Forum trip important for PNG: Marape

The National National
Prime Minister James Marape meeting Fiji president Ratu Wiliame Katonivere at a state dinner in Suva on Tuesday night. – Picture supplied

PRIME Minister James Marape says it is crucial for Papua New Guinea to be represented at a meeting like the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) currently underway in Fiji.
Marape said discussions and engagements with other leaders centered on regional issues such as climate change, marine resource harvests like tuna among others.
“I know (national) elections are being conducted (in PNG), I need to represent the country, that is why I had to be here (PIF meeting) to ensure our voice is heard,” the Tari-Pori MP said.
However, there have been criticism of the trip by Marape with Opposition Leader Belden Namah claiming the PM’s overseas trip at this time was wrong morally and on principle.
“Every leader at the PIF will be wanting to know how the General Election (2022) is turning out in Papua New Guinea,” Namah said.
“How is he (Marape) going to explain why some parts of the country are yet to poll but he has been declared the first MP?”
“How is he going to explain the economic stagnation, the lowest vaccination rate of all the countries in the Pacific and the non-payment of the Coronavirus (Covid-19) bills and the death of the mining and forestry industries among all the other ills of the largest Pacific island nation?”