15 Nov 2011

Past week's crisis in PNG a result of leaders not following constitution, says NGO

8:50 pm on 15 November 2011

Transparency International Papua New Guinea says the crisis of the past week involving the government and judiciary is the result of political leaders not following well laid out constitutional processes.

This follows the national executive council dropping its suspension of the chief justice, Sir Salamo Injia, and the arrest of two ministers, deputy prime minister, Belden Namah and attorney general Dr Allan Marat, on contempt charges.

Transparency spokesperson, Lawrence Stephens, says anti corruption campaigners in PNG are saddened and concerned by the behaviour of the country's leaders.

"The sadness is that you would think that people could check through the basic rules before they statr jumping in and making decisions. The concern is, maybe people do understand what's going on and are not treating the courts or the rules with the respect we would have hoped."

Transparency International PNG's spokesperson, Lawrence Stephens.