BY GORETHY KENNETH

VANIMO Green MP Belden Namah claims the Marape government is set on destroying the political party system in PNG.
As one of the few remaining Opposition MPs, Mr Namah said first and foremost the Supreme Court Reference on the validity of the current Prime Minister’s election will proceed and not be withdrawn.
“The decision by the now former leader of the Opposition, Patrick Pruatich, to move to government is a sad day for the democracy in PNG and is against the Organic Law on Integrity of Political Parties and Candidates that we have in our country,” Mr Namah said.
Yesterday immediately after the announcement that the National Alliance party had moved to government, the Post-Courier contacted Mr Namah as he was one of the MPs in Opposition.
He said; “Members of Parliament in the Opposition like myself will now elect a new opposition leader and take the government and the Prime Minister to account for its actions.
“First and foremost, the Supreme Court Reference on the validity of the current Prime Minister’s election will proceed. This Supreme Court Reference is not in the name of Patrick Pruaitch, but it is in the name of the position of the Opposition Leader and while the Prime Minister might think he has bought the silence of the Opposition, we will continue to protect the democratic processes and the rule of law in Papua New Guinea,” Mr Namah said.
“The Opposition will see this court application through on behalf of the men, women and children of Papua New Guinea. Democracy in PNG cannot be bought by the government of the day and l have demonstrated that time and time again.
“The one thing that has become very clear is that the policies of the Marape government are no different to the O’Neill government. There have been no new policy announcements, there has been no real reforms initiated and we are seeing jobs for Marape’s friends and family beginning With the (PNG) Defence secretary. For several years now I have stood with Patrick Pruaitch and analysed and condemned the wrong policies of James Marape as Finance Minister and now as Prime Minister. The governance of our country is about belief in what is right for our people,” he said.
“With everything we have seen from this disorganised and self-interested government, the Opposition stands firm to fulfill our mandate to take them to task. Importantly, we will fight corruption at the highest levels, particularly in the graft and corruption we know is going on,”