Friday, July 05, 2013

Tampering with the Constitution is simply a sign of entrenching power.

By PETER ANDREW KOLIP
 
At the recent People’s National Congress (PNC) Party Convention in Lae, Prime Minister Peter O’Neill indicated that the party will push to have the Constitution changed in some segments.
 I am not a lawyer but I must state here that this is a bad move.
 Being the largest political party in the current coalition, it will have no problems making the proposed changes.
 I am not a supporter of the Opposition either.
Anyway, the Opposition members were once in Government that changed the Constitution last time around, so this is for all MPs to know that no MP should support any move that is aimed at undermining the Constitution.
 The question is why do we need to change it?
What is wrong with the Constitution that it needs to be changed?
 Please tell the PNG public what is wrong with the Mama Law or any part of it for that matter so that it can be changed again and again.
 And who says we need to change the Constitution?
Not even the Prime Minister.
 Since the Constitution upholds the entire country, it is also proper that the entire country must have a say in changing the Constitution and not a select few.
 And know also that change can only be done through a wider consultation and not through a handful of MPs who we know too well are puppets.
The MPs represent the people and they should only speak on behalf of the people; not for themselves or their party colleagues.
Any MP who supports such a move should be voted out the in the next elections.
 It seems politics in this country has gone wayward.
 If PNC has its way and gets the Government to change the Constitution then the people of PNG including other political parties will get to know that the PNC Party is above the No. 1 Law of the land and that it is the only party to do so.
 The Constitution is there to guide us and that we follow it whether we like it or not.
The Constitution is NOT there for one to change it to suit one’s views and interests.
 It is there for a purpose and let it remain there and serve its purpose.
 It is insane and I believe the PNC Party executives must be ill advised.
If this trend of changing Constitution continues, who knows what may become of the future of this beloved country.
It must also be remembered that people power is the last bastion of hope there is if these insane moves to entrench power continue unabated.
 Political parties and or governments cannot continue to ignore people power.
Look at what is happening around the world.
 Please, Mr Prime Minister, be wise and don’t tamper with the Constitution.
We have had enough of politicians changing the Constitution every now and then.
The founding fathers in their wisdom designed the Constitution to serve a grander purpose.
Your concern should be on how to make your government function within the confines of the Constitution and to focus on changing how people in this country can become wealthy and prosperous, changing people’s attitudes, changing the entire public service machinery for better service delivery and so on.
There are far better things to do than changing the Constitution itself when it is the only guide you will ever need.
 Thank you

 Peter Andrew Kolip
 PO Box 1286
Lae
Morobe Province

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