WPG Backbenchers speaks of withdrawal
By TERENCE ZIRU
In Gizo
Three Western Province Government (WPG) Backbenchers officially withdrew them-selves as government backbenchers submitting their letters of resignation early Thursday morning saying they have lost faith in the leadership of the WPG.
The Trio explained to Sunday Star last week that with no resentment towards any MPA, they have decided to leave their position as backbenchers because of their weakened confidence in the current WPG leadership.
“We believe we may do better for our people as members of the opposition partaking in the scrutinizing of government affairs given the opportunity to be more vocal as non-executives.”
Former Provincial Minister of Planning Jennings Movobule said that his sacking as a Minister has sallow him to see it only fitting that he recline into a non-executive position as an WPA.
“Though my claims of being too vocal on issues of concern was refuted by the Premier as be the reason for my removal as a minister, I still strongly believe that it was the primary reason for his decision.” said Movobule.
We have in time witnessed over and over again the use of executive power without the regard of proper consultation with the executive essentially ignoring the ministerial power of executives by making decisions on his own too many times.
The longest serving Member of the Western Province Assembly Leong Mamu said his reasoning for making the decision was because of concerns with internal matters.
“The WPG has fourteen Ministers and two Backbenchers who have been so for the past year and can be simply described as WPG Executive members without a portfolio.”
As backbenchers they have not had the same opportunity to contribute to the running of the government and is seen by them as a normality considering they were not given Ministerial Portfolios.
“It is most probably because of the Premier’s lack of confidence in our capacity to hold portfolios but its most definitely because of the lack of portfolios available,”
“If there were sixteen provincial ministries presumably all sixteen executive member would be ministers correct? Well that is what we had thought.”
The turning point in their decision came when a former Minister of health had died leaving the portfolio vacant and in all probability should have been filled by a backbencher but was instead given to a non-executive.
The recent sacking of Movobule as the Minister of Planning again opened up another opportunity for the backbenchers and again the portfolio was again given to a non-executive member.
“We admit that no WPA confident in his or her own ability would pass up an opportunity to hold a portfolio should they be given the chance.”
“But at the same time we saw the appointments as ignorance to our presence as members of the WPA who had cast a vote in the election of the Premier mandated power and rightfully calling ourselves ‘Government’ Backbenchers.
The trio admitted to this paper that their letter of resignation was immediately ridiculed for simply including the word ‘resign’.
“Were immediately told that our letter of resignation was a sham and that we as backbenchers did not have the need to resign from anything since we did hold portfolios, having no bearing whatsoever on the present Western Provincial Executive or by virtue of relevant Assembly Standing Orders.”
Sighted in press release on the very same day of their resignation submission and distributed through the WPG Media Unit (WPGMU) stated that the trio were not Government backbenchers at all and the Central Rannoga MPA Leong Mamu has been relieved from his position as Deputy Speaker.
The press release further stated their departure not having any manner of strength and not taking with them any chance to deplete the power base of the present Western Provincial Executive that is led by Premier David Gina.
As they were ridiculed by their use of the word ‘resignation’, the use of the words ‘power base’ is a leader should caution them-selves when using as to not show their power hungry intentions.
“Statements made by a leader mocking our writing skills to say it speaks volumes of the lack of educational background show a lack of quality in leadership itself.”
“Our letter was simply a due process courtesy to notify of our withdrawal as direct supporters of the executives as to not by any means null our involvement as a non-executive.”
Movobule’s sacking automatically places him as a backbencher and his move along with Leong Mamu and Elvis Cromwell currently places the executives number at thirteen and non-executives at twelve.
