An option for a diverse democracy

The National Weekender
NATION

By HENZY YAKHAM
IN February 2024, Papua New Guinea’s attention was focused on the Parliament sitting during which an Opposition-sponsored motion of no confidence in Prime Minister (PM) James Marape failed to materialise.
Under PNG’s Westminster government system, Section 145 of the Constitution provides for removal of an incompetent or non-performing PM – thereby a change in government.
This article is not about the attempts to replace the PM by members of Parliament through a vote of no confidence (VONC) under the current system of government. It is to suggest for constitutional changes so that the PM is elected directly by the people in a general election.
Under a well-defined plan, the current Westminster system can be replaced by a federal system to come into operation by 2030 or thereafter.
First, it guarantees political stability and allows the PM to serve a full term without unnecessary disruptions/diversions by VONC as well as saving the nation’s wealth that is squandered via fraud, bribery and corruptive practices during VONC.
Whenever a VONC is afoot, the public service comes to a standstill with civil servants’ minds switched off thereby affecting greatly their performance in service delivery in many ways.
It also impacts on the suffering grassroots majority, struggling private sector, faith-based organisations who strive to maintain the moral compass and generous multi-lateral development partners who bring in billions of kinas in project grants.
Since 1977, the first general election after PNG’s independence in 1975, successive national governments had to grappled with the constant fear of being removed through a VONC. Anecdotal evidence indicates that gullible and egocentric politicians grasp the VONC as an opportunity to pull fast money and other deals.
It is their opportune time to make personal gains resulting in much public wealth squandered just to please a bunch of obnoxious and untutored so-called leaders.
The greed-driven MPs exert unnecessary pressure on serving PMs forcing them to commit the nation’s resources that they otherwise would not have committed in normal circumstances. The PM succumbs to such nonsense as he is at the mercy a few self-serving minorities.
Such nonsense can be completely eliminated when the PM is elected directly by the people. A major significance of this idea is that it will empower the people to have direct say through that democratic process of secret ballot voting to elect their PM.
Under Marape’s leadership, legislative reforms have been delivered to help fight corruption by enacting the Organic Law on Independent Commission Against Corruption and the Whistle-blowers Act. This can be further complimented by PNG adopting a federal government system under which much of the political bickering, MPs’ personal demands and other such rot are done away with.
This will effectively enable the PM in office to use his/her clear electoral mandate to fully concentrate on the sole business of running PNG’s national affairs.

Bipartisan committee
Papua New Guinea is the most diverse nation on earth with over 800 languages, varying traditional cultures and ways of life.
The Government can begin by setting up a committee comprising MPs, civil servants and sectoral representatives to undertake nationwide consultations to receive views, suggestions and submissions from people of all walks of life.
The committee’s findings are to assist the Government conduct a national plebiscite/referendum on a federal government system – people to decide to retain Westminster or adopt federal system of government.
The federal system is a viable proposition given the PNG’s diverse people, cultures, languages, and ways of doings things. Of paramount importance is the full, proper and extensive consultations involving as many people and leaders as possible nationwide on this proposed major political reform.

Westminster system of government
Papua New Guinea is administered by the unitary government under the Westminster system of government adopted at independence in 1975. Under the Westminster system, the National Government among others:

  • Has most powers to govern the entire nation by a highly centralised system, vested with control over the political system and power.
  • Controls most of economic, social, legal and development functions of PNG such as revenues, taxation powers, contracts and agreements with major investors in extractive (mining, oil, gas etc) and other industries.
  • Controls all aspects of governance, finance, administrative and legal structures and systems.

Consequently, the provincial and local level governments (LLGs) have less or no say in awarding of major contracts, issuing of mining, forestry and fishing licences, raising tax revenue as well as in banking, finance, external affairs and disciplined forces.
The world is advancing at high speed while PNG is lagging behind under a Westminster system with the National Government that is still:

  • Out of touch with the majority of the people;
  • Slow in respond to attending to people’s problems;
  • Lacking community presence; and
  • Lacking diversity because of uniform application of development programmes without considering specific needs of the people.

Federal system
Under a federal government system, there is greater power sharing in which the Central/National Government shares/divides powers with regional/state/provincial governments.
The Federal system is based on power sharing between the national, provincial and local governments right down to ward development Ccommittees (WDC) at village level.
With power, is the delegation of responsibilities to lower levels of government and ownership of resources to be transferred to the land/resource owners.
The main characteristics of a Federal government system include: Head of Government/Prime Minister elected directly by the people; Highly responsible government; Having a written Constitution; and Courts as dispute resolution authority.

Advantages of the federal system include:

  • Distribution of power – The classical horizontal division of the power of state (legislative, executive and judiciary) is complemented by a vertical division of power between the state as a whole and individual members states/provinces. Distribution of power ensures that there are checks and balances, helping to prevent the abuse of power;
  • More democratic – Subdivision into smaller political units makes State action clearer and more comprehensive, thereby fostering active participation and co-determination. Each citizen has two opportunities to exercise the most fundamental democratic rights, the right to vote for national parliament and state/provincial government;
  • Leadership opportunities – Political parties have more opportunities to hold power and competition between parties is encouraged as they can exercise political responsibility in each state/province even if they are a minority at national level. This gives parties the opportunity to test and prove their capacity for leadership by offering them a chance to demonstrate how they perform once elected;
  • Proximity to tasks – In a federation, state agencies /public bodies are closer to regional/provincial problems than in unitary system. There are no remote/isolated and forgotten provinces;
    Citizen-oriented action – People enjoy faster access to public authorities. It is easier for the people to contact politicians and state authorities than in a unitary state;
  • Competition – The states/provinces that make up the federation/central government are always competing with one another. The exchange of experiences fosters progress and helps to avoid undesirable developments at the national level;
  • Balance – Mutual control, reciprocal consideration and the need to seek compromises prevent or at least hinder extreme positions. Federalism has a balancing and thus a stabilising effect;
  • Diversity – The division of PNG into federal states/provinces guarantees that many economic, political and cultural centres develop. It provides a more favourable environment to preserve and develop specific regional/provincial historical, economic and cultural features. This diversity can lead to more freedom;
  • Individuality – Provinces to retain their own cultures, styles and languages; and
  • Micro-management – The central government is free to focus on “big picture” issues affecting the entire nation, including defence and foreign policy. The day-to-day issues are dealt with by regional/provincial governments.

Election of Prime Minister
Under the current Westminster government system, the PM’s election creates too much opening for political manoeuvring, money flow (bribery etc) and instability in governance.
People are used to electing their LLG Presidents and Provincial Governments.
This can be extended for people to directly elect their Prime Minister.
Under Federalism, the PM will comfortably serve a full five-year term without having to worry about votes of no confidence – there by creating political stability and certainty. Laws must be made for no confidence motions or impeachment procedures with adequate checks and balances by a Parliamentary committee system.
This is to cater for extreme cases in which the Prime Minister is physically of unsound mind or proven to be absolutely corrupt etc.
In an event of a successful VONC, a new PM must be elected by the people within a specific period of time of say 90 days.
Political manoeuvring, money flow and instability have to a large extent contributed to the delivery of real and tangible progress since independence.
PNG’s current unitary system has no clear demarcation of powers, functions, duties and responsibilities of the various political leaders in the country’s three-tier government system.
A Federal system will clarify the functions, powers duties and responsibilities of the various political leaders at the three levels.
It will enable leaders to know exactly what capacity they have to deliver certain services according to the needs and expectations of their people.

Summary
The conversation for a federal system of government for PNG stresses that each system of government is unique in its own peculiar way and is capable of being adopted as a system of government by a country.
In deciding for a Federal system, PNG must have the basis and ability propagate the ideals of fair, transparent and accountable government.
This must be so to realise real and tangible progress in the lives of and welfare of the citizens in an effective, efficient and timely manner.
PNG citizens and leaders need to have the courage to explore and adopt a Federal system of government to deliver that had not been delivered under the Westminster government system.
The issue of Federalism be considered for implementation in or after 2030;
The system of the election of PM be changed to allow the PM o be elected by the people in 2032.
The political party system to be considered for change to allow political parties and their internal operations to be regulated, but internal party discipline should be tightened to control the behaviour of the parties and their members.
A federal government system will help reduce corruption. The over-orchestrated myth about “Unity in Diversity” can truly be achieved under a federal system of government for Papua New Guinea.

  • Henzy Yakham is a freelance writer. Forward stories ideas on 72159301.