Prime Minister Michael launches new Gazelle District Office in Kerevat - 4/10/03

[***aCe***]

Papua New Guinea cannot sustain their health and education system with aid funds from friends. In fact,an independent Papua New Guinea cannot be sustained by depending on aid from donor countries.

Prime Minister Michael Somare said when launching the new Gazelle District Office in Kerevat, East New Britian Province on the 2nd of October 2003.

"We can sustain ourselves only through economic development. We must attract foreign investment into the country and keep them here. We must stimulate established companies to re-invest in the country.

"We must provide opportunities for our people to engage in productive economic activities. We must use all that are in and on our land and sea to live a full productive life.

"Let us move out of our comfort zones and face the inevitable realities," Sir Michael said.

He added that PNG must relate with other countries on equal terms but should no longer rely on friends as the acceptable way of doing things and to that extent neglect its responsibilities to itself.

He said: "The Government that I lead came to office 13 months ago with the determinationto make a difference. The then ruling party's bid to maximize its advantage at the 2002 Elections plunged the country into deep financial difficulties. We are still experiencing the pains today."

The Prime Minister sir Michael Somare unveils plaque at the opening of the new Gazelle district office in East New Britian province, while ministers Peter Yama and Sinai Brown look on.

[***aCe***]

The following is the statement by the Prime Minister on the occasion of the opening of the Gazelle District office at Kerevat

Acknowledgements

Thank you for inviting me to be with you here today.

Our Government was put together here in East New Britain. It was at Vunapope Mission Headquarters that the Members of Parliament present signed "The Irrevocable Kokopo Commitment". Together with the "The Gateway Memorandum of Agreement" signed by the Leaders of seven political parties and the basis for the current Coalition Government was secured.

The Government has been in office for almost 13 months now. Of the five Members ofParliament from East New Britain, three are in Cabinet. All of them are in Government.
East New Britain plays a very vital role in charting the course that our country should take through the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Ministry of National Planning and Monitoring, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Immigration and the development of gas and petroleum and through the Provincial Government.

East New Britain is well endowed with natural resources. It has the land, the sea and importantly the people to turn the province into an example that the rest of country can follow. East New Britain has a history of making things work.

Today we meet here to celebrate another example of what it means to make things work. The Gazelle District is showing the way under the able leadership of the Honorable Sinai Brown supported by competent Local Government leaders and
committed officers.

I recall the provinces of the Islands Region being very much against the way in which the National Government in the 1990s spearheaded the abolition of the system of provincial government that I put in place and replaced it with the
system that we now have. Premier Sinai Brown at that time was part of a small band of Island Leaders who were accused of trying to break up the country.

A traditional welcome for the Prime Minister and his delegation to East New Britian

[***aCe***]

You opposed the changes because the provincial government system at that time was working relatively well here. The change would mean that you would forego all the advancements that you had made and start again from the beginning with everyone else. That is exactly what had happened.

Today you are working hard to make the new system work even though it has inherent defects. With the District Office, the administration of the Gazelle District will be carried out from Kerevat. The planning, resourcing, managing and monitoring of the development process in the Gazelle District will be done
from here.

We cannot afford to be forever negative. We must see the abundance of opportunities on the other side of difficulties, hardships and challenges that we face. Leaders at all levels must be visionary and practical. If you are not visionary and practical, then who will be?

Papua New Guinea is basically an egalitarian society. Our Government has been guided by this philosophy in carrying out its functions over the years. In as much as this is good, it also provides few challenges for our people.

In fact, those who do well are being discouraged and held back to wait for others to catch up. We seem to reward wastage and mismanagement and victimize those who are efficient and productive. This is a recipe for a perpetual state of demise.

This is where East New Britain comes in as a pace setter.

I have received a report from the province requesting for greater autonomy in exercising powers relating to administration, finance and politics. Neither the National Government nor other provinces should hold back East New Britain and other provinces that are ready to spread their wings and aim high. They should be allowed to do greater things to show what can be done.

For too long many of us in Papua New Guinea have been preoccupied with the fear that if we allow provinces to exercise more authority they will either mess it up or they will go further to break away from the rest of the country.

We must acknowledge that Waigani has no ready solution to the development challenges of our diverse country. Our people and the wealth of our country are in the provinces. The people must be allowed to develop those resources to develop the country. They must also retain adequate amounts of the wealth to
develop themselves.

It is in this context that I personally support the approach the province is taking in its quest for greater autonomy. It is very much consistent with my party's policy.

Sir Michael - Speaking during the occasion of the opening of the new district office

[***aCe***]

In saying this, let me also say that for the past 28 years Papua New Guinea had advanced politically. The democratic system of government has become entrenched in our way of life. Our Parliament is elected every 5 years. We have a public service that functions. And we have a judiciary which is independent and
vibrant. Politics has come to dominate our lives. We must pause for a moment and take stock of what we must do next.

When I announced the export driven economic recovery policy 13 months ago, I yearned for the country to partner with the private sector and the citizens to become economically viable. In commemorating the 28th year of our political and constitutional independence in September, I said I want to leave behind a legacy of Papua New Guinea as an economically independent country when I leave active politics at the end of this term of Parliament.

The Prime Minister chats with Sir Paulus Matane of East New Britain Province.

[***aCe***]

I have four more years to do this and I need your help to make it happen. We moved from exporting copra to processing coconut oil here in East New Britain. We can also move from exporting cocoa to manufacturing cocoa products here in
Papua New Guinea. Why not?

I am tired of hearing that Papua New Guinea is rich in natural resources yet she is a very poor country. I am tired of watching too many of our mothersand children die because of causes that can be prevented.

I am tired of reading and watching the hard work of our people including their lives being destroyed by some of our own people. I am tired of those who want to help us but who hold back their help until we do what they want.


color=darkred]The people of East New Britain presents Prime Minister with a gift[/color]

[***aCe***]

We cannot sustain our health and education system with aid funds from friends. In fact, an independent Papua New Guinea cannot be sustained by depending on aid from donor countries.

We can sustain ourselves only through economic development. We must attract foreign investment into the country and keep them here. We must stimulate established companies to re-invest in the country.

We must provide opportunities for our people to engage in productive economic activities. We must use all that are in and on our land and sea to live a full productive life.

Let us move out of our comfort zones and face the inevitable realities. We must relate with other countries on equal terms. Let us no longer rely on friends as the acceptable way of responsibilities to ourselves.

The Government that I lead came to office 13 months ago with the determination to make a difference. The then ruling party's bid to maximize its advantage at the 2002 Elections plunged the country into deep financial difficulties. We are still experiencing the pains today.

The initiatives that the government has taken in the mining and agriculture sectors are having positive outcome. We are experiencing so far positive revenue performance from both these sectors.

Our foreign reserve has reached an all time high of US$400 million.

The National Parliament last week passed the Revised Organic Law on the Integrity of Political Parties and Candidates. At the same time the Parliament successfully passed the first votes on Amendments to the Organic on Provincial Governments and Local-level Governments allowing for fairer and more equitable
financing of provincial and local level governments and Amendment to Section 145 of the National Constitution extending the grace period for a vote of no confidence from 18 months to 36 months.

These laws should see greater political stability in the country. And political stability is a prerequisite for economic development.

The East New Britain Provincial Government can play a major role in turning the province into an economic hub for the country. If greater autonomy is the way to achieve economic development then let it be so.

Instead of depending on millions of aid money to establish basic services, we must use revenue generating projects to build and maintain schools, roads, health services and communication network. It will not happen over night. But
when it happens, we will not burden the future generations with the debts to repay and load them with the chronic condition of dependency.

I now officially open the District Office Headquarters of the Gazelle District here in Kerevat.

Prime Minister
Sir Michael Somare