Yesterday (19/5/16) Governor of National Capital District Powes Parkop accepted University of PNG (UPNG) Students petition on behalf of the Prime Minister Peter O'Neill. UPNG Student Representative Council (SRC) President presented the students petition to the Governor but not before making known their demand for Prime Minister to step down within 24 hours (3pm today) or there would be a mass withdrawal of students from campus.
When receiving the petition Governor Parkop said he was proud of the students.
"You have the right to raise your voice when you see that something has gone wrong, and we as mandated leaders have the responsibility to listen." he said.
He also stated he was not directed by the Prime Minister to receive the petition but as the Governor of NCD.
Soon after the Governor received the petition O'Neill issued a media statement acknowledging he had received it.
"I thank the students for the mature manner in which the petitions were presented to my delegation." he said.
Wait a minute Governor Parkop was explicit when he stated he was not directed by Peter O'Neill to receive the students petition, while O'Neill claims it was his delegation.
This suggests Governor and O'Neill hatched a plan to avoid O'Neill receiving the petition by using the Governor. This followed the first failed attempt by his first delegation headed by Ben Micah, James Marape and Governor Peter Ipatas. It seems someone is telling lies.
So does the Governor really respect the Students cause to boycott classes?
This was his views posted on his facebook page a few days earlier:
"I would love to support the students.. however, these students have no coherent strategy whatsoever. It's risky and not intelligent for MP's, NGO's, Church Groups, Women's Groups or a Governors like me who is in full support for the processes of democracy to be seen to support them.
They lined themselves up for failure by failing to hand the petition when they had a chance. They made the process become the issue instead of the goal."
"They should have given the petition to the Ministerial committee and if the PM did not respond, then they would have more reason to fish more MP's support and to take to the streets."
"As far as the PM's arrest is concerned, there was not enough evidence in the warrant to justify the warrant. That's why he is challenging it in court. It's the lower courts that issued the warrant so it can be challenged in the higher court. The police made a blunder in that way by getting a warrant when they had the power to do otherwise. This just gave an opportunity for the PM to keep continuing to challenge in the higher courts. He is exercising his rights under the law."
"In my students days as an activists , I also didn't get permits and follow the rules but I had a strategy and I wasn't politically affiliated. Who is to say these students are sincere in their cause or not politically influenced?" he said.
So Governor Pakop speculates the Students are politically compromised but submits no evidence to sustain it.
Further more he claims there was not enough evidence in the warrant to justify it? Being a lawyer himself one would think he would be intelligent enough to know the Courts don't issue warrants without probable cause.
The Chief Magistrate approved the warrant of arrest against O'Neill. Further still the Chief Justice made a finding of fact in his judgement against Geoffrey Vaki for contempt of court that the warrant of arrest against Peter O'Neill was in fact proper.
His honour states in paragraph 36 of his judgement
"The Chief Magistrate made no mistake that she had issued a warrant and that it met the requirements of s 87(2) of Criminal Code."
Seems the Good Governor has been misled by O'Neill or deliberately telling lies on his behalf.
Its my view the only blunder is the Governor being perceived as a political puppet to Peter O'Neill and sadly made to look rather foolish.
