The Opposition side, the country’s Alternate Government is ready again to challenge the leadership of Prime Minister James Marape.
This morning before parliament resumed a little after 10am, Opposition Leader Douglas Tomouriesa presented the motion in the Speaker’s chambers, who received it and it was noted down by Leader of Government Business Peter Tsiamalili Junior, the Minister for Internal Security and Regional Member for Bougainville.
They did not waste time, arriving in full force in Parliament Chambers almost 10 minutes before Government members arrived.
Parliament spent the next few hours until 12pm expressing their condolences for victims, survivors and families of over 2, 000 who were buried alive from a massive landslide in Mulitaka in Porgera District of Enga Province, offering suggestions to financially aid rescue and emergency efforts, criticizing the government for responding late, and being too complacent in always having to rely on external aid assistance.
When parliament resumed after 2pm, the Speaker, Job Pomat advised that he had received the VONC motion that morning and during lunch the government business committee deliberated on what was presented.
Citing relevant laws and Supreme Court case precedence, he advised that a numerical disadvantage had resulted the motion null and void.
It was a signature short of the required 12 signatures.
The Speaker said that meant a one-third requirement was needed of the 118 seats in Parliament.
Following this third failed attempt, Sine-Sine Yongamul MP Kerenga Kua advised Parliament that they were refilling and hopefully it would be raised before parliament session ended for the day.
The resubmitted new VONC motion has now been filed and Speaker said he has received it, however next Wednesday the government business committee will sit to deliberate on this matter.