Opposition MPs walk out of Chamber

Members of the Opposition walked out of the Parliament Chamber yesterday evening and did not take take part in the vote on the 2017 Budget.

The Government with 75 members  bulldozed the Budget despite the Oppositions queries.

The Opposition queried that there was a typographical error in the Appropriation (general public services expenditure 2017) Bill 2016.

The debate started with Sinasina Yongumugl MP Kerenga Kua asking the Treasurer to explain the figures in the bill when he was about to do the second reading.

He said the figures in the Bill was K21 billion while the 2017 Budget is only K12.9b

The purpose of the Appropriation (General Public Services Expenditure 2017) Bill 2016 is to appropriate a sum of K21,418,878,496 for expenditure for the year ending December  31, 2017 as required under Section 209(2)(c) of the Constitution as amended.

This Bill is a continuation of the process that amalgamates the former Recurrent and Development Budgets to form a consolidated National Budget.

The MPs on the government side were also confused whether the figures are in millions or billions.

The debate put the acting speaker under pressure as Opposition MPs were shouting at the top of their voices saying the Bill was a hoax to defraud the people.

Member for Kavieng and People’s Progress Party Leader Ben Micah also cautioned the acting Speaker to take control of the Parliament and attend to both side of the house.

However, without giving the Opposition a chance to air their grievances, the acting Speaker told the Clerk to continue with the other readings of the Bill.

They continued while the Opposition MPs walked out of the Chamber.

Meanwhile, Parliament finished all the readings of the other Bills and passed the 2017 Budget with the majority of 75 votes to nil.

Parliament has been adjourned to January 24, 2017.

Author: 
Freddy Mou