Trust local economists

TREASURER Ian Ling-Stuckey has failed to release important documents to the public.
The 2020 National Budget Volume 1 has not been released or could not be found in Treasury’s website.
The 2019 Final Budget Outcome (FBO) that is due on March 31 has not been released so far.
The Treasurer’s handling of macroeconomic policy issues has been seen as undermining the credibility of Treasury economists who are mostly Papua New Guineans.
He is highly dependent on International Monetary Fund (IMF) and a claimed renowned Australian economist totally abandoning Treasury’s own analysis and models of the macro economy.
For instance, his recent statements on the PNG economy including economy in recession and revenue loss of K2 million due to Covid-19 are not credible, as these numbers do not reflect the Treasury’s own economic modelling.
Never in the history of PNG would a treasurer release economic indicators on the health of the PNG economy without citing Treasury’s own findings.
He is demonstrating his incompetency (depending heavily on foreigners) and lack of confidence on national economists.
He needs to stand with Treasury and argue with the IMF and other international organisations regarding PNG’s economic indicators.
He is siding with the IMF and foreign economists and throwing away every advice and findings that come out from models provided by Treasury economists.
Treasurer Ian Ling-Stuckey needs to learn from the former treasury ministers such as Sam Basil, Charles Abel and Patrick Pruaitch.
These former treasury ministers managed the economy putting the advice of the nationals paramount to foreigners.
They were building the capacity of the nationals to analyse and provide advice on macroeconomic policy issues to the government.
Therefore, Prime Minister, you definitely need to replace this treasurer.
He is not taking back PNG and he is giving PNG to foreigners to run our country.
PNG is a sovereign nation and has to approach its macroeconomic policy issues in a nationalistic way.

Hewish,
Waigani