As the countdown closes in for May 28 2019 scheduled meeting of the National Parliament, the intensity of the numbers game is so much so causing nervous heart beats among members of parliament working overtime on overdrive.
The current state of uncertainty in itself is causing restlessness, doubt, confusion and even sleepless nights for some, particularly those in the thick of things.
While the nation waits anxiously, PNG parliamentarians (MPs) have had more than ample time since the adjournment of the House on May 7 2019 to decide how they will vote and why.
The narrative for this conversation is driven by two main distinct driving forces as explicitly expressed by various leaders, commentators and others.
The ultimate decision on how each MP will vote on the VONC motion will be based on conviction or for convenience.
MPs who are driven by conviction are the trustworthy who put their voters, constituents and country ahead of personal, parochial and political interests.
Those motivated by self, greed and to cash in for quick bucks are propelled by convenience.
PNG will witness the two categories of MPs vote to rescue or not to rescue this resource-rich land of milk and honey from financial bankruptcy and total economic collapse.
Irrespective of their background and length of time in Parliament, all MPs know too well the very sad paradox PNG is in today - So rich yet so poor.
This has been and will be the topic on the lips of hundreds of thousands of people who call Papua New Guinea home.
On the numbers game, PNGs mass media including face book via the internet continue to report widely the defections, party-swaps and movements by individual MPs as well as political groupings.
As expected, political yoyos will do their rounds as has been by Douglas Tomuriesa (Kiriwina Goodenough) and Francis Manake (Talasea), who have shifted allegiance from government to opposition.
Why moving in the first place anyway only to return back - fill the blank space.
Unlike the yoyos, the MPs who recently resigned from Government ranks to join the Alternate Government were guided by very strong principles that they hold dearly and closely to their hearts.
These true patriots have boldly stood upright to publicly denounce their alliance in the scandal-plagued Government of Peter that has brought PNG to its knees.
Much attention have been given to the big-name MPs, but what about other MPs who get no or very little media coverage to tell their stories.
Two-term Member for Kerema, Richard Mendani is the first MP to defect from Government to join the Opposition.
Soon after the APEC leaders summit in November 2018, in a one man protest against the ONeill Government, Mr Mendani publicly announced his exit from Government.
His timing of departure was by no means a co-incidence, but a calculated move in anticipation of the political landscape that was forming.
Mr Mendani notes that APEC is an important international trade arrangement, through which PNG should have utilised to among others promote:
PNGs rich cultural diversity and pristine natural beauty to aggressively sell to the word the countrys tourism industry potentials; and
Small to medium business enterprises such as arts and crafts, cottage industries, and downstream processing of agricultural, forestry and fishery products.
Mr Mendani says the the lavish expenditure” concentrated in Port Moresby was only to please visiting dignitaries from the more highly developed economies.
It was a pretentious show put on by the Government when eight million plus silent majority remain very much neglected of essential health, education, transport, communication and other basic services.
Instead of spending billions of kina in few concentrated areas of Port Moresby, the money could have been well invested in much-needed medical supplies for hundreds of aid post and health centres, text books and learning material for hundreds of thousands of school-aged children, fixing the dilapidated state roads, public buildings and other infrastructure PNG-wide.
It was a total waste of much needed tax-payer funds because only a handful of politicians and their cronies made the kill at the expense of suffering majority of our citizens.
It is the greed of a few politicians and their cronies who unashamedly steal the meagre public funds in the pretext of building roads and other infrastructure.
It is moving money from public purse into private pockets using infrastructure projects as conduits.
My people of Kerema and Gulf province did not and have yet to benefit from the APEC myth that was perpetrated by the government.
“How many small ordinary citizens have benefited from APEC? Who are the indigenous businesses that were propelled by APEC meetings here to higher level?
“Not many ordinary citizen benefitted by way of selling their artefacts, crafts etc.
The various APEC officials’ and eventual leaders summit were a lost opportunity for PNG as a whole, because only a few politicians and their conies benefited.
For me as a leader to just sit back and do nothing means I fully endorse and condone what the government is doing with the peoples money, wealth and other resources.
So, what do I do? I had to take a stand and that was my main reason to withdraw my support and association with ONeill, under whose leadership corruption has reached unprecedented levels, he said.
Mr Mendani said he did not want to be part of a government that among others continues to:
Blatantly abuse and disregard established practices and procedures;
Undermine and weaken the authority of important State law enforcing institutions and agencies.
Make unilateral decisions to sign agreements for big resource development projects like Wafi Golpu and Papua LNG projects; and
Desperately cling onto power when there is overwhelming PNG-wide rejection of the Government that is perceived as the most corrupt in PNGs political history.
He urged MPs who are still with ONeill to dump him in PNGs national interest for the good and wellbeing of this and future generations.
How long will they (MPs) be allowed to be fooled into believing empty promises of projects and positions in his desperate attempts to cling onto power?
The MPs should think very hard for their people who mandated them instead of being misled by ONeill downright lies and over-orchestrated myths, which he himself believes in them and expect other to do likewise.
“By now MPs who have been with ONeill should know very well of his cunningly devised tactics, sweet talks and even down rights lies he consciously concocts to con the leaders.
“It is common public knowledge that ONeill is a cunning tactician who manipulates others with lies and conspiracies for his own selfish gains, Mr Mendani said.
He congratulate Eastern Highlands Governor Peter Numu taking a bold stand to defect from the Government earlier this year for similar reasons.
This was followed recently by former Minister for Finance James Marape (Tari Pori) and former Attorney General Steven Davis (Esaala), moves that triggered mass exodus of MPs from Government.
Mr Mendani reminded MPs who are still with ONeill of the old adage that they are all guilty by association of all the controversies and scandals that are alleged to have occurred during the term of this Government.
As well, he challenged former prime ministers, Sir Julius Chan and Paias Wingti to act responsibly in PNGs interest and join the Alternate Government.
“Are Sir Julius and Mr Wingti blind not to see ONeill chipping away the very fabric of the PNGs important State institutions and agencies they both have contributed in crafting?
Their han maks are being destroyed right under their noses and eyes and both remain unmoved when the country is brought down to its knees.
I urge the former PMs and concerned MPs in Government to ask themselves if they were elected into office by their people or did they buy their way in.
If they were elected than asked themselves if what they are doing is right. And if they bought their way into office then this is their time to make quick fast buck, he said.
Mr Mendani said successive PNG National Governments prided themselves on their achievements in good and participatory governance and delivering sound and practical socio-economic policies.
The two Peter ONeill-led governments impact, if any has been in creating controversies - so many in the recent months that it overshadows PNCs achievements.
Mr Mendani said all concerned MPs should engage in dialogue with each other to vote for a new prime minister in the coming weeks.
We all know what ONeill is capable doing to the detriment of the future well-being and progress of PNG and discriminatory against other duly elected MPs and political party leaders.
“Peter ONeill seems to thrive on controversies with numbers of minor political parties and MPs used to help keep any serious probe away from the inner core.
“Mandated MPs no longer represent their constituents but are hypnotized by vicinity to power, wealth and grand-standing.
We must unite to install a new Government on policy issues that is of national interest and relevance. All concerned MPs in Government ranks are called on to exercise some overdue common sense in the coming days.
“The Alternate Government is will stand on the principle pillars of integrity, fairness, equality and respect of all mandated MPs and their people.
Alternate government is comprised most of young, vibrant, educated MPs, many who were highly successful before entering parliament.
Coupled with this are well-respected statesmen like Sir Mekere Morauta, Sir Peter Ipatas, Sir Dr Puka Temu, Patrick Pruaitch and Ian Ling Stuckey.
It is time to hear and respond to our peoples cry for change and the he Alternate Government has a duty to treat all MPs who respond with integrity, fairness, equality and respect on the basis of common good for the people and the nation.
Ends
Kerema MP Richard Mendani was first to lead the exodus of MPs from Government to Opposition based on conviction for a change for better PNG.
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