UPNG lecturer Michael Kabuni says vote of no confidence motion is a mechanism for any democracy
Section 145 of the Constitution which gives effect for a motion of Vote of No Confidence [VoNC] against any, incumbent prime minister or a state minister, is an accountability mechanism for any democracy.
Michael Kabuni, a political lecturer at the University of PNG made this comments when interviewed by NBC Online, following the much talked about motion of no confidence that the Opposition filed against the Prime Minister James Marape.
But, in the last session of February's two weeks sitting, Parliament deputy speaker Koni Iguan did not reveal the outcome of the Private Business Committee decision on why the motion would not be entertained on the notice paper.
Mr Kabuni said “VoNC is an accountability mechanism built into the Constitution, the only mechanism we have between elections to hold the executive arm of the government accountable".
“If you remove or deny, no other way to hold executive arm of the government accountable.”
Mr Kabuni said, the event in parliament is not the first time, drawing comparison to an early Supreme Court Review, instigated by the Opposition Leader Don Polye against the then executive government of Peter O’Neill, following a motion of no confidence, which the court ordered parliament to reconvene to entertain it.
“Unfortunately, it’s not the first time, hopefully it is the last.
“Supreme Court provision on VONC section 145 Constitution is so fundamental that every parliament business committee has no right to stop it once all technical requirements are met".
The political lecturer at the UPNG added that neutrality in any Parliament Committee is important.
Michael Kabuni's comments follows a yet to be made known decision by the Parliament Private Business Committee, in regard to the Opposition notice to the Office of the Speaker to move a motion of no confidence vote against the prime minister.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Marape has made a claim of forgery against the motion by Opposition members of parliament to move a VoNC against him.
“Private Members Committee felt [there were] forged signatories… will be refer to the attention of parliament privilege committee and Ombudsman Commission.”
But the Opposition Leader Douglas Tomuriesa said the alternative government will seek the court's opinion on the claim by the prime minister of forgery on the motion paper submitted to the private members’ committee.
“When Gordon Wesley [Milne Bay Provincial Member] left us, I took a letter to the speaker’s office on [February] 20th, withdrawing the motion of [February] 14th without Gordon Wesley’s signature.”
Mr Tomuriesa claims the office of the speaker did not entertain the third motion which was the latest filed by the Opposition the “Speaker did not withdraw the motion of [February] 14th.
“I spoke to Gordon Wesley and he admitted, he signed the first one [February 14], and not [February] 20th. Forgery was not done by us,”.