Union wants heads to roll over GG fiasco

National, Normal
Source:

The National – Thursday, December 16, 2010

THE PNG Trade Union Congress (PNGTUC) has called for the resignation of speaker and clerk of parliament over the embarrassment in Sir Paulias Matane’s re-election as governor-general in June.
PNGTUC president Michael Malabag was responding to the Supreme Court ruling that declared the GG election null and void.
“Jeffery Nape and Don Pandan are responsible for this fiasco and it is high time they uphold and protect the integrity of parliament, otherwise, ship out.”
He said parliament had become a circus over the years under the leadership of Sinasina-Yongamul MP, Jeffrey Nape.
Malabag said the people of PNG had lost faith in the legislative arm of government and “nobody in his right mind can deny that fact”.
“I am absolutely amazed that the former attorney-general and minister for justice and the secretary provided legal opinion on the election of the governor-general which was misleading in the first place as confirmed by the Supreme Court to be null and void.
“Was the legal opinion simply to affirm the actions taken by government and most importantly by the actions of the speaker in confirming the re-appointment of Sir Paulias as GG for the second term?
“The very people who came out publicly to support the actions of parliament should bow their heads in shame and resign if they have any dignity left.”
Malabag said it was embarrassing because parliament had made a mockery of the position of the governor-general, the Queen’s representative.
“What an embarrassment in the Commonwealth when due process was not complied with and yet was defended strongly by the very guardians of the legal system within the executive arm of government,” Malabag said.
“Sir Paulias is a person beyond reproach, a statesman of the highest degree and for parliament to treat this election process with total contempt is a complete mockery to a person of his standing.
“If the government had the numbers which was plainly obvious on the
floor of parliament that day, why did they not simply comply with constitutional requirements?”
“Sir Paulias has my undivided support and that of the trade union movement and I sincerely hope that common sense will prevail in the next sitting of parliament as directed by the Supreme Court,” Malabag said.