Prime Minister Hon. James Marape  said Telefomin District has lost one of its most productive and committed leaders since Independence in 1975, following the passing of Hon. Solan Mirisim, Member for Telefomin and Minister for Works and Highways.

Speaking at the funeral service, the Prime Minister said Telefomin has, over many years, produced some of Papua New Guinea’s finest leaders, public servants and police officers, and Hon. Mirisim stood among the very best of his generation.

Referring to scripture, Prime Minister Marape said that in times of sorrow, light brings comfort and reassurance.

“When light comes, it brings comfort,” he said. “And even in grief, we recognise that this life was a blessing.”

He acknowledged the presence of the Governors of West Sepik and Western. ministers, leaders, family members and mourners, and commended the calm, strength and dignity shown by the Mirisim family and the people of Telefomin.

For the benefit of those present and the media, the Prime Minister reflected on his journey into Telefomin, noting the progress he observed as he descended from the mountains.

“Not every village in Papua New Guinea has classrooms like this,” he said. “Here, we saw proper elementary classrooms in one place, supported by staff houses. This does not happen by accident — it happens because of leadership that believes in education.” He said Hon. Mirisim worked quietly and consistently to improve education infrastructure, ensuring children in remote areas were given the same opportunities as those in road- accessible parts of the country.

Prime Minister Marape assured the family, the people of Telefomin and public servants — including police — that the work and vision Hon. Mirisim stood for would continue.

“Whether James Marape is Prime Minister or not does not matter,” he said. “Hon. Solan Mirisim has left an indelible imprint on national public policy, particularly in infrastructure and connectivity.”

He said Telefomin’s location near the Indonesian border gives it national strategic importance, and Hon. Mirisim clearly understood the need for the district to be developed as a gateway area facing West Papua.

“Our responsibility as a nation is to open up all parts of Papua New Guinea,” the Prime Minister said. “That responsibility began in 1975 and remains today, as we approach 50 years of Independence.”

He said Hon. Mirisim was part of the group of leaders who, from 2019, helped shape the government’s guiding principle of inclusive development — leaving no place and no people behind.

“This funeral is one of the saddest duties I have performed in this period of our 50th anniversary,” Prime Minister Marape said.

He said true development involves planning for public spaces — including schools, staff housing, and public buildings — not just roads.

“As leaders, including myself, many of us come from areas with road access,” he said. “But districts like Telefomin continue to show that rural communities can still produce some of the best minds in our country.”

He highlighted Telefomin High School and Oksapmin High School as among Papua New Guinea’s strongest-performing schools, producing engineers, geologists and professionals now serving nationally and overseas, including in Australia and at Ok Tedi.

The Prime Minister acknowledged that much of Telefomin’s development to date has relied on air access, supported by Ok Tedi  tax credit projects and the combined efforts of district, provincial and national government officers.

He paid tribute to Missionary Aviation Fellowship for its more than 70 years of service to Papua New Guinea, particularly in remote areas.

Prime Minister Marape said development in remote areas happens in stages.“It does not happen overnight,” he said. “It happens slowly — step by step, kilometre by kilometre.”

He also acknowledged Ok Tedi Mining Limited for its contribution to the national economy, noting that revenues generated must always be used responsibly for the benefit of the people.

Looking ahead, he said the greatest way to honour Hon. Mirisim was to continue the work he believed in.

“In 10 or 20-years’ time, let us be able to say we honoured this leader not only with words, but through continued service to our nation,” he said.

The Prime Minister concluded by thanking the people of Telefomin for the trust they placed in Hon. Mirisim and extended his deepest condolences to the family on behalf of the Government and people of Papua New Guinea.