PNGBLOGS

PAPUA New Guinea's Prime Minister Peter O'Neill says a Supreme Court arrest warrant for his deputy prime minister and attorney-general has set a "dangerous precedent". It's his first public statement since the potential executive-judicial crisis erupted on Thursday. But he denies the incident that started the affair - the suspension of Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia on Thursday - has anything to do with his impending verdict in an ongoing constitutional battle over the legitimacy of the O'Neill government. "(It is) the executive government's collective right to make national interest decisions - including decisions relating to members of the judiciary collectively or individually," Mr O'Neill said in a statement from Honolulu, where he is attending the APEC summit. "The National Executive Council (NEC) should not be usurped by the threat of warrants of arrest for members of the NEC." Deputy Prime Minister Belden Namah announced the

PAPUA New Guinea's Prime Minister Peter O'Neill says a Supreme Court arrest warrant for his deputy prime minister and attorney-general has set a "dangerous precedent". It's his first public statement since the potential executive-judicial crisis erupted on Thursday. But he denies the incident that started the affair - the suspension of Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia on Thursday - has anything to do with his impending verdict in an ongoing constitutional battle over the legitimacy of the O'Neill government. "(It is) the executive government's collective right to make national interest decisions - including decisions relating to members of the judiciary collectively or individually," Mr O'Neill said in a statement from Honolulu, where he is attending the APEC summit. "The National Executive Council (NEC) should not be usurped by the threat of warrants of arrest for members of the NEC." Deputy Prime Minister Belden Namah annou

NAMAH: No one is above the law The Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea should bury his head in shame and consider himself a total disgrace before heads of Government of countries in attendance for the APEC summit in Hawaii. He should perhaps be also met with some of the toughest of rebukes from advocacy groups in Hawaii for his anti- constitutional democracy antics. He attends a summit which is attended by prominent leaders of the world who hold an high regard for constitutional democracy and the independence of their judiciary systems in their Countries. Peter O Neil’s recently concocted move, engineered to be announced by his deputy after his exit from the Country to attend this high powered meeting, must be condemned in the strongest possible term and squarely pinned on his hands. He should be shameful of his actions and consider himself a misfit amongst all the level-headed leaders of the World in attendance of the Summit. Perhaps Australia’s Julia Gillard should re-echo her famous

NAMAH: No one is above the law The Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea should bury his head in shame and consider himself a total disgrace before heads of Government of countries in attendance for the APEC summit in Hawaii. He should perhaps be also met with some of the toughest of rebukes from advocacy groups in Hawaii for his anti- constitutional democracy antics. He attends a summit which is attended by prominent leaders of the world who hold an high regard for constitutional democracy and the independence of their judiciary systems in their Countries. Peter O Neil’s recently concocted move, engineered to be announced by his deputy after his exit from the Country to attend this high powered meeting, must be condemned in the strongest possible term and squarely pinned on his hands. He should be shameful of his actions and consider himself a misfit amongst all the level-headed leaders of the World in attendance of the Summit. Perhaps Australia’s Julia Gillard should re-echo her

WARRANTS OF ARREST ISSUED FOR Deputy PM AND Attorney General by Supreme Courts   A bench warrant has been issued for the arrest of acting prime minister Belden Namah and attorney-general Allan Marat for contempt of court. Yesterday the PNG government took the drastic step of suspending Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia. Acting prime minister Namah said “overwhelming allegations” had been made against Sir Salamo, forcing the government to act. The suspension came at a sensitive time when the full bench of the Supreme Court is considering a challenge to the government's legitimacy after the 2 August election of Peter O’Neill as prime minister, which is being challenged in the court.   -Supreme Court Ruling Papua New Guinea IN THE SUPREME COURT OF JUSTICE AT WAIGANI SC REF NO.3 OF 2011 BETWEEN: REFERENCE PURSUANT TO CONSTITUTION SECTION 19 AND: REFERENCE BY THE EAST SEPIK PROVINCAL EXECUTIVE -Referrer- AND: HON. DR ALLAN MARAT, MP as the Minister for Justice and Attorney Genera

WARRANTS OF ARREST ISSUED FOR Deputy PM AND Attorney General by Supreme Courts   A bench warrant has been issued for the arrest of acting prime minister Belden Namah and attorney-general Allan Marat for contempt of court. Yesterday the PNG government took the drastic step of suspending Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia. Acting prime minister Namah said “overwhelming allegations” had been made against Sir Salamo, forcing the government to act. The suspension came at a sensitive time when the full bench of the Supreme Court is considering a challenge to the government's legitimacy after the 2 August election of Peter O’Neill as prime minister, which is being challenged in the court.   -Supreme Court Ruling Papua New Guinea IN THE SUPREME COURT OF JUSTICE AT WAIGANI SC REF NO.3 OF 2011 BETWEEN: REFERENCE PURSUANT TO CONSTITUTION SECTION 19 AND: REFERENCE BY THE EAST SEPIK PROVINCAL EXECUTIVE -Referrer- AND: HON. DR ALLAN MARAT, MP as the Minister for Justice and Attorne

suspended.. The Papua New Guinea (PNG) government has suspended Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia in a new twist to the legal saga over the constitutionality of the O’Neill government. Sir Salamo was until the announcement of his suspension the chair of the Supreme Court proceedings into the legality of the August 2 election of Prime Minister Peter O’Neill and his government. The decision on the Supreme Court reference, which was filed by the East Sepik provincial executive, was scheduled to be handed down on December 9 . It is not known if cabinet’s decision to suspend the chief justice will have an impact on the proceedings. PNG deputy Prime Minister Belden Namah announced Sir Injia’s sidelining in the absence of Mr O’Neill who flew to Hawaii this morning to attend the APEC summit. Sir Salamo’s removal comes on the back of denials by Mr O’Neill last week that cabinet was considering removing the chief justice, after former chief justice-turn-politician Sir Arnold Amet warned tha

suspended.. The Papua New Guinea (PNG) government has suspended Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia in a new twist to the legal saga over the constitutionality of the O’Neill government. Sir Salamo was until the announcement of his suspension the chair of the Supreme Court proceedings into the legality of the August 2 election of Prime Minister Peter O’Neill and his government. The decision on the Supreme Court reference, which was filed by the East Sepik provincial executive, was scheduled to be handed down on December 9 . It is not known if cabinet’s decision to suspend the chief justice will have an impact on the proceedings. PNG deputy Prime Minister Belden Namah announced Sir Injia’s sidelining in the absence of Mr O’Neill who flew to Hawaii this morning to attend the APEC summit. Sir Salamo’s removal comes on the back of denials by Mr O’Neill last week that cabinet was considering removing the chief justice, after former chief justice-turn-politician Sir Arnold Amet

THE evidence now being presented to the Commission of Inquiry into the so-called Special Agriculture Business Leases (SABL) tell the story of a national shame of gigantic proportions. It is absolutely disgusting and no words can adequately describe the pain that small landowners feel about their land going into the hands of foreign corporations. Former prime minister and now New Ireland Governor Sir Julius Chan said it well when he described it as nothing less than a conspiracy between the national Department of Lands international corporations to grab land from unsuspecting little landowners from the rural areas. This is probably the worst of any government policy on agriculture development ever formulated by the government since self — government and the extent of its effects on the local landowners will only be known when the inquiry presents its report to the government. We hope the report will be tabled in Parliament and be made public for the people of Papua New Guinea to know th