“We are moving as a party, to win more seats in the coming election,” Pruaitch said.     

NA has endorsed 74 candidates to contest for the 111 seats in the National Parliament, when Papua New Guineans go to the polls on June 24  to July 8.

NA Party executives flanked by its parliamentary wing announced its decision today to leave the coalition government.

The decision followed sacking of Pruaitch as the Minister for Treasury by Prime Minister Peter O’Neill last week.

Parliamentary leader Patrick Pruaitch confirmed this with Loop PNG yesterday.

He said a media conference will be held after the meeting to discuss the actions taken by the NA party caucus.          

This follows Prime Minister Peter O’Neill’s decision to remove the Treasury portfolio from Pruaitch last week.

O’Neill is the parliamentary leader of the major coalition partner, People’s National Congress (PNC) Party.  

The announcement by the Prime Minister last week followed comments by Pruaitch on the country’s economy and lack of election funding.

This is the fourth week for campaigning and candidates and parties will be looking at marketing themselves to the voters.

PNG Electoral Commission stated earlier that 3,332 candidates will contest for the 22 Provincial and 89 Open seats in the Papua New Guinea’s 111 seat Parliament.

The eight weeks of campaign will end on June 23, followed by the two weeks of polls.

Meanwhile, the political marriage between the two largest parties in the coalition government is coming to an end.  

His decision, which was revealed on Saturday, is in support of his National Alliance Parliamentary Leader, Patrick Pruaitch, who has been stripped of his portfolio as the Treasury Minister.

Tabar made the announcement at a rally held in his Gazelle Electorate in East New Britain Province.

His decision leaves the Transport and Infrastructure portfolio vacant at the moment.

Hundreds of people attended the election rally, which was held at the Napapar 4 church grounds.

Prime Minister and parliamentary leader for the People’s National Congress Party, Peter O’Neill, made this comment on Wednesday.               

He was referring to statements by Treasury Minister and National Alliance parliamentary leader, Patrick Pruaitch, who has been criticising the running of the economy and funding of the 2017 National Election.

“We have a very good relationship with individual party members of all these parties for over 5 years,” O’Neill told Loop PNG.   

“It is the individual leaders’ ambition and egos, people have to understand.”

Treasury Minister and National Alliance Party parliamentary leader Patrick Pruaitch has back stabbed the National Government which his party was a member to in the last five years.     

Minister Pruaitch said the ability for police to secure a free and fair election is now being compromised with inadequate funding.   

Pruaitch said, he was shocked to learn last Friday during a meeting with Police Commissioner Gari Baki that the police force only received K8 million of its K121 million budget allocation for election operations.

Pruaitch will be vying to return for his third consecutive term as the local MP for Aitape – Lumi District.   

The other unconfirmed names of  candidates are; Godfried Solmu, Canisius Kapu, John Ramoi, Job Tulipi, Andrew Oboi, Jerry Manyir, Zachery Miroi, Samson Kupu, Eddy Saweni, Leo Wamo, Solwai Emmanuel Mambei, Harry Rainald, Camillus Wulal, Paul Saroya, Philemon Tamari, John Awei Yemi, Chris Kati Kanako, and Brian Simbe.  

The  eight weeks of campaign will end on June 23, followed by 14 days of polling nationwide.

Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Tobias Kulang, told Loop PNG he is disappointed that his colleague Minister spoke against the Government.

Minister Kulang said if Pruaitch had an issue with the management of the economy, he should’ve spoken a long time ago and not on the eve of the elections.

“My question is, is he genuine? If he’s genuine he should’ve done that a long time ago.

“Now it’s just days away from the issuance of the writs so, I don’t know whether he’s truly genuine.

Marape issued a statement saying Patrick Pruaitch must take responsibility, as Treasurer and the chief economic minister of the O’Neill-Dion Government, who presided over the economy for the last few years, and he should not shy away for political convenience.

The Finance Minister  said this in response to the National Alliance Parliamentary Leader's public statement on the economy last Friday.

“The timing of his outburst cannot be more political than it is now as we confront  the 2017 National Elections,” the Minister said.

Foreign missions miss 10 fortnights, says Pruaitch

http://www.looppng.com/png-news/foreign-missions-miss-10-fortnights-says-pruaitch-55740

Papua New Guinea diplomats have not been paid their salaries for up to 10 fortnights.