Vote of no confidence

“Prime Minister James Marape told lies that the Opposition forged signatures of MPs who signed the Notice of Motion of VONC. The statement is baseless, misleading, and outright false.

“He is lying, and hopes he can divert attention from his clear fear of a vote of no confidence in his leadership — or lack of it — and came up with this idea.

“The Opposition has followed the correct steps to file the Notice of Motion of VONC, no need for dirty tactics because people are demanding a change in government. We are duty-bound to get it right.”

The sitting resumed this afternoon at 2pm, proceeding with normal Government business.

The Deputy Speaker, before adjourning Parliament, confirmed that he has received a notice of motion of no confidence filed by the Opposition on Prime Minister Marape.

“I wish to inform the Parliament that today at 1:45pm, at the Speaker’s lounge, I received a notice of motion of no confidence on Prime Minister James Marape Member for Tari Pori.

“Some people think that some of us are fearful of 2024. Far from being fearful, we looking at working.

“I see a trend in PNG where some people become seasonal and topical experts on any and every matter.

They ruled that the Speaker did not deprive Members of Parliament their right to move and debate the motion of no confidence as the motion remained alive and could be lawfully dealt with when Parliament resumed on 20^th of April.

Namah in his submissions said Speaker Job Pomat’s decision to adjourn the case to 20^th of April 2021 from the December 2020 Parliament sitting was in breach of section 111 and 115 of the Constitution.

Loya bilong Manase, John Griffin, i bin kisim bek dispela aplikesen aster long taim tripela Suprim Kot jas, Jastis Derek Hartshorn, Collin Makail, na Oagile Bethuel Dingake i sindaun long harim.

Long Me 15 Manase i bin redim wanpela Aplikesen long stopim Palamen na Praivet Bisnis Komiti long harim wanpela notis bilong mosen bilong vot i no gat bilip (VONCM) we Oposisen i bin kamapim long Me 7.  

Tasol Lida bilong Oposisen, Patrick Pruaitch i bin rausim pinis VONCM long Mande Me 20, wantaim James  Marape, man husat ol i redim long kisim sia bilong Praim MInista.

The adjournment was sought by lawyers representing the Speaker and Clerk of Parliament, because they were unable to get instructions from the Speaker, who is said to be in his electorate.

The Opposition, although not a party in the Supreme Court Reference, also appeared through their lawyer Justin Wohuinangu, on instructions from Opposition Leader Patrick Pruaitch and Shadow Attorney General Kerenga Kua.

The Opposition is not a party because earlier, their application seeking to join in the Attorney General’s Supreme Court Reference was refused by the court.

With the Vote of No Confidence motion filed by Opposition on May 7, the Attorney General, Alfred Manase, filed an application to ask the court to stay the VoNC motion from progressing.

“Yesterday I filed an urgent application in the Supreme Court, seeking an order to stay the Parliament and its Committee (PBC) from entertaining or dealing with the notice of motion of no confidence until the Supreme Court makes a final determination of the Supreme Court reference, which was lodged by my predecessor on the 3^rd of December, 2018.”

Acting Parliamentary Counsel Richard Whitchurch explained this is because the Private Business Committee that screens all private business motions did not sit on Wednesday last week, because parliament was adjourned. The Committee only meets when parliament meets or convenes.

The Committee is chaired by Speaker Job Pomat, the Deputy Speaker and five other elected Members who are not ministers.

Speaker Job Pomat, in a press conference after the sitting, said he will now allow due process to take place.

“I have received it. When parliament meets on the 28^th (May), it will look at this notice, after it goes through the process of the Private Business Committee,” Pomat said.

He explained that Parliament may not necessarily vote on the 28^th but with the motion notice given yesterday afternoon, this will go for the notice paper when parliament next meets.

Section 145 of the Constitution has provision for motions of no confidence against any Minister; in this case the Prime Minister.

According to Section 145 of the Constitution, the Vote of No Confidence motion is moved during the 18 months commencing on the date of the appointment of the Prime Minister.

This motion is moved by any member of parliament against the Prime Minister, and must be supported by a number of members of Parliament being not less than one-tenth of the total number of seats in the House; at least 12 members of parliament must support the motion.