Landowners welcome appointment of Pruaitch

RESOURCE owners from Southern Highlands have welcomed the appointment of Aitape-Lumi MP Patrick Pruaitch to his former treasury and finance portfolio.
Pruaitch, who is the NA deputy leader for Momase, took over from Peter O’Neill in a major reshuffle announced by Acting Prime Minister Sam Abal late on Tuesday.
Principal landowner of the Kutubu oil and gas project Kossy Sosoro said in a media conference Pruaitch “will bring stability and common sense to the ministry and its dealings with project landowners of Southern Highlands”.
“I am most heartened by the re-appointment of Pruaitch to the all-important ministry of treasury and finance,” he said.
Two former members of parliament from Hela have also welcomed the appointment of Komo-Margarima MP Francis Potape as the new petroleum and energy minister.
In a statement yesterday, former Tari-Pori MP Tom Tomiape and former Koroba-Lake Kopiago MP Herowa Agiwa commended Abal for appointing a Hela son to the most important resource portfolio.
“He is a local MP and has the local knowledge of issues relating to the multi-billion-kina LNG project,” the statement said.
“He has the qualification and is the right person who has been given this important portfolio.”
They also called on the United Resource Party to put aside its factional in-fighting and support the Somare-Abal government.
Meanwhile, People’s First Party secretary-general Peter Honale has applauded the new ministerial appointments.
Honale praised Abal for taking a bold stand to remove and appoint ministers at a time when political turmoil was at its peak.
Honale made special mention of the reappointments of Pruaitch and Charles Abel.
Honale, who runs hospitality businesses in Lae and Port Moresby, said Abal must be praised by everyone because “he is not only facing tough times in politics but in his personal life”.
He called on Abal to consider establishing offices of ministries and departments which have direct responsibilities with the multi-billion-kina liquefied natural gas project.