PM welcomes Pruaitch

By CLIFFORD FAIPARIK
PRIME Minister James Marape has welcomed National Alliance Party (NA) leader Patrick Pruaitch back to Government to maintain stability until next year’s elections.
“Pruaitch is a very mature politician and he made the call for the national interest.
“The nation is facing many challenges like the Covid-19 and now we have the signing of the new Porgera Gold Mine agreement,” Marape said.
“So, he has made a very mature decision for the sake of political stability for us to prepare for the 2022 national election.”
Pruaitch said on Thursday that he had rejoined the Government with four of his party MPs because of Marape’s decision to reopen Porgera.
“The reopening of the mine is what NA stands for and that is direct foreign investment to improve the national economy.
“Not only for the reopening of that mine but other foreign investment projects,” Pruaitch said.
He also announced that he was withdrawing his nomination as the alternative prime minister made before the last November’s unsuccessful motion of no confidence and that his party would not support any such motion till the 2022 elections.
Pruaitch announced that with Kairuku-Hiri MP Peter Isoaimo, Huon Gulf MP Ross Seymour, North Bougainville MP William Nakin and West Sepik Governor Tony Wouwou he had rejoined the NA faction that was with the Marape Government.
The faction had remained loyal to Marape during last November’s political impasse, resulting in the unsuccessful motion of no confidence.
In the faction are Namatanai MP Walter Schnaubelt, Kavieng MP Ian Ling-Stuckey, East Sepik Governor Allan Bird, South Bougainville MP Timothy Masiu and Angoram MP Salio Waipo .
Pruaitch said they had 12 MPs but with the passing of Moresby North-West MP Sir Mekere Morauta and Kerema MP Richard Mendani, they now had 10 MPs.
“We are expecting a few more MPs to join us before we go for the elections,” he said