By GEORGINA MICHAEL
PRIME Minister James Marape and State Enterprises Minister William Duma welcomed new MPS, Anderson Mise (Aitape-Lumi) and Gidron Maso Karipe (Porgera-Paiela) to Parliament after they were officially sworn into office yesterday.
Mr Marape said: “On behalf of the Coalition Government, I appreciate the Speaker of the Parliament for hosting this event and I welcome the restored Member for Aitape-Lumi, Hon Anderson Mise, and also in a special way welcome and recognize the newly-elected Member for Porgera-Paiela. Hon Gidron Maso Karipe.
“Hon Mise is a member of the United Resource Party (URP) while Hon Karipe is an independent candidate who has joined the Coalition Government and has affirmed his pledge to be part of the government to work on matters pertaining to Porgera, being a very important electorate.”
In reponse, Mr Karipe said: ” I’m a young man who just joined the government. I am still an independent candidate without any decision to join any one of the parties yet.
“I will go back to my people and get their thoughts and views and decide on that. I came as an independent candidate to be with the Prime Minister to get enough experience to learn from him and be close with him.
“I have a lot of responsibilities back in my electorate with the mining issues and other related issues. I also have projects left behind by my late dad which needs to be completed.”
Mr Mise said: “On behalf of my people of Aitape-Lumi, I would like to thank my United Resource Party leader, Hon William Duma, for making every resource possible for me to retain my seat and also I appreciate the Prime Minister for respecting URP as a coalition partner to Pangu Party and not endorsing a candidate.
“I did started off very well when I was elected into office in 2022 and that is how my people have trust in me and I won by absolute majority.
“I want to assure my people of Aitape-Lumi that with a strong government that we have, I will deliver within the next 18 months in office.
State Enterprise Minister and URP leader William Duma said: “Today is an important day for the Members, Mr Mise and Karipe. On behalf of the members of the United Resource Party, I would like to thank the people of Aitape-Lumi for believing in Mr Mise’s leadership to complete his term in parliament.
“It is our country’s party and he will be joining the Prime Minister and us to continue all the good work that we are doing for our country.
“I also congratulate Mr Karipe on stepping up after your father and to complete what is he started. Your father was a gentle giant.”
Among family members who witnessed the occasion was Mr Karipe’s mother, Dorothy Karipe, who said: “While playing the role of a mother and a father in supporting my son to be declared as the Member for Porgera-Paiela and to have him sworn into the Parliament today, I am a proud mother.
“I look forward to continue to support him with the outstanding projects and other related work in the electorate,” she said.