Tari-Pori MP

Marape i namba 8 Praim Minista

Gavana bilong Enga, Sir Peter Ipatas, i bin nominetem Marape na Manus Gavana Charlie Benjamin i bin strongim dispela.

Ialibu-Pangia MP Peter O’Neill, husat Oposisen Lida Patrick Pruaitch i bin nominetim em, i bin amamas long dispela nominesen tasol bihain em i senisim tingting gen na i tok nogat taim Rabaul MP Dr Allan Marat i nominetim Sir Mekere Morauta. Etpela MP tasol i bin vot long Sir Mekere Morauta.

Long moning bilong Me 30, i bin gat 109 MP tasol i givim vot na tupela i no vot em wanpela bilong ol i Madang MP Bryan Kramer.

Marape is 8th PM

Marape, who collected 101 votes today, is the Pangu Pati leader.

He was nominated by Governor for Enga Sir Peter Ipatas and was seconded by Manus Governor Charlie Benjamin.

Ialibu-Pangia MP Peter O’Neill was nominated by Opposition Leader Patrick Pruaitch but later withdrew his nominee when Rabaul MP Dr Allan Marat nominated Sir Mekere Morauta.

Only eight MPs voted for Sir Mekere.

Out of the 111 MPs, 109 votes were counted. The obvious exclusion was Speaker Job Pomat while Madang MP Bryan Kramer was not present in the chamber during that time.

Marape, Duma back with Govt

He came with his team straight from Parliament.

Leader of United Resources Party, William Duma, and his team have also defected to the Crown camp.

The leaders are now in a meeting and will be calling a press conference soon.

Abau MP Sir Puka Temu was the first to cross the floor this morning to the Government benches after the confirmation of Peter O’Neill’s resignation as Prime Minister.

Meantime, Parliament will meet tomorrow to appoint a new Prime Minister.

More updates to come…

Marape joins PANGU

In a press conference this morning at Laguna Hotel, Pangu Party's new leader and Morobe Governor Ginson Saonu issued a formal invitation which Marape and his former fellow PNC members accepted.

Marape said they are an alliance of 26 likeminded leaders who are combining with National Alliance led Opposition.

“I am happy on behalf of the group that I led out of PNC and with advice from Sir Peter Ipatas, that we now accept invitation to move into Pangu party,” Marape said.

Over K300m in royalties in bank: Minister

Minister for Finance and Tari-Pori MP, James Marape, confirmed the amount in a press conference in Port Moresby recently.

After launching the Landowner Beneficiaries Identification (LOBID) exercise in Hela on Wednesday, Finance Minister James Marape and Petroleum Minister Fabian Pok have assured the landowners that their royalty is still being kept at the Central Bank awaiting the completion of the LOBID exercise.

Minister Marape said the Government is ready to pay the landowners but the onus is now on them to get together and identify their land.

Marape petition dismissed

The National Court this afternoon dismissed the petition Johnny Pokaya filed, disputing Marape's win in the 2017 General election.

A jubilant court victory for James Marape and his supporters today, the election petition, alleging he committed bribery was dismissed following a trial conducted by Justice David Cannings. 

Trial ends in Tari-Pori petition

Trial by evidence came to a close on Monday morning after James Marape as well as the President of the Tebi LLG, Tawi Pulumaya, gave evidence in court.

They gave evidence in relation to allegations of bribery that is said to have occurred on Sunday 25th June 2017, at Paipali village, in the Tari Urban LLG, where K10,000 cash was allegedly given by Marape to Pulumaya.

Parties will return to court on Wednesday for submission before court adjourns to deliberate on the evidence to reach a decision.

This is the petition filed by Johnny Pokaya.

Bribery ground left in Tari-Pori petition

One ground alleging bribery and undue influence respectively were struck out this morning after Marape’s lawyer, Robert Leo, successfully moved a no-case submission before Justice David Cannings.

Following the commencement of trial on Wednesday afternoon, petitioner Johnny Pokaya presented his evidence and witnesses in court.

This morning Marape moved a no-case submission saying there was no case for him to answer to as the petitioner did not provide enough evidence to sustain the allegations.

Petition against Marape continues to trial

Marape’s lawyer filed an application, to summarily dismiss one of the two petitions, that was filed against the Minister for Finance and Rural Development.

It was filed after Petitioner, Johnny Pokaya’s lawyers failed to comply with directions of the court, which were issued on September 13, to assist parties prepare themselves for trial.

Pokaya’s lawyer did not comply with orders to file witness statements by October 4, as they were dealing with another interlocutory application by Marape’s lawyers to have the case dismissed.