‘Please stop and ponder’
NATION
Former town mayor worried over new trend in political leadership and public service
By ALPHONSE BARIASI
THIS does not happen often.
But for this once we will allow a former public servant and council president a fair bit of time and space to speak his mind, and pray that you hear him out and ponder upon his concerns.
Like so many who believe Papua New Guinea can be a lot better, Anton Namuesh, the ex-lands officer and Wewak town mayor, is worried for the future of the country.
The man from Dagua in Wewak district of East Sepik was town mayor from 1997 to 2002.
He grew up under the leadership and influence of great Sepik leaders like his grandfather Sir Pita Simogun, Yawiga and later Bernard Narokobi, all from the Dagua area of Wewak.
Having experienced their leadership style and personalities, Namuesh says the country today is turning in a different direction with the new cadre of leaders in politics and bureaucracy.
For him former visionary leaders such as Simogun, Yawiga and the Catholic bishop of Wewak, Leo Arkfeld were inspiration and were instrumental in shaping Wewak and East Sepik. And he still holds their combined memories dear to heart long after they have departed. During their leadership and the administration of the pre-independence and immediate post-independence era elected officials and the public service knew what they were there to do and did it without any thought of kickbacks or favours of any sort.
“Political leadership and the administration during that period worked very well. Politicians made laws and policies and public servants who had the skills, expertise and the financial resources allocated to them, simply carried out those policies and implemented projects,” he says.
Namuesh holds to that old school of politics and civil service where roles and expectations were clearly marked and there were boundaries which had to be respected.
He grew with such a system and later when he was a public servant and councillor, abit if it was still there until recent times.
After he completed Form 4 at St Xavier’s High School on Kairuru Island Namuesh went to the PNG University of Technology in Lae to study land administration.
“In 1979 I graduated with land administration and surveying qualifications. I worked with the Lands Department in Wewak until I resigned to stand for Wewak Open elections in 1987. I lost and I went into Wewak town elections and I won. I was Ward 8 (Kreer Compound) councillor in Wewak town and elected mayor.
“During my time I pushed for three major projects in Wewak – the South Sea tuna cannery, the Somare Stadium and the Wewak town market. And these projects are visible in Wewak town today. Since independence there had been no major developments in Wewak until then,” he says.
Earlier this month, Namuesh visited Port Moresby and what he saw and heard did not impress him.
“I came into Port Moresby two weeks ago. And during that time I have heard on radio and read in newspapers many things happening in politics. I see a lot of things coming up.
“There’s a lot talk about changes to the constitution, changes to government and a vote of no confidence.
“I decided to come to the newspaper to make some contribution to the debate as as a former public servant and politician brought up in the colonial period under the Australian government.
“I see what’s happening today and it worries me and I want to speak up to help our young people. Somebody has to speak about these matters.”
Student voice missing
The student voice which he had been so used to during his days at Unitech has gone mute.
“During my time as a student, we used to speak up and unite to protest about issues. But you can’t see this happening today. You have to stand up and talk. “The people of this country must stand up and talk to make the Government accountable.
“As a young man in Wewak in 1975, standing upon the Independence Hill, I saw the Australian flag lowered. Now, I’m 68 years old. I’m worried about the country taking a different turn from the direction our forefathers had taken up.
“There’s a new generation of leaders with a lot of knowledge from universities both here and abroad. I am not happy with some things that are happening under their watch. Like changing laws and the constitution.
“I think this is unfair. We the people have not been consulted to change the constitution. The leaders we now have are not there because of the real wishes of the people. No, people have been elected because of money. Unlike before leaders of today are elected because of money and ‘cargo’. I’ve seen it, I’ve experienced it and I’m speaking here.”
Namuesh argues that in today’s political environment, leaders get elected not purely on merit based on what they have to offer and through their debating skills.
“That happens in other countries like Australia and America. Those are leaders. They only have to articulate what they stand for and it is up to the constituents to decide whether to vote them. Not here, we are voting for money. Candidates go with money to the electors and convince them to vote. It is happening. You can see. The big men know, they have done it and are hiding it or pretending.
“Who will speak up about this? We have to talk here and make things happen.”
Electoral laws
Namuesh suggests that one of the first pieces of legislation that needs changing is the law governing elections. This, he says, should be done to make elections free from manipulation and inducements.
“If they are about changing laws, they should start with electoral law. Change the law to make it mandatory for candidates to declare the amount of money and resources they would use during their campaign. Make it mandatory for candidates to spend say at least K500,000 only. And that should be all, no more.
“That money should be acquitted after an election so we can control this. Otherwise people will use millions of kina to win elections and enter parliament saying they represent the people when they are actually motivated by personal interests.
“They are there because they spent millions of kina to buy votes. That is why when they make decisions in parliament, they do not represent the people.
“When Sepik leaders like Narokobi and Peter Donigi were around, they fought vigorously against any proposed changes of law in court. I don’t see this happening now.
“I’m happy with the Opposition Leader’s stand against changes to the constitution. People must be consulted. These leaders, like I said, are there because of their money. Maybe real leaders who would be able to make good laws are still out there.
“If anyone says I’m lying, go see for yourself. I’m speaking from experience at the village level. I’ve seen it in my electorate; people walked around with money to buy votes.
“If campaigning were done only with posters, and over radio and TV, I believe genuine leaders will be elected.
“As things are, during campaign candidates go out with money and food to communities. Anybody with money can win and election.
“During my time as a member of the town council, elections were straightforward. But not now with national elections money power rules. Now, in LLG elections, candidates with money will win to become presidents. This trend is very dangerous.
“There should be a law to put a ceiling on the amount of money spent on election campaigns. This is an important law that needs to be enacted.”
SIP problem
The services improvement programme (SIP) funding is a bad idea, Namuesh says.
“This is not a good idea. We have to stop that money. That is where corruption comes from. That is my experience and I can honestly say that.
“People are running in the elections for that money. Now you can see, that is why every Tom, Dick and Harry runs for election. They are trying to get in there to get that money. If we remove that money, I don’t think many people will stand for election.
“Making political leaders chairpersons of district development authorities is one thing that corrupts this country. We used to have K10,000 allocated to electorates; now we’re talking about K10million, K20 million.
“That is the real motivation for candidates. And their voters also know; if they win, they will be in charge of that money and whatever they had spent in an election can be recouped from that (SIP) money also.
“Contracts for district projects will be awarded to those that have contributed to the election campaign.
“Give the money to public servants to manage and implement laws like in the Australian government days.
“In my days as mayor, I merely collated proposals for the major projects and pushed them to the Government to allocate funding during the days of Somare and Narokobi. And when money was available, it was paid directly to the project contractors. Not a toea of that money came into my pocket.
“That is the way things must be done. Politicians should be law makers. Let the public servants handle money.”
Thus this former public servant and politician rests his case.