SIMON DAVIDSON
SONOMA - The current saga about the opposition’s attempted hijacking of parliament and the subsequent legal battles portray a gloomy picture of the nation’s political landscape.
But behind the two forces battling in the corridors of power are the powerful economic ideologies that each group represents.
The opposition represents the interests of foreign corporate exploiters thinking of plundering the nation’s abundant natural resources by manipulating a weak political system.
Their dream is to make their shareholders filthy rich, while the citizens suffer.
The government on the other hand represents the national interest, and its chief aim is to gain maximum benefit for the nation while ensuring investors gain a fair return for their investment.
The bold and game-changing decision taken by the Marape Government to take greater control of our natural resources was for the long-term good of the nation to gain economic independence.
But for greedy, exploitive foreign conglomerates and their spin doctors, the Marape government is a serious threat to their economic dominance.
They are trying everything within their power to remove Marape. Rumours peddled in the viral space opine that the flush of cash in the opposition camp is a testament to this fact.
In history, individuals of wealth and power like the Medici family in Italy, the Rothschilds originating from Germany and many others used their economic power to remove governments whom they saw as inimical to their economic interest.
In international politics, the United States uses its political and economic might to support friendly governments and to overthrow regimes it saw as oppressive and hostile to its economic interests.
This has happened in many third world countries. In Papua New Guinea, for example, it is believed that Sir Julius Chan was supported by CRA during the Bougainville crisis in his efforts to flush out rebels.
Now it seems to be happening again in PNG with Barrick Corporation said to be directing cash to the opposition. That's the talk, anyway. It's disturbing.
As the country’s leaders reconvene in parliament next Monday, a vote of no confidence may be moved against the Marape government.
The most important question that should occupy the minds of all elected leaders is: Whose interests am I representing? Who am I fighting for? What is my mandate as an elected representative of the people?
And there are other important questions.
What will be the consequence of my decision for the economic future of this great nation? Am I fighting for the national interest or foreign corporate interests?
Am I change maker and destiny shaper or simply fighting to line my pockets? Do I want to leave the nation better than I found it, or will I leave it in worse shape?
Leaders in both camps need to think, and especially the loose particles in opposition who are simply there to make quick bucks.
Are you there just for your own personal gain? Or does your conscience rule and you fight every day for the constituents who elected you?
We do want you to blow around like a ragged flag in the political winds. We do not want you to sell the soul of the nation for a pittance.
It is unforgivable that some of our elected leaders put on a brazen face and support foreign interests to elect a government that will wreck the nation and plunder our nations treasures.
What is needed now, when the nation is at an economic crossroad is for national leaders who can think, who are clear minded, who are visionary and who are true to their duty to let their conscience rule, to be captive to higher principles and be willing to die rather than sell out our nation for pittance.