The Papua New Guinea Government plans to increase the size of its 33-member Cabinet by amending the Prime Minister and National Executive Council Act 2002 when Parliament sits for two weeks from Tuesday.
Leader of Government Business Rainbo Paita told The National that the government’s main agenda for the session included a debate on the Ombudsman Commission Bill and an amendment to the PM and NEC Act.
Parliament will also be swearing in Sir Bob Dadae, the first governor-general to be elected into office, for a second term on Wednesday.
“Other government business will include ministerial statements,” Paita said.
He said Marape had directed all ministers to table their department’s or agency’s annual reports.
“So a lot of ministerial statements are expected to be made,” Paita said.
He said Treasurer Ian Ling-Stuckey was expected to deliver a “state of the economy” address to include an update on the Puma and Bank of PNG issue. “Other ministers will also deliver statements on how their agencies and departments have performed in the past year so that Parliament and the country is informed,” he said.
Meanwhile, Paita said the plan to increase Cabinet was due to an increase in workload.
SOURCE: THE NATIONAL/PACNEWS
