PM Marape clarifies use of Falcon jet to Fiji, NZ

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PRIME Minister James Marape has clarified that the Falcon jet he used on his recent trip to Fiji and New Zealand was hired from Air Niugini.
He was replying to a statement by Opposition Leader Belden Namah that he was still using the Falcon jet despite it being given to Air Niugini.
Marape said it was “not wrong to use the plane on important occasions and not wrong to pay the service provider, Air Niugini”.
“There is nothing wrong in hiring this plane,” he said.
Last month, Marape said the Government was disposing of its K120 million Falcon jet to Air Niugini after incurring debts of up to K30 million.
Namah said Marape should be using commercial flights for official visits as he had promised.
Marape said he had to use the aircraft because the trips were important.
“It is now under the care of Air Niugini and therefore the Government is obliged to hire it from this service provider,” he said.
“I still honour my words of using the commercial airlines from one country to another.
“But again, it is important that our money goes back to Air Niugini for its operations and purchasing of new fleets from hires made by individual or corporate clients including the Government.”
Marape left for the Solomon Islands on a chartered Fokker aircraft from Air Niugini.
Former prime minister Peter O’Neill told The National last month that the K30 million bill was for the past 12 years.

21 comments

  • Bit of contradiction! Namas got a point this time! Lesson learnt- words spoken must be selective and practical.

  • PMJM too much sweet talks. Country is watching, be mindful of what you have poured out, 8 million + people of this nation heard you. We heard enough and sick and tired of hearing sweet talks….we want to see actions now.
    Walk the talk…….inap pinis lo harem toktok.

  • It’s a rhetorical statement of contradiction. Commercial airlines are supposed to make business decisions far from political interference. Unlike PNG and Fiji, New Zealand is an egalitarian society and perhaps does not care about what sweet political statements coming out from a high profile PNG politician.

  • Marape said he hired and has to pay air new guinea . There’s nothing wrong with his action.

  • Nobody will buy the aircraft its outdated and at this time we have the COVID -19 so its safer our leaders using our own facilities.

  • PM and his government hired the Falcon Jet from air niguini. What difference would it make hiring the jet from service provider and paying a commercial flight to the same service provider.

    Opposition should be more realistic and achievable in his contradiction on the use of aircraft in official use by sitting Government.

    Hiring Falcon from service provider wouldn’t be different than hiring Falcon from Tropical.

  • JT. What has PMJM cleaned to date? Nothing, only sweet talk. When PMPO was in charge, the country saw infrastructure development n resource development moving left, right n centre. Economy is stagnant na digressing down now. Nothing is happening. PMPOs record still stands, at least to date

    • Mr Quinn, yes I know and acknowledge the infrastructure developments that PMPO and team delivered, but at the expenses of this Country getting poorer. PO and team has left us with K3.8 Billion debts thru loans and poor management, as stated by the Treasury. PO already sold us to the dogs. PMJM is repaying the debts as well setting policies and negotiating good deals to save this Country going into the future. I am sure you will appreciate that with good guided policies, less loans and more revenues thru Taxes and income thru renewable commodities such as agriculture, we will be on track again. Give PMJM another 7 years to match PO reigns to really compare. Too early to judge PMJM after only 7 months in office.

  • Policies put in place will take time to show the benefits, it’s not the ferry god mother waving her magic wand and everything will change in the blink of eye, Hard but stringent policies put in place to rescue the nation which take 10 to 20 years before it shows its results. Over to you experts..

  • At least James Marape is towing the his people into new LNGs deals, where as the P.O. regimes involved themselves with the developers. At least he is God fearing with his UNION of cabinets which seems to me as Theocracy government. (God rules) like king David’s kingdom.

  • Daivo, pls check Namah’s records. He has more on his table about the use of Falcon than Marape. A good leader should hide in shame.

  • Namah has no point so as you anti JM writers. You and Namah and PO have contributed nothing to the Country

  • No One can boast himself when he has done nothing. People can always believe and trust us by seeing the evidence of action done, otherwise it is just a sweet talk and waste of time.

  • Do you really want to see the PM getting off an Air New Zealand flight when making a state visit to NZ?

  • PMJM, you are the Boss now, why wasting time explaining. Just carry on with the best work you are beginning now. Everyone is behind you. We don’t want corrupt supporters of corrupt politicians here.

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