Marape resigns

By JEFFREY ELAPA
FINANCE Minister James Marape, pictured, has resigned from Cabinet, citing a “lack of trust” in him by Prime Minister Peter O’Neill, and differences over policy matters, as the reasons.
“My decision to quit as a senior cabinet minister is to give the prime minister the opportunity to appoint a new minister he can trust,” he said.
James Marape will remain a member of the People National Congress party led by O’Neill.
“This is a surprise to my family, my Tari-Pori electorate and the people of PNG,” he said.
“This decision is not easy to make, and despite cultural and personal ties, the level of trust between (the) prime minister and myself is at the lowest after his office and associates continue to send negative signals on their lack of trust in me.”
Marape, the Tari-Pori MP from Hela, had been the target of embarrassing social media reports linked to speculations of a Cabinet reshuffle, and that he would be dropped.
He is also giving up his position as the Leader of Government Business to become a Government backbencher.
O’Neill said yesterday he had not heard from Marape but expected him “to be in contact soon to convey his intentions”.
“While his resignation is unfortunate, Government wok mas go yet,” he said.
Marape said there had been “inferences in the social media that I’ve been sacked or I’ve been moved around”.
“But I felt that this kind of instability for the Government is not proper,” he said.
“And if some of us are the cause of instability for the prime minister to function properly, then he needs to get some good people as some of us are not trustworthy.”
He said some of the policies he came up with were different from the prime minister’s.
“It’s nothing personal,” he said.
“Sometimes this sort of thing needs to be done as the country is bigger than me.
“There are equally qualified members of parliament like me who can fill the post as minister of finance.
“It’s only fair that we give opportunity to others to ascend.”
Marape lists as one of his “achievements” the reform he initiated on the procurements system which ensures locally owned companies are given contracts in major projects.
“After this reform, I feel the time is right to move on,” he said.