PNG PM has one week to maintain parliament's confidence

Papua New Guinea's embattled prime minister will have a long week of wheeling-and-dealing in order to maintain power after his political opposition forced a one week adjournment as social unrest mounts.

A motion of no confidence was delivered against PNG Prime Minister Peter O'Neill on Friday after the nation's Supreme Court ruled parliament's suspension on June 8, only moments before a vote of no confidence against O'Neill was to be heard, was unconstitutional.

It was rumored the clerk and speaker of the one-chamber parliament had been wanting to suspending standing orders and hold the vote on Friday to maintain O'Neill as Prime Minister, but the opposition obtained last minute court orders ensuring the full process is carried out.

Under PNG parliamentary procedure, the vote must be held after a seven-day suspension from when the motion was tabled. Should procedure not be followed, the opposition said it would pursue punitive legal action against the clerk and speaker.

That's a blow to PNG Prime Minister Peter O'Neill who's grip on power is beginning to slip after high-profile Petroleum and Energy Minister Ben Micah ditched the ruling government to join the opposition's ranks just prior to the motion being tabled.

Micah told local media he was unhappy with the way O'Neill has handled the current political instability following weeks of peaceful protests by students at the nation's two major universities.

Neill's office did not immediately respond to Xinhua's request for comment.

Though still shy of the 56-seats needed to overthrow O'Neill, the week gives opposition leader Don Polye much needed time to exploit potential divisions in the prime minister's political party and capitalise on the rising tide of civil unrest.

The groundswell of unrest inadvertently caused some members of parliament to miss the session from continuing delays by national carrier Air Niugini after pilots who are known to be part of a campaign to unseat O'Neill failed to show up for work, causing chaos at the nation's airports, Pasifik News reported.

The striking civil groups are calling on O'Neill to step down and face corruption allegations over his role in authorizing a 31 million Australian dollar (23.50 million U.S. dollar) payment to local law firm Paul Paraka Lawyers for fraudulent invoices. O' Neill claims the allegations are politically motivated.

This forced an extraordinary move by PNG Chief Secretary Isaac Lupari on Thursday to deem any civil unrest as a threat to national security, thus establishing a National Security Joint Taskforce monitoring public decent.

"Any threats in the form of social media, (mainstream) media as well without checking the facts and your report is a threat," Lupari said, according to local PNG newspaper The National.

"Any politician who issues threats through press conferences, petitions by landowners those are potential threats to national security they will come under the scrutiny of the task force now established."

Should O'Neill be toppled however concerns remain on who takes over as many of the potential replacements are also linked to systemic corruption.

Ranked 139 out of 167 countries in Transparency International's global corruption perception index, PNG has a history of conducting inquiries and referring people for prosecution only for further action to subside.

The July 22 vote is Polye's last chance to mount a challenge against O'Neill as laws stipulate a vote of no confidence cannot be conducted within 12 months of the national election.

(APD)