Totems and artifacts removed from the National Parliament in November 2013 by the former Speaker Theo Zurenouc will now be re-instated.
Speaker of the National Parliament, Job Pomat has announced that his office is working with the National Musuem to have the artifacts back on display in Parliament.
The totems and artifacts were removed between November and December 2013 by the former Speaker Theo Zurenouc, a move that divided the nation in terms of people’s opinion.
It was challenged at the national court by Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare, and the court ruled for them to be re-instated within six months.
However, this was further appealed at the Supreme Court.
The question on the re-display of these totems and artifacts was raised again in the recent Parliament session by the Morobe Governor to the Speaker.
Upon instructing the Parliament legal desk to find out the status, it was revealed that the Supreme Court had already made a decision on the 30 of May 2016 for the artifacts to be re-instated.
Mr Pomat says he will handle this fairly given this is a sensitive matter, adding he will also put up the unity pillar that the former Speaker purchased to replace the artifacts with.
Parliament will meet the cost of re-instating the artifacts, and is working with the National Museum to find out if the original carvers of the artifacts removed are still around.
Picture: Johnny Blades