THE re-appointed Treasurer, Ian Ling-Stuckey (pictured), is committed to get the country’s economy back on track going forward.
He made this remark when welcoming the Marape-Rosso Government’s decision to re-appoint him to take charge of the treasury portfolio.
“On behalf of my people of Kavieng, and the Pangu Pati, I welcome my re-appointment as Treasurer as well as Acting Minister for Finance,” Ling-Stuckey said.
He said Prime Minister James Marape has made it clear of what is expected from the treasury ministry, which he needs to concentrate on going forward
“Looking forward, the Prime Minister has made clear his expectations in this role,” Ling-Stuckey said.
“In broad terms, I am re-committed to ensuring we get the economy working better for our people,” he said.
“As I travel around my remote rural island electorate, talking to community and business leaders including other Members of Parliament, I do understand the struggles that are facing our people.
“In the Australian Ministerial Forum last Wednesday, I highlighted that PNG still had some of the worst economic and social indicators in the region.
“In discussions with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) the day after, we discussed how PNG’s development had lagged well behind those of other countries in our region.
“This was a focus of a recent World Bank seminar held in Mt Hagen on 30 May for jobs and growth with other Ministers, all highlighting how much better governments had to do.
“Our people have every right to feel frustrated at the lack of gains since Independence.”
The Treasurer said key priorities moving forward towards the 2025 Budget will be work to establish a four-year foreign exchange repair plan.
“We will develop this in coordination with our economic ministries and other key international partners.
“We will redouble our focus on creating more and better jobs.
“We will take further actions to deal with cost-of-living pressures facing families, as the need arises.
“We will work to improve transparency on our budget operations.
“The role of Treasury Minister is a demanding responsibility, and I will again, dedicate myself to making sure that our recent macroeconomic gains are translated into better gains for our people.
“This will require hard work from us all.
