THOUGHTS AND WORDS FROM PRIME MINISTER JAMES MARAPE TO THE PEOPLE OF PAPUA NEW GUINEA, ESPECIALLY HELA PEOPLE. By Hon James Marape, 18/10/2019. Post by Posted Islaera. //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// Greetings to my friends and my PNG people. Sorry it’s been a while since I have come out on Facebook due to lack of time to write, but as I am now traveling to Tambul District, I have one hour in flight and hence I am putting my few thoughts and words here for public information. Going forward, I promise I will personally write one message a week on few relevant public issues as well as some information on government programs we embarking so the public is informed better directly from me. Few days ago a fine young police man was murdered in an unnecessary public protest on unruly security force behavior in Kuparo village, South Koroba. This murder was done by a lone gunman who came up in the middle of a crowd which had assembled to protest at the police and government official traveling through on an earlier gun outburst by members of PNGDF. I shamefully on behalf of my greater Hela who over 95% of them are peace loving and hardworking citizens of PNG, and I want to apologize to the immediate family of my late policeman, his tribes, his Province for how he lost his life while serving faithfully over many years the people of Hela. No amount of sympathy act or words neither kindness nor justice can restore his life and for that I am very angry but we must offer due comfort and justice so that crime and criminal pays the price for his inhuman offense. I will visit the family in Tari on Sunday to pay respect and farewell the body and despite the policeman killed in Koroba side of Hela, my district of Tari will pick up school fees for the late policeman’s children up until they finish college or university. He died young and my heart bleeds for his children , his wife who teaches also in my district and his tribal families who will miss his support in their lives. To my Tandazi ( police man in Huli), Iam deeply sorry and in tears as I write this and this is the least I can do for your family. On Monday I will be having a public conversation with Hela people in Tari town. I request all councilors, all tribal leaders, all public servants, all LLG presidents, and all elected national leaders to be there on Monday to hear my direction for Hela. Our gun toting criminals have hold all of us to ransom for so long. Time to abolish compensation and peace mediation and compromise, time to fight fire with fire and don’t stand in my way. Despite bringing sealed roads, electricity, attending to education and health sectors and trying to incubate SME in my district the last 12 years, criminals with guns fueled by many societal differences continue to hold us down. And today, I am looking after so many widows and fatherless/ motherless children and I am tired and ashamed. In first 10 years as MP I have spent 60% of my time and district resources on law and order and if applying same strategies aren’t solving problems then other new measures will be introduced for Hela. Hela , if you don’t respect police and soldiers then I can withdraw them from Hela and we can police our province ourselves. Those that are presently serving Hela have done so at great sacrifice to their own personal and family well being because there are many other parts of PNG they would have chosen to serve instead they choose Hela. So see you all on Monday, you all wanted to receive me in a big fanfare as PM but how can we do that when the country and Simbu is in pain when we murdered one of their son? Am sorry but we all have much work to do, forget about fanfare of me being PM and you all wanting a welcome celebration. Let’s work harder and better, all of us. I was voted as PM by 97 other PNG leaders on behalf of their people, including 8 of Chimbu leaders who are mourning the loss of their son. Thus I have to silently enter Tari by road to pay respect to my slain policeman. To our police women and men and members of security forces, we will work to insure your lives by an insurance scheme but it will require you to step up in police discipline. This is not the first policeman slain in PNG, many have been slain before like the two slain Hela police men two years ago at Highlands Highway. Hence protecting our police will be my government’s top priority too. Many work remains , I have spoken my visions , I am on course to do what ever I want to do for our country so that by the time I leave this office , hopefully our country is a little bit better if not much better. Nothing will dent my determination for my country, not even a few gun men. “Iam coming for you” remains my vision in this matter. PMJM Ends// //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////