By Gorethy Kenneth in Port Moresby
New Ireland Governor and a former Papua New Guinea prime minister Sir Julius Chan told the PNG Post-Courier in a “last man standing” interview at the weekend that this “media crime” should stop.
He was responding to a fake press release allegedly released by New Ireland Deputy Governor Missen Semmie in Kavieng in the early hours of Saturday morning at 2.30am which claimed Sir J — as he is popularly known — had “succumbed to the call of nature” and passed on.
But Sir J, now 84, said it was “unbelievable” as Semmie was in his remote village where communication was a problem.
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“I am used to it but some other people are not used to it,” Sir J told the Post-Courier.
“I am okay, yes, and . . . whether you like me or not, you better be ready because you’ll be going before me.”
Meanwhile, the Post-Courier reports that the ruling Pangu Pati parliamentary wing had resolved to dismiss the 12 MPs who had defected to the opposition.
The party also confirmed that party leader and Prime Minister James Marape and deputy leader and Deputy Prime Minister John Rosso would keep their positions.
This resolution was made during the Pangu caucus meeting at Parliament attended by Pangu MPs.
Four of the renegade Pangu MPs — Finschhafen MP Rainbo Paita, Moresby Northwest MP Lohia Boe Samuel, Goilala MP Casmiro Aia and Lagaip MP Amos Akem — were present.
“Those MPs who defected were asked to present their case, after which the meeting resolved that the 12 MPs be given seven days’ notice of their dismissal from the party,” Prime Minister Marape said.
“The Pangu Pati constitution gives them the choice to appeal if they do choose to appeal, for readmittance to the party.”
Gorethy Kenneth is a PNG Post-Courier reporter. Republished with permission.
