Leaders deserves respect

Letters

I want to express my views regarding recent media promotions on Enga’s development activities and politics generally.
A lot of credit is going to Grand Chief Sir Peter Ipatas.
Prior to Sir Peter’s rise, there were other leaders making news headlines in the national political scene.
These were no non-sense leaders such as Sir Albert Kipalan, Masket Iangalio and Danely Tindiwi.
If you look back to history; these past Engan leaders have a relative or causal link to the current regime.
Following all these leaders rose the grand chief himself, Don Polye, Rimbink Pato and Sir John Pundari, a young leader representing the electorate of Kompiam-Ambum bordering East Sepik.
Like the national politics, Engans have their in-house mind-games among the same crop of leaders who rose about the same time.
They did not respect each other.
Greed for power and resources, especially the equity from the Porgera Mine, government grants and their own individualistic power play for pride has meant they have to dethrone each other.
The young Pundari lost his seat, Polye has twice lost his seat and others have come and gone.
Pundari is still in power.
He rose from a backbencher to be the first youngest speaker of the House, then become deputy prime Minister.
He served briefly as Foreign Affairs Minister.
Over the years he has held couple of important portfolios and he is perhaps, apart from Polye, the most firebrand articulate Engan parliamentarian who has been dumped in the change of government.
Governor Sir Peter, despite all the developments he brought, his term is coming to an end.
It’s only Polye who has just lost his seat and Pundari continues to remain as forces in the mainstream politics.
Viewing from a wider political landscape, Pundari comparatively of all the serving members of Parliament in both houses is perhaps the most credible and experienced Engan leader in Parliament.
He deserves respect and a portfolio in the government.
People of Kompiam-Ambum and Enga can’t continue to undermine Pundari, based on in-house electoral politics.
It’s about time, Kompaim-Ambum should respect him.

Lynungun and Aiman Observer