Pruaitch hails Marape’s decision to resign

OPPOSITION Leader Patrick Pruaitch had hailed the decision by Tari-Pori MP James Marape to resign as Finance Minister as brave, courageous and in the national interest.
He said Marape had made it clear that views on national policies raised with Prime Minister Peter O’Neill “were falling on deaf ears”.
“The purchase of Oil Search shares was the PM’s idea and was not supported by anyone in Cabinet or the bureaucracy,” Pruaitch said.
“That problematic decision was compounded by the A$1.2 billion (about K3bil) loan.”
Pruaitch said he understood Marape’s decision because of his own experience as a former Treasurer.
He said Marape must have felt “personally hurt” by the lack of attention given by the Government to help people affected by the Feb 26 Highlands region earthquake last year.
Pruaitch said Marape’s resignation had “rocked the People’s National Congress to the core”.
O’Neill said last week it was unfortunate that Marape had resigned but “wok mas go yet”
Pruaitch said O’Neill had given him a written approval for a plan to sell the 4.27 per cent LNG equity stake to the landowners for US$230 million (about K747mil).