Poll shows people want O’Neill faction

A STREET poll in Lae shows support for the O’Neill faction despite the declaration by the country’s highest court reinstating Sir Michael Somare as Prime Minister.
The response came from professionals like accountants, teachers, businessmen and parents, most of whom want Peter O’Neill as prime minister.
One interviewee described their choice as ‘people’s justice’, saying that was clearly reflected in Parliament where the majority of elected leaders sided with O’Neill and his deputy, Belden Namah.
The respondents claim the majority of ordinary Papua New Guineans did not want the founding father to lead again as his rule in the past nine years saw a poor distribution of the nation’s wealth on top of unfavourable decisions and laws being passed.
“The most favourable decision by the O’Neill-Namah faction is the free education policy which is an indirect distribution of the resource rich nation’s wealth kept under wraps by Somare and his kitchen cabinet,” Saulo Ripo from civil society, Morobe Coalition for Justice, said.
Paul Kimbi, a veteran private accountant from East Sepik, hopes O’Neill and his team will stand firm and not be lured into the Somare camp by money or other agendas.
“I have school-aged children and I fear that if Somare comes back into power he will reverse the good policies by O’Neill, especially the free education policy,” he said.
Building contractor, Jim Sondo, hailed Sinasina-Yongomugl MP Jeffery Nape as a hero.
“Nape realised that the Somare kitchen cabinet was dictating to the country and he did the right thing by not recognising Somare and his team,” Sondo said.
The respondents said the Somare-led faction should bow their heads in shame and wait for the 2012 general election as they had breached the Constitution in the past nine years by passing laws the majority of Papua New Guineans did not agree with.