Southern Highlands, Hela threaten to shut down PNG LNG if O'neill is forced to resign

People of  Southern Highlands and Hela  have rallied behind Prime Minister Peter O'neill and  threatened to shutdowen PNG LNG project if self-centred politicians continue to play politics with a mandated government led by Prime Minister Peter O’Neill.

People displayed big placards along the PNG LNG road from the Kutubu oil fields turn-off to Nipa leading to the Hides gas field on Tuesday.

People from Nipa and Poroma, in the Nipa-Kutubu electorate, said they will block all access to the PNG LNG project if individual members of parliament continue to play politics with a government installed by the people through the ballot in 2012.

They claimed that Mr O’Neill is a landowner from the resource province and should be allowed to run the country without interference and petty politics by "wanna-be" prime ministers.

"No Highlander had become Prime Minister after Paias Wingti but O’Neill has made it and leaders from the Highlands must respect that.

"We further call on the people of Chimbu not to jump in the bandwagon too quickly as the Prime Minister has done a lot for them," James said.

 

 Meanwhile people of Hela supported O'neill  and urged him not to listen to the people of Chimbu who wanted him to resign. A local leader, Toman Tiamanda said, O'neill should not  surrender to anyone.

“We will stop the operation of the PNG LNG project and oil.
“Peter O’Neill is the father of the PNG LNG project and he cannot be forced to step down over one forged letter.
“Yes, the people from Chimbu said they had no trust and confidence in him but we, the people of Southern Highlands and Hela, always trust him,” he said.
He said O’Neill had brought tangible development to this nation unlike other prime ministers in the past 38 years.
People from Nipa-Kutubu district in the Southern Highlands have pledged their support for O’Neill through a peaceful protest on Tuesday.