"I support my Ministers and Deputy Speaker" Prime Minister
Editorial PRIME Minister Sir Michael Somare was in a foul mood yesterday. He lashed out at his favourite whipping posts – the media and civil society organisations over a number of issues, principally the amendments which Parliament passed to the Environment Act last week. For the occasion he was flanked by lieutenants Don Polye (Works, Transport and Civil Aviation Minister), Ano Pala (Justice) and Paul Tiensten (National Planning and Monitoring). Even escape artist and robber William Kapris seemed to have attracted the prime minister’s ire as well. The PM’s outburst and anger was extraordinary. He criticised the civil society and the media for, as he put it, “taking the amendments (to the Environment Law) out of context”. Then he went on to describe the reasons for the amendment and that revelation was so astounding it beggars description. The prime minister said he had personally gone to China to invite the company that has committed US$800 million into developing the Ramu nickel/cob