Court to decide on Polye’s case

A CASE filed by Opposition Leader Don Polye seeking an order to recall Parliament before July 27 will be decided by the Supreme Court next Tuesday.
Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia, Deputy Chief Justice Sir Gibbs Salika and Justice Colin Makail advised parties of the date after hearing their submissions yesterday.
Polye’s lawyer Marshall Cooke QC said the adjournment of Parliament to Aug 2 was inconsistent with Section 145 of the Constitution because it only frustrated the motion from reaching the floor of Parliament.
Cooke said the motion had nominated Polye as the alternate prime minister.
He said motion was submitted to the Parliament Speaker’s Office on June 7. Cooke said the Permanent Parliamentary Committee on Private Business was supposed to meet the next day to deliberate on the motion. But Parliament had adjourned.
Lawyer John Griffin QC, who represented the interveners, said Polye should have submitted the motion to the speaker when Parliament reconvened on May 31 as it would give time for the committee to deal with the motion.
The interveners are Parliament Speaker Theo Zurenouc, Deputy Speaker Aide Ganasi, acting clerk Kala Aufa and Attorney-General Ano Pala.
Griffin told the court that Parliament adjourned because of the situation in the country which included the unrest at the University of PNG in Port Moresby.