Prime Minister Hon. James Marape has taken his 51st Independence Anniversary message of “Nogat Lesman — Everyone Must Work” home to the people of Tari- Pori, calling on young people to remain in education, working-age citizens to become productive, and elders to provide strong leadership to their families and communities.
Prime Minister Marape travelled to Tari today after attending the traditional Independence Day flag-raising ceremony at Independence Hill in Port Moresby.
He said visiting Tari on Independence Day was a tradition he had maintained since 1994, and this year he returned both as Prime Minister and Member for Tari-Pori.
More than 5,000 people gathered in Tari to hear the Independence message.
“I delivered the same message I gave our country at Independence Hill, but I brought it home and localised it for our people of Tari-Pori and Hela,” Prime Minister Marape said.
“Our young people under 25 must be in school and learning as much as they can — from school, from church, from their parents and from their elders.
“Those between 25 and 50 must work and be productive to the best of their ability.
“Those of us above 50 must nurture the next generation and provide leadership, wisdom, guidance and counsel.”
‘TARI-PORI MUST LEAD BY EXAMPLE’
Prime Minister Marape challenged his own electorate to demonstrate the work ethic he was advocating nationally.
“Tari-Pori must lead by example. I am the local Member speaking this message to the country, so I want Tari-Pori to be among the hardest-working people in Papua New Guinea,” he said.
“I want no lazy men in Tari-Pori. Everyone who is able to work must find something productive to do.”
Prime Minister Marape said work did not mean only formal employment, but included farming, livestock, small business, contracting and other productive activities.He highlighted the Tari-Pori DDA’s partnership with the locally owned Trans Wonderland Agrostock initiative, which is creating a market for kaukau grown by local farmers while developing commercial pig production.
The Tari-Pori DDA has committed K500,000 in price-support funding to the initiative. The project purchases kaukau from farmers for processing into pig feed, linking village agriculture with commercial livestock production.
Prime Minister Marape encouraged more Hela people to participate in coffee, agriculture, livestock, SMEs and business opportunities flowing from government projects and the PNG LNG Project.
He said today BSP, National Development Bank and Mama Bank have a presence in Tari, giving people greater access to financial services and opportunities to participate in the formal economy.
“Our people must use these services to save, borrow responsibly, start businesses and grow their businesses,” he said.
TURN AWAY FROM GUNS AND INTO BUSINESS
Prime Minister Marape also welcomed the gun-surrender programme being led by the Hela Provincial Government and urged those surrendering firearms to redirect their lives towards productive economic activities.
“Those hands that once carried guns must now carry tools, grow coffee and kaukau, raise pigs, build businesses and look after families,” he said.“Put the guns down and go into business. Go into agriculture. Go into SMEs. Become productive members of your community.”
‘LEADERSHIP STARTS IN THE FAMILY’
Prime Minister Marape told Hela’s older generation that leadership did not begin in Parliament or government offices but inside individual homes.
“Leadership starts in the family,” he said.“Husbands must take responsibility for their families. Parents must guide their children.If the family is okay, the community will be okay. If the community is okay, the LLG and district will be okay. If the district is okay, the province will be okay. And when our provinces are okay, our country will be okay.”
He said Papua New Guinea could therefore be strengthened from the family upwards — better families, better communities, better LLGs, better districts, better provinces and ultimately a better country.
SECOND CHANCE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
Prime Minister Marape reminded young Tari-Pori people who had left the formal education system that second-chance education opportunities were available in the district.
“Children and young people under 25 should be in school,” he said.“If you have dropped out, take up second-chance education. Go back and learn. Education is your work at this stage of your life.Those between 25 and 50 must work, and those of us above 50 must nurture and guide the next generation.”
Prime Minister Marape also commended Tari-Pori people for not depending on their Member of Parliament for personal handouts.
“Since I became Member in 2007, Tari-Pori people have never made personal assistance the basis of their relationship with me, and I commend them for that,” he said.
“Our responsibility as Government is to create the conditions and opportunities for our people to work, learn, farm and do business.”
Prime Minister Marape was joined at the Tari Independence programme by Immigration Minister and Koroba- Lake Kopiago MP Hon. William Bando, Vice-Minister for National Planning and Komo-Hulia MP Hon. Daniel Tindipu, and Vice-Minister assisting the Prime Minister and Usino-Bundi MP Hon. Vincent Ambane Kumura.
“All of us spoke with one message — our people must work hard for themselves, their families, their communities, their province and their country,” Prime Minister Marape said.
“As we begin Papua New Guinea’s next 50 years, everyone has a part to play.
“Young people, stay in school. Those of working age, work and be productive. Our elders, lead and nurture the next generation.
“Together, starting from our families and communities, we can build a better Hela and a better Papua New Guinea.”