PNG PARLIAMENT A CIRCUS

OP/ED

Parliament Speaker Jeffery Nape is the member for Sinasina/Yongumugl in the Chimbu Province. This is his second term in office as a parliamentarian and he was voted in as Speaker of the Papua New Guinea Parliament on May 28, 2004. He immediately became acting Governor General because the office was vacant. He succeeded Bill Skate in both roles. He ceased acting as Governor General on June 29, 2004, when Paulias Matane was sworn in.

Following the 2007 general election, Nape was re-elected as Speaker on August 13, 2007, defeating the opposition's candidate for the position, Bart Philemon, with 86 votes against 22 for Philemon. He was sworn in by Governor General Paulias Matane on the same day.

Over the two and half years Mr Nape had held this post, he has made some controversial decisions that no other Speaker in PNG has ever made. In the July session of Parliament, Bulolo MP, Sam Basil even tried to oust him from the Speaker's Chair by moving a vote of no-confidence in him but the move came unstuck when Mr Nape himself refused to entertain what appeared to be a proper dissent on his ruling before the house adjourned.
Because of those decisions, Mr Nape has been labeled all kinds of names. One just has to go on the internet to see what people think of him and how he runs the affairs of Parliament.

So everyone in Parliament, even the Opposition members were caught off guard when Mr Nape sprung the surprise on everyone this week. When Parliament resumed on Tuesday for the Opposition's reply to the 2011 national budget, handed down by the Government the previous week, the Speaker, for the first time allowed the Opposition to have the floor.

Opposition leaders Mr Bart Philemon, Sir Mekere Morauta and their team have had running battles with Mr Nape over the past and they had expected the same in this session of Parliament, but no, this did not happen. Instead of frustrating them like he always did, this time, he allowed Mr Philemon, the Opposition's Shadow Minister for Finance and Treasury, gave the Opposition's reply to the budget.

Philemon, a man not known for his humour, had his day in Parliament, much to the delight of the public on the gallery. He attracted points of orders from Deputy Prime Minister Don Polye and Mining Minister John Pundari but these were ruled out of order by Mr Nape.
I appreciate this rare occasion you are on our side, Mr Philemon responded to Mr Nape. I am enjoying this. I think I am hitting some soft spots here and Parliament is active, he added.

Yes, Parliament on Tuesday was active as it should be at every session. Good debates and discussions on issues of national importance must be held by the members. They must also show respect for each other and not arrogance. And this can happen when the Speaker runs the affairs of Parliament, according to the Standing Orders and in democratic and constitutional ways.

On Tuesday, Mr Nape has shown that he is master of the House and he did it the way it should really be done. Everyone that left the Parliament House commented positively about his performance.
Yesterday, around the corridors of Parliament, Mr Nape was on the lips of everyone. Papua New Guineans are watching the change in Mr Nape with interest. They are of the view that there is more to this that meets the eye.

Why was Parliament adjourned to today because there was no quorum? Where were the members of Parliament? Does that have anything to do with the Opposition's sponsored Notice on the Vote of No-confidence? These are questions that are running through their minds.

Something is just not right. Or are we missing something here?

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

MARAPE & PAITA ABOUT TO SIGN AWAY PNG GOLD

HIGHLANDS FRAUD F*CKS RUNNING GOVERNMENT AGENCY,,,

Connect PNG Unveiled: A Tale of Ambition, Scandal, and the Quest for Accountability

James Marape's Missteps Openly Exposed at Australian Forum

PNG GOVERNMENT MINISTER IN PORN VIDEO

James Marape: A Complex Political Trajectory

PNC CANDIDATE & FORMER NHC CEO FILMED WIFE HAVING SEX WITH COUSIN IN NHC CEO'S OFFICE