MPs vote to increase ministries to 32

PARLIAMENT has given the nod to Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare to increase the number of ministers from 27 to 32, which will cost taxpayers extra K3 million annually.
Sir Michael indicated that the new ministerial portfolios would be announced soon.
The Organic Law on the number of ministers (Amendment) Law 2008, introduced by the prime minister for the second and third readings, was supported by a 77-10 vote.
However, it came under heavy fire from deputy opposition leader Bart Philemon, who said taxpayers would have to pay more for the five ministers.
Philemon accused the prime minister of creating “jobs for the boys”.
“We have not yet used the vice-ministers in effective ministerial load-sharing. If we have not, why do we want five extra full cabinet ministers?
“Just whose interest is the government serving?”
He said the list of jobs for the government were 27 ministers, 12 vice-ministers, 19 permanent parliamentary committees, 14 parliamentary referral committees and 72 MPs who all have extra jobs aside from being just plain MPs.
“Include the prime minister and, out of 88 MPs who voted this government into office, 73 already have extra jobs,” he said.
Philemon said it looked like 15 MPs were without jobs but there were 20 governors with 17 of them in government ranks.
“This means there are 90 jobs for 88 MPs and, adding the speaker and deputy speaker, it is 92 jobs for 88 MPs.
“The report of the public sector rightsizing group stated that 27 ministers are higher than in any other developing country and recommended a reduction to between 15 and 20,” he said.
Philemon said the Salaries Remuneration Committee Determination noted that K14,989,624 was paid annually to 26 ministers, excluding the PM and DPM, in salaries, allowances and staff.
It will now need to find K2,882,620 for the additional five ministers, bringing the total bill for 32 ministers to K17,827,244.
“It costs K2,762,677 to run the PM’s office, including salary and allowances and staff salaries. The cost to run the DPM’s office, including salary and allowances, is K857,781.
Philemon said it would cost taxpayers a total of K21,492,781 to maintain the expanded cabinet.
Sir Michael, in a statement issued late yesterday, thanked MPs from both sides of the floor for their support in the passage of the two constitutional acts in Parliament.
“I thank all MPs that voted for the increase in ministries. PNG has grown considerably since independence. And the responsibilities of cabinet ministers have also greatly increased,” he said.
He said apart from the national government duties, such as attending Parliament and presiding over their ministries, ministers also had to carry out their electoral duties.
“I am, therefore, grateful for the support that came from both sides of the floor,” Sir Michael said.