parliament sitting 2016

The session will basically focus on setting a date for a budget sitting early in November.

The Government has been receiving a lot of criticism over the 2017 budget.

The Opposition has been relentlessly attacking the Government, saying the 2017 budget will involve a lot of cuts in various government services.

Member of the Opposition, Northern Governor Gary Juffa, recently said: “In 2017, every province will be receiving far less than they have requested for”.

“They will be getting less than the 2016 allocation.

The house was under “intense pressure” as Speaker Theo Zurenuoc introduced the vote of no-confidence.

Members of  both sides of the house were panicking and calling for a point of order unnecessarily .

However, the Speaker controlled the MPs.

Today’s special parliament sitting was ordered by the Supreme Court to deliberate on the motion of the vote of no confidence against Prime Minister Peter O’Neill.

More to come…

Police personnel were manning all the entries into the Parliament house, checking people and making sure no opportunists could enter the gates.

The police personnel were there as early as 10am today.

The Parliament has been recalled by the Speaker today after the court order on Tuesday.

The Court ordered that the Parliament reconvene and deliberate on the motion of the vote of no-confidence against Prime Minister Peter O’Neill.

An Opposition spokesman confirmed with Loop PNG a few minutes ago that Peoples’ Progress Party leader Ben Micah made the announcement this afternoon that he was moving.
 
PPP has seven members and Micah is the Minister for Petroleum and Energy. 

The writing was on the wall when Micah, in a media conference on Wednesday, called on Prime Minister Peter O’Neill to take steps in addressing the call for him to step aside, which has resulted in violence in state run universities.

Eight MPs from the Opposition are present: Bulolo MP Sam Basil, Northern Governor Gary Juffa, Lae MP Loujaya Kouza, Goilala MP William Samb, Kikori MP Mark Maipakai, Rabaul MP Dr Allan Marat, Porgera MP Nixon Mangape and Sinasina-Yonggomugl MP Kerenga Kua.

The country's legislators have been ordered by the court to debate the vote of no-confidence against Prime Minister Peter O'Neill. 

As per the Standing Orders of Parliament proceedings, MPs should be given seven days to deliberate on a vote of no-confidence after it is introduced.