Prime Minister Hon. James Marape has used Papua New Guinea’s 51st Independence Anniversary to call on every citizen to work, learn, produce and contribute towards building the country over the next 50 years.

Delivering his Independence Address, Prime Minister Marape said Papua New Guinea had maintained its political independence for more than half a century and must now work towards economic independence.

“They gave us political independence. It is now our responsibility to work to secure economic independence,” he said of the country’s founding fathers and mothers, led by Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare.

“Last year we completed our first 50 years as an independent nation. Today, as we celebrate our 51st year, we begin the work for the next 50 years.

“My message today is simple, straight to the heart: We all must work. Nogat lesman.”

Prime Minister Marape said the message applied to everyone, beginning with leaders and government.

“The Prime Minister must work. Ministers must work. Members of Parliament must work. Provincial and local- level governments must work. The judiciary must work. Public servants must work. Police, teachers and health workers must work. Churches must work. Businesses must work. Communities must work.

“Every citizen who is able to contribute must work.”

WORK TAKES MANY FORMS

Prime Minister Marape stressed that “Nogat Lesman” did not mean everyone needed formal employment.

“A mother growing food and caring for her family is working. A farmer tending coffee, cocoa, coconut, oil

palm, vanilla or fresh produce is working. A fisherman feeding his family and community is working.

“A teacher preparing our children for the future is working. A health worker serving in a remote aid post is working. A young person learning a trade is working. An entrepreneur starting a small business is working.”

He said “Nogat Lesman” meant using time, strength, knowledge, land and talents productively.

“It means replacing excuses with effort, dependence with enterprise, and hopelessness with purpose.”

LEADERS MUST WORK FIRST

Prime Minister Marape said leaders must set the example.

“We cannot ask our people to work if government and government officials are not working,” he said.

“Leadership is service. Every leader must lead by serving our people.”

He said public offices must function, teachers and health workers must be at their posts, police must protect communities and public money must be used honestly.

“Corruption is another form of laziness because it seeks wealth without honest work,” he said.

“Those who steal public money are stealing medicine from our hospitals, books from our children, roads from our farmers and opportunities from our young people.”

A MESSAGE FOR THREE GENERATIONS

Prime Minister Marape divided his message among three generations.

For Papua New Guineans aged 25 and below, he said their work was education.

“Education is your highway to life,” he said.

Recalling walking long distances to school in remote Oksapmin in 1978, he said: “If I could walk the education highway and today stand as Prime Minister, you too can walk that highway.

“To all my children of Papua New Guinea, today your work is education.”

He urged those aged 25 to 50 to use their most productive years to work, raise families, build businesses and contribute to the economy.

“Find something good and productive for your hands to do,” he said.

“Work your coffee. Work your cocoa. Work your coconut. Work your sago. Work your fisheries. Work your tourism. Work your land.

“Start small, think big. There is dignity in honest work.”

For those aged over 50, Prime Minister Marape called on them to mentor younger generations and pass on their knowledge, experience, history and values.

“The young must learn. Those in their productive years must work and produce. Our elders must lead, mentor and preserve the values that hold our society together.”

ROADS MUST OPEN OPPORTUNITIES

Prime Minister Marape said his recent historic road journey from Port Moresby through Central and Gulf towards Morobe and Lae, through the Highlands and down to Kikori demonstrated what could be achieved by connecting the country.

“We must link together. Our people must be together,” he said.“One people, one nation, one country must remain together.”

He recalled meeting an elderly woman beside the newly opened road towards Morobe. When he offered her money, she refused.

“She cried and said, ‘Mr Prime Minister, I am happy that you have built road,’” he said.“Our rural people — the 85 per cent out there — are not asking for sympathy. They are asking for access and opportunity.They have land. They have resources. They want to work.”

Prime Minister Marape said seeing more than 100 bags of coffee beside the newly opened road showed how infrastructure could unlock rural production.

“Roads are not built for vehicles to pass through only. Ports and jetties are not built simply to berth boats. Airports and airstrips are not built simply for aircraft to land,” he said. “Infrastructure connects our people to opportunities.”

INDEPENDENCE MEANS RESPONSIBILITY

Prime Minister Marape said national development also required discipline and respect for others.

“Stop violence. Stop tribal fighting. Respect the rule of law. Stop stealing. Stop vandalism. Stop rascal behaviour. Stop violence against women,” he said.

He also appealed for an end to sorcery accusation-related violence.

“Stop sanguma. No one is a sanguma. No mother is a sanguma. Stop the false accusations.”

Prime Minister Marape stressed that “Nogat Lesman” did not mean abandoning people genuinely needing assistance, including people living with disabilities, the elderly, widows, orphans and families facing hardship.

‘LET EVERY PAPUA NEW GUINEAN FIND SOMETHING GOOD TO DO’

Prime Minister Marape concluded by calling on Papua New Guineans to work together over the next 50 years.

“Let every Papua New Guinean find something good to do.Let every leader serve with honesty and dignity. Let every worker work. Let every farmer produce. Let every fisherman fish. Let every student learn. Let every businessman and woman invest. Let every citizen contribute.

“Love your brothers and sisters from other tribes, provinces and regions.Work together and stay together as one people, one country and one nation, and together we can make our country a better place.

“Let us have hope and have faith in our country, Papua New Guinea.

“Happy 51st Papua New Guinea.

“May God bless our beautiful country.”