The Parliamentary Opposition MP Sir Puka Temu has challenged Prime Minister James Marape to explain what legacy he will leave after eight years in office, saying the 6-year period of political stability must deliver real change for struggling Papua New Guinean families.
However, PM Marape said relevant interventions have been made to alleviate families from hardships.
PM Marape cited K600 million tax revenue sacrifice made through GST exemption on several basic household items, school-fee loan (HELP), school-fee subsidy, 30, 000 job opportunities created through Connect PNG initiative, law and order reforms, ward member and officer fortnightly allowances, SME loans, tax removal for first-time home owners, disciplined force (police, DF and CIS) recruitments and labor mobility.
In his new year message, the senior politician Sir Puka maintained many households were entering the new year “under the weight of real and persistent hardship,” citing rising living costs, insecurity, weak services and limited job opportunities.
“For many families, daily life has become more difficult than at any time in recent memory,” he said. “People are supporting extended families and relying on community networks where government presence is often absent.”
He said national stability was rooted in the strength of families and warned that social cohesion was at risk if hardship continued.
“At the core of national stability lies the family,” Sir Puka said. “Strong families create disciplined children, responsible citizens and cohesive communities.”
Sir Puka said worsening lawlessness, a struggling health system, declining education standards and low incomes had become “national emergencies” requiring decisive action.
“Very low-income levels and a lack of job opportunities are robbing young people of hope and dignity,” he said in a statement.
He called for government priorities to be refocused toward law and order, health, education, agriculture and manufacturing.
“These sectors directly determine whether our people can live safely, stay healthy, gain skills and earn a decent living,” he said. “Agriculture and manufacturing hold the key to job creation and economic self-reliance, yet they remain underdeveloped.”
Sir Puka said Marape’s uninterrupted leadership until 2027 created a critical moment of accountability.
“With political stability comes a rare opportunity. The question is: what legacy will an eight-year tenure leave behind?” he said. “History will not remember slogans, but whether life became safer, healthier and more hopeful under this leadership.”
He said citizens were “tired of lip service and rhetoric” and demanded honest, results-driven governance.
“This is a time for tough decisions, not comfortable ones,” Sir Puka said.
He urged leaders to confront hard truths and take meaningful action in the national interest as the country enters the new year.