Paraka payments legal says O'Neill

PM Peter O'neill

PRIME Minister Peter O’Neill has now made a complete U-turn, claiming that the bills totalling K71.8 million owed to Paraka Lawyers are legal.

Mr O’Neill said this last Friday.

"We are advised by our state lawyers and by our lawyers that the case also confirms that legal fees paid to Paraka lawyers are legal and the only payment that was stopped from paying to Paraka lawyers was the K6.4 million that was disputed in this case," he said.

"It clearly states in the court orders that the attorney-general can pay legal fees owing to the legal firm with necessary clearance in its absolute discretion, that is what the court case stated in the earlier decision of February 2007.

"In absolute discretion with the powers vested by the Attorney-General, it is obvious that the engagement of Paraka Lawyers was legal and various court decisions.

"The national and supreme courts have now stated that many of the payments to Paraka lawyers were legal.

"Now the question is whether Paraka lawyers were overpaid or not and this is where we are asking the attorney general’s office to go to court to verify that there was no over payment to Paraka lawyers."

The prime minister said last Friday decision by the Supreme Court is also very clear.

"So I think with all these new information, it is important that we allow the offices of government to independently carry out their work, the police and attorney-general’s office, we will determine our course of action.

"Allow these two very important government organisations to independently verify many of these payments and then we can proceed from there.

"I thank our people for the patience and for respecting the rule of law and allowing the judiciary to continue to carry on its work.

"So the decision by the Supreme Court bench is one we should all respect and hope will conclude many of the outstanding questions we all have been asking."

The Prime Minister earlier stated that it is important for the nation if a closer examination be done on each of those invoices that were to be paid to the legal firm.

"As I have stated all along, this government did not engage Paraka lawyers.

"It was engaged by the previous government but we all must understand that there were some work done for the State by the law firm and that they have been paid for quite a while in respect to the bills that they have given to the State," he said.

PNG Today/Post Courier