JOHNNY BLADES
RADIO NEW ZEALAND INTERNATIONAL

PAPUA NEW GUINEA’S leading politicians are busy trading insults as campaigning heats up for the general election.

With polling starting this weekend, the current output of PNG’s media outlets is dominated by sound bites from would-be Prime Ministers.

The man who PNG’s Supreme Court ruled was illegally ousted as prime minister last August, Sir Michael Somare, predicts he’ll retain the East Sepik seat, become prime minister again and topple what he describes as the rogue regime of Peter O’Neill and Belden Namah.

Mr Namah, who has made clear his intention to be prime minister, says Sir Michael will be lucky to come fourth in his seat and has told Chimbu voters not to vote for Mr O’Neill’s People’s National Congress Party, alleging they are thieves.

This is despite he and Mr O’Neill having signed a pact to maintain their coalition.

Subsequently, a senior PNC MP, Francis Awesa, declared that neither Mr Namah nor another leading prime ministerial candidate Don Polye are qualified to be prime minister.”