Abal: NEC to peruse report

 By JEFFREY ELAPA

PRIME Minister Sir Michael Somare is recovering well and even had a conversation with his doctor last week, The National reports.
This was disclosed by Acting Prime Minister Sam Abal after talking to Prof Isi Kevau who last week returned from visiting Sir Michael at his hospital in Singapore.
Kevau’s report will be tabled before the national executive council tomorrow.
Abal confirmed that Cabinet would “decide through the report submitted by Kevau on Sir Michaels’s health”.
He said the council had advised Kevau to travel to Singapore to assess the condition of the prime minister.
He returned with his report last week. Abal said the report had already been presented to Chief Secretary Margaret Elias.
The NEC will discuss it before it is submitted to Governor-General Sir Michael Ogio.
He said from what Kevau told him Sir Michael was recovering well and even had a conversation with him.
However, he said the recovery process was going to be very slow because of Sir Michael’s age.
“The nation has to be informed that the prime minister is doing well,” Abal said. 
“I’m happy that he is recovering but his recovery will be slow.”
Former deputy prime minister Sir Puka Temu had earlier said the law required that the head of state, acting on advice, should request the PNG Medical Board to appoint two medical practitioners to examine the prime minister and to provide him with full details of the examination and an opinion on his ability to physically and mentally carry out his duties.
He said the head of state should then decide if the prime minister was unfit to carry out his job for more than three months before advising the speaker to present it in parliament.