National Alliance looks at 'a range of issues'

THE ruling National Alliance party held marathon meetings, running all throughout last week, to discuss a range of issues, including the referral of its parliamentary leader Sir Michael Somare, The National reports.

The NA council, which included the full executive wing and the parliamentary wing, discussed, among other things, succession issues pertaining to the leadership of the party should the leadership tribunal decide to suspend the prime minister.

Although a leadership tribunal has been named, Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia had left the issue of suspension up to that august body to decide when it meets on March 10 rather than the automatic application of the law which would have meant Sir Michael was suspended at the naming of the tribunal.

That particular decision, as well as the chief justice’s decision to bring in three judges from common law jurisdictions, had not been without controversy among the bench as well as from the wider community.

Succession issues in National Alliance had been an on-going and contentious point of discussion over the years and The National had learnt it had entered a crucial stage now the prime minister was referred and was most likely to be suspended.

While the highlands faction of the NA had the numerical strength in the party, its deputy leader in Don Polye was no longer the deputy prime minister, which is held by Works Minister Sam Abal. This had presented the party with a dilemma.

The NA constitution stated that the successor to the parliamentary leadership would be drawn from the regional deputies.

Next year’s elections also featured high in last week’s discussions and it was expected that a team would be selected following this NA council meeting to take the party and government into the elections next year.