A sorry state of affairs for Polye

 PARLIAMENT started its May sitting at 2pm yesterday with sacked Treasurer Don Polye being the most notable absentee.

We understand that Polye, the embattled leader of the Triumph Heritage Empowerment (THE) Party, refused to attend Parliament yesterday in protest over seating arrangements that placed him on the Opposition benches.

His relocation in the chamber, which would have been approved by Speaker Theo Zurenuoc, is the result of a decision by Prime Minister Peter O’Neill’s People’s National Congress Party to remove Polye from the government benches.

Since Polye was unceremoniously dumped by O’Neill earlier this year, he has been leading the charge against the Government on the controversial K3 billion UBS loan and other key issues.

On Monday morning, Polye went on talk-back radio to attack the Government over its recent takeover of the Ok Tedi Mining Ltd and its quest to take control of the billion-kina assets of the PNG Sustainable Development Program Ltd.

PNGSDP, which is registered in Singapore, has launched legal action against the State in the Singapore High Court and the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes in Washington DC, USA.

Polye’s continuous outbursts against the Government has earned him the ire of the ruling PNC party, whose parliamentary wing met on Monday night and moved a motion that the Member for Kandep be relocated to the Opposition benches.

His outbursts have embarrassed THE Party members, all of whom remain in government with Cabinet ministers from the party deciding not to resign in support of their leader.

MPs from PNC told the Prime Minister during the caucus meeting that they wanted Polye removed from government and moved a motion to that effect.

“Polye has breached Cabinet confidentiality and government protocol with his public outbursts,” A PNC Party officialsaid.

“And he is not telling the truth with the issues he is raising. 

“His behaviour is embarrassing his own THE Party members, and the coalition partners in government. 

“He cannot expect to sit on the government bench after all that he has said about the government and the Prime Minister. 

“He has filed a case in court over the UBS loan deal, yet he went on radio yesterday to criticise the loan deal, breaching court rules that prevent public discussion of pending cases.”

In accordance with Parliament protocol, Leader of Government Business James Marape had to inform Speaker Zurenuoc about the new seating g arrangement before the house resumed yesterday.

Polye’s absence from the floor of Parliament yesterday seems to indicate that arrangements had been confirmed for him to exit the government benches. His removal from the government, at the insistence of the PNC Party, may raise questions about THE Party’s standing in the current coalition government. 

It raises doubts about Polye’s leadership of the party that he founded in 2011 and whether he has the complete support of his MPs, including Deputy Prime Minister Leo Dion, who is THE Party’s deputy parliamentary leader.

Many critics think not and believe that Polye’s sacking from Cabinet was the beginning of the end of THE Party.

It’s unfortunate that THE Party’s parliamentary wing, especially Dion and his ministers, have remained silent during Polye’s fall from grace. Not one word has been uttered publicly from any of them in support of their embattled leader.

Seemingly, they do not want to face the Prime Minister’s wrath and suffer the same fate as Polye. Maybe, it’s better to keep quiet and toe the line then be thrown out into the political wilderness.

Whatever their reasons, the MPs and ministers of THE Party have displayed total disloyalty towards their leader who paved the way for them to enter the political arena and to enjoy their current status as members of the ruling coalition government.

Such a situation is rarely heard of in other democracies such as Britain and Australia where the political party, especially its parliamentary wing, will stand by its leader in disputes with coalition partners.

PNG’s weak political party system can be blamed for the current state of affairs.