PNG politics: Backroom powerplay - O’Neill’s rise to the top

WHEN the cabinet was reshuffled two months ago, Peter O'Neill, then holding the key to the country's bank vault, suddenly found himself been shuttled down the corridor to be in charge of roads and bridges.
Miffed would be too elaborate. Even fuming is not enough. O'Neill likened the changes to a running a 'circus' and begrudgingly headed to the Transport and Works ministry.
He wasn't the only Minister grumbling. At the height of the Abal versus Don Polye spite a week ago over who was the legitimate deputy National Alliance leader of the Highlands bloc, Labour and Employment Minister Sani Rambi, was so engrossed, he did not mince his words.
He blew up saying: "I am pissed off." That triggered a domino effect. The NA collapsed, Abal's foot soldiers deserted enmasse and last Tuesday, Abal was starring defeat in the face on the floor of Parliament.
Rewind to 24 hours earlier in the former Opposition's pre-vote camp. The numbers were on their side but the question of who would step up was a tossup.
Politically, the leader with the most MP's at his whim is the ideal choice for Prime Minister.
At the haggling table, names were tossed around, Polye, William Duma, Francis Awesa, Sir Mekere Morauta, Opposition leader Belden Namah and O'Neill.
Polye, sacked along with Duma from the Abal cabinet was the obvious choice. He had brought the numbers that swelled the Namah camp.
As Polye stood on the brink of becoming the political master he had always dreamt of, something happened. A lesser man would have baulked but Polye jumped off the Prime Ministership bandwagon.
As an insider puts it, Don Polye came close twice, and on both occasions, he passed up the opportunity.
The first was when he, out of respect, let Grand Chief Sir Michael become Prime Minister, and the second was on Monday night, when he voluntarily dropped out of the race.
Much has now been reported about the events that unfolded on Tuesday in Parliament when O'Neill was elected Prime Minister unopposed.
However, what happened behind the scene in the lead up to Mr O'Neill's election is another short history in the country's young political life.
Our political insiders labeled Duma, Namah, Polye, Awesa (Imbonggu MP) and O'Neill as the "Five Musketeers" in the political camp they were in to overthrow the Somare Abal government.
Our sources revealed that Polye agreed with the new coalition not to extend the Enga political issues further and allowed Mr O'Neill to the post.
The caretaker Minister for Works, Transport and Civil Aviation, Francis Awesa last night confirmed the ground work to elect a new PM started six weeks ago after Mr O'Neill was removed from Finance and Treasury.
The sacking of Polye and Duma was still fresh and the wound was festering.
Former PNG Party members, Simbu Governor Fr John Garia, Henganofi MP Ferao Orimo and Wewak MP Dr Moses Manwau ,who deserted Enga Governor Peter Ipatas's Peoples Party in his recent political alliances, buried their past to unite for the interest of the country.
The insider said Mr Polye made his decision not to contest and agreed with their group to give the highest position to his other Highlands leaders leaving Duma and O'Neill as possible candidates.
He said Mr Polye was willing to work with a government honest in its execution with the interest of the country as paramount.
O'Neill eventually had the upper hand over Duma to be elected as the new Prime Minister.
Awesa said apart from the sackings, they were also frustrated over the K125 million Special Community Infrastructure Treasury Bill (SCITB) loan to Kokopo MP Patrick Tammur, the K1.9 million National Planning issue, and the behavior of former ministers Patrick Pruaitch, Paul Tiensten and Minister Arthur Somare.
"They were practicing double standards. Keeping the bad ones and killing the good ones…this comes with God's hand at work to create a good government," Mr Awesa said.

LUTHERAN Christians around the country have been challenged to change their mindset and put resources together to cater for the physical wellbeing of the Church rather than depending on the futuristic belief of the church.
While commenting on the Lutheran Church's failure in maintaining its infrastructure included church buildings, schools and health centres, lawyer-cum missionary Kelly 'Tigerman' Naru said it was time for Christians to take action. Mr Naru issued the challenge in the presence of more than 1000 people at the Buang Circuit conference of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of PNG (ELC-PNG) at Mapos village in Buang, Morobe province over the weekend. The lawyer presented K35,000 to various Lutheran Church groups in Buang and said too much concentration was put on the futuristic belief of eternal life while the physical wellbeing of the church was degrading.
"All Church infrastructures are deteriorating. We (Christians) cannot wait for the missionaries to come again and do it for us. It is time for us to stand on our own feet and bring the Church forward," Mr Naru said.
The philanthropist lawyer said the Church has been depending much on its faith but this faith has not been put into practice over the years. Mr Naru added that all Lutheran Christians in the country were obliged within the basic Christian principle to build the Church of God, citing that faith without action was a dead faith.
"The Church in the country is depending much on the everlasting life and not the current promise of receiving God's blessing through building the Church of God," Mr Naru said.
He added that Biblical Law of giving one-tenth to the Church should be upheld at all times, adding that God would bless those who give generous to the Church in return.
Mr Naru urged all the Christian faithful of the Lutheran Church to put resources into the Church so that the Church would be well equipped to proclaim the Word of God and Christianise the bulk of the population.