Unions threaten strike action if O’Neill wins vote

PAPUA NEW GUINEA – Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O’Neill will know by now if he is still the leader of the Pacific’s largest nation.

O’Neill has been fighting for his political survival since PNG police opened fire on protesting university students calling for his resignation over corruption allegations in June.

Papua New Guinea’s Government and opposition groupings have been in their respective camps lobbying ahead of yesterday’s no confidence vote.

Opposition leader, Don Polye said he had the support of three former PNG prime minister’s, including Sir Michael Somare, seen as the father of PNG independence.

O’Neill said he has strong support to win the vote. He said Papua New Guinea risked losing investment if it changed government.

“Our country cannot afford to go back to the old ways of instability,” he said.

A civil society group in PNG said it would continue to encourage civil disobedience if O’Neill survived and remain in power.

The group said some airline, maritime, energy and health workers are observing its call not to go to work until the prime minister steps aside or is removed from office.

Union’s representing doctors and pilots have endorsed the call for protest, while the Maritime and Transport Workers Union has denied that port workers are taking part.

But the civil society group’s leader, Moses Murray, said the port workers are performing what’s known as a go-slow.

“They are continuing to employ that tactic. They have come under pressure from certain business organisations who have their cargos on the boats that are anchored in Port Moresby harbour waiting to be cleared.”

He also adds the action would continue until the prime minister goes.

“We’ll maintain the course and we’ll go on until, which ever way it happens, if the Prime Minister resigns or is voted out in a no confidence motion, this whole thing is called off.”

The doctors union said it would proceed with strike action next month even if O’Neill is toppled.

The National Doctors Association said the strike would begin on August 4 unless the government reverses a 30 per cent cut to the health budget and reopens the university medical school.

The association has called for O’Neill to step aside and had given its blessing to doctors who take part in civil disobedience in support of that call.

The general secretary of the association, Sam Yockopua, said doctors in hospitals around the country have been protesting against the prime minister.

“Members of the Association have chosen not to turn up for work, or either to turn up for work but to become unproductive.”

“That is called civil disobedience and it is their inherent constitutional right, and it is their democratic right to do so.”

- PNC sources