‘On economic life-support’

By GLORIA BAUAI
OPPOSITION Leader and Vanimo Green River MP Belden Namah (PNG Party) says Papua New Guinea (PNG)’s foreign exchange nose-dived significantly in 12 years under the governments of Peter O’Neill (People’s National Party) and James Marape (Pangu Pati).
“Our country’s debt-to-gross domestic product now stands at 52 per cent and our borrowing threshold has been raised to 65 per cent which means we will keep on borrowing,” he said.
“After 12 years in the Opposition, I promise Papua New Guineans a different kind of leadership as prime minister,” he added.
“I have been properly refined to lead PNG now.
“Under O’Neill, PNG amassed a debt of K26 billion which further increased to K53 billion under Marape.
“That means PNG borrowed a total of K27 billion in just the last three years.
“But the funds were not invested in export-driven infrastructure to see positive returns for the country.
“PNG is now on economic life-support.
“To the people of Morobe, I am here to collect numbers and form the next Government after General Election 2022 (GE22) to bring positive changes.”
Namah spoke at an election rally in Eriku Oval on Friday.
He announced the 11 PNG party candidates for all 10 districts of Morobe and the regional seat and highlighted his party’s agenda.
Namah stressed: “There is no other formula or magic to economic independence but through God which is the approach my leadership will take.
“We will amend the Constitution to have 10 per cent of the National Budgets going towards church-run institutions and services like schools and health centres, and we will work from the bottom-up, focusing on the development of rural sectors like agriculture.
“We will introduce a National Service concept to have every student out of Grade 12 to undergo military training, which should address the attitude problem in our youths and remove lawlessness that is rampant in the country.
“Our country needs an immediate intervention through reforms in sectors of education, health, land, agriculture, law and justice, infrastructure, government and economic, foreign policy review and zero tolerance to corruption.”