Law disastrous: O’Neill

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IALIBU-Pangia MP Peter O’Neill says the new National Pandemic Act passed by Parliament on Friday attempts to restrict and prohibit citizens’ constitutional rights.
The People’s National Congress Party leader condemned the Government’s passing of the new law, adding that it was essentially nothing more than a re-wording of the current “disastrous state of emergency” Act, under a different name.
In a statement yesterday, O’Neill said the Act did not involve any consultation with stakeholders.
“There is no specified end to the new SOE as a declared health emergency according to the way this Act is framed,” the former prime minister said.
“This is because once a declaration of an emergency is made, it can continue for months or longer until the Government provides advice to have the declaration revoked.
“In any democracy, this abandonment of due process and personal liberty for an undetermined period of time is cause for great alarm.
“This Act undermines the national constitution and gives ultimate power to the controller and also attempts to restrict and prohibit citizens’ constitutional rights that are provided for under the Constitution.
“The current SOE and its extension has been all about power and control.”
O’Neill said it remained to be understood why the Government insisted that dealing with the coronavirus should be a police-led operation.
“Managing the Covid-19 threat is a healthcare issue, and it is an economic issue, and it should only become a police issue if there is non-compliance with Government instructions that are intended to maintain public safety.
“The state of emergency has already caused extensive damage to our people and the economy through the use of heavy-handed security measures.
“There is no reason to believe that the undemocratic measures, including those that have hurt businesses and caused job losses, and the abuse of human rights, will not continue indefinitely.
“This Government caused unnecessary hardship on so many of our people when there was no need to do this.”

14 comments

  • I think this is the right call made by right honorable MP for Ialibu/Pangia. It is a health situation and the SOE controller should be personal with medical background and off course, with assistance from royal police constabulary.

  • Every bill has to go through numerous debates on the floor of parliament before passing and becoming a law or constitution. The recently passed bills by Marape Steven government has never done any debate on the the floor of parliament. Everything was buldozed through their numerical strenght. This government is up to something. Is this how we will take back png? This is totally not right and unacceptable. Why all the members very silent on such a sensitive issue? Cargo cult member nambaut tintin lo bel blo ol na forget about the people who have mandated them to speak for their behalf on issues of such. This government is driving the country back wards. Thank you former PM PO, Allan Bird and Dr Allan Marat for raising this issue. True leaders always stand up and talk on issues that will have effects/affect the lifes of ordinary citizens. Please keep making noise when you see that things are not done in proper ways.

  • This is ironic, during PO reign things were pushed through without following processes and now JM is more or less doing the exact thing by pushing this bill through without debate in parliament and even getting views from the general public.

  • Citizens of PNG are going out of control, urban migration at its best, unnecessary pests full in the cities creating all sorts of priblems, let the government restrict some freedom and use this time to assess and maybe implement the vagrancy act etc to instill some orderly control in our towns and cities. The settlements have outgrown the cities in some places. In a pandemic or plandemic like this there will be panic and all hell will break if an infection gets manifected in a settlement etc….PNG national security council must start to think outside the box and prepare for worse case senario now

  • Off course , former PM is right in what he is saying .let’s hope that the present government is leading this country In right direction or else we may be riding on a sinking boat and the 12 million people will die.In a very sensitive issues this this should be undertaken very seriously on the floor of parliament to debate and legislation can be passed and not to bulldoze coz nobody is chasing you na tigim you laikim wokim law Blo country na ino Blo Meri pikinini lo Haus.

  • I support the call by Governor for East Sepik and Peter O’Neill. The government lack consultation from stakeholders and the general public. Its Health issue and not police issue……

  • I support the call by East Sepik Governor and the O’Neill, where members of both sides should have an open forum within their respective electorate gaining the views of their very people..
    People of this nation withregard to this pandemic bill if not coordinated meaningfully to the best interest of our citizens..then comes 2022 decisions and choices are yours

  • PMPO you are the best and you are absolutely correct. This bill does give power to the controller and also we will not who who get contracts, how much a contract is worth, and financial report by removing PFMA and National Procurement Act. Broad daylight robbery by current PMJM government.

  • I agree with the former PM PO. But can be addressed in the parliament, and should have some debate to implement or amend those. Also to seek public opinion too

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