This election Papua New Guinea has a chance to vote out the tired old self enriching politicians and vote in genuine servants with a heart and vision for Papua New Guinea. Under different set of circumstances and leadership PNG would have, minimum $100 billion USD Sovereign Wealth Fund by now. - Okuk Rogerson
Papua New Guinea Needs a New Prime Minister and Government.
By Okuk Rogerson.
Papua New Guinea Needs A New Prime Minister and Government. Papua New Guinea needs a leader in the caliber of Xanana Gusmao or José Ramos-Horta.
Photo of His Excellency Gusmao and I was taken in Sydney in 2012 at the launch of his book by Dame Marie Bashir Governor of NSW then.
It was in this meeting and another photo of ours that made the front page of the National Newspaper in PNG in which Papua New Guinea learnt Timor Leste had $12 billion Sovereign Wealth Fund shortly after Independence.
The news of this and my posts on Facebook over the years pressured and embarrassed Oneil Government to pass the PNG SWF Bill in 2014.
I was one of 4 speakers at Lowy Institute in 2019 on Prime Minister James Marape's maiden address as Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea. In my response to PM Marape's speech I asked him when the PNG Sovereign Wealth Fund was going to be operational?
He responded soon...still waiting...while Papua New Guinea sinks further into massive debt around $20 billion USD while Timor Leste SWF will reach an impressive $20 billion USD soon.
Everything rises or falls depending on the leadership at hand. With this election Papua New Guinea has a chance to vote out the tired old self enriching politicians and vote in genuine servants with a heart and vision for Papua New Guinea.
Under different set of circumstances and leadership PNG would have, minimum $100 billion USD Sovereign Wealth Fund by now.
