Parlt plans to sit for up to two weeks: Official

By HELEN TARAWA
PARLIAMENT will sit for up to two weeks from next Tuesday, and is expected to rise before the grace period of the current Government expires, an official says.
Clerk to Parliament Vela Konivaro said the two weeks would “fall in line with the expiry date of the grace period of the current government” which was elected into power after the 2017 general election. The expiry date of the grace period is Feb 5.
“(Any) motion of no confidence will only be introduced when Parliament is in session. We are expecting Parliament to rise before the expiry of the grace period,” he said.
He said the Speaker would table some decisions of the Supreme Court relating to the vote of no confidence filed by the Opposition in 2016.
“The Supreme Court had made some rulings during the last vote of no confidence (in 2016),” he said.
“There were some cases instituted by the Government. Parliament is also involved so we are expected to make some statements over the court cases.”
He said they were expecting “a week or two” of debate before Parliament would rise.
“The rising date is not advised until after the end of the two weeks by the Leader of Government Business (Finance Minister James Marape),” Konivaro said.
Meanwhile, he said Deputy Speaker Jeffrey Komal would be in the chair because Speaker Job Pomat was still in Government House as acting Governor-General.
Konivaro told The National that Governor-General Sir Bob Dadae, who lost his wife Lady Hannah late last year, was on compassionate leave.
“Sir Bob Dadae has also taken his normal leave of absence. He will return to duty sometime in March. Pomat will act as GG in Sir Bob’s absence,” he said.
“The normal government business will be advised during the start of the sitting by the Leader of Government Business, Finance Minister James Marape.”