Gusmao - “Hey watch me pull a rabbit out of my hat…"

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By Ted McDonnell - Ted McDonnell 

Timor Leste Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao is finalising his so called remodelisation of his country's Parliament in the lead up to his much awaited retirement.

Amid claims of corruption, nepotism, inappropriate behaviour and allegations of wrong doings in 1985, Gusmao intends sacking a number his coalition partners to bring in Opposition Fretilin parliamentarians into the government in a latter day attempt to growing public disenchantment of his government and head off a potential no confidence vote in his leadership.

Gusmao, despite his continual power plays and games, his threatening manner and downright bullying nature is all but a lame duck Prime Minister. But in the days leading to his ultimate demise he is attempting to also “damage” the Fretilin Party in the lead up to the 2017 elections, according to many observers.

Gusmao is attempting to play another ‘party trick’ by tainting the Fretiln Party in his “remodelisation” of his tainted government by importing a number of Fretilin politicians into his government. 

It is believed those Fretilin members who could be “imported” into the Gusmao government will be “used” by the Prime Minister to regain credibility. Those member Fretilin members of Parliament who were bullied by Gusmao to sack the judiciary last year are possible contenders to be “invited” by the PM to join the government as they are “easily persuaded and manipulated".

Opposition leader Mari Alkatiri says the so-called invitation has not been extended to Fretilin but to individuals of the Parliament.

Many believe Gusmao already has Alkatiri in his pocket with favours involving a number of projects in the ZEEMS Oecusse zone. 

Younger members of Fretilin want Alkatiri gone. They say he is a failed former Prime Minister who represents the old, uneducated remnants of the Fretilin movement.

“Alkatiri has no credibility amongst the younger members of Fretilin. He will not lead the party at the 2017 election and is merely feather-bedding himself for retirement by being so friendly to Gusmao,” a prominent Dili based Fretilin powerbroker said yesterday. “He is an irrelevant old man like Xanana."

However, even Gusmao's closest confidantes, declare his "tricks and games" no longer run off on the voters, especially younger educated youth living in Dili.

“He’s always tricked the public into believing all his home grown myths, but we know what he is really like. We know he is behind a lot of the corruption and nepotism of his government. For too long he has taken care of his families members and the politically elite buddies," one university student leader said this week.

“He's tried to stop freedom of speech with his media laws, sacked the judiciary and protected his corrupt cronies and family members.

"He might resign soon. So what! We want him to stay in for the 2017 election so we can publicly humiliate him and destroy CNRT at the polls," she said.

"All my friends, a majority of first time voters want to punish him at the polls as that’s the only way the Timorese can punish him for the many crimes he and his government have committed.

"He has failed the Timorese politically and morally. He has drained the Petroleum Fund and now we the Timorese face an uncertain future.”

The changes to Gusmao’s government are expected soon as tension continues to grow in Timor Leste’s over the Prime Ministers continual power plays.

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