PM and speaker collude to break law: Opposition

THE opposition last Friday accused Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare of breaking the law in the drama surrounding the “appointment” of Sir Paulias Matane to a second term in office.
Opposition leader Sir Mekere Morauta accused the prime minister of conniving with the speaker to break the law.
Sir Mekere also questioned the impartiality of the speaker.
“It is clear the speaker is no longer independent. Today, Somare created a new form of democracy unique to PNG,” the opposition leader told a news conference after Parliament rose last Friday afternoon.
“Parliament has become useless. It is being used by the executive government with the help of the speaker.”
Sir Mekere said MPs were led to believe that they were voting to get incumbent Sir Paulias eligible for the election of the nation’s ninth governor-general.
He said after the 84-13 vote in which MPs stood up to vote, they were expecting the secret ballot process to follow to elect the next GG.
“That process was flouted by the National Alliance and Somare. There appears to be no respect for the law. Enough is enough. We might as well close down Parliament and allow Somare to run the
country as he likes.”
Bulolo MP Sam Basil said the other candidates – Sir Pato Kakaraya, Sir Makena Geno and Ronald Rimbao – were denied an opportunity to be elected to a public office.
“We have broken the law and I urge these candidates to go to court and challenge this.”
Mendi MP Pastor Isaac Joseph questioned why the government was so worried to deny the secret ballot taking place.
“What is the motive? The three are also Papua New Guineans who deserve an opportunity to be elected to this office.”
Finchhafen MP Theo Zurenuoc said it was clear the government MPs were voting with fear, a fear of being singled out if they did not vote with the prime minister.
He warned that people would lose respect for the government and rebel if the government did not care and continue to break the laws of the country.

National Newspaper June 26, 2010

Somare must step down: Opposition

OPPOSITION leader Sir Mekere Morauta has called on Public Enterprises Minister Arthur Somare to step aside to answer the alleged leadership charges laid against him by the Ombudsman Commission.
Sir Mekere told a press conference yesterday Somare must step down in the interest of good governance and law.
He said Somare could not be allowed to remain a state minister making very important decisions that were affecting the lives of people.
“As a senior minister and an important member of the ‘kitchen cabinet’, the minister is duty-bound to respect and uphold the Constitution and principles of law by stepping aside to answer leadership charges against him,” Sir Mekere said.
He said he was making the call in light of the decision of the acting public prosecutor, Jim Wala Tamate, to request Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia to appoint a new chairman for the leadership tribunal to investigate allegations of misconduct against Somare.
The public prosecutor sent the letter to the chief justice on June 21. Somare was referred by the Ombudsman Commission in 2006, and a tribunal was appointed headed by Justice Sir Kubulan Los.
But Somare took an injunction against the referral. Since then, Sir Kubulan has retired, and
Somare’s judicial review is before the National Court registry for listing.
Applying the law as set out by the Supreme Court in its ruling against suspended Treasurer Patrick Pruaitch, legal sources say they expect Somare to be suspended automatically when the chief justice appoints the tribunal head.
“The Supreme Court ruling is binding and, if you apply that consistently, that should be the outcome,” the legal source said.
In his press conference, Sir Mekere also made reference to the Pruaitch Supreme Court ruling on sections 27, 28 and 29 of the Organic Law on the duties and responsibilities of leadership.
The ruling, he said, stipulated that suspension was obligatory once a leader was referred for misconduct or breach of the leadership code.

National June 25, 2010

Somare wants names from Marat

PUBLIC Enterprises Minister Arthur Somare, in an unprecedented move, invoked parliamentary Standing Order 140 to challenge Rabaul MP Dr Allan Marat to name the three ministers whom he alleged had put a price on his head.
Marat, who looked lost, was saved by Speaker Jeffrey Nape who told him not to answer the question.
Somare tried to raise the question again during question time but was refused by Speaker, who ruled that a minister cannot ask a question.
Somare then stood up after question time to say the integrity of Parliament had been brought into question by such allegations.
“The allegations have been backed by opposition leader Sir Mekere Morauta through the media without any evidence.
“Section 140 of the parliamentary standing orders stated that questions may be put to a member, relating to any bill, motion or other public matter connected with the business of Parliament of which the member has charged.
“The allegation of a plot to kill Marat is a question of integrity, that the integrity of parliament is being question,” Somare said.
“Husat tru dispela tripela minister?
“Sapos yu go long niuspepa long tok long memba blong gavaman askim ol man long kilim yu? (Who are these three ministers? You had gone to the media of members in government asking criminals to kill you.)
Somare asked Marat to name the ministers and if he could also produce evidence for the relevant authorities to investigate.
Nape, after seeking advice from the clerk of Parliament, refused the Rabaul MP to answer the question.
“I will not allow the member to answer the question. I will ask the Rabaul MP to come to my office to discuss this issue,” he said.
Nape said he would then make a statement to Parliament.
Imbonggu MP Francis Awesa, who was also trying to raise a point of order, was ruled out.

National Newspaper, June 23, 2010