By James Marape -via Fackbook Post
May I thank all PNGeans and especially families and people of the 50 firm leaders from the opposition side who rallied behind me as their alternative PM. I am humbled by this bestowment through great Melanesian consensus by all leaders in our Laguna camp.
Amongst 50 MPs of equal standing , I was chosen and for that my people of Hela and especially Pori Tari will be for ever grateful, and what we offer is a truly authentic Melanesian leadership style where decisions at all levels are consensus and system based instead of individual inclinations.
As we set out to do, last Tuesday we lodge the Vote of no confidence motion to Parliament. And through the various motion moved by government, despite knowing we were short on numbers, we contested the motions to tell the nation that we almost there and we were short by only 6 votes.
I know many good Members of Parliament are in the present government side, much more then the six I am looking for so I ask the public including those of us in the opposition side not to bash them. These MPs are going through moments of mental discernment and I am a hundred percent sure many of them will make it right at their own timing because circumstances vary amongst MPs, so let us respect their rights.
The 26 MPs who left with me the comforts of O’Neil government, may I say are Leaders of great courage and conviction. If money and power and privileges of a Minister cannot hold back them from government that is printing cheques as inducements, I am positive that mindset change has befall on many leaders mind especially the new generations of leaders who want to truly make the wealth of this blessed country and hence we rally on the catch cry of Honorable Garry Juffa, a great peer and compatriot of mine who has been preaching ‘take back PNG’ since 2012.
We join him and the strong 24 original opposition for this coalition of like minded leaders now numbering 50 who want to fight for greater returns from our natural resources. Our country has oil, gas, gold, copper, nickel, timber, fish, coffee, copra, oil palm, vanilla, and edible organic agricultural produces, we have cultural, geographical and bio diversity for both recreational and niche tourism; yet we have been poor since 1975.
We facing 50 years of independence by 2025 and after consistent advises to PM O’Neil to change some of the resource laws we have in the country so that we can gain greater value from our resources, my advises continue to fall on deaf years, that’s why I resigned especially at the back of Papua LNG project signing. I am now comforted to know many present leaders share my view to rise up and take back PNG’s natural resources and add value to them.
The wind of change is surely blowing, and we may lose one battle now but this is a war of many battles, that will go on well after the government is changed. The war of alleviating poverty from our midst will be going on for a long time but I believe it will be won and soldiers are needed in this long war.
A country so rich in assets yet so poor by all measures of development indexes and that is the war we are fighting. I believe O’Neil’s mindset submits to corporate and individual business interest; and after 7 years of trying to shift his focus on policy changes in mining act, oil and gas act, forestry act, fisheries act, giving tax incentives to local based companies, specially focus on SME expansion, increase on local participation in business, he continues to yield towards foreign, corporate and individual interest.
Today I am told that police has been asked to look at myself and other leaders like Powi and Undialu for convoluted charges, PM PO is also working to freeze both Hela and SHP accounts and vindictively look into possibilities of suspending these provincial governments and may I say , we don’t subscribe to treats and intimidations.
The name like Marabe, Powi and Undialu lived in Southern Highlands part of our country for centuries before white men and other names arrived, and these names will live on well after James and William and Philip are removed from our jobs as present day MPs. We fear no one except God, and if Iam doing wrong only God will punish me and my compatriots. Our body may die but our spirits will be passed on to our younger brothers , sisters and children.
We knew our efforts to change government might be futile but based on principles and convictions we detached from cultural and tribal ties to carry the national interest. You can kill me now, and I may never be PM but the wind of mindset change has arrived. This is revolution I am starting, to shift of power from leaders before me to leaders who will come after me.
This war will go on with or without me, before me and Powi and Undialu and Manasse arrived in opposition, there was a Garry Juffa, there was a Dr Lino, a Lelang, a Kramer , a Bird and the list goes on, these army of fighters for their children rights will continue on and on and on until we make PNG the richest black Christian nation on earth!
On the 28th of May those of us in the alternate government will march to Parliament on the new Chinese government funded boulevard and I call on Speaker of Parliament not to tamper with the process as people will march with us to Parliament if they want to and if more then 56 Members of Parliament are marching with me, then I beg you to ensure Parliament process is run and not sabotaged as shown on the 7th of May.
This a a revolution of mind set, we will not be subservient to individual, and corporate capitalist greed anymore. Take back PNG!
Hulukumaiya!
No comments:
Post a Comment