Where Private Goes Public

Resignation of a Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea

"Ailing PNG leader Somare retiring: family". So reads an article headline in an Australian online Newspaper, ABC News, which goes on to report:

"The family of Papua New Guinea's prime minister Sir Michael Somare says the veteran leader is retiring because of ill health.

The 75-year-old underwent heart surgery earlier this year in Singapore and remains in hospital.

Sir Michael's son, Arthur Somare, said Sir Michael remained in intensive care and was "not in a good enough condition" to discuss retirement, so the family took the decision on his behalf.

In a statement, Arthur Somare said complications from his father's heart surgery "further delayed the anticipated time in which Sir Michael was expected to recover and return to Papua New Guinea".

"Therefore, on behalf of [his wife] Lady Veronica, I wish to announce that it is our family's collective desire that Sir Michael be allowed to recover at his own pace and therefore retire," he said.

"In our considered decision to do this we believe PNG should have a level of certainty with regard to political stability and leadership well into the future.

"This has not been an easy decision to take without full and proper consultation with Sir Michael."

Other newspapers carried similar versions of the story.

Legal experts have deemed this public announcement, unconstitutional, stating that the only way a Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea can resign is by notice in writing to the Head of State. Only after that would the Governor General upon accepting this resignation, proceed with the appropriate processes towards appointing a new Prime Minister.

Sir Michael and Lady Somare in younger days

The Prime Minister and Grand Chief is ill somewhere in Singapore and he probably does want to resign from his office as Prime Minister. It would be fitting that this reality be treated and approached properly by those that are able to act. Arthur Somare, upon assessing his father's health could seek assistance from the Prime Minister's staff so that they would be able to take appropriate actions according to protocol. 

Public Announcements and Accountability

Sir Michael is Arthur Somare's father. But as a national leader himself, Mr. Somare, son of our chief, needs to recognise the definition between Sir Michael, father of Arthur and Sir Michael, father of Papua New Guinea. Accordingly it would be inappropriate that he would regard the Grand Chief simply as his own father while making public representations or when making public statements regarding the office that his father holds. 

Mr. Somare should conduct himself in such a way, so that also, when there are allegations of corruption or any other allegations of crime committed in high office, leveled against the Prime Minister, that these are clearly separate from any that are level against Arthur Somare himself.  In this way, both holders of public office could be perceived separately by the public according to their innocence or their guilt. Of course the law sees them separately and under law they would be charged and tried separately even though each may be called as witnesses to give evidence in one another's trials.

But this article is merely concerned with Arthur's handling of his father's image in the hearts and minds of Papua New Guineans. It aims to reestablish the public claim to their part of the heritage from a leader.

It would be a pity if a scenario of family interest and allegations of corruption were allowed to cloud the great investments in public interest that the grand chief spent so much time and energy in struggling for.

People close to the Chief should allow the ordinary people of Papua New Guinea the possibility to hold Sir Michael in the original regard of the early years during the young country's age of idealism.

In his tribute to the late "Mr Grassroots", cartoonist Bob Brown, David Ingram refers to the idealism of that period:

"It was an exciting, optimistic period in PNG, with the peaceful transition to independence from Australia and the handover of the nation to mainly young indigenous men and women. What they lacked in skills and experience, they made up for in energy and youthful idealism. Even their first Prime Minister, Michael Somare, was only 39 at Independence. The national watch cry was “Go ahead strong!” and as the expatriates withdrew south of the Torres Straits, many were replaced by volunteers from around the world, mainly from Australia, Britain, Canada, the US and – through various religious or political organisations – Western Europe. We all knew our jobs were only meant to be temporary and most of us left when our time finished, but others, such as Browne, were seduced by the country, its climate, its natural beauty, exotic cultures and, most of all, by its friendly and welcoming people."

Sirs, Michael, Yambakey and Tei

Leaders as Part of the Public Heritage

Whoever we are, or what ever we have become as a country of people, we deserve our public heritage in all its forms and conditions.

Sir Michael, Sir Yambakey Okuk, Sir Tei Abal, they are all members of a group of people who are part of the heritage of Papua New Guineans. They are considered public property.

We can still sense this respect for Sir Michael, in the writings of many Papua New Guineans. In his award winning blog site, Malum Nalu once featured a story reflecting the actions of Sir Michael in moving Papua New Guinea towards its Independence.

There are millions of Papua New Guineans who in spite of the many struggles and the shifting tides of nationhood, still regard Sir Michael as the hero of PNG's achievement of independence. In fact, in the mid to late 1980s, when rural people were asked about their political system by filmmakers, not many politicians were widely known to the grassroots people. Sir Michael's name "Somare" remained and probably still remains the only household name in the political knowledge of a majority of the public. Many people from all over the country cried for him the first time he lost his Prime Ministerial post in a vote of no confidence. I asked some of them why they were sad for him when they had a new PM in Sir Julius Chan. They said: "He is our prime minister. He gave us independence".

Due Regard

Today, as Arthur Somare, perhaps motivated by his own aspirations and political positioning, fails to separate family from public office or to care about or recognise his father's place in the hearts of millions of Papua New Guineans, many people would urge the question: "Could we have our Chief back now please".

In that kind of idealism in the public sentiment, leaders of Papua New Guinea need to remember the wish of the ordinary people to live in the country of their dreams and by such force to be better guardians and stewards of the people's common heritage.

The Prime Minister has got his own staff including high level officers (from the Prime Minister's Department) who must have access to Sir Michael during moments where his health permits official business to be discussed and transacted. So there are people who can help the Prime Minister draft a letter of resignation to the Governor General if he is unable to do so himself at this time.

Even if it would prove detrimental to the political aspirations of the National Alliance, the chief in his moment of ill health, should not be used as political leverage for future political speculation. He has done a lot and deserves better treatment from those around him.