Prime Minister James Marape has thanked all 101 MPs who supported him to become PM on May 30, 2019. He said this today (May 30 2022) on the third anniversary of that momentous occasion in Papua New Guinea history when he took over from Peter O’Neill. PM Marape also thanked the ‘Loloata 52’ who steadfastly stood by him in November and December 2020 when the Opposition tried to move a no-confidence motion against him. “When we took office,” he reflected today, “we never saw COVID-19 coming in 2020, we never saw the economy going through hard times. “We knew that we were handling a bad economy that was mismanaged and rundown, in the eight years of the previous regime. “We knew that the deficit, and the debt level, was higher than forecast at Treasury. “We restructured the Budget in the 2019 Supplementary Budget, and went to work on growing and strengthening the economy, and we have thankfully survived the last three years. “We have invested in all parts of our country, through the ‘Connect PNG’ infrastructure, and ‘Missing Link’ roads. “We are connecting Maramuni in Enga, Telefomin in West Sepik, Karamui in Chimbu and Finschhafen in Morobe, to name just a few. “In our efforts to fight corruption, we have passed the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) Bill, the Whistleblowers’ Bill and an amendment to the Proceeds of Crime Act to have public servants and politicians liable for prosecution for undisclosed wealth “We have paid off outstanding contracts of the previous regime, restructured the national debt with more-sustainable loans with zero per cent interest with a five-year grace period. “So yes, the last three years was extreme with COVID-19, the politics and no-confidence motion of 2020 – the effects of which continued into 2021, and now the General Election in 2022. “These were three momentous years, but nevertheless, it has been a time of strengthening our resolve to do better for our country and taking it back from the wrong hands, and placing national interests above personal interests. “We took over Government to fight for a greater share of our national revenue from corporate interests, we fought to make our country a place of better opportunities for our children where no-one is left behind. “As an example of this, last year, we enrolled the highest-ever number of Flexible Open Distance Education (FODE) students, who left school many years ago. “We have had many achievements over the last three years.” PM Marape wished all the best to those MPs who voted him in 2019 and stood by him during the 2020 no-confidence period. He said Pangu Pati respected the Loloata Coalition Accord and had not endorsed candidates against those were in the Loloata Island camp. “I thank my supporters throughout the country for your patience and understanding, including my own voters in Tari-Pori,” PM Marape. “I thank some serious candidates of the 2017 elections in Tari-Pori, as well as in the Hela Regional Seat, for not contesting this year in respect of my holding the Prime Minister’s seat of the country. “I thank Christians around the country for praying for PNG in three very hard years. “Take Back PNG’ has started over the last three years, with equal amounts of money being given to all districts, and we will continue this fight to take back more from our resources like 51 per cent from Porgera, P’nyang Gas. “This is the realization of our efforts to take back more from our resources so that out people and our country benefit. “As we go into the elections, I pray for peace and calm to continue, with the people having the chance to form government through the polls.”