PRIME MINISTER PETER O’NEILL GAGS WATCHDOG
By JASON GIMA WURI
Prime Minister Peter O’Neill has once again defied the laws and processes by bullying and threatening a constitutional office from performing its duties, whereby the Prime Minister and his cohorts have made a quick investment decision in acquiring 10.1% shares in Oil Search through the UBS loan saga.
In recent events Peter O'Neill is seen to be interfering with the independence of the Ombudsman Commission. Is he trying to imply here that the Ombudsman Commission has limited powers and can be so directed by the executive government? Is Peter O'Neil trying to impede, pre-empt or direct the outcome of the investigation by the Ombudsman Commission or is he trying to imply that he is not at fault?
The government is constitutionally obliged to serve the people of this country correctly and properly by following every approved laws, process and procedures of this land (legally and ethically). Any decision taken by the executive government has to be in compliance and this is what the Ombudsman Commission is trying to establish.
Peter O’Neill as reported in The National Newspaper page 3 (dated Monday 02nd June, 2014), has told the Ombudsman Commission not to impede the work of the executive government.
Having met with Chief Ombudsman Rigo Lua and officers of the Commission last Thursday, Mr O’Neill stressed the State’s support of their independent investigations into decisions of the executive government. However, he pointed out that those investigations must not impede its work or go against the nation’s overall interest.
The Ombudsman had frozen the interest payments on the K3 billion loan from UBS needed to buy a 10.1% stake in Oil Search.
In a statement O’Neill said; “Such a freeze would trigger a default which would have a disastrous consequence for PNG, including the loss of all the Oil Search shares and the gains made in the rise of the share price.
If Peter O’Neill is seen to be impeding in this way then the Ombudsman Commission should exercise its powers to charge him under the prevailing orders. Breaking the laws to govern is a type one error and the ramifications are very destructive to the nation.
Meanwhile Opposition Leader Hon. Belden Namah has called on the Prime Minister to save face step down as he is already becoming a mad man with his recent decisions on this UBS loan saga and many other issues.
“This is outrageous, Peter O’Neill is always preaching about transparency. The Ombudsman Commission is simply doing its constitutionally assigned duty. Why is Peter O’Neill interfering with the watch dog's responsibility to making sure things are done properly?
“Peter O’Neill has been bullying organizations and individuals that tried to correct him for moving into dictatorship. This is complete madness by a mad man. Stop this madness or else we will be misled,” Mr Namah said.
“Peter O’Neill is responsible for creating this mess by getting Papua New Guinea to buy into a loan which we did not have to. The Ombudsman Commission is simply trying to establish what laws might have been breached in the process,” Mr Namah added.
If the country's credit rating drops as a result of the Ombudsman Commission freeze on repayment of loan interest to UBS Bank, it is not the Commission's fault. Peter O’Neill said his Government would seek a judicial review on the Ombudsman Commission’s directions because he believes strongly that the Ombudsman has exceeded its constitutional responsibilities and that these directions are not in our country’s national interest.
However Mr Namah says that the real mistake lies with the Prime Minister and his cohorts who are proceeding with this deal.
“Ombudsman Commission must not succumb to political pressure. It will only further diminish what little faith the public has left in our institutions of State,” Mr Namah said. We hear about the Secretary for Treasury (whose company was also said to have involved in the K3 billion loan deal) who out of desperation had to write a letter to the Ombudsman Commission to allow State to make loan repayment despite the freeze order from the Ombudsman Commission while investigation continues. Now Peter O'Neil is sounding a warning bell to Ombudsman Commission, essentially undermining their powers and independency.
Peter O’Neill is so unprecedented, the prime minister and head of the National Executive Council directly interceding with the Ombudsman Commission. Is this a desperate act by Peter O'Neil?
If that is the case, then Peter O'Neill is directly testing the independence of these Constitutional offices. This is very sad for the integrity of the public offices in our country.
Mr Namah said, all these could have been avoided if only Peter O'Neill and the National Executive Council had gone through Parliament and allowed for a thorough debate on the UBS loan deal.
“Then Papua New Guineans would know what they stood to gain or lose from the deal. But as it is now, Peter O'Neill is finding himself trying to solve a problem, but digging himself further into more controversies!
“I feel so sorry for the guy PNG voted in as Prime Minister, he is one of the most clueless prime ministers this country has ever had, and he has no other choice now but to humble himself and step aside,” Mr Namah added.
In recent events Peter O'Neill is seen to be interfering with the independence of the Ombudsman Commission. Is he trying to imply here that the Ombudsman Commission has limited powers and can be so directed by the executive government? Is Peter O'Neil trying to impede, pre-empt or direct the outcome of the investigation by the Ombudsman Commission or is he trying to imply that he is not at fault?
The government is constitutionally obliged to serve the people of this country correctly and properly by following every approved laws, process and procedures of this land (legally and ethically). Any decision taken by the executive government has to be in compliance and this is what the Ombudsman Commission is trying to establish.
Peter O’Neill as reported in The National Newspaper page 3 (dated Monday 02nd June, 2014), has told the Ombudsman Commission not to impede the work of the executive government.
Having met with Chief Ombudsman Rigo Lua and officers of the Commission last Thursday, Mr O’Neill stressed the State’s support of their independent investigations into decisions of the executive government. However, he pointed out that those investigations must not impede its work or go against the nation’s overall interest.
The Ombudsman had frozen the interest payments on the K3 billion loan from UBS needed to buy a 10.1% stake in Oil Search.
In a statement O’Neill said; “Such a freeze would trigger a default which would have a disastrous consequence for PNG, including the loss of all the Oil Search shares and the gains made in the rise of the share price.
If Peter O’Neill is seen to be impeding in this way then the Ombudsman Commission should exercise its powers to charge him under the prevailing orders. Breaking the laws to govern is a type one error and the ramifications are very destructive to the nation.
Meanwhile Opposition Leader Hon. Belden Namah has called on the Prime Minister to save face step down as he is already becoming a mad man with his recent decisions on this UBS loan saga and many other issues.
“This is outrageous, Peter O’Neill is always preaching about transparency. The Ombudsman Commission is simply doing its constitutionally assigned duty. Why is Peter O’Neill interfering with the watch dog's responsibility to making sure things are done properly?
“Peter O’Neill has been bullying organizations and individuals that tried to correct him for moving into dictatorship. This is complete madness by a mad man. Stop this madness or else we will be misled,” Mr Namah said.
“Peter O’Neill is responsible for creating this mess by getting Papua New Guinea to buy into a loan which we did not have to. The Ombudsman Commission is simply trying to establish what laws might have been breached in the process,” Mr Namah added.
If the country's credit rating drops as a result of the Ombudsman Commission freeze on repayment of loan interest to UBS Bank, it is not the Commission's fault. Peter O’Neill said his Government would seek a judicial review on the Ombudsman Commission’s directions because he believes strongly that the Ombudsman has exceeded its constitutional responsibilities and that these directions are not in our country’s national interest.
However Mr Namah says that the real mistake lies with the Prime Minister and his cohorts who are proceeding with this deal.
“Ombudsman Commission must not succumb to political pressure. It will only further diminish what little faith the public has left in our institutions of State,” Mr Namah said. We hear about the Secretary for Treasury (whose company was also said to have involved in the K3 billion loan deal) who out of desperation had to write a letter to the Ombudsman Commission to allow State to make loan repayment despite the freeze order from the Ombudsman Commission while investigation continues. Now Peter O'Neil is sounding a warning bell to Ombudsman Commission, essentially undermining their powers and independency.
Peter O’Neill is so unprecedented, the prime minister and head of the National Executive Council directly interceding with the Ombudsman Commission. Is this a desperate act by Peter O'Neil?
If that is the case, then Peter O'Neill is directly testing the independence of these Constitutional offices. This is very sad for the integrity of the public offices in our country.
Mr Namah said, all these could have been avoided if only Peter O'Neill and the National Executive Council had gone through Parliament and allowed for a thorough debate on the UBS loan deal.
“Then Papua New Guineans would know what they stood to gain or lose from the deal. But as it is now, Peter O'Neill is finding himself trying to solve a problem, but digging himself further into more controversies!
“I feel so sorry for the guy PNG voted in as Prime Minister, he is one of the most clueless prime ministers this country has ever had, and he has no other choice now but to humble himself and step aside,” Mr Namah added.
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