DANGEROUS CONCENTRATION OF POWER
History
speaks so much about the dangers of power being concentrated in only
one region or person, and so is this note, to remind the many Papua New
Guineans about the imminent backlash, if we are not careful with
distribution of power and wealth.
Having
reflected on the distribution of balance of power in the current
O’Neil-led government, it is becoming more and more visible that power
and the custodianship of the country’s wealth, is centred around the
Upper Highlands of the country.
To
prove this point, one just has to look at the distribution of
ministries. The economic ministerial powerbase which includes the
Finance, Treasury, Works, Foreign Affairs, Petroleum and Energy and
Environment and Conservation to a lesser extent, are all concentrated in
just one region or corner of the country.
Their next door neighbours
from the Eastern Block who contribute 19 votes in support of the current
government, in the meantime, are feted with only three service
ministries.
It may all seem and
sound well from the start, as is the case with or during the initial
distribution of ministries and formation of governments, but sooner than
later, things turn sour.
In
politics, you try to save face by either scoffing off or deny that such
rifts exist, and in most cases accuse the opposing end for political
point-scoring - but sooner than later, the cracks appear.
And so, who is to downplay or underestimate the possibilities of this being the scenario in the current coalition government?
Quite
frankly, the Eastern Block, which includes members from, Jiwaka, Simbu
and Eastern Highlands provinces, have become briefcase carriers.
What
about those from other regions in the country? Is animosity, owing to
this fact besides others, already building up from within government
circles?
For those who witnessed
the Alotau Accord, the ration of allocation of ministries was 3:1 (Three
Is To One.) Yet we’re seeing one or two-men parties allocated a
ministry or two whilst certain political parties who contributed three
or more have been left in the backburner. How fairer can we get?
There
are various reasons – political or otherwise, why an overwhelming
majority of members of parliament sided with the government in the
passage of the 30-month grace period law. But given the above scenario,
my mind boggles as to why those political parties who were fed the
bones, gone ahead to vote for the extension.
These so-called leaders
will continue to be fed the scraps for as long as this parliament lasts,
and deservedly so because they’ve brought themselves, especially their
dignity and integrity so low by not seriously analysing the ‘pros and
cons’ of the bill, even the moral and ethical intentions of proponents
of the bill, as it was then and is now.
We
can say “it is imperative that the prime minister reshuffles the
cabinet for proper balance of power.” But now that he’s got what he
wanted (30-months to rule with grip), the rest can sulk all the way to
the 2017 national elections.
As they say, “Suffer In Silence.”