Sir Mekere urges independents to unite, observe, plan next move

Moresby North-West MP-elect Sir Mekere Morauta is calling on fellow independent candidates to stand together and watch the developing political landscape.
The former prime minister ousted People’s National Congress party’s Michael Malabag, the Health Minister yesterday, and said he stood as an independent.
“I stood as an independent and I still am, with Rigo member-elect Lekwa Gure and a number of other independents already elected,” he said.
“My call is for all of us to stand together and observe the unfolding political landscape before us, and at the right time, move together to achieve what we want — which is a good government for all of us.
“We’ll be together over the next two weeks and we will have to join a party before the election of the prime minister.”
Sir Mekere said they had 10 or 11 alliances, including National Alliance, Pangu, THE Party, PNG National Party and Coalition for Reform Party.
Sir Mekere said they would move at the right time, before the election of prime minister, to join a party.
“Independents are a group of people, who are bound together by outcomes they want to produce,” he said.
“Our country is rich and yet we are poor.
“That is the dilemma we are faced with now.
“We’ve got to find an answer — whether the government is bankrupt, are we short of foreign exchange and whether, despite having huge companies operating in this country, where are the taxes going, if they are paying any at all?
“These are obvious signs of mismanagement of the economy and PNC is responsible.
“We want a good, clean and transparent government that is accountable and still respects the freedom of the people.”