PM: More to join Govt

National

By GYNNIE KERO and LUKE KAMA
PRIME Minister Peter O’Neill has welcomed three more MPs who have crossed the floor to join the Government — and says he is expecting more.
He confirmed with The National last night that the Government side now had 85 MPs and he was expecting more to cross the floor from the Opposition benches.
The three MPs who have joined the government coalition are from the Triumph Heritage Empowerment (THE) Party, which founded by former Opposition Leader Don Polye.
They are Chimbu Governor Michael Dua, Salt-Nomane Karamui MP Geoffrey Kama, and Okapa MP Saki Soloma.
Kama, the party parliamentary leader, said the decision to join the Government was not easy but it was done after consulting the people in the electorates.
“Taking into consideration all that is happening in our nation, we have decided to move as a team,” Kama said.
“We decided to join the Government because we do not want to be involved in playing petty politics or the so-called blame-game. Rather, we want to deliver services to our people without negligence.
“We do not want to be spectators and criticise. We want to be players in development and in building a strong nation.”
Kama said they had consulted party executives, including Polye, who “respects our decision and we thank him for that”.
Dua said their alliance with the O’Neill-led Government was for a genuine agenda — to bring services to the people.
“As leaders, we have to provide solutions and we are pledging our support behind the O’Neill-Abel government for the 100-day economic recovery plan and this term of Parliament.”