soon as possible.
He said the draft had been approved by the National Executive Council (NEC) when he was minister for commerce and trade.
“Under that legislation I was going to bring back the reserve business and allow Papua New Guineans to go into businesses that no foreigner will be allowed to participate in,” he said.
“In the last 18 months the bill hasn’t made it to the floor or Parliament.
“Why not? We can’t keep talking about SMEs (small to medium enterpises) when we can’t pass laws to give them the teeth.”
Maru urged the Government to partially privatise State-owned entities and reform the electoral processes.
“I want to see reforms of all State-owned entities,” he said.
“Enough of engaging political cronies on the boards and destroying all these entities.
“Reform the processes of the way we vote so that everyone can cast their vote fairly. There is so much allegations of hijacking of ballot boxes and votes being rigged.”
Maru said outstanding projects in the district that needed to be completed included:

• BORAM Hospital redevelopment (in progress);
• DWU Kaindi School of Nursing (face-lift completed and nursing courses offered);
• BORAM Airport redevelopment (in progress);
• YANGORU mobile barracks (in progress but requires funding to complete this year);
• HAWAIN Bridge (yet to begin after the awarding of contract);
• THREE bridges along Yangoru-Saussia district along the Sepik Highway (under construction);
• HANDRA Bridge (under construction);
• SEPIK special economic zone – phase of the Sepik Chicken, Grain and Cocoa Innovation project (in its production stage) with Sepik Fresh brand eggs in the market; and,
• WEWAK International Wharf feasibility studies (completed recently).

On questions whether he would remain as an independent candidate or form his own party, he said: “I haven’t decided on my political career,” he said.
“My interest is the development and advancement of our country.”
He was first elected into Parliament in 2012 as an independent candidate and later joined PNC.