A clearly frustrated parliamentary speaker, Theo Zurenuoc, is determined that there should be a parliament resolution to review the Supreme Court order obtained by the Opposition to ensure parliament was adjourned to July 22.
A motion in support of this was attempted to be introduced by leader of Government Business, James Marape, but this was stopped by a point of order by former Attorney General, Kerenga Kua.
Kua said this would be in contempt of the court order to recall parliament, as today’s special parliament sitting was to introduce the Vote of No Confidence motion only.
The speaker said he will exercise extreme caution and follow the direction of the court order, but will revisit this motion after the Vote of No Confidence next week.
The parliament session this afternoon was very short; less than 15 minutes in length.
Opposition MPs confidently filed into the chamber with their new recruits, which now includes leader of the People’s Progress Party, Ben Micah, who took a seat near Opposition Leader, Don Polye.
Before he introduced the motion of the Vote of No Confidence, Zurenuoc said the Supreme Court had usurped the powers of the parliament and the speaker by ordering parliament to be recalled to entertain the Vote of No Confidence.
He described the order to recall parliament as “vague, ambiguous and open to many interpretations.”
Commenting on the second court order that was obtained this morning by the opposition to make sure parliament was adjourned to next week Friday, he said it was a blatant misinterpretation of an article published in one of the dailies today saying it was the interpretation of the journalist.
During the session the government seemed confident that they still have the numbers to remain in power, with a joke by Finance Minister, James Marape, about opposition numbers.
However, today was clearly the opposition’s day as their manoeuvres to ensure parliament votes on the no confidence motion on July 22 was successful.
They and the government now have seven more days to lobby for numbers, and with PPPs surprising move today, they will be interesting days ahead.
