PNGBLOGS

AAP Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Michael Somare hopes a last minute court challenge can stop a leadership tribunal probing allegations he failed to lodge yearly financial statements. Sir Michael, 74, who has been PNG's prime minister four times in a political career spanning more than 40 years, is due to face a three-member bench on Thursday, where charges dating back 20 years will be heard. This week, Sir Michael's lawyers filed a new Supreme Court challenge against the tribunal's proceedings, claiming the original Ombudsman Commission investigation into the prime minister was biased and had protocol and procedural flaws. Sir Michael's lawyers lodged the submission in an effort to either delay or derail the tribunal in what a senior legal source told AAP was "a very PNG situation", with the two proceedings running concurrently. Since 2008, Sir Michael has used the courts to fight the Ombudsman Commission - PNG's corruption watchdog - but his efforts fa

AAP Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Michael Somare hopes a last minute court challenge can stop a leadership tribunal probing allegations he failed to lodge yearly financial statements. Sir Michael, 74, who has been PNG's prime minister four times in a political career spanning more than 40 years, is due to face a three-member bench on Thursday, where charges dating back 20 years will be heard. This week, Sir Michael's lawyers filed a new Supreme Court challenge against the tribunal's proceedings, claiming the original Ombudsman Commission investigation into the prime minister was biased and had protocol and procedural flaws. Sir Michael's lawyers lodged the submission in an effort to either delay or derail the tribunal in what a senior legal source told AAP was "a very PNG situation", with the two proceedings running concurrently. Since 2008, Sir Michael has used the courts to fight the Ombudsman Commission - PNG's corruption watchdog - but his effort

OP.ED Former Madang Governor Sir Arnold Amet was Papua New Guinea’s second Chief Justice of the National and Supreme Courts. He took over from another eminent Papua New Guineans, Sir Buri Kidu, the late husband of Dame Carol Kidu, the MP for Moresby South. As Chief Justice, he was highly regarded and respected by the people of this country and overseas. Sir Arnold was seen as one of the pillars of this nation. Ordinary people used to think of him simply as a good man, a good Papua New Guinean. When he retired from the Judiciary, he provided consultative services to the public and private sectors because his views on the Constitution and laws of PNG were highly regarded and respected. When Madang MP Sir Peter Barter decided to quit politics due to health reasons, Sir Arnold was asked by Sir Peter to take on the challenge to represent the people of Madang. Sir Amet accepted the invitation and announced to the people of Madang and PNG that he was to contest the 2007 national elections. M

OP.ED Former Madang Governor Sir Arnold Amet was Papua New Guinea’s second Chief Justice of the National and Supreme Courts. He took over from another eminent Papua New Guineans, Sir Buri Kidu, the late husband of Dame Carol Kidu, the MP for Moresby South. As Chief Justice, he was highly regarded and respected by the people of this country and overseas. Sir Arnold was seen as one of the pillars of this nation. Ordinary people used to think of him simply as a good man, a good Papua New Guinean. When he retired from the Judiciary, he provided consultative services to the public and private sectors because his views on the Constitution and laws of PNG were highly regarded and respected. When Madang MP Sir Peter Barter decided to quit politics due to health reasons, Sir Arnold was asked by Sir Peter to take on the challenge to represent the people of Madang. Sir Amet accepted the invitation and announced to the people of Madang and PNG that he was to contest the 2007 national electi

OP/ED A community leader from Mt Hagen rang this newspaper last night to confirm what he heard on the radio - was it really true that a leadership tribunal had been set up to hear allegations of misconduct in office against the Prime Minister Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare? The call from this leader in the mountains might just have been another curious member of the public but more significantly, it shows the interest with which ordinary Papua New Guineans have in this particular case. The Prime Minister’s referral has been in the public domain for such a long time it has often been used as a political weapon against the Prime Minister by his opponents, for which there are many, because he has vigorously fought it legally. This remote community leader, far flung from the corridors of powers of Waigani, shows how Papua New Guineans country-wide have watched and waited for an outcome such as announced yesterday afternoon by the Chief Justice after a long time – a Leadership Tribunal to h

OP/ED A community leader from Mt Hagen rang this newspaper last night to confirm what he heard on the radio - was it really true that a leadership tribunal had been set up to hear allegations of misconduct in office against the Prime Minister Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare? The call from this leader in the mountains might just have been another curious member of the public but more significantly, it shows the interest with which ordinary Papua New Guineans have in this particular case. The Prime Minister’s referral has been in the public domain for such a long time it has often been used as a political weapon against the Prime Minister by his opponents, for which there are many, because he has vigorously fought it legally. This remote community leader, far flung from the corridors of powers of Waigani, shows how Papua New Guineans country-wide have watched and waited for an outcome such as announced yesterday afternoon by the Chief Justice after a long time – a Leadership Tribunal t