Prime Minister (PM) James Marape on Repentance Day today (August 26th, 2025), called for respect towards laws emphasizing that this act was the best contribution each Papua New Guinean can make for the country. He delivered his address at Sir John Guise Stadium, Port Moresby during the Repentance Day service which began at 5am this morning. He emphasized that the ten commandments basically call for respect towards God as well as towards our fellow men. “Respecting law is the best contribution each of us can give to the country.” “Number one law to respect is our 10 commandments that basically talks about respecting God and respecting fellow humankind.” “Number two law is our nation's constitution and all the enabling legislations that run with it.” He stated that both these laws teach respect in three aspects: Respect for God, respect for one another and respect for the laws that govern us. Additionally, Marape implied that disrespecting the law causes issues for the country and go against God. He urged people to repent and come back to God. “Many people still remain poor and in poverty in what is a land of abundance. We have come the last 49 years speaking in the face of 50th – corruption still remains abound.” “Violence still remains abound. Disrespect for law and order still remains abound. Do we continue like this or we must stop at one point in time?” “Today, right in the face of our 50th, I ask all of us to pause and take a look inward and then we look outward and let us come back to God.” "How do we reset? The clock we’re resetting is not just a matter of time—it’s a reset of individual character, and the sum of these resets leads to the transformation of our national character.” Every child, whether you are listening from the farthest reaches of our 21 provinces or from the Autonomous Region of Bougainville, from east to west, north to south, no matter where you are—big or small—the reset starts with you. It begins in your mind, in your heart.” “Together, the sum of our individual resets will bring about the national reset we seek.”