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Serious allegations of biased dealings have been raised by Pomio Landowner representative, Norbert Pames, against the East New Britain Provincial Government and the Pomio District Administrator, Mr Pomaleu Lagisan, on its lack of action and concern over the land grabs that is currently occurring in the Pomio District. Mr Pames is onboard the GreenPeace’s Esperanza when it berthed in Port Moresby yesterday. Mr Pames, who is representing landowners in the Ralopal and Pomata concessions, said they have written 5 letters already to the District Administrator, Mr Pomaleu Lagisan to intervene and deal with the issue of confrontation between landowners in the District, but there has been no word from those in authority. Mr Pames confirmed that in their last petition to the District Administrator, they had asked that the operations of Gilford Limited cease, pending the findings of the SABL inquiry and a meditation round table be convened between them and Gilford Limited, but this was ignored,

Serious allegations of biased dealings have been raised by Pomio Landowner representative, Norbert Pames, against the East New Britain Provincial Government and the Pomio District Administrator, Mr Pomaleu Lagisan, on its lack of action and concern over the land grabs that is currently occurring in the Pomio District. Mr Pames is onboard the GreenPeace’s Esperanza when it berthed in Port Moresby yesterday. Mr Pames, who is representing landowners in the Ralopal and Pomata concessions, said they have written 5 letters already to the District Administrator, Mr Pomaleu Lagisan to intervene and deal with the issue of confrontation between landowners in the District, but there has been no word from those in authority. Mr Pames confirmed that in their last petition to the District Administrator, they had asked that the operations of Gilford Limited cease, pending the findings of the SABL inquiry and a meditation round table be convened between them and Gilford Limited, but this was ignor

Prime Minister Peter O'Neil and his Government will know by December, whether their election into office was made according to law. The Supreme Court in Waigani has reserved its ruling, after completing hearing of submissions today. Lawyers representing Prime Minister Peter O'Neil and others ended the presentation of submissions today, just one day after hearing proper opened yesterday. Their submissions were made in regard to the issue of the August events of Parliament, Sir Michael's issue of absence from Parliament, the issue of his mental health, and whether or not, the courts have any right to question the actions of Parliament. Lawyer Ron Webb opened submissions for the intervening parties in support of Parliament and the Government, that the action on August 2nd to elect Peter O'Neill as Prime Minister, is legal. Lawyer Web submitted that because Sir Michael Somare was absent for a long time without proper information concerning his health reaching Parliament and

Prime Minister Peter O'Neil and his Government will know by December, whether their election into office was made according to law. The Supreme Court in Waigani has reserved its ruling, after completing hearing of submissions today. Lawyers representing Prime Minister Peter O'Neil and others ended the presentation of submissions today, just one day after hearing proper opened yesterday. Their submissions were made in regard to the issue of the August events of Parliament, Sir Michael's issue of absence from Parliament, the issue of his mental health, and whether or not, the courts have any right to question the actions of Parliament. Lawyer Ron Webb opened submissions for the intervening parties in support of Parliament and the Government, that the action on August 2nd to elect Peter O'Neill as Prime Minister, is legal. Lawyer Web submitted that because Sir Michael Somare was absent for a long time without proper information concerning his health reaching Parl

Election Challenged. The August formation of the O'Neil-Namah Government has been described as a coup. That was from lawyers representing disgraced Prime Minister Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare, as hearing proper of the Special Reference opened at the Supreme Court yesterday. The High Court heard submissions on the issue of whether or not there was a vacancy in the office of the Prime Minister, which led to Parliament's election of Peter O'Neil as the country's Chief Executive Officer. Queens Counsel Marshall Cook representing Sir Michael says, there was never a vacancy, and that Parliament's election of Mr. O'Neil was against the law. Mr. Cook submitted that the vote taken by Parliament on August the second, electing Peter O'Neil as Prime Minister was unconstitutional and invalid, because Parliament has no power to declare a vacancy in the Office of the Prime Minister. Mr. Cook submitted that even if it does have the power to declare the vacancy, the Consti

Election Challenged. The August formation of the O'Neil-Namah Government has been described as a coup. That was from lawyers representing disgraced Prime Minister Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare, as hearing proper of the Special Reference opened at the Supreme Court yesterday. The High Court heard submissions on the issue of whether or not there was a vacancy in the office of the Prime Minister, which led to Parliament's election of Peter O'Neil as the country's Chief Executive Officer. Queens Counsel Marshall Cook representing Sir Michael says, there was never a vacancy, and that Parliament's election of Mr. O'Neil was against the law. Mr. Cook submitted that the vote taken by Parliament on August the second, electing Peter O'Neil as Prime Minister was unconstitutional and invalid, because Parliament has no power to declare a vacancy in the Office of the Prime Minister. Mr. Cook submitted that even if it does have the power to declare the vacanc

Somare back in the limelight? A split but majority ruling of the Supreme Court in Waigani yesterday has ended what's now thought to be the Government's last straw, in its bid to stop the Special Reference, challenging its controversial August formation. The full five-men bench, has dismissed an application by the intervenors representing Parliament and the Government, asking that the court be put on halt until, medical records of Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare was made available to the court. The Bench ruled in the majority, 3 to 2, that the application is premature and only re-ignites issues that were already determined by a single judge in his findings of fact last week. The majority ruling by the High Court to dismiss the application by the intervening parties representing Parliament and the Government follows a split with the individual views of the five-men bench. The Chief Justice Sir Salmo Injia and Justices Nicholas Kirriwom and Les Gavara-Nanu ruled in the majority, th

Somare back in the limelight? A split but majority ruling of the Supreme Court in Waigani yesterday has ended what's now thought to be the Government's last straw, in its bid to stop the Special Reference, challenging its controversial August formation. The full five-men bench, has dismissed an application by the intervenors representing Parliament and the Government, asking that the court be put on halt until, medical records of Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare was made available to the court. The Bench ruled in the majority, 3 to 2, that the application is premature and only re-ignites issues that were already determined by a single judge in his findings of fact last week. The majority ruling by the High Court to dismiss the application by the intervening parties representing Parliament and the Government follows a split with the individual views of the five-men bench. The Chief Justice Sir Salmo Injia and Justices Nicholas Kirriwom and Les Gavara-Nanu ruled in the major

Challenge Rejected The Supreme Court in Waigani has dismissed an attempt by the government to stop the Special Reference, challenging the controversial formation of the O'Neil-Namah regime in August this year. Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia handed down the unanimous ruling this afternoon, coupled with a warning that there should not be threats to the Referrer, the East Sepik Provincial Government, to how the case is being conducted in court. The move to strike out the Special Reference was made this morning by the first intervenor Attorney General Doctor Allan Marat, and had the support of the Parliament Speaker, the Prime Minister and his Deputy, as parties. Those parties had argued that because only twelve out of the full fifteen member Provincial Cabinet attended the August meeting, the Reference did not have the full endorsement of the Executive Council. Last week, single Supreme Court judge David Cannings had found that 12 of the 15 member of the Provincial Executive Council w