Not interested in your power play

DEMOCRACY is people power, it is said, but a clear separation of the two appeared in the events of the past week.
The “people” chose to remove themselves from the “power” play. Oh, they talked about the events and then some. There was little else that dominated conversation from bedroom to bar room and in posh hotel suites to village hamlets.
But, by and large, the people were quite unperturbed by the goings on in parliament and in a few locations in and around Port Moresby.
The traffic lights worked as did the public transport system. The stores were open as were the markets. The hospitals opened their doors and public servants, as well as the private sector worker, laboured away at their tasks increasing the gross national product. Pity their labour, through their taxes, has to pay for the crisis that has brought government to a standstill these past few days.
Only a select few felt the full brunt of the political turmoil that the Supreme Court unleashed upon PNG from Dec 12 with its decision to declare null and void the election of Peter O’Neill and reinstate Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare as member for East Sepik regional and as prime minister. They were those in the police force, especially Tom Kulunga and others near the top command and in the mobile and special services units; Governor-General Sir Michael Ogio and his staff; Chief Secretary Manasupe Zurenuoc and his staff; cabinet secretary Manly Ua and his staff; first legislative counsel Hudson Ramatlap and his staff and the acting Finance secretary Stephen Gibson. Those named here occupied their posts before the political events unfolded after the court decision. Thereafter, one or the other side named their own candidates to the various posts which meant the respective incumbents had to lose his or her job for no fault of theirs which will lead to many legal suits for which we predict the state will be liable for hefty compensation bills.
Fortunately, they remain in the minority.
It is a good thing the people refused to take sides, for had they done so, in this nation of undivided loyalties to tribes and regions, there would have been mayhem of a magnitude that could have led to terrible bloodletting and foreign military intervention. The people have been very attentive to the political crisis as can be attested by  their long and varied contributions to debate on the issue but their disinterest and indifference towards taking sides physically is a very powerful and important signal.
People care for policies and issues but not politics and politicians. They have tired of them. As one was heard to remark: “No side is any better than the other. They are equally corrupt.
“They are equally greedy. They are equally power-hungry. It is all about the money.”
A policeman said after last Friday morning’s standing down of the Armed Robbery Response Unit: “Why should we fight each other in order that these leaders can get in at our public funds? Enough is enough. Let them sort out their own problems.”
Many more people share similar sentiments.
There are issues that will require going back to court. Issues such as whether it is right to have laws made retrospectively. Issues such as whether or not Sir Michael’s membership automatically lapsed on Dec 9 when parliament rescinded its granting of leave in May regardless of the court decision which voided the speaker’s Sept 6 decision. Questions such as whether the courts should police its own judgement or individual parties should apply to the courts in cases where there appears to be clear cut contempt cases.
These issues will take time to settle and time is something this country is short of, not with an election only four months away.
There is no time when important issues such as the 2012 budget, the sovereign wealth fund bill and the equality and participation bill are yet to be passed.
So, to the O’Neill camp we say: The might in numbers does not give you carte blanche to toy with the legal fabrics of nationhood as had been happening of late.
To the Somare camp we say:  The constitutional democracy we enjoy means you must have numbers in parliament. You do not have it so you cannot govern.
To both camps we say: Sort it out by coming together and sorting it out. The police, the army, the civil service, the media and the people are not interested in your power games. For us, there are far more important issues – such as living a fulfilling life in a well-managed country – to contend with.