RESPECT DUE PROCESS AND PROCEDURES: NAMAH

“From the Outset, I do not fight over positions, we have to respect due processes and procedures, the conventions that is before us and in this instance, Parliamentary conventions and most importantly the rule of law”.

This was the introductory statement by the Open Member for Vanimo Green and PNG Party Leader, Hon. Belden Norman Namah, in the Media Conference held today at Parliament with Shadow Justice Minister and Open Member for Rabaul, Dr Allan Marat.

I would like to commend Dr Allan Marat who has always been a strong advocate of transparency, accountability and his fervent adherence to the rule of law in this country.

Regarding the issue on the question of the leadership of the Opposition, Mr Namah stated that he would like to inform the country not forgetting the silent majority that have stood behind the position the Opposition has taken under his leadership since the formation of the 9th Parliament until now which is our stance against corruption and major breaches to the constitution.

“I would like to make it quite clear that the meeting held in this room (Conference Room, B1, National Parliament) immediately after the Parliament had risen on the eve of Thursday last week was not called by me, as the incumbent Opposition Leader,” Stated Mr Namah.

The honourable member for Vanimo Green remarked that as far as he was concerned to call a parliamentary caucus it will be the prerogative of the incumbent Opposition Leader to call all the members of the Opposition together to discuss issues of importance and if it has to do with leadership, the incumbent leader will call the caucus and lay it on the table of during caucus if it was required.

Mr Namah further divulged to conference that he had at that time before the caucus informed the Deputy Opposition Leader, Hon. Sam Basil and Hon. Don Polye, that he was ill and had hoped that seeing his absence at the caucus meeting, the other Opposition Members would have given him the courtesy as the incumbent Leader of the Opposition and on being informed of his illness defer the meeting to a later date.

The memo calling the caucus also was not addressed to him as the Leader of the Opposition but to themselves, also at the time of receiving the said memo, Mr Namah advised all the members of the Opposition and Hon. Don Polye that there was no urgency of calling such a meeting and that the agenda of the called meeting was not stated in the memo.

"I wrote to the speaker to urge him to follow parliamentary conventions, I also informed Speaker that if there were to be an election it should held in the next meeting of Parliament which is on the 10th of February 2015; that would have been the proper way and if we are to respect each other as leaders in this country it would have been done in my presence, i would have called for that meeting and the vote would have been taken", stated Mr Namah.

The PNG Party Leader stated that apparently Hon. Don Polye convened that meeting and in haste the sacked former Treasurer in the O'Neill-Dion Government had successfully elected himself as the Leader of the Opposition after just moving into the Opposition ranks in less than 10 days.

"I believe the Speaker made a fundamental mistake by leaving his chair and coming into the Opposition Caucus, metaphorically speaking, and trying to dictate what the opposition should do. I have warned speaker of major breaches of standing orders of parliament, not adhering to due procedures and processes of parliament and you have heard me in the fiasco involving the ill-prepared budget up til now.

"What I have been advocating for is that the laws of this country must be upheld, we must follow due processes and procedures that are before us, we must respect the institutions of state."

Mr Namah concluded by saying that he believed the right thing to do would be to hold the secret ballot or voting on the 10th of February, 2015 and bring the resolution to the speaker to announce on the floor of parliament after that election.