Duma to be Acting PM starting tomorrow

PRIME Minister Hon James Marape has announced that the United Resources Party Leader
and State Enterprises Minister Hon William Duma will be Acting Prime Minister
starting tomorrow.

The PM announced in Parliament that he will be leaving for Sydney, Australia, tomorrow
(December 3, 2022) to attend the 16th PNG Mining and Petroleum Investment
Conference.

He also said Deputy Prime Minister Hon John Rosso was out of the country on duty travel in
Europe and Africa, and in their absence, Minister Duma would be Acting Prime
Minister.

“I will be out for the country for three days and will be back next Tuesday (December 6,
2022) afternoon,” he said.

“I ask our people to give their support to Hon. Duma, who has been an MP since 2002, while
he is Acting Prime Minister.”

PM Marape also appealed to everyone in Papua New Guinea for peace and calm during the
Christmas and New Year period.

“I wish all Papua New Guinean a safe and peaceful Christmas and New Year,” he said.

“We have just passed a Budget that is geared towards helping our small people. We have made provisions for land to be allocated in our towns and cities to help our people who live in settlements, we will provide relief for low wage earners through no income taxes, we will pay for all school fees next year, we have money for
agriculture and SMEs – all geared towards helping our ordinary people.

“It’s a Budget drawn up by leaders who have the small people at heart and wants to help
them.

“As we enter the Festive Period, I appeal to all citizens to take responsibility, put the
country first, and don’t resort to lawlessness.

“I appeal to our young people in towns and cities to look at opportunities made available by
the Government, such as Flexible Open Distance Education, or otherwise go back
to your villages.

“Next year, we will start the Youth Mobilisation Programme, so keep a lookout for these and
others that your Government is embarking upon in 2023.

“Love, care for, and respect each other into the Christmas period and I look forward to a
good year for all of us in 2023.”

The PM said this when thanking all 118 MPs for their support over the last two weeks, culminating in Friday’s marathon session in which the 2023 Budget was overwhelmingly passed.