The Speaker of the Makira Ulawa Provincial Assembly, Peter Baewai says he has allowed a motion of no-confidence against the Provincial Premier Julian Maka’a, to be moved in the full assembly meeting in March.
He said the Provincial Assembly Member for Ward 5 in Arosi 2 of West Makira, Jackson Sunaone will move the no-confidence motion against Mr. Maka’a and his Executive.
Mr. Baewai said the tentative date to start the full assembly meeting is set for March 17.
He said the motion is the second Mr. Sunaone has requested, the first was turned down because he had failed to submit adequate grounds.
But Speaker, Mr. Baewai said he now accepts the second request although he is still not in the position to reveal Mr. Sunaone’s grounds for moving the motion.
In the meantime, he said, Heads of Departments of the Makira Ulawa Provincial Government have since last week been busy putting together a Provincial Budget Plan for the full Assembly meeting to consider.
Mr. Baewai said the Provincial Public Accounts Committee (PAC) will be meeting next week to scrutinize the Budget Plan.
He said the PAC’s Chairman remains the Assembly Member for Ward 9 of West Bauro in Central Makira, Faga Kira.
Mr. Baewai added, while the Public Accounts Committee should comprise five members, it currently has three members and they do form a quorum.
He said the full meeting of the Provincial Assembly will need to endorse two new PAC members to replace two former Executive Members who were removed from their portfolios, thus losing their memberships.
Meanwhile, criticisms are mounting against Mr. Sunaone from the supporters of Premier Maka’a in Honiara and in Kira Kira, who feel his provincial government should be given the chance to fulfill its policy intentions.
And in response, Mr. Sunaone said in a brief interview in Kira Kira that the people of Makira Ulawa Province deserve a government that listens to them and addresses their needs for development.
By George Atkin
Kira Kira Correspondent
