The February session of Parliament has commenced at 2pm today. Prime Minister James Marape, in a media statement, said it is set to address a substantial agenda of Government Business.
His statement comes amidst widespread discussion of a potential no confidence vote against his leadership.
Marape previewed the session's workload, indicating that over 30 matters are on the list for deliberation.
“These legislative efforts underscore the Government’s commitment to addressing critical issues facing the nation, bolstering its legal infrastructure, and shaping the country's future direction in alignment with its cultural and societal values,” he said.
"Parliament is resuming today, and we will not be running away from our duties, despite all this talk of a no-confidence vote.
“We have a lot of Government Business to attend to for the good of the country."
Among the key items highlighted by the Prime Minister is the Constitutional Amendment on Court Restructure. This amendment aims to introduce an Appeals Court between the National Court and the Supreme Court to expedite the clearance of the backlog of court cases.
"This will allow for the establishment of an Appeals Court between the National Court and the Supreme Court and will allow for the clearance of a backlog of court cases.
“The government has previously passed legislation enabling the recruitment of up to 200 judges, a move that complements this effort. This is something we have been working on together with the Supreme Court and the Chief Justice.
“The Constitutional Amendment is now going before Parliament and this will be a major restructure for a country with a growing population and economy.”
Additionally, the Prime Minister also announced plans for a Constitutional Amendment to declare Papua New Guinea as a Christian country and the introduction of legislation to increase the retirement age of Constitutional Office Holders to 75.