Somare: State must tell us

 FORMER Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare has called on the Government to table in Parliament full and comprehensive reports, audits and financial positions of all State-owned enterprises. 

It was in response to a report in The National yesterday about Air Niugini pilots leaving the company after they had to take a 20 per cent salary cut as part of a new contract they were required to sign.

Sir Michael said in a statement the Government must inform the people on the state of Air Niugini, Telikom PNG, PNG Power Ltd and Post PNG because Micah “has been so silent on the status of the Government-owned entities”. 

“I made a promise in the 2002 elections that all professional Papua New Guineans, in any position they hold, must be earning the same salary as any expatriate,” he said.

“The very first people to benefit from this promise was our national pilots getting the same salary as expatriate pilots and are paid like any other pilot of major airlines in the world. The former CEO of Air Niugini and the former board chairman know very well the decisions that we took during my term as prime minister.

“It was through a National Executive Council decision that we approved the packages for our national pilots. 

“The decision by Air Niugini management to cut our national pilots’ wages by 20 per cent is a slap in the face for PNG and the minister responsible must explain the logic behind the pay cuts.

“I call on the CEO of State-owned enterprises, Wasantha Kumarasiri, to immediately step in and resolve this issue as Air Niugini is losing more and more pilots that the airline has invested in.

“The minister must not hide the truth about the issues of all State-owned enterprises, nor turn a blind eye on the real problems of all State-owned enterprises with a hidden agenda of selling them.”