Gelu clears the air

Caption:   Registrar of Political Parties Dr Alphonse Gelu

By MATTHEW VARI

Sunday, May 25, 2014 (Sunday Chronicle, PNG)

REGISTRAR of Political Parties Dr Alphonse Gelu has come out to clear the air in regards to extracts within the letters of the resignation of four current MPs from THE (Triumph Heritage Empowerment) Party last week, tying one of their reasons to resign, to the Registry of Political Parties.

In a conference held last week the registrar clarified that the registry had no part in the decision by the four MPs, Member for Kiriwina-Goodenough and Forest Minister Douglas Tomuriesa, Tambul Nebilyer MP Benjamin Poponawa, Ijivitari MP David Arore, and Sohe MP and Minister for Higher Education, Science, Research and Technology Delilah Gore- all of whom he said made their own decisions to resign.

He also referred to a letter that was addressed to the Party Leader Don Polye regarding the leadership issue, stipulated in the four MPs letters of resignation from THE Party.

“The letter I wrote to the leader of THE Party regarding the leadership issue was to give options to the party leader considering the situation he faced,” Dr Gelu said.

“The letter did not direct the leader to give away the leadership, but to advise him that what the party was going through would be detrimental to the long term interests of the party.”

“I wrote to the leader to express my concern to express my concern to what the current situation might do to the party- the last thing the registry wants to see happen is the disintegration of the party.”

He said the Organic Law did not give him the authority to get involved in any affairs of political parties.

“Issues faced by parties are internal matters for the parties to resolve but when they need the assistance of the registry than I will come in as a mediator to help resolve any disagreements,” the Registrar pointed out.

He added that the issues currently faced by THE Party needed to be resolved internally by themselves.

“The reference to Section 58 of the Law on Integrity of Political Parties, by the four members, is wrong because that section was nullified by the Supreme Court decision of 2010, and is no longer applicable,” he said.

“This means that the party must now turn to its constitution to deal with such matters.”

He said that the registry was committed to strengthening political parties in the country to ensure that they do not disintegrate.