National Parliament resumed its August sitting and watched as both the former Prime Minister and Ialibu-Pangia MP Peter O’Neill and current Prime Minister James Marape went head to head regarding Law & order concerns raised by O’Neill and others in session.
O’Neill during question session quizzed the Prime Minister on what he and his government had in plan to address the Law-and-order issues.
He acknowledged that this is a national crisis and that he would undertake a review on the performance of all law enforcement agencies and hold them accountable for not only their performance but also their lack of performance.
In his response the Prime Minister James Marape, stated that this is a point of concern and stating that they have put a pulse on what would have happened.
He said although that this seems to put a stop to violence this is only a band aid solution, and the real work should be that of strengthening and funding all Law enforcement agencies to be readily equipped and properly funded to address such situations.
PM Marape added that there was a lack of investing for many years into this by previous governments, particularly that of O’Neill.
“I hate to raise this up, but I have to. The former Prime Minister is part of the problem. Lack of investing systematically in the Law-and-order space for many years over many have led to this,” Marape said.
This lit the fire to which the Ialibu-Pangia MP reacted by stating that the Prime Minister should focus on taking ownership of the situation and not to blame the results of violent and dangerous issue on one Member of Parliament.
The Prime Minister further responded that for a long time they have been giving lip service to the ministerial services for the last 48 years and that is why for the first time they have done this, adding that it is the process to the long-term solution.