PNG greater than one person: Juffa

Caption:  Oro Governor Gary Juffa.

By MATTHEW VARI

Sunday, July 17, 2016 (Sunday Chronicle, PNG)

FOLLOWING the adjournment of Parliament to Friday July 22 for the vote of no confidence to take place, Governor for Oro Gary Juffa has reiterated calls to fellow MPs that the country is greater than one person.

He said the country and its economy has been brought to its knees because of the refusal of one person to heed the call for him to simply step aside and attend to a matter each and every citizen were subject to.

“Across the entire length and breadth of Papua New Guinea you see students protesting, professionals protesting continues to rise.”

“We see loss of jobs, business opportunities, investors are starting to question what is happening here or whether their investments are secure.”

“If we are seeing an entire nation being dragged down to its knees for one person and his interests.”

He appealed to fellow parliamentarians, reminding them of their elections to parliament on the basis of not following, but leading.

“You were not elected to follow, you were elected to lead. You were elected to make decisions on behalf of the very people who put their trust faith in you not to follow DSIP and PSIP but to make decisions to secure this economy and the future.”

“As it is right now we see this economy being sold. Not the next generation only but the generation after that will be paying the price of the decisions being made by one person.”

“Loans being obtained from outside without proper procedures and processes.”

He raised serious concern on the stand made by Prime Minister Peter O’Neill on his announcement on the country’s support of China’s claim to disputed seas in the Asian region.

“Most recently we saw an announcement by the Prime Minster that he is willing to support China in regards to its position and its declaration of its ownership of the china seas.”

“Who agreed to this? Why have we decided to take this very important position without parliament or other stakeholders?”

“We are not in parliament to make friends and follow for the comfort of DSIP and PSIP for the crumbs that are given to us so that we may shut our mouths and close our eyes, and fold our arms and cross our legs and sit down and be mute and deaf and blind!”

“We must all step up and rescue this nation on behalf of this nation. Papua New Guinea is greater than one person, one party, and one ethnic group.”