By DALCY LULUA
PRIME Minister and Pangu Pati Parliamentary Leader Hon James Marape says the party must continue to build leaders for the future and remain an institution that outlives any individual, including himself.
Speaking during a press conference at the 28th Pangu Pati Convention in Port Moresby, Marape said the party’s future depended on its ability to nurture and produce the next generation of leaders while remaining guided by its constitution and founding principles.
“I don’t intend to be around forever, and I said the party must be bigger than James Marape. The party must live on and must be able to produce the next generation of leaders,” Marape said.
He said one of the key outcomes of the convention would be the affirmation of party leadership and policies that will guide the party towards the 2027 National General Election.
Marape clarified that the convention was not a candidate-selection meeting but a forum to review party policies, assess achievements, identify outstanding priorities, and consider new policy proposals from members.
“This is not a meeting for candidate selection. This is a meeting for preparing party policy, reviewing what we’ve done, what is outstanding, and what we must do,” he said.
According to Marape, delegates from all 21 provinces and Bougainville attended the convention, along with representatives from both the parliamentary and non-parliamentary wings of the party.
He also noted that the Motu Koita people were formally welcomed into the convention proceedings for the first time as a sign of respect for the traditional landowners and indigenous communities.
Marape dismissed suggestions that Pangu Pati was centred around one individual, saying the party was supported by established structures and leadership mechanisms.
“The full 21 council members were present. We have a structure running the party. We’re not just one man running the party,” he said.
The Prime Minister revealed that proposed amendments to the party constitution would strengthen leadership succession within the party by limiting the parliamentary leader to two terms and requiring convention endorsement before a second term can be served.
He said the convention remained the highest decision-making body of the party and that all party leaders were accountable to its processes.
Reflecting on PANGU Pati’s history ahead of its 59th anniversary on June 13, Marape paid tribute to the party’s founders, including Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare, Sir Paul Lapun, Sir Albert Maori Kiki, Ebia Olewale, Tony Voutas and Cecil Abel.
He recalled that the party was founded on June 13, 1967, by a group of visionary Papua New Guineans who helped shape the country’s path to independence.
Marape said he was honoured to have been entrusted with the party’s leadership in 2019 and stressed the importance of preserving the legacy of those who established the movement.
“We owe it to the memories and work of those who came before us to get it right and to pass on a party that is fair, liveable and usable by generations that will come afterwards,” he said.
As the party prepared for future elections and leadership transitions, Marape expressed confidence that Pangu Pati would continue to remain a strong political force.
“The party will live on. If James Marape is not around next year, the party will 100 percent live on anyway,” he said.