Speaker must quit:MP

BULOLO MP Sam Basil has called for the removal of Parliament Speaker Jeffrey Nape.
Mr Basil said Mr Nape must resign because he was bringing the Office of the Speaker into disrepute by his recent conducts.
He claimed that contracts for public works and services for Parliament were conducted and approved in the corridors of Parliament. On the floor of Parliament, Mr Nape’s gagging of debates and adjournments when there was quorum brought his impartiality into question.
Mr Basil also said state-of-the-art Plasma television sets, costing about K10,000 each, had “disappeared, and not reached Parliament” after it was bought from the supplier.
“This Parliament is run-down.
“For God’s sake, Parliament is in shambles.
“We are not talking about a Simbu hut, this is the Parliament for the people of Papua New Guinea!” Mr Basil said.
He said among other issues were the expenditure funds with discrepancies, without compliance to necessary financial legislation, to safeguard public funds from being misused.
“Funds earmarked for the financial year have been overcommitted by way of incompetent management of available funds.”
Mr Basil said Parliament cheques had been dishonoured when this should not have been the case at all.
“This, in itself, shows a dire state of fraud and discrepancies occurring without intervention from the management to rectify the abnormalities.
“Contracts are given at will and not through proper tendering procedures, value for money.”
He said the Parliament building was deteriorating, with no intervention for refurbishment.
The worst of all, he said,  was the B wing air-conditioning system that had not been functioning for the past two years.
“Parliament elevators are dysfunctional at times.
“There are incomplete records or lack of controls in respect of salaries and wages.”
Attempts to get comments from the Speaker yesterday were unsuccessful.