University to host Donigi, Maladina public debate

A PUBLIC debate on the proposed constitutional amendments now before Parliament will be held at the University of Papua New Guinea main lecture theatre (MLT).
Member for Esa’ala Moses Maladina, who had successfully moved for the amendments to go past the first reading in Parliament, had accepted the challenge by lawyer Peter Donigi to a public debate on the matter.
While allowing the public debate to take place at the MLT following a written request from Mr Donigi, UPNG Vice-Chancellor Prof Ross Hynes said he would not be involved in moderating the public debate.
“The moderator must be someone who is independent and who has relevant status to such a debate,” Prof Hynes said.
That person is yet to be identified including the date and time for the debate.
Prof Hynes, however, only indicated that the public debate would take place on the week after March 19.
In his letter to Prof Hynes, Mr Donigi said: “I understand that Mr Maladina will likely call for a second reading of his constitutional amendments at the next sitting of Parliament which is scheduled to start on May 4.
“It would appear, therefore, that we only have a short window of opportunity to debate this issue before it is presented for its last and final reading before passage by Parliament,” Mr Donigi said.