Robert@PNG

Is open, blatant and at the highest levels!!

Story as it appeared on the front page of todays “The National“

Speaker gags major
debate




By HARLYNE JOKU
SPEAKER Jeffrey Nape yesterday blocked debate in Parliament on the
Julian Moti inquiry report and the mobile phone issue.
The Speaker kept Parliament waiting for an hour before he entered the
chamber at 3pm and announced before the start of the session that no
questions or statements referring to the Moti affair be raised as the
case was before the court and the Defence council.
“I understand that the matter is before the court and the Defence
council, therefore the chair wished to inform Parliament that we should
not discuss it in Parliament. Any questions relating to the Moti case
will not be entertained,” Mr Nape said.
The legal challenges to the final Moti report, which recommended the
prosecution of Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare and others implicated
in the Moti affair, was dismissed by the National Court on Sept 12.
Lawyers representing the Prime Minister have promised to appeal the
decision, but it could not be ascertained last night if the appeal has
been lodged.
Rumours that a section of the PNG Defence Force was out to arrest the
Prime Minister was rejected as “street talk” by the commander Peter Ilau.
Speaker Nape also blocked questions relating to a National Executive
Council submission on the mobile phone issue.
Opposition leader Sir Mekere rose to direct his question without notice
to the Minister for Communication and Information Patrick Tammur.
Sir Mekere said he had a copy of an NEC submission signed by Mr Tammur
and Public Enterprise Minister Arthur Somare seeking approval to amend
the Telecommunications Act to essentially put mobile phone newcomers
Digicel out of business.
“Minister, last Friday you reportedly told media representatives that
you had no knowledge of planned legislation to amend the
Telecommunication Act. I have a copy of an NEC submission signed by you
and Arthur Somare seeking cabinet approval to amend the same act… the
submission attached granting instructions and certificate…”
Sir Mekere could not complete his questions as he was interrupted by
Treasury and Finance Minister Patrick Pruaitch, who raised a point of
order saying there was never any decision made on the matter.
Mr Pruaitch argued a cabinet submission a confidential policy matter for
Government and for the Opposition leader to have access to that
information and pre-empting Government decision, was unfair.
Sir Mekere insisted that the matter was of public interest and should be
heard and discussed.
Speaker Nape upheld the objection by Mr Pruaitch and ruled Sir Mekere’s
questions out of order.
The Opposition condemned the actions of the Speaker in a press
conference after the session claiming he was misled by the Government.

Sir Mekere described the Government’s action as totally irresponsible,
undemocratic and a desperate act in suppressing questions on two of the
most important national issues.
“The Government action today was not surprising at all as it had planned
all along to gag any debate on the two important issues confronting the
nation,” Sir Mekere said.