The Deputy Opposition Leader, James Nomane, has invited Fisheries Minister Jelta Wong, along with Treasury Minister Ian Ling-Stuckey and Finance Minister Mickey Kaeok, to a public debate at the University of Papua New Guinea on September 2nd, a day before Parliament resumes. Nomane's call comes following him being criticised by Fisheries Minister Jelta Wong after Nomane labelled the 2024 National Budget as a 'failure'. The Deputy Opposition Leader in an earlier statement, stated that the Marape government has failed to implement the 2024 National Budget, with only 30% of the budget executed after 10 months. He stated that despite a historic K27.377 billion budget, critical sectors like health remain severely underfunded, leading to preventable deaths, further stating that the government’s financial management, including high taxes, excessive borrowing, and money printing, has exacerbated the cost-of-living crisis. He challenged the ministers to defend their policies in front of the next generation of leaders at UPNG, without any data material. "I take note of the emphatic support of the Prime Minister by the Fisheries Minister, Jelta Wong, in decrying my statement that the 2024 National Budget is a failure," the Deputy Opposition Leader said yesterday in a statement after issuing the debate challenge. "I now challenge this Minister for Fisheries to bring the Ministers for Treasury and Finance, Ian Ling-Stuckey, and Miki Kaeok, respectively, to a public debate at the University of Papua New Guinea on Monday 2nd September 2024." "I cannot apologize for my promulgation that the Marape government has failed to implement the 2024 National Budget of K27.377 billion. I stand by my position that the reality for Papua New Guineans does not match the rhetoric, and that the Prime Minister and his Cabinet, including this Fisheries Minister, do not have the wherewithal to improve socio-economic indicators." "This public debate will give the Fisheries Minister a real opportunity to demonstrate to the nation, and the next generation of leaders at UPNG, that he has the policy acuity and full grasp of the economy to solve problems." "For this debate there will be no notes, no phones, and no support staff," Nomane said, adding, "I will take on these three Ministers in a public debate and call them out for their complicit involvement in the total failure of the 2024 National Budget." "This is a simple challenge, so we stop this nonsense of hiding behind written statements." "Come out to the people of Papua New Guinea and articulate your policy position, defend the Marape government, and call me out for my 'grandstanding hogwash'." "I hope the Fisheries Minister and his colleagues embrace this challenge in the name of democracy." "These Minister must come out to the public and defend their performance in the Marape government." "We shall all eagerly await their response to accept or reject this invitation for debate."