Minister for Public Enterprises, Sir Mekere Morauta, on
Wednesday accepted a dividend payment cheque from Air Niugini for K6.45 million.
The dividend is the first the airline has paid since it was
corporatised in 1996.
Sir Mekere welcomed the payment, made at the unveiling of
the airline’s new Boeing 737 airliner in Port Moresby on Wednesday.
“The principal that they must pay dividends is very
important,” he said.
“It helps instil commercial
discipline in public enterprises and it recognises that the people of Papua New
Guinea, through the national government, are owners of these organisations and
are entitled to a return on their investment.”
The cheque is
to reimburse Air Niugini’s share of a K50-million dividend paid by Independent
Public Business Corporation (IPBC) to the Consolidated Revenue Fund earlier
this year.
Sir Mekere said
this was the first year since 2007 that public enterprises have paid dividends.
“The fact that
they are now able to do so reflects the reforms introduced after the
O’Neill-Namah government was elected on the floor of parliament last year,” he
said.
“My reforms,
which focus on independence from political influence for IPBC and its public enterprises,
accountability and transparency, efficient business practices and improved
service delivery, are clearly working.
“There have
been significant operational and governance improvements across all enterprises,
and I look forward to a lift in service delivery standards in the coming years
.“I implore the
incoming government to continue with these reforms and most importantly I hope
they see the wisdom and practicality of earmarking some of the Sovereign Wealth
Fund cash for infrastructure development and public enterprise rehabilitation.”
Three other
public enterprises have paid dividends this year.
They are Eda
Ranu with K3 million, PNG Ports with K15 million, and Water PNG with K500, 000.
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