Do away with personality parties: PM

By MATTHEW VARI

Sunday, September 14, 2014 (Sunday Chronicle, PNG)

PRIME Minister Peter O’Neill made the remarks during the opening of the new Registry for Political Parties and Candidates building last week in Port Moresby.

He pointed out that one of the reasons that contributed to the demised and weakening of well known parties in the past was their reliability on personalities to run them.

O’Neill stressed that the strengthening of parties were vital in that they are organization with collective goals and visions that he said should maintain their values, which he said the Registry of Political Parties was playing a huge role in advocating through their Learning and Development Programs and the Organic Law on the Integrity of Political Parties and Candidates.

“Governments are only stable when political parties are stable, and countries are managed well when governments are stable- that is why we need to treasure the provisions and the organic law is trying to ensure that this continues,” Prime Minister O’Neill said.

“When you look at stability around political parties over the last 40 years, you and I can agree that political parties have been driven largely by personalities.”

“When you look at Pangu Pati when Sir Michael Thomas Somare was leading it, and when he left the party that was the start of the decline of that party over many many years.”

“When you look at United Party and the personality around Sir Tei Abal, when he exited politics the party declined into non-existence- PPP for instance Sir Julius and PNC where Bill Skate and now I am leading.”

He said that as the country progresses, so must the politics and long held practices from turning parties into one man shows to institutions that were held together by collectiveness goals and beliefs.

“I think history teaches us that we should try and depart from having personalities having control in political parties- that parties are driven more by interest groups, people who believe in policies and that policy will drive the enthusiasm in the community about debates that are going to affect the affairs of the country.”