Breakthrough on Schram uni crisis | PNG online news | PNG real time news | PNG Edge

Original: Breakthrough on Schram uni crisis | PNG online news | PNG real time news | PNG Edge
Frankiy Kapin on Sat, 03/22/2014 - 12:54

The first step to solving the ongoing Unitech boycott has been reached with the platform for a two party dialogue established yet the students unanimously maintain, No Schram, No School.


A government delegation led by Minister for Higher Education Delilah Gore, Justice Minister Kerenga Kua, Public Enterprise Minister Ben Micah, Commerce and Trade Richard Maru and Police Minister Robert Atiyafa successfully had the first dialogue with the Unitech students on campus yesterday in Lae.

And both sides agreed the court action involving Dr Schram has to be dismissed to enable the exiled vice-chancellor to return, with a plan to get Cabinet to approve that next week.

Unitech SRC president Eddie Nagual said the way forward had been established, and that was the need to communicate.

Nagual said however that the administration will remain shut, the boycott is to continue and the main gate will remain closed until the students meet the government delegation next Thursday at the campus.

Speaking on behalf of the government team, Justice Minister and Attorney General Kerenga Kua said it marked the first success story to end the Unitech impasse.

Kua said after the meeting with the student leaders the following had been achieved, firstly the establishment of a meaningful dialogue platform, secondly the issues arising in the impasse had been defined and lastly both parties recognised the agenda for the return of Dr Albert Schram as the core issue.

Both parties have agreed to converge and come up with the submission to dismiss the court order preventing Schram from entering Unitech.

Kua told the students the government lawyer will spend the weekend with the students to come up with the submission to be filed on Monday.

Nagual urged the student body and staff to come together for one last time and compile a workable plan to submit to the government.

This is a win-win situation, now we all have to give our responses and requests forming the submission with the assistance of the government, he said.

Proceedings from the meeting will be presented to the NEC next Wednesday and the government party is expected back at Unitech the following Thursday to address the students.

Kua said Schram is free to enter PNG anytime but will have to file a visa application and secondly the court order preventing him from entering Unitech has to be removed.

The Government team left for Port Moresby at 5pm yesterday and the student body and staff gathered for a briefing with the Unitech SRC.