PORT MORESBY (Pacnews) — Papua New Guinea’s government lacks direction, breaks laws, wastes public resources and is controlled by a power and wealth-seeking clique, says former Prime Minister Mekere Morauta.
In a speech outlining his PNG Party’s policies for the general election starting on June 30, Morauta slammed Prime Minister Michael Somare’s stewardship over the last five years and said corruption had spread.
“Corruption is more widespread and more systemic I believe than five years ago. It has become firmly entrenched in the private sector as well as in the public sector.”
Morauta, who was prime minister from 1999 to 2002, said his party was working with other like-minded parties to form a good and honest government.
He said his party was working with former Treasurer Bart Philemon’s New Generation Party to win government with a viable coalition under the party that gets most members into parliament.
“I’m hoping it’s either Bart or me,” Morauta said.
Philemon was widely credited with improving financial accountability in government but was sacked by Somare last year after challenging him for the leadership of the National Alliance Party.
“Our enemy and the people’s enemy is a government without direction, breaking laws, wasting public resources and controlled by a clique of people whose interest is to increase personal power and wealth,” Morauta said.
If his party won power, his reforming government would lead the fight against corruption by example, he said.
It would also introduce fee-free education for Papua New Guineans.
“Education is the single most important investment that we as families and as a nation can make for our future.
“The party policy is based on the principle that education should not be available only to children of parents who can afford to pay for it.”
In health, the PNG Party would bring together government, church, overseas donors and the private sector to ensure rundown or collapsed health services were restored across PNG, Morauta said.
Over the past 20 years, more than 50 percent of health aid posts had closed and overburdened hospitals were left struggling to cope with inadequate resources, he said.