OPPOSITION SAYS BIG DON IS STILL TOP DOG NUMBER TWO...

BUT WE SAY...

Source: Post Courier 
MEMBER for Kandep Don Polye could still be the Deputy Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea.
This brings to question whether former Minister for Foreign Affairs, Trade and Immigration and Member for Wabag Sam Abal’s swearing in as DPM by the Acting Governor General Paul Tiensten after his appointment by the National Executive Council was in order.
The Opposition at a press conference yesterday said the Cabinet continue to manipulate parliamentary process breaching the Constitution along the way erroneously to satisfy their interest.
It was revealed the House Speaker Jeffery Nape was in the country and not away in Cairns as claimed by the government finding that as an excuse to appoint their own man to officiate at the swearing-in ceremony.
The Opposition Leader Sir Mekere Morauta, his deputy Bart Philemon and MP for Abau Sir Puka Temu said the flaunting of parliamentary traditions expressed through the Standing Orders as well as the underlying Constitution of PNG was very clear.

THE COURT GIVES SOMARE TIME TO THINK THINGS THROUGH

PNG's SOMARE STEPS DOWN

Papua New Guinea's long-standing prime minister, Michael Somare, has temporarily stood down from his job to fight misconduct charges after a week of political turmoil in the resource-rich Pacific nation.Somare issued a brief statement today, saying he had voluntarily stepped aside so a tribunal could hear misconduct charges alleging he had failed to lodge annual financial statements during the 1990s.The move follows a cabinet reshuffle a week ago, and a court ruling that parliament must sit by late January to properly re-appoint the country's governor-general, Paulius Matane.

The political uncertainty is not expected to affect mining or exploration activities, and comes less than a fortnight after Somare led a mining seminar in Australia to promote foreign investment in his country's resources sector. Somare last week dumped his deputy prime minister, Don Poyle, in favour of close ally and foreign minister Sam Abal, who will now fill in as prime minister and hand the job back to Somare if he is cleared of the charges.

When parliament reconvenes, Somare could face a possible no-confidence motion mounted by opposition lawmakers.Papua New Guinea is a mineral rich Pacific Islands nation of around 6.3 million people, with reserves of gold, copper, oil and gas. But it has struggled to exploit its resources due to corruption, land ownership issues and poor infrastructure. Somare, 74, has been prime minister for eight years.

THE OLD GUARD HAVE LOST IT!

Somare's lawyers to challenge report

Ilya Gridneff, AAP Papua New Guinea Correspondent

December 13, 2010 - 1:09PM

AAP

The political future of Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Michael Somare is hanging in the balance, with his lawyers heading to court on Monday in an attempt to head off a leadership tribunal which would force him to step down while it investigates misconduct allegations.

There is also speculation a disaffected Don Polye, who was dumped as deputy prime minister in a sudden cabinet reshuffle last week, may take his Highlands faction to the opposition's ranks in an attempt to topple the government via a vote of no-confidence.

Mr Polye's position is unclear but Sir Michael, who has survived numerous close shaves in his 40 years of politics, is facing possible suspension from office if a leadership tribunal goes ahead.

The prime minister's lawyers are expected in court on Monday afternoon to push for an injunction against the public prosecutor who last week announced Sir Michael must face a tribunal for alleged misconduct in office.

The legal team will argue the Ombudsman Commission failed to follow several procedures, effectively invalidating the commission's report into alleged improprieties regarding Sir Michael's listing of financial statements.

On Sunday night, Sir Michael made a televised address to the nation to clarify the allegations against him regarding failing to provide financial statements from as far back as 1993.

While Sir Michael did not deny the allegations he stressed they were administrative not criminal matters.

In what was a big week in PNG's unpredictable politics, the turmoil intensified on Friday afternoon when the Supreme Court ruled the June re-appointment of Sir Paulias Matane as governor-general was invalid.

The ruling declared PNG's parliament now must reconvene before January 20 to replace the governor-general.

The opposition is hoping this resitting of parliament will give it an opportunity for another vote of no confidence.However, two previous attempts this year have already be thwarted.

Friday's Supreme Court ruling also criticised Speaker Jeffery Nape, who has been key to the government's survival by allowing lengthy adjournments to stave off previous no-confidence votes.

Sir Paulias and Mr Nape, both on holidays, have been silent on the developments while PNG government officials have not indicated when parliament will reconvene.

© 2010 AAP

RESHUFFLE IN PNG CABINET. DON POLYE REMOVED & HITLER REACTS

Deputy PM victim of PNG cabinet reshuffle

Ilya Gridneff, AAP Papua New Guinea Correspondent

December 8, 2010

           

AAP

The Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Michael Somare is to face a leadership tribunal for alleged misconduct in office that forces him to stand down as the country's leader.

But Sir Michael, 74, who has survived 40 years in politics, is a wily operator who has navigated out of numerous close shaves and many pundits predict this will not to be his final curtain.

PNG's Public Prosecutor Jim Wala Tamati issued a press release on Wednesday afternoon stating his intention in three days' time to launch a tribunal.

"I inform the PM that I intend to make a request to the Chief Justice to appoint an appropriate Leadership Tribunal into allegations of his misconduct in office," he writes.

The tribunal relates to an Ombudsman Commission inquiry into alleged improprieties regarding his listing of financial statements. Some of the allegations date back 20 years.

Sir Michael has been fighting the allegations in court since 2008, allegations that include he failed to lodge information about his assets, income and business connections, and that he filed late or incompletely.

Sir Michael must step down once referred to a leadership tribunal, which would mean the new deputy PM would become acting prime minister.

But in an unusual twist that sits comfortably within PNG's political landscape, it is unclear exactly who is PNG's deputy PM.

On Wednesday morning PNG media was ablaze with reports of a sudden cabinet reshuffle on Tuesday including the deputy PM position.

But by Wednesday afternoon there were unconfirmed reports indicating the PM's reshuffle had been rescinded and all those in new positions had been reshuffled back to their original portfolios.

Government official Tipo Vuatha told the Post Courier newspaper deputy prime minister Don Polye had been stripped of his title, replaced by former foreign affairs minister Sam Abal.

But Polye told ABC radio on Wednesday he was still the deputy PM.

The Post Courier ran a photograph of Sir Arnold Ahmet being sworn in as the new attorney general by the Governor General Sir Paulias Matane, who was recalled from holidays to officiate.

PNG's PM media spokeswoman Betha Somare, the PM's daughter, has been unable to comment and did not return AAP's numerous calls regarding who was the country's deputy PM.

© 2010 AAP

SANTA CLAUS ROBS HAGEN OFFICE - Who's the REAL Santa?

It was more jungle bells than jingle bells when a Santa Claus with gifts pulled out a gun and robbed an unsuspecting office in Papua New Guinea.Two men are now wanted for the Santa-themed robbery in Mt Hagen, Western Highlands Province on Monday. Police in Mt Hagen confirmed to AAP a robbery had taken place but would not elaborate on the yuletide method used.The men, one in a Santa suit and the other carrying a box supposedly full of presents from a local coffee and tea producer, robbed Wamp NGA Holdings of around 50,000 kina (A$20,000).

A Wamp NGA staff member, who wished to remain anonymous, told AAP the men infiltrated the company's tight security by duping guards into thinking they were there to give staff Christmas presents."I was quite scared," the staffer said."We could not see one of their faces because he had a Santa hat and beard on but the other guy was just dressed normally."We all were really shocked by this."The Christmas duo told staff presents would be given to them in the company boardroom, then the two pulled out hand held guns and locked everybody in the room.Money was taken from the company's accounts department and the two walked out of the building.

- ninemsn