Alarm Bells

Alarm Bells

http://www.thenational.com.pg/091407/nation1.htm

PORT MORESBY (The National Online/Pacific Media Watch): Papua New Guinea's Defence Minister Bob Dadae said yesterday the Moti inquiry report would remain gagged as it was a controversial report, despite the decision of the National Court dismissing a challenge to its validity.

Following the decision handed down by Justice Bernard Sakora on Wednesday, the Opposition seized the opportunity to call on Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare to step aside and release the report to the Defence Minister to make it public and implement the report's recommendations.

But sources said Minister Dadae did not have the report, and would seek the advice of the attorney-general before making a detailed statement on the issue.

The Prime Minister chose not to make a public statement yesterday on the court decision and the publication of its findings, and held meetings with his lawyers and Chief Secretary Isaac Lupari on the issue.

Sir Michael’s media adviser Betha Somare said no comments would come from the Prime Minister’s office, and referred all queries to lawyer Kerenga Kua.

Kua told The National he would hold meetings with Sir Michael and may release a statement over the weekend.

When confronted by reporters on the issue during a press conference at Murray Barracks, minister Dadae appeared unaware of the court decision initially.

Asked if he would table the report and implement its recommendations, Dadae responded that “the matter was still before the court”.

When told that a judge had ruled on it, and had dismissed the applications to nullify the report, he said he would not do anything with the report.

“That report is very controversial and I do not want to do any thing with it. Besides I just came into the office (Defence) and want to concentrate on what I can do to make full use of the PNGDF capabilities to bring development to the remote areas.”

Opposition leader Sir Mekere Morauta yesterday called on the Prime Minister to step aside and hand over the Moti inquiry report to the Defence Minister to follow-up, including referral of the inquiry findings to relevant authorities for consideration of prosecution of those implicated.

“Justice Sakora’s conclusions are hard-hitting and should be taken to heart by the Prime Minister. Somare used the court proceedings basically to suppress the report in the lead-up to the election," he said.

“The Prime Minister is implicated. He has to step aside. He should have followed the example set by Sir Julius Chan in 1997, when he stepped aside to allow the Sandline inquiry to take place. Somare did not.

“He set up an inquiry, tried to stop it, when he could not, and did not like its findings, he sacked the defence minister and took responsibility to act on the report himself, and then unashamedly 'piggy-backed' on the legal proceedings brought by Kalinoe and Ur.

All of these actions were taken for one reason only to prevent publication of the report and to quash its findings.

Sir Mekere also warned the prime minister and other senior members of Government to refrain from interfering with the authorities that should now assess the findings of the inquiry report.

I urge the police commissioner, public prosecutor and chief ombudsman to follow up the findings of the report as a matter of priority so the issue could be set to rest soon. It should not be allowed to drag on.

ends

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