The pleading must stop

SO, if anybody walks out with a large enough number of MPs to topple the Somare government, he/she gets to be prime minister.
ANYBODY!?
This is preposterous.
This is a fine measure of the opposition’s desperation, not an issue against which the people of PNG can judge whether or not the opposition represents a credible new government.
The political reality is that the government is increasingly becoming unpopular with the ordinary man, particularly when tens of billions of kina have been spent in the past few years with nothing to show for it by way of improved social indicators, by way of new infrastructure development or maintenance of existing ones, and by way of improved living standards for the population.
It is a political reality, too, that several laws steamrolled through parliament by the government have met with loud and boisterous opposition from the people, seemingly without ruffling a feather on the government’s back.
On these issues and others, the opposition has been most vocal and we respect it for its stand.
Those issues are strong enough to depose any government in a general election or, if it comes to it, in a motion of no-confidence.
But to call for a change of government and, in the same breath, invite just about anybody to lead the future government so long as that person walks across with a big enough number of MPs, is the height of irresponsibility. On that alone, the credibility of this present move by the opposition for a change of government is questionable.
We will expect that every member of parliament is conversant with the issues of the day. We will expect that each member, now he/she is able to with the removal of the integrity law, is able to vote with his or her feet whichever way he/she pleases on principle.
We will expect the opposition to respect the right and the intelligence of each MP to vote on his or her conscience if it were to come down to pushing for a change of government.
That is the exact same right enshrined in the constitution which, the Supreme Court ruled last week, had been breached in several places when parliament enacted the Organic Law on Integrity of Political Parties and Candidates.
Whether the law prevents a leader from exercising his or her right, as the OLIPPAC did on political manoeuvring such as is happening now, coerces a leader to move against his or her conscience, the result is the same – there is a breach of a fundamental right guaranteed under the constitution.
The removal of the law has landed us with exactly the same predicament, it would seem.
And this naked pleading for any group to leave government is a sign of desperation to change government at all costs.
This country would not want a change of government at all costs. What would be some of the costs?
We may get a prime minister who just doesn’t fit the bill. He may lead the government astray and derail all gains made.
We will reintroduce the fluid political environment of the 70s, 80s and 90s which saw frequent changes of government and very little gains because each administration had too short a time to produce results before the next one got in.
Business and investment climate will deteriorate markedly, particularly at a time when major investment is being sunk or about to be sunk in PNG.
If this government must change, it will change. Such is the nature of PNG politics.
The opposition does not have the numbers so it just needs to keep its few intact, meditate and pray that the internal tensions that develop within government will be sufficient to push members its way.
The resignation of a number of members from government, who now identify themselves as the “middle bench”, is an example.
The blatant pleading that has been apparent in the past few days will not do.
It may well be that leaders want to move because they see a better alternate leadership in the opposition.
When the opposition gives that leadership away to just “anybody” moving from government, it might dampen the spirits of those who do want to move.