O’Neill to head caretaker govt

Source: The National, Tuesday 15th May 2012 By ISAAC NICHOLAS PRIME Minister Peter O’Neill will retain the finance portfolio and head a caretaker administration to run the nation’s affairs until a new government is formed. He revealed this as parliament enters its final session today before it is dissolved to allow for fresh elections. The issue of writs is scheduled for Friday. Voting begins on Saturday, June 23. The return of writs is on or before July 27. A new government is expected soon after that. O’Neill told The National yesterday he would keep the same team of ministers in the careta­ker government. He will be caretaker prime minister and finance minister. Other key ministers in the interim administration included Belden Namah as deputy prime minister and forest minister, Don Polye (treasury), William Duma (petroleum), Sam Basil (national planning), Dr Allan Marat (attorney-general), John Boito (police), Bart Philemon (public service) and Sir Mekere Morauta (public enterprises). Leader of Government Business and Esa’ala MP Moses Ma­ladina said the final session was to formally close parliament and to give MPs a chance to make final statements. He said parliament would also deal with outstanding legislations which needed to be passed including the Women Against Violence Bill. Community Development Mi­nister Andrew Mald is expected to table that bill. “This will be the formal closure of parliament until the return of writs,” Maladina said. “We will give opportunities to members to speak for the last time before we formerly close parliament.” He dispelled rumours that the government would move a motion to defer the election by six months. “There are a couple of members who wanted to defer the election due to concerns about the preparedness of the Electoral Commission and security of the election,” he said. “However, the government, including Prime Minister Peter O’Neill and his coalition partners, agreed that there is no need to defer the election. “Everything is on target and schedule for us to go for election. Everyone wants the election to go ahead now. “It is not in the interest of the nation to defer the election. We need to go back to our people to seek their mandate once again to come back as elected representatives of our electorates.”