Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape says the ministerial line-up he announced Sunday reflects the Government’s vision of taking back the country.
 
“My ministerial line-up is part of reconstructing our country,” Prime Minister Marape said.
 
“This line-up combines youth, dynamism, vigor, energy and experience in taking back our country from the wrong path of corruption and complacency we have been travelling on for so long, especially over the last 10 years.”
 
Prime Minister Marape said to turn around Papua New Guinea was not a task that could be achieved in 18 months.
 
“However, we have started well, embarking on reforms in the resource sector, public service sector and law-and-justice sector,” he said.
 
“For instance,  the Organic Law on Independent Commission against Corruption (ICAC), after more than 25 years of talking by successive governments, was delivered under my leadership and we are working to set it up.
 
“We are also turning MV PNG in the right direction,  where people and country participate in in, to earn more from all resources our God has blessed us with.
 
“This fight will not stop and the journey of all my Government’s public policies would be into this discourse.”
 
Prime Minister Marape said reforms  in mining, oil and gas, forestry and fisheries must be for the benefit of landowners and provincial governments and the rest of the country through the National Government.
 
“This is the difference between my Government and governments of the past, including ringleaders of the Opposition’s ‘Crown Camp’,” he said.
 
“The difference between the ‘Crown Camp’ and the ‘Loloata Retreat’ is that they were playing yesterday's politics and trying to maintain the same policies that held back our country over the last 45 years.
 
“My team wants to break free and follow a different path - one that should give our people and country full economic independence  and not be dependent on others.”
 
1. Prime Minister and Bougainville Affairs James Marape
2. Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce and Industry Sam Basil
3. Treasury Ian Ling-Stuckey
4. Finance and Rural Development Sir John Pundari
5. National Planning and Monitoring  Rainbo Paita
6. State Enterprises William Duma
7. Foreign Affairs and Trade Soroi Eoe
8. Public Service Joe Sungi
9. Petroleum Kerenga Kua
10. Forestry  Walter Schnaubelt
11. Mining Johnson Tuke
12. Works Michael Nali
13. Education Jimmy Uguro
14. Higher Education and Sports Wesley Raminai
15. HealthJelta Wong
16. Immigration and Border Security Westly Nukunj
17. Labour and Employment Tomait Kapili
18. Agriculture John Simon
19. Tourism, Isi Henry Leonard
20. Civil AviationSaki Agisa
21. Environment and Conservation Wera Mori
22. Police William Onglo
23. Correctional Service Win Daki
24. Community Development Wake Goi
25. Defence  Solan Mirisim
26. Justice Bryan Kramer
27. Information Communication and Technology  Timothy Masiu
28. Fisheries Dr Lino Tom
29. Inter-Government Relations Pila Niningi, MP
30. Housing  Justin Tkatchenko
31. Lands and Physical PlanningJohn Rosso
32. Energy and Rural DevelopmentSaki Soloma
33. Transport William Samb
 
Meanwhile, former PNG foreign affairs Minister Rimbink Pato has announced he is moving on from his role as United Party leader to join the Pangu Party.
 
“Now is the time for unity and esperience as PNG tackles challenging economic and social conditions.” Pato said.  
 
“I want to offer my services to the Pangu led Government headed by my former cabinet colleague, Prime Minister James Marape,” said Pato, who served as special envoy for the period during the transition to his leadership in 2019.  
 
The longest serving Foreign Minister in the history of Papua New Guinea,Pato is a prominent constitutional lawyer and former chairman of a range of financial and business institutions.  
 
Pato said he had joined Pangu with immediate effect.
 
“There is a lot of youth and energy in Pangu now,” he said.
 
“I want to support Pangu Party from my base in Enga Province where my supporters in Wapenamanda have provided backing for my move.  
 
“Both Pangu and UP were the key political groups at the time of independence, and my move is intended as a merger of those traditions in the interests of the unity of the country, and stability of leadership for the future.  
 
“I am positive that I can effectively combine my support of Pangu's national and international objectives with my work on key proects such as the Enga Electrification project and the hydro project in the Tsak Valley and the continuing construction of key roads, bridges, education and health facilities.”
 
Pato has a long history of negotiating successful development agreements for PNG with Australia, Indonesia, the Peoples Republic of China, New Zealand, Japan, the USA and the EU.  
 
He maintains strong links with his former overseas counterparts. For example, his personal and professional relationship with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison stretches back to the time Morrison was Immigration Minister.  
 
Pato has played a prominent role in the Pacific Islands Forum, the Melanesian Spearhead group and the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group. He chaired the ministerial meeting with distinction during APEC 2018 in Port Moresby.
 
SOURCE: PNG GOVT/PACNEWS

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