Eremas Wartoto, the local businessman who was given K10 million from the former government to set up his airline, Travel Air, has fought back claiming that he is not the first to receive such a grant and has called for names of recipients, past and present, to be published.
He has called on the secretaries for the Department of Finance, Treasury and the National Planning to publish the cheque register from 2007 until this year and list the people who have received grants from the government.
He claimed the grant he received was like the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Coastal Shipping Vessel subsidies, and he alleges that attacks against him were politically motivated. He also challenged the 109 members of parliament to start delivering services to the people instead of mere lip service.
Mr. Wartoto has also announced his intention to sue those involved in the media attacks against him including the Ombudsman Commission.
Bernard Sinai 