PNGBLOGS

JASON K WAUGLE "Try have a look at this circular...all government departments won't be getting their end of the year warrants except for personal emoluments...don't know how the departments will operate until the beginning of 2015 financial year???, a source said. The source expressed serious concern about how government departments are going to function because the financial year starts at the end of February or beginning of March every year and maybe all public servants might as well go home and comeback when the warrants for next year are ready to be released. In Circular Instruction No.05/2014 dated 14th November 2014 and addressed to all Heads of Departments and Statutory Bodies with the subject entitled ‘2014 Budget Savings’, Sir Manasupe Zurenuoc Kt OBE, Chief Secretary to Government from the Department of Prime Minister & National Executive Council based at Morauta Haus in Waigani, Port Moresby said the following: “I seek the urgent cooperation of al

By BRYAN KRAMER Short answer is NO . So why? The Supreme Court in the case Grand Chief Somare vs Chief Ombudsman Commission ruled a leader who is referred to a leadership tribunal is automatically suspended from duty from the date of his referral. In other words the exact time and date the Public Prosecutor writes to the Chief Justice requesting him to appoint the tribunal. This decision is based on Section 28(1) of Constitution "Where a matter has been referred to a tribunal the person alleged to have committed misconduct in office is suspended from duty." However in the cases of the Governor General, Chief Justice and Prime Minister they may only be suspended by decision of the Leadership Tribunal. This is because of the importance of the office they occupy. The Constitution Section 94 that relates to the GG, Section 182 relates to CJ and Section 142(6) the Prime Minister states that they "may be" suspended pending an investigation

By LEGAL EXPERT "Section 28 (1) of the Organic Law on Duties and Responsibilities of Leadership is that the person alleged to have committed misconduct in office is suspended from duty. Suspension is automatic. The so called precedent in Somare's case was wrong in law and not a proper precedent. THE ACTUAL WORDINGS OF S 27 (1) IS: Where a matter has been referred to a tribunal under Section 27 the person alleged to have committed misconduct in office is suspended from duty. So the normal and proper practice is that when the charges are presented to the Tribunal, the suspension automatically takes effect. The Somare precedent was wrong in law." The decision to suspend the then Prime Minister & Regional member for East Sepik Province Sir Michael Somare for 14 days without pay starting from April 4th 2011 was made by a three-member Leadership Tribunal on March 24th 2011. Three foreign Judges (from Australia, New Zealand & the UK) Roger Gyles, Sir B

By JASON K WAUGLE   PGK54.7 million allegedly claimed by prominent Law Firms in 2013 “based on political directives without the appropriate legal clearances from the Solicitor Gene ral or Attorney General” “The allegations that the payments made to Paul Paraka Lawyers fraudulently is denied out rightly and refuted,” former Deputy Secretary of Operations at the Finance Department Jacob Yafai (suspended at the time) told Sir Manasupe Zurenuoc the Chief Secretary to Government who was then acting as Finance Secretary in a letter dated June 23rd 2013. “The Department of Finance, of which I have served over almost 20 years under different secretaries does not pay or settle State liabilities, unless there is evidence of work done supported by statement of invoices or bills addressed to the State and appropriately cleared by the Line Departments including appropriate legal advice. A payment could be categorized fraudulent if the payments are made without any evidence of s

Triumph Heritage Empowerment (T.H.E) Party leader and Kandep MP Don Polye today (Sunday) said Prime Minister Peter O’Neill’s continued occupancy of the office of the Prime Minister amidst serious allegations of misconduct is very destructive to the democratic principles and the country’s structures of governance. Mr Polye said O’Neill is not just an ordinary Parliamentarian but he is the Prime Minister of the country. “No Prime Minister of this country since independence has gone through such a great length to insulate himself from scrutiny and accountability,” he said. He added that O’Neill has a criminal warrant of arrest and a leadership tribunal hanging over him now. “These are not just mere allegations. Respective competent authorities have considered the weight of the evidence and have concluded that there is sufficient evidence to prosecute him. It is, therefore, an advance stage of the prosecution process,” said Polye. He said O’Neill has demonstrated that he would go