Papua New Guinea FINANCE Minister Rainbo Paita has denied claims by the Opposition that the Government is printing cheques worth hundreds of millions of kina to hold on to power. “This is a very silly and empty claim by the Opposition,” he said in a statement yesterday. “It is a sign of the (Peter) O’Neill gang’s desperation that they have to resort to deception and spin. “MPs decide their allegiances on merit, not their own personal enrichment. “Vote-buying might be the way Opposition Leader Belden Namah and former PM Peter O’Neill do business. “But it is not the (Prime James) Marape government’s way. “We encourage all MPs to base their decisions on the national interest. The advancement of the nation is their reward.” Paita said the Marape-led Government did not need to adopt any style of vote-buying.
“We have a clear majority of MPs who have made their decision to remain with the Marape government as a matter of principle and in the national interest. I encourage other MPs to do the same.” Paita said the Opposition claims were in reality a protest about the payment of district services improvement programme (DSIP) funds. “What does O’Neill want us to do, withhold the final payment (of DSIP) for the year?” he said. “He is just being silly.” Paita said the Government was following the normal process for DSIP payments. “This year’s revised appropriation for DSIP is K8 million, down from K10 million,” he said. “Only K6 million has been paid so far and the balance of K2 million, as per the revised appropriation, is yet to be paid.” He said withholding the DSIP payment would be a big blow to ordinary Papua New Guineans, who are doing it tough “because of the waste, corruption and mismanagement of the O’Neill regime over the past 10 years”. Statement/PNGfacts Next : Australia And PNG Sign Off A New $AUD140 Million Loan Comments are closed.
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