| Sports |
by Frank Senge Kolma
Members of Parliament showing
irresponsible leadership
IT would be very easy to blame last
week’s poor turnout of Members in Parliament on the looming
national general election.
We could say that many Members are back in their villages on the
campaign trail.
Yet we will not.
Lack of quorum in Parliament has been a permanent feature of the
sixth Parliament.
And if MPs are too busy preparing for elections to attend
Parliament, then we have to ask the obvious question: “Where have
they been these past four years?”
Some MPs, it must be said, have spent quality time with their
constituents. For these people, if they have missed out on the odd
sitting, they can be excused.
But far too many people in far too many electorates have been
sending letters repeatedly to this newspaper over the past years
asking whether we might know the whereabouts of their local MP.
If they have not been to their electorates and they do not find
the time to present themselves in Parliament, just where have many
of these MPs been?
Do they care for their duties and responsibilities? What are their
priorities?
Last week’s poor turnout and Wednesday’s suspension of Parliament
for lack of quorum is particularly disappointing because of
several urgent issues.
No important business of Parliament could have got done because
there just wasn’t the required number of MPs to pass even a simple
legislation.
I have said it before and I repeat the call here. Parliament must
take a closer look at preparations for the coming election.
The 2007 election looms closer and closer and yet the common rolls
are not all compiled, checked and confirmed. Awareness for the new
LPV system is still gearing up when it should be winding down.
Parliament’s recent changes to actual voting procedures has also
created much confusion and needs a separate and massive education
campaign.
The electoral system needs closer scrutiny of Parliament and if
any question is to be raised or any amendments have to be made,
now is the time. Only Parliament can make some of those decisions
and if they are not done now, it will be too late.
Last week the acting Electoral Commissioner, in a media statement
responding to comments I have made, said I was scare mongering and
irresponsible for suggesting that there might be massive problems
of such magnitude that the entire elections might be declared as
failed.
In his statement, the commissioner said the election was a huge
“trial and error” thing and that we would not know whether the LPV
system is good for us until after it had been trialed.
I can only say that I hope the PNGEC had a poor choice of words
because nowhere in the world should any nation trial a system to
elect its Parliament.
The LPV has been tested in 10 by-elections and any faults,
omissions or loopholes should have been picked up and rectified.
There are many colleges and schools in the country where the LPV
could be trialed. The test by one community government in East New
Britain last week is exemplary and ought to be duplicated right
throughout the country so that people grow familiar with the
system.
In a related issue, a State of Emergency exists in the Southern
Highlands. If the SoE is extended and only Parliament can do it,
this will mean that that one province may face election under
emergency regulations.
There is talk among closed circles in Government to extend the SoE
to neighbouring Enga and Western Highlands as well.
Does the State have the resources to be able to manage an extended
SoE in the Highlands? How that is done and whether or not people’s
rights to voting in free and fair elections are breached or not is
something that needs deliberation in Parliament.
These are questions that must be debated by the people’s
representatives on the floor of Parliament.
Such ideas will need endorsement by Parliament and now is the time
to do it.
Two regions of the country have been promised their own province
status before the elections. Is it or is it not wise, given all
the confusing array of issues facing the people.
Again the power is vest in Parliament alone to make those
decisions. That time is also now.
Many more pressing issues beckon but the above taken together or
each on their own have the potential of throwing PNG into a
chaotic state if the leadership is not there.
Such leadership must be forthcoming from Parliament.
Many of the leaders who do not turn up in Parliament are still
receiving their sitting allowances.
By some clever scheming, the allowances are now disguised as
transport allowances and paid straight into Members’ salaries,
whether they attend sittings or not.
We urge a return to the previous regime where allowances were only
paid to those who attended.
Those who did not attend sittings would not be paid.
As it is, the system has made politicians have their cake and eat
it as well.
More maturity and responsible leadership is needed now more than
ever from our Parliamentarians.
 
|
