Prime Minister Peter O’Neill

Mount pressure on your MPs: Opposition

Don Polye issued the call following the Supreme Court’s verdict last Friday rejecting the Ombudsman Commission’s bid to stop the Parliament from further votes, debate and deliberation.

He said the amendment bill infringed on the citizens’ constitutional right to contend for any public office.

“The court’s rejection does not mean that the bill is constitutional. The decision only reflected a distinct separation of powers among the judiciary, executive and the legislative governments,” he said.

PM announces new Chief Ombudsman

The Prime Minister has also revealed the appointment of Richard Pagen as Ombudsman while Apeo Fuata Sione has been re-appointed as Commissioner of the Public Services Commission.

As chair of the Ombudsman Appointments Committee, and chair of the Public Services Commission Appointments Committee, O’Neill said: “It was agreed by the Ombudsman Appointments Committee that Michael Dick was the outstanding candidate for appointment to this vital instrument of our constitution.

“I have great faith in Michael Dick’s integrity, transparency and independence.

Late Governor-General a respected figure: PM

 “Sir Michael served his country and people with high dignity (and) humility, as a teacher, long serving Member of Parliament, Minister of State, Deputy Prime Minister, and later our Governor- General,” O’Neill said. 

The prime minister made this statement when paying tribute to the country’s 9th Governor-General at his State Funeral on Friday in Port Moresby.

O’Neill said Sir Michael’s vast experience in public life served him well as the country’s Head of State.

The late GG was a teacher and provincial and national politician for 37 years.

Duma declines to clarify his removal

Prime Minister Peter O’Neill in a media conference on Monday announced that the Minister for Defence Fabian Pok and Minister Duma had stepped aside from their ministerial responsibilities pending the conclusion and outcomes of a Commission of Inquiry (COI) into the purchase of Manumanu land to relocate the PNGDF establishments in Port Moresby to Central Province.

Duma told Loop PNG that the Prime Minister had already released the information and will wait for the completion of the COI.

COI must investigate all dealings: Kua

The PNG National Party parliamentarian leader made this comment following a decision by Prime Minister Peter O’Neill for COI to investigate the land purchase to relocate the PNG Defence establishment out of Port Moresby.    

“The actual key to a successful COI is the scope of the TOR, which under the Act is prepared by the Prime Minister. Any limitation in the scope will instantly place restrictions on what is covered in the inquiry and the entire exercise will be farce,” Kua said.       

COI a smokescreen says Polye

Polye questioned the integrity of Prime Minister Peter O’Neill in a media conference today in Port Moresby.

He said, the PM must lead by example and also step aside from the allegations levelled against him which had seen the Ombudsman Commission referring him to appropriate authorities for investigations.

The Kandep MP and parliamentary leader of Triumph Heritage Empowerment Party said the decision by Defence Minister Fabian Pok and Minister for State Enterprises William Duma to step aside is to play public perceptions with elections in four months’ time.

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Agencies instructed to provide land acquisition reports

http://www.looppng.com/png-news/agencies-instructed-provide-land-acquisition-reports-51755

Prime Minister Peter O’Neill has instructed all relevant Government agencies to provide full reports on how the Manumanu land in the Central Province has been acquired.

Govt set record with national healthcare plan

Govt placed additional 1 mil children in school: PM

This was the message from Prime Minister Peter O’Neill during the ‘2017 Prime Minister’s Back-to-Business Breakfast’ last week.

He said they achieved this by investing over K3.5 billion in direct funding to schools through the Tuition Fee Free education program.

“Today, we have two million children in school – close to half of them are girls,” said the PM.

“We know there have been problems in getting so many children into school in a short period of time.

“This has meant more children are in each class, and student to teacher ratios have increased.

PM will address fraud claims against ministers

The Parliament sitting for the last two weeks had seen questionable dealings of land payment by the Kumul Consolidated Holdings (KCH) to relocate the PNG Defence Force institutions out of Port Moresby.       

O’Neill said KCH board and management had given him a detailed report on Thursday. 

He also summoned the Department of Defence and other State agencies for full detailed reports before he will make a decision.

“I have scheduled a press conference on Monday to announce what decisions the government will take,” O’Neill told Parliament on Friday.  

K80m diverted fraudulently in land purchase: Opposition

People Progress Party leader and Kavieng MP, Ben Micah, in Parliament during Question Time on Friday, asked Defence Minister Dr Fabian Pok to come clean on the dealings of his department.

However, the Minister was absent from Friday’s session, which led to the questions being directed to Prime Minister Peter O’Neill.