Tkatchenko given ministry

MORESBY South MP Justin Tkatchenko is now the minister for national events.
This was announced by Prime Minister James Marape on Monday night during the opening of the four-lane road from Nine-Mile to Pacific Adventist University in the capital.
Present were Moresby NorthEast MP John Kaupa, Moresby North-West MP Lohia Boe Samuel and National Capital District Governor Powes Parkop.
Tkatchenko stepped aside as the minister for foreign affairs on May 14 after the public outcry following his “primitive animals” comment he made while speaking to a foreign media outlet at regarding social media trolls regarding the conduct of his daughter Savannah, when she accompanied him while on official state travel to Great Britain earlier this year.
He had said his comments during their coronation trip were not “intended” for the people of Papua New Guinea.
Tkatchenko said his comments were made out of frustration and anger in response to comments that were “disgusting, sexual and violent in nature”.
On May 14, during the press conference, Marape accepted the decision and took up the responsibilities of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs himself.
“This sort of incidents happened, the minister stepped aside on his own free will, some don’t step aside, and they keep staying,” Marape said.
“I know there are pressures in the society, we did have conversation with him.”