WHY PETER O'NEILL IS NOT RIGHT FOR PNG

This is an open letter to all our Members of Parliament

The rapid unfolding of events in the last two weeks resulting from the arrest warrant issued for the Prime Minister, Peter O’Neill (PO) have dramatically exposed the fragility of our democratic nation. The Prime Minister’s refusal to answer to a constitutionally mandated legal process will have far reaching detrimental consequences for our nation. 

The PM has argued that the PNG Constabulary, an independent constitutional Office, and its officers have been politically compromised. As elected Members of Parliament you know that a PM can’t make such allegations, for so many reasons as you know. Think carefully about it: the PM is saying a politically compromised Police Force was in charge of administering and enforcing the laws of the land, and it was all fine until he became the subject of investigation by the same Police Force.

The Members of Parliament (MPs) have a choice to make.  You are going to decide (if the courts don’t), whether this PM will lead PNG till the next election comes around in three years. In all likelihood, this PM and PNC will win the next election and stay in power for the ensuing 5 years.  Remember, the LNG is projected to bring on shore significant revenue. This revenue will be used by PO and PNC to consolidate its grip on power in PNG in perpetuity. 

Members of Parliament, your decision now, to support or not to support, this PM and PNC will determine the future of this country.

Members of Parliament, as you know, there are a lot of hype, misrepresentation, accusations, counter accusations and rhetoric that has been used to disguise and cover up the truth. Lets peel away a lot of the distractions and misinformation and really get down to the issue at hand.

The issue at hand is whether you, our Elected Representatives of our beautiful country, think Peter O’Neill (and PNC) is the right entity to rule PNG in perpetuity (essentially forever). Please MPs, don’t kid yourself if you are thinking maybe PNC will lose the elections in three years time.

Elected Leaders, to help you decide the fate of PNG, I have decided to include some truths about the man whom you are trusting to lead this great country.

Most of you already know his childhood up bringing so I will not dwell here on this stage of his life. You can decide whether you think his childhood environment and people around him were the appropriate and conducive type essential for honest, responsible, caring and dignified brain development. Brain research suggests that our neurons and interconnecting synapses in our adult brain is in most part structured during early childhood. How we are as adults is defined by how we are raised as children.

Let us examine his adult life. His early years as an aspiring entrepreneur, leaves a trail of unanswered questions. For example, why did a company controlled by PO, after receiving payments apparently for the HB landowners for the freeway construction, suddenly files for bankruptcy protection. Half the monies, amounting to a few Millions, were subsequently never paid to HB landowners. MPs, I urge you to do some research PO’s past business dealings. You can also ask PO’s early business associates to find out about his caliber and integrity as a businessman.  The more you dig the more you begin to get a sniff of a rat in the making. The time PO really came on the national stage is during the time late Bill Skate (BS) was the Prime Minister. BS made PO the CEO of the then amalgamated State owned Enterprises (now IPBC). 

BS is remembered as the PM who brought the country to the brink of collapse. Remember here is a PM appointing a person, who happens to be the PNC party president at that time, to be CEO of an entity that oversaw all government businesses. The international community was already referring to PNG at that time as a failed state. A failed state is essentially a county that is bankrupt.  

Very early on, PO was wheeling and dealing with the highest echelons of powers in the land. PO was a savvy operator.  Don’t for once; think that we have a naïve PM. His 1960s attire I know can be very deceptive. Don’t be fooled; the man is a hardcore operator. The, allegations, scheming, scandals, saga, stunt, drama, you name it, the never-ending circus follows this man; the man has seen it all even before entering Politics. 

No one was ever prosecuted and jailed as a result of the NPF enquiry. PO was implicated as having directly benefited from the NPF scandal but has never been prosecuted. The pattern of questionable dealings continued to follow PO. When he was the Public Service Minister, in the Somare Government, he misappropriated the funds allocated for the Public Servants housing scheme. Only a dozen, half complete houses stand as a testament to this man’s dishonest dealings.  If you follow the PO trail long enough, you begin to see a sinister trail emerging. Could this be just pure coincidence of misfortunes or is it the deliberate trail of a cunning and master scammer at work to defraud the people of PNG again and again and again?  

The plot thickens when he becomes PM. We all know how he became PM (though the back window). As soon as he formed the current government in 2012, the first order of business was to announce the biggest loan this country has ever undertaken. PO very quickly borrowed K6.0Billion from the Chinese. What on earth is this man thinking? Isn’t PNG doing well economically? Why would he go out and borrow a staggering K6.0Billion and from all countries, the Chinese?  

For the first time in forty years, the country is beginning to get back on its feet economically, and you PO, shackle the country down with a K6.0Billion debt burden. Elected MPs and People of PNG, not to for once believe the bullshit PO shoves down our throats of the merits of this loan. This is a loan and it’s a loan that will have to be paid back with interest to the Chinese, by the sweat and blood of 7 Million men, women, and children of PNG. 

Any economist will tell you a loan is a debt and a debt is a bad idea, especially if you want to use the loan on lavish spending, like fake and price inflated infrastructure projects. We will pay the loan eventually with interest. Depending on the terms of the loan, we will pay back to the Chinese K8.0Billion (Principle plus Interest), and maybe more.

Where on Earth are we going to get this K8.0Billion to pay back this loan? PO has mortgaged the future LNG earnings for this loan. But the question is why? Why is this man rushing to put the country into this massive debt hole? The country is just beginning to enjoy an era of prosperity and PO is pushing us back into the abyss. Does this man have an ulterior motive?

MPs, please don’t be deceived by the PO’s lies about what this K6.0Billion will do. In the last 10 years PNG, has spent K20.0Billion on road infrastructure projects in PNG. Someone, tell me, why is the infrastructure in PNG still so poor.  Why do we think the K6.0Billion will suddenly fix our infrastructure problems?  Or could the explanation of such a massive loan be another decoy in the PO trail we have been on?

MPs, we know why the PM borrowed K6.0Billion from the Chinese. What you may not know is that one person in particular is the biggest beneficiary of this loan. And it’s PO and PNC.  He rushed to get this loan to consolidate his own empire and PNC power. 

A few MPs have been beneficiaries of this loan for particular projects in their provinces, leading some to say PO gets things done. Let me tell you, getting piece meal projects done, with borrowed money, are not the way to build this country. I can assure you, the PM had far ulterior motives for securing this loan hastily in 2012.  Lets see what else PO has been cooking?

PO has become bolder and daring. He is treating Parliament with contempt. He knows he can use and manipulate our MPs.  If he took the K6.0Billion loan so easily without Parliament scrutiny, then he can borrow any amount he wants.

The UBS loan that PO took, to buy Oil Search shares at inflated price, has set the country back by another K4.0Billion (Interest and Principle repayment). In just two years PO has set us back K12.0Billion. People of PNG, men, women and children, please get this, its 12 with eight zeros. Depend on the loan terms; if it’s a longer repayment period, we can expect to pay K15.0Billion in total with interest. PO has single handedly sold us as slaves whilst our elected MPs have stood idle and watched. Think about this, our children and us are going to be slaving our lives to pay this debt back. What did we do to deserve this?

Members of Parliament, please pay attention. Under your watch, under your nose, PO has mortgaged the financial security of our children and their children. Members of Parliament, your ignorance has contributed to the huge burden that has been placed on the future generations of this country. Please wake up and take note of what this man is doing. Think of what you are putting your children and your own grand children through. 

The way these debt financings are structured, most of the funds that have been borrowed, will never come on shore. These funds will never contribute to building and shoring up the domestic capital market.  However, money from the domestic capital markets will be sucked out to pay the debts on this loan. This action will contribute to the demise of the Kina, as our foreign reserves are depleted to service PO’s K12.0Billion loan.  The recent collapse in the Kina (if not for the Central Bank’s intervention), is a result of the loan repayments on these massive debts. When the Kina collapses, inflation will rise, sending prices of imported goods through the roof. This is a calamity PO has shamelessly shoved down the throats of all PNGs.

Please MPS, wake up. PO is destroying our country.  Don’t defend this man. He is laughing behind your back when you do. Don’t be fooled by his man.  Instead, take a close look at who this man really is. Pick up this man’s trail and as the mist and overhangs give way, you will begin to see the true PO. But stay on his trail. 

Recall that when he first became the leader of the Opposition ten years ago. PO wanted to merge the opposition with the then Somare government and he wanted to call it the Grand Coalition. Like he has always done, he made it sounds like a noble idea. Only that he was rebutted by the Editor of Post Courier at the time, when the Editor wrote in the editorial that such a idea was not only foolish but should not be entertained in a democracy. The Editor correctly commented that in a democracy a viable and credible Opposition is essential to keeping the government in check. If you recall, PO shot back at the Editor and told him to stick to news reporting and not to tell him how to run the Opposition. Well, if you follow PO closely this is his trademark response when he feels corned, challenged or exposed.

If you look back at every allegation, charge and rebuttal against him; the man has a knack for shooting down the messenger rather than the message. He goes straight and attacks the person. Notice that he tries to shoot down his victim with his entire arsenal. He makes sure the victim does not get up. It is the strategy commonly used by bullies and thugs. Genuine, intelligent people will tend to accept responsibility and debate the issue.

Follow closely and notice the familiar strategy the PM has resorted to in the aftermath of the Police warrant of arrest against him. He has really gone straight for the jugular on this one. He sacked the entire team in charge of the Parakagate investigation. MPs, please note what the PM has done here. To protect his self-interest, he has put out of job, senior Policemen, who have given their lives to their career and serving the country. Men who have children to care for, mouths to feed and bills to pay. These are men PO sacked, without due process, to satisfy his perverted agenda.  MPs, how can you stand idle and allow this to happen. 

MPs, as we chip away at this PO trail, you should now see the man for who he really is.  Look back at the past and see for yourself, how this man responds to allegations and sincere comments. With NPF, his usual answer is ‘the matter has been dealt with, it is done and dusted. Till new evidence surfaces (like it ever will), the matter is closed’. Recall that MP, Bire Kimisopa raised this matter in 2012, soon after the government formation. The next day the PM fired back with his classic response. I have not heard from Kimisopa since. I am sure PO, gave this very intelligent MP from Goroka some ‘bel kol slash fund moni’ to sooth matters over.

Another MP I had high hopes for that could really change PNG was Richard Maru (RM). I always thought he would be the voice of truth, reason and justice in the Parliament. You know what? The PM noticed this too. Before Richard fired, the PM poured cold water over him to calm him down. Remember in 2012, how PM spoke so highly of Richard Maru, regarding Richard’s time as MD for NDB. This is the other strategy PO uses. He knows which MPs are potential threats and he uses such nice words to gain favor.

He gave the same pill to James Marape (JM). Remember James was the most vocal about PO after he hijacked the PM’s post from Somare in 2011. Well recall also how PO paid JM the highest tributes. PO claimed in the Post Courier that JM was the best education Minister the country has ever had. Wow! On what basis did PO make this claim? Does the PM know that education in this country has deteriorated so much that it is in shambles? Or, were those comments, purely to appease JM. 

After mellowing JM, see what JM now does for PO. The only reason the PM made these remarks was to achieve what he has got now in JM. A very vocal and loyal supporter and advocate for PO.  JM got the icing on the cake too, the Finance Ministry. The once shy son of a humble Adventist Pastor is the fierce advocate for PO. The PO pill does wonders.

Let me say this. I got news for the likes of JM and RM, who think they can make it up the ladder in the PO controlled empire. You will be disposed just like Duma and Don and made irrelevant. PO is so ruthless he does not believe in loyalty. Come on! What about the Melanesian culture of consensus and loyalty? After all, did not these men (Duma and Don) make PO who he is now? Isn’t it a little too early to chuck these men out. How can PO forget so easily what these men did for him. 

The memories of two and half years ago, how these men fought tooth and nail to get PO the PM’s post.  Even after the elections in 2012, didn’t these two men play a crucial role in securing PO the PM’s job? Well remember that PO is only half-Melanesian. The culture of loyalty and consensus does not run in his blood.  If he can dispose, Don and Duma and now Kua, I think the rest of you should be ducking for cover.

The likes of JM and RM, you are good to PO as long as you sing to his tune. The second you are out of tune with PO, or you reach higher up the ladder to PO’s liking, you are out the back window faster than you can blink. 

PO is a very cunning Politician. Make no mistake about this man, my elected Leaders. Soon this man will wield so much power, that none of you will dare question nor query any of his grander agendas/scams. PO has used the K9.0Billion Loan (USB and Chinese loans) to consolidate incredible wealth for himself. He will use this wealth to remain in power till he dies. Make no mistake this is his ultimate goal, and he is using all MPs as pawns and puppets to further his agenda.

He is on his way to controlling all Sate owned Enterprises (SoEs), though the revamped Kumul structure. Remember soon he will be the only trustee that controls this massive business empire of the state. Why do I say he is the only trustee? Well didn’t PO conveniently include only ex PMs as trustees? Just look at how he cleverly, included the soon to pass on, ex PMs as trustees. 

Please MPs, lets not fall asleep and treat this matter lightly. The country needs you to stand up against this tyrant. Like it or not, you are all complicit towards destroying our beautiful country by giving this man free reign. Soon PO will be the only person controlling K6.0Billion of state owned assets (in SoEs), on top of his own thriving personal business empire, though his Remington Group.

MPs can you now see why he desperately wants to take charge of Sustainable Development Fund, owned by the people of Western Province? PO is a calculating scammer. I urge all our MPs not to buy into PO’s lies any more. The man will bankrupt SDF as fast as you can blink your eyes.

This is an open letter to all of our MPs. Time is running out on PNG. I urge you to see this man, PO, for who he is. As far as PO is concerned, all of you are disposable. Please don’t for once think, PO will be loyal to you (nor to our Country). I urge you elected representatives, why on earth would you continue to lend your support to such a man. This man does not care about you or your country. 

Please remember, there are many a past MPs back on the streets of PNG, broke and poor. They were once riding the high life. Make no mistake; this is the fate that awaits you, if you don’t yield to your moral convictions now.

During the course of the last two weeks, PO and some MPS have claimed that, there are no angels or innocent in Parliament. Supposedly, this then gives PO the excuse to place himself above the law of the land, by refusing to avail himself to a duly executed arrest warrant. I believe the reason our MPs are saying this stems from suspicion that some MPs in the Opposition may be colluding with the Police plus your ignorance of the true motives of PO.   

MPs, please and I say again please think of the implication of this statement. The whole of democracy hinges on the rule of law. You can’t have one without the other. Adherence to the rule of law is paramount to upholding democracy. When the very Lawmakers, make such comments in question of their own laws, it is not only childish but also very dangerous.  You become complicit in ushering in the destruction of democracy.

But let me just make this point for those MPs who are making such comments. I hope you realise by now, that the very man, whose next act is to become a Dictator, is using you. Once rule of law is no longer relevant, what you have is Dictatorship.

Elected Representatives, please don’t let those sleepy; sleazy, hypnotising eyes of PO put you to sleep. You are our country’s last defense against a deceptive tyrant. 

In two and a half years, the man has gone from Zero to Billionaire. In two and a half years the man has broken through the back window to steal the PM position to becoming a dictator. He has placed himself above the Laws of the land. From here on, he will do anything and everything to stay a Billionaire Dictator. You will have helped this man achieve his perverted dream if you don’t stop him now!

Elected MPs, it’s not about the Opposition MPs, as PO is making it out to be. It’s not about the incredibly brave and outstanding man, Sam Koim or the Sweep Team. It’s not about the Police Commissioner. It’s not even about Don, Kerege Kua or Belden. It’s about the evil lurking within Parliament. It’s about this man who appears so innocent and humble in his 1960s attire. It’s about the man, Peter O’Neill, now occupying the highest office in the land. 

There you have it. Elected Members of Parliament, our leaders, men and women who represent the voice of the silent 7 Million, are you going to stay silent? Are you going to stand idle whilst this one man train wreck, continue to plunder our children’s wealth and resources, for his own perverted agenda, and send PNG into the abyss?