Kua warns Govt to exercises caution

By MATTHEW VARI

Sunday, August 21, 2016 (Sunday Chronicle, PNG)

WITH what was termed as ‘Revolutionary’ decisions by the State to award huge equity to two provinces in mining in Bougainville and the Western Province, along with oil and gas landowner agreements announced to be fulfilled by government- Member for Sinasina Yongamugl, Kerenga Kua has asked the government to exercise caution.

He told parliament that as the highest decision making institution in the country, it is duty bound to care that the entire nation’s wealth is not directed to one province, two province, five province, but to the entire 22 provinces that make up Papua New guinea.

“So when we make decisions we must think of the entirety of this country rather than on a few provinces that are part of this country,” Kua said.

“I’ve always advocated that fair wealth distribution throughout the length and breadth of the country is the glue that holds this nation together.”

“It’s just like a mother sharing food in the house who has many children. Some children get more than the others, and those that don’t get equal share of the meal complain and creates disharmony in the house for the mother and the father and the same is for the state.”

He referred to the distributions of the landmark decisions by the O’Neill-Dion government as windfalls to the people of the areas of concern.

“Not wealth that we by ourselves have created as citizens of this country, but which have been given to us by an act of God and is there as we are talking about its distribution.”

“It concerns me that we are now embarking on what is now described to us as a revolutionary decision.”

“It is going to be revolutionary bringing about disunity of this country and the disintegration of this country as a united nation,” Kua stated.

He added that it is the State that owns it for the people, and it would be dangerous for Government to draw up a distinction between the State and the people.

“As soon as we come up with this artificial distinction we begin to cast the state as some third party disinterested in the welfare and the affairs of the people.”

“The state is here for the people and they are the one thing, when the state owns something it is for the people. This government is for the people and by the people. When the state holds something as trustee the beneficiaries are the people.”

“I feel that this is not good in the long term interest of this country because how does that serve as a precedent for other mines that are going to be coming up the track.”