Somare names cabinet; Potape back as Petroleum & Energy

[Palm]

So Sir Michael has named his cabinet. Back comes Potape if Sir Michael can get sworn in. This will be interesting.
"*Sam Abal, (Deputy Prime Minister and Immigration);
*Patrick Pruaitch (Treasury and Finance & State Owned Enterprises);
*Sir Arnold Amet, (Justice & Attorney General and Public Service);
*Sasa Zibe, (Health & HIV/AIDS and Inter Government Relations);
Tim Bonga, (Forestry & Internal Security);
*James Marape, (Education, National Planning and District Development);
*Benjamin Poponowa, (Transport and Civil Aviation);
*Philip Kikala, (Agriculture & Livestock);
*Paru Ahi, (Higher Education, Research Science & Technology and Foreign Affairs & Trade);
*Fidelis Semoso, (Bougainville Affairs);
*Patrick Tammur, (Communication & Information);
*Francis Potape, (Petroleum & Energy);
*Ben Semri, (Fisheries and Commerce & Industry);
*Tony Aimo, (Correctional Services, Lands & Physical Planning);
*Andrew Kumbakor, (Housing & Urban Development);
*Philemon Embel, (Sports and Minister Assisting the Prime Minister);
*Bob Dadae, (Defence);
*Dame Carol Kidu, (Community Development) and
*John Pundari, (Mining).
*Anderson Agiru, as the Minister for Works and Conservation & Environment.

[admin]

Hmm, he didn't waste any time. Thanks for that! Bit of a 'revolving door' at the moment.

[Palm]

Hopefully Mr Potape was informed to his satisfaction back in July as to viability oh Gulf LNG. IF Somare remains he has been a huge ally. He was in all of the pictures with Duma on the EWC announcement which also confirmed the Gulf location. This whole process of swearing someone in will be interesting. Somare now has a minority in parliament, so how does he get things done? The ministers flop around like fish and I wouldn't be surprised to all of a sudden see some flip back to Somare if it appears he will be in until the elections.

Amazing turn of events.

[admin]

Yes, didn't get much from the National, but Malum Nalu has a few curious stories, and you raise an interesting point. How is Somare going to govern when the whole Parliament has voted for O'Neill (AFTER the court decision, as it happens)..
On the other hand, I'm not sure whether the Treaty changes and/or licenses need Parliamentary approval, probably not.

[Libtardius Maximus]

Wasn't Potape under some sort of ethics probe? Does the charge go away with the O'Neill government?

[Palm]

Yep, Potape was charged back in November with misappropriation of funds but not sure of the outcome if any. At this point who knows what will "stick" from when O'Neill was in office? I'm shellshocked from what was decided and it's a crapshoot trying to figure out what might happen next. Flip a coin and you have as good a chance predicting the outcomes. The land of the unexpected has earned it's name in this whole thing.

Interesting thing is that I've seen 2-3 articles that have said the resource sector in PNG is largely unaffected by this decision. With the importance of resouces for the future people know these projects must go forward.

[admin]

Yes, it was a bit of a black box decision. Somare has been there for a long time, little doubt he has some support in places which matter.

I've always thought that the political stuff was a bit overblown until a PNG Chavez stands up or they descend into something like Syria. Business still gets done in PNG until we actually have indications of the contrary, which so far have escaped at least my attention..