Motion against WP Premier Gina withdrawn

The anticipated Motion of No Confidence against the Premier of Western Province David Gina was withdrawn by the mover before it was debated by Provincial Assembly in Gizo this morning.

Report from Gizo to SBMOnline confirms that the motion was set to be debated when Premier Gina raised a point of order on the validity of the motion. In raising the point of order, Gina made reference to point three of the motion (total of 5 points were raised against the premier) which made reference to the appointment of the general manager of Western Province Investment Corporation (WPIC), which the mover claimed was made in breach of the 2014 Amended Ordinance of the Province. The 2014 amended ordinance states that the position of the general manager of GPIC must be advertised, which the mover, Hon Samuel Sive, of Cenral Marovo, claimed was not done by the province.

However, the premier in his point of order pointed out that the 2014 Amended Ordinance though passed had never been gazetted and has since not been operationalized so the motion was invalid. The province currently operates under the 1991 and 1995 Consolidated Ordinance, which gives power for the chairman and the board to directly appoint the general of WPIC, which was what they did in the appointment of the current general manager.

The premier argued that because the 2014 amended ordinance has not been gazetted the mover, Sive, should withdraw the motion.

Western Provincial Speaker Sina Adrian confirms that the motion had been withdrawn before it was heard.

He said after hearing the premier’s point of order he had asked the mover to withdraw the motion, which he did.

Sina said he had also looked at the likely legal consequences so in that spirit he had asked for the motion to be withdrawn.

It is unlikely the motion would be brought to the provincial assembly again this year.

News@SBMOnline2020