ZIMBABWE'S ROBERT MUGABE: An example of what PNG can easily get from Peter O'Neill

NIUGINI OUTLOOK

Personality worship anywhere leads nations to disaster. We carry our MPs on our shoulders as if they were some kind of Gods while simple minded people in other nations do the same thing for their leaders.
You see quite the opposite attitude towards leaders in countries that enjoy low rates of corruption. At best, they treat their leaders like normal people, but periodically pull their leaders down from the clouds using ridicule, anger, even name calling. Even our most corrupt leaders in PNG don't have to put up with that although during the 2007 campaign, Michael Somare had stones thrown at him at one gathering by citizens fed up with his nonsense.
Robert Mugabe enjoys a hero worship of sorts, some of which he cultivates by surrounding himself with loyal lackies who laughs when he laughs, snores when he snores, and looks bored when he looks bored. However, those in PNG who praise Mugabe aren't his lackies. Rather, they are well meaning people who make exactly the same mistakes we see in PNG with every election. They focus on one thing the leader has done, and exclude all else from their analysis. As one prominent PNG social media commentator might say, "supporting Robert Mugabe because he gave white people's land to black people is like supporting Hitler because he gave the world freeways and Volkswagen vehicles". Mugabe was a nationalist who led Zimbabwe to black rule, ending the apartheid in that country. We can salute him for that valour. Most of what he has done since in his country has been a disaster. Some examples:
- His seizure of white citizen land to give to black citizens both went awry as his cronies ended up getting the land, but also resulted in a disaster decline in Zimbabwe food production, changing it from a net food exporter to a food importer.
- His management of the economy led from the Zimbabwe dollar sinking from a value of about 1 US dollar in 1980 when he took charge, to becoming so worthless than in 2009 it took over a trillion Zimbabwe dollars to buy 1 US dollar, and today there is no Zimbabwe currency at all! Zimbabweans have to struggle to find foreign currency today as that is the only way to buy more goods and services.
- He has built lavish palace style homes for himself and his family in a nation where poverty is rampant and much worse than in PNG. One out of every three Zimbabwean children suffer stunted growth as a result of chronic hunger. People have to line up in long qeues just to buy basic items, such as sugar.
- he has used hired thugs, some going by the name of 'war veterans' to intimidate and beat up opponents of Mugabe, both real and imagined, since the 1990s.
- he stays in power by keeping the opposition small by buying off MPs, by intimidating voters to vote for him during elections through his hired thugs, by encouraging a hero worship that effectively intimidates dissent, and by engaging in voter fraud.
Although he had money enough to fly himself to PNG as the only world leader attending a second level style ACP meeting, his country is so bankrupt that they have had to close down prisons in the last year and release inmates.
Highly respected South African human rights activist and Archbishop Desmond Tutu calls Mugabe the perfect "caricature of an African tyrant".
Hero worship is everywhere in Zimbabwe. Mugabe's picture hangs on the walls of every public building, just as Peter O'Neill's portrait now appears everywhere in Port Moresby. There is at least one Robert Mugabe Avenue in every city and town.
Whenever Mugabe travels around Zimbabwe, it is in his customised K2.5 million Mercedes-Benz, followed by a 24-car motorcade of armored 4x4s, motorcycles, and military vehicles, all blaring their sirens at top volume. Zimbabweans have called the spectacle "Bob and the Wailers."
The always asked question is why have Zimbabweans put up with this 91 year old tyrant for over 34 years? The answer is that he effectively keeps the people's will from being expressed through a clever manipulation of all the normal democratic processes. Our PM Peter O'Neill is either taking lessons out of the Mugabe playbook or is a blessed strategist like Mugabe in destroying the power of the people and ending democracy before they even realise it.
The transition to tyranny in Zimbabwe was much more subtle than Peter O'Neill's transition to dictatorship in PNG. That's one reason why things got out of control before the average Zimbabwean realised it, and once the people realised it, there was no way to overthrow their dictator without risking civil war and considerable bloodshed. In PNG it has only taken 4 years to realise that we are being ruled by a dictator wannabe who has already dismantled numerous mechanisms of democracy and incapacitated democratic institutions of justice to allow him to remain in power. We still have a chance to overthrow our dictator, but the window of opportunity is closing. Those who way wait for the 2017 election and then we'll overthrow him are clearly not seeing the lessons of Zimbabwe. By 2017, Peter O'Neill will fully control the electoral mechanisms. He and his PNC will win, whether or not he receives any legitimate votes.
[Visit Niugini Outlook on Facebook for a variety of news and perspectives on issues of greatest importance to PNG's development. Over 1,000 colourful posters and associated short commentary can be accessed from the main page at www.facebook.com/niuginioutlook Visit the site, browse through the information, and please do your part to improve the poor awareness PNG citizens have of issues affecting our country by sharing, emailing, photocopying, posting and distributing information that has special meaning for you. If you think we're providing a useful service to PNG on the social media, please give our page a like.]

Popular posts from this blog

HIGHLANDS FRAUD F*CKS RUNNING GOVERNMENT AGENCY,,,

Image
A Fraudster and unqualified person has been shortlisted for NEC submission for the position of CEPA Managing Director. The candidate in question is Jude Tukulyia. His academic credentials are subject to scrutiny. Further investigation is required to verify the authenticity and legitimacy of his qualifications, particularly the reported diploma in accounting, Bachelor of Laws, MBA from Divine Word and UPNG respectively. It is very suspicious and unprofessional  when the Minister for Environment Conservation and Climate Change, Hon Simo Kilepa, wrote to UPNG Vice Chancellor asking to confirm Jude’s questioned education qualifications. This very due diligence work is the core responsibility of the Public Service Commission and Department of Personnel Management. What authority does the portfolio minister have to write to the Universities? Dumbfounding indeed if one asks. Ulterior motives written all over the letter. This amounts to  Questionable Academic Qualifications of Mr Tukulyia.    
Read more

AUGUSTINE MANO PNG'S PREMIER CORPORATE CROOK

Image
by  MICHAEL J. PASSINGAN In a significant setback for Mineral Resources Development Corporation (MRDC), the Supreme Court of Papua New Guinea has dismissed the company's appeal to stop criminal investigations into its dealings with landowner funds held in the Pacific Balance Fund (PBF). The court ruled that MRDC's appeal was an "abuse of process" and ordered the company to pay costs of the proceedings. MRDC, a unit holder in PBF, had taken legal action against the National Court's decision to dismiss its case, arguing that the court had no jurisdiction to hear the matter. However, the Supreme Court disagreed and held that MRDC's appeal was nothing more than an attempt to interfere with the police's criminal investigative process. The court found that MRDC had no authority to conducted its own investigation into the activities of the Melanesian Trustee Services Limited (MTSL), the fund manager of PBF, and that its actions were in violation of the Trust Deed
Read more

PNG, VERY RICH YET STILL A VERY VERY POOR COUNTRY

Image
by GARY MONDULAME Papua New Guinea (PNG), a nation blessed with abundant natural resources, continues to grapple with economic challenges that belie its potential wealth. The nation's economic narrative is a paradox—rich in resources yet burdened by poverty. The explanation for this paradox lies not only in economic mismanagement but also in deep-seated corruption that has permeated the political landscape since independence in 1975. Following its independence from Australia, PNG was entrusted to leaders who lacked a vision for a holistic national development. This absence of foresight is evident from the lack of long-term development plans that could have distributed the country’s wealth fairly across all regions and communities. Successive governments failed to establish foundational strategies such as building satellite townships or creating robust rural housing schemes. Instead, they resorted to short-term, reactive measures that did not foster sustainable growth. The nascent l
Read more

BLIND LEADING THE BLIND, WHY THE PNG ECONOMY STILL SUCKS

Image
Elizabeth Genia, Acting Governor Bank of PNG (BPNG) by MICHAEL JOSEPH PASSINGAN The economy of Papua New Guinea (PNG) is at a crucial juncture. Despite some signs of recovery, the country faces several structural challenges that continue to impede its economic progress. The March 2024 Monetary Policy Statement from the Bank of Papua New Guinea sheds light on these issues, providing a comprehensive overview of the economic landscape and the policy responses being implemented to navigate through these turbulent times. In 2023, PNG's economy grew by a modest 1.4%, a significant slowdown from the 5.2% growth witnessed in 2022. This tepid growth is largely attributed to delays in major projects and ongoing economic issues that have not been fully resolved. The anticipated growth for 2024 is around 3.0%, buoyed by the resumption of production at the Porgera gold mine. While this marks an improvement, it remains subdued compared to the potential of this resource-rich nation. One of the mo
Read more

James Marape's Missteps Openly Exposed at Australian Forum

Image
by  MICHAEL J. PASSINGAN  In a recent event that highlighted the complexities of international diplomacy and governance, Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister, James Marape, faced a challenging situation during his appearance at the Lowy Institute in Sydney, Australia. The Lowy Institute, known for its role as an independent think tank focusing on international policy, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region, provided a platform for a candid assessment of Marape's governance. Following his formal address, Marape engaged in a dialogue with Dr. Michael Fullilove AM, the Executive Director of the Institute. Dr. Fullilove, a respected figure in public and international policy, scrutinized Marape's past promises and statements, contrasting them with the current state of affairs in Papua New Guinea (PNG). The discussion took a critical turn as Dr. Fullilove revisited Marape's 2019 speech at the same venue, where Marape had outlined his vision for PNG in a speech titled “A New Boo
Read more

MARAPE & PAITA ABOUT TO SIGN AWAY PNG GOLD

Image
By: Andrew Arthur Prime Minister Hon. James Marape and his planning minister Reinbo Paita are the parties behind the theft of all Papua New Guinea’s gold for the next 100 years! They have given approval for the STATE of Papua New Guinea to sign away all gold rights to an Australian paper company in Refinery Holdings PTE LTD. First, they have done the deal with a paper company even before there is a LAW that says they have the right to do the deal. We see how the real manipulation works out. Marape and Paita now need to get the law passed by Parliament. The law is before the Parliament to set up Papua New Guinea’s first National Gold Corporation. The National Gold Corporation Bill first surfaced in 2012 but successive Government of Sir Michael Somare and Hon. Peter O’Neill, in their wisdom, had refused to pass this Bill as there have been some sinister motives and constitutional issues associated with the Bill. The new bill will allow Refinery Holdings LTD PTE to own 70% of the National
Read more

A Call for Local Ownership and Fairness

Image
by JUSTIN PARKER In recent discussions surrounding the establishment of a gold refinery in Papua New Guinea (PNG), concerns have been raised regarding various aspects of the proposed project. Spearheaded by foreign investors, the initiative has sparked debates over ownership, exclusivity, tax concessions, underwriting, management rights, control over currency, legal protections, and historical failures. These concerns, if unaddressed, could potentially undermine the interests of PNG and its people, particularly the hardworking alluvial miners who form the backbone of the nation's mining sector. At the heart of the issue lies the question of ownership. The proposed ownership structure, favoring foreign investors with a substantial 70% stake, raises eyebrows, especially considering PNG's past experiences with failed ventures like seabed mining. Instead of ceding majority control to foreign entities, many argue that PNG should assert full ownership over the refinery. With the coun
Read more