Treasurer Ian Ling-Stuckey is under fire from the Opposition for allegedly failing to address pressing economic issues in Papua New Guinea. The Deputy Leader of the Opposition and Chuave MP, James Nomane, has accused Ling-Stuckey of diverting attention from real problems by focusing on technical economic terms like "flow" and "stock", and defending his borrowing practices, instead of providing solutions to the country's economic woes. Ling-Stuckey recently accused the Opposition of spreading false information about the economy. However, Nomane argues that the Treasurer's explanations are merely an attempt to showcase his economic knowledge without addressing the everyday challenges faced by Papua New Guineans. The Deputy Opposition Leader urges Treasurer Ling-Stuckey to tackle rising inflation, and job shortages, and to stop interfering with the Central Bank. Nomane demands the Treasurer explain how he will lower the cost of living, create more jobs, and let the Central Bank control interest rates without meddling. He criticizes the government's borrowing, saying funds are being misused, and calls for cutting spending and taxes to fix the economy To expound, Nomane, who is Shadow Minister for Treasury, Finance, Economy, and Rural Development, posed three critical questions that he insists Ling-Stuckey must answer. First, Nomane wants to know how the Treasurer plans to tackle the soaring inflation rates, highlighting the skyrocketing price of a 10kg bag of rice from K50 to K100, causing a significant burden on households across the country. "What will the Treasurer do about the rising cost of living affecting everyone in Papua New Guinea?" Nomane asked. Second, Nomane questioned the employment situation in the country, because despite claims of economic growth, many people, including university graduates, are struggling to find jobs. "Where are the jobs that should come with the supposed economic growth Ling-Stuckey claims?" Nomane queried. He emphasized that economic growth should naturally lead to job creation, but this has not been the case, contradicting economic principles like Okun's Law. Okun's Law is an observed relationship between a country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) GDP and employment levels 12345. GDP is the total value of goods and services produced in a country As for Okun’s Law, it was coined by economist Arthur Okun, and it predicts that a 1% drop in employment tends to be accompanied by a drop in GDP of around 2%. The law describes how changes in unemployment impact economic growth, with a 1% reduction in unemployment leading to a 2% rise in GDP. Third, Nomane criticized Ling-Stuckey for interfering with the Central Bank, arguing that the Central Bank needs to be independent to effectively manage interest rates and control inflation. "Why is the Treasurer meddling with the Central Bank? It should be focused on reducing inflation without interference," Nomane stated. Nomane also took issue with the government's borrowing practices under Prime Minister James Marape, accusing them of wasting funds on unnecessary spending through programs like the CONNECT PNG Program, which he describes as the (alleged) "Con-act PNG", as well as discretionary spending at Treasury. He pointed out the lack of tangible benefits from this borrowing, questioning the absence of new world-class hospitals or schools since 2019. "Our (Opposition’s) diagnosis has revealed that all the borrowing under Marape has been pumped into discretionary spending. This nonsense needs to stop," Nomane declared, and proposed strict measures to cut spending and taxes as a solution to the country's economic problems. Nomane called on Ling-Stuckey to address these concerns directly and stop making videos attacking the Opposition, further urging the Treasurer to provide clear answers and take meaningful action to address the economic issues affecting Papua New Guineans. In a final remark, Nomane referenced a recent parliamentary session where Governor Bird gave Ling-Stuckey a can of tinned fish and a Snax biscuit as a symbolic lesson. "Stop deflecting and talk about issues that matter to the people of Papua New Guinea," Nomane urged.