Opposition Leader

Polye was a member of the National Alliance Party who rebelled against party leader and then Prime Minister Sir Michael when he was seeking medical treatment overseas.

“Instead of me being the acting prime minister, Sam Abel was appointed the acting prime minister and I was very angry with that.

“Enga politics took a better part of me, and Peter O’Neill and Belden Namah became the Prime Minister and I apologise for that,” Polye said.

Following Minister Francis Awesa’s statement slamming him for misleading his Kandep people on road projects, Polye has denied playing politics with road infrastructure in his district.

Polye reiterated that the writing was on the wall, saying projects worth more than K150 million for his district were denied of when he was sacked as the Treasury Minister in March 2013.

While speaking at Wagan Lahu village, Morobe Province, Opposition Leader Don Polye said though our forefathers set this nation on a path to prosperity, young leaders of today have steered this nation away from its intended destination.

“There’s no doubt that we are sinking fast by the day and the signs and symptoms are obvious,” Polye stated at the Nawaeb electorate.

“The country’s elite population, including the general public, must not turn a blind eye on the corruption within the system of governance and pretend that all is well.

A three-man Supreme Court bench consisting of Deputy Chief Justice Sir Gibbs Salika, Justice David Cannings and Justice Stephen Kassman in a unanimous decision ruled that Polye has standing or the legal capacity to challenge the government’s decision in court through a Supreme Court application filed under section 18(1) of the Constitution.

They were of the view that Polye raised significant constitutional issues. They said he has the right to challenge the decision as he holds a public office and is a member of parliament.

 This is in the case Opposition Leader Don Polye re-filed, challenging the legality of the government’s decision to acquire the K3 billion from the Union Bank of Switzerland.

Polye’s lawyer, Loani Henao, appeared before Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia today for directions.

The Court was told the appeal books that would be used in the case had not been filed yet.

Sir Salamo issued directions for parties to compile the application books before the court hears arguments on whether Polye can bring such application before the Supreme Court.

Opposition Leader, Don Polye said this while welcoming chief justices and judges from the Pacific to PNG for Pacific Judiciary Conference.

PNG’s judiciary must now learn from both Australia and New Zealand and even smaller island states to deal with these challenges confronting our judiciary system.

Challenges such as having to deal with backlog of court cases and maintaining the independence of judiciary amid threats of political interference is most common in the PNG Judiciary system.

 A status conference held this morning before a five-judge Supreme Court bench confirmed the hearing for July 1.

The application filed by Leader of the Opposition, Don Polye substantively seeks the High Court to order the Speaker to recall Parliament to debate the Motion of No-Confidence as a matter of national urgency.

Parties will however return to court on Wednesday where lawyer representing Don Polye, Loani Henao will confirm service of documents to parties in preparation for the hearing.

Polye said this after ascertaining the PM, urging exporters to bring their off-shore funds to cushion the current shortage of foreign exchange.

He said he also understood there were plans afoot for the Prime Minister and his government to review the terms and conditions under the controversial Union Bank of Switzerland (UBS) K3 billion loan agreement.

“Well-placed sources tell me that Mr O’Neill’s Public Enterprise Minister William Duma and, Petroleum and Energy Minister Ben Micah are working on this arrangement.