Sir Nagora Boran rebuts Prime Minister Peter O'Neill on Tax increase

THERE were 94 recommendations made by the Tax Review Committee chaired by Sir Nagora Bogan and presented to Peter O’Neill in 2015 but the Prime Minister took two years to respond and make final decisions.

On top of that, the PM chose only one recommendation point apart from the other 93, which is to increase the Goods and Services Tax (GST), to blame and attack Sir Nagora in a recent media outburst.

Sir Nagora, released a statement saying he “is heartened by the fact that tax emerged as one of the many topical campaign issues in the forthcoming elections and looks forward to the opportunity for more informed debate.”

Sir Nagora, who boasts of an impressive public service career both locally and internationally and gaining respect abroad especially in the financial sector, is the PNG National Party candidate contesting in the Lae Open seat.

Sir Nagora Bogan described Prime Minister Peter O’Neill statement as “another serial pattern of defensive behaviour of the PM and leader of the ruling People’s National Congress (PNC) Party and their tactics to divert attention away from the real issues.”

Sir Nagora says the GST was part of the package of recommendations personally delivered to the PM in 2015 and it has taken two years to respond to a matter that was entirely within the PM’s responsibility.

He says the Ialibu-Pangia MP should have embraced the truth by admitting that the country has a financial problem and this should have set him free to proactively find solutions to rescue the country from its soaring debts.

He says many ordinary citizen can feel the impact of the economic crises and are speaking openly including former PM Sir Mekere Morauta and former treasurer Patrick Pruaitch.

Sir Nagora says for the PM to deliberately target him and discredit him shows the kind of leader the PM is.

• (Sir Nagora Bogan, ONE of two Knights contesting the Lae Open seat. Picture courtesy of BusinessAdvantagePNG)