Papua New Guinea’s Energy Minister flees for his life

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Papua New Guinea’s Energy Minister flees for his life

PORT MORESBY: Okapa MP and Energy Minister Saki Soloma and his supporters had to run for their lives when they were attacked by rival candidate supporters in Okapa station on Friday (May 27, 2022).

His supporters were also injured when they protected Soloma from being harmed as they ran helter-skelter.

The mob then set fire to Soloma’s five vehicles that were used for a rally and visit to a market area.

PNG Cyber Monitor reproduces below a few news updates on Papua New Guinea (PNG)’s General Election 2022 campaigning which ends with polling from July 2 to 22:

Minister flees for his life

May 31, 2022The NationalMain Stories

Saki Soloma

By SHIRLEY MAULUDU
OKAPA MP and Energy Minister Saki Soloma and his supporters had to run for their lives when they were attacked by rival candidate supporters in Okapa station on Friday.
His supporters were also injured when they protected Soloma from being harmed as they ran helter-skelter.
The mob then set fire to Soloma’s five vehicles that were used for a rally and visit to a market area.
Recalling his scary and life-threatening ordeal, Soloma said: “We were on our way to the market area at about noon when we spotted a huge crowd of supporters at a rally.
“They were unfriendly and did not seem to want us there. A bottle was then thrown at my convoy of vehicles and all hell broke loose.
“We jumped out of our vehicles and ran for our lives.
“When the assailants could not find us, they torched all our vehicles.
“The attack and burning of my convoy of vehicles is a bad precedent for general elections.
“I’d like to think that it was pre-planned.
“Objects like catapults were also used in the attack.
“My supporters fled in all directions.
“Some received knife wounds but no lives were lost.
“Everyone should be allowed to campaign peacefully and freely.
“Papua New Guineans should also be allowed to make their choice and cast their ballots safely.”
Soloma said he advised and cautioned his supporters to refrain from taking the law into their own hands.
“I have spoken to the provincial police commander. I understand police are investigating,” he said.
“I am very sorry that this had happened.
“It is all a reckless, irresponsible behaviour and jealousy.
“I appeal to other candidates to demonstrate leadership and ensure peace is restored for Papua New Guineas to exercise their right to choose and cast their ballots safely.”
Eastern Highlands commander Supt Michael Welly said those responsible would be dealt with accordingly.
Meanwhile, Electoral Commissioner Simon Sinai warned that anyone caught pulling down or burning campaign posters and election materials or paraphernalia would be fined or imprisoned.

MPs shift party over funding

May 31, 2022The NationalMain Stories

By LORRAINE JIMAL
MORE than 40 MPs have switched political parties since 2017 as a result of the slow disbursal of their district funding and this has led to a vote-of-no confidence, a study has revealed.
Michael Kabuni, a research fellow at the Australian National University’s Department of Pacific Affairs, said this while presenting his research findings.
Kabuni said access to government funding through the district services improvement programme (DSIP) and provincial services improvement programme (PSIP) was at the heart of movement on the floor of Parliament.
He said 48 members had switched political parties during that period, and 24 had switched two times, four had switched three times and one has switched six times.
Kabuni said MPs switched from the Opposition to the Government side simply to be guaranteed easier access to their DSIPs and PSIPs.
On average, this is K10 million per MP annually.
“This is a lot of money and a good motivation for MPs to switch to the Government side,” he said.
He said displeasure at the Government’s distribution and/or release of funds would have also prompted votes of no confidence.
Kabuni suggested one way of avoiding the movement was to remove the DSIP and PSIPs funding and amend the Constitution to make the funding for districts and provinces constitutional grants.
“Put that money into district and provincial grants,” he said.
Kabuni said research carried out on governance had made recommendations to improve access and use of funding for districts but the Government had not acted on it.

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PM: Decision is between Pangu, PNC

Riding in … Kainantu MP and Mining Minister Johnson Tuke riding on horseback to register on May 19 for the 2022 general election. Tuke, who is People’s Progress Party deputy leader, is among 53 candidates which included three women who are vying for the Kainantu Open seat. – Picture supplied

PRIME Minister James Marape says it is now up to the people to decide whether to return Papua New Guinea to former prime minister Peter O’Neill or continue with Pangu Pati.
“In the last three hard years, we (Pangu Pati) managed an economy that was very bad when we took over,” he said.
“We stabilised the economy.
“We invested in programmes all over the country, not just in one centre.
“We are working to ensure that the country is put back on the right road, the road the founding fathers of our nation saw in 1975.
“That is where we are heading.
“Ours is the team that puts the interest of the country first; the team that comprises a coalition of partners.
“If citizens feel that Pangu, at the local level, is not the way to go, then at the national level, I also point you to other parties and ask you to look at their leaders.”
O’Neill – the People’s National Congress party leader – said his party’s focus had always been on improving lives of the people and not one particular candidate or party.
“Our people need a strong democracy where they can participate in free and fair elections,” he said.
“They want their politically elected leaders to work with them and serve them and not to fight among each other.”

Officers to be deployed

May 31, 2022The NationalMain Stories

By JAMIE HARO
POLICE Commissioner David Manning says election planning and operations are on track with the police personnel to be deployed on Monday.
“By June 6, we will see the deployment of the first contingent (security) team which is the Quick Response Force (QRF) to provinces for election operations,” he said.
Manning said within the next week both police and military personnel would be deployed to the provinces to begin work in the communities through awareness programmes.
“Election security is everyone’s business, and not the sole responsibility of government security forces to deliver a free, fair and safe elections.”
He added that it was the people’s responsibility to conduct their election related activities in a lawful manner especially during the campaign period.
Manning also urged the people to stop acts of violence and intimidation such as burning vehicles, property, flags and merchandise belonging to political parties and candidates.
“Our QRF will be out in numbers not only work with the communities but educate them on the offences related to destruction of properties and merchandises belonging to political parties as it is an electoral offence.”
He said this is in relation to recent instances that had occurred in the Highlands.
“The QRF will be there to ensure that there won’t be any repetition of such incidents throughout the campaign period.”
Meanwhile, the Gulf Police Command received two new vehicles for election operations.
Manning said the vehicles were part of a pool of 40 purchased by the Police Department to be distributed to all provincial commands.
“Rather than hiring, we made a decision to purchase vehicles to assist us deliver duty operations for the elections, and beyond in serving our respective provinces and the communities,” Commissioner Manning said.
Gulf provincial police commander Chief Inspector Jeffery Lemb said one of the vehicles would be deployed to Kikori while the other would remain in Kerema.

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Marum banks on leadership garnered from years in sport

By MICHAEL PHILIP
FORMER Hunters and Kumuls coach Michael Marum says he is confident in stepping into politics and will take from his experience as a manager and leader over his career in sports.
The 48-year-old, who did not renew his contract as Kumuls coach earlier this year to run for the East New Britain regional seat, told supporters at his rally at Queen Elizabeth Park in Rabaul on Friday that leadership was the same across different areas of society.
“Whether you are leader in sports or in politics, it all depends on how you lead,” he said.
“For me, I played my leadership roles and responsibilities in sports for so long and I see no difference and I can try it in politics.
“For as long as you lead and deliver for the people you’re already defining leadership.

Women welcoming Michael Marum in a traditional ceremony at the Queen Elizabeth Park in Rabaul. – Nationalpic by MICHAEL PHILIP

“I am coach and I know how to build a team and with that experience I can build a perfect team for East New Britain into the future.”
The 2017 premiership winning coach for the SP PNG Hunters said despite enjoying his time in the sporting arena in rugby league in Papua New Guinea over more than 20 years as a player and coach, he was spurred to enter a new field with the aim of improving the lives of his people and building a successful province.
He said he wanted to exercise the style of leadership he showed in sports built on discipline, commitment, hard work and putting the team first.
Marum is credited with ushering one of the country’s most successful sports entities, the Hunters, and improving PNG’s standing as an improved test nation.
Marum’s other work in the sport domestically has seen him initiate programmes, lift standards and drive rugby league development around the country.
Marum also acknowledged his coaches, mentors, colleagues and the sports administrators who contributed to his development.
Under the slogan ‘Leadership is not a position, it’s an action’, Marum said, “You can be a leader, you can talk but when you don’t do the action, nothing happens.”