Workers to sit out political rally

 THE PNG Trade Union Congress says its members will not participate in any protests over recent political events.

Congress general secretary John Paska said the union would stay out until “after the findings are properly established by due process and there are failures to comply with the findings”. Paska  said by due process, he meant the tasks performed by institutions such as Parliament, Government, Opposition, judiciary and the Attorney-General’s office, the Ombudsman Commission and the police.

He said since the matters were still being dealt with, “there is no compelling cause for us to place a call out to all workers to be involved in any demonstration”.

Paska said the congress was monitoring the political developments and was satisfied that “due process has been activated and is addressing the issues that have risen”.

He said it was not the function of the union or any civil society group to take over the role of due process.

“What we have created over the years is a culture of mob rule that has at times displaced due process and weakened our institutions of governance. We have perpetrated a reliance and expectation for unions and civil societies to take over the role of due process. This cannot continue.”

Meanwhile, acting police commissioner Geoffrey Vaki announced yesterday that no protests would take place today.