FIGHT IS STILL ON

By Bryan Kramer MP via Facebook Post

All week Prime Minister Peter O'Neill claimed his Government was intact however this afternoon when Parliament reconvened, he made a desperate attempt to avoid facing a motion of no confidence. He mustered what little numbers he had left in his Government and adjourned Parliament for 3 weeks to be reconvened on 28th May 2019. 

O'Neill’s Government barely passed the motion with59 votes versus the Alternative Government 50.

Right now the Alternative Government is short by just 6 Members to control the floor of Parliament and vote him out.

A number of members that make up the Government coalition parties initially had made a commitment to cross the floor to join the members of the Alternative Government.

So why didn't they?

The members of the Government coalition parties had initially indicated to join the Laguna camp but conditional to them securing the nominee. When they failed to show up at the 11th hour, the Laguna camp proceeded as planned and James Marape was elected unopposed through a fair and transparent process.

While it appears O'Neill's Government is intact, it isn't. The main players making play to remove O'Neill include Julius Chan's PPP (5 Members), William Duma's URP (11 Members) Sam Basil's Melanesian Alliance Party (9 Members) and Charles Abel PNC Party (26).

Basil will never be the nominee, that much I can confirm. Power play will be between Chan, Duma and Abel. A further play is for them to force O'Neill to resign.

By adjourning the Parliament for 3 weeks, it not only prevents the alternative Government from moving a notice of motion but it also essentially means that the lobbying for the nominee of the alternative Prime Minister will continue over the next 3 weeks.

This adjournment is by no means a brain child of O'Neill but power play by others in his coalition government seeking to be the nominee.

So by no means it is over... negotiations during and after Parliament session has begun.

Three weeks will fly by - next Tuesday will mean there is only two weeks left and the intense lobbying will continue. O'Neill also has to worry about further resignations from his own Party and his Cabinet.

Tomorrow, I will post an article explaining how you can play an active role in ensuring O’Neill is voted out of office come 28th May 2019.

Picture: credit to EMTV, minus the text.