Asia Times: Last minute drama sees Sir Mekere elected PNG premier



	July 15, 1999	atimes.com

Oceania

Last minute drama sees Sir Mekere elected PNG premier

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea - Sir Mekere Morauta has been elected prime minister of Papua New Guinea in one of the most dramatic turnabouts in the nation's fluid political history.

Sir Mekere, the leader of the People's Democratic Movement (PDM), secured the top political post after John Pundari and his Advance PNG party defected at the last minute from the government ranks to join the opposition Wednesday morning.

The defection of Pundari's bloc of MPs gave the opposition crucial numbers to take the prime ministership. Sir Mekere was elected by an overwhelming majority, 99-5, defeating the only other candidate, East New Britain governor Francis Koimanrea.

In a stunning defeat for the government and an amazing comeback for Sir Mekere, all but five MPs joined Sir Mekere on his side of the chamber to vote for him, including outgoing prime minister Bill Skate and former deputy prime minister Chris Haiveta.

Just a day before, it seemed certain that Pundari, leading 57 MPs in the government ranks and his Advance PNG party, would become the new prime minister.Pundari had been nominated by the government MPs for the prime ministership after Skate lured him and the Advance PNG party from the opposition coalition led by Sir Mekere and Bernard Narokobi.

Earlier this month, Sir Mekere appeared the front-runner for the leadership, with the opposition coalition claiming the support of 81 MPs among 105 MPs in parliament. But he looked in a hopeless position when Pundari subsequently defected to the government.

Pundari stunned everyone Wednesday when he sat with Sir Mekere and jubilant opposition MPs on the opposition benches after MPs entered the parliament.

Narokobi said the opposition was surprised by Pundari's move, only learning of it when Pundari and his MPs arrived at parliament Wednesday morning.

Narokobi said the crucial change came last night after the opposition approached Haiveta to bring his 10 members of the Pangu Pati across to join them. Under the proposed deal, Haiveta would have been made prime miinister if he quit the government ranks.

''The change came about last [Tuesday] night when we were working with Mr. Haiveta to nominate him as an alternative prime minister to Sir Mekere,'' Narokobi said. But then the government MPs countered by offering Haiveta the prime minister's job.

''Early this morning the government changes its attitude. Instead of nominating Mr. Pundari as their candidate for the prime minister, they decided to nominate Mr. Haiveta,'' Narokobi said.

''Then Mr. Pundari's group bolted. They came together in a convoy of buses and as soon as they hit the parliament they just rushed straight up to the opposition conference room."

(Asia Pulse)