Leaders’ row Source: The National, Wednesday December 3rd, 2014 By MALUM NALU BELDEN Namah maintains that he is still the Opposition leader despite Speaker Theo Zurenuoc’s official recognition of Don Polye as the man holding that position. Zurenuoc, in separate letters to Namah and Polye yesterday, said he recognised Polye, the Kandep MP and Triumph Heritage Empowerment (THE) Party leader, as the new Leader of the Opposition. This is because THE Party led by Polye has the most MPs in Opposition. But Namah said last night if Zurenuoc wanted to recognise Polye as Opposition leader, he should wait for February when parliament resumed its sitting. “Right now I’m still the Opposition leader,” he told The National. “Where did Don (Polye) come from? While I was fighting Government for the last three years, he was in the Government laughing at us in the Opposition. “He was the one who ensured that I had no DSIP funds for my people in his former role as Treasurer.” Namah said he never convened the Opposition caucus meeting last Thursday between the five THE Party MPs and Deputy Opposition leader Sam Basil, which resolved to elect Polye as the new Opposition leader. “I’m the only person who can call that caucus,” Namah said. Zurenuoc said: “Don (Polye) and Sam (Basil) called the caucus and Don elected himself as Opposition leader. “I should be the one calling the caucus. There was no vacancy in the Office of the Opposition Leader.” Zurenuoc is said to have told Polye that there was nothing stopping him from becoming Opposition leader as he had the numbers. Namah, who is the lone PNG Party MP, was not present at either of the meetings, nor was Rabaul MP Dr Allan Marat from the Melanesian Liberal Party. Zurenuoc told Namah yesterday that he had received instruments signed by the five THE Party MPs and Basil unanimously resolving to elect Polye as new Opposition leader and Basil to remain as deputy, “After considering all propositions from both sides, in the absence of any express legal provision in the Constitution or any Act of Parliament, the chair accepts that there was a proper Opposition caucus meeting convened following parliamentary conventions,” he said. “Members of the Opposition confirmed this in their collectively-signed letter, as well as in person, during a meeting in my office. “Therefore, the chair respects the resolution of the Opposition caucus and formally recognises Don Polye, leader of the Triumph Heritage Empowerment Party, as the new Leader of the Opposition. “This is following parliamentary practice that the leader of the party with the biggest number is accorded leadership of the opposing group to the government.” Zurenuoc, in a separate letter to Polye, said appropriate actions would be taken to give effect to the wishes of the Opposition caucus in effecting the leadership change. “In the meantime, you are required to sort out your sitting arrangements and forward details to my office,” he said. Polye was the Treasurer before being sacked by Prime Minister Peter O’Neill for opposing the K3 billion State UBS loan.
Posted on: Wed, 03 Dec 2014 02:47:02 +0000