MP leaves govt

KAINANTU MP William Hagahuno yesterday abandoned his United Resources Party in the Government coalition and crossed the floor to the Opposition, saying he could no longer be part of the Government.
He told reporters: “I can no longer continue in Government while our people are facing severe hardships. I couldn’t wait around for the DSIP or PSIP.”
And as the momentum picks up for a possible vote of no confidence in the leadership of Prime Minister James Marape, with the Pangu-led coalition government’s grace period ending on Friday, Chimbu MPs Kerenga Kua and James Nomane last Friday met with New Ireland Governor Sir Julius Chan in Port Moresby.
Parliament will resume next Tuesday, Feb 13.
At the Port Moresby home of Sir Julius, Kua, who is National Party’s parliamentary leader and immediate past minister for Petroleum and Energy, told Sir Julius as the last man standing of the founding fathers,that he felt duty-bound to tell him in person the reasons for resigning from Government a week ago.
Kua told Sir Julius he felt insulted by Prime Minister James Marape when he split the Petroleum and Energy ministry in the recent Cabinet reshuffle, leaving him with Energy when he had done the most work in Petroleum.
Petroleum was handed to the ruling Pangu Pati’s Jimmy Maladina.
Marape last week also acknowledged the contributions of Kua after his resignation.
Kua told Sir Julius that during an hour-long meeting, Marape had asked him to reconsider his resignation and that he would be given back his Petroleum ministry.
“I told him that was not possible as I had consulted my people and my party. They had given me their go-ahead (to resign). So there was no turning back at that point,” Kua said he told Marape.
Sir Julius said simply: “Congratulations on your resignation. It’s a big loss, you know. A big loss for the country.”
Chuave MP Nomane, who was one of the first to resign from Government, told Sir Julius that there was no honour in the Government any more.
Sir Julius, incidentally, was made Prime Minister in the first-ever motion of no-confidence against the Pangu government of Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare (now deceased) in 1980.
However, in previous conversations, PM Marape had emphasized that he wasn’t too bothered about the no-confidence motion, and wanted to focus on working for the country.
From past experiences, the process of a vote of no-confidence in PNG would be a lengthy process.