Sir John Pundari has been given perhaps the biggest task of dealing with the issues of illegal firearms, tribal conflict and crime when he was appointed as the new Police and National Security Minister in Prime Minister (PM) James Marape’s recent cabinet reshuffle and new ministerial portfolio appointments.

PM James Marape announced this morning that the Member for Kombiam- Ambun in the Enga province, has been tasked to take decisive acting to deal with the pressing issues right now in the Highlands region with the movement of illegal guns, criminal elements and hired gunmen being engaged in tribal conflicts.

The new minister has experience in such issues in his own electorate which the PM says puts him in a good position to deal with this matter.

Marape said Sir Pundari is the longest serving Member of Parliament (MP), having first election into office in 1992 and continuing to be re- elected to office since then, marking now 33 years in politics.

“He has enough retrospective experience,” said the PM. “Also, coming from a province that is rife with guns, rife with tribal fights, rife with lots of criminal activities, we felt that let me him take this problem that is happening up in the highlands.”

Also, the PM announced Tewai-Siassi MP Dr Kobby Bomareo as the new Housing Minister and Menyamya MP Solen Loifa as the new Mining Minister.

All three MPs were sworn in yesterday as ministers by the Governor General at Government House in Port Moresby city.

Meanwhile, Peter Tsiamalili Jnr, the former Police Minister, is now the new Works and Highways Minister, taking up the role following the recent passing of the former Minister, Solan Mirisim.