James Marape

Prime Minister Marape and Treasurer Ian Ling-Stuckey agreed to the Landmark Funding Package with Australia.

The PM has conveyed his gratitude to the Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg, Minister Alex Hawke and the people of Australia.

The funding assistance comes after PM Marape’s first state visit to Australia where he had discussions with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morison about the challenges facing the country.

He made this comment while giving his keynote address at the first ever PNG Political Parties and Women in Political Leadership Forum in Port Moresby recently.

Marape said although there are no women in Parliament in this term, women’s participation in political leadership in the country is not bleak.

However, there is still room for improvement – without infringing on the rights of the citizens of Papua New Guinea – to choose the leaders they believe can serve the interest of the people and the country best.

They include Charles Abel, Alfred Manase, Petrus Thomas and Elias Kapavore.

This was announced following the swearing in of National Alliance Party Leader, Patrick Pruaitch, and his Deputy, Timothy Masiu, as Ministers as well as United Resources Party Parliamentary Leader, William Duma, and his Deputy Jelta Wong.

Pruaitch now takes on the Foreign Affairs and International Trade portfolio, Masiu as Communication and Information Minister, while Duma has been allocated the Commerce and Industry Portfolio, and Wong as Health & HIV/AIDS Minister.

The Prime Minister also gave his firm commitment that the government will not harm the country’s reputation as a safe investment destination.

The Prime Minister made this statement when responding to former Prime Minister Peter O’Neill on the shutdown of Ramu Mine.

O’Neill had said the decision to close the mine was not economical.

The national land reform program phase II was launched in Port Moresby on the evening of October 17^th.

During the launch in Port Moresby, Prime Minister James Marape said every Papua New Guinean is a landowner.

“We all own land which is a valuable and central asset to our societies,” he said.

“Land reform is a vehicle for ordinary Papua New Guineans to constructively engage in the opportunities that will be provided through successful implementation of this reform.

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Soroi Eoe made this clear in parliament on October 16^th.

He was asked that simple and significant question by member for Rabaul Dr Allan Marat.

Dr Marat said the policy had changed overtime that is was important they stick to one.

Prime Minister James Marape on October 14^th met with his Solomon Islands counterpart, Manasseh Damukana Sogavare, in Port Moresby.

Economic trade and investment was among areas of mutual interest both leaders discussed during their meet in Port Moresby yesterday.

Border Security, the Bougainville Referendum, labour mobility and employment opportunities and issues surrounding the Melanesian Spearhead Group were among those high on the agenda.

Prime Minister James Marape made this announcement on the floor of Parliament after being questioned by Opposition Leader and Vanimo-Green MP, Belden Namah.

Waves of mass protests and violence have hit the region of West Papua since mid-August.

The Human Rights Watch has reported the recent death of 33 people during the Wamena riots in Papua, and said “since September 29, 2019, at least 8,000 indigenous Papuan and other Indonesians have been displaced from their homes in Papua”.

When responding to a ‘question without notice’ from North-Fly MP, James Donald, in Parliament on Tuesday (Oct 8), Prime Minister James Marape said they aim to implement the initiative starting next year.

“That is something that we are preparing and our Minister for Higher Education is in advanced stage in tailoring the exact principles and policies towards how we will ensure this comes to fruition or materialises,” responded Marape.

“And agriculture will generate income for the family and the nation,” said Prime Minister James Marape during the October 4th South Pacific Institute of Sustainable Agriculture Conference, which was held at the University of Technology in Lae.

“The greatest individual, country and global need is not oil, gas, gold, iron, timber, etc but food and oxygen. We have both here in abundance in PNG.