Highlands leaders know how to play politics better than most coastal leaders. That’s why they stay in power. While coastal leaders are still thinking with emotions, others are making smart moves behind the scenes. In politics, thinking emotionally is the fastest way to lose.
Many people believe that James Marape and Peter O'Neill are enemies. That’s what the public sees. But politics is deeper than that. Leaders can fight today and work together tomorrow. There are no permanent enemies and no permanent friends. Nothing is personal. It’s just politics.
Coastal leaders often get played because they trust too easily or take things personally. Meanwhile, others are calculating every move. They build alliances, break them, and rebuild again when it suits them. That’s how the game is won.
As Rainbo Paita said, Parliament is more complicated than physics. And he’s right. Politics is not simple. It’s a game for strong minds, not soft hearts.
So here’s the hard truth, if you don’t understand the game, don’t enter politics. Because while you’re trying to be honest and emotional, someone else is already ten steps ahead, playing to win.
By The Hardest Pills to Swallow
This is not meant to attack any individual or group, but to share a perspective on how politics works.
The most intelligent highlands politicians are from Simbu when it comes to the real art of the game, like Sir iambake Okuk, Komdom Agaundo, Kerenga Kua James Nomane etc. The upper highlanders are dominant in the power play only with the use of money and nepotism, they are only good in using money and maintaining their wantoks system to find their way out, but they don't have the brain to play the game on a neutral ground. Simbus don't play money or use their wantoks systems in politics. If a Simbu politician plays money and use wantoks system or if the game is played by all on a neutral ground, Simbu's will be victorious. I'm a coastal man and this is my simple view.
