Marape v O’Neill

By REBECCA KUKU and HELEN TARAWA - The National

PRIME Minister James Marape has stressed that his “Move to the Opposition” ultimatum on Tuesday was aimed at the People’s National Congress (PNC) party and Peter O’Neill.
“There is no longer a PNC-led Government. The Government is now led by Pangu Pati.
“So as the leading party, Pangu is showing PNC and its party leader and former premier Peter O’Neill the (political) direction to relocate.
“We are making it clear that Pangu is detaching itself from the PNC,” he added.
Marape made the comments yesterday when The National asked if there was any ultimatum for PNC members, who were ministers, to leave their party.
He said ministers, PNC Members of Parliament (MPs) and members could choose to remain but as a party, Pangu was detaching itself from PNC.
“I have made it public knowledge that we are not here to run PNC’s interest or play second fiddle to PNC. So, party to party, we are detaching ourselves from PNC, especially from O’Neill,” he added.
Marape said it was up to PNC to decide what to do but “we’ve told them to go to the Opposition side (in Parliament)”.
“For the individual cases of ministers and members, they are welcome to choose to stay or move with the party,” he said, adding that “if they decide to stay, I will not kick them out”.
“Because our government is not based on parties. Take for example, the way I was voted as PM, I was supported by MPs from both sides of the political divide.
“And I have (to date) also invited two leaders who did not vote for me to join my Cabinet. So our Government is crossing party lines, we do not intend to be like past governments when the Cabinet members were appointed from a dominant party (in the Government caucus).”
Marape said it was basically about finding the best candidates to do the job.
“It is about bringing like-minded leaders who are ready to put the nation’s interest before their party and personal interests, regardless of which party they come from.
“So the PNC members in Government are welcomed to make their own decisions, but the Pangu-led Government is making it clear to all that we are now detaching ourselves from the PNC and O’Neill,” he added.
Earlier, Marape also spoke to The National saying: “The Government will respect individual leaders and MPs on their decision. The leaders will decide for themselves on which side of the House (Parliament) they wish to be.
“They have every right to make their own judgments, I have no influence in those party board room discussions. I made statements on behalf of the greater coalition we have, so we will let it rest with that.
“The Pangu Pati against the PNC has been declared. Individual members decide for themselves,” he added.
Parliament Speaker Job Pomat, a PNC member, said: “I support the Marape-Steven Government.
“I am the Speaker but I am also a member of PNC and will remain in the party and support the Government,” he added.
Another PNC member, Public Service Minister Westly Nukundj said he would serve the current PM and the Government of the day regardless of party affiliations.
“For us it is not about the political parties, it’s about the Government. And, we all remain committed to Marape. We voted him and we will support him,” Nukundj said.
“It is like-minded leaders coming together to run the country under a new leadership. Our position is we are committed to the current leadership and current Government.
“It is not just me but all the ministers.”

Go to this link for more: https://www.thenational.com.pg/marape-v-oneill/

PPL boss quits after 20 months

Posted on The National

PNG Power Ltd (PPL) acting managing director Carolyn Blacklock quit her job yesterday saying that she was making way for a more productive and healthy relationship with the Government.
In a letter to her team, she said in recent months: “PNG Power had suffered badly from lack of payment for electricity from our largest customer and shareholder the Government”.
Blacklock said PNG Power under her leadership for 20 months had been unable to achieve dispatching power from the commissioned low cost, clean gas-fired NiuPower Power Station.
“As a result, our costs have remained high and we are unable to sustain the double impact of continuing higher costs due to the failure to dispatch from NiuPower and Government not paying its way for electricity.
“I have made a very hard but strategic decision to stand down in the hope it allows relations between PNG Power and our shareholder to normalise and thus allow the reform of our company to continue.
“You have proven that when good people put their heads together, treat each other with care and respect and work hard, anything is possible.
“A change of the scale we have underway requires strong leadership from the board and management but it also requires collaboration and genuine intent from all of you, our customers, development partners, financiers and suppliers.
“You are all trusted to deliver. I am very proud of each little and large effort you have made as individuals and team to make PNG Power a better company.
PPL board chairman Peter Nupiri, who announced Blacklock’s resignation, told The National that she had stepped down as the acting managing director after being appointed by the O’Neill-government in January last year.
He said the board would meet soon to appoint an acting chief executive officer in the interim while recruitment would start for a replacement.
Chief Secretary Isaac Lupari in a statement last night, said: “I am not surprised with Carolyn’s blame game over her resignation.
“She is known to be involved in corporate and local politics and has a habit of undermining established processes and people in Government at all levels.”
Lupari claimed Blacklock undermined the Dino Power Project, owned by landowners from Southern Highlands, Hela, Gulf Western and Central from day one.

Go to this link for more: https://www.thenational.com.pg/ppl-boss-quits-after-20-months/

Scholarship recipients prepare for studies in China

Posted on The National

TWO students from Imbonggu in Southern Highlands say they are ready to study in China and face the new challenge.
Roland Kepikiya and Freddy David, were among the 34 recipients (26 men and eight women) from Papua New Guinea selected to pursue their studies in China on Chinese government scholarships.
Kepikiya, 20, told The National last Thursday during their scholarship presentation in Port Moresby that he aimed to be an economist and hoped getting the scholarship to China would help him achieve that goal.
He said after completing grade 12 at the Mt Hagen Park Secondary School in Western Highlands, he was selected to take up external studies in business at the University of PNG (UPNG).
“Compared to UPNG internal studies, external studies is very expensive and as a student with financial issues, I didn’t have money to pay for a single course,” he said.
“Considering the problem, I saw the Chinese government scholarship programme in the newspaper so I applied for bachelor in economics.
“Being one of the 34 students who won the scholarship, I am very happy and ready to meet the challenges, especially as it will be my first time to be outside of PNG,” he said.
Kepikiya said he wanted to work with the National Government after completing his studies in China.
“It was through them (Government) that we got the chance to pursue our education in another country,” he said.
“I want to give back to the Government and the people of PNG.”
David, 23, who completed grade 12 at Tusbab Secondary School in Madang, told The National that when he came to Port Moresby, a relative informed him about the scholarship so he applied.
“I was a science student in high school and had the ambition to become a health worker,” he said.
“When the opportunity came I went ahead and applied to study basic medicine in China.
“After completing my studies I want to bring back the knowledge to PNG, especially Imbonggu and help deliver services.

Go to this link for more: https://www.thenational.com.pg/scholarship-recipients-prepare-for-studies-in-china/

Opportunity of a lifetime

By PETER ESILA - The National

AN 18-year-old from remote Oksapmin in the Telefomin district of West Sepik, will study in China, thanks to a Chinese government scholarship.
Caleb Frank, along with 25 other Papua New Guineans, received their scholarship at a reception hosted by the Chinese Embassy in Port Moresby on Friday.
“I am thankful for such a golden opportunity,” Frank told The National.
Frank did all is schooling in Oksapmin and in the last two years in Aitape.
He was the dux while doing science at the St Ignatius Secondary School in Aitape in 2016 and applied for mechanical engineering at the University of Technology but was not selected.
“I was disappointed when not selected and was looking for ways to get in,” he said.
He leant of the scholarship through his brother and applied for one in February.
“When this scholarship came in, it was sent from heaven. I was so happy that God  made a way for me to come in.”
Frank will spend the first year studying Chinese language at the Tongji University in Shanghai and will spend four years studying aeronautical engineering in Nanchang Hangkong University in the Jiangxi province.
“I would like to thank God almighty first, my family for financially supporting me and never gave up on me, the people at the Department of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology and the least the Chinese government for providing this scholarship package for Papua New Guinea students.”
Chinese Ambassador Xue Bing said over the last 14 years about 300 PNG students received scholarships from his government.
“Many of them have come back to the country, working in different departments and organisations and played an important role in the national construction and for the promotion of friendship between China and Papua New Guinea,” Bing told the recipients at the farewell reception at the Chinese Embassy.


Go to this link for more: https://www.thenational.com.pg/opportunity-of-a-lifetime/