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THE Independent newspaper in its Beehive column of 30/1/99 hinted on people getting excited over the prospect of one world currency and one world government but oblivious to the threat of a one-man government. I am provoked to comment on the last one, one-man government which in my view is of immediate concern.
Most PNG's think it is impossible for one person to head a dictatorship here. That, one may say, is because of our many different cultures, numerous languages and their geographical distribution. Regionalism, which plays a major role in PNG politics would also make it difficult. We believe that the fabric of our unique society will never allow such an entity to emerge. Is that true? Can we be sure that it will never happen here? Please, spare me a few moments so I can show you how one can become a dictator by subtlety if only we, the people, pave his way.
I invite you, the reader, as an intellectual to share my thoughts and to form your own opinion on the matter because I hope you are concerned as I am. I want to show you a path that I would take to become an autocrat or dictator if only I had the chance. The key word here is chance. People take chances to rise into prominence and I, the intending dictator would go from strength to strength when the people served up to my aspirations.
My chance would come when the nation was facing a crisis; for instance, when the disciplined forces were in direct conflict with the government of the day with civil unrest in tow. I would have to manipulate these dissenting groups to serve my own purpose during what we term as 'the struggle'. I also will have to establish my power base with the most popular and aggressive ethnic group in the country. There is a mixed bag of core people involved in this struggle, political activists, lawyers, rogue troops, failed politicians, former diplomats, journalists, settlement leaders, charismatic religious leaders, the list is long. I naturally emerge as leader of the group because I happen to be the only member of parliament. I secretly pledge my unconditional support for the person in charge of the rebellious armed forces and promise him anything as long as he lends me support for my quest at the top political post in the country. He agrees with me that we will need each other for a long time if we manage to last in this dangerous game.
The timing is perfect. It is election year and I muster all the charisma
and appeal to the electorate for recognition by fanning anti-government
sentiments out of proportion. I become an instant hero, a man seemingly
sent from higher powers to rescue the situation from the corrupt people
in control at the time. The religious leaders hold me up in prayer. I attend
their rallies, prayer meetings and partake in religious rituals. "This
man is our deliverer", the pastors proclaim. (Church leaders know of my
hypocrisy but lend me their support anyway for the cash handouts they will
receive when I get into office). But, I want to appeal to party lovers
too, so I rock and roll my heart out on stage with echoes of 'right man'
and 'fada' ringing in my ears everywhere I go. However, beneath all the
hype and fanfare, on one will ever know what goes through my mind, not
even my family. My dreams of wealth, absolute power and visions of grandeur
appear boundless. I have a dream. I am riding on the crest of a big swell
that is about to sweep me to power and nothing shall stand in my way. I
can lie, cheat, play the Christian, the rock star, the godfather, saviour,
anything. I know very well that Papua New Guinean's believe in anything
and whatever I say is gospel. I hold them captive.
I get elected easily. How I gather support from members of parliament
to become the head of government is nobody's business. The normal way of
forming government on the floor of parliament can wait. I am not taking
any chances. Those who join my party must remain with me or else... because
I allow my fully armed thugs to display high-powered weapons before the
newly elected members who get the silent message that I will not tolerate
defections. No one will defect from my party (unless I kick them out) because
my boys will show them the door to heaven, hell or purgatory, whichever
they believe in. I am determined to get power and keep it. Image is powerful,
I am told, so I will have to put up my portraits in public buildings because
I don't intend to leave anyway. New investors should have no problem recognising
the only person who should receive the briefcase. (US dollars thanks, or
no deal).
I move swiftly as soon as I form government. I have to replace all bureaucratic and statutory heads with my mates. Experience and merit don't count here because my own survival is important. The heads of the military, police and finance will have to be trusted people involved in the struggle because their fate depends on mine and vise versa. You see, I feel that we broke some laws of the country during the struggle so I don't want the law to disrupt my grand plan. If the police wish to investigate my past crimes and scandals, my good commissioner will stop them because he knows that without me he is hopeless. If the police gain public sympathy, I paint an evil picture of the police as undisciplined thugs whose mistakes have cost the nation dearly.
Our parliament is known for its frequent votes-of-no confidence so it will become increasingly necessary for me to obtain funds to keep my members from defecting. I merge several public financial institutions and appoint my mate as manager. The numbers game in Waigani means I will need cash and plenty of it to survive. Mobile telephones work wonders and my man with the big purse kicks in a million or two whenever I'm in need. I will have to silence powerful trade union leaders with cash, too. Who will refuse cold hard cash in these difficult times. Some people even wonder why, established leaders defect to my side and sing my praises. These men are smart because they know I won't lose since they only care for the rolls of cash I throw at them as dogs go for bones. They have lost all integrity and lap up to me at the snap of a finger. I can't believe it when the so-called highly educated elite bow down to me, a nobody from the settlements, for crumbs from my table. I did my way!
Education? Who needs education. I made it without it so can anyone. No, it doesn't mean you can't have it because I didn't. Universities, research institutions, colleges, we don't need them. Besides, these places are breeding grounds for young activists who will give me a rough time when I make bad decisions. I must starve them of funds and let them die naturally. The opposition is dying the same death because I instruct the treasury to deny their rightful electoral funds so the voters compel them to join my party.
The newspapers bear letters critical of my actions over scandals, corruption and sacking of departmental heads in favour of political cronies. Some writers even regret voting us in and can hardly wait until the next elections. Fools indeed! What do they make of my suspending parliament for eight months. I was testing the waters for the big occasion in November, 2001 when I will have to suspend parliament for one year, just months before the next elections for 'security reasons'. You will never get the chance to vote me out because, believe me, there will be a major crisis in the year 2002. The members know that and they will support me fully for an extra year or even indefinitely. I will call the shots. (That is if PNG's economy still has some life left by then. Otherwise bye-bye PNG, hello Spain, Gold Coast will be too close for comfort). Only the opposition leader will remain opposed just because of the privileges that office brings. Constitution? What constitution? Who cares?
But wait, you say. How about the judiciary, the custodian of our constitution
and our honourable judges? Surely they won't allow any such thing to happen.
Aha, I knew you would ask me that. Our judges are too soft. Many times
leaders get away with bribery, contempt of court and sex scandals on technicalities.
No one has any integrity to judge righteously anymore. Natural justice
is denied many times. If my supporters are jailed for anything, I have
powers to release them. When I am required to answer charges of any sort,
my boys will call the presiding judge and remind him that his life is worth
a lot more than the case pending. If that fails, you may recall that the
military head owes me a favour because I saved him from going to jail for
sedition. He will deal with the courts if they cross me because if I go,
he is nothing. I must also personalise the armed forces to serve my purpose.
Look at the sacking of experienced officers in favour of hand-picked men
loyal to my mate the commander who gives lame excuses for his actions.
The police hierarchy is being restructured to serve my purpose, too. The
Ombudsman is a vegetable. PNG is my circus. You may laugh, cry or be my
clown. Enjoy the show.
One last question, you say. Who do you fear the most? Fear? I fear no-one except good police investigators and the trade union movement. I could also be in serious trouble if ministers and members in my government came to their senses and deserted me. At present, these thick turkeys worship me because of the perks and privileges. None of them are any sharper than your average bus driver. They know nothing of my plans.
I have written this because of a certain autocratic style of government taking control of our nation's affairs. I care because of my young children who are about to enter school age and seeing the schools and universities in strife, I go to bed with tears welling in my eyes. They will never have the privilege I had. I hate seeing them as criminals or beggars in a few years time when the established systems crash because of corruption, greed and mismanagement.
I care about PNG because it is the only country I have. Everything I have is here; my heritage and culture, the land of our ancestors, my allocated space on earth with its resources. People wouldn't mind if part of their heritage and personal investment lay in a foreign country because when PNG crumbles, they would jump ship. Only true PNG's care for this country. Let us stop this raping, looting and plundering of our resources by decision makers in government who pretend to care but have devious schemes for selfish purposes. I may be powerless but not stupid. May God judge our motives and actions.
Very concerned citizen
Waigani, NCD.
Answer to your public, minister!
LIKE many of your readers I have been following the row involving education
minister Taranupi over the alleged foul-play in the appointment of Dr Philip
Kereme to the position of director-general of the office of higher education.
I think the public deserves answers to the following questions to let
them judge whether this appointment was done objectively and fairly.
Are there any traditional, personal or family linkages between Dr Kereme and Minister Taranupi or his first secretary? There are stories circulating that Dr Kereme is related to one or other of the two men. Is this true?
Are there any political linkages between Dr Kereme and minister Taranupi or his first secretary?
Is it true that minister Taranupi's background is as a high school principal
and that he has little or no knowledge of the operations of higher education
in PNG? Is this not the very reason he was given an able deputy in the
shape of professor Dr John Waiko who certainly has a solid grounding in
academia and tertiary education?
Is it true that minister Taranupi disregarded advice given to him by
OHE chairman, Dr Moseley Moramoro, the full commission of higher education,
the office of higher education and his own vice minister to make his own
appointment?
A full and honest response to these questions is the least the public deserves in this saga, which, if not political nepotism at its worst, is at best unprofessional, and ill advised. It is certainly not the sort of misguided judgement we need from a minister of the crown charged with the conduct of the vitally important ministry for educating the people of this nation.
Former Commissioner
Port Moresby
Please check huge price disparity
CAN someone in the Consumer Affairs Council please explain to me how
a small supermarket in Port Moresby can charge K3.95 a kilo for apples,
while two largest supermarket chains in the city are charging over K6 a
kilo for apples.
While they are at it, could they also explain how, when the kina appreciated
and then stabilised at over 18 per cent higher than the record lows in
July last year, that six months later in January 1999 there has been no
price reduction at these same supermarkets!!! And then they had the
bloody hide to charge one per cent more for the sales tax increase.
If free trade means making unnecessary profits at the expense of the
majority then bring back controls on food before VAT comes in.
Over to you CAC.
Mad Kiwi
P.O. Box 1528
Boroko, NCD
Email the Editor: word@global.net.pg
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