Olippac delay a worry: Geno

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FORMER Chief Ombudsman Ila Geno is concerned about the Government’s delay in introducing the revised Organic Law on the Integrity of Political Parties and Candidates (Olippac) to Parliament.
He said the failure by leaders to carry out their mandated responsibilities would spell disaster for PNG. “To me, this is unethical behaviour shown by the leaders which is in direct breach of the leadership code. They are failing in their constitutional duties in re-introducing a very important piece of legislation,” Geno said.
He said Parliament was taking a very casual approach and his personal conclusion was that some of the amendments to the Olippac legislation could affect certain individuals.
Geno supported a statement by Registrar of Political Parties Dr Alphonse Gelu that leaders be accountable to the citizens “by doing the right thing”.
A full bench of the Supreme Court had upheld applications by Geno and former Opposition Leader Belden Namah challenging the Government’s amendments to Section 145 of the Constitution relating to a motion of no confidence.
“My question is what sort of basis did they use to pass that particular law in the first place? It was merely driven by bad ethics, very undemocratic and unconstitutional,” Geno said.
He urged the Government to be impartial in keeping to its role of protecting the rights of every citizen regardless of their political affiliations.