In PNG Politics, Ialibu-Pangia MP, Peter O’Neill (2011-2012 to 2012-2019) and founding father, Grand Chief late Sir Michael Thomas Somare (2002-2007 to 2007 to 2011) are the only two former Prime Ministers who have lasted in office for more than five years. The other former Prime Ministers in Sir Julius Chan, Paias Wingti, late Sir Mekere Morata, late Sir Bill Stake and late Sir Rabbie Namaliu did less than five years.
The question that everyone has in mind is: “Will the current Prime Minister, James Marape defy the odds and overcome the looming Vote of No-Confidence against him and his government?
CONSTITUTION SANCTIONED ‘PRESSURE VALVE’
The Section 145 of the Constitution provides for motions of No-Confidence against any sitting Prime Minister or Minister. The Constitutional Planning Committee intentionally allowed the existence of this section for disgruntled citizens through their parliamentary representatives to release their pressure had they lost confidence in the sitting PM. What we are interested in is the PM’s post for the convenience of this write-up. VoNC, mostly referred to in short, is moved against the sitting PM at two different instances in any life of Parliament. The first one is within the first four (4) years of the Parliamentary life whilst the other is the last twelve (12) months before the Issue of Writs for the next General Elections.
THE ALTERNATIVE PRIME MINISTER
The former (within four years) allows for the alternative Prime Minister to be named in the Parliamentary Opposition- sponsored Vote of No-Confidence motion submitted to the Speaker’s Office for Private Business Committee’s deliberation. The latter (12 months) does not require the alternative PM to be named.
Vetting Process of the Private Business Committee
The committee meets each Wednesday during Parliament sessions to deliberate on notices of motion submitted to the committee under Standing Order 130 of Parliament.
The Chairman of the committee (now is Hela Governor Philip Undialu) will call for the vetting of the motion when the Opposition submits the motion validated by one-tenth of the Parliamentarians (between 10 to 15 MPs). The Opposition currently boasts of 19.
(Other members are Deputy Chairman and SHP Governor William Powi, Manus Governor Charlie Benjamin, East Sepik Governor Allan Bird and Western Governor Toboi Yoto).
The committee MPs must be convinced that the justifications provided giving substance to their no-confidence in the sitting Prime Minister must be of National Importance, not parochial matter. Electorates and names of the PM candidate, the mover, seconder and other supporters must be correctly spelt. If it fails to meet this expectation, the committee reserves the right to refuse the application. The country has had history of the Opposition challenging the refusal in the Supreme Court. The former Opposition Leader Don Polye took his grievance to the court which ruled in his favor. The Speaker then was directly to have Parliament recalled immediately in 2016 and had deliberated on the matter but the outcome was in former Prime Minister, Peter O’Neill’s favour 85-21.
TIME REQUIRED
18-month period of the current Government lapsed on February 9th, 2024. Parliament meeting will start tomorrow (Tuesday) and it will be business as usual until the Opposition submits the motion to the Committee through the Speaker’s Office. When the committee is satisfied with the contents of the motion, the motion will be listed on the Notice Paper. Announcing on the floor of Parliament that a motion of no-confidence was mounted against the sitting PM, the Speaker will call for one-week adjournment of the Parliamentary meeting for both parties to go into camps. The horse trading amongst MPs in both camps intensifies.
CALL FOR NOMINATION
After the one week, it is a showdown. The motion will be debated. The Speaker will call for two nominations of Prime Minister-the Opposition’s candidate and the government’s who is the sitting Prime Minister (in our case is Hon. James Marape). Parliament votes for the duo. Whoever musters the absolute-majority votes will become the Prime Minister.
CONCLUSION:
In PNG, history states that the sitting Prime Ministers are ousted when the foundation of the ruling party is not stable. For example, Grand Chief late Sir Michael Thomas Somare was ousted through a controversial Parliamentary meeting when the ruling National Alliance Party was dismantled into two factions-Polye and Somare factions. Ialibu-Pangia MP was dethroned as PM when his lieutenant James Marape defected from the ruling PNC Party in 2019. For now, Pangu Pati is intact with 56 MPs with reinforcement from the coalition partners like URP, SDP, PFP etc…The Opposition now has 19 MPs including the defectors. It is early to predict the outcome. Politics is fluid in PNG. The lobbying is intensifying as PM Marape is confident of overcoming the VoNC.