James Donald

The enquiry will also be for the possibility of criminal and civil implications on operators of the major gas projects if the earthquake was artificially conduced.

He asked this during a series of questions in Parliament on Wednesday.

James Donald asked Peter O’Neill that the independent report be tabled in Parliament and actions taken if the earthquake caused was manmade.

He also called for a Damages Trust Fund to be set up by oil and gas project developers and operators so that they can assist with immediate relief.

North Fly MP, James Donald, whilst giving his speech in parliament during the special sitting said they also wanted regulations and a regulatory authority for the Oil and Gas sector to also monitor the rate of the extraction.

The North Fly MP also raised issues of royalties and levies that the Government must release to the landowners.

He said had there been development levies and royalty payments, provincial governments, LLGs and resource owners would be in a better position to deal with this epic proportion disaster themselves.

The stay application is expected to be moved in court on Wednesday.

Last Friday leave was granted by the Supreme Court to review the National Court's decision that nullified Donald's election victory.

That review will come before a three-judge Supreme Court bench at a later date.

Donald's election was nullified on grounds Nomad LLG falls under the Middle Fly electorate and ballot boxes from that area were illegally admitted for counting by the Electoral Commission in the North Fly electorate.

The relief supplies were coordinated by North Fly MP, James Donald.

Bags of 10kg rice, cartons of biscuits, water bottles and noodles valued at K25,000 will be delivered to the district today.

The items are being airlifted from Kiunga to the remote Mogulu station, where a team will coordinate the delivery to those affected areas.

On Monday Ok Tedi Mining Ltd responded positively to the MP’s request for a helicopter hire into the affected areas.

Member for North Fly James Donald is the chairman of the committee.

Following Monday’s concern regarding assistance not going into the province, particularly the North Fly district, Ok Tedi Mining Ltd responded positively with the request for a helicopter hire to carry out assessment in the areas affected.

Assessment started yesterday.

Donald thanked the management of OTML, especially Deputy Managing Director Musje Werror, for the timely support and assistance.

Following the National court’s order to set aside James Donald’s election as North-Fly MP, and allow him to remain in office pending the recount, Petitioner Paiyo Bale, filed a review in the Supreme Court to challenge that interim order.

The third runner-up in the election sought leave of the Supreme Court to review that specific order and asked for a stay on the order which allowed Donald to temporary remain in office.

Justice Niel refused to grant leave and the interim injunction sought by Bale.

He said the sacking of these workers is a management issue.

“I understand that it is grievances displayed by employees. They have a channel to go through,” stated Tuke.

Minister Tuke says Ok Tedi Mining Limited has set guidelines and regulations on how to deal with issues that arise and both parties have to be guided by those processes.

Meanwhile, OTML says it will not make any comments or statements on the matter.

Donald said the Mining Minister must ensure an investigation is conducted to determine whether the termination of 100-plus workers by OTML was proper and lawful.

His call comes after the company management terminated more than 100 of its employees on Tuesday for staging a protest against the company.

OTML said their industrial action was illegal as it did not follow the grievance process and was not supported by the union.

They were served with termination letters on the evening of that same day (Tuesday) to leave.

The National Court in Kiunga ordered for a re-count to be done within the next two months for all LLGs in the district, except the ballot boxes for team 26, 27, 28 and 29 from the Nomad LLG.

The orders were made following trial in Kiunga from the petition third runner-up Paiyo Bale filed.

James Donald will remain Member of North Fly Open electorate until the completion of the re-count of ballot papers and presentation of result for approval by the Court.

He has issued an appeal to everyone in the district to remain calm and respect the Court orders.

The election of Donald is being disputed in court by Paiyo Bale and Sam Bob Auwi.

A motion by Donald, challenging the competency of the petition Auwi filed, will be heard next week at the Waigani National court. Donald’s motion is on grounds of late filing.

If that motion is unsuccessful and petition survives, other motions on objections will be heard at the commencement of trial.

The petition filed by Bale has been fixed from 1 February to 9 February, 2018, in Kiunga, Western Province.

(James Donald outside the courthouse)