After so many shocking news crimpling the
country over the last couple of months, yet we have another one yesterday (23rd
May 2013) but weird one too. This time, according to the mainstream media, the
numbers of Parliamentarians in the Opposition had been reduced to only six MPs
by migration of MPs joining the Government ranks - portraying the Opposition as
unworthy and meaningless in our democracy government system.
One may question the loyalty of these MPs.
If one cannot be loyal, then we may as well question the integrity, credibility
and reputation of these MPs, as well as their underlying reasons of switching.
It is very obvious that our MPs talk like men but they act like boys -
preaching one thing and doing the opposite.
In fact, the year (2013), has been the
year of shocking news, hitting the news headlines around the globe.
The country has stayed awakening by very
disturbing events happening around the country, over the last couple of months.
The year has recorded some of the most horrific killings and rapes.
A woman burnt alive in Mt. Hagen followed
by raping and killing of another young woman in front of her one year old baby,
whom was left overnight beside her bleeding dead body.
As still not enough, there was another killing
of an expatriate man in Mt. Hagen and raping of his Pilipino girlfriend. This
followed by killing of a young man in Lae and raping of an expatriate academic/researcher
in Madang.
These killings and rapes have left the
nation in great shock and raked in public outcry, for the government to take
immediate actions before the country become a grave yard for innocent women,
men and children.
As the government was trying to respond to
public outcry over the violent crimes, there was more shocking news.
This time, the infamous bank robber,
murder and rapist Walliam Nanu Kapris has escaped twice from the maximum prison
at Bomana, outside Port Moresby. It may appear that he was deliberately let out
to kill and rape more victims to continue the trend of violent crimes in the
country because he was supposed to be securely locked away and guarded.
When Kapris was first escaped last year, the
exercise of recapturing him cost the State dearly in millions of public funds. Looks
like the first escape didn’t teach them any lesson as the government is spending
or going to spend the same amount or more to recapture the wanted criminal
again. Maybe they deliberately are doing
this so that someone can benefit from this expensive exercise of recapturing
him.
While the nation was absorbed with violent
crimes and news of Kapris’s second escape, there was another story crept into
the mainstream media unnoticed. This time it was not about murder, rape or notorious
criminals escaped from prisons but about misappropriation or theft of public
funds.
According to the mainstream media in the
country on May 15, 2013, a businessman from East New Britain, Eremas Wartoto was
accused of misappropriating more than K61.1 million from the PNG government.
In the next day, (May 16, 2013), the same mainstream
media reported yet another fraud against the State of more than K71 million by
the country’s largest Law firm, Paul Paraka lawyers. This whopping amount has
been paid between 2012 and 2013, making business with the government even more attractive.
But the government said they will spend another K2 million for an enquiry.
Many such enquiries have been carried out
before and their findings and recommendations are yet to be tabled in
parliament and implemented. But the PM has given his words to get down to the
tea boys so the nation is waiting for the outcome if by this time it will be
different.
The continuous theft against the State by
individuals and firms is indicating that the government has a lot of money to
entertain certain already well-off individuals, in the name of providing and
rendering services to the State.
But that is not the case when it comes to providing
basic goods and services in the country, which the rural people badly need.
After all of the above, the people have
been wondering what might happen next.
The next event didn’t take that much long
as the mainstream media, on May 23rd, 2013, reported the migration of Parliamentarians
from the opposition to join the government ranks, leaving the opposition with only
six MPs.
Can anyone think of any country in the
world that had seen majority of members moving from the opposition to join the
government ranks, leaving behind a skeleton opposition?
They may have better excuses but the paranoid
reason of serving the people better in the government is not new and in fact
misleading because every MP have one thing in common and that is to serve the
people whether in the government or in the opposition.
One thing common about political leaders
around the world is they do argue and disagree with each other on certain
policy issues but they don’t migrate in big numbers from the opposition to the
government like what has been happening in PNG.
We may as well assume that they are
switching political parties to serve their own interest. May be they are seeking
immunity to protect themselves from investigations by the Task Force Team of
possible or future corruption allegations. Or maybe they are seeking
opportunities to personal wealth creation so that they can become rich quickly
and the surplus can be used to successfully defend and seek re-election after
their five-year term expires. Or maybe for some other reasons only god knows
what they are.
All these are not only happening in this government.
We had seen and witnessed the current trend of shocking news in previous
governments led by former Prime Ministers as well.
Whatever the reasons are we have been over
many years a laughing stocks for the world because of running down a natural rich
country by serving our own interests first before the country and its people.
The question now asked is – are we going
to be forever a laughing stock for the world or do we need to change here right
now to shape a better future, which we all desire.
