Ramofafia is new finance minister, Manemahaga moved to National Planning and Development Coordination
BY IRWIN ANGIKI
Rexon Ramofafia is the new Minister of Finance.
He replaces Trevor Manemahaga.
In a swap of portfolios yesterday afternoon, Mr Manemahaga now leads the Ministry of National Planning and Development Coordination (MNPDC).
Ramofafia is the GNUT government’s third finance minister in a span of just over a month.
The ceremony was officiated by His Excellency the Governor General, Sir David Tiva Kapu, a statement by the PM Press Secretariat yesterday evening said.
Under the reshuffle, Manemahaga, MP for Gao/Bugotu, has been reassigned to MNPDC while Ramofafia, MP for Fataleka, now serves as Minister for Finance and Treasury, the statement said.
Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele congratulated the two ministers on their new roles, saying: “Some may ask why these changes are necessary. Maintaining a stable Government is essential to deliver meaningful progress. Every decision I make has one purpose: to keep the Government stable and focused on serving our people.”
Both ministers continue to serve within the Government for National Unity and Transformation (GNUT) led by Prime Minister Manele, the statement said.
Yesterday’s reshuffle sees the country’s third finance minister in just over a month.
On August 30 Manemahaga replaced Harry Kuma as finance minister.
Government had said this was because Mr Kuma had acted against a cabinet decision regarding the contentious issue of sufferance wharves.
Kuma took Manemahaga’s old portfolio, the Ministry of Commerce (MCILI).
It is not clear what the reason is for yesterday’s reshuffle. The statement by the PM Press Secretariat hints that it had something to do with stability for GNUT.
Questions given to the PM Press Secretary last night remained unanswered before the paper went to print.
Few government ministers speaking to Island Sun on condition of anonymity last night said ‘regionalism’ was the reason being echoed around government corridors.
The reshuffling follows rumours of a third motion of no confidence against PM Manele reportedly said to be launched when parliament resumes on October 13.
Furthermore, rumours were also circulating among government circles that a group of disgruntled members of the OUR Party, the major coalition partner of the GNUT government, were talking to replace prime minister Manele with Minister Ramofafia.
The ministers spoken to last night echoed that there is a rift between the two main government coalition partners, OUR and People First Party (PFP).
There are a lot of grievances, not just the issue of sufferance wharves which had dominated the media recently as the root of the finance minister’s reshuffle on August 30, the ministers said.
“Outstanding demands not being met by the cabinet, and power consolidated on two cabinet MPs who control the cabinet and PM listens to them the most,” one of the ministers said.
Ramofafia and Manemahaga are both members of the OUR Party.
PM Manele has survived two motions of no confidence – the first in December last year and the second in May this year.
Photo: Supplied
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