PNGBLOGS

By Graham Tenaen Robinson The New Guinea Island MPs within the Government caucus must come out and clearly explain to their people why they support the actions of their leader, who continues to avoid and temper with the rule of law. NGI MPs must stand together and be counted for what is right for our country. If you disagree then make a bold stand and distance yourselves from a very bad and dangerous precedence that has already been set by the political head of this country. If he is not guilty, then the very systems enacted to protect us will decides and not his statement. We are taught to respect the rule of law and be accounted for our actions when we break the law as taught, because it impresses values to our children we must uphold. The current trend clearly impresses the notion to question the rule of law despite a pending investigation, he claims to tempered with politically. He has stated beyond reasonable doubt that he is not guilty. And if so why is he running back t

ABC NEWS Papua New Guinea police commissioner Geoffrey Vaki won't arrest PM Peter O'Neill anytime soon Papua New Guinea's Acting Police Commissioner says he won't be arresting Prime Minister Peter O'Neill anytime soon, even though a court on has ruled the arrest warrant should stand. On Tuesday, Justice Ere Kariko said only in the clearest cases of abuse of police power should the court intervene in a police investigation, and in this case there was no such evidence. Acting Commissioner Geoffrey Vaki says any moves to arrest Mr O'Neill on corruption charges are "a long way down the road". He says the case requires more investigation to make sure it is "watertight" and even then, the prime minister would be invited to give an interview to police. Less than three weeks ago, a different Police Chief took a different approach, serving Peter O'Neill with the arrest warrant. That Police Commissioner was promptly sacked, along with

"The National Court has now spoken. It has given its advice to the Prime Minister that there is no basis to refuse to go in for an interview with the police, nor for any orders to be issued to stop the implementation of the warrant of arrest," Mr Kua said. "This means that there are now no further impediments or restraints in the way of the Warrant of Arrest. "Consistent with the Prime Minister’s own conduct of invoking and submitting to the jurisdiction of the National Court, and by agreeing to be bound to its decision, he must now demonstrate it physically. He must now contact the police to secure an appointment to enable the process to commence. "Considering the office that he occupies, it is incumbent upon him to do what is right, namely, to set the right example for the rest of the country. "It must be understood that the majority of our citizens face with a Warrant of Arrest do not have the privilege of sacking the Police Commissioner, the depu

The Police Association or any person of interest must query the legality of the appointment of Police Commissioner Jeffery Vaki, made by NEC dated 01/07/14. In my view the appointment of Police Commissioner is legally flawed. Basically, appointment of Police Commissioner or Acting Commissioner must follow the due process set out under section 193 of the Constitution and Section 25, 25A of the Public Service Management Act 1995 and Section 9(2) of the Police Act 1988. (a) Section 193(2) of the Constitution provides that “all appointments (whether temporary or substantive) to offices to which subsection (1) (b), (c) and (e) apply shall be made by the head of state, acting with, and in accordance with, the advice of the national executive council given after consultation with the public services commission and any appropriate permanent parliamentary committee, and a report concerning each of them shall be given to the parliament by the responsible minister as soon as possible after i

ATTEMPTED ARREST ON VAKI An attempted arrest of the Acting Police Commissioner last evening ended up in a near confrontation with members of the fraud squad and police officers loyal to the new Acting Commissioner. Acting Police Commissioner, Mr. Geoffrey Vaki said the confrontation resulted from fraud squad officers fronting up at the Police Headquarters (PHQ) to arrest him again and charge him for conspiracy. The confrontation would have turned out bad if the Acting Commissioner hadn’t intervened to stabilise the situation outside the PHQ. Vaki said four fire arms were confiscated from the fraud squad officers including two of their vehicles that they used to go to the Headquarters. He also adds that such a confrontation is not good for the image of the police force to the international community and should not happen, especially when the 5th Melanesian Festival of Arts and Culture is currently on with other pacific island countries watching.

By PM MEDIA UNIT With all due respects the National Court this morning has upheld the police warrant of arrest of PNG PM Peter O'Neill that decision by Judge Ere Kariko now means the police, at their pleasure, can now arrest the prime minister for questioning on letters purportedly bearing his signature and allegedly authorising delayed payment of more than K71million to law firm, Paul Paraka Lawyers, for briefed out legal services, starting around 2003, rendered to the State, mainly on alleged illegal or fradulent claims in the millions against the State. Based on the police interrogation the PM then may or may not be charged .... right now he faces no criminal or Leadership Code charges in respect of the letters purported to carry his signature. To his credit the PM has maintained all along that every citizen irrespective of status was not above the law. He will have his date with the police and he will have his day in the courts if the situation pans out that way. But in t

PM''S STAY ORDER DISMISSED The application by Prime Minister to stop police from arresting him has been dismissed. The National Court in Waigani threw out the case this morning citing it as interfering with police duties. Justice Ere Kariko found the court should not interfere with police investigation as there is no premafacie case. It also ruled that police is not party to the substantive matter that is on taxation filed by Finance Minister James Marape, which has no relevance to the warrant of arrest. Justice Kariko also ruled that there's no serious question to be tried. This now means police can go ahead and arrest the Prime Minister Peter O' Neil

By PNGBLOGS Staff Writers As a young country the positive role played by PNG’s uni students in advancing society has been less consistent than in many other countries, where activist uni students turned the tide against evil at for different national struggles.   But now we in PNG are exposed to Peter O’neill, whose utter disrespect for the law starting from his late 1990s’ NPF arrest, to his 2011 ignoring a Supreme Court order, to his very recent sacking anyone who tries to apply legal procedures he doesn’t like, almost spits in the face of God-fearing Christians.   His actions challenge decent minded citizens to fight back.  Last week UPNG students made a brilliant start at energising uni students nationawide, when they demonstrated at Unagi oval.  It brought back memories of times past when UPNG students were the conscience of the nation as they went on strikes and marches.    Assisting their efforts at last was the 180 degree turn of the Post Courier and National from several mo

By LUKE KINING This is an open letter to all our Members of Parliament The rapid unfolding of events in the last two weeks resulting from the arrest warrant issued for the Prime Minister, Peter O’Neill (PO) have dramatically exposed the fragility of our democratic nation. The Prime Minister’s refusal to answer to a constitutionally mandated legal process will have far reaching detrimental consequences for our nation. The PM has argued that the PNG Constabulary, an independent constitutional Office, and its officers have been politically compromised. As elected Members of Parliament you know that a PM can’t make such allegations, for so many reasons as you know. Think carefully about it: the PM is saying a politically compromised Police Force was in charge of administering and enforcing the laws of the land, and it was all fine until he became the subject of investigation by the same Police Force. The Members of Parliament (MPs) have a choice to make.  You are going to decide