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Story of PM’s resignation ‘grossly misleading’

PNG’s NATIONAL Alliance has denied claims that prime minister Sir Michael Somare will step down in the next few weeks saying they are “grossly misleading”.

The party’s national president, Simon Kaiwi, said yesterday’s report in the Post-Courier was “fabricated by people” ignorant of the NA constitution.

However, a report in the PNG National said the party leadership issue would be high on the agenda at the NA national convention in Western Highlands next month.

According to the Post-Courier, Deputy Prime Minister Don Polye said the prime minister had told a party caucus meeting that he would step down and hand over the top job of running the country to another person within the National Alliance.

Mr Kaiwi said this was not true.

Meanwhile, six MPs who defected from the ruling National Alliance during last week’s leadership struggle have returned to the fold, saying they are still loyal to Sir Michael.

“We moved out as a group and now we have come back. We have not resigned and, therefore, we are still members of the party,” spokesman David Arore MP said.

The six MPs said they had a meeting with Sir Michael to iron out their differences and in which they had sought ministries. Earlier, the group had written an apology letter which was hand-delivered to the prime minister.

Comments

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Dika Morea

Michael Somare is an over-rated politician and has already gone passed his use by date. He has nothing more to give to PNG except more misery and corruption that the country can do without.

Somare will not resign or step down. He will die on the job so the only way is for the people of PNG to force the incompetent PM to resign or step down by public demonstrations and nationwide strikes if Deputy PM Don Polye does not demand the NA leadership and the PM's job now.

Papua Tauna

Prime Minister Somare has lied about doing this [retiring] many times in the past just before the last three national elections. The PM cannot be trusted to keep his word.

Somare is secretly hoping he can convince his NA party members to support his son Arthur who has created a lot of problems for his father.

A lot of the present disharmony within the party is caused by Arthur due to his arrogant, and disrespectful attitude to coalition and opposition members in and outside parliament.

Arthur is too proud for his own good. At this stage he has much to learn and is not a good PM material as yet. He may be a loose cannon for his father's party and could endanger some of the good things the Chief has done in recent times.

The recent changes in the NA party has not brought positive changes. Its leadership is still perceived by the people as very corrupt.

Don Polye will only be successful if he puts in a good team, but not with Somare still as PM. Somare is the real problem now for the government and is bad for PNG.

Somare must be quickly replaced as leader of the NA Party at the party convention next month because the problem will still remain for Polye to get the top job. Somare will not want this going to a highlander for obvious reasons.

Grismeri Stret

The spinelessness of this is appalling:

MPs: "We're standing up for what we believe in!"

[No-confidence vote flounders]

MPs: "Olaman! Mipela bin bagarapim dispela santing! O, Papa bilong Niugini, mipela sori tru! Heh - mipela giaman tasol ... yes, giaman! Heh! Heh! Sorry! Really! Please give us our lucrative jobs back."

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