Sitting Kavieng MP, Ben Micah responded to Prime Minister’s remarks in New Ireland made last Thursday where he said Micah’s rhetoric on cancelling APEC is hot air politics.
Micah is now calling for an open debate with the Prime Minister on the APEC stating reasons as to why he said what he said.
“I want to debate [the] Prime Minister, Powes Parkop and Justin Tkatchenko on APEC,” said Micah.
PM O’Neill has already told a crowd of hundreds in Kavieng that the Sitting MP’s call has backfired on himself. He said Micah cancelling the APEC meeting would mean, putting a stop to the APEC Tourism Minister’s meeting in Kavieng in 2018.
“The Tourism Ministers of the 21 most powerful countries in the world will be here in Kavieng, what a great opportunity for you to display tourism,” said PM O’Neill.
Micah said the economy cannot sustain an expensive event and an international review about the economy doesn’t show what is truly happening in the country.
“I want him to drive on the Okuk Highway, I drove on it three weeks ago, Goroka down to Lae; forget about Moody’s and all those institutions,” said Micah.
But, Prime Minister O’Neill is adamant that APEC will bring the exposure PNG needs for economic growth.
“ Our country is starting to get the recognition from plenty of leaders all around the world, investment communities are thinking of PNG, we need capital, we need investors, we need technology, we need education,” said O’Neill.
The sitting Kavieng MP is amongst many candidates like Gary Juffa and Sam Basil criticising the government over the APEC summit.
They are basing their arguments on the three-day event that would cost tax payers hundreds of millions of Kina.
However on polling day the people will decide who takes on the responsibility of hosting the APEC meet.
For now, both the Kavieng MP and Prime Minister are confident of forming government.
