James Marape in the traditional bilas (finery) of the Huli people
By DANIEL KUMBON - PNG Attitude
PORT MORESBY – Papua New Guinea’s new prime minister James Marape is ready to fight crime and deep-rooted corruption in a country overburdened with billions of kina in foreign debt and poor delivery of basic services like health and education.
PNG’s eighth prime minister, Marape has been a member of parliament since 2011 and has held several important ministerial portfolios.
He did not mince his words in his maiden speech as he warned investors not to approach him, his ministers or public servants with bribes but to earn their money through honest hard work.
“Don’t offer inducements to me or any ministers or public servants,” he said.
Marape also warned public servants and politicians to earn their salary and not to ask for special favours from investors.
People watching his maiden speech with me on a TV screen in Boroko applauded as he declared a crackdown on corruption and a determination for PNG to do more of itself – “we do not need foreigners to export logs,” he said.
“You have a prime minister who expects nothing in return for giving state contracts. All we expect is for you to do your fair bidding at the right price and get your job done”.
Marape is well aware that corruption is already deep-rooted in government systems and eating into every aspect of established society.
No prime minister has addressed the cry by the people to address corruption and law and order problems as openly as he did in this opening declaration.
It is more than 10 years since long-time PNG businessman Sir Ramon Thurecht disclosed that a ‘30% syndicate’ of bureaucrats and politicians existed that solicited businesses for a 30% cut before work could start.
“It is extremely difficult, if you win a contract, to get your money. This has happened to us,” he said.
It was shameful at the time that no politician or bureaucrat stepped forward to counter such a serious allegation coming from a respected citizen.
It demonstrated that the people entrusted to steer PNG were either ignorant or deeply involved in corrupt deals to enrich themselves.
At the time, Sir Ramon, former chairman of the PNG Manufacturers Council, said that “graft and corruption [has] permeated both the bureaucracy and the political level”.
He said businesses would not speak out because of fear the bureaucrats and politicians would retaliate but warned that if the problem was not curbed could lead to businesses closing down.
But now, Marape has set out to reverse the situation and give hope to every citizen and investor that people will operate within the confines of the laws of this country.
It seemed that Marape’s maiden unscripted speech was resonating from an orchestra conducted by the prime minister from the chambers of Parliament House and the sound of sweet music flowed out to soothe the people.
It floated through the valleys deep, over the mountains high, over the savannah dry and over the deep blue oceans to the people glued to their TV sets, radios and mobile phones.
It was a clear message of hope, unity and reconstruction.
It is still early days but the people already seem to accept that the member for Tari Pori is the type of leader PNG needs.
Marape says he will maintain regular contact with the people though his Facebook space.
He has just seen the power of social media through the activities of the member for Madang, Brian Kramer, who effectively used it to play a major part in the downfall of Peter O’Neill.
A young James Marape and his wife
Marape also appears to possess the traits of at least two world leaders – former US president Barack Obama and Australian prime minister Scott Morrison, both of whom are Christians and both of whom married the girl they first met as teenagers and have remained with since.
Marape is the first Seventh Day Adventist prime minister of PNG while Morrison is the first Pentecostal prime minister of Australia. Obama was born a Muslim but was seen as a ‘progressive Christian.
Last Sunday, Marape thanked people for their prayers because he believed God had made it possible for him to ascend to the highest position in the land.
“The former PM’s resignation, my election and all associated events took place under God’s watch; hence I am greatly burdened to ensure the right thing is done for all citizens,” he said.
“In ten years, this country must be the Richest Black Christian Nation.
“That is because we have all the natural resources - gold, copper, iron, coal, gas, oil, nickel, timber, tuna and fish, agriculture, tourism and culture, biomedicine and research, water, fresh unpolluted air and more.”
He said he has a band of likeminded leaders sitting on both sides of the house who will cooperate to grow the economy in a safe and secure environment conducive for all citizens to live honest productive lives.
Marape is adamant he will promote local businesses to benefit from the resources sector by winning contracts to develop PNG.
“I will ask National Procurement Commission to polish the contract ceilings so contracts under K10 million are strictly for citizen and local companies and contracts above that threshold will have local partnership involvement,” he said.
“To local SME and contractors, we have a special incentive plan for you in this mid-level, tidy your company books, pay your honest tax and if you want to go the next phase of your business, we will inject very soft term loans (possibly 5% repayment rate over 40 year period). Be prepared to be part of our program to resuscitate our businessmen and women.
“To multi-national companies who operate in our resources sectors, I am not here to chase you away but to work with you so that we can add value to the benefits that emanates from the harvest of our natural resources. I request you all to assist me as to how we must grow my Papua New Guinea economy.
“I look forward to your interventions and I have a fresh team of PNG advisors looking into all our resource laws and I am putting you all on notice that laws will be tailored for implementation when our country moves past 50 years of independence in 2025.
“Presently all projects agreements that are in compliance and congruent to all our laws will be honoured.
“We are here to protect our genuine foreign investors who can respect our laws as it is now and our intent of policy and legal regime shift into the future.
“To all young educated PNG citizens, I will be asking few of our leaders including myself on your views about Taking Back PNG to interface and pick your thoughts.
“To all our citizens, we are prepared to work, can I ask of you one thing?
“Give me a good law and order environment, stop crime, stop tribal fights (my Hela, please), stop torture of mothers and daughters, stop corruption at all levels, honour time by being punctual, do little things like stop littering and spitting the red stain of betel nuts.
“Let’s all contribute. I am willing to make few hard calls going forward as the chief servant of my country, Papua New Guinea.
“Keep a look out in this space as from time to time I will communicate with the nation using this medium. Please forgive me if I don’t reply as you all will outnumber me but at least you read my thoughts.
“Those of you who want to work with me please align here or offer me better solution to make PNG the Richest Black Christian Nation on earth, where no child in any part of our country is left behind.”
If all or some of what Marape says is achieved within 10 years, he will compare well with Moses of the Old Testament who brought the Israelites out of slavery from Egypt to live in the land God promised.
And God gave this land to the people of the people with rich natural resources.
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