By MATTHEW VARI
Sunday, April 3, 2016 (Sunday Chronicle, PNG)
IN a session that was shrouded in technicalities of signatures, signatories, and court references- the much talked about Vote of No Confidence was refused yet again by the Deputy Speaker of Parliament Aide Ganasi.
When opening Thursday’s session, the Deputy Speaker made a statement in regard to the motion and did not entertain any points of order clearly raised by Opposition MPs.
The deputy speaker than proceeded to describe the process taken by Deputy Leader of the Opposition, Sam Basil, in his motion that was put to the permanent parliament committee for deliberation to have a vote of no confidence in Prime Minister Peter O’Neill and the nomination of the Opposition Leaders Don Polye as the alternate PM.
“The committee discussed the motion as well as other private business before parliament. They resolved that the document may not contain the required number of signatures under section 145 of the constitution, due to the fact that some signatories to the motion denied having signed the motion and one member is currently suspended from office,” Ganasi said.
Basil interjected to state that a court order that was given in regard to the MP of concern in Vanimo Green MP Belden Namah’s suspension as still an MP of Parliament.
The deputy speaker rejected the comments made to continue his statement.
“Due diligence letters were sent out to all Members that supported the motion to ensure that they had signed it and were actually in support of it.”
“The committee received replies from a majority of member and confirmed that there were 9 members that moved the motion, seconded it, and were in support of it.”
“The committee also established that member for Vanimo Green is currently suspended by law from exercising his duties and functions irrespective of his Supreme Court appeal,” he added.
He also referred to the signature of Morobe Governor Kelly Naru, saying that despite his previous signing of a motion in late 2015, did not sign the current motion dated 22 march 2016.
“Instead a copy of the initial motion used and submitted attached with the initial signature even though the MP did not indicate his support.”
“The committee further on the basis that was inadequate support for the motion. It failed to meet the minimum requirement under section 145 of the constitution,” Ganasi stated.
Ganasi added that the parliamentary committee found that there may be possible breach of parliamentary privileges with the unauthorized use of a member’s signature and felt that the matter should be referred to the permanent parliamentary privileges committee for further investigation against the Deputy Leader of the Opposition.
He also made mention of a Supreme Court reference was filed by General Secretary of People’s national Congress On Wednesday 23 march seeking interpretation of section 142, 143, and then 145 of the constitution.
More specifically for the Supreme Court to declare that the proper interpretation or of application of section 142, 143, and 145 of the constitution and section 63 of the Organic Law on the Integrity of Political Parties and Candidates 2003 should require.
He said that due to the filing of the Supreme Court reference the matter is now sub judiciary and the chair would not entertain anymore proposed motions of no confidence until such time the Supreme Court completes the reference.
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