MEDIA STATEMENT | 1st December, 2020
VANIMO COALITION SIGN WUTUNG CALL TO ACTION.
The political Parties camped in Vanimo have collectively expressed their deep appreciation to the People of Sandaun Province for their hospitality over the past two weeks in a signing ceremony in Port Moresby today.
A memorandum Of understanding was signed by Political Party leaders and all the members representing 57 MPs in total. The MOU represented a commitment by the Parties to remain united to change the government and work collectively up until the 2022 national elections.
The Parties also signed the “Wutung Call To Action”, representing a 12 month work plan to ‘restore Papua New Guinea’.
The coalition announced today: “Papua New Guinea is in a critical state. There are only 18 months before the next national elections. A series of limited and specific Interventions are required to restore confidence, stimulate the economy, provide jobs, stabilise debt, maintain basic services and deliver free and fair elections.’
“The alternative government is about better governance and economic management for Papua New Guinea. It is not about foreign business interests. However, we must be realistic in our approach and not be driven by blind nationalism and cargo cultism.
“The reality is that we are chasing away much needed foreign investment using slogans to cover up political interference, nepotism, related party deals, and undermining institutions to hold onto power.
“We must end the hypocrisy of accusing former governments of debt accumulations and then actually accelerating our debt burden whilst shutting down economic projects.
“The result is visible in the massive loss of jobs and income earning opportunities for Papua New Guinean families, the loss of personal assets like homes and vehicles, struggling SME and loss of disposable incomes, declining foreign investment, struggling local businesses and deterioration in law and order.”
The 12 month Wutung Call To Action details a series of specific interventions under the headings of, Leadership and Coordination, Economic Recovery and Growth, Social and Infrastructure, Functional Grants/ Provincial and District Support Grants and Service Improvement Program, Governance and Reforms, Bougainville, 2022 National Elections.
In a joint statement the leaders said: “57 Members of Parliament out of 109 available Members voted on the floor of Parliament on Friday the 13th of November to begin the actions to save this country.
The former Deputy Prime Minister, 8 former Ministers and 29 MPs in the government together with the 19 MPs in the Opposition felt that we could not delay any longer, knowing the truth about what is happening.
“In any democratic system of government when the majority has voted against the government there has been a loss of mandate and the Prime Minister should resign.”
“Despite intimidation, offers of Ministries and projects, even cash incentives. Despite the hijacking of Parliament and the purported illegal adjournment for 5 months to avoid the pending motion of no confidence in the Prime minister, we feel that justice will prevail and we get to represent our people in Parliament soon and test the numbers again on the floor. We are solid and even more committed than ever.”
HON BELDEN NORMA NAMAH, MP.
LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION.
HON CHARLES ABEL
LEADER OF OUR DEVELOPMENT PARTY
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