Wingti, Ipatas throw weight behind Prime Minister Peter O'neill

The two most senior politicians Paias Wingti and Peter Ipatas, this week said the government was stable and intact.

Regardless of all the turmoil that has seen firing and disbanding of senior ministers in the coalition government, police hierarchy and Task Force Sweep team by Prime Minister Peter O’Neill, the founder of People’s Democratic Movement and Western Highlands Governor Wingti and his Enga counterpart and People’s Party leader Ipatas confidently said in public the current government was the best and was stable.

During the launching of several projects in the Wabag District on Friday, Governor Ipatas told a large crowd that Prime Minister O’Neill was the "right man" for PNG to go forward.

"That is why I led my Party and joined him. He makes decisions for the people’s interest. He still has the utmost support of People’s Party in Parliament. O’Neill is the right Prime Minister at this point in time," Ipatas said.

Referring to a letter Mr O’Neill wrote for the release of funds in the Paul Paraka Lawyers case, Mr Ipatas said: "The Prime Minister never wrote that letter. Even if he wrote it too, it was only a letter and not a cheque."

He said there was no crisis within the government and governments only changed when Parliamentarians had the numerical strength and tell the PM to resign.

"O’Neill has the number and this government will stay and there are a lot of reasons it will stay." Ipatas said.

Former three time prime minister Paias Wingti was briefer during the ground breaking ceremony of the National Development Bank Highlands regional office complex in Mt Hagen with his support.

Mr Wingti, when asked by the public to comment on the current political situation, said: "Those who formed the government are still in government. They are not dead."

Both Ipatas and Wingti are close advisers to Mr O’Neill in national politics.

At the provincial level, sacked treasurer Don Polye and Ipatas are political rivals in Enga while ousted Petroleum and Energy Minister William Duma and Wingti are great rivals in Mt Hagen.

Mr Polye was vocal on the USB loan and other related issues in the government while Mr Duma has been quiet since his sacking.

Mr Duma two weeks ago in Mt Hagen said he would come out and explain to the country why he was sacked when the time is right.