Parliament suspends chief justice and justice Kirriwom
04 April 2012
BY EOIN BLACKWELL
AAP
PAPUA NEW GUINEA’S PARLIAMENT has voted to effectively suspend two of the nation’s top judges after chief justice Sir Salamo Injia refused to remove himself from overseeing hearings into the government’s legitimacy.
The move comes less than a week after prime minister Peter O’Neill indicated he would seek wider consultation before implementing the controversial enabling laws that allow the suspensions.
The motion to suspend Sir Salamo and Justice Nicholas Kirriwom was carried on voices at the conclusion of today’s parliamentary session.
In court earlier, Sir Salamo declined to recuse himself from the constitutional hearings.
Has or can anyone give me a handle on how to get a copy of the revised Judicial Conduct Bill Jeffrey stamped.
Posted by: Clyde Willis | 07 April 2012 at 09:09 PM
Let's launch an almighty campaign to vote this entire parliament out in the upcoming polls.
As far as I can see, there is none in the current house worthy of my humble trust and the privilege to be my lawmaker.
The last regime started the rot. The current regime came in with the promise to "rid the rot" only to continue it and on an even grander and alarmingly audacious scale.
And in all of these, there has been only one common denominator: Jeffrey Nape.
Nape has to be the worst speaker of the house ever in the history of our young country for aiding and abetting all these nonsense.
I can see Peter O'Neill's dilemma but why make a promise you can't keep. He's either a liar or simply a weak and indecisive person. Nether traits are desirable for a prime minister.
Posted by: David Kitchnoge | 05 April 2012 at 08:57 AM
Where to from here PNG? Is parliament now the judge, jury and prosecutor?
With the judiciary now powerless, the rogue politicians can do as they wish.
For those of you who support the new law, good on you. For the rest of us, God help us!
Posted by: Nationalist [name supplied] | 05 April 2012 at 12:44 AM
Now we can see the true audacity of this illegal regime. They have stayed true to form in that when there is an impediment to their illegal agenda, their numerical supremacy in parliament means that they can just legislate as and when they please, without a care in the world, because they are the ones that are holding the gun to the head of our democratic framework and contorting the constitution to align with their mischievous plans. This bullish, pig headed regime has now brought another arm of government to its knees. There is simply no doubt that this was intentional and was a point blank shot at CJ Injia. It is saddening to say the least that our politicians have brought our country to this, where the legislature and executive have acted above and beyond the scope of their powers and have encroached on the fundamental separation of powers. The purported PM is a liar and cannot be trusted and neither can his immature deputy and the biggest dissappointment is the purported attorney general. The principal legal advisor to this illegal regime has his minions at the justice department twisting and manipulating the laws of this land to suit this illegal regime's misguided direction. Surely he knows better than to sign off on these draconian laws, but wait, he probably has the proverbial gun to his head as well. This is just plain wrong. The illegal PM tried to appease the public outcry over this act by claiming that the implememtation would be delayed in order to conduct further consultation. The speaker then certified it into law. Does the illegal PM have control? Or did Mr Nape jump the gun and now the purported PM has to live with it? He is either a straight up liar or he has no control over his rogue speaker, neither of which are particularly desirable but what the hell right? This is PNG politics, when in doubt...just legislate! It is sickening to see the judiciary being dragged into the murky cesspit of PNG politics, however with the blatant arrogance that this illegal regime has shown, one would think that it was only a matter of time before it would happen, and the continual political sniper shots at CJ Injia were not going to do anything therefore the best way to get rid of a problem is...drum roll please...legislate! Where our country moves to from here is anyone's guess. This illegal regime has completely obliterated any chance for checks and balances and brought (one would think) our last pillar hope to its knees. God help PNG and I think he will, but it may take a little more pain first.
Posted by: Sean Kramer | 04 April 2012 at 10:37 PM
Instead of making an application to have a judge disqualify him/herself from a case, Parliament has now given itself leeway through the Act so that it can bypassed that situation and move on to suspend the judge as it wishes. Whether the Act is for political expediency or good public policymaking we are yet to see. The parliament-judiciary deadlock continues.
Posted by: Oala Moi | 04 April 2012 at 10:04 PM
No Surprise there. It was coming anyway.
Posted by: John Wali | 04 April 2012 at 08:04 PM