It’s time to move forward: PM

By EDDIE OSIFELO

PRIME Minister Manasseh Sogavare says it is time for the country to move forward and forget the past like the ethnic conflict years.

Speaking on the motion of sine die yesterday, Sogavare said the tension has tested the unity of this country and hopes this is now water under the bridge.

He said as a country, we must accept the reality and move on with the agenda to develop our country with support of our development partners.

“If we cannot accept the reality and move on, then something is really wrong with us.

“The only sensible explanation would be other people’s agenda are behind the stubborn attitudes manifested,” he said.

Sogavare blamed two former Prime Ministers, Gordon Darcy Lilo and Dr Derek Sikua, who lost in the recent by election, campaigned on a platform of pulling down the government to reverse the decision.

He was referring the switch from Peoples Republic of China (Taiwan) to Peoples Republic of China (PRC).

He said they did not campaign to become Members of Parliament but to become Prime Ministers.

“We brought down the Prime Minister two times. We will go in and down him for the third time.

“If you look at the reasons to down the government, I don’t want to go through it are fake. It is water under the bridge and we are moving on,” he said.

Sogavare said it does not speak well on people who are supposed to be statesmen.

He said it also reflects their true colours of drivers behind the political instability during their time in Parliament.

“People speak correctly. The country does not need people like that.

“We climb too high too soon or counting the eggs before hatch. Or the higher you go, the lower you fall. This is very painful,” he said.

Furthermore, Sogavare thanked former Prime Ministers who are alive that normally called him on phone to discuss issues.

He said it is a small club and not all will have the privilege of securing the trust of colleague MPs to become Prime Ministers.

Moreover, Sogavare said those MPs that aspire to be the Prime Minister one day, your turn will come.

He said the secret is to allow the system to choose you and not to go around and tell anybody to become the leader of the country.

However, Sogavare said there is need to amend the Political Parties system to promote parties and not independent candidates.

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