BY BARNABAS MANEBONA
URGENT Seating requested by Central Islands Province (CIP) Provincial Assembly Members will be held starting tomorrow on June 7 to 14.
The Motion of No Confidence (MONC) against the CIP Premier Hon Stanley Manetiva will also be held during this week as these are interesting days ahead for the people of the province and their leaders.
Pursuant to Section 58 of the ‘Standing Order (SO)’ of Central Islands Provincial Assembly, the Hon Speaker according to request by the majority of CIP Provincial Assembly Members (MPAs) confirmed that an Assembly will be held starting tomorrow.
With the ongoing Provincial Public Accounts Committee (PPAC) ‘resignation saga’ leading to the ‘No Budget Pass’ for CIP, it is understood that if there is no PPAC, then the Budget for the province will not be passed. And, if there is no ‘Budget passed’ then the Provincial Government will not fully function.
So the likely scenario if this issue is not resolved is the Minister of Provincial Government might use authority powers under the ‘Provincial Government Act’ to effect the dissolution of the current CIP Assembly. Meaning the province will be directly administered by the Ministry of Provincial Government and Institutional Strengthening (MPGIS) by appointed officials on behalf of the ministry.
As time is catching up over this likely scenario, a spokesperson for the CIP provincial Assembly members speaking to Sunday Isles said in order for the Province to not be suspended, the Hon Speaker must convene the meeting and uphold the absolute majority of the Assembly Members call.
The Spokesperson elaborated that the urgent ‘Assembly Seating’ is lawful according to Section 58 of the order if the absolute majority of the Assembly Members write a letter to the Hon Speaker.
“Legal clarification from the Attorney General [AG] and Legal office of the Ministry of Provincial Government and Institutional Strengthening [MPGIS] confirmed already that it is lawful,” said the Spokesperson.
The Assembly meeting will be held at the Provincial Chamber commencing at 0900 hours according to a message issued by the Clerk of Central Islands Province (CIP) on June 1.
“From Clerk Central Province: To all Provincial Members of Central Province.
“You are hereby informed that pursuant to Section 58 of the Standing Order of Central Provincial Assembly the Hon Speaker has confirmed that an Assembly will be held from 7 June – 14 June 2022 at the Provincial Chamber commencing at 0900 hours. Please find your own way to Tulagi before that date, all expenses will be refunded on arrival.
Meeting will proceed as schedule,” said the Clerk.
CIP Premier Hon Stanley Manetiva earlier on in mid-April over this issue stated that the province has lost 60 percent of its capital PCDF funding from the government after the resignation of the four (4) Non-executive Members of its PPAC in the 11th hour.
Though the Premier respects the PPAC’s resignation option on the 11th or Zero hours with stated grounds in their Letters addressed to the Speaker, his office is however appalled by the outcome for ‘not’ having the Appropriation Budget Estimates for 2022/2023FY through PPAC.
“It is illogical and contradictory to leadership, honourableness, and integrity as expected by SO [Standing Order] 246 and 247. They opted to resign just days prior to the set date despite ongoing negotiations and moving the Assembly Meeting dates to accommodate the PPAC meeting.
“The right to resign knowing very well the consequences has to be exercised in a manner as expected by a public leader. There is a loss suffered by the province in costs and the people of the Wards have suffered the loss in projects to their villages as stated above.
“All grievances and issues should be addressed or raised using formally recognized committees and official lines of Communications.
“To all non-executive members, SO mandates that 4 of you should be in the PPAC for the upcoming Final Audit Report for the previous FY and the upcoming 60 percent cut in the Capital Budget session in June 2022.
“My Government will be working closely with MPGIS on the way forward to avoid such events being repeated not only for Central Province but for other Provinces may be in the future.
“I wish to assure my people that normal Services will continue and ongoing roll-over projects will continue for completion. The 60 percent cut in PCDF funds will affect the new projects listed for this year 2022/2023FY.
“As a result, the Provincial Budget cannot be tabled on the floor of Assembly hence as provided for by FMO Ordinance, the Province is currently operating under a Contingency Warrant until a new budget is tabled in June 2022.
“I sincerely hope that such events are not repeated in the June Assembly Sitting,” said Manetiva.
The four CIP resigned PPAC members on the other hand in defence of their action responded to Premier Manetiva with nine (9) points, alleging because of ‘continuous corrupt unfairness’ in their provincial affairs under the current Executive leadership is why they tendered resignation.
Also, the Chairman of the resigned PPAC members, the MPA for Ward 8 at Northwest Ngella Hon Polycarp Galaigu points back that it is the ‘unprofessional approach’ by the Premier that has cost the province on the PCDF cut.
This includes the non-passing of the Financial Year (FY) 22/23 Provincial Budget.
The PPAC Chairman in response on behalf of the PPAC members over Hon Premier’s earlier ‘Media Release’ acknowledge the Hon Premier of CIP for informing the province of why the budget did not pass.
But, elaborates that it will be more interesting to hear the root cause of why the PPAC did not convene the meeting required under the Order for the people of CIP to know the type of government leadership their Province has in this 11th Assembly.
“First of all we the resigned PPAC of CIP [Hon Polycarp Galaigu the MPA for Ward 8 at Northwest Ngella- Chairman, Hon Kenneth Sagupari the MPA for Ward 2 at Central West Ngella- Vice Chairman, Hon James Kaka the MPA for Ward 1 at Sandfly Bonevesta, and Hon Jay Rotaua the MPA for Ward 10 Pavuvu], regret to inform the Province at large to see us as the cause of the none passing of the Provincial budget and the claimed budget by the Premier as the budget of the people,” said Galaigu.
“But we have to look at both sides of the story before we could have a harmonized conclusion, hence as PPAC resigned Members and elected leaders of our province and people, we want to clear our side on the very reasons for our resignation.
“Section 199 – 214 of the Order stipulates what type of committee the ‘Public Accounts’ is and its Powers, functions, and other areas related for fully functioning of the Province that needs to be respected. As the Mandated Committee of the Provincial Assembly and the Provincial budget to be passed, is legally required to go through the scrutiny of this Committee [PPAC].
“PPAC’s step taken resulting of the non-passing of the budget and losing of PCDF 60 percent estimated around $3m is seen by the current ruling government as a hijack to the Province.
“But let me assure the Province and our people that we believe that this step is necessary to put the Province in the right direction and set a precedence for any future government not to follow this path again.”
Four of the PPAC members of CIP had tendered their resignation from their PPAC positions to the Office of the Speaker on March 22.
The PPAC was scheduled to meet on March 21 and 23 early this year before the Full Assembly on March 24, 25, and 28 to pass the Budget for the final year of 2022-23 for the service delivery of CIP as intended.
Meanwhile on another update, information reaching this paper has it that the current minority ruling Executive led by Premier Hon Stanley Manetiva will boycott the MONC tomorrow.
“And who knows they might also boycott the whole assembly including the election of a new Premier and ‘Budget’ passing of Financial Year (FY) 2022/23.
“Nevertheless, legal clarification given is that 8 MPAs is already a quorum and can pass the budget plus a motion and election of new Premier,” said report.
Carrying out the MONC against the Premier are the CIP provincial government non-Executive members, headed by the recent resigned PPAC members of the province.
Earlier on, two CIP Executive members had resigned to join the non-Executive which means that there are a total eight (8) MPAs in the non-Executive camp currently while the current Executive under Hon Manetiva’s leadership rules with five (5).
Call is given by the CIP Clerk to Assembly and Hon Speaker, for all MPAs to attend the Assembly meeting tomorrow because as elected leaders, they are reminded to respect the process of democracy and pass the budget of their people and service delivery for CIP.
