The Opposition: Not a leader among them.

By PNG Echo.

Beware the Ides of August
Beware the Ides of August

Take Don Polye: he’s tried for years, but he inspires no one; his aspirations to lead have only led him into the diminished position he finds himself today – leading an opposition who are only behind him because that is the best position from where to stab him in the back.

They all want to lead – it’s just that no one follows.  They just don’t inspire –  none of them.

Yet, there are no followers in the current Opposition either (save for little Willie Samb of Goilala who, on joining the Opposition, found himself in a far more prominent position than he would have been had he joined government.)

Little Willie is the one-man-band of the eternal ‘deputy’ Sam Basil, and even he is now the proud head of the largest party (?) in Opposition (or is that still Polye’s THE Party, I seem unable to find any members who quit government to follow their ‘leader’ into Opposition – but I guess there must be at least one.)

Amusingly, a party of two is double the usual size of the parties in this coalition.

Painted into a corner

One of the 'Chancers'
One of the ‘Chancers’

Polye is the figurative head of a raggle-taggle band of wannabe leaders that are, in reality, has-beens (Namah), never-were (Marat), never-will-be (Basil), and chancers (Kua and the rest).

I doubt if any of them are loyal to Polye.  He doesn’t inspire loyalty.

Some are only in the Opposition because that’s the only side that will have them – and Polye is amongst this number.

Ousted by O’Neill – he should have seen it coming. His performance in the role of Minister for Treasury and Finance saw O’Neill remove the Finance portfolio from him and place it in more competent hands. That was before he dumped him, unceremoniously, notwithstanding the numbers that he could have taken with him into Opposition – but they didn’t go. His leadership qualities are lacking.

Then there are those that would be back in the government if only O’Neill would have them and I hear tell that at least one has been imploring O’Neill to take him back. The metaphoric jilted lover whose plaintiff cry “…after all I’ve done for you,” echoed through the hallowed halls of Waigani in 2012.

The things they share: The risks they run

 Namah with his followers - now all gone - even the 'eternal deputy', Sam Basil.
Namah with his followers – now all gone – even the ‘eternal deputy’, Sam Basil.

One of the binding common factors of the Opposition is that they don’t want to follow Polye: this coalition is of the unwilling.

The other, of course, is that these wannabe leaders have no followers. They are the overly-ambitious heads of one-man parties whose members (followers) have deserted them in droves.

If Polye manages to wrest power from O’Neill – and the likelihood of that is negligible – will we see the Ides of March re-enacted in Papua New Guinea?

I don’t believe there will be one member of the Opposition that will refrain from gleefully plunging the dagger into Polye after he has served his purpose – he just doesn’t inspire loyalty.

O’Neill has proved a formidable and maybe even an impossible target for this band of treacherous brothers  – Polye would be a far easier foe. They’re hoping he can pull a rabbit out of a hat for them – before they turn on him.

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13 Replies to “The Opposition: Not a leader among them.”

  1. So why were Duma and Micah meeting with some Opposition and believe me much of what you say contradicts the discussions we have been having for some time……
    Taim u no save lo asples nogat train kamap stail plans

      • You might tell the truth, but can you stop consistently publishing all these staffs while the currently country is on part chaos, please. I respect your kindness of leaking out hidden conspiracy. But this very moment stop criticizing the opposition.
        Your admire
        Tim

      • At this current stage I cannot choose one or favour, but I want a man of integrity and honesty. Transparency is all we need, I feel the countenance on me when I see the little rich island torn apart like a beautiful virgin used as prostitute

      • You might tell the truth, but can you stop consistently publishing all these staffs while the currently country is on part chaos, please. I respect your kindness of leaking out hidden conspiracy. But this very moment stop criticizing the opposition.
        Your admire
        Tim

    • Your publications clearly paints a picture of you and Osteal .Hope to see more of your post when the pm is dumped and sent to bomana.

  2. Susan – I always don’t like your articles – but this is one of a kind analysing the opposition leaders which I agree with you in many respects.
    But I would also appreciate if you could also do the same analysis for the O’Neil, his minister and his government. It will provide balance for your article.

    • Benny, Ditto. I don’t like your work either. I also do not give a rat’s arse what you would “appreciate” to force your idea of “balance.” If you require this sort of “balance” provide it yourself – “…or I’ll just think you are ignorant or stupid.”

  3. We know none of the MPs from government and opposition are worthy of corrupt free leadership of the country except few leaders like Oro governor and Deputy opposition leader. I guess they are corrupt free. Who is a corrupt free leader Susan you like to call a leader from your assessment here?

  4. PNG politics has changed so much so in recent times. Years ago there was RESPECT and DIGNITY amongst all factions, ministries, and leaderships. I dont finds these qualitites and ethics anymore. I respect all our leaders but personally do not have any reservation for anyone. Taking the two rivaling faction on the balance they are both same at least though I have little faith in Sam Basil…with due respect i do not undermine our honorouble PM O’neil, infact he has done a wonderful job and I am enjoying some of it in terms of infrastructural developments. But with the continuous evasion of legal proceedings and shutting down of vital offices (Sam Koim) there is room for a dramatic change. So I think what we need is a new leadership, a leadership that will not only instill respect and dignity but put justice, freedom and liberty back to its rightful place. There is one politician i think and believe who can bring about that leadership and that is none other than the member for Goroka Honorable Bire Kimisopa.

    • I agree with you wholeheartedly. I am a Morobean but have always thought Bire Kimisopa to be the man. he has showed it in the past, when he was the Police Minister, humbled himself to the point of accepting that we could not solve our law and order issues on our own and needed to bring in help from outside. He was one politician I admired before he lost at the 2007 elections. {NG Echo has been making some good calls here.

  5. Do they call it a motion of no confidence because we can have no confidence in the ability of the Opposition?

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