PNG OPPOSITION WELCOMES SPOTLIGHT ON VAKI

PNG Deputy opposition leader, Sam Basil

Media Release

The National Court decision has rightly shifted the spotlight to Police Commissioner Geoffrey Vaki who must show whether he is for law enforcement or that his appointment is for “political convenience”.

Deputy Opposition Leader Honourable Sam Basil said this while welcoming the National Court decision to throw out the stay order application of Prime Minister Peter O’Neill on the warrant of arrest issued by the chief magistrate.

“We, and many members of the public, have maintained all along that this was a legal matter which had followed due law enforcement process. Police had done their investigations. The outgoing police commissioner Toami (Tom) Kulunga had made contact with Prime Minister O’Neill on the matter and the warrant of arrest was only sought because Mr O’Neill failed to cooperate with police,” said Mr Basil.

“Anyone familiar with legal process knows that no warrant to arrest can be issued by any magistrate without sufficient compelling evidence.”

Mr Basil also lashed out Prime Minister O’Neill’s unfounded allegations of collusion as “very childish” and “very unbecoming of a nation’s chief executive”.

The Deputy Leader said there is no need for anyone upholding the rule of law and legal enforcement process to hand their “head in shame”.

“The recent events were never about the Opposition and its role. It was about legal matters – a warrant of arrest – for Prime Minister Peter O’Neill, which he shamefully resisted to the extent of taking the matter to court,” Mr Basil said.

“The National Court ruling should cause the Prime Minister to hang his own head in shame for trying to short-circuit the law enforcement process.

“And the appointment of a police commissioner amid this controversy now places undue pressure and spotlight on what Geoffrey Vaki does with the warrant of arrest.”

“If he decides to discard or shelve it, he will be seen to be politically-motivated. If he decides to go ahead and action it, he may be the record-breaking police commissioner who served for the shortest term.

“Whatever the outcome, Peter O’Neill will go down in history as the Prime Minister who set Mr Vaki up.

“The Opposition’s role as our name suggests was to oppose and raise concern over Mr O’Neill’s refusal to submit himself to law enforcement process.

“Instead of acting like a law abiding Prime Minister, Mr O’Neill sacked his own Attorney General and Justice Minister, disbanded Investigation Task Force Sweep, appointed an acting Police Commissioner that split and demoralised the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary, and confirmed the appointment when the National Court threw out his stay order.

“O’Neill has also appointed a new Attorney General and Justice Minister, who instead of keeping the current acting Solicitor-General and focusing on fast-tracking the appointment of a permanent Solicitor-General, appointed another acting Solicitor-General raising questions on motive and reason for this appointment.

“It is common knowledge that the Opposition does not have the political numbers to orchestrate a change of Government.

“We are not the ones who are orchestrating legislative change to exclude other political parties from seeking office as Prime Minister

“We were not the ones who extended the Prime Ministerial term by amending Section 124 of the Constitution on votes of no confidence.

“We in fact oppose those because they point to a man desperate to remain in power – a man called Peter O’Neill. If there is any one who should hang his head in shame – it should be the one who is evidently manipulating all within his Prime Ministerial sphere to remain, retain and maintain office.

“Mr Prime Minister, you can fool some of the people, some of the time. But you cannot fool all of the people, all of the time. Papua New Guineans are intelligent enough to ascertain who is fooling them and who should be ashamed.

“Look at what Honourable Don Polye and Honourable Kerenga Kua had to say after they exited your Government. One took you to court and the other opposed your undemocratic legislations. How many in your coalition government ranks are free to express their thoughts without fear or favour to represent the interests of their people?

“Five of us as Opposition MPs who represent electorates which have voters who voted for Peoples National Congress, National Alliance, Peoples Progress Party and other candidates in your coalition government do not yet have our Districts’ Services Improvement Program funds,” Mr Basil said.

“We have to go to the National Court using the people’s money on legal fees to force you and your Government to free these legally appropriated funds.

“And on the matter of legal fees: how much public money has been used in the attempts to resist arrest through legal fees with hire of Queen’s Counsels when we have our own Government lawyers?

“Why do we need to outsource when the exorbitant amounts paid can be used to hire more competent lawyers?

“All these issues show clearly where the spotlight should be on who is clinging to power by whatever means possible,” concluded Mr Basil.