Sir Michael to choose Pruaitch’s successor

A LOT has happened on the political front since Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare left the country last week for the climate change conference in Oslo, Norway.
When he returns this weekend, he is expected to announce a replacement for his close confidante and powerful party man, Patrick Pruaitch, who lost his Treasury and Finance Ministry this week.
The Supreme Court had ruled that Pruaitch was ineligible to hold the ministry as a result of his referral to a leadership tribunal to inquire into allegations of misconduct in office.
The vacancy in the ministry presented a dilemma for the prime minister whether to keep this powerful economic portfolio within the National Alliance ranks or hand it to a coalition partner.
Sources close to the government said the prime minister would most likely stick to the Kokopo Accord and keep the ministry within the ruling party.
“The prime minister can now add four new ministries to his cabinet, so he could use this opportunity to reshuffle cabinet,” sources said.
Ministries likely to be separated included Mining and Lands, now under Sir Puka Temu, and Works, Transport and Civil Aviation, now with Don Polye.
Both Sir Puka and Polye are ideal candidates for the Finance and Treasury portfolio should the prime minister decide to keep this ministry within NA.
Both are well credentialed and respected individuals who lead a strong and cohesive regional grouping from Papua and Highlands respectively.
“With the future leadership of the NA in mind, this would be the ideal time for Sir Michael to test their leadership at the highest level by allowing one of them to take charge of Finance and Treasury.
“The leadership of NA will go to either of this region in August, so it is the right time for the prime minister to allow them to prove themselves,” a source said.
Sir Puka is a medical doctor with vast experience in the public service prior to entering politics, while Polye is a civil engineer and a holder of a masters degree in business administration, who also served the public service before entering politics in 2002.
If the PM decided to go outside of the ruling party, there is Public Service Minister and leader of People’s National Congress Peter O’Neill, who would be comfortable at the ministry.
The prime minister could also consider Finance Vice-Minister Benjamin Poponawa, Planning Minister Paul Tiensten and Public Enterprises Minister Arthur Somare.
Somare, however, could face the same fate as Pruaitch.
The court is expected to hand down a decision today on a legal challenge Somare mounted against his referral to a leadership tribunal by the chief justice in 2006.
If the challenge fails, Somare has to step down to face allegations of misconduct in office levelled against him by the Ombudsman Commission.