Hon. William Duma Appointed As The Acting Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea

PM MARAPE ANNOUNCES MINISTER WILLIAM DUMA AS ACTING-PRIME MINISTER

APPROVED FOR RELEASE: DECEMBER 3, 2022

Prime Minister Hon. James Marape has thanked all 118 MPs for their support over the last two weeks, culminating in yesterday’s (December 2, 2022) marathon session in which the 2023 Budget was overwhelmingly passed.

He also announced that he is leaving for Sydney, Australia, today (December 3, 2022) to attend the 16th PNG Mining and Petroleum Investment Conference.

PM Marape said Deputy Prime Minister Hon. John Rosso was out of the country on duty travel in Europe and Africa, and in their absence, United Resource Party Leader and State Enterprises Minister Hon. William Duma would be Acting Prime Minister.

“I will be out for the country for three days and will be back next Tuesday (December 6, 2022) afternoon,” he said.

“I ask our people to give their support to Hon. Duma, who has been an MP since 2002, while he is Acting Prime Minister.”

PM Marape appealed to everyone in Papua New Guinea for peace and calm during the Christmas and New Year period.

“I wish all Papua New Guinean a safe and peaceful Christmas and New Year,” he said.

“We have just passed a Budget that is geared towards helping our small people.

“We have made provisions for land to be allocated in our towns and cities to help our people who live in settlements, we will provide relief for low wage earners earning less than K20,000 through no income taxes and reduced taxes for those earning more than K20,000 a year, we will pay for all school fees next year, we have money for agriculture and SMEs – all geared towards helping our ordinary people.

“It’s a Budget drawn up by leaders who have the small people at heart and wants to help them.

“As we enter the Festive Period, I appeal to all citizens to take responsibility, put the country first, and don’t resort to lawlessness.

“I appeal to our young people in towns and cities to look at opportunities made available by the Government, such as Flexible Open Distance Education, or otherwise go back to your villages.

“Next year, we will start the Youth Mobilisation Programme, so keep a lookout for these and others that your Government is embarking upon in 2023.

“Love, care for, and respect each other into the Christmas period and I look forward to a good year for all of us in 2023.”

Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.

Post by the Pacific Guardian