Prime Minister Submits Response to Motion of No Confidence
Sources have confirmed that Prime Minister Siaosi Sovaleni has submitted his response to the Parliament Office regarding charges made against him in a motion aimed at unseating and replacing him from his position. The Office of the Chief Clerk of the House, Ms. Gloria Poleo, issued a statement last week indicating that a notice had been delivered to Huakavameiliku (Sovaleni), setting a deadline of today (Friday, September 1, 2023) for him to provide a written response to a Vote of No Confidence motion seeking his removal as Prime Minister.
Both the motion and the response will remain sealed until they are presented before the House during its next session scheduled for Tuesday of the upcoming week. The motion of No Confidence was submitted in writing last week by Member of Parliament Aisake Eke, who had also contested against Sovaleni for the position of Chief Executive at the beginning of the current Parliamentary term in January of last year.
Speculation is running high among the public, with supporters and opponents on both sides closely following the developments. There is particular interest surrounding the charges outlined in the motion and the potential responses to them. The administration itself is not without controversy, spanning from the management of the Covid contraction and distribution of aid following a series of natural disasters last year, to a series of Cabinet reshuffles prompted by allegations of election impropriety and the unfortunate passing of several Ministers. Additionally, concerns have been raised over irregularities identified during public accounts audits, extravagant foreign travel expenditures, and unresolved fiscal deficits.
The latest controversy pertains to the operations of the government-owned airline, Lulutai, which allegedly involved risky financial arrangements using funds from the national retirement system. Until further details are revealed, these controversies remain unanswered by Prime Minister Sovaleni and his government.
