Prime Minister Hon. James Marape has urged Papua New Guineans to ask God for forgiveness of their wrongdoings, as well as forgive each other for wrongdoings committed against each other.
This is his main Message to the Nation as it celebrates National Repentance Day on Thursday, August 26th, 2021.
PM Marape says if everyone seeks repentance from God for mistakes as well as forgive each other, Papua New Guinea will be a far better country.”
“If we respect the rule of law, as Christians should in our country, the savings can be passed on to better health care, better education for our people and many more,” he said.”
“We’re spending more money on maintaining law-and-order, which can be addressed if people respond to the rule of law – as Christians should.”
“Let’s take National Repentance Day as a day to reflect on goodwill and respect to our country, our God and our fellow citizens in the country.”
“The Prime Minister will not be able to attend the main National Repentance Day celebrations in Lae, however, has asked Public Service Minister Hon. Joe Sungi to attend on his behalf.”
“We firstly ask God for forgiveness of our wrongdoings, and secondly ask ourselves to forgive each for the wrongdoings we’ve committed in our country,” PM Marape said.”
“This is a National Day on which the nation comes to a standstill and asks for forgiveness from God, and at the same time, repent and forgive each another.”
“National Repentance Day is very important for our country in as far as national and personal morality is concerned.”
“While I may not be physically present in Lae, my thoughts and focus as Prime Minister of the country, are on the day’s events.”
“I’d like to rally the conscience of our country to the importance of the date, on which we all come together, to seek forgiveness and repentance.
“This is a day which is sanctioned by the Government and is part of the calendar of annual national events.”
“The occasion cannot be downplayed as just another date on which we rest.”
“It must be a day on which the nation comes together in repentance and acknowledges God and to put God first in all we do because PNG is a Christian country.”
PM Marape announced that to further entrench PNG’s identity as a Christian Nation, a K5 million National Unity Pillar would be built along Waigani Drive, looking straight ahead to Parliament.
“A huge National Unity Pillar will be constructed there under a Christian banner of ‘One People, One Nation, One Country’,” he said.
“That will be a site of national significance.
“The National Government has already approved that site, where the Council of Churches and the Body of Christ, will take carriage of the project.”
“A 200-metre tall National Unity Pillar will be built as an iconic symbol that embodies the many tribes of our Christian nation. “Without Christianity, our nation will not be correctly anchored.”