PM O'Neill outlines PNG's achievements in Christmas Message

CHRISTMAS MESSAGE FROM PM   22 DEC 2017

Please allow me to extend our best wishes to you for a happy and a safe Christmas.

This is a time for families and friends, and to give thanks for all the good that we have in our lives.
Christmas is also an important time when we can put aside our differences, and share in the goodwill of our communities.
Ours is a Christian nation, built on Christin values and governed through care and compassion for our fellow men, women and children.
The Christian Churches in our country remain strong, and continue to play a vital role in the lives of our people.
I want to acknowledge the wonderful work of our Churches in communities right across Papua New Guinea.
For many, the Churches have been the providers of education for children, delivered healthcare, and facilitated wide ranging community support services.
When we formed Government we knew that Churches were delivering this work on their own.
We knew that we needed a real partnership between Church and Government to really help our people.
From this we have built an important partnership with Churches in the delivery of basic services.
I am proud of the fact we are providing direct funding support to Churches for education, healthcare, and other areas.
This funding support has enabled the expansion of services to meet greater community needs.
We will continue to build this partnership in the future.
I extend Christmas greetings to all Christian leaders, workers, and communities right across Papua New Guinea.
We have worked together, one nation under God, to build a stronger Papua New Guinea.
This year has been historic for all Christian Churches in our Country.
The elevation of the Archbishop of Port Moresby, John Ribat, by His Holiness, Pope Francis, to be a Cardinal of the Catholic Church is of great joy to us all.
We send our greetings to Cardinal Ribat, during his first Christmas is his new and honoured role.
Finally, we know that Christmas is a time when people will feel different emotions.
As well as being a time of joy, there may be some celebrations.
I ask everyone in our communities - do not drink too much, do not argue, do not drink and drive.
Now is the time to feel the joy of the festive season, especially for our children and older members of our communities. Let us celebrate together in peace.
We live in a great and truly blessed nation.
Papua New Guinea is changing, it is getting better, and together we will make our country stronger.
From Lynda and myself and our family, our Nation’s Ministers and Members of Parliament, and Public Service, I wish you and your family a Merry Christmas.
May God Bless you.