THE DECEITS AND LIES OF POLITICS (PART I)

AFTER THE 2017 NATIONAL GENERAL ELECTIONS

The tenth parliament that was convened after the 2017 National General Elections has unanimously voted for Peter O’Neill and his People’s National Congress Party (PNC) to be in government.

Certain politicians (both independents and party affiliated) switched camps and joined O’Neill and the government coalition. Some lured by huge sums of money (for personal gain), ministerial portfolios and some with the promise for development in their electorates.

PANGU Pati was one major political party to defect from the Opposition to join ranks in the then O’Neill-Abel government. Sam Basil was given the Communications and Energy ministerial portfolios, William Samb Bougainville Affairs and two others given vice-ministerial powers.

Basil justified his move to government in the name of development for his PANGU electorates, after spending more than 10years as an Opposition MP. Basil failed to disclose the price tag for each of his members that he allegedly sold to ‘enemy number one’ and brought along to the government side. That leaves a lot of criticisms for Basil and his PANGU team with the people of Morobe decried as being fooled by Basil.

The National Alliance (NA) party remained a major coalition in the Opposition together with PNG Party, Allegiance and others.

Opposition leader Patrick Pruaitch together with Bryan Kramer, Kerenga Kua, Allan Marat, Sir Mekere Morauta and others were vocal on many decisions and policies put forward by the then O’Neill-Abel government.

The 2018 APEC expenditure was one of the most controversial issues that saw the government spending more than K40million in an exorbitant Maserati deal and not a single Maserati was used during the summit.

Bryan Kramer raised numerous serious allegations against Peter O’Neill and several of his ministers at that time. One of which was O’Neill’s citizenship status and his legitimacy as the Prime Minister.

For more than two years O’Neill has blatantly lied on the floor of parliament that PNG’s economy was improving. In reality, hospitals, schools and government services were closing down due to no funding. Roads, bridges and infrastructures were deteriorating all over the country. All these did not reflect the government policies under the stewardship of PNC Party and its coalition partners.

O’Neill has always been known for running to the courts to seek refuge when confronted with a warrant of arrest. Numerous attempts by the opposition to put forward Motions on No Confidence against the Prime Minister were always shelved by the parliament seeking interpretation from the courts. O’Neill used the judiciary to define the roles of the legislative arm.

The events that unfolded before and during the weeks leading up the Vote of No Confidence (VoNC) in May 2019 have demonstrated how political parties and politicians in Papua New Guinea can change allegiance in their pursuit of power.

VoNC MAY 2019

James Marape the then Minister for Finance and a member of the ruling PNC party was the first to resign from the cabinet in April 2019. Marape claimed that the country’s economy was not improving and the books have been decorated to impress investors, the business community and the people of Papua New Guinea.

Marape moved out along with Hela Governor Philip Undialu, Southern Highlands’ William Powi and other Ministers including Defence Solan Mirisin and Health Dr Puka Temu.

The next major crack in the then government was created when O’Neill’s staunch supporter and PNC strongman Enga Governor Sir Peter Ipatas withdrew from the government. He brought with him Jiwaka Governor Dr William Tongamp and Attorney General Davis Steven who were members of his former Peoples Party (PP).

The Opposition at that time had four camps, but one major goal and that is to end the reign of Peter O’Neill and his ruling PNC party.

The original Opposition MPs had their camp at the Sanctuary Hotel, Marape at Laguna and Ipatas at Bluff Inn. Kerenga Kua and others decided to be based at Kua’s Dream Inn which is about a couple hundred meters from Marape’s Laguna camp.

The Laguna camp has been the central point of discussions and it is the main location at which government defectors are being received daily.

PANGU PATI POLITICS

For over some months, there have been an ongoing issue with the political leadership of PANGU Pati. Sam Basil who singlehandedly resurrected PANGU in 2014 went into the Goilala by-election in 2015 and William Samb was declared the first to win under Basil’s leadership.

Basil and Samb brought PANGU into the 2017 National General Elections and won 7 seats in Morobe, 2 in Madang and 1 in Central.
1. Hon. Sam Basil – Bulolo
2. Hon Thomas Pelika – Menyamya
3. Hon. Kennedy Wenge – Nawaeb
4. Hon. Kobby Bomareo – Tewai Siassi
5. Hon. Renbo Paita – Finschafen
6. Hon. Koni Iguan – Markham
7. Hon. Ginson Saonu – Morobe Governor
8. Hon. Bryan Kramer – Madang
9. Hon. Chris Yer Nangoi – Sumkar
10. Hon. William Samb - Goilala

Leading up to the formation of government, more MPs joined PANGU Pati.

The new MPs that joined PANGU were;
1. Hon. John Rosso – Lae
2. Hon. Lekwa Gure – Rigo
3. Hon. Robert Agarobe – Central Governor
4. Hon. Henry Amuli – Sohe
5. Hon. Sir Mekere Morauta – Moresby North-West
6. Hon. Dr Lino Tomo – Wabag
7. Hon. Peter Sapia – Raikost

PANGU Pati was then the second biggest coalition partner in the Opposition with 17 members. It was also a major player in debating policies with the government.

A couple of months in the Opposition and information have been leaked within the party caucus that Basil will moving over to the government. Three new members of the party disputed the proposed move and remained with the Opposition.

These MPs were;
1. Hon. Bryan Kramer
2. Hon. Sir Mekere Morauta
3. Hon. Dr Lino Tom

Those that followed Basil over to the government were used as scapegoats. Only Basil and Samb were given ministerial portfolios.

Hence, the issue on political leadership of PANGU was again brought up by the party executives Morris Tovebae and Patrick Pundao. Both have been making allegations of misuse of party funds against Basil and have been going in and out of court to have Basil removed as party leader. However, PANGU’s parliamentary wing have always unanimously voted for Basil and Samb to be party leaders.

Pundao and Tovebae have been alleged to have solicited monies from intending candidates in 2017 with the promise of endorsing them under PANGU Pati. Unfortunately, all of them were not approved by the then leader Sam Basil.

Basil cited that both Pundao and Tovebae have done little or nothing for PANGU Pati into the 2017 NGE and numerous requests for party conventions were always turned down by these executives.

Basil was in talks with executives from Melanesian Alliance (MA) Party to be given the leadership after it’s political leader Joseph Yopiyopi resigned and joined the ruling PNC party.

In May 2019, PANGU Pati members convened at the tenth floor of MRDC Haus in Downtown Port Moresby. At around 5pm a motion was put forward for massive resignation by all members of PANGU excluding Morobe Governor Ginson Saonu who wished to remain with PANGU.

It was a heartbreaking moment, a pioneer political party in PNG with a short history after being resurrected is about to be dismantled over differences between its political leader and executives.

The next day, members convened again at the same location, called a press conference and announced their official resignation from PANGU. The events that followed after the announcement paved way for a new government to be formed in the next couple of weeks.

The eight (8) MPs that joined MA were;
1. Sam Basil
2. Koni Iguan
3. Thomas Pelika
4. Lekwa Gure
5. Kennedy Wenge
6. Peter Sapia
7. Chris Yer Nangoi
8. Pogio Ghate

PANGU SEAL 6

Six (6) members of the PANGU Pati after announcing their resignation went straight to the Laguna Hotel where they were received by James Marape and his team.

The 6 members were;
1. John Rosso
2. Robert Agarobe
3. Renbo Paita
4. Kobby Bomareo
5. William Samb
6. Henry Amuli

They were joined there by Morobe Governor Ginson Saonu who has assumed the party leadership being the only remaining MP who hasn’t tendered a resignation.

Were their resignations null and void? Yes, there are still members of PANGU Pati and the resignations were verbally announced and letters were not presented to the party leaders and executives.

The six MPs were in there to lure the big fish and PANGU leadership would be a suitable bait to give a fresh start to a new government.

Discussions were ongoing between Marape and the PANGU team.

Finally, James Marape agreed and joined PANGU Pati together with 14 of his government defectors.

In Part (II), we will look at the events that transpired in the weeks leading up to the actual day of VoNC. We will look at what the discussion was like behind the curtains of Laguna, the text messages, group whatsapp messages and the failed Angoram Maneuver that somewhat unveiled the plots to destroy the Laguna camp.