PRESS STATEMENT

Questions over the Ombudsman Commission Referral

I question the motive and reasoning behind the referral of the Prime Minister to the
public
prosecutor over the national governments decision to invest in Oil Search Limited.
This raises serious questions about the Ombudsman Commissions understanding of
the
Westminster system, the constitution and the rights and role of the Government of
the day to set
public policy in the interest of the nation as stipulated in the constitution as an
essential element of
the separation of powers.
The Ombudsman Commission has referred the PM for sacking a minister. Do they
not understand
that this is the prerogative of any Prime Minister in any country with the Westminster
system of
government? There are serious constitutional implications in the way the
Ombudsman
Commission is seeking to challenge this process.
The people of our nation need to know that the Prime Minister and the Government,
through the
National Executive Council, made the decision to invest in Oil Search through an
open, transparent
and accountable process.
The Government has a mandate to make decisions. If Government decisions are
going to be
questioned every time in this manner it will undermine the delivery of Government
services to the
people.
The investment by the Government on behalf of the nation has already produced a
windfall for the
people of our nation worth almost half a billion Kina.
I ask the people of Papua New Guinea are you happy to have a Government led
by a Prime
Minister who understands business and the economy? I think the answer is YES
the people
want a Prime Minister who makes wise decisions and has turned the national
economy around in
just three years.
As we see ongoing attempts to undermine the government led by Prime Minister
Peter ONeill, I
urge every citizen to not be distracted. I urge everyone to look around at the
infrastructure
development you see, to make use of free education for your children and free
healthcare for
people who are sick, and to enjoy ongoing improvements in law and order for our
families.
Over the three years of the Government we have seen that our nation is changing
and we have a
lot to be proud of in the achievements of the ONeill/Dion Government that will
continue to improve
the lives of the men, women and children of Papua New Guinea regardless of
distractions.
AMB. ISAAC B. LUPARI, CBE
Chief of Staff,
OFFICE OF THE
PRIME MINISTER
PAPUA NEW GUINEA