O’Neill confident of forming govt

THE People’s National Congress (PNC) party remains confident of forming the next government to put the country back on the right track, says party leader Peter O’Neill.
“I’m forming this government because the country needs experienced people.
“The PNC (also) wants to see a fair distribution of services to all people.”
He was at Nebilyer in Western Highlands yesterday to support PNC candidate Dr George Bopi who is contesting the seat held by Pangu party member Win Bakri Daki.
O’Neill said the PNC had experienced people such as Dr Bopi to take the nation forward, and to continue the major developments people had been witnessing in the eight years up to May 2019.
O’Neill promised to bring back the free education policy his government had started, but he said was not taken seriously by the Pangu-led government of his successor James Marape.
He said the free education policy allowed around two million children to go to school.
The number has now dropped to around one million.
“The PNC will allow free education from elementary to grade 12.
“We will also do away with loans obtained by tertiary students and make sure no child misses out on education,” O’Neill said.
“This government (did) not continue from where I left off.”
He said students who could not make it to tertiary institution could join the national security programme.
O’Neill defended his government’s decision to obtain loans for major infrastructure development.
“We borrowed (money) to work,” he said.

Workers must be allowed to vote, says Sinai

Businesses should operate as normal on Monday until the end of polling on July 22 but must allow their employees to cast their votes, Electoral Commissioner Simon Sinai says.
“It is Papua New Guineans’ democratic right to elect their leaders every five years.
“So, employers are obliged to give time to their employees to exercise their right and responsibility to the nation,” he added.
Sinai said polling stations had been set up away from the business centres within the cities to avoid inconvenience that would disrupt the polling process.
“Shops, restaurants and night clubs that operate from morning till midnight can make special arrangements for their employees to cast their ballots.”
Sinai added that people would still need to eat and go shopping and would need businesses houses to remain open for business so it would not be convenient for them to close on Monday.
“Employees can work in shifts so that they all get to vote,” Sinai said.
Meanwhile, Bank South Pacific Financial Group Ltd chief executive officer Robin Fleming said employees would be allowed time to go and cast their votes.
“In areas where there is one-day polling this will mean that there may be some customer inconvenience with our staff rotating throughout the day,” he said.