27/10/2025
๐ฃ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐ ๐ ๐๐ก๐๐ฆ๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐ ๐๐ฅ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ฆ๐ฃ๐ข๐ก๐๐ฆ ๐ง๐ข ๐ขโ๐ก๐๐๐๐โ๐ฆ ๐๐ข๐ ๐ ๐๐ก๐ง๐ฆ: โ๐ข๐จ๐ฅ ๐ฅ๐๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ ๐ฆ๐ฃ๐๐๐๐ฆ ๐๐ข๐ฅ ๐๐ง๐ฆ๐๐๐โ
๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐- ๐ ๐ผ๐ป๐ฑ๐ฎ๐, ๐ฎ๐ณ๐๐ต ๐ข๐ฐ๐๐ผ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฑ
๐ฃ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ ๐ ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ฏ๐, ๐ฃ๐ฎ๐ฝ๐๐ฎ ๐ก๐ฒ๐ ๐๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฎ
Prime Minister Hon. James Marape has responded to recent comments made by Ialibu-Pangia MP and former Prime Minister Hon. Peter OโNeill in The National newspaper today, describing them as โmisguided and selectiveโ and urging the Opposition leader to focus on facts and results rather than political rhetoric.
Prime Minister Marape said that since taking office in May 2019, his Government has worked tirelessly to rebuild the economy, restore fiscal discipline, and redirect public investments to impact ordinary Papua New Guineans โ in contrast to the weakened economic and fiscal conditions inherited from the previous administration.
โPeter OโNeill calling out my performance is like the pot calling the kettle black. We picked up the country he destroyed, and now we are putting it back on a path of growth,โ Prime Minister Marape said.
โIt was a K79 billion economy when we took office in 2019. Despite global crises and the tax reliefs we extended to businesses and workers, our economy has grown to over K130 billion โ adding more than K50 billion in such tough times.โ
๐๐๐ข๐ก๐ข๐ ๐๐ ๐ง๐ฅ๐๐ก๐ฆ๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ง๐๐ข๐ก ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ก๐ฉ๐๐ฆ๐ง๐ข๐ฅ ๐๐ข๐ก๐๐๐๐๐ก๐๐
The Prime Minister said prudent management and decisive policy interventions have restored investor confidence, unlocked stalled projects, and positioned PNG as a stronger, more resilient economy for the next decade.
โAsk ADB, IMF, World Bank, Westpac, ANZ, BSP, the Central Bank, or even our own superfunds such as NASFUND and Nambawan Super โ they will confirm that our economy today is far improved compared to the declining years of 2014 to 2018 when our economy was in recession,โ he said.
๐ฅ๐๐ฆ๐ข๐จ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐ฃ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐๐๐ง๐ฆ: ๐ฆ๐๐๐จ๐ฅ๐๐ก๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐๐
Prime Minister Marape highlighted that under his leadership, key resource projects โ including Porgera, Papua LNG, Pโnyang, Pasca A, and Wafi-Golpu โ have been renegotiated to secure fairer benefits for the State and landowners.
โUnlike in the past, where major projects were signed with minimal returns to our people, this Government has made it mandatory that PNG gets better equity, better local content, and better long-term value,โ he said.
โThe days of signing away our resources cheaply are over. Every negotiation since 2019 has been about ensuring that our children benefit from the wealth beneath our land.โ
He said these projects, collectively valued at more than K300 billion in total investment, will create tens of thousands of jobs, boost exports, and strengthen foreign reserves in the years ahead.
๐๐จ๐๐๐๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ข๐จ๐ก๐๐๐ง๐๐ข๐ก๐ฆ ๐๐ข๐ฅ ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ช๐ง๐
The Marape Government has delivered key reforms and investments directly benefiting the people, including:
Education: Tuition-Free Education fully restored, with record budget allocations across all levels. School rehabilitation continues nationwide, and top-performing students are supported through the National STEM Scholarship to study overseas in science and engineering fields.
Health: New District Hospitals and Community Health Posts have been built or upgraded in over 50 districts. Major facilities include the East Sepik Provincial Hospital, Enga Provincial Hospital, Boram Hospital, and Mendi Provincial Hospital.
At Port Moresby General Hospital, for the first time in PNGโs history, kidney transplant and open-heart operations were successfully conducted in 2025, with a new Cancer Treatment Facility soon to be operational.
โIn 2019, I said we would deliver specialist medical services by 2025 โ and we have done so. These services for cancer, kidney, and heart care are now available, and similar programs will roll out to other major hospitals,โ PM Marape said.
Law and Order: Increased funding for Police, Judiciary, and Correctional Services; new police housing; and strengthened institutions such as the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC).
Infrastructure: Over 6,000 kilometres of roads rehabilitated or constructed since 2019; continued investment in Connect PNG and national energy grid projects; and major port upgrades in Lae, Port Moresby, and regional centres.
SMEs and Agriculture: The establishment of the SME Credit Guarantee Scheme, Agriculture Price Support Program, and concessional financing through the National Development Bank to empower local entrepreneurs and farmers.
โThese are not empty promises โ these are results that can be seen and touched by our people across the country,โ PM Marape said.
๐ข๐ก ๐๐๐ฆ๐๐๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ฆ๐ฃ๐ข๐ก๐ฆ๐๐๐๐๐๐ง๐ฌ ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ข๐ฅ๐๐๐๐ก ๐ฃ๐๐ฅ๐ง๐ก๐๐ฅ๐ฆ๐๐๐ฃ๐ฆ
Responding to Mr. OโNeillโs claims on debt and borrowing, Prime Minister Marape clarified that all loans under his Government have been transparent, concessional, and focused on nation-building unlike previous commercial loans that lacked accountability.
โThe debt we are carrying today is being used to build roads, hospitals, classrooms, power lines, and digital infrastructure โ not to pay inflated contracts or cover up wastage,โ he said.
He added that PNGโs partnerships with the IMF, World Bank, ADB, and the Australian Government are based on fiscal discipline and transparency, reflecting restored international confidence in PNGโs economic governance.
โWe are not beholden to any foreign power. We are engaging responsibly to grow our economy and secure our future. That is called leadership โ not dependency,โ he said.
๐ ๐ข๐ฉ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ช๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ช๐๐ง๐ ๐ง๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฒ ๐ก๐๐ง๐๐ข๐ก๐๐ ๐๐จ๐๐๐๐ง
With Parliament scheduled to resume tomorrow (Tuesday, 28 October 2025) for the tabling of the 2026 National Budget, Prime Minister Marape said the focus will remain on consolidating growth, reducing debt, and improving service delivery.
โThe 2026 Budget will show a clear path to fiscal balance, more investment in rural districts, and continued focus on law and order, health, education, and infrastructure,โ he said.
โWe are not here to rewrite history or point fingers. We are here to rebuild our country. I respect all leaders, including Mr. OโNeill, but I will let our record and our peopleโs verdict in 2027 speak for themselves.โ
๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ฅ ๐จ๐ก๐๐ง๐ฌ ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ข๐ก๐ฆ๐ง๐ฅ๐จ๐๐ง๐๐ฉ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ฆ๐๐๐ฃ
Prime Minister Marape reaffirmed his call for unity and positive leadership going forward.
โPapua New Guinea is not served by negativity. Our people want solutions, not blame. My Government will remain focused on doing what is right โ growing the economy, creating jobs, protecting sovereignty, and ensuring no one is left behind.โ
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