BY SAMIE WAIKORI
Former Minister for Infrastructure Development and MP for East Malaita Manasseh Maelanga who joined nine others and deserted GNUT government says they are not grasshoppers, but leaders, who made the decision for the interest of the country.
The MP made the statement in response to allegations raised by some MPs on the government bench that their decision to defect from GNUT was ‘nothing else but grasshopping’.
[Grasshopping is a term used to describe members of parliament who jump from one side of the floor of parliament to the other].
“I want to iron out allegation made by some of our former cabinet colleagues, alleging our move was grasshopper, is childish in politics.
“This is not grasshopper. If you look at history, we are not people like that. We moved because of something, and it’s because leadership,” Maelanga said.
Maelanga added if a leader does not know how to handle a group, this is what is expected, as they are mandated by people to serve the country with integrity.
He said there are allegations on certain issues they were not happy about, because of leadership. And with a weak leadership, the country cannot achieve anything, nor progress.
Adding only through strong leadership, the government can implement its policies.
In the meantime, Maelanga said the mass walkout from GNUT was also due to personal conviction, based on what they ‘felt inside’.
“We cannot just sit-down when things are not going well. We have our own thoughts and for me, I just cannot sit down and watch,” he said.
Maelanga also called on MPs to understand and acknowledge that in parliament, the opposition group is an alternative government.
They can form the government if they have the majority number.