PNG’s progress hindered by corruption, says O’Neill

National, Normal
Source:

The National, Tuesday 13th December 2011

PAPUA New Guinea is not becoming an economic powerhouse because of corruption, Prime Minister Peter O’Neill says.
He said the country was rich in natural resources, “but it is not economically independent”.
O’Neill told the people at Kiripia in the Tambul-Nebilyer electorate of Western Highlands, who had gathered to witness the official opening of a double classroom building funded by AusAID at the St Peter and Paul Primary School in Kiri­pia, that even if there were too many resources and minerals being found in this country, “leaders are not using them properly, that is why the nation is not becoming economically independent”.
He said the kina had picked up but nothing was changing because of poor management by the previous government.
He said the nation was not getting to the bottom of weeding out corruption, which was a poison to the nation’s development.
O’Neill said it was shame because leaders were robbing the nation and the people.
He said his new government would do a lot of work to weed out corruption and try to make the country become an economically independent nation.
O’Neill said he had some good, young and vibrant leaders in his government and their aim was to make Papua New Guinea economically independent.
“If we say that we are rich then why are people’s pockets not packed with money? This is because we have not become economically independent yet,” O’Neill said.
O’Neill said with the 2012 national election coming up people had the power to elect good leaders.
He said if people did not vote in good leaders they would suffer.
He said a good leader would always make a difference in their lives.
He said the decision people made in voting next year would determine their future.