Somare's view

Somare speaks out

FOUNDING father of the nation, Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare, has “no other aims in life” other than the country’s well-being in the hands of Papua New Guineans.
“I have no other intention; I have no other aims in life. My aim is to make sure Papua New Guinea is in good hands before I go,” Sir Michael said.
The Chief said this while responding to the stinging attack on himself, the National Alliance party, his family, the Wewak Tuna Corporation and Pacific Capital Ltd and associate Kevin Conrad over proposed amendments to the Forestry Act and his carbon trade crusade under cover of Parliamentary privilege.
MPs cannot be sued for unsubstantiated claims on the floor of Parliament under the privilege law.
“I don’t do stupid things like this. That’s why I have been around for much longer than most people,” Sir Michael said in relation to inferences that he, his family and associates stood to gain from his carbon trade campaign.
“I’ve been around almost 36 years now — 36 years — and I have not done anything stupid to help myself, to help my family or anything for personal gain.”
Sir Michael said the basic reason for amendments to the Forestry Act is to broaden participation on the National Forestry Board beyond just the Eco-Forestry Forum. He defended Pacific Capital Limited, which has been at the forefront of the carbon trade issue since 1999 as part of a PNG taskforce.
He said an agreement signed with PCL was for it to help the Government gather information on existing forests and technicalities of working out carbon emissions and sequestration or sink formula.
“There is no financial deal involved,” Sir Michael said.
On inferences that he “over-ruled” Treasurer Bart Philemon on an alleged payout of K30 million to PNG-born American citizen Kevin Conrad relating to carbon trade initiatives, Sir Michael said: “Even the Finance Minister did not know where the K30 million (figure) came from . . . the K30 million I really don’t know what it is related to.”
He also defended Mr Conrad as someone helpful to PNG but pledged ignorance on his previous involvements.
Sir Michael said he was receiving advice from relevant government authorities, including the National Agricultural Research Institute, on carbon trade.
His trips to Columbia University in New York were at the invitation initially of the university president Lee Bollinger as part of the university’s outreach program and a key player in the Global Roundtable on Climatic Changer Professor Jeffery Sachs, he said.
“Everything I’ve done is for Papua New Guinea and Papua New Guineans,” he told journalists. “That’s what I fought for; That’s what I stood for; That’s what I said when I left my teaching profession — I want Papua New Guineans to be the front-runners in their own country.”