Treasurer Polye fired

Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O’Neill continues to reshuffle his cabinet with the country’s Treasurer Don Polye the next to be sacked, following the dismissal of Petroleum Minister William Duma two weeks ago. Mr Polye is the leader of THE Party, the second biggest in the coalition. PM O’Neill said the sacking was done in the ‘best interest of the government and the country’, following reports that the incumbent was maneuvering to oust him. Apart from Polye, Labour and Industrial Relations Minister Mark Maipakai was also dismissed after a run in with the police where he was charged. Both Polye and Maipakai are members of THE Party. There are suggestions the decision could backfire on O’Neill, but the prime minister said THE Party ‘remains an integral member of this government.’

This article was written by

Kiery Manassah

Kiery Manassah is a journalist and holds a Master of Communication for Social Change from the University of Queensland. He is a former editor of the Vanuatu Daily Post and has worked at the Pacific Institute of Public Policy. Most recently he held the position of Public Relations Officer for the government led by Joe Natuman.

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