BY MORRIS NAFU

A group consisting of government and opposition MPs met secretly on Wednesday night at the Heritage Park Hotel, the agenda – third wave of motion of no-confidence against PM Jeremiah Manele.

PM Manele confirmed to Island Sun being aware of the said meeting but declined to comment further.

With all corridor lights turned off, the meeting was held at the furthest conference room.

A number of government ministers and prominent members of the opposition group attended.

The agenda was to consolidate numbers and plan a motion of no-confidence motion against PM Manele, insiders told the paper on condition of anonymity. Island Sun was also on the ground and witnessed the gathering.

The group however does not have the numbers and are planning to lure other MPs to join them, the insiders said.

Making up the majority of government MPs who attended the meeting were members of one of the major coalition parties of the GNUT. However, the party’s two main leaders were not present.

Three GNUT MPs who attended were approached for comment but declined yesterday.

The issue of a third wave of motion of no-confidence was alive in late September when PM Manele was overseas on official international engagements.

A group of government MPs were rallying to launch a motion of no-confidence against PM Manele on October 13 when parliament resumed.

However, this campaign was halted in its tracks when PM Manele returned and made a major reshuffle.

MP Rexson Ramofafia was made new finance minister on Friday, October 3. He replaced MP Trevor Manemahaga who had only been made finance minister a month earlier, August 30.

This reshuffle was only a band-aid fix. The problems which had caused the group to rally for a motion of no-confidence are still present, leading to Wednesday night’s secret meeting, the insiders told Island Sun.

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