O’Neill tells Madang Regional MP to shut up

PRIME Minister Peter O’Neill last night called on Madang regional MP Sir Arnold Amet “to stop his empty drum beats” because the nation was getting fed up with them.
“The drum beats might be music to his ears and those of his cronies but the nation has moved on from those tired old ways since Aug 2,” he said, adding that Sir Arnold had Dec 9 on his mind and was doing all he could to make a tired, corrupt and rejected regime look good.
O’Neill was responding to comments by Sir Arnold and members of the Somare regime at a media conference yesterday in which they bundled together a number of cabinet decisions, allegations and political speculations describing them as “corrupt practices” by the O’Neill-Namah government.
The prime minister said the K500 million talked about was money spent on projects in infrastructure, education and health services in the districts which directly affected people.
He said there was nothing illegal or wrong about that.
“In four months, we have directed expenditure on district projects that benefit the people.
“In nine years, they have squandered billions of kina and have nothing to show for it.
“In nine years, they ring-fenced the people’s money for a powerful few. We are rolling out projects to everyone across the country in a short time,” he said.
O’Neill also described Police Commissioner Tom Kulunga as a professional policeman therefore, it was disrespectful to describe his appointment as corrupt.
He said speculation that the government would disband the Task Force Sweep team were just that – speculation.
“Sir Arnold should rely on facts and evidence, not speculation. It’s a dangerous practice which, unfortunately, was a trademark of the old regime that we got rid of,” he said.
“Our government set up the Task Force Sweep team and it is doing an excellent job,” he said.