Prime Minister James Marape is confident his economic record can stand up to scrutiny, challenging former Prime Minister Peter O’Neill to a public debate to determine who managed Papua New Guinea’s economy better during their respective six-year terms in office.

Marape has thrown down the challenge, proposing a nationally televised debate at the University of Papua New Guinea (UPNG), where both leaders would present their economic achievements backed by official statistics.

The Prime Minister, in a statement released this afternoon, says he wants his administration’s performance between 2020 and 2025 compared against O’Neill’s government from 2012 to 2018, leaving out 2019 as a transition year.

“I have heard former Prime Minister Peter O’Neill speaking about his record as an economic manager. I am now challenging him to a public debate where we can both present our economic records before the people of Papua New Guinea,” Marape said.

Rather than continuing their political exchanges through the media, Marape wants the two leaders to face off in a moderated public forum, allowing Papua New Guineans to assess their respective economic performances.

He insists the comparison should go beyond political claims and focus on measurable economic outcomes, including economic growth, government debt, budget deficits, revenue collections, employment creation, and foreign investment.

Other key areas he wants examined include the performance of the kina, foreign exchange availability, the country's foreign currency reserves, and the overall structure of the economy.

“Numbers do not lie. Let the numbers speak for themselves and let the people of Papua New Guinea decide who has been the better economic manager,” he said.

Marape has proposed that the debate be independently moderated at UPNG, with students, academics, economists, business representatives, members of the public and international observers invited to attend.

He also wants the event broadcast live on television and digital platforms to ensure the wider public can follow the discussion.

The challenge now puts the spotlight on two former and current national leaders, with Marape seeking to defend his government's economic record against that of his predecessor.

Whether O’Neill accepts the challenge remains to be seen.