Zeming calls Opposition Apology to Grand Chief as a Sham

The Minister for Fisheries and Deputy Leader of the People’s National Congress Party,  Mao Zeming   has described the apology to Sir Michael Somare from a trio in the Opposition as lacking honesty.

Minister Zeming made the comment after a media stunt by members of the Opposition, Belden Namah, Don Polye and Sam Basil, that he said made them look like schoolboys.

“If Namah, Polye and Basil were serious about apologizing they would have done this long before and not three days from a vote of no confidence.

“What we have seen is all for show and it is a sad indictment on their leadership capacity.
“In politics you have to stand behind the decisions that you made in good faith.
“You don’t flip-flop on one of the biggest decisions you have ever made just so you can crawl up to a leader to get their votes.
“Namah, Polye and Basil joined with Peter O’Neill to form Government in 2011 for the very good reason that Sir Michael had been absent from his post for too long.
“A decision had to be made, it was made, and the rest is history.

“The affairs of the nation have moved on, and even after the 2012 election the National Alliance Party joined Government and most people moved on from the previous tumultuous year.
“The Grand Chief, Sir Michael Somare, is Father of the Nation, and while we do not agree on all political issues, we respect his position in our history.
"I wish the Opposition could do so and not be so flippant in their political stunts.”