M'Mfi'Q;I'.wSe€idS&!3!!iaij!!f!!F&".!&#.i!'.MPlW4MM.iif4.ra!i6iiMP44I§YY'......._ ww , PI THE CONTEMPORARY PACIFIC· FALL 1995 tion was soon revealed by a contro­ PAPUA NEW GUINEA versy over the reappointment of the Prime Minister Sir Julius Chan stated commander of the defense force. in his Christmas address that 1994 was After Wingti left for visits to Aus­ the most turbulent, painful, and unpre­ tralia and New Zealand in early Feb­ dictable of the nation's nineteen years ruary, Acting Prime Minister Chan of independence (PC, 28 Dec 1994, 5). announced that Defence Force Com­ Most who witnessed the sudden mander Robert Dademo had passed change of government in August, the the stipulated retirement age and volcanic destruction of Rabaul in Sep­ been replaced by Colonel Lima tember, the dramatic collapse of peace Dotaona. This cabinet decision was talks on war-weary Bougainville in confirmed by Minister for Defence October, the ominous confrontations Paul Tohian, Chan's colleague in the over provincial government reform, Peoples Progress Party. Soon after the the confusion surrounding the giant announcement, however, staff in Lihir gold project, and the multi­ Wingti's office indicated that the cabi­ billion-kina environmental lawsuit net had decided in a subsequent meet­ against the operators of the Ok Tedi ing to change the compulsory retire­ mine, would agree. Affecting all of ment age from fifty to fifty-five and these issues and events was an unprec­ reappoint Dademo. Neither Chan nor edented financial crisis, whose impact Tohian was present when these deci­ will be felt for some time. sions were made, and they refused to The early part of the year was dom­ acknowledge Dademo's reappoint­ inated by power struggles between ment (PC, 17 Feb 1994, I). Their dis­ dominant members of the ruling coali­ satisfaction was shared by some in the tion, especially between Prime Minis­ officer corps who claimed that cabi­ ter Paias Wingti and Deputy Prime net's action "undermines the spirit of Minister Julius Chan. The ongoing rift the Defence Act and the National between the two leaders had been Constitution" (Dorney I994a, 20). pushed wide open by Wingti's reelec­ The dispute intensified when tion ploy of September 1993, executed Dademo and Finance Minister Iangalio without Chan's knowledge or approval accompanied an Australian television (Wesley-Smith 1994,455). In January news crew to Bougainville. Chan told 1994 Wingti strengthened his hand by the press that he had not authorized ousting Chan from the powerful the journalists' visit to the troubled finance portfolio and replacing him province, and threatened to deport with a staunch ally, former Minister them. Presumably under orders from for Mining and Petroleum Masket Chan, army intelligence officers Iangalio (PC, II Jan 1994, I). searched Iangalio when he returned Although obviously unhappy with the to Port Moresby and confiscated reshuffle, Chan had little option but to some film from his expatriate adviser. accept the Foreign Affairs and Trade Iangalio in turn led the charge against ministry instead (PC, 13 Jan 1994, 3)' Chan and his party colleagues, defeat­ The extent of the disarray in the coali- ing a new attempt in cabinet to dump Ill/lIll'I! ,~ ' .. POLITICAL REVIEWS Dademo. He told Chan that the televi­ told former electoral commissioner sion crew had been invited to visit Luke Lucas of the attack and also Bougainville by Wingti, and any move informed him that Wingti was hav­ against it would "make the prime ing an affair with Lucas's estranged minister and PNG a laughingstock" wife. Most damaging was Haiveta's (Dorney I994a, 21). The issue was suggestion that the prime minister had eventually laid to rest when Wingti tried to dissuade Lucas from taking returned and declared that the decision action against him by paying Lucas to retain Dademo was "final" (PC, 21 US$IOO,OOO and arranging for him to Feb 1994,3). Adding insult to Chan's be appointed secretary of justice in injury, instead of ordering the televi­ 1993. Wingti dismissed the claims as sion journalists to leave, Wingti invited "gutter politics" and refused to answer them to his Mount Hagen home (PC, them publicly (PC, 3 March 1994, I; I 18 Feb 1994, 2). June 1994, I). Iangalio and his successor as mining These attacks may have reduced minister, John Kaputin, also disagreed Wingti's already battered public stand­ publicly. In April, Iangalio dismissed ing, but the only effective way of chal­ Bob Needham as head of the Mineral lenging his leadership before the 1997 Resources Development Corporation, elections was via a parliamentary vote a move that Kaputin claimed lacked of no confidence. However, Speaker cabinet approval (PC, 14 April 1994, Bill Skate indicated early in the year I). Then in June, when Kaputin sur­ that he would not allow such a prised everybody by announcing a motion. Wingti's snap reelection in moratorium on new mining projects, September 1993, he argued, had Iangalio told the press that the plan earned him the eighteen months of had not been discussed in cabinet and immunity from such challenges guar­ would not be approved if it were (AFR, anteed by the constitution (PC, 18 Feb 7 June 1994, 22). Meanwhile, Chan's 1994, I). True to his word, Skate Peoples Progress Party and some refused to accept notice of a motion of members of the League for National no confidence filed by the opposition Advancement were targeting Speaker in June (TPNG, 9 June 1994,29). Then Bill Skate, accusing him of using his on 25 August 1994 the Supreme Court privileged position in Parliament to decided that Wingti's reelection in build his own power base (PC, 2 Aug September 1993 was unconstitutional 1994, I; 4 Aug 1994, 3)· and Parliament would have to conduct Under the spirited leadership of a new election for prime minister. Pangu Pati's Chris Haiveta, the parlia­ The legal challenge to Wingti's mentary opposition attacked the frac­ reelection spearheaded by Chris tured Wingti government from the Haivetahad been dismissed by the outside. Haiveta produced evidence in National Court in late 1993, but Parliament to suggest that Wingti had brought on appeal to the Supreme bashed and attempted to strangle his Court. When the private law firm former wife, Diane Kende-Wingti. working for the opposition withdrew He claimed that Kende-Wingti had its services, its fees unpaid, former .ii.&5!MM64NSiii!!EEhfii@lllMWHil.'WIJt@flMhff@lMhRMffiflMW'i!!t!MnrJI'BW@HiW!JWil - THE CONTEMPORARY PACIFIC· FALL 1995 Attorney General Bernard Narokobi with 69 votes to Skate's 32 (TPNG, I agreed to argue the case. He told the Sept 1994, I). court that he accepted the legality of Although Chan was able to argue Wingti's resignation on 23 September convincingly that Wingti was largely 1993. However, he noted that Section responsible for his own downfall, 142(3) of the constitution requires that observers were more skeptical of the an election be held the next sitting new prime minister's ability to "restore day after Parliament is informed of a and reinvigorate" trust in government. vacancy. The Speaker knew of the res­ Chan and his party had worked with ignation on the twenty-third, but did Wingti for nearly a decade, and the not inform the house until immediately seven ministers reappointed to the new before conducting the election the next cabinet would have to share some of day (TPNG, II Aug 1994,4). Appar­ the responsibility for the "long trail of ently dismissing Wingti's case that mismanagement and scandal" that advice to the Speaker was the same as Chan decried. Nor was his new coali­ advice to the house, the five judges tion immune from the "unceasing ruled unanimously that the actions vio­ jockeying for positions of power" that lated the constitution, its spirit, and its he said infected the political process underlying principles. "like a vicious disease" (TPNG, 8 Sept The Supreme Court decision trig­ 1994,36). The swearing-in of new gered a frenzy of political activity, as ministers had to be delayed while dif­ leaders scrambled to position them­ ferences among the coalition partners selves for the election on 3a August. over the spoils of office were sorted On 29 August Sir Julius Chan formally out. In the end, the Peoples Progress severed his alliance with Paias Wingti, Party claimed 13 of the 27 cabinet accusing him of wanting to "hold on positions, with Pangu, led by Deputy to power for power's sake," and of Prime Minister Chris Haiveta, taking running "a one-man show" (TPNG, I 9. Melanesian Alliance party stalwarts Sept 1994,19). He announced a coali­ John Momis and Bernard Narokobi tion between the Peoples Progress got the communication and agriculture Party, Pangu Pati, and a cluster of portfolios respectively, while the smaller parties. At about the same National Party was represented by time, rumors began to circulate that Paul Pora (civil aviation and tourism) members of the Peoples Democratic and Mathias Ijape (defense). Leader of Movement were seeking an alternative the League for National Advancement to Wingti as their candidate for prime John Nilkare, who had defected from minister. When Parliament convened the Wingti camp at the last minute, the next day, Bill Skate was carrying was conspicuously absent from the the flag for what remained of the lineup (TPNG, 8 Sept 1994, I). Wingti camp. Pangu member and Chan's decisive action on the Bou­ former Prime Minister Rabbie Nama­ gainville crisis confounded the critics, liu beat Tom Koraea to become the at least for a while. The Wingti govern­ new Speaker of the house, while Chan ment had begun 1994 under intense easily won the vote for prime minister pressure to find a solution to the seces- POLITICAL REVIEWS sionist crisis, then entering its sixth Indeed, many costs were simply not year.