Prime Minister decommissions Rainbo Paita and Dr Kobby Bomareo
Prime Minister James Marape has decommissioned Finance Minister Rainbo Paita and Housing Minister MP Kobby Bomareo from their cabinet positions following their defection to the Opposition.
He announced that other ministers who have joined the Opposition, once confirmed, will also face decommissioning.
In a statement released this afternoon Prime Minister Marape, expressed dissatisfaction in the manner which Finschhafen MP Paita and Tewai-Siassi MP Bomareo defected from the ruling government
“It certainly gives me no pleasure in decommissioning Rainbo Paita, who has got caught up in this political play and betrayed the trust bestowed upon him, by being the ring leader of Pangu Pati and Government MPs joining ranks with the Opposition,” Prime Minister Marape said.
“I have also decommissioned Kobby Bomareo as a minister in my Cabinet. Cabinet solidarity has been breached by the defection of Paita and Bomareo.
“While I respect their right to form new allegiances, the fact that they have shown open revolt and chosen to associate with the Opposition and led other Pangu and Government MPs to the other side, leaves me with no choice but to decommission them immediately.
“I know other ministers are currently in the Opposition camp, by choice or being forced to, and we are reaching out to them.”
Paita led 17 other MPs from the government to pledge their allegiance with the alternative government as of Saturday night.
Three other ministerial heads in Don Polye [High Education, Research Science & Technology], Muguwa Dilu [Mining] and Henry Isi Leonard [Tourism, Arts & Culture] have also joined the opposition in a bid to overthrow the Prime Minister.
Marape said Paita and Bomareo have shown no respect for Cabinet decorum by jumping ship without writing to him and indicating their areas of dissatisfaction.
“Other ministers, who were recently given portfolios over others who were equally or more qualified, will also be decommissioned once it is confirmed that they have joined the Opposition,” the Tari Pori MP said.
“They have to indicate where I have gone wrong and why they have decided to move away from my Cabinet.
“Papua New Guinea needs to know, as the country is littered with enough experiences of personality politics, with no policy substance.
“If they have no record of delivering in the past, what is the hope of them delivering in the future?
“Under my watch, Government ministers have been given more power and resources to work, like never before.
“It is in the interest of the country and their respective districts that ministers who may have joined the Opposition, apart from Paita and Bomareo, confirm that they have done so and their grounds for leaving.”
Meanwhile, the opposition who have camped in Sanctuary hotel are expecting more MPs to join the camp whilst Pangu remains confident on maintaining solidarity under PMJM.
