19 Jun 2014

PNG PM says no more

6:48 am on 19 June 2014

The Papua New Guinea Prime Minister says the government will continue to axe anyone who undermines its work.

Peter O'Neill has defended his move to sideline more top officials on Wednesday amid a legal battle to stop police probe attempts to arrest him in relation to a major corruption case.

Johnny Blades reports.

"Developments are moving quickly in Port Moresby. The latest to be sidelined by the government is the Deputy Police Commissioner Simon Kauba after he directed the arrest of the new acting Police Commissioner Geoffrey Vaki on a charge of perverting the course of justice in relation to the legal wrestle over the arrest warrant served on Mr O'Neill. On the same day, the Prime Minister announced he was disbanding the anti-corruption unit Taskforce Sweep from whose probe Mr O'Neill's arrest warrant stemmed. He says the unit has become politically compromised. Meanwhile, a stay order on the warrant has been put in place for a week. However Mr O'Neill has warned that the government will tolerate no more of what he calls little games by police officers trying to undermine government decisions."