Women stand out – one an MP, another a political officer

IN the midst of the political crisis these past few days, two individuals stood out.
At the confrontation at Government House gates last Tuesday, when the O’Neill team tried unsuccessfully to get itself sworn in, the only woman MP, Dame Carol Kidu, was among the members at the gate.
She, being a member of the court-reinstated Somare government, had heated verbal exchanges passed with her male colleagues.
One male colleague said: “Send her back to where she comes from.”
Dame Carol replied: “I am a member of parliament like you. I have every right to be here.”
At the same time, inside Government House, another woman, Joyce Grant the public officer for the National Alliance party, was with Paul Bengo and Andrew Kumbakor apparently sorting out the swearing-in process for Sir Michael Somare.
When the leaders at the gate heard that Grant was inside Government House, irate MPs called for them to be removed immediately.
“Who is Joyce Grant?” one cried out.
 “Why is an unelected person being entertained by the governor-general while the prime minister is being locked out here in the sun? This is totally unfair.”
Last Friday, when two busloads of O’Neill’s team retook Morauta House singing “we shall not be moved”, they were met by an immovable Grant at the entrance to the cabinet room.
Inside cabinet, they met Dame Carol with four male colleagues. Harsh words were exchanged and they were told to “get out”.
Dame Carol said yesterday: “I am a politician. I give as good as I take. I am a thick-headed woman. Being male or female has nothing to do with this. There are bigger issues at stake here.”
Grant said: “It has been an emotionally intense week for me but I believe in what I am doing. Nobody will move me just because they think I am a female and an easy pushover.”
In the midst of a political crisis, they were two more individuals with political leanings doing what they believed was right but, patronising or not, they were in the minority and they were, of course, female.
It spoke volumes for the long struggle Dame Carol and women leaders have been putting up for women’s representation in parliament.
They can be as strong-headed and as forceful in this game as their male counterparts, given the chance. That chance is to be voted on today when the Equality and Participation Bill is to go for second reading to be passed into law to give 22 reserve seats for women.