Juffa demands reasons behind Niblett’s removal

Caption: Oro Governor Gary Juffa.

By MATTHEW VARI

Sunday, May 22, 2016 (Sunday Chronicle, PNG)

ORO Governor Gary Juffa has called on the Department of Health to explain why it has sacked and threatens deportation of, long serving expatriate Oncologist, Dr John Niblett.

He said Niblett has contributed significantly to the country in creating awareness on the need for the improvement of the treatment of cancer.

“Dr John Niblet hasn’t been paid for 8 months and he has served this country passionately,” Juffa said.

“He is an expatriate who cares deeply for this country, has brought significant attention of a terrible situation insofar as how we are treating cancer in this country.”

“A greater majority of victims are especially mothers, and our only cancer facility in Lae has been brought under the spotlight because of Dr John Niblett.”

Juffa said through Niblett, the deficiencies in the Department of Health such as developing appropriate mechanisms and treatment facilities that citizens deserve have been highlighted.

“Now we are informed that he is about to be deported. Why is this the case? Is it because he has exposed the fact that we have for too long ignored the plight of many of our people insofar as treatment of cancer is concerned,” he said.

“I have paid out from my pocket as governor for many of our women in my province to get treatment in Lae by Dr Niblett and his staff.”

“Since Dr Niblet came into PNG there has been a remarkable improvement in the way we address cancer.”

The governor pointed to the growing concern of the one person giving attention to the terrible situation adding the systems were flawed in terms of dual citizenship laws.

“What justifies his removal? Why are they deporting him in such a terrible way? This also demonstrates that we have a dual citizenship act which is flawed.”

“On the one hand we are granting citizenship to criminals who can come in and invest with the funds they have stolen from another nation and on the other hand we are removing people like Dr Niblet who have been living here for so long contributing positively to this country.”

“Where is the fairness here? I would like to call on the minister for health to come out and explain what the reason is behind the removal of Dr John Niblett.”

“We haven’t even payed him for the last 8 month of work, we haven’t even implemented the recommendations he has made on numerous occasions in regards to how we as a country need to take stock of the rise of cancer and the fact it is affecting so many of our female population.”