PNG ruling party vows to retain power

7:09 pm on 2 May 2017

Papua New Guinea's ruling political party vowed to retain power at the launch of its national election campaign in Port Moresby on Monday.

PNG PM Peter O'Neill

PNG PM Peter O'Neill Photo: AFP / Peter Parks

The People's National Congress Party has endorsed 93 candidates for next month's elections and according to the Post Courier newspaper the outgoing prime minister Peter O'Neill said at the launch that he was confident his party would form the new government in two months time.

Mr O'Neill said his government had brought stability to politics and governance in Papua New Guinea allowing the country to progress.

The PNG Government caucus meeting at Alotau in Milne Bay, July 2016

The PNG Government caucus meeting at Alotau in Milne Bay, July 2016 Photo: Supplied

He listed achievements in education, health and infrastructure development as a result of his government's policies and said he looked forward to bringing more development.

Despite criticisms over the state of the economy the Post Courier reports Mr O'Neill describing PNG as healthy and saying it had experienced growth during the tenure of his government despite overwhelming odds including the global downturn in commodity prices.

Coastal village of Hanuabada, adjacent to the CDB, in Papua New Guinea's capital Port Moresby.

Coastal village of Hanuabada, adjacent to the CDB, in Papua New Guinea's capital Port Moresby. Photo: RNZ/Johnny Blades

Mr O'Neill said his party looked forward to a successful election and to continuing the work it has been doing over the past five years.

He also promised to make education compulsory for every child in Papua New Guinea.

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