Polye wants planning to go under new regime

THE Department of National Planning will be abolished and its functions transferred to the prime minister if Don Polye heads the next government.
The transfer of responsibilities to the office of the country’s chief executive officer would include that of rural development, implementation and monitoring.
“That will mean managing the country as a corporate entity, not through the eye of a political institution,” Polye said yesterday.
The transfer was necessary because “the prime minister has to work and be actively involved in the planning, implementation and evaluation of policies to guide the country’s development framework,” he said.
“The prime minister cannot sit down and relax and expect these important development functions to be done by somebody else as is the case now.
“Papua New Guinea is not like Australia or any other developed nation for that matter. The prime minister has to work, and he has to work hard and do so with his heart.”
Polye was declared Kandep MP on primary counts last Friday at the Wabag Primary School, securing 23,678 votes after count 67. Nearest rival Alfred Manase scored about 12,000 votes behind on 11,318 while Sakias Yamalo Tomao was third, collecting 3,066.
The Kandep MP is the parliamentary leader of the Triumph Heritage Empowerment (T.H.E) Party. This will be his third term in parliament.
When thanking his Kandep people for having the confidence and allowing him to lead them for another term, Polye said he had the experience, skills and the knowledge to head the next government as prime minister.
“I have been on the job learning to become prime minister in the last 10 years with a
strong and quality leadership
that PNG so desires.”
With yesterday’s declaration of Douglas Tomuriesa as member for Kirriwina-Goodenough, and the lead held by eight other T.H.E Party candidates throughout the country, Polye said the progressive results were encouraging. And, he was confident of forming government after the numbers game begins at the end of this month.
He also appealed to all candidates not to disrupt the work of the Electoral Commission but to accept defeat.
“All political parties, their leaders, candidates and supporters must not interfere with the polling process.
“The integrity and credibility of the counting process must be upheld and the rule of law maintained,” Polye said.
He also called on all candidates to respect the constitutional functions of the Electoral Commission and the security forces.
Polye was declared by the district returning officer, Naipet Keae, after securing an absolute majority of 50%-plus-one vote with five ballot boxes yet to be counted.
Soon after signing his declaration papers at the Wabag Primary School, Polye reaffirmed his intention to be Enga’s first prime minister.
It is understood that legal opinions were being sought on Polye’s declaration.