Students at the University of Papua New Guinea (UPNG) are currently waiting for the response on a petition which was signed and handed in this morning by the UPNG Students Representative Council President and other student leaders to the administration.
The petition consists of two points, one asking for the exams this week to be rescheduled and the second point is to challenge the Defense Cooperation Agreement (DCA) at Supreme Court, which was presented to the Finance Minister Rainbow Paita, on May 22nd.
Madmax Perano, a second year law student who wrote the petition, said that the students are not mentally ready at this time to sit for exams due to the concerns and frustrations on the government’s decision; therefore, they have asked through the petition for the exams to be reschedule to a later date.
He said that before signing agreements like the DAC, all members of parliament must settle this on the floor of parliament after getting the citizens views on matters that will surely affect the lives of every Papua New Guinean.
“We are a democratic country and as a concerned citizen and a UPNG student of this country, we should be consulted or made aware of such agreements before they get signed.”
The students are expecting a response later this afternoon.