Tiensten: I only missed two sittings

By ISAAC NICHOLAS

POMIO MP Paul Tiensten insists he has only missed two sessions of parliament – on Aug 6 and Sept 20 – and calls it mischievous his suspension by Speaker Jeffery Nape, The National reports.
“My calculation is very clear. I only missed the Aug 6 and Sept 20 sessions of parliament,” he said after the House was adjourned to today.
Tiensten jokingly said his head was very clear – even if he was in “the Cayman Islands or Middle East” as reported by a media organisation.
“This is the third sitting of parliament which I know that if I miss will result in such a situation but I was in parliament,” he said.
Tiensten said the assertion by Nape that he had missed the Aug 9 meeting was mischievous because Aug 9 was the continuation of the Aug 2 meeting of parliament.
Southern Highlands Governor Anderson Agiru came out in defence of Tiensten and Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare over Nape’s rulings, saying section 104 of the Constitution did not give the speaker the powers to disqualify any member of parliament.

Speaker declares Pomio seat vacant

By JEFFREY ELAPA

SPEAKER Jeffery Nape has disqualified Pomio MP Paul Tiensten for missing three consecutive sittings of Parliament, The National reports.
In a drama played out in front of a packed public gallery in the country’s house of representatives yesterday, Nape told Tiensten that he had missed the sittings on Aug 9, Sept 6 and Sept 20. He was disqualified under section 104 (2) (d) of the Constitution.
Tiensten, taken by surprise along with his political colleagues by the decision, was also obviously disappointed and decided to defy the order to leave the parliamentary chambers.
He remained in his seat despite an order by Nape to the sergeant-at-arms to remove the MP.
Tiensten, the former minister for national planning and monitoring, plans to challenge Nape’s decision in court shortly.
He is the second MP to be disqualified by Nape in the past two months. The first was Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare, the founding father of the nation and one of the longest serving parliamentarians in the Commonwealth.
Tiensten went to Australia after the government-appointed Task Force Sweep wanted him for questioning over the payment of a K10 million subsidy to Rabaul businessman Eremas Wartoto to fund his airline Travel Air.
However, he returned to the country last week and was immediately arrested and charged.
He is on a K5,000 bail.
Tiensten denied he had missed three sittings.
“As far as I call recall I have only missed two – on Sept 6 and Sept 20. If the speaker was talking about the Aug 9 sitting, then it is the continuation of the Aug 2 sitting which I attended,” he said.
His colleagues in the opposition benches described Nape’s decision as “cheap politics”, saying what Nape did was in serious breach of the Constitution and the Standing Orders.
Former attorney-general Sir Arnold Amet said the matter was absolutely prejudicial as a related matter was pending in the Supreme Court.
It was the Supreme Court interpretation of the Constitution on the legality of the election of Peter O’Neill as prime minister and the disqualification of Sir Michael Somare by Nape.
He said the matter could not be interpreted and applied even by the speaker or parliament.
Sir Arnold also said Tiensten was not given a fair hearing on why he was “absent”.
In the packed public gallery, women who had come to hear the introduction of the Bill to reserve 25 seats for them in the House went away disappointed after the short sitting dealt with other matters including Tiensten’s disqualification.
Also in the gallery were people from Jiwaka and Hela who had come to witness the tabling of the bill to declare them separate provinces.

House in chaos

SPEAKER Jeffery Nape stole the show yet again yesterday when the National Parliament resumed for its last session of the year, The National reports.

Tiensten...will challenge in court his sacking and apply to have Speaker Jeffrey Nape "charged with contempt and jailed".-Nationalpic by EKAR KEAPU

It was total pandemonium on the floor from the moment he walked into the chamber.
Not only did he arrive one hour late to preside over the scheduled 2pm session, but he took another unprecedented albeit unilateral step to “sack” Pomio MP Paul Tiensten as a member of parliament.
That was when all hell broke loose.
Nape was late for the opening after being picked up from Australia, where he was holidaying, by the Falcon jet.
His first business on the notice paper was to announce the “sacking” of Tiensten, using the same constitutional provision he had used three months earlier to remove Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare as the East Sepik regional member.
Nape then ordered the sergeant-at-arms to remove the MP.
Tiensten, however, stood his ground and challenged the speaker to remove him from his seat.
No one took up the challenge, forcing Nape to adjourn parliament until the ringing of the bells.
As the speaker was retiring to his office, Tiensten followed him but what transpired in there was not immediately known.
Following the ringing of the bells, Nape returned to the chamber and the chair, and so too did Tiensten to his seat.
Shortly before 4pm, a disappointed speaker adjourned parliament to 10am today and walked out of the chamber.
Parliament adjourned an hour after it started – a setback for the O’Neill-Namah government which is already one week behind the tabling of its first national budget.
Also left unattended and frustrated yesterday were the women’s lobby group ­­­ho­ping for an indication on when their reserved seats proposed law would be introduced for the first reading, and the proponents of the law for separate Jiwaka and Hela provinces in time for the general election next year

Sam Basil reflects on the ‘oppressive’ 9 years under National Alliance

National Planning and Monitoring Minister Sam Basil today called on Papua New Guineans not to be quick to forget nine years of oppressive, manipulative and back-stabbing regime under National Alliance.

 Basil said that the people must not allow National Alliance Party to think they are suffering from memory loss or amnesia on their antics while in power.

 "Their nine-year reign was an oppressive, manipulative and back-stabbing time for MPs aligned with them.

 "It is common knowledge – and well-documented in press publications and broadcasts, parliamentary Hansard and court files just how twisted and evasive their regime was," Basil said.

 "Start with the Julian Moti case in which directions from the Prime Minister's Office resulted in breaking multi-laws – domestic as well as international."

 "Look at the way NA swept under the carpet allegations of PNG Cabinet Ministers' involvement in the Taiwan diplomatic scandal in which money changed hands.

 "Look at how they kept manipulating the Speaker to gag debate on pertinent issues in Parliament and their bulldozing of then Attorney General and Justice Minister Dr Allan Marat to sign off on a legal and highly technical heads of agreement on gas – a new industry and venture in PNG.

 "Millions of kina has been paid out to appease landowners in the gas wells and economic corridor without following proper procedures.

 "Note also the way NA MPs tried to delay facing Leadership Tribunals through the courts only to find that their delays had no substance and the then Prime Minister was found guilty of misconduct in office."

Basil said that with that kind of track-record in governance, what sort of regime can PNG expect if they are returned to power.

 "Look at the way they have been panting for power since they were thrown out: instead of forming an effective opposition and keeping the O'Neill-Namah Government accountable and transparent, they are going around calling themselves Ministers still," Basil said.

 "I feel sorry for those who might want to re-join NA after breaking ranks with them to join us to oust them from power. You may be courted now but you will be mercilessly and drastically struck down if they secure power."

 Reiterating his earlier comments, Basil said: "MPs and political parties  who joined wih Peoples National Congress and PNG Party to form the O'Neill-Namah Government are not blind and deaf.

 "They know and are mindful of the reasons they broke ranks with an NA-led regime. No great transformation has changed any of the key NA players behind the mooted change. 

 "They are the same and the same fate awaits any naïve enough to empower them.

 "The gap has been created for the new generation of leaders to take this country forward.  One or two steps back will only allow the old guards to repeat their old ways of doing things.

 "If Sam Abal cannot be the Opposition Leader then I call on the likes of  Francis Potape,  Isaac Joseph,  James Marape, Fidelis Semoso or other young and vibrant leaders from the Opposition to take control just like what we did when we were in the opposition.

 "The world doesn't end with the old guard. We young, vibrant and visionary leaders must prove our worth and rise up whether in Opposition or in Government. We owe it to our voters back home to perform to the best of our ability."

Basil decries neglect of Opposition

National Planning and Monitoring Minister Hon Sam Basil today called on Wabag MP and former acting Prime Minister Sam Abal to take the reins of the Opposition immediately.

 "If Mr Abal does not assume the chair as Leader of Opposition, I am challenging the young MPs to take up the challenge and assume the positions instead of leaving a unhealthy vacuum in the highest democratic institution of the nation," Basil said,  reiterating his call from yesterday.

 Basil's call follows a chaotic disarray among ousted former Government Ministers and MPs today when Speaker Jeffery Nape ousted Pomio MP Paul Tiensten as a parliamentarian.

 The lack of coordinated approach by the ousted MPs who were in Government previously was evident as they looked for direction and leadership.

 "These MPs are neglecting their duty to ensure that we have a vibrant democracy in which the Government-of-the-day is daily held accountable for decisions that are made," Basil said.

 "The neglect in duty while Pomio MP Paul Tiensten was evading the strong arm of the law without any leadership guidance is the reason why he missed three Parliament sessions which resulted in his disqualification as a Member of Parliament."

 Basil said: "We, young MPs who were in the Opposition for four years, were served well by our veteran MPs in New Ireland Governor Sir Julius Chan, Moresby Northwest MP and (now) State Enterprises Minister Sir Mekere Morauta and Lae MP Bart Philemon who is now Public Service Minister.

 "They provided stability of leadership and groomed us to know our duty as Members of the nation's supreme law-making body of Papua New Guinea – the Parliament or Legislature.

 "It is now time for MPs in their third or second term of Parliament and are in the Opposition to wake up, snap out of their hangover of power and positions and perform their routine and necessary duties as legislators.

 "Abal is a seasoned MP. Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare saw fit to give him the acting Prime Ministership on a golden platter. Now it is up to him to show Papua New Guinea the credentials that Sir Michael saw.

 "As I said yesterday the world doesn't end with the old guard. We young, vibrant and visionary leaders must prove our worth and rise up whether in Opposition or in Government. We owe it to our voters back home to perform to the best of our ability."

Tiensten disqualified from Parliament

Controversial Pomio MP Paul Tiensten has been disqualified by Speaker Jeffrey Nape after he missed three consecutive seatings of the Papua New Guinea Parliament: Aug 9, Sept 6, Sept 20 and Sept 21.

Marshalls forcefully removed Tiensten after he refused to leave his chair.

 Madang Governor, Sir Arnold Amet,  said that was a misintepretation of the Constitution, however, Parliament has been adjourned to 10am tomorrow.

Group out to feed the poor

DENNIS Perry is helping the poorest of the poor in Papua New Guinea – people who are living on rubbish, The National reports.

Perry...to help people who live on rubbish

The co-founder of Operation Food For Life has devoted the past 12 years to providing food and clothing to thousands of men, women and children living in appalling conditions on the outskirts of Port Moresby.
“If there is a hell on earth, I think I have found it,” Perry said.
“It is heartbreaking to witness people living in such horrific conditions 24 hours a day.”
The Cherrybrook resident said Operation Food For Life – an Australian registered charity – was made up entirely of volunteers who feed about 30,000 people a year.
“In the main we go where no other agencies go,” he said.
“(The response is) one of relief, one of joy, one of appreciation, because what they are surviving on is just leftovers from the garbage dump.”
The charity recently partnered with the World Health Organisation and Pacific Adventist University to begin an immunisation programme for those living on the dump who are at high risk of diseases such as malaria and cholera.
“We are there to make a difference,” Perry said.
“It’s all about giving the people hope by simple acts of compassion.” – Hornsby Advocate