Prime Minister James Marape is urging the residents of Port Moresby to take ownership of their city and work alongside the city authority to ensure positive developments benefiting everyone going forward. Prime Minister Marape said this tonight at the 2024 New Year’s Eve Fireworks at Ela beach where many of the city’s resident flocked to witness. He said 2025 onwards would see many changes taking place, one being the PNG NRL team, which he said will be based in Port Moresby and is expected to bring in a lot of positive changes to the city. “It is bigger than just rugby league, we will use that opportunity to modernize our city, our nation’s capital into being a safe city, a better city, a developed city, a city that is truly modernized reflecting our diversity, yet our blend of unity as a country going forward,” said the Prime Minister. He said in 2025, the process to put in a PNG NRL team will be launched in Port Moresby city, leading up to 2028 when a PNG team will be inserted into the NRL. “The national rugby league team that we will have in the NRL, will be a catalyst for change in Port Moresby and also to change our country, not just in imaging, but in reality, our lifestyle in Port Moresby as well as in our country.” “We have just three years to truly modernize Port Moresby, a safer Port Moresby, are cleaner Port Moresby.” Marape also took the time to thank National Capital District (NCD) Governor Powes Parkop for his 20-year term in office and for the wonderful work he has done to develop Port Moresby city into an iconic city. The 2024 New Year’s Eve Fireworks event was attended by Governor Parkop, City Manager Mr. Ravu Frank and the National Capital District Commission (NCDC) management team with the prime minister as special guest. The event topped off with an extremely beautiful display of fireworks at the Ela Beach at 9pm enjoyed by all, parents, children and the youths.