|
PRIME Minister Sir Michael Somare
is stranded in Singapore and Air Niugini may charter an aircraft to
uplift the Prime Minister and other passengers stranded in Singapore
after their flight was cancelled.
Following rumours of an alleged plot by some soldiers to arrest him upon
his arrival, his return has been eagerly awaited by the media and those
wanting to know if the rumours of the arrest had any substance.
A Government minister told The National the Prime Minister was in
Brisbane, and was stranded as a result of the grounding of Air Niugini’s
leased 767-300 and another chartered F100. It was expected the Prime
Minister would return on special flight put on by Air Niugini.
But a senior Air Niugini official contacted last night said the Prime
Minister was in Singapore, together with Chief Secretary Isaac Lupari
and other members of their entourage to New York.
Both the minister and Air Niugini official pointed out that the Prime
Minister’s delay in returning was due to Air Niugini’s flight woes, and
had nothing to do with the rumoured threat of arrest.
The official said Air Niugini may arrange a special flight to fly the
Prime Minister and other passengers home, but he is expected to miss the
opening session of Parliament, which starts today with the Moti inquiry
report and the supplementary budget expected to dominate.
Air Niugini’s CEO Wasantha Kumarasiri said last night Air Niugini’s
service from Singapore would be operated by a chartered Malaysian
Airlines Boeing 747-400, which is operating inbound flight PX393 in lieu
of the Boeing 767.
Mr Kumarasiri said flight PX392 will depart this afternoon for Singapore
at around 5:45pm because of operating crew rest requirements.
Sources within government said the rumours of an impending arrest by
PNGDF soldiers were intended to add pressure and force the Prime
Minister to stand aside, to allow the Police and other law enforcement
agencies to implement recommendations in the Moti Inquiry Report.
But PNG Defence Force Commander Peter Ilau yesterday described the
rumours of the arrest as “street rubbish”, which was not coming from the
force.
Ilau told reporters at a press conference in Murray Barracks the Moti
report was in the courts and has nothing to do with the military.
He said the military had no power to arrest any civilians, including the
Prime Minister.
He said he had checked with Police Commissioner Gari Baki since the
rumour surfaced, to establish who was creating the rumour and where it
was coming from.
He said: “I can assure you it’s not coming from the army and we are not
involved.”
 
|
