Solomons Parliament Speaker rules that Haomae's no confidence motion is inadmissable

Solomon Islands Speaker of Parliament Sir Peter Kenilorea has ruled that the no confidence motion in the Prime Minister (Manasseh Sogavare), submitted to Parliament by South Malaita MP, William Haomae is inadmissable.

Mr Haomae had submitted notice of the no confidence motion three hours after the first motion by Edward Huniehu was withdrawn last Friday.

Speaking in parliament this morning, Sir Peter said he based his decision on standing order 36-three which shows the motion to be out of order because it attempts to raise specific questions which parliament had already taken a decision on.

He said the East Are'Are MP, Edward Huni'ehu's no confidence motion of last week raised questions similar to matters raised in Mr Haomae's motion.

Standing order 27-three-G gives the Speaker provision to return a motion to the member as inadmissible.

"These two motions are essentially one and the same. Notice of the new motion was submitted three hours after the first motion was duly disposed off by this house. Both motions are proposed by the same group of members presumably for the same reasons. However, this group of members withdrew their first motion on the basis that they propose waiting for the pending court cases to be determined. No such determination has yet to take place and it is unlikely to happen in the near future. In light of this observation, there is clearly no change in circumstances between the first motion and the one submitted by Haomae. And, for this reason, I am inclined to rule that the subject matter of both motions is substantively the same, and as such the new motion contravenes the same question rule and is therefore disqualified."

Source: SIBC