Political uncertainty the P.N.G. way

Press, 30 July 1986, Page 13

Political uncertainty the P.N.G. way

By

ROBERT LOWE

NZPA staff correspondent Port Moresby Up to 60 per cent of Papua New Guinea’s 109 members of Parliament can expect to lose their seats in the next election, according to one parliamentarian. Mr Tony Siaguru, the leader of the League for National Advancement, a minority opposition party, said the turnover would be so high because of the nature of politics in the country. “There is no real party organisation,” he said. “Politics here is based on personalitites and private reputations. "The individual mem-

ber is forced into the situation of promising all sorts of services and goods. “When he cannot deliver, he gets thrown out.”

Mr Siaguru said the situation was changing, but only slowly.

"As the electorate becomes more aware of issues, it will become more discerning about the choice of its candidate,” he said.

“But the party system per se will not be a factor of great significance over the next 10 to 'l5 years.” Mr Siaguru said this tended to make Parliament less stable, "and that is an unfortunate part of politics here”. The present government, led by the Prime Minister, Mr Paias Wingti,

1s a coalition of five parties.

However, one diplomatic source said that, despite its fragmented nature, the Government was quite stable. “Under the constitution, Mr Wingti cannot face a vote of no confidence in the year before the next General Election (June, 1987),” he said.

Mr Siaguru acknowledged that one of Mr Wingti’s strengths was his ability to hold the Government together. “He has held together a coalition of five groups,” he said. “That in itself is a major achievement, given that most Papua New Guinea politicians look after their own interests.”

Mr Siaguru was a Cabinet Minister under the

former Prime Minister, Mr Michael Somare, but resigned in 1984 after differences with Mr Wingti, then the Deputy Prime Minister.

Both Mr Wingti, and Mr Somare, now Leader of the Opposition, have urged their respective People’s Democratic Movement and Pangu Pati supporters to show party loyalty. The Deputy Prime Minister, Sir Julius Chan, has given members of his People’s Progress Party a similar message. According to observers, politics here has been marked by “independents” aligning themselves to parties before an election, but showing little hesitation in crossing the floor when elected.

Mr Wingti himself has acknowledged that strict adherence to party lines was not a characteristic of Papua New Guinea politics.

“The bulk of the population is illiterate,” he said. "And politics is not based on party policies, it is based on personalities and where you come from.

“These are some of the factors that have been powerful in the past, but slowly, as we get a more literate populaton and they look at parties and leadership more, the situation will stabilise.”

The irony is that Mr Wingti himself came to power after winning a vote of no confidence in Mr Somare in November.