The By-Election and 2022 Elections

by PAUL BARKER

42 Candidates for Moresby North West! While this demonstrates a open democacy with people free to contest elections, it also highlights an underlying problem. There are no doubt some fine candidates eager to serve and improve the lives of their fellow citizens in the constituency and the country, but this immense eagerness to become an MP also indicates something wrong.

The economy is largely driven by the private sector, businesses large and small investing and creating jobs and contributing to wealth generation and paying taxes, as well as delivering a wide range of goods and services needed by the community in a relatively efficent manner, (largely) through competititive processes.

Public services are delivered by male and female professionals, whether nurses, doctors, teachers, engineers, accountants, economists, agricultural and other researchers and extension workers, social workers, clerks, cleaners, lawyers, police and others, in the public service, but also with State-owned utilities and other enterprises, providing water and sewage, power etc, as well as working on service delivery with churches and NGOs that both deliver but also provide a critical watchdog role, helping keep the public and private sectors honest and accountable.

The politicians and all levels play a valuable role as elected representatives and servants of the public, both steering and overseeing the machinery of government, at national, provincial and local levels. However, the role of the political tier has become distorted in PNG, to effective controlling large sums of money, notably at the district and provincial level, notably under the SIP system. These funds are widely used deficiently and unaccountably, but many politicians also have considerable sway over resource allocations and licensing, appointments and other roles, which provide discretionary opportunities and avenues for temptation and distortion. This can lead to serious misallocations of the limited resources available in this country. The country isn't developing as it should be, because the private sector is not encouraged to play its role effectively, with reliable and accountable provision of public public goods and services, timely licensing, reliable land title etc, and because despite generally sound laws and policies, much of government is run in an inconsistent and ad-hoc manner, often with unsuitable appointments for highly demanding public sector jobs and lack of support for public service managers and staff to perform their responsibilities diligently and accountably.

Politicians do have an important role, represenating their constituents, providing leadership in positive social and other reforms, in providing oversight, asking questions and helping ensure that the Executive, including public sector is reliable and efficient in service delivery, in response to the public's needs and priorities.

Far too much focus is given to adulating politicians and by many (who could make a more useful contribution in other walks of life) in trying to gain public office, in many cases for the wrong reasons; namely to gain control over public assets and resources, appointments and to operate in an arbitrary and unaccountable manner, undermining rather than strengthening and making processes stronger. Some political leaders have had money prior to enterinig politics, some from the past have even lost their wealth during their term in office, but too many see contesting as a gamble, which if won, enables them to pay off their debts and become wealthy, through various meeans, including associated with SIP procurement, etc. Anyone who becomes wealthy during their term in office, as opposed to from their prior business life etc, clearly raises questions over the source of that wealth, as it must not be acquired from their public office or assocated activities.

So, when it comes to determining who will be selected for Moresby NW in the By-Election and for all seats in the 2020 National Elections, don't just vote in wantoks, or those offering any rewards, but ascertain first what they will bring to the consitutuency if they win, and whether the candicate is contesting to work and serve, or just to enjoy unaccountable trappings from public office at tax payers' expense.