Polye still in middle benches

By MATTHEW VARI

Wednesday, September 3, 2014 (Midweek Chronicle, PNG)

WITH the dwindling of the Opposition in Parliament now at its lowest peak- questions have been raised to the former Treasurer and leader of THE (Triumph Heritage Empowerment) Party, Don Polye, if a move over to the opposition side of the house is imminent.

Mr Polye, however, maintained that he is still in the middle bench in Parliament as his party was still in government.

“I am in the middle benches, my party is in the middle benches and at the same time in the government,” the Kandep MP said.

“There are many decisions that we are going to make, which I will be making in consultation with two important sources- one is the members of Parliament through the parliamentary wing of Triumphant Heritage Party, and the second is the party's council, comprising of the president and other executives of the party.”

“At an appropriate time a decision will be made, when that will occur I do not know I will leave it to the wisdom of the Parliamentary wing and party council to decide.”

Mr Polye also reaffirmed his party strength in parliament of 14 members, despite four members expressing their intensions to leave the party.

“I have got 10 members who have not made any public comments, apart from four members who have,” he said.

“Legally as per the Organic Law on the Integrity of Political Parties and Candidates (OLIPPAC), I have got 14 members of THE party intact legally intact with me in the party.”

“No one has left- you might have had many announcements, but they are in vain because the law is very precise on this.”

“The announcement of those MPs that they were joining PNC (People’s National Congress)- yeah of course they are making these statements but if you look at the law if you want to break away from a party you have to go through the party constitution, which by law is an integral part of the organic law.”

He blamed what has happened to PNG Politics, adding that the leading party is ‘wheeling and dealing’ due to the insecurity of its leader the Prime Minister.