PNG: Opposition angry over rejection of Moti report
Updated
The announcement of the offiical rejection of the Moti report by PNG Defence Minister Bob Dadae has angered the country's parliamentary opposition.The Opposition Member of Parliament Bart Philemon has told Pacific Correspondent Campbell Cooney if Mr Dadae seriously believes the board breached its set guidelines in completing the Moti report, he must convene a new one.
Presenter: Campbell Cooney
Speakers: Bart Philemon, PNG opposition MP
BART PHILEMON: If that is the case now, we would like to pursue the Government to correct whatever mistake there has been made. Its 12 months now. They've tried all sorts of means and ways of sweeping this whole issue under the carpet. It won't go away and as long as we are in the Opposition we will keep the issue alive. Now the right thing for them to do now if they have not done it properly, then they should now convene a board of enquiry, legally constituted and continue with this issue.
CAMPBELL COONEY: My understanding, Mr Philemon, on the legal action is that its done and dusted, it was dismissed when it came before the judge. This is the action taken by Sir Michael. He hasn't appealed it and he hasn't stopped an injunction going on. Have I got that correct, is that how you understand it?
BART PHILEMON: Yeah well that is how I understand it. They did have a 40 days period for appeal and that is … that period will end on the 12th of November - a day before the Parliament sits.
CAMPBELL COONEY: What do you think is gonna happen on the 12th of November and just before?
BART PHILEMON: I … I hate to think what's going to happen. Either they take the opportunity to prolong this issue by keeping it up in parliament by putting another appeals in, whether its genuine or not, or pursue the angle that the Defence Minister is announcing yesterday.
CAMPBELL COONEY: It seems highly likely though that that report is not going to be tabled if at all any time soon?
BART PHILEMON: Well the report I received yesterday following his press conference is that he was gonna table the report on the floor of parliament. I can't understand that you know he's not going to take up the recommendation yet there was information that I received that he was gonna table. I hope that he can table it on the floor of parliament and that members of parliament give him an opportunity to debate on it and that parliament itself would determine what course of action.
CAMPBELL COONEY: One thing we did hear was that he can't find a copy of the report anywhere.
BART PHILEMON: Well that's absurd. The Prime Minister received the copy of the report from the Chairman of the Defence Force Commissioner of Enquiry. Its sitting there somewhere in Sir Michael's office.
