BY BARNABAS MANEBONA
MEMBER of Provincial Assembly (MPA) for Ward 8 at North-west Ngella, Hon Polycarp Galaigu is the new Premier for Central Islands Province (CIP).
Eight non-Executive MPAs debated in favour of the Motion of No Confidence (MONC) against former Premier Stanley Manetiva yesterday and elected Hon Galaigu as the new Premier today.
Despite earlier reports that Mr Manetiva and his ministers did not attend yesterday’s Assembly and MONC because of following procedures as advised by the Attorney General’s Chamber, CIP’s Hon Speaker, Francis Mua, decided to proceed with the MONC and election for Premier.
This is because CIP’s Hon Speaker was also referring to legal advice from the ministry of the provincial government and also the Attorney General’s (AG) chamber to go ahead with the ‘meeting’.
In an advice cited on media to the Provincial Secretary (PS) of CIP, the Attorney-General’s Chambers made reference to the MONC which was filed with the Speaker on May 30.
AG’s Chamber confirmed that the Speaker had called a meeting for June 7 and the MONC tabled as a point of order, however, the seven days’ notice period had not lapsed.
“Your instructions are that due notice was given that on the 10th of June, the motion would be debated.
“The issue is whether the motion of no confidence can be moved before the seven days’ notice has lapsed. The answer is no. The motion of no confidence is a democratic process enshrined in the constitution of Solomon Islands 1978, in which section 107 of the Central Province Standing Order derives the provision,” stated the AG’s Chamber.
AG Chamber added a warning that deviation from the prescribed procedure may render the action ‘invalid’.
Ousted Premier of CIP Hon Stanley Manetiva and his Executive currently seeking legal advice said they want to see the court rule on what is going on, and whether the ruling of the Hon speaker is acceptable with the procedure or not.
“We believe the court to rule whether it is on our side or on the speaker’s side. That is the point,” said Manetiva.
Meanwhile, as Hon Galaigu is congratulated by the people of CIP to be their new Premier, his new Executive is urged to step up on duties from where the former Executive had left.
CIP’s Assembly through all its ‘Provincial Public Accounts Committee (PPAC) resignations and MONC saga’ currently has until June 15 to pass the Budget for the Financial Year (FY) 2022/2023.
Central Provincial Assembly at Tulaghi issued on May 30 from ‘The Clerk to Assembly’ that a Notice of MONC had been received by the Office of the Hon. Speaker from the non-Executive member then, the current Premier Hon Polycarp Galaigu.
This was after two former CIP Executive members under the then Manetiva led government had resigned to join the former non-Executive, pushing their camp number up to a total of eight (8) MPAs. There are 13 provincial Wards in CIP.
The absolute majority of the CIP Provincial Assembly Members then requested an urgent seating pursuant to Section 58 of the ‘Standing Order (SO)’ of Central Islands Provincial Assembly, on which the Hon Speaker confirmed that an Assembly will be held from June 7 -14, 2022.
