It is of paramount importance for our constitutional democracy that our executive government is kept in

check all the time by the public led by the parliamentary opposition.

Public scrutiny of the executive government should not be for personal or for private parochial interests.

It must be for the common good of the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, its people, its resources

and assets and those whom it does business with as a modern nation.

This must be appreciated under the dictates of the Constitution and its enabling legalizations and the

universal values of humanity that we as a free people subscribe to.

It is incumbent upon the executive government to appreciate the public scrutiny and accept responsibility

for the incongruities highlighted, take stock and improve its conduct or performance. The executive

government must also accept culpability of the anomalies highlighted and face the acid test on the floor

of Parliament and allow the legal processes to take their course when they come into play.

Those scrutinizing the executive government must also do it in the spirit of the common good of all of us

within the ambit of our constitution and its enabling legislations.

The recent turn of events in our national political arena among members of our national legislature

(Parliament) reminds us once more that they as mandated leaders and custodians of our laws must act

within the confines of the Constitutions and the rule of law. Anything less amounts to undermining or

desecrating their sworn oaths of office as mandated national leaders and custodians of the Constitution

and the rule of law.

Our MPs, individually and collectively hold significant power in the land. They must not take this

responsibility lightly. They must not take their votes in the Chamber of Parliament for granted nor should

they make decisions that are subservient to the common good of the country.

What they do as mandated legislators must be with good reason, judgement and above all, informed by

the Constitution and laws under it. Nothing else should stand in the way of our MPs to uphold the

Constitution and the laws of the land at all times.

No amount of smart lawyering and use of ‘loopholes’ should replace the role of an MP to rise and fall by

what is right and correct by the Constitution and all the laws of the land.

This is where the kinds of legal and other technical support our MPs as lawmakers receive at any one time

comes into play.

Our constitution does not require someone schooled in law or public policy to contest for a seat in a

national election. Citizens, with good standing who meet the minimum requirements, contest the 111

seats and the winners take up the most important roles as legislators.

This leaves many of our MPs significantly limited upon election into Parliament given their varying

educational qualifications and professional experiences. The new MPs-elect may not know much about

the law, public policy and dictates of international business and foreign policy.

This is where the MPs need to be surrounded by sound advise from public servants and other

professionals they recruit as staff of their offices as ordinary MPs, members of parliament committees

and ministers.

The Department of Justice and Attorney General (DJAG) is the chief legal advising body to government

and hence MPs must at all times consult this body of experienced state lawyers to assist them as

legislators. The same applies to all other government departments and agencies in charge of different

sectors of our national government system and the country. MPs must consult them to operate lawfully

and the best interest of the country.

The performance of MPs on the floor of Parliament, cabinet, parliamentary committees and in the wider

discharge of duties will reflect on the regular advise they receive from the public servants like lawyers

from DJAG and other support staff they have.

An individual Papua New Guinean MP or group of MPs are not a power unto themselves who would want

operate above the Constitution and laws under it by employing smart lawyering tactics ro look for

loopholes to exploit and advance their schemes.

A group of MPs must also not see themselves as the permanent fix in Parliament or portray themselves

as having all the answers for country’s development needs and aspirations.

Every MP must see himself as a temporarily in office to do his bit as a legislator and move on when the

time comes. The position of an MP is not like a trained trade or professional where one can stay on for as

long as it takes. It supposed to be seasonal contribution for those who can do it any one time.

The shameful exploitation and fear of the motion of no confidence provision of the constitutions by the

MPs since 1980 when the first successful vote was taken, is deplorable.

The MPs must be the first ones to stand up and protect the Constitution and the laws of the land as

“legislators” which means lawmakers in the legislator (Parliament). Thank you for reading my views on

the present political situation. I hope the respect for the constitution and rule of law prevails in the end.

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