Trojan Horse like Sam Basil is the man of moment for this VONC

“Be aware of Greeks bearing gift” ‘timeo Danaos et donna perentes’ is what I cautioned the government in the article ‘The Master of the Game’ at the time Sam Basil led the largest faction of PANGU from the opposition to join ranks with the O’Neill-Abel led coalition government.

Beware of Greeks bearing gifts is an adage normally used to refer to an act of good will that masks a hidden destructive or hostile agenda. And it originates from the story of the wooden Trojan horse, which was a gift given by the Greeks to the Trojans in the story of Homer’s Iliad. 

The Trojans thought that the horse was a decorative gift given as a peace offering to end a prolonged 10-year war. However, the Greeks hid soldiers inside of the horse as a way to infiltrate the city and strike the enemy from the inside.

Looking at the current battle formations leading up to the Vote of No Confidence we can draw an analogy to the Trojan War in having Troy as the People’s National Congress led government and Prime Peter O’Neill as Hector – the charismatic general and fearsome leader of the Trojan army- but here with a completely different twist. 

This time the cunning Odysseus, mastermind of the Trojan Horse, or Basil in our case and his warriors instead of vanquishing the enemy they joined forces to forge a formidable ally.

Wars depend on strategies. And wars are won on rues and deception and so is politics. In short, Sam Basil is an O’Neill's kind of man, bold, decisive and willing to take risks and it was inevitable that the paths of the two should cross. It was a marriage made in PNG’s political heaven.

Recently the resignation of the Finance and Justice Minister became the subject of countless speculations and theories, both as to its causes and its probable consequences. Many of these were of the wildest and absurdist character, and without giving them any further currency.

So, let’s look at the facts. The fact is both Marape and Davies resigned from their respective ministries but they chose to remain with the government. It doesn’t mean that because they resigned, they joined the opposition. 

No. So when it comes to the numbers as all things matter their two votes are still with the government. And that adds to the government’s staggering figures.

Apart from Marape’s stated reasons for his resignation a few political punters like to believe that the resignation was part of a grand scheme to break the government and the PNC Party. 

If that is true then Marape was backstabbed and left high and dry by the conspirators just as Ben Micah in the last VONC attempt. Marape, wise as he is won’t make Micah’s mistake in joining the opposition too quickly but will wait and assess the numbers and leadup events.

While the Davies fall-out is unfortunate. The former Attorney General had to clash with the Chief Secretary to the government on numerous occasions with no abate, consolation or whatsoever from the government. 

He stated in the media that systems and processes are weak and easily undermined by those in leadership. This the Prime Minister will only need to muffle and put his bull-terrier on shot leash.

But on the greater scheme of things nobody would like to share the same fate of Ben Micah and Don Polye. 

It would be utterly futile as it is difficult to charm your way in to the government circles like Micah or claw your way back against a steep climb and slippery sloppy case.