13 February 2004 11:14
Papua New Guinea ministers expelled from provincial assembly
Two government ministers and a backbencher in the National Parliament have been expelled from the Western Highlands
Provincial Assembly. They are Environment and Conservation Minister William Duma (Hagen), Health Minister Melchoir Pep
(Dei), and government backbencher Michael Mas Kal (North-Waghi).
Western Highlands Governor Paias Wingti said yesterday the three are no longer members of the provincial assembly
because they had breached the Organic Law on Provincial and Local Level Government by failing to attend at least three
consecutive sittings of the [provincial] assembly since their election in 2002. [passage omitted] Mr Wingti said since
the 2002 general elections, Mr Mas Kal and Mr Pep have never attended the six assembly meetings that have been held to
date, while Minister Duma has attended only one of the six sittings. The governor said the MPs should bear
responsibility for their removal.
Mr Duma is a member of the United Resources Party while Mr Pep and Mr Mas Kal are members of the National Party.
[The National web site] |
RUSSIA IN FACTS
