parliament

Acting Clerk of Parliament, Kala Aufa clarified that the VoNC motion will need to meet certain requirements in the constitution before it is put on the Notice Paper.

The office of the Clerk of Parliament has clarified that with parliament adjourned, the Private Business Committee, chaired by the Speaker of Parliament, could not sit the following day Wednesday 8^th May to discuss the motion of the Vote of No Confidence.

The Private Business Committee only meets on Wednesdays, when parliament sitting continues, to examine all Private Business motions.

Leader of Government Business, James Marape, clarified that the adjournment was not to avoid the Vote of No-Confidence but government business will prevail as it is.

Leader of Government Business and Finance Minister, James Marape, when clarifying the adjournment today in Parliament, said the Vote of no-confidence is still open to the Opposition to move the motion if they think they have the numbers.

He said the Government is intact and confident that they will outnumber the Opposition if they move the motion.

Nawaeb MP Kennedy Wenge queried how rural students were expected to apply online when they do not have access to computers or the internet.

For the second time in Parliament, Wenge outlined that schools are not only located in cities or urban areas.

The World Bank reported in 2016 that 86.96 percent of PNG’s population live in the rural areas.

Wenge told Parliament that rural-based students, including those from his electorate in Morobe Province, are at a disadvantage following the introduction of the National Online Application System.

 He said this when responding to Ambunti-Dreikikir MP, Johnson Wapunai, in Parliament on Tuesday.

Wapunai said there were rumours the project would not begin because the Government had no funding.

O’Neill said the project will be launched early next month and the funding for the project has been secured through a Czechoslovakian EXIM Bank Loan and counterpart funding from the Government.

“The Government has signed off on a concessional loan from Czechoslovakian Government,” said O’Neill.

The 24-member Opposition team said the referral of Madang MP Bryan Kramer was a biased decision and a ploy to censor freedom of expression in the country.

“As far as we are concerned, a public statement is subject to scrutiny by every citizen of this country, including members of Parliament,” said Opposition Leader Patrick Pruaitch.

They said the tactic is employed to deny leaders and the people of the country their right to criticise leaders.

“If we allow this to happen, this is a very sad day,” said Moresby North West MP, Mekere Morauta.

Once approved by Parliament the Act will lead the way for social and economic reconstruction and restoration of provinces impacted by the magnitude 7.5 earthquake on February 26.

The Act will be tabled with the report on where the Government is in terms of achieving the relief support.

Prime Minister Peter O’Neill said once endorsed, the Act will be up and running as soon as possible.

He explained that the relief committee effort will be transferred to the Restoration Authority.

Prime Minister Peter O’Neill told this newsroom that after the NEC’s approval, Parliament will then be recalled after seven days and deliberate on.

The Opposition has raised concerns regarding proper costing for the earthquake relief funds recently.

They said for the Government to put a number to the relief budget is premature.

They are urging the Government to put more emphasis on the relief work on emergency services the people needed right now in the quake disaster provinces.

Before the first sitting for 2018 moved its formal business, Speaker Charlie Benjamin announced the passing of Sir Reuben on December 10^th 2017.

Sir Reuben was the Open Member for the Rigo-Abau Open in the Third House of Assembly and First Parliament from 1972 to 1977.

During his tenure as an Open MP, Sir Ruebn was appointed Minister for Health from 1972 – 1974, Minister for Education from 1974 – 1976, and then Minister for Information and Broadcasting in 1976.

This will allow local companies to bid for infrastructure projects funded through loan financing.

Prime Minister Peter O’Neill said this in Parliament yesterday afternoon.

The Prime Minister made the statement when questioned by Moresby North-West MP, Sir Mekere Morauta, about the loan arrangements with the Chinese Government.

Sir Mekere asked the Prime Minister how much debt has the Government accrued through loans with the Chinese Government.

Shadow Minister for Treasury and Finance, Ian Ling-Stuckey, in a statement said last year the O'Neill government, lacking the usual transparency, did not allow proper debate on the 2017 budget.

"We stand ready to judge the success of the 2018 budget and urge government to give the Opposition opportunity to measure its merits.

"Government should not trivialise the most important of this annual policy statement by rushing it through because a budget translates policies into concrete actions by providing resources.