12 Dec 2003

PNG prime minister seeks third bid to government grace bid

4:59 pm on 12 December 2003

The Papua New Guinea prime minister, Sir Michael Somare, is planning to re-introduce in parliament the bill to have the grace period on votes of no confidence extended.

Sir Michael has not given up on the bIll, which has caused heated debate and saw the deputy prime minister, Andrew Baing, being sacked for not supporting it.

According to the Post Courier, Sir Michael says the Bill to extend the grace period from 18 months to 36 months would be reintroduced because it had been revoked in the last session of parliament.

He says he will introduce it and he is sure common sense will prevail in the end.

Sir Michael says the process outlined in the Integrity of Political Party and Candidate Act had loopholes that needed to be amended.