O’Neill queries programme

The National Main Stories

IALIBU-Pangia MP Peter O’Neill started a lively exchange in Parliament yesterday when he queried about the Government’s Connect Papua New Guinea programme.
O’Neill said although he supported the Connect PNG programme, he was concerned about the spending, procurement process and the manner in which the programme was being managed.
“I had made those statement publicly and Minister for Works and Highway Solan Mirisim claimed that I was I liar,” he said.
“So today (yesterday), I want to seek leave of Parliament to present some documents that I have received from a whistle-blower, a very brave public servant who has given me this document that proves that what I have said is correct.
“I received the copies of International Monetary Fund (IMF) reports from Finance which say that over the last 30 months, the programme (has) spent almost K2 billion so far.”
He was interrupted by a point of order raised by Hela Governor Philip Undialu, claiming that what O’Neill was saying contradicted what he was talking about earlier regarding the K3.5 billion payment.
Acting Speaker Koni Iguan ruled it out of order and told O’Neill to continue. O’Neill asked Mirisim to “clearly define how much money was paid to Ipwenz Construction, Tari Pori Development Corporative, Oceanic Construction and others”.
He then asked Prime Minister James Marape whether Ipwenz Construction was owned and controlled by one of his associates.
He also asked Marape and Mirisim to table contract documents and amounts of funds used.
After several points of orders were raised, O’Neill listed payments made to companies or people, including a construction company, 18 soldiers, a hire car firm, planting of flowers, Pacific International Hospital, a school fee payment to a student in the United Kingdom and to a newspaper.
“How does all this connect to the Connect PNG programme? I simply ask Prime Minister Marape to answer truthfully and factually with the records they have,” O’Neill said.
Marape said Mirisim would provide a detailed statement about the contractors.