The Member for Moresby North-West, Sir Mekere Morauta, said today that the International Monetary Fund Article IV Summary Report was a timely wake-up call for the Government, and that he hoped the Supplementary Budget to be brought down in Parliament this sitting would deal with the issues raised. He said the Supplementary Budget should be the start of a long journey to repair the Budget and public finances, and lay the foundation for sustainable growth, especially in the non

The Member for Moresby North-West, Sir Mekere Morauta, said today he was astounded to hear news of the O’Neill Government’s fire sale of its shares in Oil Search at a loss of more than a billion kina. “We always knew that this illegal deal between the Prime Minister, Oil Search and Union Bank of Switzerland was a bad deal, a bad investment and a bad use of public money,” he said. “But we never knew it would be this bad. “The total cost to the people of Papua New Guinea is lik

The Member for Moresby North-West, Sir Mekere Morauta, said today the current trip by the board of the Bank of Papua New Guinea to the Federated States of Micronesia is an outrage. The former Prime Minister said he cannot understand why the board could not meet in Port Moresby, to save money at a time when the Government and country had severe cashflow problems and shortages of foreign exchange. “Can the governor tell us how much this trip is costing the bank,” Sir Mekere ask

The Member for Moresby North-West, Sir Mekere Morauta, said today that claims made on EMTV by failed Moresby North-West candidate Lohia Boe Samuel that he had avoided service of an election petition were completely untrue. Sir Mekere said he noticed Mr Samuel at the Yacht Club after lunch on Tuesday 19 September. “I was standing in open view on the footpath, talking to a friend, for at least 5 minutes. Mr Samuel had every opportunity to approach me, but he did not,” he said.

The former Prime Minister and Member for Moresby North-West, Sir Mekere Morauta, said today that Sam Basil’s decision to move to Peter O’Neill’s Government, along with other MPs from the Alliance, was extremely disappointing. “This was the last thing I thought would happen when I asked my colleague Independent MPs to join Pangu Pati,” Sir Mekere said. “Of course I respect the decision by the individual Members to move as they see fit. But I do not agree with the move.” Sir Me