PNGBLOGS

Rowan Callick - The Australian A CABAL of top public servants and lawyers have hijacked Papua New Guinea’s government chequebook, plundering more than $300 million through sham compensation claims. The rorts include Finance Secretary Gabriel Yer initiating a spurious claim of $700,000 for himself and 225 people from his home village. He delivered the money to a dozen of them whom he had flown to Port Moresby, in a case containing 50-kina notes. A devastating judicial report detailing the conspiracy, commissioned and tabled in parliament by Prime Minister Michael Somare last month, shows the collapse of PNG’s control over its finances. This is despite the Australian government spending more than $160m in the past decade on programs to "strengthen governance" in PNG, through highly paid Australian advisers. When Sir Michael finally managed to table the report after three years and numerous legal battles, lawyer Paul Paraka and former solicitor-general Zacchary Gelu

PRUAITCH, AIMO and MARUS .... Named in the Kapris Interview as MPs who profitted from the Madang and Kerema BSP Robbery Three of the PNG Parliaments members have been named as collaborators in plotting the controversial escape as well as financing the robbery of the BSP Banks in Kerema and Madang of high profile prisoner William Nanua Kapris. They are Mr. Patrick Pruaitch member for Aitape Lumi and Minister for Finance and Treasury who as confessed by William Kapris on video interview was paid K300,000.00 , Mr. Tony Aimo, Member for Ambunti –Drekikir and Minister for Corrections another K300,000.00 and the Mr. Francis Marus Deputy Speaker of the Papua New Guinea Parliament K300,000.00. This is so socking. Before Parliament rose in the last session, Arthur Somare gave notice that he will call The National newspaper before the privileges committee to name the MPs. Well guess what, thanks to the Internet and leakages floating everywhere and on YOUTUBE we now know who these culprits ar

PRUAITCH, AIMO and MARUS .... Named in the Kapris Interview as MPs who profitted from the Madang and Kerema BSP Robbery Three of the PNG Parliaments members have been named as collaborators in plotting the controversial escape as well as financing the robbery of the BSP Banks in Kerema and Madang of high profile prisoner William Nanua Kapris. They are Mr. Patrick Pruaitch member for Aitape Lumi and Minister for Finance and Treasury who as confessed by William Kapris on video interview was paid K300,000.00 , Mr. Tony Aimo, Member for Ambunti –Drekikir and Minister for Corrections another K300,000.00 and the Mr. Francis Marus Deputy Speaker of the Papua New Guinea Parliament K300,000.00. This is so socking. Before Parliament rose in the last session, Arthur Somare gave notice that he will call The National newspaper before the privileges committee to name the MPs. Well guess what, thanks to the Internet and leakages floating everywhere and on YOUTUBE we now know who these

General Dr Allan Marat yesterday said PNG will gain very little from the K40 billion to be spent during the construction phase of the LNG project. Dr Marat, whose public comments had often raised eyebrows in Government, said all major contract and sub-contract works in the project were going to foreigners, and Papua New Guineans would be left with the crumbs. He said he was forced to go public with his views after reading about foreigners picking up contracts in the project areas. He said the Government had itself to blame for this, especially past governments, for failing to prepare its citizens for the development of its natural resources. “My concern arose from the fact that past governments knew this country was blessed with resources, mineral and energy resources but, armed with this knowledge, nothing was really done to prepare our citizens for the exploitation of these resources,” he told reporters at a press conference yesterday. “We have wasted the last 33 years; we have

General Dr Allan Marat yesterday said PNG will gain very little from the K40 billion to be spent during the construction phase of the LNG project. Dr Marat, whose public comments had often raised eyebrows in Government, said all major contract and sub-contract works in the project were going to foreigners, and Papua New Guineans would be left with the crumbs. He said he was forced to go public with his views after reading about foreigners picking up contracts in the project areas. He said the Government had itself to blame for this, especially past governments, for failing to prepare its citizens for the development of its natural resources. “My concern arose from the fact that past governments knew this country was blessed with resources, mineral and energy resources but, armed with this knowledge, nothing was really done to prepare our citizens for the exploitation of these resources,” he told reporters at a press conference yesterday. “We have wasted the last 33 years; we

William Kapris Tell All Videos. Shocking when we have Sitting MPs and Ministers who sponsored the Bank Robbery in Madang and Kerema. Here is the Breakup: Patrick Pruaitch Minister for Finance paid- K300,000.00 Tony Aimo Minister for Housing paid- K300,000.00 Francis Marus Deputy Speaker paid K300,000.00 Full HQ Video Coming soon in a few days with subtitle. Sorry for Part 4...

William Kapris Tell All Videos. Shocking when we have Sitting MPs and Ministers who sponsored the Bank Robbery in Madang and Kerema. Here is the Breakup: Patrick Pruaitch Minister for Finance paid- K300,000.00 Tony Aimo Minister for Housing paid- K300,000.00 Francis Marus Deputy Speaker paid K300,000.00 Full HQ Video Coming soon in a few days with subtitle. Sorry for Part 4...

Peter Barter Former Health Minister At the risk of being accused of post-political interference, I cannot allow the development of the proposed so called “World Class Hospital” in the Central Province without challenging the absurdity of such a development when the entire health system throughout PNG is in dire straits, especially the existing provincial hospitals including the Port Moresby General Hospital. As the former Minister, albeit for a very short period, I worked hard for the Government to release funds to maintain existing health infrastructure from the two Supplementary Budgets. Initially we expected to have a total of K300 million released. This was eroded down to K187 million and out of those funds only a fraction was released on scoped projects that included major maintenance of operating theatres, redevelopment and urgent maintenance of Angau, Port Moresby, Madang, Wewak, Goroka, Mt Hagen, Kerema, Wabag and Wapendamanda, Bruan, Etep, Gaubin plus scores of h

Peter Barter Former Health Minister At the risk of being accused of post-political interference, I cannot allow the development of the proposed so called “World Class Hospital” in the Central Province without challenging the absurdity of such a development when the entire health system throughout PNG is in dire straits, especially the existing provincial hospitals including the Port Moresby General Hospital. As the former Minister, albeit for a very short period, I worked hard for the Government to release funds to maintain existing health infrastructure from the two Supplementary Budgets. Initially we expected to have a total of K300 million released. This was eroded down to K187 million and out of those funds only a fraction was released on scoped projects that included major maintenance of operating theatres, redevelopment and urgent maintenance of Angau, Port Moresby, Madang, Wewak, Goroka, Mt Hagen, Kerema, Wabag and Wapendamanda, Bruan, Etep, Gaubin plus scores of h

IF any public good will come out of amending section 27(4) of the Constitution, people living in communities across the length and breadth of this nation are yet to be told. This is a Government sponsored-amendment to the Constitution and the Organic Law and, yet, we have not seen the vast resources of the Government’s public relations machinery at work to promote debate on this law publicly. Since the amendment was introduced in Parliament by Esa’ala MP Moses Maladina last month, the Government has done very little to go out to the community to sell this proposed law. For the record, Parliament passed the proposed amendment 83-0. Members of the Opposition present also voted to pass it, although they now claimed they were misled and did not know what they were voting that day. A two-month break is required before the final vote can be taken for the proposal to become law. That vote will take place next week when Parliament sits. Essentially, section 27(4) of the Constitution empower

IF any public good will come out of amending section 27(4) of the Constitution, people living in communities across the length and breadth of this nation are yet to be told. This is a Government sponsored-amendment to the Constitution and the Organic Law and, yet, we have not seen the vast resources of the Government’s public relations machinery at work to promote debate on this law publicly. Since the amendment was introduced in Parliament by Esa’ala MP Moses Maladina last month, the Government has done very little to go out to the community to sell this proposed law. For the record, Parliament passed the proposed amendment 83-0. Members of the Opposition present also voted to pass it, although they now claimed they were misled and did not know what they were voting that day. A two-month break is required before the final vote can be taken for the proposal to become law. That vote will take place next week when Parliament sits. Essentially, section 27(4) of the Constitution empower

TUKUL WALLA KAIKU Contrary to what we may think, the call for autonomy for New Ireland is not a new one. To date there have been two calls for autonomy for New Ireland, the recent being the call since Sir Julius Chan assumed governorship of the New Ireland Province after the 2007 national elections and an earlier call of the 1960s up to the 1980s. There was in fact an earlier move for autonomy for New Ireland and in particular for New Hanover Island. That call took place in 1964 and continued up to the 1980s. The people behind it were three quarters of mostly those from the south, east and some parts of the north side of New Hanover Island who in the 1964 elections voted for President Johnson of America. The people wanted to be heard and understood and they wanted development for New Hanover. The type of development they wanted was that of a technologically innovative and advanced country like the United States and hence they wanted the United States to administer

TUKUL WALLA KAIKU Contrary to what we may think, the call for autonomy for New Ireland is not a new one. To date there have been two calls for autonomy for New Ireland, the recent being the call since Sir Julius Chan assumed governorship of the New Ireland Province after the 2007 national elections and an earlier call of the 1960s up to the 1980s. There was in fact an earlier move for autonomy for New Ireland and in particular for New Hanover Island. That call took place in 1964 and continued up to the 1980s. The people behind it were three quarters of mostly those from the south, east and some parts of the north side of New Hanover Island who in the 1964 elections voted for President Johnson of America. The people wanted to be heard and understood and they wanted development for New Hanover. The type of development they wanted was that of a technologically innovative and advanced country like the United States and hence they wanted the United States to administer

ILYA GRIDNEFF - AAP Papua New Guinea's Foreign Affairs Minister Sam Abal wants an overhaul of Australia's $414 million annual aid to PNG because he says too much is wasted on costly consultants. AusAID figures reveal that nearly half (46 per cent) of all Australian aid in PNG goes to advisers, contractors or experts providing "technical assistance" for "capacity building". That's twice the rate of other countries' aid programs. And despite delivering billions of dollars in aid to PNG over the years, a 2009 AusAID report found PNG is not meeting any of its human development goals despite strong economic growth and political stability. Foreign Affairs Minister Sam Abal wants aid effectiveness discussed at the joint Australia PNG ministers meeting scheduled for later this year. "We feel that the large portion of aid being used for consultants can not be allowed to continue," he said in Tuesday's Post Courier. "

ILYA GRIDNEFF - AAP Papua New Guinea's Foreign Affairs Minister Sam Abal wants an overhaul of Australia's $414 million annual aid to PNG because he says too much is wasted on costly consultants. AusAID figures reveal that nearly half (46 per cent) of all Australian aid in PNG goes to advisers, contractors or experts providing "technical assistance" for "capacity building". That's twice the rate of other countries' aid programs. And despite delivering billions of dollars in aid to PNG over the years, a 2009 AusAID report found PNG is not meeting any of its human development goals despite strong economic growth and political stability. Foreign Affairs Minister Sam Abal wants aid effectiveness discussed at the joint Australia PNG ministers meeting scheduled for later this year. "We feel that the large portion of aid being used for consultants can not be allowed to continue," he said in Tuesday's Post Courier. "

Maybe governments and politicians, or other leaders, have never enjoyed great public esteem, the world over. Sometimes feared, widely disdained or ridiculed, some leaders have enjoyed honeymoons of popularity, but relatively few have enjoyed lasting popularity, verging on reverence, like Mandela or Mahatma Gandhi. The level of scepticism is particularly high at this movement, worldwide, with politicians widely competing with investment bankers as the least popular or trusted members of the community. A recent popular survey in Australia had artists (like Blanchett), public-spirited businessmen (like Dick Smith), charity leaders, scientists and a few other public office holders standing head and shoulders ahead of politicians, less salubrious financiers and other businessmen in the stakes of trustworthiness. (Some politicians, including, interestingly, Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard come ahead amongst politicians). Government credibility in countries like Greece (w

Maybe governments and politicians, or other leaders, have never enjoyed great public esteem, the world over. Sometimes feared, widely disdained or ridiculed, some leaders have enjoyed honeymoons of popularity, but relatively few have enjoyed lasting popularity, verging on reverence, like Mandela or Mahatma Gandhi. The level of scepticism is particularly high at this movement, worldwide, with politicians widely competing with investment bankers as the least popular or trusted members of the community. A recent popular survey in Australia had artists (like Blanchett), public-spirited businessmen (like Dick Smith), charity leaders, scientists and a few other public office holders standing head and shoulders ahead of politicians, less salubrious financiers and other businessmen in the stakes of trustworthiness. (Some politicians, including, interestingly, Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard come ahead amongst politicians). Government credibility in countries like Greece (w