We dance to foreigners' music, says Marat
19 May 2010
FORMER ATTORNEY-GENERAL and justice minister, Dr
Allan Marat, says he was deliberately excluded from the team that originally negotiated
PNG’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) project in
“For some
reason, I was not included in the team. My advice was never sought... There was
no serious consultation with me as principal legal adviser to a matter that was
of high national interest.”
He also said,
in the case of the Maladina Amendment, MP Moses Maladina never sought the
Attorney-General’s advice on proposed amendments to the Constitution relating
to the duties and responsibilities of leadership.
Dr Marat said
the proper system of protocols was not followed for the Maladina Amendment.
“I do not know
how he came up with the idea, and I do not even know how he saw the need to
amend the leadership code,” he said.
On the LNG
agreement, Dr Marat said the first time he saw the document was on 21 May last
year when it was pushed across the table. He was told it would be signed the
next day and the legal clearance was required immediately.
“How do you
expect my lawyers and I to properly analyse the implications, benefits or
matters that would be against the best interest of PNG in less than 24 hours
when the agreement was more than 200 pages?” he asked.
“There was no
serious consultation on serious matters like the LNG.”
“This gas
agreement was drawn up overseas. It was taken away from our government
negotiating team and structured overseas. And we are now forced to dance to the
music of foreigners,” he said.
Source: The National, 18 May 2010
We dance to Foreigner's music because we have a weak political system, leadership and government that fails to consolidated its own internal 'oversight-mechanisms' to safeguard PNG's national interests.
The buck stops with the Chairman of NEC and government. If the leader of our government really wants us to stop dancing to an external 'piper's tune' than he will get his act (government) together. He must not waste the people and country's time by allowing these things to happen on his particular watch. There is no real excuse here for the PM or government as they have the power to stop us dancing to foreigner's music in everything they do.
All PNG politicians have miserably failed in their primary responsibility to protect my country's national interests. They must all be changed by voting them out in 2012 as they have lost their people's total respect, and confidence.
The bottom-lne is this: those who love their country with all their 'heart and soul' and care for our next future generation will do this with no problems. It's a pity our present political regime has failed to act responsibly so they must all be removed from power by the people.
Posted by: Papua Tauna | 22 May 2010 at 02:47 PM
Marat's comments are abit too late don't you think? I mean, it could be nothing more than an attempt to get back at the government for his sacking. If there had ever been a time for him to make noise, especially in relation to the LNG project, it would have been on the day he first discovered that propper procedures had been bipassed. He should have resigned instead of signing the documents that required his signature.The music we're dancing to is very much of his making. He was in a position to do someting about it then but thanks for telling about your inactions Dr. Marat.
Posted by: Leonard | 21 May 2010 at 02:10 AM
Dr. Marat was true in his statement. Obviously he was not consulted in big issues like Maladina Amendment, LNG and others
PNG government, let me specify, NA and its collation partners are taking the parliamentary privileges to blatantly, arrogantly and shamelessly taking the laws of this sovereign nation into their own hands.
It is, in many cases, making sweeping decisions without consulting proper authority or through proper channels. It’s dangerous. This is what a primitive, who does not know law, could do.
When it comes to decisions that will affect the lives of the people it has to be done in diplomatic way. Consult all proper stakeholders, get views of other MPs, may be people's view etc. before decisions are made.
Stop taking parliamentary majority and power to bullying the numbers game in the parliament. Please enough.
Posted by: Joe Wasia | 20 May 2010 at 08:50 PM
You should go and look at the National Museum and the National Archives, Keith, it's heartbreaking.
Curiously, it's something that AusAID has not tampered with.
A team of overseas consultants might not be a good approach but help to pay the electricity and telephone bills along with the very competent staff's wages would be nice.
Posted by: Phil Fitzpatrick | 19 May 2010 at 09:53 AM