MINISTER for Treasury Ian Ling-Stuckey says Member for Ialibu-Pangia and former Prime Minister, Peter O’Neill, remains a danger to the nation and even in Opposition.
The treasurer made this remark in a statement after he was put on notice by O’Neill during yesterday’s question time in parliament.
O’Neill in his series of questions to the Treasurer asked where the K5.7 billion COVID-19 loans had been spent to and when exactly he (treasurer) will table the full report of the loans.
Mr O’Neill further asked the Treasurer and his team what they are doing to address the economic recession that the country is currently facing.
In his brief response to O’Neill, the Treasure told Parliament that K5.7 billion loans were geared towards both COVID-19 and economy woes faced by the country.
The Treasurer in a statement after the yesterday’s parliament sitting stated that Mr O’Neill has again demonstrated his profound and dangerous ignorance.
“In question time, Mr O’Neill showed that he has not been paying attention to the world around him, and therefore he is not fit to represent his constituents in Parliament.”
“He remains a danger to the nation,” treasurer stated.
He said most people in the world know that the global economy has been hit by the worst economic crisis in a century because of the global COVID-19 pandemic.
“Most people in PNG know that the economy was in recession due to COVID-19 and Mr O’Neill’s shameful legacy of corruption, waste and mismanagement.”
The treasurer further said: “most people in Parliament know that COVID-19 reduced our 2020 Budget revenue forecasts, prepared by Treasury and endorsed by the IMF, by K2.7 billion in 2020.”
“Yet, despite my outlining these realities in many economic updates to Parliament, in our 2020 MYEFO, the 2020 Supplementary Budget, the 2021 Budget Strategy and the 2021 Budget itself, Mr O’Neill acts surprised that he has finally heard these realities from his mates at the Bank of Papua New Guinea and within Treasury,” Mr Ling-Stuckey said.
He said “all this public information readily available to all Papua New Guineans”.
“I was curious when Mr O’Neill asked his questions. How could he not have known the answers? Didn’t he know that I, international agencies, independent analysts and the media have been talking of the fall in revenues of K2.7 billion since April last year.
“Didn’t he know that I did indicate PNG was heading into a recession over a year ago, largely because Mr O’Neill had left us unprepared to fight the war against COVID-19, the worst crisis for economics in a century?”
“All these questions were full of Mr O’Neill’s usual half-truths, spin and deception.”
He said “we have closed down options for cash-filled envelopes and other illegal activities that thrived during the O’Neill’s years”.
The Treasurer assured, “we are on the road to recovery because of Marape Government’s prudent, responsible and legal economic financial management.”
