People’s Party reaffirms support to Prime Minister Marape

People's Party has reaffirmed its support to Prime Minister James Marape despite party leader Dr Lino Tom pledging his alliance with Opposition.

Members of the party who are with government group in Sir Peter Ipatas, Freddie Kumai and Wake Goi publicly announced their support to Marape for the upcoming vote-of-no-confidence.

Senior politician and Enga governor, Ipatas, said backing the ruling Prime Minister was a tough decision considering the prevailing issues but was a better option in the VONC plot.

"Three of us want to inform the country that we have had a very long and heated conversation, discussing the issues of the nation with the prime minister," Ipatas said.

"As we are coming towards Thursday, which is D-Day, as a party, we have to make a decision, considering the options before us and we feel that we have given the prime minister the issues in relation to law and order in the country, the issues on good governance in the country, the issues on the economic situation that we have in the country, including issues on forex. 

"Those issues that we feel, especially with a party that has got a zero tolerance policy on corruption, those issues have been brought to the prime minister yesterday.

"And the prime minister assured us that he will look at all the issues that we have brought to him."
Ipatas said despite Dr Lino Tom resigning from cabinet, they have a mutual understanding with party leader and respect his decision to join the Opposition.

As a democratic country, the three remaining party members have chosen to stick with government, reassuring People's Party coalition with Marape.

"He is still the leader of the party, as he made a personal conscious decision to exit from cabinet," Ipatas said of Tom.

"So as a party, we respect his decision to resign from the Marape cabinet and that has left the three of us.

"The three of us are here today as People's Party to inform the nation that as a party, the three of us, the majority in the party, have resolved to continue to support the James Marape as the prime minister."

Sir Ipatas admitted that government has not done enough and urged them to step up and meet expectations of the people in service delivery.

He said they're confident Marape will retain his position as he is the best option over the opposition's alternate PM nominee.