Time for change is NOW

Got an emailed attachment in my inbox this morning - a signed petition/statement from a number of members of parliament in relation to the pending vote of no confidence against Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister, Sir Michael Somare.

It's worth a read.

Download the report here (right click, save target as):

Papua New Guinea Opposition Media Campaign 2009

Get it right, Buai Chewer

(Mustard, Betel Nut, and Lime)

This post in retaliation to an article posted in the Post Courier's Viewpoint Section entitled "Get right NCDC with your buai ban" by Buai Chewer:

"...Your supporters can then go around and collect the rubbish in their trucks twice a day and while doing so the public is educated on how to dispose of their rubbish properly instead of going around in convoys harassing people".
Read the full article here.

I agree with Buai Chewer that more bins need to be located in smart spots - locations where betel nut chewers can easily dispose of the betel nut shell itself instead of throwing it on the ground and littering public areas. One thing I've noticed (and I'm sure every other Moresby-ean) is the spilling of 'red blood' on our streets and walkways. This 'red blood' itself isn't actually 'human blood' but the product of a chemical reaction between the lime, mustard and saliva in the mouth. If not swallowed, a lot of betel nut chewers usually spit this out of their mouths onto our walkways and from their moving vehicles onto our roads. If the purpose of the betel nut ban is to promote cleanliness and hygiene in Port Moresby, in order to also prevent betel nut chewers from ruining our pathways and especially our roads, (1) all buai chewers on our PMVs (Public Motor Vehicles) should be refused entry on all our PMVs if they are chewing betel nut. (2) NCDC should also enforce all betel nut chewers to carry a plastic bottle (for example only) to spit into instead of smearing betel nut spittle publicly.

"Buai selling (betel nut selling) is their lifeline and as soon as they are deprived of their income..." - Buai Chewer

Growers, PMV operators and village people will not be affected by the betel nut ban - they can still grow, distribute and supply betel nut vendors! The current betel nut ban only restricts WHERE betel nut vendors can sell betel nut. They still can sell betel nut - just not on public property. This is legally enforceable because first of all, betel nut sellers who sell betel nut in public places do not pay the people that the NCDC contracts to clean up the streets. By restricting betel nut vendors to sell betel nut only on private property reduces the costs that the NCDC has to cough up paying street cleaners and also gives the responsibility of cleaning entirely up to the betel nut vendor. Which is very fair. Think of it as a form of 'corporate responsibility' - only on a smaller business scale. In addition, the fact that NCD govenror, Mr. Powes Parkop has established a taskforce of enforcement officers - they aren't mobilised to 'harass' people as Buai Chewer suggests. Yes, they may be intimidating but this is not unlawful harassment. These betel nut sellers know it is illegal to sell betel nut in public places.

By banning the sale of betel nut in public places - there is only a slight change (as opposed to complete difficulty) in terms of moving and purchasing betel nut, I've made a few suggestions to make purchasing betel nut, more 'efficient' for betel nut lovers:

• know your 'suppliers' and their location. Liase with them. Get their mobile numbers if you're that desperate. If you can't go to them, let them come to you! Most importantly, know where they live so you can go to their house and buy it. This all sounds very hilarious but I can't figure out anything more practical. It shouldn't prove too difficult as there is a high probability that there is at least one betel nut vendor who alread resides on your street/has a betel nut stall on their property.


• Buy in BULK. Simply, less trips and frustration in finding and locating your supplier.
  

Buai Chewer, I suggest you start to not only stop thinking selfishly, but start acting responsibly. If you haven't noticed, the Health Department, other NGOs as well as the National Capital District Commission (NCDC) have spent millions to educate citizens on how to dispose of their rubbish properly in paid TV, radio and print media. The argument that spending K80,000 so that "the public is educated on how to dispose of their rubbish properly" is a reckless argument. Obviously, lazy and ignorant people have failed to comprehend one-line advocacy campaigns such as "Please Help Keep Port Moresby Clean". It's time to toughen up.

Yes Buai Chewer, betel nut is here to stay, but please be smart and responsible.
Enough is Enough.

Just a thought...

For those of you who have been following Papua New Guinean politics recently, one topic recently debated more in the media than it has been on the floor of Parliament refers to a recent investigative report done by the Post Courier. Not long ago, the newspaper headlined its front page with a report stating that US$40 million was deposited into a Singapore bank account - allegedly bribes from the logging industry to certain Members of Parliament. When one considers the lack of services and infrastructure that fails to reach the large majority of Papua New Guineans due to the injustice caused by the squandering of public monies, "the people's money", by corrupt politicians, people start to really get pissed off. I mean, wouldn't you? Think about it. When I first read this news article, I had imagined that anti-government sentiment would be brewing not just from anti-corruption lobbyists, but from all levels of society, beginning from the grassroots level. We are talking about a group of people who come from a country that is (and i stress) not poor, however have been subjected and deprived of a wide range of basic necessities such as health and education by a government that every now and then decides to allow its members a hefty allowance increase. Not that they seem to care much about also increasing the minimum wage of the average Papua New Guinean despite the fact that the cost of living has dramatically increased. It's when things like this happen that we begin to ask ourselves whether we should continue to tolerate the way we are being governed. In a normal democratic country, wouldn't you expect the head of the government to resign and let the rule of law prevail upon the discovery of such scandal and humiliation? Not quite.
Despite attempts by certain NGO's, individuals and anti-corruption bodies such as Transparency International to draw angst and resentment, all attempts did not produce such a result. Even the Opposition was gagged to raise questions on the floor of Parliament on this issue! So what hope is there when the House that sits our so called elected members - people that we vote to represent our best interests - are discouraged to let our concerns be heard?
Since, the Post Courier has stood by its report and handed it to the Ombudsman Commission, confidential briefs have been leaked to the media citing revolt and back-stabbing - certain members of the Prime Minister's cabinet are secretly pushing for the PMs possible referral to a leadership tribunal and more recently, the slay of words between Somare and former PM, Sir Julius Chan - after Chan publicly described Somare's leadership style to that of dictator, President Mugabe. Somare immediately retaliated describing Chan's time in the office of the Prime Minister as a historical hindrance to the development of Papua New Guinea.
It must be noted that corruption in our logging industry is not the latest scandal to have hit the fan. A number of reports by government authorities as well as external reports by the likes of the powerful World Bank have concluded that numerous logging operations in Papua New Guinea are illegal. Hooray! The truth is out and freely available. So what? Like the others that have come before it such as the infamous Moti Report, this too will get swept under the carpet as well as others that may "undermine Papua New Guinea's sovereignty", or "be a hazard to development". Thus far, anything that indicts Somare or tarnishes the reputation that he has earned, as "The Father of the Nation" will be rebutted and its grounds challenged. No play up here.
Although Somare assumed leadership through the democratic process known as an election as opposed to President Mugabe of Zimbabwe who assumed leadership, one thing is for certain: the rule of law in Papua New Guinea is severely undermined.
After so much exposure and expressions of revulsion from those who dared to speak, we haven't seen Somare use the same level of passion and flare that most politicians use when campaigning come election time...Why hasn't Somare used the same level of vigor to crack down on corruption within his own Cabinet. Or for that matter, prove and maintain his own innocence and integrity? What is there to hide or protect for that matter? This post is not to intentionally dishonor the contributions that our public servants have made to the development of our country, but to uphold the values of honesty, accountability and development that politicians over-use come speech time and importantly, to seek leadership. More vocal and hard-hitting evangelists of the law would argue that not all efforts have been fully exhausted. But we are lucky; we've still got forums to express our reactions. I've got my blog. How about the other eighty per cent of Papua New Guineans who live in rural areas and depend on a government that fails and cheats them repeatedly. Not merely by squandering millions and engaging in illegal practices but also in terms of representing them honestly and truthfully? What chance do they have when their representative-elect can't represent them? How do we evoke emotion, or better - nationalism, an identity as a collective? I believe that only until then, will we seem some definite change. Otherwise, those in power will remain comfortable because they haven't been hit hard enough to feel long-lasting tremors. To quote Thomas Jefferson: "The two enemies of the people are criminals and government, so let us tie the second down with the chains of the Constitution so the second will not become the legalised version of the first".

O arise all you sons of this land

Post Courier

Wednesday, October 3, 2007

Motigate debate
gagged in Parlt

GOVERNMENT yesterday gagged the Opposition from
asking questions relating to two controversial issues – Motigate Affair and
Mobile War.
On the first day of the sitting yesterday, Parliament Speaker
Jeffery Nape walked in an hour after the ringing of the bells and stopped
Parliament from raising any questions or issues concerning the Moti affair.
Mr Nape said, “I understand that the matter is before the court or the
Defence Council, therefore I wish to inform Parliament that we should not
discuss it.
“Any questions relating to the Moti case will not be entertained
until the report is tabled before Parliament.”
And the Opposition decried
this and termed it dictatorial.
At a news conference attended by all
Opposition members, they said the gagging of debate on important issues
concerning the nation was a disgrace.
Opposition Leader Sir Mekere Morauta
said the Speaker misled the Parliament.
He told reporters that his office
checked with the Supreme Court only on Monday and there was nothing to say that
the Moti issues was before the courts.
He said the Opposition had some
questions regarding the issue and the report was explicit where it said laws
were broken and responsible people should be prosecuted.
Sir Mekere,
supported by his deputy Bart Philemon and former Prime Minister Sir Julius Chan,
said the recommendations of the report is clear and the alleged threats by the
PNG Defence Force to arrest the Prime Minister and NGOs’ outcry were symptoms of
the leaders not doing the right thing.
In saying this, the Opposition called
for the Prime Minister to step aside immediately.
“There is a growing chorus
of dissatisfaction everywhere.
“We are doing injustice to the people,” Sir
Mekere told reporters.
Sir Julius called on respective government bodies
like the Ombudsman, police and public prosecutor to act independently and act on
the recommendations of the Moti report.
Mendi MP Francis Awesa said there
seem to be two laws, one for the small people and the other for the leaders,
supported by Sir Mekere who said a small person gets belted up for stealing a
packet of biscuit and a leader gets free after all these allegations.
Meanwhile, attempts to ask the Communication Minister Patrick Tammur on the
alleged submission to the Cabinet was also gagged with the front bench of the
Government interjecting with points of order and calling on the speaker to rule
it out of order which the Speaker eventually did.
Parliament adjourned to
this morning at 10.

This article raised a number of questions. What does it mean to be independent and free? Are we really independent and free? As outlined in our National Pledge, do our leaders really pledge to:

"Build a democratic society based on justice, equality, respect and prosperity of our people"

Have Papua New Guinea's leaders become so ignorant and blinded by their own visions of personal wealth, status, power and self-interest? Is our society going to the dogs? Maybe one needs to provide certain public figures with clearER definitions of these fundamental governing principles, imperative to the promotion and enforcement of the rights of the men, women and children of any democratic country. It makes me wonder...

Setting the benchmark: Powes Parkop

During his election campaign for the Moresby Regional seat, Powes Parkop was quoted as saying:

"I don't have millions of kina to give you but I have millions of ideas to share..."

Powes Parkop's swearing into office is a strong indication of the people's will and desire for a new change of leadership style as it has been publicly acknowledged that NCDC, as with most other public offices, has been the milking cow for too long - a haven for those tempted to make a quick buck and in the process, steal monies from the public purse. When I found out that a human rights lawyer had won the Moresby Regional seat and was the governor-elect for the National Capital District, I had felt an overwhelming sense of reassurance that there are truly inspirational Papua New Guineans, who use virtue and power not for the sole purposes of self-interest, status or wealth but who do have a passion to improve the lives of the marginalised and underpriveleged. Studying in the same field of profession as Mr.Parkop, a man I had never heard of or met, I now look up to this man as an inspirational role model for young Papua New Guinean's like myself, to actively play a role in the development of their country.

Last Friday's issue of The National Newspaper which included an article by Harlyne Joku entitled "Parkop suspends four senior execs" demonstrates the type of virtue and honesty that is reflected in this man's leadership.

NCD Governor Powes Parkop
yesterday suspended and charged four senior managers for alleged abuse, funds
misuse and fraud.The alleged anomalies against the city government were
committed between January and August this year, Mr Parkop said.The governor said
he would terminate the services of the manager for social services for failing
in his job.In a statement yesterday, Mr Parkop said prior to his swearing-in and
assumption of office last Aug 21, he had requested among other things the
commission’s financial report for the said period.“It had become obvious to me
that there was massive abuse of the commission’s during that period,” Mr Parkop
said.He further said the financial status and dealings of the commission had not
been secret and that he was advised by many people to terminate all his
managers.But Mr Parkop said that he had refused to do so to give them
opportunity to explain the figures in the financial statement.“This was to
ensure that whatever decision I make, it was directed at arresting the
problem
instead of undertaking a massive termination and replacement which
may not solve the problem of abuse and misuse of funds in the first place,” he
added.

Read the rest of the article here.

A few months ago, Kevin Pamba in his article "Parkos victory is a welcome benchmark" stated that "only time will tell how Mr. Parkop will reciprocate the overwhelming trust bestowed on him." I have a firm belief that the act of him suspending four senior managers for alleged abuse, funds misuse and fraud is a great cause for emulation. And for once, I am briefly persuaded and enlightened to observe that a segment of Papua New Guinean voters are not influenced by bribery, false promises, gifts or handouts, but have once voted with their conscience.