Allan Marat

Allan S. M. Marat CBE is a Papua New Guinean politician. He served as Minister for Justice and Attorney General in Prime Minister Michael Somare's Cabinet from August 2007 to May 2010.^{[1][2][3][4][5]} In May 2010, he publicly stated that major mining projects in the country brought little benefit to local communities, workers or businesses. He also "questioned legislation affecting the Ombudsman Commission". Prime Minister Somare consequently asked him to resign immediately, which he did.^[6][7] As a consequence of his resignation, Marat informed the Prime Minister that his Melanesian Liberal Party would "cut ties" with the government. He was replaced as Attorney General and Justice Minister by Ano Pala.^[7]

He has also served previously as Deputy Prime Minister^[8] and Acting Governor-General.^[9]

In August 2011, Peter O'Neill became Prime Minister in the wake of a parliamentary motion of no confidence in the government of Acting Prime Minister Sam Abal (standing in for Somare while the latter was hospitalised for a heart condition). O'Neill appointed Marat as his Minister for Justice, and Attorney General.^[10]

In November, as the Supreme Court prepared to hear a case on the legitimacy of the O'Neill government, Deputy Prime Minister Belden Namah ordered the suspension of Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia, as Injia was facing charges of "breaching a contempt order, and mismanaging court finances". The government said Injia's removal had nothing to do with the pending case on the government's legitimacy. The Supreme Court responded by ordering Namah's arrest, and that of Allan Marat.^[11]

He was, for a time, leader of the People's Progress Party, until he was ousted from that position in October 2003.^[12] He is now a member of the Melanesian Liberal Party.^[13]

He was the first Papua New Guinean to obtain a doctorate in law at the University of Oxford. His thesis was on the "official recognition of customary responses to homicide in Papua New Guinea".^[14]

Marat was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2009 Birthday Honours for "service to law, the national government and the East New Britain community".^[15][16]

References

1. "Somare's Cabinet", Post Courier, 30 August 2007
2. "Rencontre des chefs de la police de Papouasie Nouvelle-Guinée", Radio Australia, 2 June 2009
3. "PNG JUDICIARY UNDER STRESS", The National, 14 May 2009
4. "Présentation de la Papouasie-Nouvelle-Guinée: Composition du gouvernement", French Ministry for Foreign Affairs, 29 August 2007
5. "PNG Justice Minister receives death threat", Radio Australia, 5 December 2008
6. "Démission de l’Attorney General de Papouasie Nouvelle-Guinée", ABC Radio Australia, 10 May 2010
7. "PNG gets new Attorney General and Justice Minister". Radio New Zealand International. 10 May 2010. Retrieved 19 September 2011.
8. Embassy of Papua New Guinea to the Americas, 2003
9. "Speech: ADDRESS BY HIS EXCELLENCY MAJOR GENERAL MICHAEL JEFFERY AC CVO MC GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA ON THE OCCASION OF DINNER HOSTED BY THE HON DR ALLAN MARAT, ACTING GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF PAPUA NEW GUINEA", 3 August 2008
10. Cabinet of Papua New Guinea Archived 13 August 2011 at the Wayback Machine., CIA Factbook, 18 August 2011
11. "More turns in PNG judicial saga with orders for arrest of senior cabinet ministers", Radio New Zealand International, 11 November 2011
12. "Ousted PNG coalition party leader says resultant instability a threat to foreign investment". Radio New Zealand International. 19 October 2003. Retrieved 19 September 2011.
13. "Cabinet named", Isaac Nicolas, The National, 30 August 2007
14. Exchanging the past: a rainforest world of before and after, Bruce M. Knauft, University of Chicago Press, 2002, ISBN 0-226-44635-2, p.66
15. "Queen's birthday honours list: Commonwealth", The Guardian, 13 June 2009
16. The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 59093. p. 2. 13 June 2009.