Press release published in the Post Courier by the Fraternity of National Professional Aviators 2 days ago. Draw your own conclusions.
Press Statement
Amid growing Safety concerns, we, the Fraternity of National Professional Aviators, join the cause of the students of various tertiary institutions and the Health Sector Unions for the Prime Minister Peter O’Neill to step down in order to preserve the integrity of the highest office of the land.
May 27, 2016
"That we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain - that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom - and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth. "
President Abraham Lincoln - November 19, 1863
When President Lincoln uttered those words in a 2-minute speech at Gettysburg, they were so profound and encapsulated the essence of democracy. To this day, it remains the best speech ever. Those words are truer and more relevant to us Papua New Guineans as we, as a Nation, face challenging political and economic times.
“Government of the people, by the people, for the people and it shall not perish from earth”, assured through the last full measure of devotion, their lives. Lives given to free men from the shackles and bondage of slavery, in the belief that all men were born equal. As it was then, so it remains true today.
The people have spoken. Elected representatives on the floor of parliament or any hallowed halls of politics purporting to represent the people are merely instruments of conveyance. In the normal conduct of the business of governance, Norms and Protocols are observed.
These are not normal days we live in. The democratic process of governance and state institutions have been gravely undermined. As a result, our nation is poised on the brink of economic and political catastrophe.
As professional pilots, we ascribe to the ethos that no man is an island. It would be unconscionable for us or any reasonable person, for that matter to continue to turn a blind eye to the gross abuse of political office and mismanagement of the country's economy.
We share the nation’s concern and view with alacrity the snail’s pace at which the Judiciary is addressing high profile cases which are of monumental national interest.
The Safety of the traveling public is becoming a real concern. Shortage of spare parts for aircraft due to procurement difficulties imposed by restrictions on US Dollars, inability to meet payment obligations for overseas service providers on international networks, deteriorating infrastructures due to lack of finances and a plethora of other aviation related safety concerns are becoming real dangers by the day. They impact directly on the safety of the pilots and ultimately the traveling public.
We are now calling on all national professional pilots to take a decisive step in support of the rest of the nation including the professional doctors, health workers, and students by joining the chorus of disaffected voices calling for the restoration of the rule of law.
This country belongs to the people of Papua New Guinea. It does not belong to any one person, be it Peter O'Neill or anyone else. We, the people, may have given you the mandate, but you have more than amply demonstrated that you are not a fit and proper person to occupy that highest office of the land anymore.
We do not require the elections or the political representatives to decide for us. We the people have spoken. If you adamantly refuse to heed, then we call on all professional pilots to support the nation's call for action, by whatever is deemed necessary. The same call summons all Papua New Guineans because this government of the people, by the people, and for the people shall not perish at the hands of one man who will not subject himself to the rule of law, and seeks to destroy the institutions which exist to ensure the very principles our founding fathers laid to uphold the rule of law and democracy.
We truthfully and solemnly declare that we are not influenced by any political interest or external parties. We are driven by our conscience and concern about our future and that of our children. We want an environment where prosperity is assured, equitable distribution of wealth and the rule of law in a thriving democracy prevails.
We call on all you members of parliament to ask yourself what your purpose of being in parliament is: are you there to serve your people, or yourselves? Your behaviours are of suspect. We ask that you salvage whatever little dignity and principle you have remaining and truly represent us your people in calling for the Prime Minister to respect the public office he occupies and subject himself to the rule of law.
For democracy and freedom we respectfully ask Prime Minister O'Neill to step aside and allow due process to take place.