PNG Caretaker PM Peter O'Niell Declares New Government in Place

O’Neill declares . . .
New Govt in place
By ISAAC NICHOLAS (PNG Post Courier)

CARETAKER Prime Minister Peter O’Neill declared yesterday afternoon that a new government is now in place. This comes as three senior Highlands leaders – Don Polye, Anderson Agiru and Peter Ipatas – publically supported O’Neill’s bid to form government with his People’s National Congress party.

The three leaders were also backed by Our Development Party Leader Sir Puka Temu and two Independents – new Mendi MP De Kewanu and Wabag MP Robert Ganim.

Sir Puka congratulated Mr O’Neill saying the coalition partners had made a deal to go into the elections and return to form government.

“The people of Papua New Guinea have granted the mandate to PNC and very little politics must come into play,” Sir Puka said.

Mr O’Neill claims to have over 56 members – 22 from his PNC Party and the rest from recent coalition partners.

“We now have an overwhelming majority of more than 56 members,” Mr O’Neill said. “Now you have a government in place. The Parliament will be recalled seven days after the return of writs for a new government.”

Yesterday’s moves followed the historic occasion on Tuesday of three former Prime Ministers – including Sir Michael Somare, Sir Julius Chan and Paias Wingti – humbling themselves to back Mr O’Neill as Prime Minister. This they did as a remarkable show of leadership in the best interests of the country.

THE Party leader and Kandep MP Don Polye who had previously set his sights on the top job has now also joined hands with the PNC Party to form a new government.

“You realise that I put up my hands up to form government in the event that the current Prime Minister (Mr O’Neill) did not have the numbers to form government,” Mr Polye said.

“I was one of those who put their hands up and at this stage the election results shows that PNC Party was favored by the voters and they obviously have the numbers and under the laws will be invited to form government.”

Mr Polye said THE Party was a key player in the formation of the current government and gave its best shot in the elections, polling very well though the Party is only four months old.

“PNC Party has been given overwhelming mandate by the people to govern and instead of political power-play we have to put the interest of the country first,” said Mr Polye.

“I accept defeat. Although I advocated that I will form government… now we accept the fact that we do not have the numbers.”

Polye’s THE Party’s five MP’s-elect, including female member Dellilah Gore, left for Alotau yesterday to join the camp. Loujaya Toni, Lae Open’s female member-elect is already in camp.

The Peoples United Assembly with four MP’s-elect under Mr Agiru and Mr Ipatas’ two People’s Party members-elect will be traveling into Alotau today.

Other coalition members already in camp are National Alliance (5), People’s Progress Party (6), Social Democratic Party (2), People’s Democratic Movement (1), United Party (1), Indigenous People Party (1), Our Development Party (1), New Generation Party (1) and Independents (4).

Mr Robert Sandan Ganim the New Member of Parliament for Wabag, Enga Province

Mr Robert Sandan Ganim is the new Member of Parliament for Wabag in the Enga Province of Papua New Guinea defeating Mr Samuel Abal.    One can only wish Mr Samuel Abal well and thank him for a faithful service to the country as member for Wabag, Deputy Prime Minister, Acting Prime Minister and Deputy Opposition Leader. Mr Abal is a man of integrity and whilst many hoped and wished him to be the next Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, the people of Wabag clearly wanted change; possibly not in his style of leadership, but in the lack of services delivery to the Wabag electorate.

On the other hand the new member for Wabag, Mr Ganim must not be under estimated. Mr Robert Ganim was an Inspector in the Correctional Services and later became a Secondary School teacher after graduating from both Goroka Teacher’s College (currently University of Goroka) and the University of Papua New Guinea. He is a very experienced Educationist and Administrator and has held numerous posts as Headmaster and Principal of several Secondary schools in West Sepik (Sandaun Province), Southern Highland Province and Enga Province. Until recently before this election, Mr Ganim was the Assistant Secretary for Education in the Enga Province and was one of the key players in executing the successful free education policy of Enga Governor Peter Ipatas in the Enga Province. 

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Is it in Papua New Guinea’s National Interest to Appoint another Electoral Commissioner just weeks before the National Election?

Firstly, whilst legal scrutiny is encouraged, the motive and timing of scrutiny is in essence of paramount importance, and MUST be seen to be in Papua New Guinea’s National interest. It has been insinuated by certain individuals advising the Government of Peter O’Niell that the current Electoral Commissioner, Mr Trawen’s reappointment was flawed. Whether it is a fact or an assumption that the Electoral Commissioner’s reappointment was flawed, is a matter to be contested in the Courts of Law. However, at this critical moment in time, the country is gearing up for the National Elections, and many ordinary as well as corporate citizens would not be too impressed by another legal challenge which will most certainly transpire as a result of any calculated decision to sideline the current Electoral Commissioner to ‘justify’ the deferral of Elections by another six or more months.

Mr Trawen has been working in the Electoral Commission for many years and he is a very experienced elections officer and Public Servant. He was the Deputy Chief Electoral Commissioner prior to his appointment and reappointment. If his reappointment was flawed, the Appointments Committee can reappointment him and correct whatever needed correcting retrospectively. 

One is amazed at this current regime and Parliament for the number of retrospective legislations it has made since a new Government came into office less than a year ago. If really there were flaws in Mr Trawen’s reappointment, then in PNG’s National interest, why not correct these flaws retrospectively?  It would be stupid and outrageous if a completely new appointment was made at this time. Obviously, that appointee will be seen and perceived as a “rubber stamp” of the current regime and will most likely do more damage to this important Constitutional Office than good!

Secondly, it was further insinuated that it only took 5 minutes for the then Prime Minister, Grand Chief Sir Michael T Somare to reappoint Mr Trawen as Electoral Commissioner. The point is: whether it took 5 minutes to reappoint him or one hour is immaterial as the then Opposition Leader ( who happens to be a member of the current regime) could have been party to the decision and not only the PM at that time.
[ View Government Gazette 3rd February 2010.
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:OxSVenbiuG8J:www.pngindustrynews.net/web_multimedia/startdownload.asp%3FstrMultimediaFileName%3DTrawen.pdf%26strMultimediaParam1%3D%26strMultimediaParam2%3D+mr+trawen+appointment+PNG+electoral+commisioner&cd=3&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=uk&client=firefox-a ].  Or download the Copy here. (pdf)

It is a normal administrative procedure for the Chairman of any committee to make announcements on behalf of the committee. Apparently, the Prime Minister at that time was Grand Chief Sir Michael T.Somare so, as Chairman of the Appointments Committee, it was proper in his capacity to make the announcement of the Electoral Commissioner’s reappointment.

One can in no doubt argue that these insinuations raises more suspicion about the TIMING of such "revelations" and at this juncture we as citizens can see that there is a clear undercurrent of selfish agenda which has got nothing to do with PNG National Interest.

Here is a quote by a famous American Politician for one to ponder on:

“You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can not fool all of the people all of the time”. Abraham Lincoln, (attributed) 16th President of USA (1809 - 1865

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