PNG's prime minster to MP: 'you are dead meat'

PNG's prime minster to MP: 'you are dead meat'

Last Updated: Wed, 21 Jul 2010 15:51:00 +1000


A session of Papua New Guinea's parliament has ended with an extraordinary outburst by prime minister Sir Michael Somare, who threatened to kill an opponent.

After a ceremony in parliament to swear in the governor-general, the leader of government business moved to suspend parliament until November 16.

When the speaker called for 'ayes' and 'no's', the no's were noticeably louder.

But the speaker said "the ayes have it" and adjourned parliament without calling for a division to count the numbers.

As members were leaving the house, Sir Michael walked towards the opposition benches, pointed at MP Bart Philemon and yelled in pigeon: "I'm going to kill you outside".

But the prime minister's office has told the ABC that Sir Michael has been misquoted. The PM's office says that Sir Michael actually said to the opposition MP "you are dead meat".

Only hours earlier the opposition gave the speaker notice for a motion of no confidence in Sir Michael.

Chaos reigns
Earlier, there were scenes of chaos at Papua New Guinea's parliament during a ceremony to swear in the Governor-General.

Parliament resumed to swear-in Sir Paulias Matane for his second consecutive term as Governor-General, but before that could happen, the opposition called for a vote to defer the ceremony.

It believes the process to re-appoint Sir Paulias was flawed.

As foreign dignitaries looked on from the gallery, MPs hurled abuse across the floor of parliament.

After a lengthy discussion with the clerk the deputy speaker allowed the vote to precede - and it was lost 42 to 59.

The opposition leader and his deputy then left the chamber in protest while Sir Paulias was sworn in as PNG's head of state.

Pacific News Email for Wednesday, 21 July 2010

Lobby for vote

LOBBYING for numbers was intensifying last night for a showdown in parliament today, when the opposition is expected to lodge the notice for a motion of no-confidence in the prime minister.
The new-look opposition, buoyed by the arrival of former deputy prime minister Sir Puka Temu, and ministers Belden Namah and Charles Abel, is confident of getting the notice through today.
Sir Puka is happy with the group’s performance yesterday afternoon when parliament resumed, pinning Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare and Public Enterprises Minister Arthur Somare down on good governance and corruption issues.
The prime minister fought back with tenacity when answering questions, looking comfortable with the numbers on his side, although anything can happen in 24 hours.
The opposition will step up another gear today by pushing the notice of vote of no-confidence.
The first business when parliament resumes this morning will be the swearing in of the re-elected Governor-General Sir Paulias Matane. Insiders told The National that straight after the swearing-in, the government will adjourn parliament until November.
The opposition expects this, and Sir Puka said he was confident they would secure the required minimum of 55 MPs to block an adjournment, and push through the notice for a no-confidence vote in the prime minister.
If the opposition succeeded in giving notice today, they will await the parliamentary committee led by the speaker to screen the motion to see whether it is of national interest or of a parochial nature.
The speaker would then make his ruling by Thursday and, if it is affirmative, parliament will adjourn for seven days and then resume for the vote.
Sir Puka, who was surrounded by 43 MPs including former ministers Namah and Abel, Morobe Governor Luther Wenge and opposition MPs Sir Mekere Morauta, Sir Julius Chan and Bart Philemon appealed to decent leaders in the government to move.
“I know they respect the Grand Chief that, because of him, we have come this far but the leaders must do the right thing and join us,” Sir Puka said.
“We have tested the numbers in parliament and we know that we will get the necessary numbers to vote out the prime minister,” he said after he moved to extend question time in parliament, which required a simple 55 majority, but he only mustered 43 MPs from the March Girls camp that stood up to be counted.
“We have tested the numbers and we will now put a strategy in place to remove this government.
“I demand you move to this side to support us to put a vote on the prime minister,” Sir Puka appealed the government side.
“I demand that the head of government should step aside. Why concentrate too much power on one man at IPBC and Treasury and Finance.”
He said the prime minister had served a long time and age had caught up with him, and the momentum to remove him is driven by young leaders.
Sir Puka also appealed to the speaker to ensure the motion goes through to parliament.
He said technical requirements for the notice of motion to go through would be strictly adhered to, given the experience by the opposition in the past and the government MPs now in opposition.
“We will comply with all the technicalities.
“Parliament is the people’s house. It is not the government house and not the speaker’s house. The speaker must maintain neutrality all the time,” Sir Puka said.
A government spokesman said last night that the government was talking with opposition groups to bring them over to fill the vacancies in cabinet.
The spokesman said they were making offers to the “original” opposition.

National Newspaper July 21 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