O'NEILL CONFIRMS HE DOESN'T HAVE THE NUMBERS

by BRYAN KRAMER

Prime Minister Peter O'Neill issued a press statement late this evening that his coalition of parties and independent Members of Parliament will form the 10th Parliament of Papua New Guinea.
"Following the 2017 National General Election PNC has recorded the highest number of Members-elect in this Parliament"
"In accordance with the National Electoral Laws, PNC is now anticipated to be called upon by his Excellency, the Governor-General, to form Government."
Firstly whoever authored the press statement clearly knows nothing about our National Electoral Laws because nowhere in the electoral laws does it state the party with the highest number of Members will be called upon by the Governor General to form Government.
The invitation to form Government is stated under section 76 of Organic Law on Integrity of Political Parties and Candidates.
The provision states that on the date of the return of the writs the Electoral Commission shall advise the General Governor of the Political Party which has the greatest number of candidates declared elected in the election and the GG shall invite that registered political party to form the Government.
Now it is important to remember it is only an invitation to try and form Government it does not mean they will be the Government.
The provision goes on to state that the Political Party invited by the GG may nominate a candidate for election of Prime Minister.
Parliament shall then vote as to whether that candidate is to be elected Prime Minister.
To be elected he needs a majority of Parliament being 56 Members. If the candidate fails to secure the majority of votes then Parliament shall elect the Prime Minister in accordance with the Standing Orders of the Parliament.
Standing Orders of Parliament are rules and procedures of how Parliament is to conduct its business (meetings)
Standing Order 7A provides for when a Prime Minister is not elected following invitation of the Governor General.
It that's that Speaker shall call for nominations from the floor of Parliament.
So if a party called to form government fails then the Speaker will call for nominations from the floor of Parliament where any other party or member may nominate a candidate to be Prime Minister and if he/she secures the majority votes of Parliament then they will be declared Prime Minister.
So while O'Neill is correct his party has no doubt secured the highest number of elected candidates and will receive the invitation to form Government he will still need to secure the majority of the votes.
So does O'Neill have the numbers to be re-elected as Prime Minister?
While he claims he has the support of a coalition of parties and independent numbers which include:
PNC 21 - likely 25
PPP 4 likely 5
URP 3 likely 5
SDP 2
Independents 2 - 5
Total 37
However while O'Neill has convinced Sir Julius Chan (PPP) and William Duma (URP) the members of their own parties do not support joining PNC in Alotau.
The three PPP Members-elect were recruited by the former PPP Leader Ben Micah who has made a commitment to the Leader of Pangu Party Sam Basil that he will deliver two newly elected Members of PPP to THE ALLIANCE.
I have also been reliably informed that two members of URP Jelta Wong Member Elect of Gazelle Open and Fabian Pok Member elect of North Wagi Open have openly expressed their reservations about joining PNC in Alotau.
Further SDP (Social Democratic Party) is made up of only two Members Powes Parkop and a new Member elect of Central Bougainville Fr Simon Damurina.
I find it hard to believe that a Catholic Priest would vote for a corrupt Peter O'Neill to be Prime Minister - given the fact it was the O'Neill Government who recently unlawfully deported a catholic missionary.
Further still once it becomes clear to the independents the Alotau camp will end up being in opposition I expect them to abandon ship.
Taking the above issues into consideration the real numbers in the end may very much be as follows:
PNC 25
PPP 1 - Sir Julius Chan
URP 1 - William Duma
SDP 1 - Powes Parkop
Independent 0
Total 28
So O'Neill's own misleading statement has confirmed he does not have the numbers to the form the next Government.

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