PM calls for united, collective political effort

 THE 2014 Leaders’ Summit gets under way in Port Moresby today.

This summit follows the inaugural one held in 2013, and will be held at the beginning of every year to kick start the government’s annual programme.

The summit was initiated by the O’Neill Government, aimed at getting heads of government agencies and leaders together to identify priorities and projects, and how they can be delivered during the next three to five years.

During the 2013 Summit, 82 government agencies (departments, statutory bodies, SOEs) identified 228 projects, and the 22 provincial governments identified 66 projects to be prioritised, funded and delivered in the three to five-year period.

In the Summit today leaders’ will be briefed on the progress of the implementation of these projects, and the challenges and constraints identified that government needs to overcome to deliver them.

Some of these projects have been funded since 2012, while others will get funding consideration in 2015, 2016 and 2017 budgets.

“Identifying our priorities and projects we need to deliver, and setting target dates, is important if we are to achieve tangible results to progress our country,” Prime Minister Peter O’Neill said.

“Our country has a lot of development challenges to overcome at all levels – that is why it is important that, given our limited resources, we set priorities and work towards achieving them.

“We have made some real progress since 2012, but we need to do more. A united and collective effort is needed at the political level if we are to deliver the outcomes to progress our country and change the lives of our people for the better.”