Excitement and significant changes in parliament today was not lost to the public as a new Opposition Leader took his chair, and the prime minister was put on the spot about employment, and job creation statistics by a former senior government colleague, and his government’s response to the Black Wednesday events.
The prime minister was also asked, by Member for Moresby North-East John Kaupa, among other questions, as to the government’s support, if any, to assist businesses, which were looted and burnt down, to be built.
In his response, the prime minister failed to address this query, focusing more on the investigation into the Black Wednesday (January 10th) or Ugly Wednesday as he described it, particularly to call out the police from not taking the law unto their hands, and stopping duty, which encouraged opportunists to loot and destroy businesses.
Parliament began with an official announcement on the floor by acting Speaker Koni Iguan of Kandrian Glouster MP Joseph Lelang resigning as the Leader of Opposition, to sit as a backbencher in the Opposition ranks, ending with the announcement of a Notice of motion for a No Confidence vote against the incumbent Prime Minister James Marape.
Tomorrow, Wednesday’s parliament session resumes at 10am but will have many revelations to do with questions asked today in the Questions-Without-Notice period.
Some of these will include responses to do with project fees in tertiary schools, to project contracts within the Connect PNG scheme.
Immediately after parliament concluded, a 23 Team Opposition met to officially announce their alternative nominee – East Sepik Governor Allan Bird – for the upcoming Vote of No Confidence against Prime Minister Marape in a week’s time.
Meanwhile, police will continue their security measures.