New Look Opposition Move Camp to Vanimo as Australia PM Cancels visit to PNG

 The Papua New Guinea Opposition and its coalition moved out of Port Moresby and into Vanimo town in the Sandaun Province.

Over 50 members of parliament boarded a chartered flight from the Port Moresby APEC terminal at 7 mile around 4pm this afternoon.

Photos of MPs standing at the airport and boarding an aircraft has gone viral on social media Facebook.

Opposition MPs in Vanimo : Photo by Hon Richard Maru via FB

Late in the evening more pictures emerged from Vanimo showing the parliamentarians being taken to the Golden Medallion Hotel.

In a post on Facebook Member for Yangoru –Saussia Richard Maru said the new look opposition had arrived safely in Vanimo.

The opposition is yet to confirm the number of Parliamentarians in their camp but yesterday  41 members of the government side crossed the floor in support of the opposition’s motion to adjourn parliament to the 02nd of December.  

Meanwhile The Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has cancelled his plan trip to PNG this month as a result of the turn events at parliament.

According to the ABC Mr Morrison on Friday said he still intended to travel to Papua New Guinea, despite the political uncertainty and Mr Marape said "there was nothing stopping him from coming" but "it was up to him".

In a statement released this evening Prime Minister James Marape said  the "recklessness" of Opposition Leader Belden Namah has caused Australian Prime Minister Hon. Scott Morrison to cancel his planned visit here next week.

Prime Minister Morrison had planned to  visit Papua New Guinea on his way back to Australia from Japan, meeting Prime Minister James Marape.

"It was to be an important  face-to-face meeting with us planning to watch the State of Origin game," Prime Minister Marape said.

"The visit, however, has been hijacked by Belden Namah through his selfish no-confidence move against me.

"The country must know that Namah caused the cancellation of the visit by the Australian PM, who planned to visit us before this vote of no-confidence and related events were mooted  ,

"People of PNG must know that Namah is a 'leader' who claims to represent their  interests, however, causes instability by stopping Australia - our biggest bilateral partner - from coming in.

" That’s recklessness of the highest order. "

Statement/FM100/PNGToday

Next : Belden Namah causes Australian PM to cancel PNG visit, says PM Marape