Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister Peter O’Neill announced his resignation yesterday at a press conference in Port Moresby. The announcement followed the defections on Friday of several MPs to the Opposition, which is now claiming sufficient numbers to form government in its own right.

Peter O’Neill (centre) during his resignation press conference. Sir Julius Chan is seated on the left. Credit: EMTV

‘I am announcing today that I am stepping down as the Prime Minister of the Independent State of Papua New Guinea,’ he told a press conference yesterday.

‘Through nearly eight years as the Prime Minister of this great country, we have delivered a policy agenda that has changed the nation for the better.

‘In consultation with coalition government partners, we have decided to ask Sir Julius Chan to lead the team in Government for the remainder of this term of Parliament.’

‘It is my view that what our country needs right now is a continuation of the stability that we have provided since 2011.’

Sir Julius Chan, the 79-year-old Governor of New Ireland Province, was formerly Prime Minister of PNG from 1980 to 1982 and from 1994 to 1997. He is leader of the Peoples Progress Party, a member of the ruling coalition government.

‘I intend to visit to the Governor-General this week to clear the way for the Parliament to vote for the next Prime Minister.’

Not a change of government

O’Neill made it clear that his resignation was not the end of the current government, a coalition led by his own party, the People’s National Congress.

‘It is my view that what our country needs right now is a continuation of the stability that we have provided since 2011.

‘He’s still prime minister until he tenders his resignation in writing to the head of state the governor general, under Section 146 of the Constitution.’

‘The point must be made very clearly that this is not a change of government, it is the continuation of a government agenda that has changed our nation for the better.

‘It is a continuation of the objectives we established, the policies we advanced and the goals we set.’

Constitution

Julius Chan (left), Peter O’Neill (centre), Charles Abel (right) after the press conference. Credit: ABC

Former Chief Justice Sir Arnold Amet provided some clarity regarding O’Neill’s status.

‘He’s still prime minister until he tenders his resignation in writing to the head of state the governor general, under Section 146 of the Constitution,’ he told the national Broadcasting Corporation yesterday.

Amet also seemed keen to clear up any confusion regarding Sir Julius Chan’s role, observing:

‘There is no provision nor power in the prime minister to appoint a caretaker prime minister. There is no such provision.’

‘When the prime minister resigns, tenders his resignation to the governor general and is still here in the country he is still the prime minister until the house (Parliament) convenes and appoints a new prime minister.’

Parliament

Meanwhile, the Opposition, which had been planning a vote of no confidence in the O’Neill Government, is now claiming to have the support of a majority of MPs. This follows reported defections of several MPs from the government last Friday.

There is currently no proposed alterative Prime Minister, following the Opposition’s withdrawal of its notice for a Vote of No Confidence last week. In that notice, former Finance Minister James Marape was the proposed alternative PM.

Parliament is due to sit tomorrow (Tuesday).

Business Advantage PNG understands that, once O’Neill’s formal letter of resignation has been delivered to the Governor-General, it must be tabled in Parliament. The Speaker will declare the position of Prime Minister vacant and the responsibilities of the office should fall on the Deputy Prime Minister, who is currently the Treasurer, Charles Abel.

The Speaker should then adjourn Parliament for 24 hours before reconvening it for the appointment of a new Prime Minister the following day. That vote for PM would be on a simple majority of MPs.

If all proceeds according to protocol and PNG’s Constitution, there could be a vote for a new Prime Minister as early as this Wednesday, between Sir Julius Chan and an as-yet-unnamed Opposition nominee.