PNG Government Prepares for first sitting August 21st
15th August, 2012
THE O’Neill-Dion Government is now preparing for the official opening of the Ninth Parliament Sitting next week, Speaker Theo Zurenuoc said yesterday. Parliament convenes on August 21, 2012 with the full Cabinet now in place and the Deputy Prime Minister Leo Dion to take his seat alongside Prime Minister and Chief Executive Officer of Papua New Guinea, Peter O’Neill. And this will also be the first time Finance Minister James Marape will take on Parliament as the Leader of Government Business. The two most powerful positions on the floor of Parliament are the Speaker and the Leader of Government Business. This will also be the day Opposition Leader Belden Namah and his Deputy Sam Basil will officially “show case” their shadow Ministers. MrNamah will officially announce his Shadow Cabinet ministers this week.
This first full Sitting will also be historical for Papua New Guinea’s three female MPs, Community Affairs Minister Loujaya Toni, Eastern Highlands Governor Julie Soso andSohe MP Delilah Gore.
But Speaker Zurenuoc, who is still in his Finschaffen electorate told the Post Courier yesterday that he will be back in Port Moresby late this week to prepare for the official opening of the ninth Parliament. “I have to come back and prepare for the official opening of the ninth Parliament Sitting next week,” Speaker Zurenuocsaid. He could not detail the program for that day or the Order of the Day, as he said that it was too early. The program will be done concurrently with the Leader of Government Business James Marape.