Parliament Suspended Amid No Confidence Motion in Prime Minister Manele
Parliament has been temporarily suspended as lawmakers prepare for the motion of no confidence in Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele. The motion, led by Gordon Darcy Lilo (MP for Central Honiara) and Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, has drawn significant political attention, with Lilo seeking to challenge the Prime Minister’s leadership.
This morning, Speaker Oti outlined the procedural process for the motion, confirming that once the motion of no confidence is placed on the Order Paper, it is ready for introduction. However, Speaker Oti clarified that the decision to proceed with the motion rests with the mover, Lilo, and that Parliament will follow established House procedures rather than informal or “gentleman’s” standing orders.
In response, Lilo confirmed that he had written to both Prime Minister Manele and the Speaker requesting a deferral of the debate to Wednesday, 18 December 2024, citing procedural concerns. However, Lilo was informed that there is no provision in the Standing Orders to defer the debate to another date.
Lilo raised the Sikua v. Kemakeza case (Civil Case No. 401 of 2012), in which the Chief Justice ruled that the mover of a motion has the right to control the timing of the debate. The court ruled that the Speaker cannot unilaterally place a motion on the Order Paper without the consent of the mover. Lilo sought to apply this precedent to request additional time for parliamentary deliberations.
In light of Lilo’s reference to this case, Speaker Oti suspended Parliament to seek further clarification on the legal implications of the ruling and its application to the current situation. The suspension has temporarily delayed the proceedings, with the motion still set to proceed unless the Speaker grants the deferral after receiving the necessary clarification.
Parliament has now resumed.
