New Kadere-United Democratic Party alliance forces government to shelve sacking plans
BY ALFRED SASAKO
A new alliance reportedly formed over the weekend appears to have forced Prime Minister Ricky Houenipwela to shelve plans to sack up to five Ministers and three political appointees.
The Kadere-United Democratic Party (UDP) Alliance was formed following a series of meetings over the weekend. A two-part binding resolution was passed at the meetings.
The first reportedly required all UDP members to relinquish their membership of UDP. Members reportedly reaffirmed in the second resolution that members of the new alliance have vowed not to act alone as individuals.
“What it means is that if the Prime Minister is to sack any Member of the new Alliance, be it a Minister or a Political Appointee, he must do so of the group rather than as individuals. That is the stand the new Kadere Party Alliance has taken.
“It’s either all or none,” one source said last night.
“There are 21 MPs in the new Alliance. The Prime Minister must take note of this because his own Development Alliance Party (DAP) only has nine MPs,” sources spoken to told Island Sun yesterday.
The position taken by the new Alliance has strengthened the resolve of the faction within the new SIDCCG intent on removing Houenipwela as Prime Minister.
“It has now tied the Prime Minister’s hands from doing anything,” the source said.
There was public expectation that Houenipwela was going to take action against members of the government faction allegedly causing political instability over the weekend.
He was to remove five yet unnamed ministers. Insiders said Deputy Prime Minister and Finance and Treasury Minister, Manasseh Sogavare, was one of the Ministers on the chopping block.
Other sources said the three political appointees being earmarked for dismissal were the former Chief of Staff, Robson Djokovic, Special Secretary to Prime Minister (SSPM), John Muria jnr and a Political Appointee, Tony Mana.
They were to be given their marching orders yesterday. Government House told Island Sun yesterday it received no information whatsoever from the Office of the Prime Minister about the sackings and subsequent swearing-in planned for yesterday.
Attempts to get a comment from the Office of the Prime Minister were unsuccessful.
