Reason for defects by his supporters
A GOVERNMENT Minister who intends to resign from the Democratic Coalition for Change (DCC) government blames the leadership style of Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare as the main cause of disagreement forcing defects by his Ministers and backbenchers.
The Minister who wants to remain anonymous claimed, many members of the current Government do not support Prime Minister Sogavare’s leadership style of directing his Ministers on orders made through text messages.
He said, under normal protocols, the Prime Minister should summon his Ministers and meet them face to face when giving those orders under reshuffling of portfolios arrangements.
He said, in the absence of such leadership approach, Ministers who have been reshuffled portfolios in the past have felt embarrassed and annoyed over the way the Prime Minister treated them.
He said, instead Prime Minister Sogavare operated from his comfort zone, while directing them by text messages instead of holding mutual dialogue with them face to face.
He said, those affected not only felt cheated but humiliated for being treated like kids.
He said the right course of approach Prime Minister Sogavare should have done was to hold mutual dialogue with each respective Minister and inform him/her of his good intensions and to make it fair seek respond from the concerned Ministers before giving his final orders.
The Minister added, the way Mr Sogavare gives directives to his Ministers without mutual dialogue is not only undemocratic but dictatorial.
“Such approach will not work if the PM continues to entertain, because in doing so, he failed to realize that all Members of Parliament are elected representatives of the people.”
He said their people voted them as their parliamentary representatives because they saw wisdom and leadership qualities in them.
“And it is a disgrace that an individual Member of Parliament like the PM feels he can manipulate them as and when he likes without majority concession either through Government caucus or Cabinet.”
He said, DCC government is losing numerical strength because of the style of leadership that undermines the status of other elected MPs.
Prime Minister Sogavare could not be contacted in time to respond to the criticisms before this paper went to print late last night.
By AATAI JOHN
