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I'm still PM, declares isolated Somare
Australian Associated Press - December 20, 2011
Sir Michael, 75, continues to hold meetings at the Ela beach hotel, two days after the nation's army and police chiefs said they recognise the O'Neill government.
"My minority government does not want to see this country being led by members of parliament that use sheer numbers to hijack processes in parliament and trample all over our Constitution," he said.
"The simple notion that the majority rule justifies their behaviour is detrimental in its simplicity."
Sir Michael was returned to office on December 12 after the Supreme Court ruled his August 2 dumping was unconstitutional.
Mr O'Neill says he has the backing of 75 out of 109 members of parliament, and was yesterday recognised by Governor-General Sir Michael Ogio as the nation's only PM.
The December 12 decision sparked a tense stand-off between members of the police force loyal to Mr Somare. However, by week's end, parliament had voted to install Mr O'Neill and Police Commissioner Tom Kulunga.
On Friday Defence Force chief Francis Agwi agreed that the parliamentary majority rules.
The O'Neill government last week suspended Governor-General Ogio after he swore in Sir Michael's cabinet. Sir Michael Ogio has since apologised, citing bad advice, and yesterday reinstated Mr O'Neill.
Using its numbers his government plans to pass PNG's largest ever budget this week. The $A4.6 billion budget promises free education to children up to year 10.
On the day of the Supreme Court decision parliament passed retrospective laws legalising Mr O'Neill's prime ministership. It also revoked Sir Michael's membership of parliament, dumping him from the seat he has held for more than 40 years. But by the end of the week Mr O'Neill was firmly in control.
Sir Michael's cabinet had called out the army to intervene at 3.30am on Friday morning, but Brigadier General Agwi, a Somare appointee, refused.
Known affectionately as "The Grand Chief" and "the old man", he was PNG's longest serving prime minister after being elected in 2002 and serving until his departure to Singapore for heart surgery in late March.
He is also known as "the father of the nation" for his role in forging PNG's independence from Australia in 1975 and then as its first prime minister.
Mr O'Neill yesterday denied rumours a special deal will be made with Sir Michael. "There is no provision for that in PNG law," he told reporters.
Mr O'Neill has repeatedly asked Sir Michael's more than 20 supporters to test their numbers on the floor of parliament, but they refuse. In the new year there are at this stage expected to be court challenges into Mr O'Neill's retrospective laws.
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