Prime Minister Peter O'Neill

Instead, they will be gathering at the Forum Square at 10am today in anticipation of the prime minister and police commissioner’s arrival.

Student representative council member Emelda Arabagali told Loop PNG that they will present their petition to the two parties at the main Waigani campus.

“Commissioner Gari Baki confirmed with us last night that he will be attending our rally today. We have not received any response from the Prime Minister’s Office yet,” the medical students’ leader stated.

Prime Minister Peter O’Neill has confirmed following a discussion with the Prime Minister of Australia Malcolm Turnbull.

They discussed issues relating to the Supreme Court decision on the constitutionality of the Manus Regional Processing Centre and the action that is required to comply with that decision.

O’Neill said in a statement that from this discussion, they have agreed that a delegation of officials from the Australian Government will visit Port Moresby next week to meet with our officials.

Prime Minister Peter O’Neill also noted that the closure of the centre will have a negative effect on the local economy on Manus, and the Government will work with Australia to seek to minimise damage to businesses and workers.

“I have considered the ruling of the Supreme Court of Papua New Guinea and welcome this outcome,” Prime Minister O’Neill said.

“Respecting this ruling, Papua New Guinea will immediately ask the Australian Government to make alternative arrangements for the asylum seekers currently held at the Regional Processing Centre.

The three-man Supreme Court bench comprising of Derek Hartshorn, Collin Makail and Don Sawong this morning in Port Moresby adjourned the case to next week Thursday (May 5).

The Court hearing was supposed to hear the ‘slip rule’ application alleging that the presiding judges made a “misapprehension of law” when making their ruling on April 5, 2016.

The Court dismissed an appeal by the Prime Minister and Finance Minister James Marape, preventing police from executing an outstanding warrant of arrest for both men.

PM O'Neill said the historic two-day visit by President Mukherjee, from April 28-29, will be the first-ever visit by a Head of State of India and South Asia and will mark a significant milestone for Papua New Guinea - India relations.

"This has opened a new chapter in further expanding cooperation and forgoing partnership at the bilateral, regional and international levels."

This was what Prime Minister Peter O’Neill said yesterday in regard to the recent arrests of high-profile individuals.

“Let me say this as far as my personal case is concerned. Of course nobody is above the law but you must have credible concrete evidence that these particular charges will stand in court.

Prime Minister Peter O’Neill announced this decision by the National Executive Council, saying this fee was not compulsory and was often excessive.

Prime Minister O’Neill said NEC has rescinded Clause (2) of the NEC Decision No. 358/2015 which had allowed for this fee to be collected.

Clause (2) of NEC Decision No. 358/2015 reads “approved in principle the Tuition Fee Free (TFF) Policy to improve on the management and disbursement of the TFF funds”.

It has clearly outlined three specific order which it wants to court to deliberate on.

The vote of no-confidence was dismissed by the acting Speaker and chairman of the Permanent Parliamentary Committee on Private Business, Aide Ganasi.

Ganasi in his statement told Parliament that the motion lacked the number of signatures under section 145 of the Constitution.

Opposition Leader Don Polye, when addressing the media, said their next step is to file an application to the Supreme Court to seek the court to give the following orders:

Pomio MP Elias Kapavore asked the Prime Minister in Parliament today if the district will get their outstanding District Service Improvement Program (DSIP) funds for 2013-2014.    

The Prime Minister said: “The outstanding DSIP will be paid, that is funds due to the district and the district is entitled to these funds.”

 O’Neill said the system of governance in releasing funds must be changed so people do not miss out on services.   

“Also I see shortcoming system where a member loses office somehow all these funds come to a standstill.

In a keynote address to the PNG Mining and Petroleum Conference in November 2015, O’Neill promised that these initiatives would help to broaden the role of PNG’s oil and gas sectors.

“We have to focus beyond exporting raw product and expand focus to the downstream processing of our resources,” he said.

O’Neill said the Government’s own corporations would be required to work closely with the private sector to maximise development opportunities.