The Supreme Court application challenging the legality of Speaker Job Pomat's decision to recall Parliament to sit last Tuesday will be heard next Monday.

Chief Justice Sir. Gibbs Saliki made the ruling this morning, after the applicant in this matter and interveners in this proceeding did not come to a consensus to move the December first Parliament sitting, to a later date.

The adjournment to next Monday will give time for all parties to file and also serve documents and affidavits.

The applicant in this matter, Leader of People's National Congress Party and former Prime Minister, Peter O'Neill is asking the Supreme Court interpretation if the Parliament Speaker has the powers to re-call Parliament last Tuesday for the Budget session after the Opposition used its numerical strength to adjourn three days earlier.

​The Papua New Guinea Supreme Court is seeking to stay the December 01 parliament sitting before it convenes next Tuesday so it can hear and deliberate first on current proceedings relating to an application by the Opposition challenging the legality of the recalling parliament by Speaker Job Pomat and a decision due to be handed down this week on the constitutionality of the appointment of James Marape as PM in 2019.

Chief Justice Sir Gibbs Salika was in support of submissions by lawyers representing both sides of the house that the substantive proceedings before this court were volatile in nature and should not be rushed thus asking the Opposition’s lawyers to negotiate with the applicant for the possibility to stay the sitting for a “reasonable amount of time” while court progresses on the hearings.

Three (3) Papua New Guinea members of the Parliament (MPs) who are in the Marape government  and camping at the Loloata Resort Hotel have been tested COVID-19 positive. 

COVID-19 Controller and Police Chief  David MANNING has  announced this  at the Police Headquarters in Port Moresby.

According to National Operations Centre Incident Manager, Dr Esorom Daoni says the MP tested positive to COVID19 three days ago.

The Supreme Court application filed by Peoples National Congress Party Leader and Illibu - Pangia MP, Peter O'Neill challenging the constitutional legality of Parliament Speaker Job Pomat to reconvene Parliament on November 17th, 2020, has been adjourned to 9:30am tomorrow.

Chief Justice Sir. Gibbs Salika made this Supreme Court Ruling this morning in Port Moresby.

Sir. Gibbs presiding over the directional hearing on this Constitutional matter urged all parties in the proceeding to come up with a consensus before the matter goes back for directional hearing tomorrow.

Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape has thanked outgoing Foreign Affairs Minister Patrick Pruaitch for his leadership in government. Mr.Marape said this via social media after he learnt of the resignation of  Mr.Pruaitch as the country's Foreign Affairs Minister
"From the Press I received news of Hon Patrick Pruiatch’s resignation from my cabinet. May I acknowledge the strong leadership he offered in the time he served with me in the 18 months we were together.

I thank him, his family and his people of Aitape Lumi for his support to me. I can understand that an opportunity to be PM after November 30 2021 was there and as a senior and experienced hand, he is entitled for a bid at that.

Papua New Guinea  Member for  Aitape-Lumi and Leader of the National Alliance Party , Patrick Pruaitch has resigned as the Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Trade and explained why he supports Opposition to oust  Prime Minister James Marape.

'My political party will jealously guide the honourable intentions of our founding fathers to have an inclusive society, and today a pro-growth agenda as we wisely leverage our economic assets and significant resource endowments to resuscitate our ailing economy.
“Taking more debt to fund recurrent expenditure is offensive to any rational thinking leader”. The Marape Government has increased the total debt stock by 38% from K33.669 billion in 2019 to K46.464 billion which is only in the last 18 months.
“Sadly, for the past year I have been part of a government that has taken the PNG economy on a path of self-destruction, while creating a false sense of progress by promising future prosperity with emotive slogans,” he said.

Papua New Guinea POLICE Commissioner David Manning has made a stern warning to all police personnel to not take sides during the current political situation.
He urged all police personnel to continue to remain neutral and carry out their duties to protect lives and properties and to enforce the law fairly without fear or favour.
In a media conference yesterday at the Police National Headquarters in Konedobu in the National Capital District, Mr Manning said he will not hesitate to discipline members who continue to “play politics” after he had issued this warning.

The four (4) Enga Members of Parliament, namely Hon Sir John Pundari (Kompiam Ambum), Hon Rimbink Pato (Wapenamanda), Hon Alfred Manase (Kandep) and Hon Tomait Kapili (Lagaip-Porgera) in their response to the Hon Prime Minister James Marape’s statements of 23rd November 2020 and other commentators on social media are as follows.

“We the four (4) leaders from Enga Province are deeply concerned with the closure of an operating mine without any practical alternative for continued mine operations and without proper consideration on any basis for the best interests of the mine-lease landowners, Engans and Papua New Guinea as a nation, especially without due regard to Barrick’s substantial investment (equity, good will and intellectual property).

The substantive hearing on whether Marape was properly elected the Prime Minister was completed at about 4:20 pm today.

Belden Namah’s lawyer made the application to declare the election unconstitutional, invalid and void.

This was opposed by respective lawyers representing James Marape and the Attorney General who both argued that the procedures of Parliament are non-justiciable and therefore the court should not interfere.

Counsel for the Registrar of Political Parties and Candidates surprised James Marape’s and the Attorney General’s Counsels by argued in support of Namah’s motion and also additionally drew the court’s attention to Supreme Court authorities which showed that the Supreme Court actually has the jurisdiction to hear the matter.

Papua New Guinea Prime Minister  James Marape has urged Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) countries to deliver a Covid-19 vaccine to the PNG and other Pacific island nations as soon as possible.
Marape requests came when he thanked Apec economies for their support of PNG during the Covid-19.
“If a vaccine is found, let me place my lobby for small island states and small nations if vaccines can be delivered to us at the earliest, because we are exposed and are vulnerable to the damage that the Covid-19 can cause to the health of our people, and to the economies of our nations,” Marape said.
Marape said at a time when PNG was facing economic stress due to the Covid-19, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and larger Apec Economies such as Australia, Japan, China and others ensured that trade continued to flow.