Douglas Tomuriesa, Pope Francis and James Marape

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  Opposition Leader Douglas Tomuriesa said he is disappointed and embarrassed over the way His Holiness Pope Francis was treated by Prime Minister James Marape over the last three-days during the Papal visit, and the lack of courtesy and respect shown by the Prime Minister. He said the Prime Minister continuously declares PNG as a ‘Christian country’ and prides himself on being a religious individual but he was surprised when the Pope was continuously snubbed by the PM over the weekend since the Pope’s arrival on Friday. “The Pope is the head of the Catholic church, the largest Christian church in the world and he is also a head of state. “PNG not only being a Christian country, but a country that prides itself as a ‘friend to all, enemy to none’, the PM should be according the Pope with the highest level of respect,” Tomuriesa said. The Opposition Leader pointed out that on Friday, the Prime Minister did not welcome the Pope at the airport, a tradition he had accorded to many othe...
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O’Neill: Our People the Losers in the 2024 Record Taxing Budget

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 I made a statement late this afternoon about the 2024 Budget presented by the Treasurer to Parliament today.

O’Neill: Our People the Losers in the 2024 Record Taxing Budget
I am shocked that the cries of our people and even members of the ruling Government have been ignored in the 2024 Budget.
The 2024 Budget is more of the same of last year where the Treasurer promised the record spending would make our people’s lives better and our country safer.
In 2023, despite the record taxes, spending and debt, we have endured one of the worst years in our history with people now experiencing outright poverty and violence on the increase.
We are being told by the Treasurer and PM all is well and to be excited about more of the same in 2024.
The 2024 Budget seems to have been carefully crafted by foreign advisors and a Treasurer who is out of touch as it is devoid of understanding that the economic mismanagement and wastage this past five years is denying our people the basics of life.
The Treasurer has yielded to his PM and IMF and handed down a record taxing budget that ignores the cries of our people.
It is shameful and disappointing to see a Budget with record taxes and the same promises of last year that record spending will lead to improvements in law and order; health; education; employment – instead we have had increased crime; no medicines; kids having to pay teachers just to go to school and a cost-of-living crisis.
Due to the big talk and no action of the Treasurer and the PM, our people have lost hope in our political leaders to provide progress. They live in fear of crime and can see first-hand how rampant corruption is denying them a better future.
The reckless spending and addiction to debt and deficits, combined with ill informed, economically catastrophic decisions has led us to a point in our country's history we have not experienced before.
The people are pleading with the PM and Treasurer to stop the talk and see their struggles as they search for jobs that do not exist. Stand with the mothers in the line at clinics as they fight back tears when there is constantly no fever medicine for their babies. Understand the feeling of shame of fathers who cannot put a decent meal on the table for their families. Speak to our Church Pastors and leaders who are struggling to meet the needs of our people.
The Treasurer should tell the people how the record taxes you are collecting from them is going to curb the cost of living. Tell business large and small how the record budget is going to help them access foreign currency.
The people know that record budgets and fancy talk is leading us backwards not forwards. The people need to be listened to. They know that the economic gymnastics and games being played is catastrophic for our country. The cries of our people need to be heard before it is too late.
Hon. Peter O’Neill, CMG, MP
Member for Ialibu-Pangia
Party Leader, People’s National Congress Party

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