ADDRESSING CORRUPT FEATURES OF PAPUA NEW GUINEA POLITICS – by Dulciana Somare Brash
In addressing corrupt features of politics in Papua New Guinea, Ms. Dulciana, daughter of late GC Sir Michael Somare, said. “Our peoples’ impoverished status will continue to be manipulated by the power hungry & money-driven intending candidates at the polls every 5 years, if we don’t stop to break the cycle. We can break the cycle with a commitment to change starting with costed and modelled District Development or Provincial Development plans, which can be exposed and sold to our people without inducing them first. I’m not afraid to stand on this standard. If elected, I will lobby as an MP to end this corrupt feature of Papua New Guinea politics. I don’t practice it now in my 2nd election campaign and my support grows exponentially daily.”
DULCIANA ADDRESSES CORRUPT FEATURES OF PAPUA NEW GUINEA POLITICS
Words by Dulciana Somare-Brash.
I’m the only female candidate contesting in Angoram Open seat in our East Sepik Province.
That may seem like an anomaly however the underlying truth is, the processes of an election campaign, polling (scrutineering) and counting are expensive and complex.
I have raised funds myself (without the banner of a political party) for fuel, my camps, security, my logistics (riverine, maritime and land).
I need funds for allowances for my 20 + coordinators. I have reached out to my network for support for my campaign with merchandise, food supplies, hardware goods, medicines, freight costs etc.
Earlier I worked hard through consulting contracts and I saved money. On the trail now I run several vehicles simultaneously and I need contingencies for hire cars and boats with petrol engines.
I have spent a significant amount of my resources on fuel (petrol) alone for the extensive travel required to cover the river and maritime areas of our district.
The road components then require an endless supply of diesel, manpower, and local food supplies. The campaign has just started and many hundreds of supporters (and other intending candidates) expect financial support in return for electoral support.
This is the cancer killing service delivery and socioeconomic development in our constituencies. Many aspiring MPs and sitting MPs fear electoral defeat so they succumb to the pressure to effectively induce large groups of people.
This illegal behaviour is rampant now amongst the wealthier and powerful intending candidates who are openly bribing voters to support them.
The sad truth is that this practice undermines any hope of performance based leadership emerging. The shocking performance of a sitting member is easily erased when new cars, boats, fuel, food and cash are handed out AT THE END OF A FIVE YEAR TERM with taxpayers money.
In this evil plot our people are bamboozled with material goods foregoing their legitimate opportunity to assess costed policy priorities and community development plans of genuine candidates.
Instead under the pressure of having already accepted gifts our impoverished service-starved people cannot choose carefully without distractions, good quality serious hard working committed representatives.
Ultimately, this horrible feature of our politics in PNG is creating a trend where new MPs feel they have a right to recoup their private costs expended during the elections by raiding public funds once they are elected!
We have seen the patterns every election: we cannot aspire to hosting free or fair elections when this unconscionable behaviour hyphenated by extortion and bribery are the starting points to acquire political power in our country. This must end now.
Our peoples’ impoverished status will continue to be manipulated by the power hungry & money-driven intending candidates at the polls every 5 years, if we don’t stop to break the cycle.
We can break the cycle with a commitment to change starting with costed and modelled District Development or Provincial Development plans, which can be exposed and sold to our people without inducing them first.
I'm not afraid to stand on this standard. If elected, I will lobby as an MP to end this corrupt feature of Papua New Guinea politics. I don’t practice it now in my 2nd election campaign and my support grows exponentially daily. Kujaanga ! #letsturnthetide
