Call For GNU

“I am calling on the Opposition to join the Government to form a Government of National Unity (GNU), to accept the positions of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, to allow parliament to pass next year’s budget, to avoid dissolving parliament and returning to early national polls”.

Senior citizen Maxime Carlot Korman makes the call as a former Prime Minister, former Speaker of the once Representative Assembly and former Speaker of Parliament saying he is worried by the political dilemma and confusion as people wait and wonder what is going to happen.

He says he is concerned because he wants to see the country return to political stability for peace and unity to prevail.

Korman says the ball is in the Opposition’s court to make the right move to save the country from significant expenses.

The former speaker says it is not proper for the Opposition to ask the Prime Minister to step down because he won’t unless the Opposition has the numbers to oust him in a vote of no confidence motion, a possibility which is currently not within its reach as it does not have 27 MPs.

On the other hand, the Government does not have 27 MPs either to ask the Head of State to call parliament to pass the budget.

“In order for common sense to prevail, the Opposition has to join the Government in a GNU. Do not worry about the ‘pig’s skull,” he tells Opposition.

With only one year to go, he encourages both sides of the House to see sense and agree to a GNU to pass a good budget.

“I am certain that the population will be glad to see such a spirit of unity which binds both sides to work together to hold the country until the general elections next year,” he says.

Korman says the current court case cannot be used as the reason to tell the Prime Minister to step down.

He reminds all leaders that the first President of the country, George Sokomanu used his discretion to close parliament without any advice from the Council of Ministers.

“I know because I was one of those who drafted the Constitution. At the time, the Head of the Executive who was Prime Minister Father Walter Lini, sued him in court and he was found guilty and imprisoned,” Korman recalls.

In the current situation he believes the Head of State is well informed which is why he is trying to allow both sides to find a way out without him having to dissolve parliament.

“The Constitution is clear that the power of the people is invested in the Prime Minster, while the Head of State does not have the power to stop an advice from the Prime Minister to dissolve parliament,” he says.

“It is not a matter of whether or not the Opposition wants a dissolution of parliament because the President can dissolve parliament on the advice from the Prime Minister.

“There is no law to state that the Opposition can tell the Prime Minister to step down but there is a procedure by which the Opposition can call parliament and table a motion with the required number for calling parliament. They can table a motion of no confidence against the Prime Minister and he can then resign.”