Dear ACT NOW! supporter

While it has been a tumultuous seven-days in PNG politics, it is sad it has ended with our democracy being further undermined by a Prime Minister who seems hell-bent on hanging on to power at any cost.

Prime Minister destroying our democracy

While it is the Prime Ministers despicable death threats against MP Sam Basil that have taken the headlines around the world (the Daily Telegraph (UK), ABC, Australia Network News, SBS, The First Post, Herald Sun, news.com), it was speaker Jeffery Nape’s decision to ignore the will of Parliament and adjourn the House despite a clear majority of voices calling for a vote that shows Somare and his government have no respect for Parliament, democratic principles or the people of PNG.

Unfortunately this is not the first time Somare and his government have shown their contempt for democratic principles. Other recent examples include:

•  Refusing to accept a community petition;
• Trying to unlawfully ban the media from reporting on the Environment Act amendments;
• Bulldozing those amendments through Parliament with no debate or disclosure;
• Failing to follow the law and insist Ministers step aside when facing a Leadership Tribunal
• Failing to deliver promised consultation on changes to the Leadership Code;
• Describing peaceful demonstrators as 'long long'; and
• Swearing in a Governor General who has not been formally elected and whose appointment is under challenge in the Supreme Court.

But although the Prime Minister has hung on to power in the short-term there have been significant changes this week.  

Somare’s leadership severely dented  

On Tuesday the government was severely dented by the decision of the Deputy PM and two other Ministers to join the Opposition ranks. This was followed on Wednesday by new allegations of corruption in the Border Development Agency and over the extension of the Governor General’s offices and allegations of massive vote buying

At the same time the post Courier published the results of its survey showing the overwhelming majority of people want a change of leadership, with Puka Temu being the preferred candidate to become Prime Minister.

According to the Post Courier:  

People have lost confidence in the Somare government over the years when he swept under the carpet, using autocratic style powers, some of PNG’s biggest controversies. 
These include the Moti affair; his referral to the Public Prosecutor for alleged misconduct in office (failing to submit annual returns); amendments to the Ombudsman Commission Act; amendments to Environment Act; the Taiwan diplomatic scandal; and many others.

[Somare] has out-lived his usefulness and there was no rationale for his continued existence in power.
 [The people] want buoyancy restored as basic services like health, schools, roads, and other infrastructures, mainly in rural areas were non existent to a point where the bulk of the people feel neglected. 

Campaign issues

On the Campaign front, one positive from the news that Parliament has been adjourned for four months is that the proposed changes to the Leadership Code have still not been enacted. More disappointing though is the news the government has still not carried out its promised consultation on the proposed changes. ACT NOW! will be writing to the government next week to find out what its plans now are for the proposed changes.

The government, of course, shows no signs of weakening its support for the Environment Act amendments. But the Opposition has declared it will reverse the changes if it can win a vote of no confidence which is a major breakthrough – especially as the opposition ranks have grown so significantly this week.

In the meantime, the Supreme Court has confirmed the injunctions stopping the construction of a marine waste disposal system for the Ramu nickel mine stay in place which is a major headache for the Prime Minister and a great victory for the landowners.

The Petition against the Environment Act amendments now has more than 6,000 signatures. This is an AWESOME effort and very nearly 900 of those signatures have been collected on-line which we think is a record number for a petition in PNG. If you haven't signed yet then PLEASE do so NOW!

While the premature adjournment of Parliament means we won’t be presenting the Petition this week, we will now look for a new opportunity to use the Petition to attract maximum publicity and pressure on the government.

Best wishes

The ACT NOW! Team