The People’s Reform Party (PRP) executives have welcomed the recent announcement by the government to review the constitution and allow for the election of the prime minister by the people.
The government through the Constitutional and Law Reform Commission (CLRC) said it would undertake a review of the current form and system of government to ascertain whether or not, to allow the election of the Prime Minister by the people.
PRP party leader and North Fly MP, James Donald said election of the Prime Minister by the people was PRP’s number 1 policy initiative among others that were flagged and promoted during the recently concluded 2022 national general elections.
He was grateful of the fact that the government under the leadership of Prime Minister James Marape had taken the policy seriously after seeing the need and the importance of reforms in this policy agenda, and had given a priority for a review, which would pave way for the country to transform for the better.
The key areas of the review include;
- The current structure of the National Parliament;
- The election of the Prime Minister;
- The system of government; and
- The different levels of Government.
“We believe in this reform basically to get the governance and leadership structure right.
“PRP and our executives welcome the review, and we are ready to provide our thoughts and proposal towards the consultation workshop on the constitution.
“The leadership governing system and structure is critical. When the head is not functioning the whole system also defunctions.
“Therefore, we strongly welcome the review announcement by the CLRC. PNG is a sovereign nation and so we must design our own destiny. With PRP we say ‘Reform, Perform and Transform,” Donald said.
Meanwhile the government through the CLRC has put out a notice informing the nation about this major constitutional review that it will undertake this year.
CLRC says this review is critical to audit the form and system of Government and take stock of how far we came as a nation since Independence in 1975, with the thoughts of looking at whether the current form and system of the government has adequately, effectively and efficiently worked for us.
And to determine whether or not we need an alternative form and system of government, that can take us through in the next 50 years and beyond.
The review will start following the official launch by the Prime Minister James Marape and CLRC Chairman, Saki Soloma on 15 February 2023 in Port Moresby.
CLRC will conduct a nationwide consultation including the Autonomous Region of Bougainville thereafter to gauge the views of many people as possible from all sectors of the society.