RO appointment challenged

By BEVERLY PETER
THE National Court has granted permission to former acting Hagen Open returning officer (RO) Amos Noifa to challenge Electoral Commissioner Simon Sinai’s decision to reappoint Willie Ropa.
Noifa, through his lawyer Emmanuel Isaac, filed the application before Justice Joseph Yagi in the National Court in Waigani yesterday to review Ropa’s appointment because he was not short-listed for the position, was from the electorate and had a bad reputation.
Noifa sought the court’s permission because he also claimed that he was the duly appointed RO for Hagen Open.
Isaac, in the application, stated that Noifa’s appointment was lawfully made because he had applied for the position and was short-listed.
“Noifa was shortlisted with Jameson Nukundi and Jeffry Puri and later appointed through an instrument of appointment and duly signed by Sinai,” Isaac said
He said the National Gazettal Notice No.G347 containing Noifa’s name as Hagen Open RO was published on May 6.
Isaac added that Noifa had written a letter to Sinai accepting the position and proceeded to start his responsibilities as RO.
Because there was another gazettal containing Ropa’s name was released, people were confused which lead to incumbent Hagen MP William Duma’s proceeding against Sinai.
He said: “Sinai revoked Noifa and appointed Ropa following the Supreme Court’s decision on May 27.”
Attorney-General Pila Niningi, through Solicitor-General Tauvasa Tanuvasa for the State, did not oppose the application.
Tanuvasa said they would not object to the application because it was up to Sinai to decide who was capable to be the returning officer.
“The Supreme Court order was for the duly appointed to act in the position,” Tanuvasa said.
Justice Yagi asked Isaac to withdraw his notice of motion, saying it was an abuse of court process to file notice of motion before a leave was granted.
“Notice of motion must be filed after leave is granted.
Justice Yagi further ordered Isaac to serve Sinai the necessary documents for the matter before 4pm yesterday as Sinai was not in court and Tanuvasa to obtain further instruction from Niningi.
The matter returns tomorrow for hearing.

Police appeal for combined peace efforts

NEW Ireland police commander Chief Inspector Felix Nebanat wants to see a combined effort to work with the police to restore normalcy to the province’s islands.
During the issue of writs and nominations, criminals destroyed more than K20,000 worth of donated goods and materials.
A candidate reported the matter to the police.
The same criminals were reportedly involved in a string of murders on Nonovaul Island, Nebanat said.
Police were unable to attend to the matter because there was not enough manpower until after the close of nominations.
Since Friday, nine arrests were made and more were expected.
“I appeal to community leaders, churches and other stakeholders to continue to pray for spiritual guidance in dealing with this deeply-rooted issue we are dealing with,” Nebanat said.
“It is important that such incidents are dealt with aggressively to prevent it from spiking other election-related offences,” he said.
He called on the provincial government and administration and Kavieng Development Authority to support the restoring of peace.
“This has been an escalation from the ongoing New Hanover issue, including gruesome mass killings, wounding, public nuisances and a seemingly uncontrollable disorder that has stretched as far as Kavieng Urban mainland, Tigak Kara, Nalik and even Sentral Niu Ailan.”
Upon attending to that incident, officers were attacked with cross bows, catapults and bows and arrows, resulting in Nebanat calling in reinforcements of mobile squad personnel from Tomaringa to boost manpower and mitigate the situation.

O’Neill questions use of loans

FORMER prime minister and Ialibu-Pangia MP Peter O’Neill says from 1975 to 2019, the country had K27.6 billion loan but this has skyrocketed to K60 billion in just three years.
He said Prime Minister James Marape and his Government borrowed K33 billion in the last three years; K11 billion each year, a world record of huge money borrowing.
“I asked Marape and Treasurer Ian Ling-Stuckey why the Government borrowed so much and what has been done with the money?
“No country that has similar economy like ours, borrows such amounts of money in a short period of time,” he said.
He said they gave excuses and one of it was the Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic; they said people were dying from it.
“When I was the PM, I borrowed money and that money was used to improve health, roads, education and other infrastructures.
“Our country will suffer if people do not vote wisely to elect good leaders this election,” O’Neill said.
He said one of his priorities was to create employment, thousands of students that graduate each year at tertiary institutions had no jobs.