BY ALEX DADAMU
THE ‘Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2022’ which seeks to defer the current term of the parliament to December 31, is now in its Second Reading and is currently being debated on the floor of parliament.
Opening the debate on the Bill’s Second Reading, Leader of Opposition and Member of Parliament for Auki/Langalanga, Hon. Matthew Wale expressed his frustration on why the Government has not ‘exhausted all options before resorting to making amendments to defer parliament.
Hon. Wale pointed out that a parliament within its right mind and is thinking rationally would demand that all other options to hosting both events in the same year be exhausted.
“Has that been done, Mr. Speaker? No. Why not? The government did not exhaust all options for the hosting of both events.
“You haven’t exhausted all options, then you come to this floor and you say we can’t afford it.
“This was a deliberate and part of a scheme to leave parliament with no option in a time-pressure situation.
“As it is, the justification for this bill is very lightweight.
“The people of Solomon Islands must and will remember this sad day.
“The People’s Government and the people’s parliament are being abused in this bill by the few who are exercising executive government powers. This government has turned a Democratic majority into a tyranny of numbers. The hijack of an arbitral process sets a bad precedent.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Prime Minister and Member of Parliament for East Malaita, Hon. Manasseh Maelanga in his debate speech said there a very highly educated people, including some members of parliament, who went on a rampage to try his credit the government’s intentions.
“It is likely that the parliamentary opposition also seeks to rival the government’s intentions by further providing misleading and inaccurate information to the ordinary people.
“The government is always clear and fairly transparent about this bill,” Deputy Prime Minister, Hon. Maelanga expressed.
He pointed out that the Prime Minister on most occasions clearly explained in Parliament and through other media platforms, the reasons for this proposed deferment of the coming elections.
“So it is very surprising,” Hon. Maelanga stated.
