More Business Surveys Reveal Marape Regime is failing PNG
The latest independent business surveys are indicating that without serious government action the economy will continue to crash, particularly as the Marape regime appears unable to conclude major resources sector projects before the end of the year.
Leader of the People’s National Congress Party, Hon. Peter O’Neill. CMG, MP, said the reason Members of Parliament are deserting James Marape is because he has failed to honor his promises and continues to stumble blindly into a massive economic collapse.
“In every province and district this inaction means that jobs will continue to be lost and poverty will continue to rise and crime will increase,” Mr. O’Neill said.
“Doing nothing is not the solution, making empty announcements and hollow promises, and avoiding making tough decisions is not an option, real action is needed now.”
Mr. O’Neill said it is more than a month since James Marape admitted in Parliament that nothing has been agreed to advance major resource investment projects, and that all his government could offer is more talk and hope, but nothing else.
“Marape had made promise after promise that he would conclude major resource investment agreements by September, but we are now into October and getting dangerously close to the end of year when government and business shut down.
“Porgera is still shut, Papua LNG is still in limbo, P’nyang remains failed, Wafi-Golpu appears to have been compromised by corrupt political deals, and the only announcement they have made on Pasca A was revealed by Twinza to be nowhere close to being ready to sign an agreement.
“After the damage they cause by stalling and stopping resources projects and shutting the economy down under a needlessly devastating State of Emergency, this government failed to revive our economy because of incompetence, a refusal to listen to our PNG business community and an inability to understand the economy.
“The problem is not COVID as Marape claims, the terrible state of our economy is because this government has shut down the main drivers of our economy and business.
“The Bank of Papua New Guinea has again warned Marape of the danger of continuing to raise even more debt when they should be proactive to get resource projects moving, and to focus on increasing government revenue and controlling spending.
“Instead of moving forward and negotiating with investors and stimulating business, the government remains silent and has nothing tangible to offer.
“Every time Marape tells the country we must accept what he calls his short-term pain, more people suffer as this heartless slogan has now become long-term serious pain.”
Mr. O’Neill said the business community is calling out in desperation for government leadership and action but the Marape regime is ignoring these calls.
“The Bank of Papua New Guinea, in its report in the past week, revealed that two thirds of businesses surveyed have scaled down operations while the rest remain temporarily closed.
“The PNG Business Council survey yesterday revealed that more than three quarters of businesses have not met their targets and expect to see ongoing declines this year.
“This is on the back of many other independent reports from the ANZ Bank, Business Advantage PNG and others have made it clear that business needs action from the government if there is any hope of creating new jobs.
“But the cries of our people and employers are falling on the deaf ears of an arrogant and incompetent government that is so far out of touch with the realities of our country that they have become a National disgrace.”
Statement
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