Namah told to ‘calm down’

Main Stories, National
Source:

The National, Wednesday 11th January 2012

By GABRIEL LAHOC

LAE woman leader Loujaya Toni says the political marriage of Peter O’Neill and Belden Namah is on the rocks because of the latter’s leadership style and public outbursts.

And she says voters will keep this at the back of their minds when the country goes to the polls in July.

Toni, from Lae, Morobe, says Namah needs to tone down his outbursts and stop his bullying tactics if he wants to be the alternate prime minister.

Toni is a master in communication development student at the University of Technology.

She says Namah’s display of temper against O’Neill has sent a strong signal to PNG voters to relook the O’Neill-Namah political marriage, as it is on the rocks.

She thinks that O’Neill has handled his popularity stakes well while Namah has let it go to his head and he appears drunk with power – which people will not take lightly.

She points out that it is wrong to lash out at Indonesia’s right to safeguard its airspace and threaten to close its embassy in Port Moresby.

"I call on the youth brotherhood of Papua New Guinea to speak to Namah for his own good. If he is going to commit political suicide, we don’t want to give him power-blind support. He is not doing this for you. It is for personal pride and personal gain."

"To get on national radio and call on O’Neill to resign is the hallmark and indication of a rising military dictatorship," she says.

"Come to your senses and make a national public apology to the Indonesians, O’Neill and to Papua New Guineans who deserve better than what you have offered in the
few weeks you’ve been in power."