PM assures MPs of fair funding

The National Main Stories

BY JEFFREY ELAPA
PRIME Minister James Marape, pictured, has assured Opposition Leader Patrick Pruaitch and all MPs that service improvement funds for districts and provinces will be distributed fairly.
Marape, accompanied by the 28 MPs from his camp, met Pruaitch and his group at the Laguna Hotel on Sunday following his election as prime minister on Thursday.
He assured them that his Government was for everyone. While only some would be allocated Cabinet portfolios, he assured all MPs that they would be receiving funding for the district and provincial service improvement programmes and other grants due to them.
He said while he would love to consider “a few” ministries for the Opposition, it was a difficult task trying to accomodate his 28 MPs plus parties in the coalition.
Marape said his predecessor Peter O’Neill had focused on infrastructure development while he would ensure all systems of government were working effectively.
He also promised to:

  • Improve the work of the law and justice sector including policing to make the nation and safe and secure;
  • deliver as much as he and Cabinet could in the next two years given the current economic situation;
  • push for the ICAC Bill to be passed, allowing for the creation of an office to fight corruption at all levels; and,
  • Table the UBS report in Parliament.

He will also make sure that the electronic system of voting will be used in the 2022 general election.
“I have a case to prove so I will work hard (to implement) electronic voting. You can assure the nation that you have been elected properly,” he said.
He also warned Cabinet Ministers who fail to perform that they will be decommissioned.