Big shakeup

The National Main Stories

FOUR ministers were dropped in a major Cabinet shake-up announced by Prime Minister James Marape on Friday.
The biggest and only “casualty” was the Peter O’Neill-led People’s National Congress Party (PNC) which saw three of its Members of Parliament (MPs) chopped from Marape’s new 33-member Cabinet line-up.
The three are Elias Kapavore (Health and HIV/AIDS), Alfred Manase (Labour and Industrial Relations) and Petrus Thomas (Immigration and Border Security).
The fourth minister left out in the new Cabinet is former PNC member Charles Abel (Finance and Rural Development), now with Our Development Party (ODP).
Replacing them are four new faces, National Alliance Party (NA) leader Patrick Pruaitch (Foreign Affairs and International Trade), his party deputy Timothy Masiu (Information, Communications Technology) and United Resources Party (URP) leader William Duma (Commerce and Industry) and his party deputy Jelta Wong (Health and HIV/AIDS).
Wong is making a comeback to the Cabinet as he was the Police Minister under O’Neill’s Government.
Abel claims that he was leaving the Cabinet to assist the Milne Bay governor.
In announcing the Cabinet line-up, Marape said: “The appointments reflect (political) equality and fairness. (My new Cabinet also features) leaders with vast experience in governance, like Pruaitch and Masiu.
“I apologise to the people of Bougainville (with regards to the Cabinet changes) but the Autonomous Region of Bougainville now has a voice in the Cabinet in Masiu.”
The URP was also rewarded for its “loyal support” to Marape’s election as prime minister in Parliament since May with the appointment of Duma, taking over from Pangu’s Wera Mori (Commerce and Industry). Marape said former Environment, Conservation and Climate Change Minister Jeffery Kama (Triumph Heritage Empowerment Party), is now Labour and Industrial Relations Minister, replacing Manase who was dropped from the Cabinet line-up.
Wong replaces Kapavore who was also dropped from the Cabinet as Health and HIV/AIDS Minister.
Marape said: “I want the rot in the (health) department to be checked. Medicines must be delivered on time, corruption must be eliminated.
“The middlemen must be cut off and the distribution of medicines be tasked with Post PNG and PNG Defence Force.”
The prime minister also announced a reshuffle of ministerial portfolios and changes.
Rainbo Paita (formerly Communications and Energy) is now Finance and Rural Development Minister, Westly Nukundj (Public Service) is now Immigration and Border Security Minister and Soroi Eoe (Foreign Affairs and International Trade) is now Public Service Minister.
Marape said the energy portfolio that was formerly parked under the Communications and Energy Ministry “is now reverted to the Petroleum and Energy Ministry”.
The Communications and Energy Ministry is now renamed as Information Communications Technology (ICT) Ministry.

14 comments

  • Finance and Rural Development is a very important ministry to be entrusted to a ‘green’ first timer politician. For me that is the biggest setback in the current allocation of ministries aside from the exclusion of Charles Abel, whom one would think is one of the most experienced, able and hard working members in the current and last Parliaments.

  • i have big trust for the member of Alatau horn Charles Abel other finance minister. it is said to see the changing of the ministerial position. we are not go for the political and personal motive but the interest of the people of PNG along.

  • Able was a hard-working leader but if switch to other party would be better. PNG politic is unpredictable..there fore he was drop back as well as Afred Manase.

  • Hon. Renbo Paita is the unique type of Politician who was born a politician and he deserves to be the Minister of Finance and Rural Development…His people trust and believe in him so go with the flow of politics.

  • This reshuffle is necessary for PM Marape because NA has creeped into the government through the back door. It was a wish come true for Patrick Pruitch and his MPs to oust PM Oniel and PNC government. PM Marape is scared of loosing the PM Position through court battle so he invited PP to join the government last time.
    Because we have NA as a treat to PM Marape and his government ,PNC ministers including Able has become victim of the political pressure . This government will continue to be unstable while more new political parties will rise up to team up to form new goverment in 2022

  • Paita is a very brilliant up coming leader for PNG. Thanks Finch for producing such. It won’t be long before he will make PNG proud. I have followed closely events leading up to the over throw of PO, and I have been amazed at young MP’s brilliance.

  • The Hard Working leaders Elias , Charles and Alfred should simply move to Pangu or other parties apart from PNC in order to hold on to their Portfolio. They are not thinking. PM does want PNC leader and the party. If you stick to PO , you need to loose your portfolio.

  • Whether one is capable or incapable of the post is the result of forever political instability. When will PNG measure the results of visions and plans of reigning governments?. It has been only 6 months since PM Marabe took office and a reshuffle again in key ministerial portfolios is scary. Perhaps, Kainantu MP, Johnson Tuke and one/two others have been the only minister(s) serving in the same portfolio for several terms of parliament. Their visions may translate to tangible development in the portfolio(s). Otherwise, serving the interest of coalition partners and retaining power will not take PNG any further in terms of development and service delivery. Ta.

  • ….Politics at its best…..

    We have somewhere in this news some expectation of MIRACLES from PMJM…by one who, perhaps is living on second-heaven….BUT then again as we say, it is politics…

  • Johnson Tuke is one very corrupt Minister seeking kickbacks and is not align with the PM’s cry of Take Back PNG and if I am correct, he is looking at all the Legislation of the Resource Sector and Tuke is occupying one such portfolio. He is like all other past Ministers meeting ALL needs and demands of the Industry and NOT the wishes and thinking of the people (majority). Marape is thinking with the people and a regime change whilst Tuke is NOT. Even Tuke’s own Boss (Sir Julius Chan) has been trying to push the Mining for last 6-7 years, Tuke has not been supportive. Tuke must be sacked immediately.

  • PM Marape was definitely pressured by both URP and NA for the reshuffle. If Pruaitch and Duma were genuine, they would have advised for PMJM to leave alone Abel and Kapavore however instead pushed their agendas through because as was the failed case at Laguna Camp.
    Mekere, Kramer, Bird, Jufa, Temu and other good MPs and Governors joined PMJM for good cause. They moved without political parties for the common good of PNG and what PMJM stands for. PNG is bigger than a political party and self centered individuals.
    They now need to advise both Pruaitch and Duma practice principle of integrity and respect not number games for personal gains as this sort of actions alone will only push PNG backwards.

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