NATIONAL PARLIAMENT OF
DAILY HANSARD
FIRST MEETING – EIGHTH SESSION
The Speaker, Rt Hon Sir Peter
Kenilorea took the Chair at
Prayers.
ATTENDANCE
At prayers, all were present with the exception of the
Members for
MOTIONS
Motion of No Confidence
“That
the Parliament resolves it has no confidence in the Prime Minister”
Mr OTI:
Mr Speaker, the motion that is
before the floor of Parliament under my name in today’s Order Paper is a motion
that calls on Parliament to resolve it has no confidence in the Prime Minister.
Mr Speaker, as you would witness
this morning it is very obvious the Prime Minister no longer commands the
majority of the House. In that regard, Mr
Speaker, the most honourable thing to do would be for the Prime Minister to
take into account the processes of parliamentary democracy taking into consideration
the rule of the majority, and taking further consideration the call by the
people last week whether or not we would like to interpret it as merely
representing the population of Honiara, I would leave that to Parliament to
interpret.
In this regard, Mr Speaker, whilst I have every
intention of moving the motion, it is also incumbent on the Prime Minister to
recognize the realities on the floor of Parliament as is now reflected in the
division of numbers as well as to reflect on two previous occasions when two
Prime Ministers placed in the same situation have had to resign on the floor of
Parliament, the first in 1994 and the second in 2000, and I would like to
request the Prime Minister very honorably to tender his resignation forthwith.
Mr Speaker, I have with me, if the Prime Minister so
agrees, a letter which would make him take that action for the sake, not only
of this Parliament, but for the whole of
First of all before I move the motion, I would like to
request the Prime Minister whether he would take that honorable step to
gracefully and honorably bow to the wish of Parliament. Thank you, Mr Speaker.
Mr Speaker: Do you have
any comments on that Hon. Prime Minister?
As the Honorable Member for Temotu Nende has clearly stated, he is yet
to move the motion of no confidence but is merely appealing to your personal
stand at this stage?
Hon HUNIEHU: Point
of order, Mr Speaker. Since the mover of
the motion had requested the Prime Minister to officially resign on the floor
of Parliament, may I request Parliament to adjourn for five or ten minutes so that
the Prime Minister can also get advice from ………
Mr Oti: Point of order, Mr Speaker,
this matter is now under consideration and the Prime Minister needs to make his
decision based on the advice tendered to him.
Thank you.
Mr Speaker: Before the
Speaker rules in any other situation I simply wanted to hear from the Prime
Minister first of all before we can suggest any other move.
Hon RINI: Mr Speaker, I
know exactly what the Member on the Opposition has suggested. So may I ask your permission to suspend
Parliament for 15 minutes to discuss the situation with my government?
The House suspended for 15 minutes
(Parliament resumes)
Hon Rini: Thank you, Mr
Speaker, for allowing us, especially my group to discuss this situation this
morning.
Mr Speaker, in view of recent
changes in my government as of this morning which has seen the decrease in the
number of Members of Parliament supporting me, and in order for this country to
move forward in peace and also for all of us 50 Members of Parliament to work
together so that this country can go forward, I have no alternative but to
tender my resignation forthwith as the Prime Minister of Solomon Islands.
I shall inform the Governor General
formally later this morning. Thank you.
(applause)
Mr Speaker: To facilitate
that opportunity to discuss the next stage of development, I adjourn Parliament
under Standing Order 10(5) until
The House adjourned at