James Marape

Marape went on to commend the working partnership between Minister Tkatchenko and the Governor for NCD, in improving the livelihood of residents in Moresby South Electorate.

“I want to appreciate the level of clarity Moresby South brings to the table in as far as what an achievable outcome in the space of next five years within the context of vision 2050 for our nation’s prosperity,” said the Prime Minister.

“I will reciprocate tomorrow on our nation’s behalf. We entrench our own bilateral relationships for the better going forward.”

The Prime Minister emphasized that Papua New Guinea has a stronger bilateral relationship with Australia that it does with other countries.

“We have more business-to-business, person-to-person, and government-to-government with Australia than we have with all other bilateral relations.”     

Marape, when congratulating Governor Bird, also announced that the Wewak Camp was moving to Loloata just off Port Moresby, because of the extension of return of writs.

However, he announced that to make up for this, the new government would meet in Wewak immediately after formation for a retreat to draw up its plans and policies.

“I congratulate Governor Bird, one of my strongest supporters despite being a member of National Alliance, for his landslide victory today,” Marape said.

Marape has held this seat for three consecutive terms since 2007. This is his fourth.

He polled 40,913 votes, well above the absolute majority on primary count, or first preference.

Returning Officer Willie Kara declared Mr Marape in Tari at 4.49pm yesteeday afternoon (Sunday, 10th July, 2022).

Marape was declared in front of his family, supporters, counting officials, election observers and the media.

The member-elect thanked the people of Tari-Pori for returning him to office.

“We pray for God’s Hand on the country at this sad time and it is a big loss to his family, people of Bulolo, Morobe, United Labour Party and Papua New Guinea, as we try to come to terms with his passing,” said the Prime Minister.

PM Marape said he was a strong member of the present generation of leaders in Government who had the country at heart

“What makes his untimely passing even sadder is the fact that it happened only hours before nominations open for the 2022 General Election.

He stated this after giving evidence at the COI in Port Moresby on Monday. The COI established in 2019 by Marape is establishing facts surrounding the whole transaction, including persons and entities involved and whether or not the deal followed proper and legal process and procedures.

It has taken two years probing into the UBS loan obtained by the previous government headed by Peter O’Neill to buy shares in Oil Search Limited.

He made this remark at Ponowi Village in Ialibu, Southern Highlands Province, last Friday, January 28, 2022, when officiating at the launching of Siwi Utame Agro Technical High School and Siwi Utame Loop Road.

Both projects are of the Southern Highlands Provincial Government with support from the National Government.

“My Government is visiting the most-remote parts of Papua New Guinea,” Marape said before leaving by helicopter for Kapuna in Kikori, Gulf, to open a new Level 4 hospital.

The Bill allows for governance procedures relating to appointment of directors on the MRDC board, and the election of directors for the MRDC company boards, to commence as mandated by its respective company constitution.

It rectifies the unintended consequences of the current provision in the Principal Act, in that it prevents the refreshing of representational mandate for directors on the MRDC board and project area representative directors on their MRDC Company boards, by subjecting it to the MRDC company constitution and the Companies Act 1997.

Governor Parkop, a strong advocate for the rights of the people of West Papua said it was a milestone despite PM Marape raising it in a very diplomatic and subtle way.

Prime Minister Marape told world leaders at the UNGA: “While commending the UN on the peace efforts in Papua New Guinea. I would also like to recall the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders’ decision in 2019 and the outstanding visit by the UN Human Rights mechanism to address the alleged human rights concerns in our neighbourhood.

He said a new concept which is currently in discussion, is something countries of bigger economies are looking into, to support the little island countries

The Paris Climate Agreement 2019, made as part of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change set a common goal where all the nations are to keep their carbon emissions reduced to around 1.5 degrees Celsius, from where it was during the pre-industrial era.