A Precedence of 2011 Must Not Be Repeated

 

By David Kawage Bitno

James Marape is still the kingpin of executive power. The court as the custodian of the constitution only interprets the law. Decisions employing executive power not near miss an ultimate hit on the wavering plumb. The nation is at its feet in a relentless ovation that the political drama unfurled on the 13th of November is legally apt. 

Opposition leader Belden Namah used the numerical power in a shocking move in the Parliament Sitting to periodically move the motion without notice from the Acting Speaker of Parliament. He engineered the prosperous dismantling of the Parliamentary Private Business Committee, the body that has the legality over the VONC. When PBC, the authoritative legal unit was made vacant, Namah gallantly advanced in wasting no time to move another motion without notice moving the motion of VONC effectively to December 1. The mass exodus of 13 Ministers including other government MPs to the opposition places Marabe government into unchartered water to recuperate, redefine, and redeploy on its instant urgency call.

While the Opposition were on a merry trip to Vanimo, the hometown of the Opposition leader swaggering on their arithmetical strength, bearing confidence on seniority and experiences with three former Prime Ministers under their belt and more veteran recycled leaders compared to the Loloata Camp. While the discourse of the next PM was looming in the Vanimo Camp among prominent political parties one could not convey who is your real enemy in politics.

More so, fascinating dramas unfold as URP Leader and Commerce & Trade Minister, William Duma, swift desertion in the opposition camp to Loloata Government Camp was the joke of the epoch. But in politics it’s a mere game of convenience. The question that all thinking MPs should be asking is why the defection by Duma in such a manner? The other day he was chatting about placing national interests ahead by moving to the Opposition. Now he is back in the Government and whose interest is this? Most political pundits indicated that the rivalry for the PM post is intense in the opposition camp.

But Duma in fact was a power broker there, his presence is vastly venerated but such a sudden move cannot be taken blithely. Who else is in there, which will dislodge Duma’s political delusion of the top post? Let’s zoom down to Hagen Central Politics, as long as Governor Wingti is there, Duma’s dream of becoming a PM would just be a mere fantasy. All the senior ministers absconding to opposition claimed that they put national interests ahead of their personal benefits but who knows. A potent quote from Thomas Sowell,” Politics is the art of making your selfish desire seem like national interest.” And our so called leaders have mastered the art and are superbly dexterous.

The drama endures to the 16th November, the Parliament recommenced very early at 9 am. The speaker Job Pomat used his legislative power to have the parliament passed the 2021 Budget. The Budget was debated to have lacked the compulsory number of 57 but was nevertheless passed by the Government and the VONC was adjourned to April 2021without the opposition.

There was a wider uproar that a constitutional crisis was inoculated by the speaker and the matter was challenged by former PM Peter O’Neil at Supreme Court for a court injunction which will be heard on 25th this month which is Wednesday. On the upshot of this legal scuffle if in favour of opposition, the VONC will be effected on December 1st. On the other matter perplexing the legality of PM James Marabe’s election, the court was in favour of Belden Namah having the matter to progress. Both attempts are to make the PM seat vacant for the voting of a new PM.

If the Opposition bid to uphold the 13th November motion without notice is a triumph, then a new PM is imminent. If the court rules in favour of the government, then Marabe as the crown of the executive arm of the government will exploit his supremacy in its fullness to retain the PM seat. If the court chased by Namah makes the PM post unoccupied then a brutal horse trading will be stirring in both camps. Government will not be stable as URP, the second largest party in the Loloata Camp, will be vying for a coalition government targeting for the Deputy PM post. There is a conceivable crack in the government camp, leaving the original opposition dubbed as the Laguna Camp led by Garry Juffa, Alan Bird, Kerenga Kua, Brian Krammer and et al will be the real power brokers.

All in all, the PNG citizens do not want to witness a reappearance of the 2011 political impasse where the executive government used its extreme power under former PNC PM O’Neil with his henchman Belden Namah to hijack and conceded judiciary to claim the PM post. PNG citizens’ appeal to PM Marabe, as the people’s choice PM and a God fearing PM not to repeat the precedence set by a former regime.

God Bless PNG