Prime Minister James Marape

The Prime Minister has instructed Police to give a full account of the last steps of the Deputy Prime Minister, the journey the oncoming driver took, and every circumstance behind what happened in the lead-up to his passing.

“A report is expected for us to bring to full conclusion the passing of our nation’s Deputy Prime Minister,” said Prime Minister Marape.

The P.M said the loss of Basil to the nation was one that words cannot express.

He added that the nation is coming to grips with the passing, for the first time, of a serving deputy prime minister.

Present to receive the casket at the airport, was Prime Minister James Marape, Minister in charge of National Events Justin Tkatchenko, fellow MPs and members of the United Labor Party.

Relatives and the general community in Port Moresby showed up to mourn with the family of the late Deputy Prime Minister.

Prime Minister Marape described the death of the late Deputy as incomprehensible and unexpected.

He made the call at Kerevat this week when launching the Gazelle Agro Industrial Special Economic Zone (SEZ).
It is a project of the Gazelle District Development Authority (DDA) of MP and Health Minister, Jelta Wong, which will focus on its rich agriculture and tuna potential.

PM Marape said he had repeated that same message throughout the country that people must turn to agriculture, with the Government financially supporting that, through price support.

The PNGDF FOB was opened last Friday by Defence Minister, Win Daki, during PM Marape’s visit to Tari.

Also present were State Enterprises Minister William Duma, Public Service Minister Joe Sungi, Hela Governor Philip Undialu, PNGDF Commander Major-General Mark Goina and Defence Secretary John Akipe.

The establishment of the PNGDF FOB in Tari follows the signing of an agreement between the Hela Provincial Government and PNGDF in June 2020.

They met with Prime Minister James Marape to emphasise the company’s continued commitment to invest and grow in PNG.

Harmony’s financial director, Boipelo Lekubo, and senior group executive – enterprise risk and investor relations, Marian van der Walt, spoke of Harmony’s investment in PNG since 2004 and the company’s pursuit of multiple opportunities in the Morobe Province, of which the Wafi-Golpu Project is one.

Pomalieu Nangesan - Parliamentary Chairman to Natural Resource Center, said Manus has a vast sea landmass and with this development of coastal fisheries, the Manus people and provincial government appreciate and acknowledge the launching of this project and the support of the stakeholders. 
 
Ambassador of Japan to Papua New Guinea Nobuyuki Watanabe said Japan has a deep relationship with Manus especially in the agriculture field. 
 

In 2014, the O’Neill-led Government obtained an AUD$1.3 billion loan from the Union Bank of Switzerland to acquire a 10.1% share interest in Oil Search Limited.

The UBS Loan deal attracted intense criticism from the public, international observers, and members of parliament as the deal was entered into within a very short space of time without detailed scrutiny.  

Prime Minister James Marape said this in Wewak on Thursday, April 14 2022 when opening K25 million worth of infrastructure at Divine Word University’s St Benedict’s Campus. 

The infrastructure development includes housing for lecturers, two double classrooms, an incubation laboratory, library extension, accommodation for students, two units for visitors, and dining hall extension.

“As a Government, we are cognisant of the need to build more infrastructure for schools,” PM Marape said.

It is a time to reflect on ourselves in our life’s journey and appreciate our existence here on earth, said Prime Minister, James Marape in his Easter message to the country.
 
“Fellow Papua New Guineans, while most are used to the meaning of Easter as the death, resurrection and ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ and the gift of salvation for all people, there is another message we as the people of a Christian Nation can take from the events of Easter. 
 

The call was made on the third anniversary of Marape’s resignation from the O’Neill-led government.
 
The PM, on April 11, 2019, resigned in protest at the way the country was being run.
 
Reflecting on that momentous occasion, the Prime Minister urged the people “to exercise your right to vote wisely in the 2022 elections”.
 
“Don’t vote for money, don’t vote for relatives, and don’t vote for people or parties who have sold your birthright,” he said.