AS the political drama in the Malaita Provincial Assembly deepens this week, the Office of the Speaker of the Provincial Assembly is again under the spotlight for aiding the non-executive to defeat the budget.
The Malaita Provincial Assembly defeated the budget in what the MARA Government viewed as a continuation of a well calculated move to try to topple the Suidani-led executive for the third time.
Correspondence between the Malaita Provincial Speaker’s office and the Attorney General Chambers sighted by this paper shows that the Malaita Provincial Speaker, Ronnie Butala, sought advice in advance about the scenario of a budget defeat and its implication.
This prompts the question of ‘Why did the Speaker seek advice on the scenario of a budget defeat on 12 January, five days before the budget was actually defeated by the non-executive?’
The speculations now are that the Speaker has discussed with the non-executive the idea of defeating the budget before seeking advice from the Attorney General Chambers about its legal practicality.
The MARA Government is of the view that the Speaker, just as in previous times, played a key role in the defeat of the budget on 17January.
The MARA Government has again accused the Speaker for collaborating with the non-executive in creating the situation for him to rule to fail the budget when some of the MARA executive members were away on compassionate leave.
The following instructions were made by the Attorney General Chambers in response to the request by the Malaita Provincial Speaker:
“When a motion to pass a financial bill or the revised budget bill is defeated, no further proceeding shall be taken upon the bill.
“The Provincial Speaker does not have the powers provided under the Standing Order, Provincial Government Act 1997, Malaita Province Financial Managements Ordinance 2018 to authorise further proceeding on the Financial Bill or Reversed budget Bill.
“In the light of this, such matter can be referred to the Minister of the Provincial Government who may invoke his powers under section 47 of the Provincial Government Act 1997.”
In the first motion of no confidence against Premier Suidani in 2020, the Speaker was accused of biasness when he allowed a motion with no sufficient points to be tabled.
In 2021 during the second motion of no confidence, the Speaker was accused of supporting the non-executive after he was spotted in the camp of the non-executive before the motion day.
The same Speaker also refused to swear in new ministers under the MARA Government in 2021.
According to the MARA Government, the Speaker is on it again, supporting his cronies in the non-executive in yet another desperate attempt to overthrow Premier Suidani and his MARA Government.
Attempts to get comments from the Speaker were unsuccessful.
In the meantime, the Malaita Provincial Assembly is waiting on the Minister of the Provincial Government and Institutional Strengthening (MPGIS) to make a decision on the matter.
By WILSON SAENI in Auki
