The Pangu Pati Parliamentary Wing has decided to dismiss 12 MPs who defected to the Opposition. The party also confirmed that party leader and Prime Minister James Marape and deputy leader and Deputy Prime Minister John Rosso, will keep their positions. The decision was made during a Pangu caucus meeting at Parliament last Thursday, attended by Pangu MPs. Four of the defecting MPs—Finschhafen MP Rainbo Paita, Moresby Northwest MP Lohia Boe Samuel, Goilala MP Casmiro Aia, and Lagaip MP Amos Akem—were present at the meeting. “Those MPs who defected were asked to present their case, after which the meeting resolved that the 12 MPs be given seven days' notice of their dismissal from the party,” Prime Minister Marape said. “The Pangu Pati Constitution gives them the choice to appeal if they do choose to appeal, for readmittance to the party,” he added. Prime Minister Marape also stated, “Also at that meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Rosso and I placed our leadership on the table and let the party decide. I am humbled by the fact that the Pangu Pati MPs unanimously agreed that there is no leadership vacancy. They reaffirmed that the leadership was confirmed at the recent Pangu Pati National Convention.” Expressing his feelings about the situation, Prime Minister Marape said, “I feel for the 12 MPs, however, the party is bigger than any of us. I am trying my best to organise the party so that it lives on beyond my time and delivers on the commitments made to our people, especially on economic independence.” He highlighted Pangu's historical significance, saying, “Pangu is the party that gave this country political independence. However, our founding Prime Minister, Sir Michael Somare, could not deliver in full due to the 1980 vote of no confidence. Sir Michael became prime minister again in 1982 but was removed by another vote of no confidence in 1985. Pangu came back to power in 1988 but did not retain that in 1992.” Prime Minister Marape emphasized Pangu's recent efforts, saying, “Pangu has done its best to steer the country through the turbulence of the last five years. We are building enabling infrastructure, addressing the law-and-order problem, fighting corruption through establishment of Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), empowering police and the judiciary, and many more. All these are works in progress; however, politics is threatening to derail everything. Having noticed this, I placed my leadership on the table, and 46 Pangu MPs decided that there is no vacancy.”