Papua New Guinea parliament in session on 15 February 2024. Photo: Loop PNG / Screencapture
The Papua New Guinea (PNG) government of James Marape has avoided a vote of no confidence (VONC) again, but more attempts to unseat it are coming.
On Monday, the PNG opposition lost a legal challenge to have parliament recalled holding a vote.
Douglas Tomuriesa is eyeing a vote in September
This came after an attempt to have the vote during the June session was not allowed by the Speaker, who also abruptly ended the session.
The last two sessions of parliament have been dominated by the opposition quest to remove the government, while parliamentarians have pushed some critical matters to the fringe.
Now, the opposition leader Douglas Tomuriesa is eyeing a vote in September, with parliament due to sit from 3 September.
"We have decided that we will not stop here. The fight must continue, and we will take it to the next level, and that is for us to be prepared for September 3. As we all know that the VONC - the Vote of No Confidence - is a very important matter constitutionally, and we have gone to the courts for the interpretation of section 145, [ the section of the PNG constitution that lays down the rules for VONC] however, the substantive matter was never given an opportunity to be interpreted by the courts."
Tomuriesa claims the government did not want section 145 to be interpreted by the courts and that it did not want its numbers tested in the House.
"The Supreme Court has made its decision, and we respect the Supreme Court's decision, but importantly, I am calling upon those many members of the government who have approached us and spoken to us and who are willing to put their hands up. And we know that several of them, I think four or five of them, have privately expressed their interest, to put their hands up for the Prime Ministership.
"Now the door is open for anybody to put their hands up. Those in the government who have the numbers can come with these numbers and say, I want to be the nominee. We at our caucus discuss these possibilities, and we have now decided that the prime minister's post is for the people of Papua New Guinea.
"It's not only for the opposition or the government, it's for the people of Papua New Guinea. And any leader who's got the numbers and thinks that he can take the leadership is most welcome to come on board and be supported."
Tomuriesa has also raised the possibility that the government could delay the September session, because of the arrival of the Pope on 6 September and then PNG's independence anniversary on 16 September.
Prime Minister James Marape Photo: AFP
Meanwhile, Marape has dismissed any threat of a VONC from the opposition.
He said MPs have already assessed what the opposition is offering and found it wanting.
"We create government from the cluster of 118 Members of Parliament. So members of parliament are assessing the Marape/Rosso PNG government as we speak," he said.
"They passed a fair assessment. They also look at the alternate that's available. And in any given organisation, the alternate must have clear, better policy options than the incumbent.
"Our programme in terms of taking back PNG, economic empowerment of our people, trying to connect all parts of our country, leaving no place and no person behind, remain the anchor policy programs today.
He said it was up to the alternate team that is running around to pronounce their policy options.
"Whether it's to grow the economy, whether it's law and order, infrastructure development, they have to pronounce that. For us on record, if it's measured against our commitment to our nation in 2019.
"You see today, for instance, the economics where it's Porgera up and running at 51 percent to us and 49 percent to investor, consistent with our take back PNG mantra," he added.