Sir Mekere: Somare running scared

Opposition Leader Sir Mekere Morauta said today that the Somare Government is very scared of losing power. 

“It is clearly doing everything it can to make sure that the Opposition’s planned motion of no-confidence is killed,” he said.

“A band of royal visits to Cairns using the aerial PMV (Falcon Jet)which cost the public K130 million to buy – Somare is yet to disclose the operational costs of his PMV – has been going on over the last two weeks to court the Speaker.

“The visits were led by Father Somare and concluded by Son Somare.”

The Opposition Leader said that he was sure the Speaker was fully aware of his duty and obligation under the Constitution to process the motion and let the people’s representatives decide by voting, democratically, as provided for in PNG’s laws.

“I urge the Speaker to withstand the onslaught of rogues who are asking him to disobey the Constitution.”

Sir Mekere has called on Members of Parliament in the current Government ranks and the public to speak out and urge the Speaker to allow the motion to be tabled.

“The Opposition intends to re-submit the motion on Tuesday and expects the Speaker to table it and to adjourn Parliament for a week,” he said.

“PNG Party will lead the march to oust this evil arrogant Government.”

Authorised for Release by:

Mekere Morauta KCMG MP                              

Leader of the Opposition and                                           

Member for Moresby North-West 

Somare now behaving like a dictator

Opposition Leader Sir Mekere Morauta said today that Michael Somare is turning Papua New Guinea into “Mugabeland”.

“Somare has all the ingredients and recipes in place,” he said.

“The two most-important disciplinary forces, the Defence Force and the Police have been tribalised and converted into instruments at his disposal and for his use.  “Papua New Guineans should be extremely worried about these developments and must not allow these tribal roots to take hold.

“These moves are fraught with danger and set sickening precedents for others to follow in the future. 

 “Michael Somare has to be blamed squarely for these atrocious, self-serving acts.”

“This is why this Government has to be changed – to save our country and our future.

“The alleged capture by Somare’s bodyguards and alleged bashing of NGO activist Noel Anjo by the Prime Minister and his wife, demonstrate Somare’s preparedness to silence any critic, by any means, including violence and use of the institutions of state.

“I remind Papua New Guineans of the Prime Minister walking across the floor of Parliament to the Opposition front bench, in spitting distance, saying to the Member for Bulolo Sam Basil ‘I will kill you’.

“This again demonstrates Somare’s willingness to stop at nothing to silence any sign of criticism or threat, in ways most inappropriate for a leader. 

“Shameful. 

“Why do we put up with this?”

Sir Mekere concluded:  “This Government has so much to protect that it will stop at nothing to stay in power, even if it destroys the Constitution and people’s freedom. 

“Wake up Papua New Guineans.”

Mekere Morauta KCMG MP                              

Leader of the Opposition and                                           

Member for Moresby North-West                         

My Dad’s memories of Michael Somare

Caption: Mathias Nalu (second from right, standing), with fellow trainee teachers at Sogeri Education Centre in 1956 including Michael Somare, (third from left, sitting), Paulias Matane (sitting far right) and Alkan Tololo (standing far right).

My father, the late Mathias Nalu, until the day he died in 1993, remained committed to the ideals of his former school mate and Pangu Pati founder Michael Somare.
Dad went to school with Somare, first at Dregerhaffen in Finschhafen, and then at Sogeri outside Port Moresby.
But unlike his mates like Somare, Paulias Matane and Alkan Tololo who would one day figure in the formation of this country, Dad remained a simple school teacher, and later a primary school inspector, until the day he died so prematurely of a stroke after 35 years of distinguished service to his country.
We, his children, were born and grew up all over the country in the pre-independence days as Dad excelled as a member of the highly-disciplined and efficient ‘shorts and socks brigade’ public service under the colonial administration.
We grew up listening in fascination as Dad told us one story after another of his mates like Somare, Matane and Tololo.
Many years later, after Dad died and I was working as a journalist, I often bumped into Somare, Matane and Tololo and they always extolled the virtues of my ‘Old Man’, which left me with a great deal of pride.
One thing that is forever etched in my memory was of growing up on Sohano, a small island off Buka, in the halcyonic days of the early 1970’s, when I would have been about five or six years of age.
Papua New Guinea’s Chief Minister visited Sohano, and while reminiscing with Dad about their old days, a Bouganville Copper employee named Bill, who lived next door to us, said something that offended Somare.
Somare ordered him out of the country immediately!
I can remember as Bill, with tears, handed all his worldly possessions to Mum and Dad and left.
Independence came and I remember Dad, as we listened to the radio at 12am on September 16, 1975, celebrating as his former school mate became the first Prime Minister of the newly-independent State of Papua New Guinea.
Later, in 1976, when my youngest sister Anna was born, the Papua New Guinea Prime Minister personally visited our house while in Goroka, gave Mum K100, and said that Anna’s second name was ‘Moaso’ after his mother.
As Somare celebrates 40 years in politics, I know that somewhere over the rainbow way up high, Dad will also celebrating.