PM: Play by the rules

Posted on The National

PRIME Minister James Marape has warned there will be no room for shady deals in the awarding of state contracts, telling bidders and public servants to “play by the rules”.
He said in a statement those who wanted to offer inducement to him, his cabinet ministers and public servants through offers in favour of government contracts, should forget it.
He expects “nothing in return for awarding state contracts”.
“All we expect is (for companies to) do your fair bidding with (the) right price. And get your job done,” Marape said
“I will instruct the new justice minister to bring (to Parliament for approval the) Independent Commission against Corruption (ICAC Bill), in the first instance. So let us all play by the rules going forward.”
He advised contractors to “earn your money to limit as per the work scope”, and public servants and politicians to “earn your salary and don’t ask for special favors”.
“It must start now if it hasn’t started yet,” he said in a statement.
“I will ask the National Procurement Commission to polish the contract ceilings where contracts under K10million are strictly for citizens and local companies. Contracts above that threshold to have local partnership involvement also.”
In a message to companies in the country’s resource sector, he said “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 endowment”.
Marape plans to meet officials from key resources sector who he wants to advise him on how to develop the economy.
“I look forward to your interventions and I have a fresh team of PNG advisers looking into all our resource laws,” he said.
He is also putting everyone “on notice” that laws would be tailored for implementation in 2025 “when the country moves past 50 years of independence”.
“Presently all projects agreements that are in compliance and congruent to all our laws will be honored,” he said.
“We are here to protect our genuine foreign investors who can respect our laws.”
He plans to look into the civil service “to ensure those leading them or working in the rank and file have a belief that they will meaningfully contribute to making Papua New Guinea a truly wealthy country as it supposed to be, where quality health, quality education and quality infrastructure and effective law and order system secure our country”.
Marape said the caretaker cabinet he had come up with was to “appreciate the political structure the government has”.
“But this week I will fill in ministers I assessed that can work in key sectors for productivity and not just for politics convenience,” Marape said.
He urged all citizens including those in his Hela province to stop tribal fights, killings, corruption at all levels and “honor time by being punctual, do little things like stop littering and spitting the red stain of betel nuts”.

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