By Vasinatta Yama – EM TV – Port Moresby
A public forum was held by the Registry of Political Parties in Port Moresby today to discuss the Revised Organic Law, on the Integrity of Political Parties and Candidates.
The revised version is set to address challenges PNG is currently facing, which includes the educating of persons concerned, on the roles of members of political parties.
According to the Political Parties Registrar, Dr Alphones Gelu, many of the political parties and candidates do not know the relevant laws and regulations to form a political party.
A party should have a membership of 500, and must have enough budget to operate the party to be considered a political party.
However, in PNG, there are 45 registered parties, and many of them do not have any members at all.
Dr Gelu says that 99.9 per cent of the parties are poor, as they don’t have enough financial support.
The focus of the revised Organic Law is to strengthen political parties in PNG, nurture political stability, and to strengthen weak areas of the Organic Law.
The review started in 2010 after the Supreme Court ruled that a number of provisions were unconstitutional, as they affected the ability of MP’s to perform their public functions and duties.
The revised Law has a few changes.
Among the new provisions, parties must nominate and endorse candidates in at least at least 10 per cent of the total number of seats in the national parliament. And from these endorsements, there must be a female candidate.
MP’s who win under a registered political party will attract K20 000 funding from the central fund.
If there is a vacancy in the office of the prime minister, an MP who is a member of a registered party with the highest declared candidates shall be the next PM.
The first reading will be in the next parliament sitting, and then a set committee will distribute documents to obtain the public’s opinions.
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