Opening Statement by ABG President at the Joint Consultation Moderator Meeting

Sir Jerry Mateparae, Distinguished Moderator, the Honourable James Marape, Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, Foreign Missions, distinguished dignitaries, ladies and gentlemen. 

First I would like to thank you Sir Jerry for this most unique opportunity to present our case in this very historical meeting. It is a historical event because you are here on our invitation to broker this dialogue. It is particularly significant as this is very much, the last leg of our journey. 

Secondly, I welcome the presence of representatives of the international community especially the friends of Bougainville who stood behind us to bring about a truce and ceasefire and to pave the way for negotiations. 

Many of us present here today have personal experience of those negotiations up to and including the signing of the Bougainville Peace Agreement. 

I thank the National Government for inviting the signatories to the Peace Agreement to witness the opening ceremony of this moderation. As one of the key negotiators in those days, I still remember, we never argued to implement our part of the bargain, and I still remember I had to meet the BPA commitments as my part of the bargain. And in the same spirit, Honorable Prime Minister, I now expect your Government to take ownership and endorse independence in this 11th parliament. 

Prime Minister, I appeal to you to take the Bougainville referendum results and pass it to the National Minister for Bougainville Affairs to present to the National Parliament for endorsement through this moderation process in the same manner the National Constitution was amended to give effect to the Bougainville Peace Agreement. 

By this action of the Parliament of Papua New Guinea, to amend the Constitution in 2001, PNG was probably the first independent state anywhere to have accorded the UN Charter right and principle of self-determination of peoples to its own people under its domestic laws and regulations. 

We recognize that the sessional order is a process that will happen in the national parliament and while we appreciate the engagement in this particular subject, it has diverted our attention from the core agenda of the political settlement on independence. The referendum Independence result must be endorsed. In the spirit of the Bougainville Peace Agreement, the two governments can jointly decide as part of the consultations to reach agreement on a bilateral relationship for independence for Bougainville outside of parliament. 

Bougainville’s agenda is independence and in our post-referendum consultations we have made this clear, resulting in joint agreements such as the Wabag roadmap and the Era Kone Covenant. Therefore, it is my expectation that the moderation process will have to address the Bougainville independence issue. 

I thank the signatory countries that witnessed the Peace Agreement, for your commitment. I trust that as the witnesses to the BPA, you will respect the Bougainville people’s democratic choice for Independence, decided through a constitutionally granted referendum for independence. I am aware that some countries are already implicated in pushing their neo-colonial interests in Bougainville and I ask that you refrain from interfering. 

Sir Jerry, my people have set 1st September 2027, as the date for independence to take effect. This decision is consistent with the jointly agreed Referendum Results Implementation Roadmap, commonly known as the ‘Wabag Roadmap’, that set the window of ‘no earlier than 2025, no later than 2027’, for the declaration of independence. As President, I will uphold the decision of my people throughout these moderation consultations. 

I look forward that this moderation process will conclude with an agreement on the independence package for Bougainville. 

The Bougainville Peace Agreement is a political settlement that has three pillars; Weapons Disposal, Autonomy and Referendum. Out of the three pillars, the Referendum pillar was the key pillar that held the commitment of all Bougainvilleans to the peace process, by guaranteeing in the National Constitution, a choice of separate independence for Bougainville. 

The definition of independence was defined by the Government of PNG as, ‘An independent nation state with sovereign powers and laws, recognized under international law and by other sovereign states to be an independent state, separate from the State of Papua New Guinea.’ The people voted for independence and to propose any other option in this moderation is detrimental to the peace process.  

We all know Papua New Guinea is going to celebrate its 50 years independence anniversary. In the case of Bougainville, this marks more than 50 years of struggle for independence within Papua New Guinea. It is important to remember that Bougainville leaders have lobbied for Bougainville’s Independence well before PNG’s Independence without any recognition from international bodies.  

In conclusion, Mr Moderator, as far as I am concerned, the process of negotiating independence was concluded with the referendum. My understanding is that this moderation is about reaching agreement on implementing the referendum result of independence. Therefore, my focus in this moderation is to define the new relationship between Bougainville and Papua New Guinea as two independent sovereign states. This relationship can be captured through an independence package for Bougainville. 

Bougainville has done its part in this peace process. It is now your turn. 

May God continue to bless Bougainville and Papua New Guinea. 

His Excellency Hon. Ishmael Toroama, MHR 

President

https://abg.gov.pg/index.php?/news/read/opening-statement-by-abg-president-at-the-joint-consultation-moderator-meeting

TIME FOR PNG TO STAND TOGETHER IN THE MOST CIVILISED WAY TO TELL THE PRIME MINISTER AND NEC AND PARLIAMENT TO SAY... ENOUGH

... TOO MUCH MEDDLING IN THE CONSTITUTION AND MAKING LAWS TO PROTECT THEMSELVES AND THEIR BAD LAWS AND POLICIES MUST STOP. 

==========*****=========*****============

Posted by Pamba Kapiye...

Breaking News: Amendment of NEC Act means dictatorship - You can't challenge govt's NEC decisions in court.

By Senior Lawyer Anthony Rake.

THE National Executive Council Act was just amended last week by this government without much debate to include a provision that says that any NEC decision is non-justiceable. 

This means that any NEC decision now will not be able to be challenged in a court of law, including appointments of senior government bureaucrats, or further obtaining NEC approved loans outside the scope of our Fiscal Responsibility Act, which of course was amended more than once to continue get loans, and just to do anything and everything they (NEC) wishes to do.

Meanwhile, also in the same week, a day apart, the Constitution was also successfully repealed to disallow any Vote of No Confidence.

Effectively, the two arms of our government, the Executive and the Legislature, are immune from scrutiny and accountability.

Is a very scary country now we are heading to. The people the NEC appoints can't be even scrutinized. They will appoint whoever they want and that no one has the power to challenge appointments. In a way, every head of department and government organization will be picked by them, whether maritarious or not, and effectively, all state institutions shall follow the orders by the NEC, of which, the Prime Minister is the chairman!

What is left of once an independent country now will be left with a total dictatorship, controlling all state institutions. You can't go against. If you do, the NEC will remove you and put another person, which is non-justiceable (meaning no one can challenge that in court) or other independent authority for that matter.

When VoNC is given less chance, and when NEC's decisions are non-justiceable, then you are definitely talking about a dictatorship! Even the electoral commissioner will be on the mercy of the Government. Or the Police Committal or the Ombudsman Commissioner.

Corruption can take its cause, which is a natural child of the laws they are introducing.

Is this the kind of country we want for our children? The recklessness of this government to remain in power and do whatever it wants without accountability and scrutiny is very scary. God help us🇵🇬😭..

Ends ..

LAW AND ORDER CRISIS: WHO IS REALLY TO BLAME?

While freedom of movement is a constitutional right, it has become alarmingly clear that certain provinces are now shutting their doors to outsiders. This is not an attack on national unity, nor is it a random act of discrimination it is a direct response to the law and order crisis that has been ignored for far too long.

STOP BLAMING PROVINCES THAT ARE TRYING TO PROTECT THEMSELVES

Politicians and citizens alike are quick to condemn provinces that are taking drastic measures to protect their people. But before pointing fingers, let’s ask the hard questions:

●Why has law and order deteriorated to the point where people feel unsafe in their own country?

●Why are provinces resorting to shutting their borders?

●Why are some provinces peaceful while others are overrun with crime and violence?

It is easy to criticize these provinces for “discrimination,” but they are only reacting to a national crisis that politicians have failed to address. Instead of blaming them, we should be asking:

●Why is my province struggling with crime?

●Why are my people leaving for other provinces?

●Why is my government failing to provide safety and opportunities for its own citizens?

IF YOU WANT CHANGE, FIX YOUR OWN BACKYARD FIRST

Rather than shifting blame, politicians and citizens need to take responsibility and demand real solutions:

 Improve law and order in your own province.
 Create jobs and economic opportunities to reduce unnecessary migration.
 Strengthen border security to prevent criminals from moving freely.
 Reintroduce the Vagrancy Act to manage migration and lawlessness.
 Give provinces autonomy to control their security and development.

THE HARSH REALITY

If law and order continues to deteriorate, more provinces will take drastic measures to protect their people. National unity will not be saved by simply quoting constitutional rights it will only be restored when every province is safe, livable, and economically stable for its own people.

This is the time for all Members of Parliament to take responsibility and address the law and order crisis in their own provinces and districts. Improve security, create employment opportunities for your constituents, and repatriate unemployed vagrants who have migrated to other provinces. Strengthen border security, reintroduce the Vagrancy Act, and push for regional autonomy so provinces can control their borders, manage their economies, protect their land, safeguard their interests, and most importantly, ensure the safety of their people.

Instead of blaming provinces for reacting to crime, ask why crime is out of control in the first place. Fix that problem, and no one will have to shut their doors. Enough of excuses and stop blaming others. 

See less

— feeling sad in Port Moresby.

Lino Jeremaih Tom - Wabag MP & Peoples Party Leader

By Lino Jeremaih Tom - Wabag MP & Peoples Party Leader

Freedom of movement (section 52) is a fundamental human right but is qualified in our jurisdiction under section 38 of our Constituition. This qualification as stipulated in section 38 is subject to some restrictions and these are clearly articulated in section 38 amongst which, are public safety and order. Now these restrictions can only be imposed through parliament under special circumstances like a State of Emergency etc. Doing it without the parliament’s approval is illegal.

This event in Vanimo is a “watershed moment” in the short history of our nation when people decided to usurp the powers of Parliament and must not be taken lightly. This is a first of its kind. This event has transpired because people have risen to take preemptive and precautionary measures to protect themselves in a gross, uncivil and illegitimate way. Do we blame the people? Yes we do because they have taken law into their own hands because they feel the government and institutions of state will no longer protect their lives and properties and they, unlike the rest including leaders, can see the unprecedented rise in law and order issues and are distressed, very anxious, and afraid. They have now taken a precautionary but somewhat discriminatory and a much more unsavoury way to address this. This precedent maybe quite detrimental to our national unity and goodwill but when desperation sets in, unprecedented measures will be taken as demonstrated by these people.

I hear Governor Bird’s lamentations of unfair wealth distribution and rightly so. But, where are all the Ministers from the coast? They in fact, make up the entire Senior Economic Ministerial Portfolios in cabinet! Why should we blame PM Marape as he’s just one man amongst all these heavy weights from the coast? The last thing we would want is blaming the failures of our system on the ordinary people and taking it out on them. Such draconian discriminatory public measures incited by the good governor of WSP will only destroy our fragile union. Maybe, it’s about time the leaders in Cabinet should rise up and call for a more equitable distribution of the nation’s wealth! Maybe, they should demand more drastic measures to be taken in the fight against this law and order mess! Maybe, they should grow some balls and call a spade a spade and declare that PNG is in a “Law and Order Crisis” and declare a nationwide SOE. We can then vindicate our people in Vanimo for their stance and start curtailing all qualified rights such as the freedom of movement and deal with this mess that we’re in. Supporting illegal and divisive measures like this will only destroy our nation and its fragile union. One wrong doesn’t right another!

If the leaders fail, the people will always rise when they see overt injustice and take law into their own hands as in this case in point and a myriad of other grotesque examples we see daily in social media everyday! At the end of the day, the ordinary and innocent people will suffer as a result for our government’s failure. The majority of the highlanders are civilized and peace loving! The Governor of West Sepik who is in government should ask the Government to be more pragmatic and address these issues instead of fomenting regionalism and discriminatory segregation that may have devastating spillover effects in other parts of our country. Have we run out of ideas to resort to these low, cheap and despicable measures? It’s in times of crisis that the people must see the true essence and strength of Government!

How ‘Blackbirders’ Forced Tens of Thousands of Pacific Islanders Into Slavery After the Civil War

Estimates of the number of Pacific Islanders captured by blackbirders and forced to work on cotton and sugar plantations in Fiji and Australia range from 61,610 to more than 100,000. Public domain via Wikimedia Commons

The decline of the American South’s cotton and sugar industries paved the way for plantations in British-controlled Fiji and Australia, where victims of “blackbirding” endured horrific working conditions

No Pacific Islander was safe from the “blackbirders,” slave traders who lured, coerced or outright kidnapped tens of thousands of people for forced labor in Australia and Fiji in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Some blackbirders disguised themselves as missionaries, going ashore with their collars reversed, books under their arms and the word of God on their tongues. Others enticed islanders to their ships with the promise of traded goods from far-off lands.

One man dressed in the costume of the Ku Klux Klan, a waterproof bag hidden under his robes, writes historian Gerald Horne in The White Pacific: U.S. Imperialism and Black Slavery in the South Seas After the Civil War. He would mesmerize a crowd by seemingly sucking saltwater into his growing belly. Then, when the man appeared to be on the brink of exploding, he’d tear off his costume, revealing the sleight of hand. The audience, so disarmed by the performance and startled by its finale, was said to be easy to snatch.

At times, slavers bypassed tricks altogether, arriving under the cover of night to ambush a village and kidnap its inhabitants. Locals referred to the raids as “blackbirding” because the perpetrators wore dark clothing when they crept ashore; the term also referenced a derogatory slang name for Pacific Islanders.

At the height of blackbirding, European powers occupied much of Oceania, the collective name for the islands scattered across the Pacific Ocean. With limited resources deployed over the vast distances between Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea and other islands in the subregion of Melanesia (the main target of blackbirding), colonial governments found it virtually impossible to keep up with the slave trade. On one of the last frontiers of European and American expansion, blackbirders had little fear of being caught in the act.

“The [Pacific Islands’] relative isolation made it easier for unscrupulous frontier individuals to conduct themselves and their various operations in ways that were contrary to the laws of their own countries,” says Robert Nicole, a historian at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand. “Reports of abuses were slow to reach the governments and newspapers of these countries, and the criminal activities often went unpunished.”

Scholars’ estimates of the number of Indigenous people captured by blackbirders and forced to work on cotton and sugar plantations in Fiji and Australia vary widely. Horne cites figures ranging from 61,610 men, women and children to more than 100,000, all taken from their Pacific Island homes between 1863 and 1904. Young men and boys were especially prized: Sturdy and strong, they were the most likely to survive the backbreaking work, meager rations and physical abuse. But attractive women fetched the highest prices, due to their scarcity in mid- to late 19th-century settler communities.

While some individuals captured by blackbirders were promised a minimum annual wage of £3 and a return to their homeland after three years of labor, others were sold directly to planters or forced to continue working after their term was up. Such distinctions have historically cast doubt on whether this form of human trafficking was slavery or indentured servitude, in which individuals work for little or no pay for a set period of time as a way of repaying a debt.

The vast majority of those taken by blackbirders, however, had no debts to repay. Before being removed from their homes, they’d likely had little to no contact with foreign settlers. Blackbirding ships were commonly equipped with shackles and other means of preventing passengers from escaping, and they rarely had enough space or supplies to transport their human cargo—evidence that supports the argument that blackbirding was slavery rather than indentured servitude. If the islanders had signed contracts in good faith and received the necessary provisions, restraints wouldn’t have been necessary to keep them from jumping ship.

“This was employment enforced through the barrel of a gun or the crack of a whip,” says Nicole. “In this economy, foreign individuals and their associates create wealth for themselves on the backs of islanders who were given little or no choice in the matter.”

---

The fact that the South Pacific slave trade arose just as the United States became embroiled in a conflict over slavery is no coincidence. Perhaps the biggest irony of the Civil War is that the December 6, 1865, ratification of the 13th Amendment, which abolished slavery (except for convicted criminals) in the U.S., did not put a nail in the coffin of the global slave trade. Instead, its locus was simply transplanted to a new region.

The South Pacific slave trade grew out of cotton, or rather a lack thereof. In the early 1860s, plantations in the American South produced 75 percent of the cotton used around the globe. The outbreak of the Civil War in 1861 ground textile manufacturing to a halt but did not diminish demand for its output. In Great Britain and Europe, the price of cotton exploded.

Global powers had already started discussing the diversification of the cotton industry, especially as the U.S. slipped further and further toward conflict. As early as the 1850s, the British government experimented with Fiji and Australia as cotton-friendly alternatives to the American South. The results were promising, but the crop was labor intensive. Its production was only profitable in the U.S. because those who worked on plantations were enslaved, and the enslaved did not earn salaries.

Only by replicating the conditions pioneered in the U.S. could a South Pacific cotton industry be as lucrative as the one it was replacing. Unsurprisingly, white European settlers and Confederate refugees who sought respite from the Civil War in the South Pacific played a pivotal role in the new plantations’ development.

“The obvious source of labor to turn to was local Fijian labor, but very few Fijians were available or willing to work for planters under the exploitative conditions that often prevailed on these plantations,” says Nicole. “In 1864 and 1865, the first ships carrying laborers from Vanuatu arrived in Fiji, [and] before long, an entire labor trade emerged to service Fiji’s new plantations.”

Beyond Fiji, the British colonies of Queensland and New South Wales in Australia offered similarly attractive ecosystems for re-establishing the cotton industry. Sugar cane, another labor-intensive good whose production was disrupted by the Civil War, soon followed.

The blackbird trade was disjointed. Independent operators controlled the ships and set their routes without coordinating with one another or local authorities. Most blackbirders were citizens of the U.S. and Britain who’d come to the region as traders or settlers and found a lucrative business in trafficking human beings.

Although British law technically outlawed slavery in the empire’s colonies in the South Pacific, only a handful of Royal Navy ships patrolled the area. Even if a ship was suspected of blackbirding, the law could only be enforced against those of British origins, and even then, enslavers were rarely convicted due to the fine line between the definitions of indentured labor and enslavement.

In 1869, a Royal Navy ship seized the schooner Daphne on the suspicion that it was transporting enslaved laborers. Authorities found that the Daphne was carrying twice as many Pacific Islanders as it had been licensed to contract, in terrible conditions without sufficient supplies. The schooner’s South Australian owner escaped conviction on slavery charges because the prosecution didn’t have enough evidence to prove that working conditions at the ship’s destination of Fiji constituted slavery.

In truth, the Indigenous islanders blackbirded for plantation work in Fiji and Australia endured living conditions that, in many ways, mirrored the ones enslaved Americans had just escaped. Shelter was inadequate, food was limited and of poor quality, and hours were long. Workers faced violence and coercion from plantation owners and managers, and they had little access to medical care. Deaths from diseases to which they had no immunity were extremely frequent.

The South Pacific slave trade had an equally devastating effect on the communities targeted by blackbirders. “Robbed of their able-bodied men, the trade caused massive challenges for social cohesion on [enslaved people’s] home islands [that] took decades to rectify,” says Nicole. “Those who lost men had to rely on the elderly, on women and on the young to survive.” Familial relationships and cultural traditions practiced for centuries, like strategically arranged marriages between clans, disintegrated in the span of just a few decades.

Fiji’s cotton plantations rapidly declined in the early 1870s due to the industry’s resurgence in the American South. But both cotton and sugar cane remained significant industries in Queensland and New South Wales through the early 20th century, even after the fledgling Australian government passed federal legislation in 1901 requiring the deportation of Pacific Island laborers, including those who’d been blackbirded and their descendants, as part of a push to keep the country’s population white.

Deportations began in 1906, but not everyone who was given the choice trusted that they would be returned to their communities. In the past, individuals who’d been told they’d be brought home after their labor ended were dropped nowhere near the places from which they’d been taken—a situation that, due to conflict or a lack of resources, could result in death. At the same time, many wanted to remain in the country where they’d been forced to build new lives. Around 2,500 Pacific Islanders received exemptions or defied the order and stayed behind in Australia. Another 2,700 reportedly remained in Fiji in 1908.

After the mass deportations, Australia’s plantation workers were replaced by fairly paid white workers. Between 1919 and 1964, it was actually illegal for people of color to work in Queensland’s sugar industry.

 Reas complete story here

PRIME MINISTER MARAPE DISMISSES RESIGNATION CALLS, AMID LAW-AND-ORDER CHALLENGES

Tuesday, 4th March 2025

News Release 

Prime Minister James Marape has firmly dismissed calls for his resignation, characterizing them as politically motivated and a dangerous attempt to capitalize on social unrest for personal gain.

“From my perspective, it’s clear that Deputy Opposition Leader James Nomane and others in the opposition are trying to leverage social issues to gain political power. This pattern is becoming increasingly evident,” Prime Minister Marape stated.

He shared that shortly before January 10, 2024, a senior member of parliament approached him—alongside the Deputy Prime Minister and a provincial governor—urging him to resign due to perceived losses in public support and worsening lawlessness.

“Days after that conversation, the unrest on January 10 occurred, escalating the calls for my resignation. History seems to be repeating itself,” he remarked.

The Prime Minister emphasized that resigning is not a viable solution to the complex challenges facing Papua New Guinea.

“The role of a Prime Minister is not to step down during every crisis; it’s about providing leadership, coordinating efforts, and allocating resources to tackle national issues. That’s precisely what we are doing.”

He highlighted that in 2024, the government allocated unprecedented funding to law enforcement, taking proactive measures to address the problems rather than shifting blame.

Prime Minister Marape noted the Pangu Pati received a Section 63 invitation to form a government after winning 39 out of 118 seats—the most significant mandate since the Organic Law on Political Parties and Candidates was enacted in 2002.

“The law-and-order crisis in PNG is not a recent development; it stems from years of neglect. We inherited a police force in a state of disarray, lacking capability at all levels. Even the commissioner’s office had no resources or trained personnel,” he stated, assuring that he is actively working to restore discipline, resources, and leadership within the police. His efforts include:

Increased police recruitment and training, which had been neglected for over a decade.

Major reforms aimed at fortifying the police force through retraining officers and enhancing command structures.

Improved collaboration among security agencies, including Defense and the National Intelligence Office.

“Despite significant challenges, we are in the process of rebuilding our system. These changes will take time, and simply replacing the Prime Minister, Minister, or Police Commissioner will not yield overnight results.”

On Monday Prime Minister Marape convened a meeting with critical security agencies—including the Police, Defence, Attorney General, National Intelligence Office (NIO), and Correctional Services—and delivered a clear directive:

“It is time for these agencies to rise to the occasion and deliver results. Our government is providing more resources than any previous administration, and we expect reciprocal outcomes. It is not my role as Prime Minister to micromanage their responsibilities; they must work diligently to restore law and order. If anyone should be putting in 20-hour days, it is the police and heads of all security agencies.

“I’ve given explicit instructions regarding the restoration of fundamental police discipline and effectiveness, which include:

Evaluating police salaries and allowances, including risk compensation, ensuring that the state—not the community—bears the responsibility of compensating the families of officers who lose their lives in the line of duty.

Stopping unnecessary roadblocks and compensation demands, which obstruct the country’s operations and impede progress.

Strengthening police enforcement while ensuring the Police Minister, Police Commissioner, Defence Minister, and Commander take full accountability for enhancing discipline and efficiency.

“I have also tasked the Attorney General and Justice Secretary with reviewing and strengthening laws as part of PNG’s 50th anniversary reforms. This will include harsher penalties for those who harbor criminals or permit crimes on private property, holding communities accountable for criminal activities in their areas.

“As we advance with our Police Development and Capacity Programme, we are focused on increasing arrests and enhancing law enforcement efficacy. No one is above the law, and all offenders must face justice.”

Prime Minister Marape criticized certain opposition figures, including Nomane, for not using their influence to foster order in their respective communities.

“Nomane spends a lot of time in Goroka and is privy to who is behind the disruptions. Instead of leveraging his leadership to quell the unrest, he is further inciting it, demonstrating a lack of responsible leadership,” he stated.

He praised the tribal members in Eastern Highlands for their cooperation in reopening roads despite their grievances.

“The people of Eastern Highlands have shown commendable wisdom and responsibility by agreeing to the highway’s reopening. I want to personally thank them for heeding the authorities and prioritizing the greater good. Eastern Highlanders are inherently good people, and I am encouraged by their readiness to help restore order.”

Prime Minister Marape urged all political leaders to collaborate in addressing crime and instability instead of engaging in political maneuvers.

He reflected on how similar political tactics led to instability and economic decline in 2011, when opposition leaders campaigned for the removal of Sir Michael Somare.

“The same voices that sought Somare’s ousting in 2011 ultimately contributed to years of economic downturn and weakened governance. Now, similar rhetoric is being directed at me, detracting from the critical work being done to resolve long-standing issues.”

While acknowledging the persistent challenges related to law and order, Prime Minister Marape reaffirmed his dedication to pursuing long-term solutions rather than temporary political distractions.

“I don’t claim to be perfect, but we have initiated substantial reforms aimed at restoring law and order. Instead of inciting instability, I encourage emerging leaders like Nomane to take ownership of their roles and promote peace and the rule of law.

“Demanding the Prime Minister’s resignation is not a solution; it’s merely a distraction from the essential work at hand.”

NCD Governor Parkop on the Anniversary of the Passing of PNG Founding Father

Today on the anniversary of the passing of Grand Chief Sir Michael Thomas Somare we will join the rest of the country to celebrate his life and pay him highest respects for the journey he started for our people into nationhood 50 years ago.

 Today we honour his life and conviction too for our people and our country by starting another chapter in this journey Grand Chief and his peers started by making this bid on behalf of our capital city Port Moresby to have a professional football Team in the new Oceania Professional League set up by the Oceania Football Confederation. 

It is no coincidence that we submitted the bid on this day the Anniversary of the passing of the great architect of our nation PNG.

When Grand Chief Somare was asked how will be run and managed a country at and after independence without the professional technocrats etc. 

He replied that my economists, engineers, doctors, accountants, lawyers, etc are in their mothers womb. They will be born after independence and they run and manage the country. 

We in our capital city will not just celebrate his life but truly honour him by manifesting his dreams, this time in Sports. Today we start a new chapter in the great dream Somare had in 1968, an independent state capable of being as good or better than anyone else. 

We wish to make this great dream a reality in Football or Soccer. 

OFC has given deadline for bids by Friday the 28th of February, 2025 but we have submitted today in honour of our founding father of our nation Grand Chief Sir Michael Thomas Somare.

 He had great faith and belief in our people. We are confident Port Moresby City FC will be highly competitive and successful if we are granted a license by Oceania Football Confederation. The Somare journey continues.