Speaker: Parlt didn’t purchase any guns

PARLIAMENT Speaker Theo Zurenuoc has confirmed that no guns have been purchased by Parliament.
He said missing firearms purchased by Parliament a few years ago will also be investigated, together with the ongoing Parliament investigations by an audit and compliance team.

“I must firmly state that Parliament did not purchase any guns.” Mr Zurenuoc said.
“Three facts are there. One is the quotation obtained by the Clerk’s office; secondly, there was a letter from the Clerk to the Metropolitan Superintendent requesting approval for purchase of firearms; and then there was a letter from the Metsup to the (Police) Commissioner requesting the same because it is the responsibility of the Commissioner to give approval.”

The Speaker said there was no documented response from the Commissioner but the Post-Courier went ahead and reported that parliament had purchased the guns.
He said the Post-Courier should retract and apologise for dragging his office of the Speaker into the matter.

“My view is that firstly, the Clerk was wrong because he failed to inform me. This was going to be a major purchase of over half a million kina which cannot be approved by his office alone. It has got to be sanction by me and put through the Parliament Tenders Board,” Mr Zurenuoc said.
He said there is no record of purchase documents but based on the three documents the Post-Courier reported that Parliament had purchased the guns, adding this was not proper.
Mr Zurenuoc said such reports do not help in his major program to restore and reform Parliament that the public will be suspicious.

source. Post Courier/30/1/13