Somare returns with power

PAPUA New Guinea's Supreme Court has again ordered the return of Sir Michael Somare to the prime ministership.
The country's parliament has been recalled for a special sitting today in response to the controversial ruling yesterday, which came as candidates began campaigning in earnest for the June national elections.

Two of the five judges abstained from making a ruling, with Justice Bernard Sakora saying that to participate would contradict his oath as a judge.

Three judges - chief justice Sir Salamo Injia, Les Gavara-Nanu and Nicholas Kerriwom - ruled yesterday that Sir Michael remained an MP despite being dumped last year and that Prime Minister Peter O'Neill's ascension to the top job remained unconstitutional.

Sir Salamo said the decision was legally binding and should be obeyed by public servants, government agencies and the Speaker of parliament.

Mr O'Neill, who yesterday was in his Southern Highlands electorate of Ialibu-Pangia for his nomination as a candidate in the upcoming poll, said the decision by the three judges smacked of "judicial corruption" and was an attempt to disrupt the election.

A spokesman for Mr O'Neill said parliament had been recalled for 10am today, a week after it was dissolved for the June 23 poll.

Mr O'Neill also called on Mr Somare's parliamentary supporters - many of whom have boycotted parliament since the August 2 vote to dump the Somare government - to attend the session.

Mr O'Neill is reported to have said the election would go ahead as scheduled and that parliament is convening to officially disregard the Supreme Court ruling.

The government has been trying to remove chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia since November.

Police arrested him earlier this year, alleging he had misappropriated funds belonging to the family of a dead judge.

The court dismissed the case, calling the police investigation an abuse of process.

In court yesterday deputy chief Justice Gibbs Salika abstained from reading his decision, saying his "conscience dictated" he could not be part of it. Justice Bernard Sakora used tougher language, saying to participate would be to "disregard (my) judicial oath, legal ethics and the laws of the constitution".

AAP understands government lawyers applied to delay yesterday's decision after The Sunday Chronicle newspaper printed emails allegedly sent between Sir Salamo and Justice Nicholas Kerriwom in February, in which Justice Kerriwom called the government illegal.

In March parliament voted to give itself the power to effectively suspend judges, a move that has been condemned internationally.

When the same bench ruled 3 to 2 on December 12 to reinstate Mr Somare, it briefly left the nation with two prime ministers, two cabinets and two governors-general.

After the majority of parliament refused to accept the court's decision, Sir Michael's cabinet instigated a military mutiny, which ultimately failed.

Comment is being sought from the Somare camp.


AAP

Comments

  1. AnonymousMay 22, 2012 at 7:00 PM

    Timing n situation is important when deliberatin on sensitive issues. Atleast the truth is now known. We now must choose wisely

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousMay 22, 2012 at 8:08 PM

    this only brings confusion the mindsets of normal papua new guineans struggling to live daily while our leaders play around with power whlie squandering tax payers money. This is a crucial time for all papua new guineans a time where we can make a difference to our lives. Vote wisely now for a better future tomorrow. This political unrest will not stop but we can change that and the time is now!

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousMay 22, 2012 at 8:53 PM

    I thought ONamah regime had carefully patched up all the loopholes in the Organic Laws and By-laws by coming up with the necessary ammendments and other restrospective laws in theParliament including two more References before returning to the Supreme Court for interpretation? By returning to the Supreme Court meant that the Government under Peter ONeil finally decided to submit and accept whatever outcome that might come from the Supreme Courts Ruling.This is also sickening to see weak politicians and so called leaders who cannot even count the cost of seeking justice in the Highest Courts of this country.

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousMay 22, 2012 at 9:24 PM

    Both somare & oniel are after the government coffer when they knew that the election had started & the election outcome should resolve the impass.

    png pls create history to vote somare, oniel & namah out with their parties & now the time not after five years.

    ReplyDelete
  5. AnonymousMay 22, 2012 at 9:40 PM

    Any uncertainty in the minds of ordinary PNGns today is the fault of the judiciary. We need to concentrate on the polls not watch these pollies do their power play once again. Onamah has been referred to as power hungry,well,well,well, its clear somareinjia are so lustful for power. Piss off somare,injia,yakasa, we want to go to the polls and elect your replacements, hope you dont delay. Loosers.

    ReplyDelete
  6. AnonymousMay 22, 2012 at 10:03 PM

    Onamah know that once somare and team get into power they are gone. That's why they break all laws to stay on. Unfortunately their hours are numbered. Watch when Yakasa takes office tomorrow

    ReplyDelete
  7. AnonymousMay 23, 2012 at 7:20 AM

    Lies and Bad will always come to a Stop.
    Truth and Good will always prevail.

    ReplyDelete
  8. AnonymousMay 23, 2012 at 5:18 PM

    When writs were issued the members of Parliament became ordinary citizens. Can O'Neill recall Parliament? Sign of desperate man. Back to you his legal advisors. Perhaps another restrospective legislation which will be stayed by the courts.

    ReplyDelete
  9. AnonymousMay 24, 2012 at 12:59 AM

    Issuing of writs now gives full power to PNGeans to choose,Public Servants should now perform without political inteference.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Please free to leave comments.

Popular posts from this blog

HIGHLANDS FRAUD F*CKS RUNNING GOVERNMENT AGENCY,,,

Image
A Fraudster and unqualified person has been shortlisted for NEC submission for the position of CEPA Managing Director. The candidate in question is Jude Tukulyia. His academic credentials are subject to scrutiny. Further investigation is required to verify the authenticity and legitimacy of his qualifications, particularly the reported diploma in accounting, Bachelor of Laws, MBA from Divine Word and UPNG respectively. It is very suspicious and unprofessional  when the Minister for Environment Conservation and Climate Change, Hon Simo Kilepa, wrote to UPNG Vice Chancellor asking to confirm Jude’s questioned education qualifications. This very due diligence work is the core responsibility of the Public Service Commission and Department of Personnel Management. What authority does the portfolio minister have to write to the Universities? Dumbfounding indeed if one asks. Ulterior motives written all over the letter. This amounts to  Questionable Academic Qualifications of Mr Tukulyia.    
Read more

AUGUSTINE MANO PNG'S PREMIER CORPORATE CROOK

Image
by  MICHAEL J. PASSINGAN In a significant setback for Mineral Resources Development Corporation (MRDC), the Supreme Court of Papua New Guinea has dismissed the company's appeal to stop criminal investigations into its dealings with landowner funds held in the Pacific Balance Fund (PBF). The court ruled that MRDC's appeal was an "abuse of process" and ordered the company to pay costs of the proceedings. MRDC, a unit holder in PBF, had taken legal action against the National Court's decision to dismiss its case, arguing that the court had no jurisdiction to hear the matter. However, the Supreme Court disagreed and held that MRDC's appeal was nothing more than an attempt to interfere with the police's criminal investigative process. The court found that MRDC had no authority to conducted its own investigation into the activities of the Melanesian Trustee Services Limited (MTSL), the fund manager of PBF, and that its actions were in violation of the Trust Deed
Read more

PNG, VERY RICH YET STILL A VERY VERY POOR COUNTRY

Image
by GARY MONDULAME Papua New Guinea (PNG), a nation blessed with abundant natural resources, continues to grapple with economic challenges that belie its potential wealth. The nation's economic narrative is a paradox—rich in resources yet burdened by poverty. The explanation for this paradox lies not only in economic mismanagement but also in deep-seated corruption that has permeated the political landscape since independence in 1975. Following its independence from Australia, PNG was entrusted to leaders who lacked a vision for a holistic national development. This absence of foresight is evident from the lack of long-term development plans that could have distributed the country’s wealth fairly across all regions and communities. Successive governments failed to establish foundational strategies such as building satellite townships or creating robust rural housing schemes. Instead, they resorted to short-term, reactive measures that did not foster sustainable growth. The nascent l
Read more

BLIND LEADING THE BLIND, WHY THE PNG ECONOMY STILL SUCKS

Image
Elizabeth Genia, Acting Governor Bank of PNG (BPNG) by MICHAEL JOSEPH PASSINGAN The economy of Papua New Guinea (PNG) is at a crucial juncture. Despite some signs of recovery, the country faces several structural challenges that continue to impede its economic progress. The March 2024 Monetary Policy Statement from the Bank of Papua New Guinea sheds light on these issues, providing a comprehensive overview of the economic landscape and the policy responses being implemented to navigate through these turbulent times. In 2023, PNG's economy grew by a modest 1.4%, a significant slowdown from the 5.2% growth witnessed in 2022. This tepid growth is largely attributed to delays in major projects and ongoing economic issues that have not been fully resolved. The anticipated growth for 2024 is around 3.0%, buoyed by the resumption of production at the Porgera gold mine. While this marks an improvement, it remains subdued compared to the potential of this resource-rich nation. One of the mo
Read more

James Marape's Missteps Openly Exposed at Australian Forum

Image
by  MICHAEL J. PASSINGAN  In a recent event that highlighted the complexities of international diplomacy and governance, Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister, James Marape, faced a challenging situation during his appearance at the Lowy Institute in Sydney, Australia. The Lowy Institute, known for its role as an independent think tank focusing on international policy, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region, provided a platform for a candid assessment of Marape's governance. Following his formal address, Marape engaged in a dialogue with Dr. Michael Fullilove AM, the Executive Director of the Institute. Dr. Fullilove, a respected figure in public and international policy, scrutinized Marape's past promises and statements, contrasting them with the current state of affairs in Papua New Guinea (PNG). The discussion took a critical turn as Dr. Fullilove revisited Marape's 2019 speech at the same venue, where Marape had outlined his vision for PNG in a speech titled “A New Boo
Read more

MARAPE & PAITA ABOUT TO SIGN AWAY PNG GOLD

Image
By: Andrew Arthur Prime Minister Hon. James Marape and his planning minister Reinbo Paita are the parties behind the theft of all Papua New Guinea’s gold for the next 100 years! They have given approval for the STATE of Papua New Guinea to sign away all gold rights to an Australian paper company in Refinery Holdings PTE LTD. First, they have done the deal with a paper company even before there is a LAW that says they have the right to do the deal. We see how the real manipulation works out. Marape and Paita now need to get the law passed by Parliament. The law is before the Parliament to set up Papua New Guinea’s first National Gold Corporation. The National Gold Corporation Bill first surfaced in 2012 but successive Government of Sir Michael Somare and Hon. Peter O’Neill, in their wisdom, had refused to pass this Bill as there have been some sinister motives and constitutional issues associated with the Bill. The new bill will allow Refinery Holdings LTD PTE to own 70% of the National
Read more

A Call for Local Ownership and Fairness

Image
by JUSTIN PARKER In recent discussions surrounding the establishment of a gold refinery in Papua New Guinea (PNG), concerns have been raised regarding various aspects of the proposed project. Spearheaded by foreign investors, the initiative has sparked debates over ownership, exclusivity, tax concessions, underwriting, management rights, control over currency, legal protections, and historical failures. These concerns, if unaddressed, could potentially undermine the interests of PNG and its people, particularly the hardworking alluvial miners who form the backbone of the nation's mining sector. At the heart of the issue lies the question of ownership. The proposed ownership structure, favoring foreign investors with a substantial 70% stake, raises eyebrows, especially considering PNG's past experiences with failed ventures like seabed mining. Instead of ceding majority control to foreign entities, many argue that PNG should assert full ownership over the refinery. With the coun
Read more