LEADER of Independent group Dr Derek Sikua is reinforcing the call by the Parliamentary Opposition for the government to immediately repatriate the Solomon Islands students home from various institutions in Papua New Guinea.
In a statement on Thursday, Dr Sikua says that there are three pertinent reasons why the government should swiftly act.
“Firstly, the government has to realise that the protests mounted by UPNG students is apolitical in nature, or in other words; it has political strings attach to it,” Dr Sikua said.
“Apparently, the call by the UPNG student association for PNG Prime Minister to step down is simply not possible given the numerical strength of the PNG ruling government, and let alone the determination by Prime Minister Peter O’Neil to stay in power until 2018,” he added.
“Secondly, it is a costly exercise to keep the students in hotels for an indefinite period, as such costs were not forecasted, it is only proper to minimise the unforeseen spending on the part of the government.
“Thirdly, safety has to be a high priority for our students given the unpredictability of the situation.
“On the other hand, the government has to consider the psychological effects developing amongst the students’ parents and relatives and therefore, give them the peace of mind by returning their sons and daughters home, as it will guarantee safety and calmness.”
Dr Sikua reiterated that waiting for definite information from the University Council as alluded to by the Minister of MEHRD during the recent parliament sitting should be an obsolete option as the intensification of the protest in the last couple of days is an indication that the protests are escalating towards another dimension.
“So my message to the government is; bring the students home immediately.”
