Doctoral Dissertation Politics of Local Government in Papua New Guinea
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Doctoral Dissertation Politics of Local Government in Papua New Guinea ANITA SERAH KOYANGKO Graduate School for International Development and Cooperation Hiroshima University March 2018 Politics of Local Government in Papua New Guinea D124408 ANITA SERAH KOYANGKO A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate School for International Development and Cooperation of Hiroshima University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy March 2018 DEDICATION This dissertation is dedicated to my father, Tony Aviyo Koyangko, for believing in me and never giving up on me, this is your success. It is also dedicated to the memory of my Evano, Otto Gendi and my Moiyo, Nema Gendi. I SALUTE you both and may you rest peacefully in the bosom of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen I ACKNOWLEDGEMENT First and foremost, I want to thank God Almighty for his blessing upon all our lives. For without God nothing is ever possible. I am forever grateful to so many people that have assisted me throughout my studies and life here in wonderful Saijo. It has been a pleasant journey. I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my advisor and mentor, Professor Osamu Yoshida. I would not have successfully completed this dissertation, without your invaluable advice and insights. I am forever grateful for your advice and support not only in the academic arena but also in my development as an individual too. Thank you for always making time for me. I am forever grateful and appreciative of the experience. I would also like to thank my sub-supervisors, Professor Noriyuki Kawano, Professor Keshav Lall Maharjan, Associate Professor Tomoko Kakee and my external examiner Professor Yukio Toyoda of Rikkyo University, for providing invaluable advice and suggestions to enhance my dissertation writing. In addition, I would also like to thank my dear friend, Hyunsun Kim, for being there for me and my family through it all. You have been my rock, you are part of my family, the first “aunty” to my kids, and we cannot thank you enough. Without you, I would not have come this far. God Bless you always, Kamsamida. I would also like to thank my entire family members, my wonderful husband David Mwangi Kabiru, thank you for your relentless support, especially, taking care of the kids. Although it has been a tough journey I have never heard a single complaint from you about anything, you are my rock and I really appreciate your support. Asante Sana. Also to my two beautiful kids Antonella and Anthony who sacrificed a lot of their “mummy time”. I love you both. Big thankyou to my family back at home, my parents, Tony and Judy Koyangko, my Papa Daniel Bun, my siblings Pius, Margret, George, Georgina, Gerahi and Nancy ,my wonderful in-laws Matthew Parua, Anna, Jaymie and to all my beautiful nieces and nephews. Thankyou also to my other family members, especially Bernard Noibano, Tony Ekehanema, Moses Gendi, Mina Gendi and James Ukaha, and my Kandera’s at Mando, Rocky Aino, Jay Mauro and Liru Mauro and family for your support. I would also like to say a special to my family here at Megumi Church, Pastor Kato and Moe Sensei, and all the members, thank you for giving me a family away from home and challenging me by your actions to be a better Christian. To all my course mate of Yoshida Seminar throughout the course of my study, thank you for your friendship, advices and laughs. Thankyou also to my ‘Susa’ Dr. Mariko Shinmoto, your familiar face is always reassuring as it always brings home closer and thank you so much for all your help both in academic and personal aspects. Finally, thank you to the people of this wonderful country, especially the people of Hiroshima for an unforgettable experience. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart and may God Bless you all. II Abstract Under the new organic law (1995 OLPGLLG, Organic Law on Provincial government and local level government OLPGLLG) on provincial and local level government more powers were given to the district government in the hope of improving service delivery. However, years down the line and not much can be said about the impacts of the new organic law. Considering the poor state of most of the rural communities in the country the government’s aim of bringing more participation to the local level and more local oriented projects to be undertaken has not been realized in some districts. Although there has been so much increase in the grants to the provincial and district governments the outlook for most of the districts in PNG have remained unchanged. The problem is that the 1995 reform was to address the rivalry between provincial and national politicians and not to enhance service delivery or curtail financial difficulties or corruption as put forward by the architects of the reform.1 These reasons were cited to justify the reform. The rivalry that emerged between the national and provincial politicians was a byproduct of the first organic law OLGP which was enacted in 1977 when PNG introduced its provincial government system. The secession threat posed by the Bougainville islanders forced the PNG government to introduce the provincial government system in a haste to keep Bougainville as part of PNG so as to keep the revenue from the Paguna Copper mine. The rivalry that came about between the National and Provincial politician is because of the Big man Culture PNG. Therefore under the current provincial government system the MPs exert too much influence on district budgetary affairs. The 1995 reform of the organic law placed so much power at the hands of the MPs, the creation of Budget priority committees’ and MPs discretionary grants have created a platform for MPs to be legally in charge of all the district’s finances. This study also established that the 1 See Parliamentary debates 27th June 1995 on the Organic Law on Provincial Government(1995) Reform III enhancement of service delivery to districts depends entirely upon the MP. This study argues that, the problem with the political process today is that the Big Man culture is embodied in PNGs political institutions which make it very different from other modern states, hence the very unique provincial government system. One of the main findings of this study is that under the current structure of the Provincial and local level government the LLG is incapacitated. Any decision on the LLG is taken at the district level and not at the LLG, LLGs by law do not have the power to make any administrative or budgetary decisions. IV Table of Contents DEDICATION ...................................................................................................................... I ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ................................................................................................. II Abstract … ......................................................................................................................... III Table of Contents ................................................................................................................. i Acronym and Abbreviations ............................................................................................. iii Tables and Figures ............................................................................................................. iv CHAPTER 1: Introduction ................................................................................................. 1 1.1Background ............................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Problem Statement ................................................................................................................... 3 1.3 Significance of the Study ......................................................................................................... 6 1.4 Objectives of the Study ............................................................................................................ 9 1.5 Methodology .......................................................................................................................... 10 1.6 Dissertation Structure ............................................................................................................. 11 CHAPTER 2: Literature Review ...................................................................................... 13 2.1 Theoretical Framework of the 1995 Reform .......................................................................... 13 2.2 1995 Reform and PNG Political Culture ................................................................................ 16 CHAPTER 3: Bougainvillean Secessionism and Decentralization in Papua New Guinea ............................................................................................................................ 21 3.1 History of Discontent in Bougainville (LAND ISSUES) ...................................................... 23 3.2 Call for Secession ................................................................................................................... 28 3.3 Prior Rejection to Establishing Provincial Government System ............................................ 30 3.4 Why was the Provincial Government included back in the Constitution? ........................... 34 Chapter 4: Reform of the 1977 Organic Law on Provincial Government .................... 39 4.1 The Rivalry ............................................................................................................................. 39 4.1.1 ‘Big Man Culture’ as