William Duma's United Resource Party did not do well in the voting, and as the count continues, are to hold less seats than was predicted by the early results.

Despite that, it appears as if Duma will still be in a key position.  "In the words of Mr O’Neill, Mr Duma will be a key player in the new Government and if it is not in the Petroleum and Energy portfolio, it will be in another senior capacity in the new Government."  With those words, O'Neill is greasing the skids for Duma to hold some other position than DPE Minister.

Now it is 55-45 that Duma will not hold the DPE Ministership.  LOL

VS

URP did not score well

By PETER KORUGL

For a political party that regards Western Highlands as its home, the United Resources Party (URP) did poorly at the polls there. Except for its leader William Duma, who came home on the primary votes. It lost the Mul-Baiyer, Tambul-Nebilyer and Dei Open seats.
“I had high hopes in our candidates in these electorates. However we have done well in other seats,” Mr Duma informed the Post-Courier.
The lost of Puri Ruing, the gentle giant of the URP for the Dei Open seat is a major blow for the party but it has made up for this lose in Anthony Yagama in the Usino Bundi Open election.
Yagama, who has won from his fourth attempt, at the national election has thanked the people of Usino-Bundi for the trust and confidence they have in his leadership.
“I won’t let them down. That is a guarantee and my party is in Government,” Mr Yagama told this newspaper in his first interview as a member of parliament.
Yagama joined Benjamin Philip (Menyamya) Steven Kama (Central Bougainville) in Alotau yesterday. They will soon be joinedby Mai Dop, the member-elect for the Jimi Open seat. The party also expects Dr Fabian Pok to take the North Waghi seat, Joe Nera for Bougainville regional boosting its numbers to 7, one more than the number it came in with in 2007.
URP has been in Government for the last 10 years, since it entered the polls in 2002. It broke ranks with the National Alliance led Government and moved in with the Peoples National Congress led Government and voted for Mr Peter O’Neill to become prime minister on August 2, 2011.
Counting in 90 electorates are completed and the lobbying to form Government commenced already. Caretaker. Caretaker Prime Minister Peter O’Neill remains ready to form the new Government that is taking shape already in Alotau, Milne Bay Province.
Mr O’Neill Papua New Guineans should expect a good government because of the high caliber of leaders that are elected and who are in the Peoples National Congress Party led camp.
“The elections were very peaceful and as a result, a lot of good and experienced leaders were elected. These leaders will play leading roles in the new Government,” Mr O’Neill said.
He maintains that his coalition Government was still intact except for the PNG Party, headed by Mr Belden Namah, the caretaker Deputy Prime Minister who have gone into camp in Kokopo.
“All the parties in the current Government are intact except for PNG Party which has gone its own way. We have THE (Triumph Heritage Empowerment) Party, the United Resources Party, Peoples United Assembly, Our Development Party, Peoples Party, Peoples Democratic Party and the other smaller parties are together.
On Sunday, Mr O’Neill officially welcomed the URP into his camp, which he described as a retreat of MPs who are working on forming a new Government.
“There is n question about the URP leaving Government. And the leader, Hon. William Duma will play a leading role in the new Government,” Mr O’Neill said, with Mr Duma by his side at the Airways Hotel where he operates at present.
“We want to put all speculation to rest and that is we are a coalition partner in the current Government and we remain loyal to this Government. The Government is still intact,” Mr Duma said.
He said URP’s elected MPs were already in ALotau and others that were declared over the weekend will fly into Alotau this morning.
“We are a traditional partner. We have been together in this government and will continue this partnership,” Mr Duma said.
The caretaker Minister for Petroleum and Energy, who signed the multi-billion kina LNG project agreement, revealed that he had met and reached an understanding with Mr O’Neill last week in Port Moresby.
The URP has played a leading role in the increased activities in the mineral and hydro carbon industries in the country.
In the words of Mr O’Neill, Mr Duma will be a key player in the new Government and if it is not in the Petroleum and Energy portfolio, it will be in another senior capacity in the new Government.