PNG government faces looming vote of no confidence challenge

 Welcome to September 2024.

It's this month when the country commemorates it's independence from Australia. This year would be it's 49th independence anniversary.

The country looks forward to 50 years next year and the government is planning big to celebrate and reflect on the journey so far.

And while the Marape Rosso government has hung onto power since August 2022, there is vigour to oust the government from the opposition.

Living conditions getting difficult for city residents 

Critics have described the government poorly handling the affairs of the country with issues like inflation, shortage of foreign exchange, increase in law and order problems and social services dysfunctional, really affecting the ordinary citizens.

But Prime Minister James Marape who has since been in power from May 2019 is content that his government has done well to run the country so far and they will continue to do better correcting many legacy issues. The main one being debt management.

Mr Marape successfully ousted Peter O'Neill in a vote of no confidence in 2019 and later successfully formed the government post 2022 national general elections after the Governor General Sir Bob Dadae invited him to form government. Complying with the organic law on elections, the party with the highest number returned after a general election is invited to form government. 

The government's grace period of 18 months supported by the organic law that no motion of no confidence shall be filed after the installation of a new government has lapsed.

As a result there has been movements by about 18 MPs in the government defecting to the opposition but their attempt to move a motion of no confidence were unsuccessful on several attempts mainly on technical grounds.

They ran to the Supreme Court and filed a reference for the high court to interpret the happenings in Parliament and possibly recall Parliament immediately.

However, a five man bench dismissed the reference upholding two grounds of objection to competency citing reasons that procedures of Parliament are non-justiceable, meaning courts cannot interfere with procedures of Parliament. They are not Constitutional issues that can invoke the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court.

The Opposition accepted the decision but were still adamant to move the motion of no confidence this month when Parliament resumes.

And as things were firming up, POMIO MP Elias Kapavore defected back to government.

Recently installed Madang Open MP Bryan Kramer who successfully fought a leadership tribunal that dismissed him and got back to his office then defected to the opposition.

We watch out how this week will pan out.

The ruling government remains adamant it had the numbers