Government adamant on Judicial Legislation


The Papua New Guinea government is continuing to pass legislation critics say will weaken the nation's judiciary.

The government on Wednesday passed a law to restrict the powers of the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court (Amendment) Bill stops the Supreme Court issuing stay orders on behalf of people who "cannot prove that their powers, rights and privileges".

Critics of the amendment say the government is eating away at the edges of the nation's constitution by stripping powers from the court system.

"The Supreme Court has been empowered by the constitution," former chief justice and attorney-general Sir Arnold Amet told reporters in Port Moresby.

"It cannot be undermined by legislation, or rules, or motions.

"Fundamentally the provisions in these acts are unconstitutional."

But Deputy Prime Minister, Belden Namah says the law is necessary because judges have given themselves too much power, and have no right to block parliamentary legislation.

"It is imperative because of the recent decision last Wednesday of three judges ... putting a permanent stay on the Judicial Conduct Act," Mr Namah says.

"The courts have given themselves too much power that they do not have in the constitution."

Earlier, Mr Namah said he was in no doubt Papua New Guinea was in a constitutional crisis because of the actions of judges.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Peter O'Neill introduced a further amendment to the Judicial Conduct Act, one which will send a judge to jail for seven years if he ignores a suspension order.

However, there was no vote on the proposed bill on Tuesday or Wednesday.

At the heart the government's recent legislative onslaught against the judiciary is Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia - recently suspended by parliament.

He has not responded to the order and is being protected by a group of police and former soldiers.

Sir Salamo was arrested and released in February on charges of misappropriating funds belonging to the family of a dead judge.

The court quickly put a stay on the investigation, calling it an "abuse of process".

The government also view Sir Salamo as uncompromisingly biased against them.


AAP

Comments

  1. skidApril 19, 2012 at 1:06 PM

    This stupidity by O'namah can not go un challenged anymore. The attack on the judiciary will eventually lead to an attack on us, the people. " oh arise all you sons of this land" and figth for freedom that will be suppressed in the near future...

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousApril 19, 2012 at 3:14 PM

    O arise all ye sons of our beloved motherland. How long are going to be treated with contempt by these dogs. Let us takeup the struggle for the good of our children, even if it means armed struggle. The people of PNG is bigger than O'Neill and Namah. Time is ripe for a revolution!!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. skidApril 19, 2012 at 10:48 PM

    O'neill lied to us again and the petition that was presented to them is already toilet paper. Lets all march to parliament when there's a sitting and chase them out. Who do they think they are, those bunch of morons. Rise png, lets not sit and watch. March for JUSTICE AND FREEDOM. The defence force must come out becos they took an oath to protect the people, the country and to uphold the constitution.

    ReplyDelete

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