PM O'Neill urges Papua New Guineans not to be misled by failed politicians

The Prime Minister, Peter O’Neill , has urged people around the nation to not be distracted by ongoing misleading claims by a former and failed Prime Minister trying to gloss-over his own record of election failure, student deaths and economic disaster.

"Mekere Mourata is a hypocrite, he rubbishes the electoral process but forgets the failed election process his government presided over in 2002,” PM O’Neill reminded the nation.
"The 2002 poll was an absolute failed election marred by violence and corruption, and in the end seven seats could not be declared before the recall of Parliament.
"The Morauta Government failed to deliver safe, transparent and fair elections in 2002, now he tells everyone that he is the expert on election processes.
"So while the visiting foreign media might be seduced by his sweet-talk, look into his background and how he failed the nation.
"In the lead-up to the 2002 poll he had tried to buy the election through massive reckless spending and left a budget deficit of around 800 million in 2002 Kina value, that is many times more Kina in today’s money.
"During his time in Government students were killed, they lost their lives because Morauta could not manage the protests and reduce tensions.
"There was a wholesale sacking in the public sector so the delivery of services ground to a halt and our people suffered.
"He had driven national debt to more than 70 per cent of GDP, but did not build a single road, hospital or school."
The Prime Minister said all Governments face challenges, then they are judged on how they deal with these challenges and deliver results for the people of Papua New Guinea.
"Yes, we had a student protest in this term of Government, but students were not killed by security forces.
"We are running a budget deficit, but we have delivered extensive services including free education and universal healthcare.
"We have a Government debt level that is within the legal band of 30 per cent of GDP, and this has helped us to deliver more infrastructure than at any other time in our history.
"So when this former leader, who has the backing of no political party, claims to be an expert, look back at his history and judge him on his dismal record.
"The 2017 elections to date have had some administrative issues, but not the violence and community displacement we saw under Morauta in 2002.
"He very conveniently forgets the legacy of disaster he left behind, and easily points fingers at hard working officials often working under unbearable stress to deliver the elections for our country.
"Yes, some of our election officials have not performed in their duties, but they are now stepping up to the challenge before them.
"Morauta should learn to stop pointing fingers and take stock of his own shortcomings and failures, as well as the deaths he left behind and the out of control debt and ridiculous borrowing of his government.”