Basil hits back at counsel

BULOLO MP Sam Basil has described comments by the first legislative counsel Hudson Ramatlap as misleading, but calculated to undermine the seriousness of an issue of national importance.
Basil was taking issue with comments attributed to Ramatlap that a recent gazettal notice, naming suspended former finance and treasury minister Patrick Pruaitch as Minister Assisting the Prime Minister, was only an update of records and not a new appointment.
Basil said the Pruaitch gazettal did not name him as finance and treasury minister to show that he was a minister suspended on full pay, or to confirm that this is just a republishing of the original gazettal, dated Sept 13, 2007, as claimed by Ramatlap.
“Instead, it is a new portfolio (State Minister Assisting PM) and that portfolio takes effect upon gazettal. This is also deliberately stated by Ramatlap to further confuse the public of the serious nature of the matter.”
“Pruaitch and Ramatlap are alleging that the prime minister had unfettered powers to appoint a minister, even in contempt of the Supreme Court order.”
Ramatlap maintained last night that there was no new appointment by the prime minister.
As first legislative counsel, it was Ramatlap’s job to advise of such appointments and endorse notices in the national gazette.
He said: “As a routine check, we were regazetting the names of ministers. Pruaitch has not been dismissed. There is no new appointment.
“We are updating records; that is all I am saying.”
Basil said legal opinion suggested that the court decision had declared Pruaitch automatically suspended as a leader.
He said the Aitape-Lumi MP would not attend parliament or NEC meetings as “a leader”.
“Where is the rule of law?” Basil said.