Duma and United Resource Party want more ministries

PETROLEUM Minister William Duma will be pushing for more ministries from the prime minister for his United Resource Party (URP), The National reports.

Duma said the distribution of ministerial portfolio was at the discretion of Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare, but “our concern has been raised with him”.

“The prime minister is fully aware and it is now his call,” he said in response to questions on the distribution of ministries which is concentrated in one region.

He also denied media speculations that Sir Michael had offered him the deputy prime minister’s post among four other senior MPs.

“At no stage did he offer the deputy prime minister to me. Right now, we have Deputy Prime Minister Sir Puka Temu,” he added.

Duma made the remarks in a media conference last Friday where he welcomed three new MPs who had shifted camp to join URP.

The three MPs have boosted the party’s numbers to 10.

Duma, with Environment and Conservation Minister Benny Allan and Kerowagi MP Guma Wau, welcomed on board Dei MP Puri Ruing, South Bougainville MP Steven Kama and Kagua-Erave MP James Lagea to the party.

Ruing abandoned Sir Mekere Morauta’s PNG Party while Kama had moved from the opposition and Lagea is a one-man PNG Conservative Party who moved after sections of the Organic Law on the Integrity of Political Parties and Candidates were ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.

Duma also denied reports that URP had been talking with the opposition to oust Sir Michael.

“There is no offer for us to consider and we remain with the government.

“Politics is built on speculation and hype and, once the dust settles, everything will be fine.

“In politics, political parties will seek maximum benefit for its members and the prime minister has been approached by URP for additional ministries for the party,” he said.

Duma said the URP did not offer the three MPs any special deals but promised them comradeship and good party policies.

On the no-confidence motion mooted by the opposition, Duma said there was a general feeling that it would take place tomorrow when parliament resumed, but “no motion has been lodged”.