Former PNG Prime Minister Calls for Motion of No Confidence Against Marape
Port Moresby – Former Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O’Neill has urged that the planned motion of no confidence against his successor, James Marape, proceed next week in accordance with the Constitution.
“There is nothing to be fearful of. Let the motion proceed,” O’Neill said in a statement. “The Constitution supports a proper vote when our country has no faith in the leadership of the Prime Minister.”
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| Peter O'Neill |
O’Neill, reflecting on his own experience, emphasized the importance of this constitutional process. “I am a living example of this process and remain an active and citizen-driven leader of my people, despite resigning in the face of a challenge to my leadership.”
The Opposition MPs are confident their motion for a vote of no confidence, submitted during the February sitting, will be addressed in the next parliamentary session starting Tuesday. During the February session, the Opposition submitted the motion three times to Parliament’s Private Business Committee, but each submission was rejected for various reasons. As of now, the motion is not on the Notice Paper for Parliament’s upcoming session.
Prime Minister James Marape has advised the Opposition MPs to move the motion by Wednesday, as Parliament will only sit for two weeks in June. “You only have next Wednesday for the committee to deliberate [on it], if you want it to be on the notice paper on Thursday,” Marape stated.
O’Neill has called on the Government not to use its numerical strength to suppress the Opposition’s attempt to move the motion. He stressed that a well-functioning democracy allows for votes of no confidence.
“Some of the world’s most notable leaders have come to power through it, including Margaret Thatcher, the legendary UK Prime Minister. Just last week, the Scottish PM stood down in the face of a looming vote of no confidence,” he said.
O’Neill highlighted the importance of respecting the constitutional process when a country loses faith in its elected leader. “It is simply undemocratic, dictator-like to stop or bully the Parliament to not have a vote of no confidence,” he added.
Reflecting on his resignation in 2019, O’Neill remarked, “Allowing Marape to take over the position gave me the opportunity to clear my name, and the nation to see firsthand that this all-talk and no-action leadership that replaced me might sound good but has put us back decades.”
He further asserted that testing the strength of current leadership through a constitutionally-allowed vote of no confidence is healthy and necessary. “A vote of no confidence allows the frustrations and anger of our people to be properly, and without violence, heard in the Parliament,” O’Neill said.
O’Neill concluded by citing the increasing violence, worsening cost of living conditions, lack of jobs, lack of investment, and corruption as pressing issues under the current leadership.
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