Asia Times: PNG premier splits his party into two



	June 24, 1999	atimes.com

Oceania

PNG premier splits his party into two

PORT MORESBY - Papua New Guinea's PrimeMinister Bill Skate will disband his PNG First party to formtwo other parties within his government, the Prime Minister'soffice confirmed Wednesday.

The Post-Courier newspaper reported that 22 PNG First member will revert to theirformer identity, the People's National Congress, under Skate's leadership.

Eleven PNG First MPs will go to the resurrected NationalParty, to be led by Western Highlands governor Father Robert Lak.

Skate said disbanding PNG First and resurrecting theNational Party was aimed at political stability and the survival ofhis government. He said that by promoting the National Party he was raisingleaders who would succeed him in future.

PNG's 100-plus MPs are currently engaged in intenselobbying and political jockeying before parliament resumes onJuly 13, when Skate is expected to face a no-confidence motion.

A spokesman for Skate told Australian Associated Press that the National Party,which draws its support mostly from PNG's highlands, had along history and Skate wanted to ensure the party survived.

''It's not like the government is breaking up. In many waysit just consolidates it because there's a lot more even groupsin the coalition,'' the spokesman said.

(Asia Pulse)