MPs condemn prolonged House sitting

By JEFFREY ELAPA
TWO members of parliament have described the prolonged parliament sitting before the election as bad for democracy.
Opposition leader Dame Carol Kidu and Nuku MP Andrew Kumbakor said Prime Minister Peter O’Neill should halt the sittings.
Dame Carol said the recent action of parliament was degrading and destroyed the principles of democracy.
Parliament was
again adjourned last Tuesday  after only 20 members attended the session.
Dame Carol said the prolonged sitting of parliament was setting a bad precedent for the future of democracy in the country.
“We should not continue to sit for parliament when it is nearing elections,’’ she said.
“We normally stop a month before the elections.
“But the current government is prolonging and adjourningparliament session,
a trend not good for the future generation.”
Dame Carol said
the action of parliament to pass bills to control the judiciary was a dangerous trend for democracy.
Kumbakor said the normal procedure was to close in March and prepare for the election.
He said the continuous abuse of parliamentary processes was uncalled for.
Kumbakor alsourged Deputy Prime Minister Belden Namah not to mislead the public by shifting blame to cover up his own wrong doing.
Namah had alleged that Kumbakor and the East Sepik provincial government were funding an illegal defence force.
He said Namah’s statement in parliament was a personal attack on his integrity as a national leader.