MP calls on colleagues to reconsider alliance

MILNE Bay leaders have been called to renounce their support for Prime Minister James Marape following last week’s unceremonious sacking of Alotau MP Charles Abel as a State minister.
Kerema MP Richard Mendani also called on southern region MPs in Government to reconsider their allegiance for the same reason.
“As the only representative of the Southern region in the Opposition, I consider the sacking of Abel to be an insult,” Mendani said.
He said the prime minister has given a very insensitive reasons for Abel’s removal and was unacceptable.
“I would be very surprised if the people of Alotau, Abel’s family and the whole Milne Bay express anger and disgust at this gross insult to them also.
“Abel has clearly stood out among other ministers and was the hardest working minister in both the previous administration and in Marape’s Government.
He has been the voice of reason in Cabinet and Parliament and has had to put the brakes on expenditure blowouts time and again.
“Furthermore, Abel championed an overseas roadshow to raise much-needed funds for the country and raised US$500 million (K1.7billion) and managed to get the bond oversubscribed by up to eight times.
“This is praiseworthy performance, not a sacking offence,” Mendani said.
“It is of course the prime minister’s prerogative to change his Cabinet line-up. But to do so while casting aspersions and innuendos to the condition of the governor for Milne Bay by saying he has to release Abel to prepare to take leadership in the province given the poor health of the governor is insensitive.”