Marape appoints 3 opposition MPs to new PNG ministry

Bryan Kramer (centre) waits for the announcement of his new portfolio this morning

By KEITH JACKSON - PNG Attitude

BRISBANE - Prime Minister James Marape has ‘reached across the aisle’ to appoint three leading figures in Papua New Guinea's opposition to key posts in his new ministry.

And former deputy prime minister and treasurer Charles Abel has been demoted and lost his senior position to Steven Davis, the member for Esa'ala of Milne Bay Province.

The outspoken Madang MP, Bryan Kramer, has been appointed to the tricky portfolio of Police, central to addressing PNG's chronic law and order problems and a post which will demand all his skills.

A huge cheer went up when his appointment, which had been widely anticipated, was announced.  

Kerenga Kua, the Simbu MP who did not vote for Marape in the leadership ballot, has been appointed to the key economic ministry of Petroleum, and Wabag MP Dr Lino Tom receives the Fisheries and Marine Resources portfolio.

The appointments show that Marape was prepared to both to reach out to political opponents and use merit as a key selection criterion in his ministry.

Meanwhile long-serving foreign affairs minister Rimbink Pato, a strong O'Neill supporter, has been dropped from the ministry altogether and Sam Basil has been appointed in the lower reaches of the ministry as responsible for the treasury.

The full cabinet sworn in at Government Haus in Port Moresby a short time ago is:

1. James Marape - Prime Minister
2. Steven Davis - Deputy Prime Minister and Justice and Attorney General
3. Joseph Yopyyopy - Education
4. Lekwa Gure - Civil Aviation
5. Wera Mori - Commerce and Industry
6. Renbo Paita - Communication and Energy
7. Wake Goi - Community Development, Youth and Religion
8. Chris Nangoi - Correctional Services
9. Saki Soloma - Defence
10. Soroi Eoe - Foreign Affairs and Trade
11. Jeffery Kama - Environment, Conservation and Climate Change
12. Dr Lino Tom - Fisheries and Marine Resources
13. Sir Puka Temu - Bougainville Affairs
14. Elias Kapavore - Health and HIV/AIDS
15. Nick Kuman - Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology
16. Justin Tkatchenko - Housing and Urban Development
17. Petrus Thomas - Immigration and Border Security
18. Pila Niningi - Inter-Government Relations
19. Alfred Manase - Labour and Industrial Relations
20. John Simon - Agriculture and Livestock
21. John Rosso - Lands and Physical Planning
22. Kerenga Kua - Petroleum
23. Bryan Kramer - Police
24. Sasindran Muthuvel - State Enterprises
25. Westly Nukundj - Public Service
26. Emil Tammur - Tourism, Arts and Culture
27. William Samb - Transport and Infrastructure
28. Michael Nali - Works and Implementation
29. Solan Mirisim - Forest
30. Sam Basil - Treasury
31. Richard Maru - National Planning and Monitoring
32. Charles Abel - Finance and Rural Development
33. Johnson Tuke - Mining

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