Minister Basil challenges Political Parties in PNG to become institutions

The Minister for Communications, Information Technology and Energy, Sam Basil has challenged political parties in the country to strive towards realizing the need to exist as an institution and not being personality-oriented.

In his address to the attendants and participants at a political parties’ exhibition in Port Moresby’s Sir John Guise indoor stadium on Saturday November 25th, Mr Basil said political party system in the country was personality-oriented.

He stated that parties should exist as institutions for their sustainability opposed to the current situation where when its leader is voted out or ousted through other means, his or her party dies out.
Basil, who is the parliamentary leader of Pangu Pati, pointed out that he wanted his party driving youth engagement to ensure its sustainability of leadership and network or membership.
“When the elections loom, political parties pop up like mushrooms. When the election is over, they die out. Such should be discouraged. Parties should operate and exist like institutions,” he told the expo.

“As a leader, I would like students to become members of our Pangu Pati. Thus, when we are phased out, we will have a new crop of leaders to take over from us,” he said.
Minister Basil added that Pangu Pati’s policy and record played a leading role in winning 11 seats in the recent election. Being the second biggest party in the 10th Parliament, it now has 15 MPs; four have joined its rank later.

The Bulolo MP said his party fielded a good number of female candidates in the election but the outcome was poor, attributing it to bad leadership precedence set by previous female MPs and male dominance.
He pledged to support the Women Bill’s, saying it should not be overdone.