Prime Minister O’Neill Pays Last Respects to Late Steven Kama

The Prime Minister  Peter O’Neill, paid his last respects to the late MP Steven Kamma at the Grand Hall in Parliament today, and attended the Minister’s funeral.

Prime Minister O’Neill, and the Speaker of the National Parliament, Hon. Theo Zurenuoc PM and senior Ministers attended the viewing of the body of the MP who died late last month.

Speaking at the funeral of the Late Steven Kamma, the Prime Minister praised the Minister’s commitment to development on Bougainville.

“The Bougainville Affairs Ministry is one of the most sensitive portfolio and the Late Steven Kamma managed his ministerial responsibilities in a most careful way,” the Prime Minister said.

“He listened to the views of communities and shared opinions, he was a genuine and trusted man and people believed in him.

“To the family of the Late Steven Kamma, our nation offers its deep sympathies and condolences.

“The people of Papua New Guinea thank you for his commitment to peace, and you can be eternally proud of his achievements.

“The people of Bougainville have suffered too much over the past three decades, and our Government continues our work to bring normalcy to the people.

“It has been a long road from the peace agreements we have signed to the peace we have today.

“Today we mourn the loss of a national leader, a man of peace and honesty.

“His work will not be forgotten.

“His legacy will live on – through future generations who will live in pace and in improved living conditions.

“May God Bless the Late Honourable Steven Kamma.”

Late Kamma was a sitting member of the National Parliament, and was the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister on Constitutional Matters, at the time of his death on 20 February 2016.

He was a member of the United Resource Party, a coalition partner within the O’Neill-Dion government.

Late Steven Kamma first joined the National Parliament in 2008, representing the seat of South Bougainville in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville.

He was appointed Minister of Bougainville Affairs until 2016 when Prime Minister Peter O’Neill relieved him of the Ministry when he was undergoing medical treatment overseas.

In early 2016, as the Late Steven Kamma’s health deteriorated, Prime Minister O’Neill reassigned the Member as Minister Assisting the Prime Minister on Constitutional Matters.

Late Steven Kamma died while undergoing medical treatment at a hospital in Manila, in the Philippines, on February 20, 2016, following a long illness.

He was the third sitting member of the National Parliament to die in office in recent years, following the deaths of Angoram MP Ludwig Schulze, who died in 2013, and Goilala MP Daniel Mona in 2015.

A National Government delegation will accompany and hand over the casket containing his body to the Autonomous Bougainville Government and his relatives in Buka tomorrow.