Post Courier
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
Motigate debate
gagged in Parlt
GOVERNMENT yesterday gagged the Opposition from
asking questions relating to two controversial issues – Motigate Affair and
Mobile War.
On the first day of the sitting yesterday, Parliament Speaker
Jeffery Nape walked in an hour after the ringing of the bells and stopped
Parliament from raising any questions or issues concerning the Moti affair.
Mr Nape said, “I understand that the matter is before the court or the
Defence Council, therefore I wish to inform Parliament that we should not
discuss it.
“Any questions relating to the Moti case will not be entertained
until the report is tabled before Parliament.”
And the Opposition decried
this and termed it dictatorial.
At a news conference attended by all
Opposition members, they said the gagging of debate on important issues
concerning the nation was a disgrace.
Opposition Leader Sir Mekere Morauta
said the Speaker misled the Parliament.
He told reporters that his office
checked with the Supreme Court only on Monday and there was nothing to say that
the Moti issues was before the courts.
He said the Opposition had some
questions regarding the issue and the report was explicit where it said laws
were broken and responsible people should be prosecuted.
Sir Mekere,
supported by his deputy Bart Philemon and former Prime Minister Sir Julius Chan,
said the recommendations of the report is clear and the alleged threats by the
PNG Defence Force to arrest the Prime Minister and NGOs’ outcry were symptoms of
the leaders not doing the right thing.
In saying this, the Opposition called
for the Prime Minister to step aside immediately.
“There is a growing chorus
of dissatisfaction everywhere.
“We are doing injustice to the people,” Sir
Mekere told reporters.
Sir Julius called on respective government bodies
like the Ombudsman, police and public prosecutor to act independently and act on
the recommendations of the Moti report.
Mendi MP Francis Awesa said there
seem to be two laws, one for the small people and the other for the leaders,
supported by Sir Mekere who said a small person gets belted up for stealing a
packet of biscuit and a leader gets free after all these allegations.
Meanwhile, attempts to ask the Communication Minister Patrick Tammur on the
alleged submission to the Cabinet was also gagged with the front bench of the
Government interjecting with points of order and calling on the speaker to rule
it out of order which the Speaker eventually did.
Parliament adjourned to
this morning at 10.
This article raised a number of questions. What does it mean to be independent and free? Are we really independent and free? As outlined in our National Pledge, do our leaders really pledge to:
"Build a democratic society based on justice, equality, respect and prosperity of our people"
Have Papua New Guinea's leaders become so ignorant and blinded by their own visions of personal wealth, status, power and self-interest? Is our society going to the dogs? Maybe one needs to provide certain public figures with clearER definitions of these fundamental governing principles, imperative to the promotion and enforcement of the rights of the men, women and children of any democratic country. It makes me wonder...
Sir Mekere is right when he says that there is a "growing chorus of dissatisfaction".
ReplyDeleteThe govt should be listening to public outcry and moving to rectify the situation rather then turning a deaf ear. They're only making themselves look even more foolish.
And what's this about the Speaker showing up late SMH you know the PM was setting him straight bout not entertaining Qs bout the Moti affair. Somare and his goons need to go!
makes me wonder too. maybe you can join and send a letter to the pm too. even if it's done under psuedonym, at least it shows numbers in discontent.
ReplyDeleteMaybe I am just blind or maybe its just me....I don't know but I think the Moti issue is incomplete. I have read the Moti report but it still leaves a big question hanging..."Did Somare really give the orders?" Almost everyone in the report says he did.....but only one person has not confirmed it.
ReplyDeleteThe person who did not confirm it is Leonard Lauma. All those who says Somare gave the orders says, they heard it from Mr. Louma. Even Assaigo says he heard it from Mr. Louma but Mr. Louma never testified in the inquiry that Somare gave the orders.
For all we know, yu could have lied to Assaigo, that Somare says to get rid of Moti. Now unless we get a first-hand confession from Louma....second-hand information from Assaigo is not enough...
Just ma thoughs