Sansan files bid over Lau decision

Personnel Management Department secretary Taies Sansan has filed an application in the Supreme Court to stop an earlier decision that reinstated Frank Lau as the Madang provincial administrator.
This was because Sansan, in her application, claimed that the proceeding in which the National Court’s decision made on Dec 21, 2022, where it set aside the National Executive Council (NEC) decision that revoked Lau’s appointment and reinstated him, was an abuse of process.
She claimed it was an abuse of process as Lau’s proceeding in the National Court started by a wrong process which was by way of ordinary originating summons rather than a judicial review proceeding.
It was before the court that Lau’s appointment as Madang administrator was revoked through a NEC decision following a letter from Sansan as Lau was under police investigation on an allegation of misappropriation.
Lau then filed a proceeding in the National Court to stay that decision saying that he was unlawfully removed and the court granted his application which reinstated and prevented him from being removed from the office pending the case.
Following this, Sansan filed a notice of motion in the National Court to dismiss Lau’s case, saying that it was inappropriately before the court.
Acting Judge Paulin Bre, presiding in the National Court on Oct 18, 2023, dismissed Sansan’s notice of motion, saying that Lau’s proceeding was proper before the court.
Sansan then filed leave in the Supreme Court to stay that decision and seek a review.
The matter was mentioned before Justice Derek Hartshorn in Waigani yesterday where a lawyer from Makap Lawyers represented Sansan while Martin Kombri, from Kombri and Associates Lawyers, represented Madang Governor Ramsey Pariwa who is also a party in the case. The matter will return on Tuesday to hear the application.