O’Neill, Maru moved to middle benches, says Paita

FORMER Prime Minister and People’s National Congress Party leader Peter O’Neill and former Minister for National Planning Richard Maru have been moved to the middle benches, says Leader of Government Business Rainbo Paita.
Paita, who is also the Minister for Communications and Energy and Finchhafen MP, told The National on Friday that O’Neill and Maru would will be sitting in the middle benches when Parliament resumed tomorrow.
“So there is no major change in the sitting arrangement except that O’Neill and Maru were moved to the middle benches,” Paita said.
“Seven of the members of the Opposition who joined us have already been integrated and have been allocated seats in the Government wing.
“These seven have already started sitting in their allocated seats.”
Ialibu-Pangia MP O’Neill, when asked to comment, said: “He (Paita) is not worth responding to”.
Meanwhile, acting Speaker Jeffery Komal said Parliament had not been properly maintained over the last 30 years.
He made the comment after adjourning Parliament on Friday in the first few minutes to tomorrow 10am due to communication system failure. Microphones and headphones devices in the people’s house did not work.