Speaker of Parliament

PM seat vacant

O’Neill addressed the House this morning, saying he had handed in his resignation to the Governor General Grand Chief Sir Bob Dadae at 9:45am.

The Speaker of Parliament, Job Pomat, confirmed this with a letter in his hand, from the office of the Governor General.

“I have a letter from the Governor General acknowledging receipt of the Prime Minister’s resignation. The Prime Minister’s seat is now vacant.”

The office of the Governor General also confirmed that they did receive O’Neill’s letter of resignation, and have in writing to the Speaker, acknowledged it.

Politics and business must work together: Speaker

Speaker of Parliament, Job Pomat, said this when opening the Inaugural Speaker’s Investment Summit today in Port Moresby.

The event was held in the Parliament hallway.

Following the 2017 Members Induction Program a year ago, MPs expressed interest to continue to engage with the business community, and the Summit is a result of that.

He said the summit brings to them the opportunity to engage with the business community and development partners.

Speaker clarifies Kramer’s referral

He made the statement after the Opposition boycotted Friday’s session following the Madang MP’s referral to the Committee of Privileges.

It all started when Madang MP Bryan Kramer posted on his Facebook page on Wednesday, musing: ‘Did dumb just get dumber?’

Petition challenging Pomat’s win dismissed

Pomat made these comments on Wednesday after the election petition that was filed against him by Wep Kanawi was withdrawn in the Court of Disputed Returns.

He filed the petition based on the grounds of errors and omissions made during the counting period by the Electoral Commission.

The matter went to court on Wednesday for pre-trial conference, to check compliance to directions that were issued on September 20.

However lawyer for the petitioner, Kanawi, asked the court to withdraw the proceeding.

Parties to be served copies of OC reference

The Speaker of Parliament, the Attorney General, Electoral Commission and chairman of the Constitutional Law and Reforms Commission, are to be served the reference by February 16.

The Commission must serve the reference on the four parties, including an application seeking interim orders. If these parties are interested in the reference, they are to file responding statements by February 21.

Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia issued the directions to Ombudsman Commission’s counsel Dr Vergil Narokobi today.

Supreme Court dismisses Kondra’s appeal

This comes after a three-man Supreme Court bench handed down its unanimous decision today to dismiss Kondra’s appeal because it found that the trial judge in the National Court, and the Leadership Tribunal members, made no errors in reaching their respective decisions.

Justices Nicholas Kirriwom, Don Sawong and Frazer Pitpit, in a unanimous decision, agreed with the penalty recommended by the tribunal to have Kondra dismissed from office.