Judging from his reasoning for appointment of D/PM and his defensive response, about the appointment of son and business friend in certain boards, in parliament....the chief is getting too old for the job.
That's right. It's like a tired Indian Chief, overrun by his young warriors. They make the decisions for him and he stands up for them at the local courts of the chiefs. He knows he has no power over them, knowing that his retirement will be spent with them-he better look after now or else...
PNG people should be concerned about Somare's latest moves to turn the business interests of PNG into Somare Inc.
IPBC controls all of the PNG government's interests including its 18% ownership of Oilsearch. IPBC has now been put under the supervision of Arthur Somare even though Michael Somare is the caretaker Minister for that portfolio.
Somare has now appointed Glen Blake to IPBC Board and appointed Sana Somare, his eldest son, to PNG Power Board.
Glen Blake is the Managing Director of the Somare family companies Damai Investments and SBA Constructions Ltd.
Sana Somare is the Managing Director of SBA Construction, a small contractor company in Wewak.
Sana and Glen Blake are directors on the boards of these two companies with all the other somare children.
SBA stands for Sana, Bertha and Arthur construction.
By appointing Blake and Sana to the different boards of the statutory enterprises and IPBC under control of Arthur, Somare is turning IPBC and PNG Government's business interests into "Somare Inc."
Somare has more experience than any other members of Parliament. He knows the system and he knows where he is heading to. Who is like Father of the nation?
Somare the father of the nation? I don't think so...its obvious he needs to go...but whos gunna take his place....more and more I'm convinced that Lady Carol could be the one for the job...SOmare is just like all the others...impotent, static and useless....the only time we see some action from him is when they ask him to take off his shoes...Hes done nothing outstanding this year if you really look at it...Maybe it will take a white woman to do the job us black men can't...how hopeless is that, but its says something for us as a nation if that indeed is the case...its a Hopeless situation because nothing will b done about it...just gets me peeved off thinking bout it.
This message has been edited by 7milebeach on Jun 11, 2005 5:35 AM
Thats right. Bouganville has set a precedence. If Somare and cohorts and lets be frank here, the Sepiks for that matter regard the Highlanders as of no value and cannot contribute meaningfully in the development process of a Unified PNG,, then the route taken by Bouganville should be taken by the entire highlands region.
Stuff the rest of PNG, we can manage on our own. We have the same interllectual capacity and the economic resources at our disposal to effectively manage run our own affairs as a region.
Somare is Anti Highlands for sure...look at the Highlands Highway, the lifeline and backbone of commercial activities in the region has been grossly overlooked in terms of a full scale rehab which he promised in the last campaign.
I say, the Nation of "Central Niugini" might emerge sooner than that fossilised Somare might think.
when Sir Somare regain the PM top jobs his first priority is all the top jobs must be given too Papuans.NGI amd Momase.
He is not a racist but his biggest concern is highlanders have prove in all walks of life that they can't run or manage shiit.
beholder..
you are beyond reasonable thinking, Somare is retaliating - his actions of nepotism and cohort entertaining is aiming at Wingti and Skate. Dont ask me why.
you are far fetched and off the mark. Whose says Somare is racist (em waitman ah)...the issue is nepotism, cronyism, regionalistic bias and marginalising certain region.
He's probably of the opinion that all the rocket scientists and interllects with answers to the existing woes of the country hail from a rather "pre-destined" province and region where he's from including his best and cohorts. Only time will determine the merits of these appointments, however at the outset, there is a serious conflict of interest with respect to checks and balances with the Minister and Board appointments going forward. I dont have to detail the reasons why but if your personal financial advisor is the Chairman of a powerful statutory organisation vested with the mandate to held equity/investment interests on behalf of the state and your father being the Prime Minister, national interest might be in jeopardy here. If the board of PNG Power have seriously breached their fudiciary duties, would the Minister be man enough to sack his own brother? That is something we have to wait and see in such circumstances however, as the saying goes "blood runs deeper than water".
Well, as is the case with politics "every dog has it turn to the bone" and hopefully, we are not in for a royal commission of enquiry into the management and affaits of the state owned enterprises and government equity interest held in trust by IPBC during the term of the next government whichever that is.
I read all your comments but all are basedless. If you are highlander, I tell you, none of your members are willing to stand up and say on this issues. They are moving from opposition to government,government to oppostion, do you notice that? how can you and your highlands PMs to take this leadership? Mi sore long yu.
It is not about regionalism. Highlanders will always be highlanders. Sepiks will always be Sepiks. But it is about Somare's behavior. Man in non-senile stage will never apoint their children to top posts. Maybe they can act as advisers but not on government boards. Somare, you are creating so many enemies for you children. Understand the reality. These things don't happen anywhere except in Zimbabwe, Uganda, and HIV ravaged dictatorial third world nations.
By the way, Somare I thinks lived more than 50% of his time outside Sepik, therefore his behavior is Somare behior and not Sepik behavior.
His just too old, tired and old fashioned. He does not know one heck about globalisation and issues. Conflict of interest are governance issues and are at the forefront of world's best practice. His practice is Sepik best practice applicable at crocs farms in Murik!!
I mean no disrespect, but the structure of your english is terrible. No wonder you cant get the gist of the issues discussed so far under this thread. You are flipping all over the place seeking refuge from matters that are totally of no relevance whatsoever to the main issue.
Why dont you re-read the threads and try to understand the issues before you start writing and seek reference materials if necessary. It appears you have a very superficial knowledge of the main issue compounded by a rather pathetic level of reasoning which is subsequently distorting your judgement.
Somares response to the questions from Mr. Wenge, Mr. Baing, Mr. Koigiri and Mr. Taitibe are all pathetic and of conflicting nature. A lost Little Chief!
This shows that the good old man is left with 4 sensenow and need to go sooner before nepotism and regionalsim topple our public work force.
..from Post Courier.......10/6/2005
Wantokism unbecoming
The billboard of the so-called “father of the nation” and “Chief” must be abdicated in shame because “actions” have undoubtedly proven that the titles are a fallacy. They may amount to nothing if deeds or actions are the only credible yardstick of any exalted leader.
The contempt and unrelentless flaying shown by Sir Michael Somare on the national goals of “equal participation” and “equality” in nation building undo all the positive things he has done for the country. That’s a sad and poor way of closing one’s chapter of political legacy.
Chief, your very last actions will be the seal that you will leave behind in your long political career in Papua New Guinea’s history. They say the “very first and last drop of water” from the bamboo tastes sweet. And they are the ones that are remembered the most.
Don’t feed PNG with a mixture of muddy water before you descend into oblivion. The nation’s eyes are open. Why knowingly create disunity and regionalism? The National Alliance party’s manifesto during the 2002 national elections have been completely ignored.
The actions of blatant wantokisim are unbecoming of a chief, let alone “father of the nation tag”.
This is a dangerous trend.
It must be condemned in the strongest terms possible and the obvious commonsense must be brought back to the front seat
Somare was seen not only as a politician, a founding father and our Chief but was a national icon. I have had great respect for him since I was a kid. Now I am thinking twice. Does he really have the nation at heart as he always preaches? From the comments and rebutts he made in parliament to defend this recent appointments which I think you dont need a degree to see that its pure greed, he seems to have lost control. Looks like he is fulfilling his aims, which I can see now is to get something out of the people's purse before he retires. This is because, under is leadership, he has achieved nothing tangible to leave behind apart from juicy paper reports about kina stability, economic growth, BOP surplus etc...what they call pacific paradox is apparent here...good reports but no results... What he is trying to leave behind obviously is an empire for his family, cronies and Sepiks. I wish he retires now...or 2007 was next year before he causes more problems for us. I am afraid they will suck the nation dry coz they know they have a short time coz NA is doomed....
I have had alot of respect for the so-called chief but not any more. His response and outburst regarding the latest appointments is absurd. He definitely has lost sense of leadership. I sense it is heading the same path as PDM..come on NA members, stand up for the truth don't let Sir Michael pull you through his current ****.
Respectable and like minded party cohorts Polye, Temu, Philemon, Iangalio and others should stand up against his **** for the good of the party. Otherwise NA is doomed. Party politics in PNG is very volatile and I won't be surprised if his actions lead to his downfall in the coming months.
The two events don't go down well with the majority of Papua New Guineans. Firstly, the appointment of the deputy and now appoitment of family members. Somare, does not own this country, he talks as if he owns it and sounds like a dictator to some extend responding on the floor of the parliament.
This is nepotism at its best..a simple definition of nepotism is the appointment of family members and close friends to positions of power..
The more we keep him, PNG is stays 100 years behind the rest of the world. I dont care where the next leader comes from, as long as he is young, enegetic, visionary, transparent, and for PNG, not support his own province or ethnic group. Are we that dumb, stupid, primitive to keep Michael Somare?
em tasol
This message has been edited by 7milebeach on Jun 14, 2005 11:20 PM
As a NA supporter, I must admit I am utterly unimpressed and very disappointed with some of the recent appointments made by the Chief and his cabinet.
My province elected probably the highest number of NA candidates in the last election. My ambition was to run for NA when the time was right, but I will have to reconsider my alience with the party again.
Somare will destroy his own legacy in politics if he is not careful. The government has infact done a tremondous job with PNGs economy but all will be most certainly washed away in the next election because the obvious is that most PNGeans are frustrated by what is going on in Waigani at the moment.
Over to you wantoks! I just wish that Somare will reverse some of his decisions.
I am with highlander and the others on this one. Somare definately needs to step down as this move is tottaly ridiculous.
One thing we forget is that Somare and all other members of parliment are conducting a public service, they hold a publice office and as such are directly answerable to the public. That is we the people.
As public servents they are no better the the cleaner who is paid what k50 a fornight! All humans beings are the same and the value of a person does not depend on his vast material wealth of knowledge but on the values and the principles that he lives by. Somare has lost his worth!
Somare learned painfull and politically assasinating lessons from Julius Chan who launched the first vote of no confidence after being his deputy PM and enjoying the highest finance portfolio.
Paias Wingti traverse Chans footpath and caused the old man trauma and almost landed in comma after his trust was uprooted with another successful motion.
Recently (the name Chief was littered) - Sir Mekere (once the Chiefs junior and top advisor) dumped Somare before the nations eye withdrawing the Foreign Affairs Ministry, and labelling him "you dont know anything about macro economics" was a dent in the soul of an experienced polly. This caused mental disorder and retaliation by any means was decided and brewing. (Only real leaders and great statesman bring in old foes to build a nation -forget the past live the future)
These things did not go down well with Somare - Now retaliation at best?- laothing the nation he himself call "iam the father". Dividing the nation he himself lamented "united". Marginalizing jobs he himself instituted "equality and participation".
These actions are only affecting the mass grassroots not the pollys. Do not try to retaliate to your old foes at the expense of the nation. Where are we heading? More autonomous areas by region? Somares intergity is now defined by corruption, nepotism is guiding him to leave behind no legacy of an old school but dividing this country up. Somare has truly lost his mission if he had one since Independence!
The sooner old Somare exits - national unity will continue to ring.
You must be blind, Katmandu. See the 2 Merchedes Benzs in Wewak and other two in Pom. See other investments in PNG and overseas. From a poor teacher to a tycoon. This is insane. He is a multi-millionaire now while PNG is going backwards.
This message has been edited by 7milebeach on Oct 18, 2005 9:00 PM
i think if he stops listening to his son then he can manage to run the country but apperently his son is taking over the father's position. i reckon Somare should step down and let a young well educated Papua New Guinean run our country. we have sufferd for so lond and wasted a lot of prime ministers in a matter of only 10 years or so.
its about time someone spoke up in the parliament today for the better of our country.
i think if he stops listening to his son then he can manage to run the country but apperently his son is taking over the father's position. i reckon Somare should step down and let a young well educated Papua New Guinean run our country. we have sufferd for so lond and wasted a lot of prime ministers in a matter of only 10 years or so.
its about time someone spoke up in the parliament today for the better of our country.
Tough luck guys, the chief is running the country. I do not think he is becoming a king..he brought political independence and now wants to bring economic independence. Stap Isi. As I said before, I think PNG needs a dictator..a good dictator who will have some authority but not to to be like idi amin dada......keep on going chief..This are the same gruop of people who shouted NO when you want us to get us independent....
Tok bilong yu i tru. let the chief continue. full support. at least somare has the integrity and intelligent. no one can question that and compared to a lot of our so-called younger pngeans, and other national politicians both in PNG and abroad, i think the chief has a good record. kam on ol wantok stop politiciking. the chief has a mandate to govern and let him continue to do so for the good of the country.
Michael Somare should be always and maintain the Papua New Guinea Pride and integrity. Forget about creating a New Anthem for the Pacific countries.
Our leaders should be always carrying the PNG flag. Sing the National Anthem of the Host country. If we host the MSG in PNG they sing our National Anthem. If they host it in Fiji, sing the Fijian Anthem.
Did you know that Wingti & Somare are best buddies? Their relationship rocks in secret. Also, Wingti is a close friend of Skate and Mekere. Wingti is thinking...he is planning...for 2007. However, Somare hates Wingti joining Skate therefore, Somare makes sure that no senior position is given to Highlanders and Skate's friends. It's clear.
Whatever you may think, Somare is in a league of his own my fellow citizens. This old man has turned the country around in 2 years he has been in power.
PNG has had many PMs, many of them uni educated, academically qualified, economist, accountants etc..but there has only been ONE PM that has really taken stock of PNG..Somare.
When Somare came to power, PNG was literally bankrupt/broke..look at where we are now!! economic growth, stable kina, inflation in check, projected budget surplus, increase in tourist numbers. PNG is now doing what it should do as the biggest of the Island countries; foster relations with the smaller island nations, foster economic ties. That is the way even advanced countries are moving forward..look at the new EU.
SOmaere deserves credit
Yes your analysis in good taste - not sour! But dont say many many, PNG only had 6 knuckleheads in just 30 years of independence. All of whom got lost in the wilderness of leadership except Somare, and you are right!
