Wesley Raminai

“On behalf of the people of my electorate and province (Southern Highlands), I want to thank Prime Minister James Marape for appointing me to Cabinet.
“It has been such a long time since the people of Kagua-Erave have had the honor and privilege of having their MP serve in the highest decision making body of executive government.
“I’m humbled by the confidence shown by PM Marape in selecting me over many of my equally capable colleagues to serve in this high office.”

Raminai said this after learning of Chung’s resignation last Friday as president of the Oceania Football Confederation.

Chung cited personal reasons for his exit from the OFC’s top post, but his announcement came at the same time accusations of corruption were levelled against him.

He said that while Chung is required to be given the benefit of the natural course of justice, which is that he is innocent until proven guilty, the “bad publicity is not good for Papua New Guinea”.

They gathered in Port Moresby last Saturday with the Papua New Guinea Olympic Committee in the first Games workshop to share their plans, progress and Games targets.

President of the PNGOC, Sir John Dawanincura, said the Samoa 2019 Pacific Games presents this opportunity for Team PNG to create history on foreign soil.

He also pointed out that it was the Prime Minister, Peter O’Neill, who presented the team with this challenge at the end of the 2015 Pacific Games.

Vice Minister Raminai did not hide the fact that PNG football is split and talks are in progress to bring all factions together.

Friday, the first of February, was historic for football in the country as the FIFA World Cup Trophy made a stop in PNG as part of its tour to over 51 countries worldwide.

The FIFA World Cup Trophy, which arrived from Honiara, Solomon Islands, was unveiled at the Laguna Hotel in Port Moresby.

This is in preparation for the swearing - in of the provinces, Provincial Assembly council members.

Meantime, the Prime Minister, Peter O'Neill, is expected to arrive today as well to be sworn-in.

Other members of the Assembly include Governor, William Powi, Imbonggu MP, Pila Ninigi, Mendi MP, Michael Nali, Nipa Kutubu MP, Jeffrey Komal and Kagua Erave MP, Wesley Raminai.

Meanwhile, police are maintaining road checks and can be observed to be checking vehicles driving into and out of Mendi.

More updates to come.

PNG finished second at the recent Pacific Mini Games in Vanuatu winning 33 gold medals, 30 silver and 22 bronze - 85 in total.

He said other sports need to evaluate what they need to do to repeat the 2015 winning performance of the Pacific Games on home soil.

Raminai vowed he would do his utmost best within his capacity to assist these sports improve to ensure PNG dominates again in 2019.

Raminai said 2017 has been a very good year for sports in Papua New Guinea and 2018 will be no different.

“Of course there are challenges in life we must do our best to navigate but those are realities we are faced with and we must maintain a positive attitude instead of being negative which is detrimental in the personal development of a person.

 “2018 is another new year and we want to come back stronger in whatever we are involved in and therefore we must avoid getting involved in activities that will compromise our well-being.”

The Vice Minister for Sports, National Events & APEC 2018, Wesley Raminai, says: “I would like to send my Christmas and New Year greetings to everybody involved with sports in PNG and the people of Kagua-Erave, who I represent as their elected Member of Parliament.”

Raminai said 2017 has been a very good year for sports in Papua New Guinea.

The Minister told the Kumuls at a farewell dinner, after their 64-nil victory over USA, that the national side has now equalled the 2000 World Cup quarter-finals performance in England.

17 years on from the Kumuls experience then, they now have the opportunity to meet another Northern hemisphere rival in England in the quarter-final in Melbourne, Australia.

Raminai used the opportunity to thank the 2017 World Cup organisers and sponsors Oil Search and NCD, among others for the successful staging of the three pool matches in PNG.

The Vice Minister was met by PNG Olympic Committee President, Sir John Dawanincura and Secretary General, Auvita Rapilla.