Marus issues reminder

By ISAAC NICHOLAS
DEPUTY Speaker Francis Marus has warned members of parliament that the chair has the power to refer those who abuse the laws and privileges of the house to the relevant authorities.
In a statement to parliament yesterday, Marus said he took the decision in support of the speaker’s decision to direct Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare to leave the chamber for he “is a stranger because he is no longer a member of parliament”.
“Members, it is very clear that Sir Michael has broken the laws of this country and, more importantly, powers and privileges of this house.
“I, therefore, would recommend that this house refer Sir Michael to the relevant authorities to be dealt with accordingly,” Marus said.
“Sir Michael went further and served a purported court order on the chair, which was the first time such an incident had happened in the history of parliament,” Marus said.
“Further, such an action has never happened in the history of the English parliamentary system, which we have adopted in PNG.”
He said the Constitution and the Parliamentary Powers and Privileges Act of 1964 stated clearly that such actions or acts “amount to criminal in nature”.
Marus said the Constitution (S115) provided that no process issued by any court in the exercise of its civil jurisdiction should be served or executed through the speaker, an officer of parliament or a member of the parliamentary service, or within the precincts of the parliament while sitting.
He said S.14 of the Act stated clearly that any person who executed any summons, warrant, order, writ or summons was guilty of an offence.
Marus said S.15 of the same Act stated that the speaker could order an MP to be removed or excluded from the chamber, direct that person to be removed from the precinct of parliament and speaker may remove by force the person.