Opposition to the so-called 'Maladina' amendments is entering a CRUCIAL stage as Parliament will sit again next week.
The amendments will change the law to weaken the powers of the Ombudsman Commission and protect Members of Parliament from possible criminal investigation for fraud and corruption.
ACT NOW! is therefore urging ALL its members and supporters to get involved and have your voice heard.
What CAN you do?
- Download a copy of the Community Coalition Against Corruption petition and get all your family, friends and colleagues to sign - the petition includes details on where to fax or send the form once you have enough signatures
- Email your personal message to ACT NOW! telling MPs what you think about the amendments. ACT NOW! will be writing to all MPs next week and we will include all your personal messages. So this is your chance to speak directly to all 109 MPs
Latest developments in the campaign against the amendments include:
- Transparency International announcement that it has collected 6,000 signatures to be presented to Parliament - read more
- Packed Forum on April 23 at the University of PNG where students unanimously opposed the amendments - read more
- Ombusman Commission submission to the National Executive Council opposing the changes published on the ACT NOW! website - read more
- Don Bosco Techinical College announcement of its opposition to the proposed changes - read more
Remember, this is an important opportunity to have your voice heard and for YOU to make a difference.
Please ACT NOW! and download the petition and send us your email
If we can stop the proposed amendments then our MPs will realise they have to start listening to us, the people of PNG, and we can start to get our democracy working again. So this really is the time to ACT NOW!
Thanks for getting involved
The ACT NOW! team
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Comments
It would appear one might also add to this list of actions:
It would appear one might also add to this list of actions: petition journalists who are reporting on this issue domestically or internationally to present all sides of the debate. I came across the following piece today:
http://australianetworknews.com/stories/201004/2884038.htm?desktop
PNG Ombudsman to retain power
Nelson Thom, Port Moresby
Last Updated: Tue, 27 Apr 2010 17:40:00 +1000
Papua New Guinea's Ombudsman Commission will not lose its power following several constitutional amendments passed by Parliament back in March.
Member for Esa'ala in Milne Bay province who put forward the amendments said the amendments are to give more responsibilities to the Ombudsman Commission.
Mr Maladina says several changes passed in previous governments in relation to the Criminal code, Leadership Code and Courts are now bearing fruits.
He explained that the amendments relating to the OC are for it to have more of a decision making role in line with other changes in the PNG constitution.
"And if you have a look at the bills themselves you'll see that we've given a lot more responsibility and we've given to the Ombudsman a lot more powers," he said.
The OC on the other hand says certain amendments will strip the commission of powers making the public sector more vulnerable to corruption.