MP queries resource management

National, Normal
Source:

The National, Wednesday 15th Febuary 2012

EAST New Britain Governor Leo Dion is questioning whether the abundance of resources can carry the country forward.
He said Papua New Guinea had human and natural resources such as fish, timber, copra, gold, copper, oil and now liquefied natural gas, but questioned whether these resources would be used well to benefit the people and country.
Dion raised the question when addressing hundreds of people in Kokopo in his welcome remarks at the launching of the Social Democratic Party’s New Guinea Islands’ regional branch last Saturday.
National Capital District Governor Powes Parkop was the guest speaker at the party launch as the parliamentary leader and founder of the party.
Party executives, including national president Wesley Sanarup, were among those present.
Dion said the challenge was on the country’s leaders to review and amend policies relating to the country’s resources so the resources were preserved and used well so that its benefits reached the people.
He said 36 years had passed and despite the resources being exploited, their benefits were not reaching the people.
 “We must stop corruption because it is why the resources are being exploited,” he said.
Dion challenged his people to think of good leaders who would govern the country well after this year’s election.
He said sometimes people blamed leaders for bad
governance, “but sometimes it is the people’s fault when
they vote the wrong people into government”.
He welcomed Parkop into the province to launch his party.
He said PNG was a democratic country and not only the SDP but other parties
were welcome to visit the province.
Dion said many parties could introduce their policies and platforms to give people a greater choice in electing leaders.
He said the SDP had good visions and policies under the leadership of Parkop and he was happy to be part of the party’s history in launching its regional branch in his province.
“No man or woman will question the quality and credibility of Powes Parkop. He is highly educated and has the experience of managing a big city well,” Dion said.
He said Parkop was a leader who had proven he was capable of managing a big city that had many different cultures, tribes and languages to keep them united as “one country, one people and one nation”.
Dion, who belongs to the new Triumph, Heritage and Empowerment (THE) party said Parkop was a leader he was happy to work with.
“There is a demand for good governance that is why I am here to show my support,” he said.
“I am in another party but I am here to support because I believe in good governance and to work together with good leaders to stop corruption,” he said.
He urged governors from the other provinces to work together because they had similar experiences in managing their provinces.