Quiet assembly at Government House

By CLEMENT KAUPA
FOR a ceremony of national and historical significance, it was short, unassuming and quiet.
Even the easing afternoon sun atop the hill at Konedobu, NCD, belied the historical significance of the charged but solemn ceremony that unfolded in the packed ceremonial chamber of the Government House yesterday afternoon.
Shortly after 3pm, the leader of the largest political party in the country PNC, Peter O’Neill, accepted the invitation by Governor-General Sir Michael Ogio to form the ninth government of Papua New Guinea.
“In the name of the people of Papua New Guinea, I invite you, the People’s National Congress Party, to form the next government,” Sir Michael announced on handing the official invitation to PNC’s general secretary Jonathan Oata.
 O’Neill said he was elated but humbled by the invitation from the head of state to form the new government.
“Today, I would like to thank the people of Papua New Guinea for giving our party, the People’s National Congress, the mandate to lead,” O’Neill said.
“I understand we will have a parliament session at 10am on Friday (tomorrow) and we will go into parliament and we will form government,” O’Neill said.
His coalition party leaders Sir Julius Chan (PPP), Don Polye (T.H.E Party) and Patrick Pruaitich (NA) were among those present.
When parliament convenes tomorrow morning to elect a speaker and prime minister, prior to the naming of a caretaker cabinet, the provincial-elects for NCD, WHP and Enga will not be party to the proceedings.
Asked if they will attend the session as incumbents, NCD Governor Powes Parkop said legally, it might be possible as he was still an MP until a new writ was returned but, politically, it was not good given the last 10-11 months.
“So I don’t intend to attend parliament on Friday if
I am not declared,” Parkop said.
Incumbent governor for Enga Peter Ipatas said he would not be present. Governor incumbent for Western Highlands Tom Olga may also be absent.
As far as O’Neill, Electoral Commissioner Andrew Trawen and the Government House are concerned, the law is clear on the matter.
Commenting on concerns raised in the media, including that of Bulolo MP-elect Sam Basil about the early formation of government while some declarations were still pending, O’Neill said: “I am advised that section 81(3) of the Organic Law on National and Local Level Government elections allows the electoral commissioner to receive those writs later than the date set for the return of writs.
“This is the electoral commissioner’s call.
“The suggestion that I pushed or pressured him is outrageous and wrong,” O’Neill said.
Official secretary to the vice-regal, Tipo Vuatha, also confirmed that the precedence was set after the 2007 elections when the government was formed with a writ outstanding.
After O’Neill’s prompt departure from Government House to catch a plane back to Alotau to sort out “a few things”, Australian High Commissioner Ian Kemish expressed satisfaction in the outcome of the 2012 elections culminating in the invitation for O’Neill to form government.
“If there is anyone who can take it that far (five years), it is him,” Kemish said.
With the exception of five provincial electorates of Enga, WHP, Chimbu, EHP and NCD and only open electorate – Anglimp-South Waghi, the handover of the 105 writs to the governor-general yesterday officially brought to a close the 2012 national election and paved the way for a new government.
Writs were issued on Friday, May 18 and were supposed to be returned on or before Friday, July 27.
As of yesterday’s official return of writs, the 2012 election schedule was overshot by six days, which is a coup for the Electoral Commission considering the bad weather and persistent logistical constraints that have dogged its efforts in many parts of the country during the early stages of polling.
“More or less, we have met our schedule and have delivered a free, fair and just 2012 national election,” Trawen said recently.