The Government has again proven its Parliamentary strength in a series of divisions, winning by 59 votes to 50 during Tuesday’s Parliament session.
On Tuesday, the Government used its numerical strength to outplay the Parliamentary process and procedures of a motion to remove the Speaker of Parliament.
After that, Speaker Job Pomat allowed a motion to adjourn the house to May 28th.
Following the Parliament session PM O’Neill said the Opposition has tested their numbers and they are very happy that they have a good number to hold the Government to account.
“Our achievements are very much understated by many, but I can assure you that the policies and the work that our Government has done for our people is visible. And that is the belief that many of our Members continue to have in this Government, and that is why we are thankful,” said the PM.
“We shall continue to work in a manner that is going to reflect the good of the country rather than for the interests of individuals. We are thankful for the support that the Coalition partners have given to us.”
Prime Minister O’Neill explained that much of the problem within the Peoples’ National Congress Party are in-house issues and there are always some leadership ambitions within a big party like PNC.
“But all in all you can see the strategy that the Opposition has been laying out. It is to try and test their number to remove a sitting Speaker today (May 7th), but obviously that failed.
“We give credit to the Speaker for maintaining some decorum and trying to maintain fairness in Parliament and that he displayed a mature and strong leadership in allowing the Parliamentary process to continue.”
The PM clarified that the adjournment of Parliament was to allow the Cabinet to appoint new ministers to fill the vacancy left by some ministers.
“It gives the new ministers the opportunity to be briefed properly so that they can be fully versed on what is going to happen in their respective departments and ministries.”
Meanwhile, the Opposition’s Prime Minister nominee James Marape said what had transpired in Parliament was a ploy by the O’Neill government to sabotage the process of a vote of no confidence motion.
“They removed membership of the private members committee which had Hela Governor Phillip Undialu and Southern Highlands Governor William Powi.”
However, Marape an adjournment by three weeks has given them “good opportunity to not only reconfigure our coalition of like-minded leaders but in my view, finding the right leaders to make the right combination for a better government”.
(The Government coalition exiting the chamber of Parliament)
