Nali to stay in Cabinet

The National Main Stories

By REBECCA KUKU and SAMUEL BARIASI
MENDI MP Michael Nali, the only People’s National Congress (PNC) Party member left in James Marape’s Cabinet, says he has “uncompleted” business to attend to.
Yesterday, Marape said he wanted Nali to continue as Minister for Works and Implementation, saying the man would “get the work done”.
Nali’s other party colleagues, given Cabinet portfolios when Marape became PM in May last year under a coalition with the PNC and other parties, have since been replaced.
They are now with PNC party leader Peter O’Neill in the Opposition after Marape wanted them out of the coalition.
Nali told The National yesterday that even though his PNC party had moved to the Opposition, he still had “incomplete work” in the ministry.
“At the end of the day, it really does not matter whether you are in the Government or the Opposition benches. We are all here to serve our people,” he said.
“I will remain in the Government but I am mindful that a lot of questions are being asked (about my position) because everyone knows that I am a PNC man.”
He said Marape alone had the prerogative to decide who should be in his Cabinet.
“Prime Minister James Marape has been kind enough to allow me to continue serving as Works and Implementation Minister,” Nali said.
“I got big reforms in the department. I got the Highlands Highway running, and I got Connect PNG. So we cannot afford to stop and start again.
“In my view, I am doing a lot of good work in the department. So I will leave the party thing out first and focus on doing my job as an elected leader. I am working on a very important programme to connect PNG with roads,” Nali said
Marape told The National “some appointments must be done outside of politics”.
“I have (also) shown that in the appointments of (Police Minister Bryan) Kramer and (Petroleum and Energy Minister Kerenga) Kua who did not vote for me. Some appointments go beyond politics,” he said.
Marape said he was not running Government just because of politics “but to get the work done”.
“I have been managing (Peter) O’Neill’s government numbers for seven years and I will now manage my own government numbers. I am not new to politics,” Marape said.
Marape said “like-minded leaders who were fed up with the ongoing corruption of the past regime” elected him prime minister last year.
“The change of Government arose from a collective desire to take back PNG from the hands of people who practised greed, nepotism and cronyism,” he said.
“It is my prerogative to make Nali an exception. He will continue to serve as the Minister for Works and Implementation.”

16 comments

  • The own electorate, Mendi Town is not improving in anyway, But Nali has a big job for the nation. May be Its in the era of new normal

  • Minister for works, instead of addressing all roads for highlands, please make an attempt to fix roads for Maggi Highway and Hiritano Highways.
    This roads is just deteriorating. You reside in Port Morebsy and you should prioritize this issue first hand. As per your statement, you have a lot of big job to finish so please walk the talk.

  • Hon James Marape, good to keep Nali with thou, be vigilance as saying goes, “BE IN IT TO WIN IT”. You have done that and not only you did to Peter Oniel but Peter Oniel did the same to GCS MICHAELTHOMAS by Peter O’Neill. It is easier to wear a sheep’s coat from inside than from outside. TOK tok tasol.

  • I have seen some MINISTRIES speaking wisdom in the parliament but their wisdom is like a carpenter who has all tools but dosen’t know how to construct a house for himself. He builds for other people. They should live the talk before they speak. Action speaks louder than the words. Good number of Members in the parliament don’t know how to wash their own pots but they busy on washing someone else’s pot. A man is not a complete man if he doesn’t know how to manage himself and tries to manage the crowd.

  • That is a uncalled to have a opposition still dwelling in the government affairs. Thumbs Up Mendi Munihu MP.
    Comes to 2022 National Election you’ll actually remove the mask you worn today to show the nation that you have been the PM of PNG since then….

  • Michael Nali did a tremendous job in his Ministerial Work. PMJM make a good decision to let Works Minister to continue his work to connect PNG in building roads and bridges.

  • money is the main attractant and surely the ministry carries money bag. the ministry is ‘owned and operated’ by the southern highlanders. Marape should give correctional services ministry to nali or even make him his supporter without a ministry to test loyalty.

  • Do what you can do for Papua New guinea, and not what you can get from Papua New guinea! Stop pointing fingers and do the work while its your turn.

  • Marape has made some tough but smart decisions in his short term as PM. The ICAC Act, Whistleblowers Act, Non Renewable of Pogera Gold Mine are some of the notable achievements that are very crucial which can have a lasting effect on some of the issues we are facing as a country in key impediment area to the development of the corruption such as corruption and economy (local wealth creation). These are historical decisions that has the capacity to change the dynamics of the country in the long term. I reverently doubt that if PO was the PM these milestones decisions would not happen. These are positive progressive decisions we must appreciate and knowledge if we share the same value and concern for our country. Yes, PMJM is not a saint. He was a staunch supporter of former PMPO and there were bad decisions made under his eyes. These are experiences he as a person and a leader has to fight his own demons to come clean if he was vindicated or participated in any corruption practices direct or indirectly. It is pleasing that he is prepared to come clean on the USB loan deal, Israeli generators etc without interfering with the investigation, a trademark of former PMPO. So there’s positive coming out of PMJM comparatively. Let’s please be patient and give him time and support he deserves for a mammoth task he has on hand. If he sees fit for Minister Nali to continue in NEC though contrary to normal political boundaries then so let it be, it’s yet again a positive decision anyway to appointment Kramer and Kua in his cabinet. His leadership is crunching political boundaries, something we’ve never seen before. It’s all a positive and for the better so please let’s accord some level of respect where it’s due and look at the positive progression…

  • Haven’t heard of any smart and tough decisions by PMJM government to date. Pogera is a disgrace like throwing and breaking bottles infront of yourself while walking barefoot. ICAC & Whistleblowers acts where previous Government initiatives which were awaiting completion of drafts when the government changed so this government only brought it to parliament for voting. What else more smart and tough decisions these government has taken or done in the first 12 months…? Nothing, all hot air talking and more talking. Just wait..next 12 months and you going to blame COVID-19 for doing failing to do anything tangiable for the nation. Only in PNG Politics, we pass on blame to the previous governments and say they did nothing when in fact no one seems to even give credit where it is alway due! Go on and blame Peter O’neil because lo highlands ol sa tok kilim pig ol hauslain em clan sa wokim and ino wanpla man sa wokim!

  • Nali helped Marape win election the first time he contested till today..Marape cannot remove Nali because he is the master mind behind P.O’Neill’s fall..Nali is only wearing name PNC as a coat..Actually Nali will show his stand come 2022..

  • i am so proud in most of the decisions Marape has made so far in terms of policies however, i do not agree with the people he is aligning with. To start with, known corrupt leaders such as Duma should be removed or allow investigations on Manu manu land to start. For Mr Nali, investigate all the contractors he has engaged. there are many corrupt leaders hiding under the umbrella of the Government. If Marape truly believes in God, then he should not worry about the numbers game. I know, God has listened to the PM in terms of COVID 19 and He will continue to be with the PM if the MP starts investigations to begin on all leaders that have investigations pending. Do away with commission of enquiries which is a waste of money. Allow normal investigations to proceed. Very Good people that can be part of the ICAC are Sam Koim, Matthew Damaru, Timothy Gitua and many others.

  • PMPO was and is still and will still be the BEST of all Prime Ministers in Papua New Guinea’s Political history! Salute to You Honorable Peter O’Neil. Every country in the globe have excessive billions and trillions of Loans from the world bank to run their Countries. PNG is no different and Honorable Peter O’Neil as the former CEO of this Country CHANGED the face of our Cities and the Country’s Airports and Sea ports. Who will fill into his BOOTS? I do not see any one not even all these current facebook keyboard ministers in the current Government. It is a shame you will blame the Wuhan Virus debacle as your obstacle for development come 2022!

    Rest my Case now – over to PNG to review and measure the performance of Peter O’Neil as the former CEO of our Country, Papua New Guinea.

  • we have other regional provinces and its district that road services are very poor, can government make fair decision to link road every province instead only highlands region,

    speaking of national highway, province and region like,
    Madang to wewak and saundaun
    Namatanai to Kavieng town
    Mainland AROB
    Mainland west new britain to East new britain
    Mainland Manus. Most people 60% live in mainland unlike 40% of people live at smal atols

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