Friday 5 May 2017

Statement by Sir Peter Ipatas on why he left his own People's Party and joined PNC party

IN the upcoming National General Election I am standing as a Candidate for the People’s National Congress Party.

As a Senior Highlands Leader, I have an obligation to Maintain the successful leadership in Government of Prime Minister Peter O’Neill.
We have seen unprecedented development over the past five years, especially for Enga Province.

Over the past five years Peter O’Neill has delivered unparalleled support to Enga Province.
We have never seen a Government deliver for Enga as we have seen from this Government.

The building of the Enga Teachers’ College and the College of Nursing is ongoing.
Through this Government we have commenced construction of the Hela Opene Polytechnical College through K6 million from the O’Neill Government.

Construction of the Enga Provincial Jail is ongoing.
Recently we opened the Enga Agriculture Industrial Complex in Lagaip-Porgera through which we can grow more of our own food and feed more of our own people.

Peter O’Neill has sealed the Wabag Town roads and rebuilt roads that had never been maintained by past National Governments with an investment of K12 million.

This is not even mentioning the tens of million of Kina that have been invested in our people through the O'Neill Government initiative of District Program Improvement Program Funds.

One of the great achievements of the O’Neill Government is the investment of K400 million in the Enga Hospital that will begin construction in July this year.

Never before have we seen this level of investment in our people and our province.
The exceptions were K2.5 million from the Skate Government to start work on the Enga Provincial Jail, and K5 million from Grand Chief Somare in 2009 committed towards the hospital

Construction is also ongoing at the Kompiam Baptist District Hospital and the Laiagum District Hospital.
The Community Health Workers Training Centre is underway through partnership with the Foursquare Church in Wapenamanda.

We have also just started the K4 million powerline from Wapenamanda to Tsak Valley, and the Wabag to Laiagum powerline for K14 million.
This is in addition to the Pilikambi Hydro project negotiated with China worth K42 million that will produce 4 megawats of electricity.

These power projects are opening development as more and more people have access to electricity for their homes and businesses.
The commitment shown by Peter O’Neill as Prime Minister and Leader of PNC has changed Enga and the changes are there for all to see.

Above all else, education is my number one policy in Enga without fail, and this vision is shared by Prime Minister O’Neill. Working with Peter O’Neill, as our Prime Minister, we have placed more Engan children in schools, in training colleges and in universities than any time before.

K40 million has been spent in Enga Province for the Tuition Fee Free Policy.
With more children in school, we have more girls in school and we are giving them the chance for a much better life.

We are also able to build more high schools including the Jamim High School and Mulitaka High School. We have been able to upgrade the Pilikambi, Foursquare, Porgera and Tsak High Schools to Secondary School level.

In Kandep we have built a four-in-one classroom at a cost of K1 million for the Kandep High School. This is in the Opposition Leader’s own backyard, in the village of his Mother, but was only achieved because of the investment by the National Government working with Enga Province.

Education policy alone, with great focus on education, above all else compels me to offer my support for the re-election of Peter O’Neill as the Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea.
Based on their merit and hard work, in recent years, we have also seen our educated people of Enga Province rise to more important and senior positions in the National Government.

These include the Chief Secretary to Government, Ambassador Isaac Lupari; Finance Secretary Ken Ngangan; Works Secretary David Wereh; NAC Managing Director, Richard Yopo; National Development Bank CEO, Moses Liu, PNG Air Services Managing Director, Captain Ted Pakii, PNG State Solicitor General, Faith Barton Keene; National Youth Commission Director, Luio Notit; and, Impact Projects Director, John Kaio.

There are now also three serving Judges from Enga, including the Chief Justice.
We can all be proud of these outstanding Papua New Guineans from Enga Province who have demonstrated their capabilities to the Nation.

My move to PNC is to secure Government and ensure development.
Protecting and promoting the interests and wellbeing of our people is my job as their Governor.
We cannot risk going backward with a change of Government, and that is what would happen if we do not all get out and support Peter O’Neill.

By standing for PNC I am showing my support for the numbers needed for the Governor-General to call on Peter O’Neill to form Government after the election.
I move to PNC leaving the People’s Party in safe and capable hands under the leadership of Jiwaka Governor, Dr. William Tongamp.

As the Leader of the People’s Party, he will provide the direction that is needed for people of the Highlands in the next Parliament.

Dr Tongamp is a highly intelligent man from an emerging generation of Leaders that will take our Government, and our people into the future, in the decades ahead.

The People’s Party is a coalition partner, with the same ideals and vision for our people, that is shared with PNC.
From this, the People’s Party has six members that will support PNC to form Government when Parliament resumes.

Together, the People’s National Congress and the People’s Party have worked together to provide stability for our nation, and this will continue.

We will stand together to defend the Government and continue to deliver real change for the people of our provinces and for our Nation.

Peter O’Neill has my total support and our Members we will all do what we can to communicate with our people and ensure they are aware of the benefits that have been delivered and how this is changing lives.

There is a lot of false information around, particularly on social media, and we have to make sure people have the facts.

When these people talk about corruption, the fact is that this Government has worked hard to clean up fraud and dishonesty. The misinformation put around by opposition members and their cronies are baseless and only serve to spoil names and reputations without any evidence.

The Prime Minister has stood strong against baseless claims and misinformation, and he remains strong.
The economy has grown under Peter O’Neill’s leadership.

Even against great challenge, from low global commodity prices and the damage caused by drought, Peter O’Neill’s Leadership in Government has delivered services to our people.

Even without surplus budgets, he has delivered when previous governments were cutting services even when they had surplus budgets.
Now with the prospect of another El Nino weather system at the end of this year, and the chance of more drought, we need a proven leader in charge of our country to deal with any problems we might face in the future.

I am committed to giving PNC a chance to complete their policy agenda through a second term in Government.
I am calling on the people of Enga Province to vote for the re-election of Peter O’Neill, as our Prime Minister, so that we can continue to deliver services to our people.

I am obliged to see that the O’Neill-led Government returns for another term of Parliament, to continue the massive range of infrastructure projects taking place in Enga and around the country, and to ensure political stability.

I thank the people of Enga Province who have stood by me for the past twenty years and together we will keep Enga and Papua New Guinea growing even stronger.

Hon. Chief Sir Peter Ipatas KBE, GCL, MP, Governor of Enga Province.


No comments:

Post a Comment