Prime Minister Peter O’Neill says there are genuine reasons for all that has happened, since he was served a warrant for his arrest on Monday this week.
Following a week that saw the police commissioner and senior RPNGC officers ousted, and changes in the highest legal office in the land, the prime minister has attributed it all, to what he describes, as ‘providing balance’.
In an exclusive interview for EMTV’s Insight program, to be aired next Monday, the prime minister, calm and determined, spoke freely about the week’s decisions, and among other things, the politicising of police investigations.
When pressed about the administrative changes effected by the NEC over the span of three days, Mr. O’Neil said the changes according to the collective decision of Cabinet members was to provide balance to the issues raised by the warrant.
“I think that the Police have jumped the Gun; this matter is before the court. It is within my legal right as a citizen under the constitution to go to court and get the court’s interpretation of what has transpired. But I cannot say that we are trying to avoid being interviewed. This matter has been in discussion for quite some time. Since the matter broke out several months back.
It’s important we put the politics of this issues aside and let the investigations and legal issues… so we are able to put this matter to rest once and for all.”
Regarding the appointment of Geoffrey Vaki as acting Police Commissioner, O’Neil said it was a cabinet decision for an independent person to be in the office.
And on the decommissioning of Kerenga Kua as Attorney General, Prime Minister's response was,
“In respect of our Attorney General decommissioning.. it was a hard decision, because he publicly, especially among our colleagues disagreed with the NEC’s decision, which endorsed the submissions brought to us by the Integrity of Political Parties Office and the Registrar.
They are an independent office, they have done their consultations, they have done their own assessments and they have brought this legislation forward.
And I know that the former Attorney General has had strong views about it, which we respect; he expressed them in Cabinet, but unfortunately the Cabinet has the final say and that is they supported the Registrar’s proposal.
Unfortunately, the former Attorney general disagreed and he started circulating the issues because he felt that the Parliament session was coming up and he needed to take his position.
Now, we cannot go to parliament with our Attorney General, our number one legal advisor disagreeing because of his own views against government’s position.”
Next Wednesday will see all parties back in Court to hear the Court’s determination on the validity of the arrest warrant.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=UHhyBi9SNjM%3Ffeature%3Doembed%26wmode%3Dopaque%26showinfo%3D0%26showsearch%3D0%26rel%3D0
