BY SAMIE WAIKORI
Auki
THE Motion of No-confidence against Malaita Premier, Daniel Suidani has been withdrawn this morning as groups of people marched through Auki demanding MARA remains in power.
The events leading to the withdrawal of the motion started yesterday, when angry crowds blocked and locked the Provincial Assembly Chamber in protest against the no-confidence vote scheduled to be tabled against Premier Daniel Suidani today.
Around mid-day they gathered at the provincial chamber and demanded everyone in the building to leave and to lock-down the facility.
Even the premier and members of his executive were in the building during that time and were forced to leave the chamber.
Premier Daniel Suidani confirmed to the local media in Auki yesterday what transpired, saying they were told to leave the chamber and they did so as the people had demanded.
He said the building belongs to the people and they respect their rights and the power they have to decide on what is good for the property they own.
Suidani said his government is prepared and ready to face the motion if it is tabled today.
Deputy Premier, Glen Waneta also concurred with the premier’s statement saying there is a provision under the provincial Standing Order (S.O) that provides for the recognition of people.
He said it was on this notion that they respect people’s request and left the building as demanded.
Clerk to the provincial assembly, Matthew Maefai also told the local media what had happened, saying his office respect the people’s demand for this is their power.
He said locking the chamber or blocking access to the facility means the motion of no-confidence against Suidani may not be moved today.
Maefai said in addition to that order papers for the motion supposed to be prepared by the office of the speaker and his office was not prepared and ready yesterday.
He said the speaker called him yesterday so that they could prepare the order papers, but they never met due to some issues that seems not right to his office.
“The speaker called me and I told him to come down to the provincial chamber to prepare the order paper.
“Instead, he told me to go down to the police station to prepare the paper there.
“His request for me to meet him at the police station is for security purposes in which I consulted the premier and his deputy premier and they turned down the request.
“They told me that the provincial chamber is the right place to prepare the order paper and not the police station.
“And if he wants us to do the work, it must be done at the chamber and not anywhere else,” Maefai said.
Auki Police Operation Manager, Eddie Koto when speaking on the arrangement made by the speaker to prepare the order paper at the Auki police station, said he will not allow such work to be carried out at the station.
He shared similar statements to the premier that the provincial chamber is the right place to do the work and not at the Auki police station.
Koto stressed that the police must remain neutral in the current situation and they are only there to provide security and ensure the motion takes place peacefully if it is carried out.
He said the reactions of people towards the motion are being witnessed in Auki and in order to mitigate any risk to the public of Auki, the movers of the motion must rethink their decision.
Koto said they are leaders themselves and when faced with such situation, they must think about the welfare of the people they are mandated to lead not for the bad but for the good.
In Auki, vehicles carrying banners pasted on them and even a flotilla with banners in support of the MARA government and calls to withdraw the motion.
People claimed the motion is not in their interest and must be withdrawn.
Also, an influx of people from parts of the province, as well as from Honiara, converged at Auki ahead of today’s proposed date.
Island Sun understands that the 33 MPAs are already in Auki.
