Woman removed from parliament

PARLIAMENT security removed a woman from the public gallery on Friday after she did not heed warnings by acting Speaker Aide Ganasi to stop clapping her hands for Opposition leader Don Polye.
The woman was among others who continued to applaud Polye despite Ganasi’s warning.
Despite a plea by deputy Opposition leader Sam Basil, the security guards had to drag the woman out of the chamber after she refused to leave.
It started during the grievance debate when Finance Minister James Marape raised a point of order, saying people in the public gallery were clapping and cheering because they were paid by the Opposition.
There was loud clapping from the public gallery when Polye said that university students were intelligent and educated to know how the economy has been managed and services being delivered to the people.
Treasury Minister Patrick Pruaitch said he did not need the students to tell him how to run the economy as he was guided by the Fiscal Planning Management Act.
Public Service Minister Sir Puka Temu also intervened saying the students were not yet intelligent because they had not graduated.
The uproar continued when Petroleum and Energy Minister Ben Micah questioned the students’ intelligence for boycotting classes and demanding Prime Minister Peter O’Neill to step down. He also called to the public gallery to shut up.
Ministers Pruaitch and Duma supported Micah and were joined by Mendi MP De Kewanu and Madang Governor Jim Kas, who all shouted at the public gallery and calling on security guards to remove the noisy people.
This resulted in the removal of the woman, who was the most vocal among the crowd.
Polye then reminded Micah that he (Micah) was a student leader in the late 1980s and had led student protests against the then Government.
Micah responded: “When I was the NUS (National Union of Students’) president, I never demanded Sir Michael Somare, Sir Julius Chan and Paias Wingti to step down.
“And we have to be careful of the way we manage the country and must not follow what is happening in Africa and Middle East where the public revolt on the streets demanding presidents to step down.
“The only way to change our Prime Minister is on the floor of the parliament and not by students demanding the resignation of the Prime Minister.
“And it is just 16 months away where you can vote (in the 2017 National elections) for angels in heaven to come down and form a heavenly government for ever and ever, amen.”
The parliament continues for its June session with agendas of passing important pieces of legislations like Independent Commission Against Corruption (Icac) bill and Organic Law on Integrity of Political Parties and Candidates (Olipac) among others.