Marape wants people to elect Prime Minister

Finance Minister James Marape, says he supports the idea that the Prime Minister must be voted into office by the people, and not the Parliament.

Mr. Marape says, because the Prime Minister is elected by Parliament, he is managing politics, instead of managing the country.

He says politicians can campaign to be either just a Member of Parliament, or the Prime Minister during election time.

In a general statement during Grievance Debate in Parliament on Friday, Mr. Marape says, Prime Minister aspirants are causing instability within government ranks, and this is not good.

The Finance Minister says, PNG's experience over the years shows that this has been the particular cause of governments being ousted, without completing their full term.

He also says the worry of being Prime Minister was responsible for PNG, missing a mineral boom in the 1990's and a mineral and commodity boom between 2002 and 2011 - both were massive development opportunities.

Marape says, political stability is important for development, and it must be encouraged.