Three senior PNG Government Ministers have criticised the Post-Courier, branding it a misleading newspaper company with an agenda to destabilise the National Alliance led Government. They likened one report to a “terrorist’’ attack and said it was media terrorism against a legitimate Government.

The trio – Minister for State Enterprises Arthur Somare, Treasury Minister Patrick Pruaitch and Forest Minister Belden Namah – expressed anger and accused the paper of publishing misleading and unsubstantiated stories. They made these remarks when making personal explanations on the floor of Parliament in relation to two reports in the Friday July 11 and Monday July 14 editions of the Post-Courier.

Friday’s report headed “Split in Govt’’ and Monday’s report “Scuffle in Parliament’’ were branded as lies and unsubstantiated reports engineered to destroy the solidarity of their party. The Post-Courier has defended the reports, saying they were based on solid reports from people close to the subjects. The scuffle was reported separately by the Australian Associated Press correspondent in Port Moresby, Ilya Gridneff.

The Post-Courier is also standing by its account of dissension and rivalry in the Government for the leadership position if Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare decides to stand down. Arthur Somare denied the content of the story which alleged he was fiercely lobbying to take over the leadership of the party and that he had broken a friendship with Treasurer Pruaitch. He said he had no intention of taking up the job and that there were processes and procedures in the National Alliance party for such changes.

“Dispela samtin, dispela wok ya em bilong narapela man, namba seven commandment i tok no ken mangalim samting bilong narapela man, mi no mangalim na mi no sigirap. [This job belongs to someone else and like the seventh commandment, don’t envy or steal and I have never done that]. Dispela reckless nature bilong Post-Courier na ino toktok long mipela pastaim i mas stop na Media Council tu must take note long dispela,” Mr Somare said.

Source: ‘3 MPs hit back’, PNG Post-Courier, 17 July 2008