Marape's respond to Wheelchair critics on pngblog

I would like to take this time to clear some unfounded and distorted allegations aimed towards rubbishing and tarnishing the good name and reputation I have within my family, within my beloved Pori/Tari, Hela , PNG and the extensive support and network I have internationally.

If I did not have loyal relatives, friends, supporters and clients in PNG and abroad I would not bother replying to low esteemed political loosers who hide behind computer names and mental wheelchairs to discredit efforts made to improve Pori, Tari and Hela, Southern Highlands Province and PNG.

However, to give comfort to all of you who value my leadership as a father and a husband, a Member for Pori/Tari, a Chairman for Hela Transitional Authority, a Chairman for United Nations Education, Science, Culture, Organisation (UNESCO), and Minister for Education, I make this reply.

Lest my critic forget let me remind you, it was as recent as 2006 and 2007 when Tari town and most areas in Tari was a constant battle grounds of clans fighting like Hawa vs Ajago, Halengo vs Pujero, Paibeli vs Torea, Haro vs Tani, Hambuali vs Tiagua, Tani vs Pureni, Habono vs Munima, Halapula vs Polopu, Teni vs Teni and many smaller tribal issues that my critic and his cohorts will never know the name and issues because they don’t live in Tari like I do (I have lived in Tari since I left university in 1993).

Today Tari town only 3 years on is a thriving economic hub that has seen safety for public and business grow. What happened?? The leader of Tari, Pori with support from Churches and Leaders choose to invest massively in addressing law and order as development target number one.

I must thank Hela Council of Church under the Leadership of Rev. Olene Yawai and his able Deputy Bishop Wai Tege for partnering Tari/Pori district in a massive reconciliation and peace program lead and facilitated by an NGO called Young Ambassador for Peace of the United Church. The District expended close to half a million kina in these program that culminated in a massive reconciliation crusade in Tari Town on Christmas of 2007.

I had to undertake that path to allow Tari, today only 3 years on to have 6 flights a week from law and order relate irregular flights, Tari today sees more vehicles and people movement then it ever had prior to my leadership times, Tari today have more cash flows and business opportunity, it was only 2006 when Tari closes for business at 12 noon, today Tari still does business as late as 9pm every night, there are more sporting and youth activity then ever, local people move more freely these days. Tari has Bmobile, Digicel, EMTV, FM100 radio, reliable telecommunication. The only thing I still regret is that Contractors are slow in installing electricity but currently after HTA gave K3million to PNG Power, work is now starting.

Lest my critic forget there was only but a four wheel road running through Tari into Koroba and Hides. Under my watch as Vice Minister for Works & Transport & Civil Aviation and through partnership with SHP Governor Agiru, today a massive road runs through Tari and only time, and continual leadership will see further improvement to road sealing. Today you take 8 minutes to drive to Halimbu from Tari. In 2007 before me and Governor Agiru’s time you take 30 minutes.

Lest my critic forget there is an airport development taking shape in Tari to allow in 10 years time, our children to fly in Boeing 737 to Brisbane, Port Moresby, Singapore, Cairns etc.. These work on airport put together by our Governor Agiru supported by me and one of my first local work as State Minister was to take this submission into Cabinet. Today Governor Agiru and our contractor Curtain Bros is implementing that decision of Cabinet.

Lest you forget, Tari Pori district invested K2 million in District Machineries that is managed by the local council company called Tari Pori Development Corporation Ltd. Today these machines are building roads from Maria to Pori, Tari to Munima Karita, Kela roads, Kupari Piwa, Munima Wenani amongst some other work the local council company is doing.

Our JDPBPC had to pass resolution like that because companies like Tokaju Construction and others which JDP & BPC engaged to do road works did not work despite millions paid. We had to do ourselves as a district plus other contractors like Ipwenz Ltd who wanted to do work with little or no profit at all. Today Pori Tari Development Corporation and Ipwenz have done Tari to Munima, Tari to Linabini and to Piwa, Halengoli to Paijaka, Haro Wauwa road clearing, Kela road patching.

As we speak today there is a massive road construction taking shape for my beloveth Pori people of which for the first time since Hela lived, bulldozer crossed the Tade ridge into Pori. Please note that we gave K1million to Tokaju Construction to do the work in 2009 but because they have not started work yet, Tari Pori Development Corporation had to come in.We have also spent money building from Halengoali to Ayayo, today used by others for quarrying and other uses.

In case wheelchair critic does not know, we gave in the following manner:-

- Tari Linebini Hambuali: K450,000.00 (Ipwenz Construction)
- Mari Pori road: K1million (Tokaju Construction)
- Tari Munima Karita road: K550, 000.00 (Garom Construction &
Tari Pori Development Corporation)
- Tari Pinagia: K100, 000.00 (Garom Construction)
- Kela road: K250, 000.00 (Tari Pori Development Corporation)
- Kupari Piwa Haro road: K550, 000.00 (Tari Pori Development
Corporation)
- Halengoali Pajeka: K300, 000.00 (Ipwenz Construction)
- Tipa Ayago road: K260, 000.00 (Garom Construction)
- Munima Wenani road: K300, 000.00 (Tari Pori Development
Corporation
- Haro Wauwa road
Clearing and others: K100, 000.00 Cash distributed to people who did manual labor work as there is no eftos, bank cheque transaction in this rural Tari.

In case my critic thinks these are the only things my JDP & BPC did, we did build classrooms and schools. Where were you when there was no Hela Technical High School at all in 2007?. Today the District invested K1 million of the DSIP as initial investment that saw a double 4 classroom build by Treid Pacific Ltd and at a cost of K720,000.00 We got fencing and landscaping, land valuation and surveys done. I must thank the Planning Minister that before my time as Education Minister, we received K8.2 million for that school, today 8 classrooms, 7 teachers houses, 400 student bed dormitories and mass hall is there ready for 2012 occupancy.

My critic distorted the figure to say we received K13.5 million for this school. I must thank Governor Agiru and SHPG for contributing K500,000.00 and HTA for giving K700,000 to resolve land owner issues. My district officers have paid environment and improvement cost already and part payment for land already. (Mind you because no bank in Tari for over 15 years, Tari is a cash society where all transactions are done on cash basis)

The District has also supported my other District High School called the Hoyebia High School. We bought a school vehicle valued over K110,000.00 and have supported the school operation. Today a couple of new teachers homes are built in that school. I must also for this school acknowledge my predecessor Tom Tomiape for a library he built and Pogera Joint Venture for a double classroom.

Today as I write, there are 50 elementary schools with iron roof. Ask Kuandi Councillor, ask Tapajamapu Councillor, ask Kela Councillor, ask Hawa Councillor, ask Hambuali Councillor, ask Habono Councillor, ask Halimbu Councillor, ask Tipa Councillor, ask Tugu Councillor, ask Itipu Councillor and the list goes on. Ask Munima Primary School did Tari Pori Development Corporation build your double classroom, the answer is yes. Did they build Kela primary school double classroom, the answer is yes. Did Kema constructions build Hambuali and Habono double classroom, the answer is yes. Did Tari Pori Development Corporation build teachers houses in Tombe, the answer is yes, my wheelchair critic the list goes on – “I don’t talk, I walk and work my talk”. I never go to print media but you have forced me to.

Ask previous administrator Dr Brevy and current, administrator of Tari hospital Dr Hewali, who fenced them in and continue to silently support them over the last 4 years – I walk and work and not talk to newspapers and sit on wheelchairs to day dream of being member of Parliament and write junks and send through cyber space.

Ask Tari Police Station, which member supports them without going to the media. My critic, if you are man enough, come out of your penname and go to Tari Rugby League on a Sunday and rubbish me, you will be punished because I have silently supported them since I got elected only 3 years ago. No Members before my time supported them like I do.

I lead my people into a life of hard work and progress and not of waste, laziness and squander that daydreamers live in like my critic. That is the reason why my JDP & BPC ask for genuine hard working people to legally register youth groups, church groups, women groups, men groups so that the district will partner them in small economic activities. Mind you majority of my Tari Pori people are not LNG landowners. Many men and women want to dream about billion and millions of LNG Kina, but I have asked my genuine Tari Pori to not day dream of millions but live in reality and start little agriculture, poultry, tourism, retail, clothes, workshops etc where they can honestly earn a living through sweat and toil in line with their own abilities.

To compliment this, the District invested K300, 000.00 with National Development Bank to come into Tari to lend in partnership with the District. Today I have 2500 groups of 10 people each with me. Under my leadership, both the National Development Bank and Bank of South Pacific will do retail and whole sale banking this year, in Tari. I will link my hardworking Taris and Poris to have a formal banking relationship with this banks.

You ask these women, youth and men, what they feel about this program? My critic, I can go on and on, you still will choose to be on the negative. You are part of the team that did not want my entry into Parliament 5 years earlier than 2007. You all put up a fight, but I stopped the fight despite my tribe having more strength than all of you put together.

My people put me in 2007 to work for them which I am doing. In politics I am mature to know that I will not have 100% support. And I know that the ghost association called Tari Pori Youth Association with a ghost address and pen name or computer name writer belongs to the minority who have not wanted me in as the leader. If you are man enough, come out of your computer name and address with a real name in open air forum in Tari and you tell my people that I have failed them as their leader and I will meet you there to verbally and publically defend myself, my presidents and my district staff. I didn’t go to the media for every little thing I do like other Members do, but now you are forcing me to use media, I will do.

With elections around the corner don’t use computer names and address for instances there is no Tari Pori Youth Association registered with IPA, the names you put on a non persona gratia. If one checks Tari, post office box 222 doesn’t exist at all and I wonder if telephone number 5408022 exists. Someone who has been following this rubbish written solely to discredit my leadership and my character can check this address and when you realise that they don’t exist, then please question why on earth will some faceless, and nameless person or persons sit behind computer and write distorted misinformation. I feel the answer is that Politics is around the corner.

I am your Leader and am willing and have been having a consultive approach to all work I do so if one is aggrieved, come to me we talk. But please don’t come to me as some are doing now asking for K300, 000, K400, 000 and
K1 million etc because I don’t entertain all this nonsense of individual assistance.

You ask my own brothers and check them up whether I give them special preferences. My brother Ruben Marape is in Tari with no cash assistance from me uptill today, my brother Warren Marape withdrew from his Masters degree program because of school fee problems. (I cant help my own brother if rest of Tari Pori students are not helped in their masters program, as my JDP & BPC only allowed for support for under graduate and high school students). Ask my kid brother Larsen Marape who needed some money to live and play rugby league overseas but had to return from England because I don’t support only family over rest of Tari Pori because Tari Pori people are my family. You ask Gibson Marape why he is a day student at Pacific Adventist University. The answer is I did not pay for his boarding fee. These brothers prefer me to be ordinary man now because they know as a politician, I will not serve them because I worry about every other Pori and Tari men/women.

What about my late mother Rachael who passed away because she did not come down to POM for medical treatment earlier as she felt if unfair to come for medical treatment. If I can’t help my blood relatives for personal needs, who are you, for those of you who request the K50,000.00, the K100,000.00, the K500,000.00, the K1millions etc for personal needs. I have a feeling (as we are closing in on our search for the writer of the rubbish) that the writer was one of those who requested a K300, 000.00 for his scholarship.

My critic, when Hela province was just a dream, you were never part of the team that made me win. Today you don’t even appreciate that myself and my three other brother Hela Members are delivering you Hela province. I plus my three other brother Hela Members are the doctors with the scissors to cut the umbilical cord. We all wanted Hela province, it is happening but few are saying thank you, many are silent and a lot of grumblings.

For if you continue to be negative and rubbish minded then take a good account in your own life and what you are achieving and what you will achieve in life. For me and my family and my tribe and my Pori Tari people we intend to change Tari and Hela for the better. We are currently putting development framework that was absent in the last 30 years. We now are focused to move into the next 30 years with a positive outlook.

I take que from the 75.9% voters of Pori Tari who gave me their mandate and so I will continue to serve my people to the best of my ability until my God says “James your time is up”. And I hope it is 2022 because I intend to retire into the peace of private life too.

I was never on the street doing nothing before I become Member of Parliament. I was Assistant Secretary Policy section in DPM before politics and if you were at the Hela forum in IPA, you would have heard Secretary John Kali saying that I was on my way up in DPM but I opted out for politics, Had I remained at DPM, I would be now a department head, but I sacrificed and chose a greater call to serve Hela and my own Pori Tari.

I call upon all Helas, you dreamed for it we did it together, we have Hela now, contribute real constructive submissions for Hela instead of wasting time with computer junks. Be like William Bando, Hetera Hekele and those real Hela diehards, making bold choices to sacrifice a lot to come back to Hela and to walk the talk. Mr. Bando in his own right rose up to being second in command in Tourism Promotional Authority. He doesn’t need Hela CEO job to survive, he had far greater life outside of Hela. We need all peers of Bando and Marape to rise up together and forget what is there for individual gain.

Talk about HTA abuse, what abuse? Is building offices in districts and LLGs and for HTA abuse? Because we have given K200, 000 each to LLGs for their LLG Chambers, we have given K1 million each to three districts to prepare their districts, we have paid K3.5 million and K3.3 million for HTA office and a boarding lodge for workmen/workwomen, we paid K3 million to PNG Power for Tari Town light up, we have balance left in an account that is controlled by Finance and Provincial Affairs Department and not HTA. Please for the goodness of Hela argue and criticise correctly for positive development and not personalised attacks.

I am as your Leader not only recognized locally or nationally, I am also an international Leader now, for instance I am the Chairman of Pacific Education Ministers forum, I’m shortlisted for UNESCO World Executive board membership, I present papers in some reknown world universities. I attend world and regional forums. All these I do representing primarily my Pori Tari people and Hela. I am your national and global face.

What you did my friend is distorting my local, national and international image but I hope my reply today (mind you can write again of which I know you want to satisfy your loosing cravings in this manner) I will not reply as I am mature to understand that I will never have 100% support in my electorate, but the majority support I have today will make me work on.For those who want to know more about Pori Tari, keep looking on as I will be developing a website for Pori Tari on all I have done in my last 3 years. You will see pictures, hear comments and read.

To you my critic, I forgive you for you don’t know what you are doing or saying. May God give you peace and sanity of mind.

Until then, I will keep on working as your Leader until my God decides otherwise.

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