Morauta brushes aside PM O'Neill's claims

Sir Morauta

Former PNG  Prime Minister  and the chairman of PNG Sustainable Development Program Ltd, Sir Mekere Morauta, has brushed aside claims  made by the Prime Minister Peter O'Neill about the PNGSDP funds.

Mr Mekere said PNGSDP does not have any consultants, does not pay any consultants exorbitant fees and does not pay for consultants to fly first-class around the world.

 “Mr O’Neill should stop demeaning the Office of the Prime Minister by using it to spread falsehoods about PNGSDP,” Sir Mekere said.

“Having a Prime Minister who cannot distinguish between fact and fiction also reflects badly on the nation.

“I suggest that the Prime Minister confine himself in the future to the truth, and verify his facts, especially concerning PNGSDP.

“I reiterate that PNGSDP does not employ consultants, so the company cannot be paying them exorbitant fees or flying them around the world on first-class tickets.

“It is the Prime Minister who employs an army of consultants at huge public expense to defend allegations made against himself personally. He should pay that money back,” Sir Mekere said.

Sir Mekere said the Prime Minister had also made false claims about PNGSDP’s Long term Fund.

The money in the Long Term Fund is invested overseas, by law, he said.

It cannot be accessed until after mine closure, by law.