Who Will Wear the Crown of Thorns for 2010 – Marurai or Maoate?

“If you look at the various scenarios that have been played within the confines of Cabinet and Government as a whole, the real power base has been Maoate all along with Marurai as just a puppet on a string”

The Toa outcome announced this week comes as no surprise as a settlement is reached for all concerned except the taxpayer. Enough has been said by the critics whose calls for a common sense approach in the past have fallen on deaf ears but surely now, government has to take stock of its own blatant disregard for transparency and accountability and the bungling mess it has created.
The real question now is “how much is this stuff up going to cost the taxpayer” and who’s going to be held to account for this mess! Fingers no doubt will be pointing to certain individuals to be blamed but ultimately, the view is that the buck should stop with the Prime Minister Jim Marurai who was aware of the secrecy surrounding these negotiations from the start yet never once did he step in to pull his Minister of Finance back nor take him or the Financial Secretary to task at the time.
He also had the opportunity as Chairman of Cabinet to “minimize any potential risk to government” but adhered instead to supporting a venture that he knew was doomed from the start. His lack of leadership and integrity both as Prime Minister and Leader of Cabinet has allowed his deputy Sir Terepai Maoate to basically “walk all over him” resulting in a lack of respect for protocol, denigration of authority and lack of accountability to the government and people of this nation.
If you look at the various scenarios that have been played within the confines of Cabinet and government as a whole, the real power base has been Maoate all along with Marurai as just a puppet on a string. As leader of this nation, he has failed to do his utmost to protect the interests of his people and he, Maoate and Cabinet for that matter should hang their heads in shame and resign forthwith.
A call by the Opposition for a Commission of Inquiry while having the best of intentions, will serve no real purpose at this point in time. There is an election looming soon and any potential Inquiry will only be a distraction as well as costing the taxpayer more money.
Interesting enough however when you look at the key players involved, 2 people are certainly smiling all the way to the bank, Toa and Triad. These are 2 seasoned operators in the petroleum industry and yet, government allowed inexperienced and way out of their depth senior officials, to commence negotiations albeit secretly without any regard for the inevitable negative consequences as to their actions.
The worrying thing is that these same officials have been the guardians of the nation’s purse strings and one wonders what other back room deals have been negotiated particularly at an international level that commits this country to further contractural obligations without due diligence or process being undertaken.
There is growing speculation that a call for a Supplementary Budget will be made shortly by Government to ensure that funds are made available over and above that already budgeted for to meet any out of court settlement and unintended payments with the parties concerned. Ironic also that the 2 key players are out of the country again partially at taxpayers expense to negotiate goodness knows what and how this will bring value or benefit to our country.
Traditionally should the Prime Minister of this country travel overseas, then his/her deputy will take over the helm of responsibility and vice versa. The fact that both are out of the country (a common pattern over several years now) begs the question as to who is really running the country today and raises issues of accountability as to the management of our nation by Government.
The announcement of the date for the general elections for September 2010 last month by the Prime Minister in Parliament may well have been a camouflage to a potential bid for the leadership by his deputy in the wake of continuing unpopularity, poor performance and decision making at the Demos conference early next year but irrespective of the outcome, it would seem Maoate may attempt to seize the leadership in order to force an early election to avoid the truth of all of his and his Government’s misdemeanours being revealed.
The question that one should ponder is “who is the Judas amongst these two and who is likely to emerge as the one wearing the crown of thorns” in what is likely to be a very unpopular and challenging 2010.

Herald Issue 463 10 June
- World famous activist assisting residents
- Budget will decide if residents prosecute Government over landfill
- Forestry project sucking Mangaia dry
- Budget 2010 – fiasco or disaster?