Namatanai MP and Chairman of the Namatanai District Development Authority (NDDA) Walter Schnaublet has questioned the appointment of the Provincial Constitutional Committee.
He said there was no proper public consultation and that it was a one-sided decision.
“What is the purpose of establishing a provincial constitutional committee months before the election?” Schnaubelt questioned.
“We have nothing to hide, we have spent the money delivering services and have acquitted all the funds. Be careful, do not use this committee as a witch hunt,” he warned.
The Namatanai MP also questioned the membership of the committee saying that there was conflict of interest in the selection of persons particularly in the interest of the People’s progress Party (PPP). He said the decisions of the committee would therefore be biased and unfair to the people of New Ireland.
Among the issues to be investigated are the purchase of land by MPs and distribution of public funds such as the District Services Improvement Programmme (DSIP), as bribes to determine if the small to medium Enterprises (SME) complied with the DSIP conditions.
Schnaubelt dismissed claims of using public monies as handouts adding that he had always practiced transparency and accountability in his delivery of services to the people. He claimed that the upcoming National General Elections is giving rise to such allegations.
He added he would continue to pursue the investigations for the K412 million Lihir royalty monies for his district, which he said has yet to be acquitted since 2007.
“What is the relevance of this committee to investigate the DSIP funds when the provincial government has yet to acquit the people’s money that has been spent since 2007,” said Schnaubelt.
He also welcomed the decision for his reinstatement into the New Ireland Provincial Assembly by Inter-Government Relations Minister Pila Niningi, saying that he and Member for Kavieng Ian Ling-Stuckey, were illegally suspended for failing to attend three consecutive assembly meetings.
Photo credit: Office of the Member for Namatanai