PNC moves into Alotau camp

By FRANK SENGE KOLMA

PRIME Minister Peter O’Neill’s People’s National Congress will head for Alotau, Milne Bay, over the weekend to begin the traditional camp ahead of the formation of the next government.

O’Neill confirmed yesterday that he would be moving his newly-elected members to Alotau to begin the process of re-orienting them to the processes and procedures of government and parliament.

Camps of this nature are traditionally to keep MPs in one location to stop them from jumping from one party to the next and to woo independents, fence sitters and other political parties and groupings.

PNC is looking comfortable with seven MPs, including O’Neill, already confirmed as winners and leading in another 18 electorates.

If coalition partners in the outgoing government stick to their pre-election agreement to remain together, they are shaping up to be a formidable force.

O’Neill reiterated his stand that he would abide by the agreement and would willingly work with whichever of the partners that is called by the governor-general to form government.

The governor-general will normally call on the party that has the greatest number of endorsed candidates returned from the elections to form the next government.

Together, the O’Neill-Namah-Polye-Duma-Chan-Parkop combination has between them 19 out of the 28 members declared so far and are leading the race in 44 electorates.

If all those leading in the race were to come home, the current governing coalition will have 63 members – seven more than the 56 simple majority needed to form government.

A few parties, both new and old, have been non-committal to either government or opposition factions such as the People’s Party of Enga Governor Peter Ipatas which has won one seat (John Pundari in Kompiam-Ambum) and is leading in five electorates; People’s Democrative Movement of Paias Wingti which has also won one (Tommy Tomscoll in Middle Ramu) and is leading in two electorates; the new parties Coalition for Reform Party which is leading in two West New Britain seats and Pan Melanesian Congress which is leading in two seats.

The other formidable force is the independents who have won two seats (Richard Maru in Yangoru-Saussia and James Lagea in Kagua-Erave) and is leading in 16 electorates.

The wooing of independents will be intense in the coming days to secure the numbers necessary to be in government.

Arthur Somare, who has lost his Angoram seat, said yesterday that the matter of going into camp for the National Alliance and its coalition partners is something that is kept close to the chest as there is some concern about security issues.

The partisan behaviour of state agencies such as soldiers and police and public servants immediately prior to the elections has raised concerns that similar behaviour might raise its head again in the lead-up to formation of government.

National Alliance has won three seats and is leading in four others.

The new People’s United Assembly has won two members in returned Pomio MP Paul Tiensten and new Hela Governor-elect Anderson Agiru.

Agiru said yesterday he would pit his two with the party which had the national interest at heart to ensure the new province gets the focus it deserves.

Four pre-independence parties in Melanesian Alliance, National, Pangu Pati and the United Party have not fared well at all in these elections.  Pangu has won one seat and the United Party is likely to win one.