Big Men Behaving Badly

Like politicians everywhere, Papua New Guinean M.P.s are programmed to plot. Eighteen months after a national election, a new government loses its immunity from votes of no confidence - and disgruntled M.P.s on both sides of Parliament start conspiring to unseat it. Of 11 governments since Independence in 1975, only six have been elected. Five won power through no-confidence votes or the threat of them; none has lasted a full five-year term. "Abusing the 18-month grace period is like a disease in P.N.G. politics," says Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare. "Those who feel they've missed out always try to maneuver and manipulate others to get something better." In recent weeks, the tides of plot and counter-plot have swept Cabinet ministers into Opposition and Opposition members into government, and raised doubts over who rightly holds the posts of Speaker and Governor- General. There have been legal appeals, claims of intimidation, rowdy scenes in Parliament and armed guards at its gates. What there hasn't been is law-making. "This isn't about issues of policy - no one has even mentioned the word," says Mike Manning, head of P.N.G.'s economic think tank the Institute of National Affairs. "It's about naked power grabs."

At the end of January, just before Somare's 18 months ran out, he tried - and failed - to have the safe period extended to three years. As murmurs of a no-confidence vote grew louder, Somare adjourned Parliament for five months. But the time that bought him was cut short. In April, the Supreme Court ruled that the December selection of a new Governor-General had been invalid: Parliament must meet and vote again. The plotters had their chance.

And no lack of motive. In P.N.G., politicians' futures depend on how much funding they can get for their local areas, but Treasurer Bart Philemon has kept a tight rein on public spending. "Some of the M.P.s were expecting a lot more money for things they had promised the electorate," says former politician Bernard Narokobi. "Others were pushing for the economic portfolios. And they are frustrated because they can't get them."

As M.P.s on both sides plotted to replace the government, Opposition leader Sir Mekere Morauta decided to join it. In mid May, saying, "the nation needs stability," he took most of his P.N.G. Party into Somare's 12-party coalition. A week later, Somare sacked seven Cabinet ministers, including four members of the People's National Congress, whose founder, Bill Skate, was Speaker of Parliament - and thus acting Governor-General. "We need a government intact," Somare explained, "a government to continue and complete its term of office."

Bent on a different outcome, Skate joined Opposition plotters at the provincial town of Alotau, saying he had "bugger all" to do as acting vice-regent and wanted to be a politician again. Some government M.P.s too were enticed to Alotau; others, bearing offers of ministries and vice-ministries, were sent to lure them back. Repentant rebels later said they'd been intimidated by political minders with pistols; "I had to swim with the tide," said one, "until I could get away safely."