Presidential system is vital for PNG

Letters

THE parliamentary party leader of the SDP (Social Democratic Party), Powes Parkop, once said PNG should adapt the presidential system of government and do away with the Westminster System.
Whether this system was practical for PNG or not is anybody’s guess.
However, the key objective of the proposed reform is to strengthen the PNG’s political system because the current Westminster System is flawed.
The lobbying system which is present in the LLG and national government levels is defeating the whole purpose of electing a strong and vibrant democratic government as it is not visible, transparent and efficient.
The lobbying usually happens in closed doors which removes the millions of individual voters away from the decision making process and this tend to practically defeat transparency and accountability processes.
Millions of voters and other interest groups are cut off from the decision making processes and so they don’t know what happens and are not in a better position to keep the LLG presidents and the government in check.
So the pendulum swings more to the advantage of the elected leaders and the majority of the people are made to feel the nightmares of poor political representation.
However, the presidential system if it is adapted, will create a uniform voting system across all levels of government were the democratic rights of the individual will be fully exercised.
This is called the individual liberty to vote.
This will further ensure that the power of a self-determined state is vested on the rights to elect leaders by the individual and not on dirty politics such as bribery, political brokering and corporate lobbies.
As a result, political power will be mandated by the people and transparency and accountability processes will be improved.

Mike H