‘Absolute power corrupts absolutely’ (so I read somewhere). This adage is most relevant to Papua New Guinea post 1995. In order to control the recently introduced (1980 Chan-Okuk government) ‘slush funds’ and the 100s of Millions of Kina in Provincial Budgets, the national Politicians (herein the central government) enacted a most self-serving law in the form of the Organic Law on Provincial Government and Local Level Governments (OLPGLLG) During the colonial era, up until 19 July 1995, service delivery at the LLG, and Provincial levels were better than what it is today. Why is that so? This question can best be answered with two further question: how involved is our so-called Third Level Government, in decision making, planning, and implementation of projects in their respective constituencies? And, WHO/WHAT CONSTITUTES THE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT?? Since the coming into effect of the OLPGLLG all powers have been centralized in Waigani because the elected MPs decided that they were not only going to be legislatures at the highest decision making body in the land but due to their warped judgement, it was better that they were in control of the second (by abolishing the Office of Premiers and creating the Governors’ Post) and the third (by creating the Joint District P&BPC to be headed by the Open MPs) levels of government. Since July 1995, by a stroke of the pen, the Open & Regional MPs in Parliament enacted a Law that actually served their personal interest by giving themselves control over two constitutionally established levels of government. To avoid a backlash, the LLG presidents were coopted as Provincial Assembly members (or rubber stamps). At the whim of the incumbent governor, some of these LLG Presidents were made PEC Members (Ministers) It is a joke when Politicians talk about ‘bottom-up planning’, ‘inclusive governments’ transparency, ‘rule-of-law’, and ‘service delivery in the rural areas’ etc,. taking the concept of ‘bottom-up planning’ for example, The MP is either concentrating his/her effort there to the neglect of the other most important duty: legislation and/or setting the policy direction on the national scene; and set the course of the ship Papua New Guinea in these modern era of globalization, or involved in holding the checkbook and becoming a ‘project-manager’ in the village. The latter has been the case since 1995. It will be interesting to compare the number of Laws enacted in Parliament pre and post OLPGLLG, and what are the conditions of roads and bridges, the so-called ‘council roads’ and ‘council bridges’ these days compared to what they were. It will interesting also to know how many hours are spent debating important issues on the floor of Parliament. In the ‘70s in the Old House of Assembly downtown, MHAs were still in the chambers meeting and debating even at 12midnight. I know first-hand because I used to wait for my dad sleeping in the back of his Ministerial car, waiting for the meeting to end. The Leaders of that era worked for their money, I tell you. During the tenure of Somare as PM, (who cut his political teeth in that same era) in NEC Decisions No 326/2006 and 327/2006, a direction was given for a review of the OLPGLLG and I believe that finally after eight years, these reviews are being carried out. It is now time for all Papua New Guineans and all concerned citizens and friends to come out in numbers where-ever these consultations are held, and demand for the separation of powers of the three levels of Government, and let MPs be what they are supposed to be - Legislators.
Posted on: Thu, 30 Jan 2014 06:27:59 +0000
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