By REG RENAGI
Watch out
Get ready now for PNG’s first woman vice-regal in 35 years.
Is it too far-fetched in a predominantly man’s world like our society?
Not really.
PNG has been ready a long time now, but our parliament and government are not.
Let us now change this trend today.
The outgoing vice-regal, Sir Paulius Matane personally supports the idea of PNG having its first woman Governor General in future.
Many citizens will wholeheartedly agree with one of PNG’s most-respected and best-performing Governors General since
I urge prime minister Somare and every member of parliament to think about this very important decision for parliament to vote in a woman vice-regal as current Governor General, Sir Paulias Matane’s term of office has expired.
Let us again relook at our first three - names shortlist.
The list does not even have an honourable woman amongst the possible contenders.
As a basic requirement in any future GG nominee short list, we should always have a woman or two in at least a six-name short list with two as being serious contenders for parliament to deliberate on in a secret ballot process.
The time is right for us to have our first woman vice-regal and not in another 35 years time.
Let our parliament now create history for PNG this week for confirmation as Governor General designate in a fortnight’s time.
It is a most important Commonwealth appointment.
The world will definitely stop and take notice of our small nation in this part of the Pacific.
This is one very crucial action we must do for the women of PNG and our people.
Let PNG be unique and having a woman vice-regal in future would definitely turn heads in
As PNG is a parliamentary democracy and a constitutional monarchy, PNG's Head of State is Her Majesty, the Queen of England represented by a Governor General (GG).
So by the GG’s presence, represent the important work of the Crown and reflect the face of PNG society.
As our Head of State, Her Majesty the Queen cannot be in PNG at all times and in her absence, her direct representative, the GG ensures that the role of the Crown functions as an integral part of our system of government.
At the national level, the duties of our Vice Regal are varied and should form a significant component of our Parliamentary democracy and daily lives.
So what do we expect our new Vice Regal to be doing in future? The Vice Regal's duties, which are largely ceremonial, include:
• Representing the Crown and ensuring there is always a prime minister.
• Acting on advice of prime minister and NEC to give royal assent to bills passed in parliament (maybe not so now?).
• Signing state documents.
• Reading the Queen’s good-wish speech.
• Presiding over swearing-in of prime minister, chief justice and NEC ministers, plus many others.
Why does PNG need to have a woman Vice Regal or GG?
Well why not? Other countries have a woman GG and Prime Minister, so PNG should not be any exception.
Let us take a brief look at two other Commonwealth countries:
Australia’s appointment of Ms Quentin Bryce, former sex discrimination commissioner and Queensland Governor who replaced former GG, Maj Gen Michael Jeffereys in September 2008 ended 107 years of male strangle hold on the Vice Regal post.
Ms Bryce becoming
Prime Minister Rudd made the new appointment, declaring it a very good thing for Australians and Australian women.
Her Excellency, Michaulene Jean is a most remarkable woman who has achieved much in her short public life career.
Many admire her as she has struggled long and hard from her humble beginnings just like Ms Quentin Bryce to be where she is today.
PNG can also do the same thing here.
It is now all up to Prime Minister Somare, his government and parliament to collectively decide for us to have our first woman Vice Regal appointment in 35 years.
Wouldn’t that be a great record all Papua New Guineans to always be proud of in future?
There are a few good women around who would make an ideal future choice of the next GG.
However, there is one that I would now highly recommend for our parliament to seriously consider today as PNG’s next Vice Regal, and Governor General Designate: Mrs Nahau Rooney, CBE, CMS.
Mrs Nahau Rooney is a respected former parliamentarian who first entered parliament as open member for Manus.
In a 10-year period, Ms Rooney performed commendably than perhaps her other peers by holding four key ministerial portfolios: minister for liquor licensing and correctional services, minister for justice, minister for decentralisation and provincial government, and minister for civil aviation and Air Niugini.
This former open member for Manus has a very varied working experience background.
As an educationist teaching at Manus High School in the mid 1960s, she progressed through over the years as a community development and social policy lecturer at the Administrative College, now IPA; principal research officer in the PM’s office, Manus provincial government executive officer, constitutional planning committee member and as a special project officer in the Manus provincial administration.
Mrs Nahau Rooney also has a good education and after leaving parliament, her other work took her through many diverse formal and informal appointments: director Forest Industries Council, deputy chairman, Air Niugini Board, several membership of the following: Airlines Investigation Commission, UPNG Council, National Fiscal Economic Commission, Law Reform Commission, Pihi Manus Association and Manus Provincial Government Assembly; and has actively participated at many international forums as both guest speaker and delegation leader representing the government and other NGO agencies she represented over time.
Moreover, this former MP has many other attributes for a future vice-regal role as she has to date extensively participated meaningfully in many different development aspects of our country as: educationist, academic, researcher, policy advisor, entrepreneur and a respected legislaturer in parliament.
In recent years, Mrs Nahau Rooney has taken up several different roles in the important work of non-government organisations.
Her efforts as a concerned community advocacy voice for the ordinary people has resulted in a number of positive development outcomes, especially in issues affecting women and children with a particular focus on ‘gender equality’ and ‘human rights’ development in the country.
Mrs Nahau Rooney is a single parent since 1990 and is very much concerned for the marginalised sections of our society: women, children and young people whose rights must be respected and special needs protected.
Like our outgoing Governor General, Sir Paulius Matane; I am very confident that Ms Nahau Rooney will do her utmost best to still positively contribute to PNG’s national development by her meaningful participation on a more personal level with the ordinary people and all citizens, no matter what their backgrounds are by seeing to it that PNG evolves into a safe and just society in future.
I now call on our Prime Minister and parliament to please put all your political differences aside this week and decisively agree on making Mrs Nahau Rooney, CBE, CMS PNG’s next and first woman vice-regal to represent the Queen of PNG and the Commonwealth.
For PNG, this will be a great breakthrough moment for the women of this nation.
I too believe this will be a very good thing for all Papua New Guineans and PNG to have in future a woman Governor General who is a respected role model and one who captures the spirit of modern PNG.
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