Prime Minister James Marape called on fathers to lead by example this Father’s Day, emphasizing that leadership begins at home.
He stated this, as he stood alongside Rai Coast MP and Minister for Labour and Employment, Kessy Sawang and other Ministers and MPs at a press conference today, Sunday, September 1st, at the Hilton Hotel in Port Moresby, where earlier he had welcomed back Pomio MP Elias Kapavore to the government.
The Prime Minister said there has been to much politics said, and he wanted to speak to everyone, especially all the fathers and mothers in the country, who are observing today’s Father’s Day as slated on the country’s national events calendar.
Prime Minister Marape’s message was simple; he urged men to take responsibility for their families, not leaving the burden on mothers.
Marape highlighted the importance of respecting family and maintaining law and order, drawing comparisons with small Pacific nations like Samoa and Tonga.
He encouraged fathers to ensure their households are stable, which in turn contributes to a better society and country.
“As a Christian country, you already know the Bible; Mama Eve ate the forbidden fruit in the beginning time, and when God came down, his first question was, ‘ Adam, where are you?’, not Eve, but Adam; man, because the man is the leader of society.”
“Fathers take leadership in your home in the first instance; when you do that, the society is a better place. And the sum of it, the country is a better place.”
“I returned from Fiji, and I returned from Samoa, Tonga; these small island nations don’t have the income we have as our country, but they are a society that respects themself and respect their family.”
“They live in a law-and-order society; the live lawfully.”
“So, this Father’s Day, I want to appeal to all our fathers – yes, you are leader in our country, but leadership starts at home,” the Prime Minister said, adding, “Don’t think it is mother’s time to look after you – look after your mother today on this Father’s Day.”
Marape further noted the government’s efforts to support families through tax relief and education loans.
Prime Minister James Marape’s message to everyone, especially the fathers in the nation as he observes Father’s Day which falls on September 1st on the PNG calendar.
“This government, we work hard. We worked for three years …to give tax relief, especially for families.”
He said anyone who earns less than K20, 000 per fortnight, ‘don’t pay personal income taxes’, as he dismissed rumours about increasing taxes in the country.
He said the Pangu-led government is growing the economy, reducing taxes, paying for your school fees, including putting higher education loan program to help with university, helping with SME loans, to help the ordinary family pay for essential household items like rice, tin fish, salt, sugar as times are tough now.
He concluded by urging fathers again not to be reckless, take advantage of what this government is doing to support families, and be responsible, and to stop leaving the household burden to the mothers, and instead show leadership at home as a father.