PORT MORESBY || Prime Minister James Marape today has denied yet again “fake news” about a reshuffle in his current Cabinet lineup.
Speaking from Tari this afternoon, PM Marape said he has been in his Tari-Pori electorate sorting out “in-house issues’ relating to peace officers, village court magistrates, councilors and such other district matters before he will proceed to Porgera and later attending to An Important PNG LNG meeting.
He categorically denied the fake news that his Government was meeting on Loloata island resort offshore Port Moresby over the weekend and resorted to a Cabinet reshuffle.
The Prime Minister maintains that his Pangu Pati remains intact as well as his Cabinet in spite of February that is approaching with much hype about a possible Vote of No Confidence (VoNC) in his Government.
“These are the work of nassayers, self-centered, self-indulgent individuals who are using social media and other platforms to achieve their egoistic ends to please their political masters”.
Instead, PM Marape urged Papua New Guineans to remain steadfast, calm and sensitive about the important issues affecting the country and join hands with their Government and Prime Minister in addressing pressing issues affect the country rather than complaining over it and throwing stones.
Circulated as “Breaking News: ????? ???????? ?? ???????? ??????? ?? ????? ??? ?????? By: Joan Mori” the fake news stated that “A leaked Cabinet lineup from Loloata Fortress has shown that known Fraudster Jimmy Maladina has been named as the new Attorney General of Papua New Guinea.
“Marape when dishing out the Ministries to his cabinet has given the Attorney General to Jimmy Maladina. Here are some of the ministries; Prime Minister -James Marape (Pangu), Deputy Prime Minister – William Duma (URP), Treasurer – Ian Ling-Stuckey (Pangu), National Planning – Ranbo Painta (Pangu), Petroleum – John Rosso (Pangu), Attorney General – Jimmy Maladina (Pangu), Works and Highways – Don Poyle – (THE), William Bando – Tourism (URP), CIS – Walter Schnaubelt (NA), Communication and Information – Timothy Maisu (Pangu), Housing and Urbanization – Justin Tkatchenko (SDP)”, Fake-ster Joan Mori’s post continued in part.
PM Marape urge Papua New Guineans to discard this fake information, adding that Papua New Guinea has been busy “playing politics” over the last 48 years and had lost grip and focus on growing the economy instead.
“We have formed government 18 times in the last 48 years so that’s like 32 months for every government on average.
“This has cost us dearly as seen here on the United Nations’ Human Development Index (HDI) rating of PNG:
- 1975 PNG ranked 77th;
- 2004 PNG dropped to 139th place;
- 2008 PNG plummeted to 149th placing;
- 2012 PNG further plummeted to 156th placing;
- 2018 PNG shrinking further to 178th placing.
“In 1975, our economy was K2 billion. In 2002 our economy was K17 billion. In 27 years in the hands of 12 of the 18 Governments, we have only able to grow the economy by a mere K15 billion.
“No wonder we were unable to educate more skilled people, fix law and order, build health and education facilities, develop enabling infrastructures, etc. Some 37 countries had passed us on development ratings.
The PM reiterated that his Government envisages PNG’s economy to reach K200 billion mark by 2030.
Journey of this 1,000 miles has begun with the first step: The re-opening of the new Porgera mine on Dec 22, paving the way for other multi-billion kina resource projects in the pipeline to come on board including the Papua LNG (K35 billion), Wafi Golpu (K20 billion), Pyn’yang gas (K38 billion), and Frieda mine (K6 bill) all set to pin PNG’s economy at a K200 billion mark as envisaged by the Marape-Rosso Government
These ‘perfect five’ projects place Papua New Guinea on a top notch “resource boom” destination of the world which International Trade and Investment Minister, Richard Maru has described as “the PNG century” in the next 30 years.
