Vanimo -Green MP Beldan Namah says it’s time to take back Papua New Guinea from Prime Minister James Marape.
Namah said that Marape was weaponising the District Services Improvement Programme (DSIP) and Provincial Services Improvement Programme (PSIP), using them to reward those who remained faithful to him.
Namah said that Marape’s time was up, he must step down in the best interest of the country.
“He should have stepped down as Prime Minister after the events of black or I should say blood Wednesday.
“You have reached the last line, when security forces rebel against you, that’s when you know your time is up.
“We don’t need political stability, we need economic stability.
“Under Marape’s leadership, there has been increase in unemployment, increase in inflations, people are struggling to survive, yet billions of kina is being awarded in contracts to businesses from certain parts of the country only,” Namah said.
“So Marape says to take back PNG, I say take back PNG from Marape.”
East Sepik Governor Allan Bird and Bulolo MP Sam Basil Jr resigned from government Thursday just hours away from when the Marape-led Government’s grace period ended.
The Opposition numbers has swelled to 22. Bird, a stalwart of the Marape Government, told reporters he would not be the lookout, standing guard while the riches of the country were plundered.
“My conscience will not allow it. I remained in Government hoping that this Government will solve our cost of living crisis, our power crisis, our forex crisis, our law and order crisis and our employment crisis,” he said.
Bird said he had nothing personal against Prime Minister James Marape, but the recent allegations raised against him were too compelling for him to remain in Government.
Bird said while a man was presumed innocent until proven guilty, leaders were not ordinary citizens and, therefore, must be held accountable to a much higher standard.
“As a strong advocate of good governance, the recent revelations are too compelling for me to remain in government.
“Our people expect higher standards of responsibility from leaders in the stewardship of public funds.
“Especially from MPs and more so from the Prime Minister. And the people are right to expect higher standards on matters such as this because we are custodians of public interest.
“I take responsibility for being one of 100-odd MPs who voted for this government and I share the blame for the lack of movement on the key issues I mentioned before.
“By leaving government, I hope to preserve whatever dignity I have left and serve our people from the opposition benches,” he said.
Bird said he had tried to resign several months back but had been convinced to stay back because there was a move to change the government from within.
Bulolo MP Sam Basil Jr also said his reason for leaving government was stability.
“When I talk about stability, I am talking about our country’s economic growth stability, jobs for our people stability, food and price stability and healthcare supplies stability. “Unfortunately, there is no such stability in today’s government.
“Sadly, in the past 18 months, I have seen our country reduced further in all aspects of life under today’s Government, which is why I have lost confidence in the leadership of the current Prime Minister.
“There are medicine shortages across the country, people going hungry on a daily basis as inflation sky-rocketed whilst public money is being expended left, right and centre on bogus projects and the devaluation of the Kina.
“State-owned enterprises such as Air Niugini constantly in the red despite being a monopoly, fuel shortages, our good public servants and protectors of the law being underpaid, the list is never-ending and it is clear our people’s interests are not first priority.
“My father stood for the rights of our entire labour force and the welfare of their families. I, as his son, stand for the same reasons, and more.
“We need to save Papua New Guinea from the current decline in economic stability,” he said.
Basil said he was resigning because he believed that the country needed economic stability, and not political stability.
The 18-month grace period allowed by law, within which no motion of no-confidence can be entertained, ends today.
SOURCE: THE NATIONAL/PACNEWS
