Manus MP wants deal on hold

ONE of the two Manus parliamentarians has asked for the asylum-seeker deal to be put on hold until after the Australian election.

ONE of the two Manus parliamentarians -- who is also a vice-minister in the Papua New Guinea government -- has asked for the asylum-seeker deal to be put on hold until after the Australian election.

Ron Knight made a speech in the Manus capital, Lorengau, saying he wants "the whole thing closed down until after the election".

He said he is very disappointed with the lack of spin-off contracts or jobs going to the local community, which he says is preparing to "explode".

Mr Knight, who is Vice Minister for Commerce, Trade and Industry in the Peter O'Neill government, said: "What is being pushed down Manus's throat is wrong. After the Australian election we'll get back to the negotiating table -- or else there is no table".

So far under the new deal, 382 asylum-seekers have been sent to Manus, housed in large marquees in a facility on the Lombrum naval base.

Manus clan leaders Ali Panpan Pinakohon and Abraham Kia told PNG journalist Malum Nalu that while they supported the asylum-seeker project, Manus was getting a raw deal out of it.

Mr Pinakohon said: "Where do we as landowners and Manus people fit into the equation?

If the agreement between the two governments involves spending up to 500 million kina ($234m) for the Angau hospital in the Morobe province, and hundreds of millions for infrastructure development in other centres of the country, what exactly is in it for Manus itself as host province? The rest of the country, except for areas earmarked for resettlement, will be immune to the psychological strain, cultural and religious differences, unknown health-threatening inbound diseases, and other traumatic effects."

Mr Kia said: "We do not oppose this project, (but) since July 19, when (the two prime ministers) signed the agreement, we have not heard anything about what benefits we landowners, and all of Manus, will receive.

"We have all these Australian engineers on the island. We have engineers too. Are we talking about building a rocket?"

They sought about $10m as seed capital to kick-start businesses in Manus that would over the long term support the asylum processing facility.