Dr Gelu pays tribute to Sir Michael

Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare as many people have commented is the Founding Father of this country.

His leadership skills is unmatched of any standard and was the people’s man and is evident right now that all the people are mourning his passing.

Registrar of Political Parties, Dr Alphonse Gelu made these remarks in an exclusive interview with this newsroom.

“There are two things I would like to share as a tribute to Sir Michael; the first is Sir Michael is part of a group of leaders who fought for their country’s independence. 

“He became prominent in an era when his land was a colony and fought for the transition from a colony into an independent state.”

Dr Gelu gave examples of Sir Michal’s leadership as to the wave of decolonization which started in Africa in the 1950s and later spread to Asia and the Caribbean and later to the Pacific. 

“In Africa names of Leaders such as Nkrumah from Ghana and Julius Nyrere became prominent. In the Pacific names of Ratu Mara in Fiji, Walter Lini in Vanuatu, Peter Kenoralia in the Solomon Islands and Somare in Papua New Guinea. 

“A common character of these leaders was that they were visionary leaders. They looked to the future and designed plans to carry their countries into the future.”

“For late Sir Michael, it was the Eight Point Plan, a simple plan with so much meaning behind each of the points. That was how he wanted Papua New Guinea to be.

“In all his political career he gave time and energy into building a country that is progressive and its people would have more than less.

“The second area that the late Sir Michael Somare contributed to establishing is the party system in the country. Even before independence he already established a political party,” Dr Gelu said.

He added that Sir Michael did this because he believed that it will only be through a political party that his agenda for independence will be heard and only through a political party that Papua and New Guinea will become a united country and an independent state.

“He was a strong advocate of a strong party system and believed in political parties and remain a party man until his passing. 

“He took part in creating 2 political parties – Pangu and National Alliance, these parties were prominent in the history of these country. They both formed governments in which he was the Leader and the Prime Minister.”

Meantime, Dr Gelu is calling on the current leaders and party executives to learn from this great leader who believed in the political parties and let us live on with his desire to ensure that the party system in our country is strengthened. 

Currently there is a Revised OLIPPAC before Parliament.

“Let us honour the wishes of this great man and have the law passed in Parliament.”

The Registry of Political Parties, staff and the Integrity of Political Parties and Candidate Commission pay their tribute to the late Sir Michael Thomas Somare and hope that his wishes for a progressive country to continue under our current leaders.

Author: 
Freddy Mou