Make PNG republic: Sir J

By HELEN TARAWA
FORMER Prime Minister Sir Julius Chan wants Papua New Guinea to become a republic but remain a member of the Commonwealth.
“In 1996 when I was prime minister, I proposed to the Constitutional Review Commission (CRC) chairman Ben Micah to assess PNG’s status – whether it should become a republic,” he said.
“That was a thought given to CRC.
“But the Government changed and policies changed.
“So we were a little bit taken up by events. It never came to the CRC office.
“Unfortunately, time and the 1997 General Election, forced Micah to bring his report to a close.
“Maybe a look at Micah’s final report in 1997 which could bring more light to the subject.
“We were thinking about becoming a republic but still remained a member of the Commonwealth.”
Sir Julius said by being a republic, PNG would avoid the “intricacies of Buckingham Palace”.
But it did not stop a country’s membership in the Commonwealth.
He gave the examples of Fiji and Singapore which were both republics but remained members of the Commonwealth.
“Countries like Singapore and Fiji are republics but remain a part of the Commonwealth,” he said.
Sir Julius recalled a query being made some time ago on who should take over the role of the Queen if she died.
“The United Kingdom is a kingdom and the role of the head of state passes on from one generation to another,” he said.
“We as an independent country have to think about the place where we can earn the respect of our membership in the Commonwealth.
“Things changed, time changed.
“In Singapore, they elected their president.
“We don’t elect the Queen but as a privy councillor, we were advised well in advance if this situation arose.
“There is a privy council and those who were members of the council would have some obedience on who was going to be the successor.”
Sir Julius said the Queen, when she was younger, moved around normally in her yacht.
“She kept very close to the Commonwealth and because Britain had a lot (to do) in colonising some of the African countries, the Queen was able to keep contact,” he said.
Sir Julius said it was to PNG what it wanted to do.
“We now have a more qualified and educated generation to think for themselves, to structure the future,” he said.