PNGBLOGS

SOUTH PACIFIC POST The Government was supposed to have appointed two medical doctors to report back within 28 days on the condition of the Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare when he went into hospital for medical treatment and also heart surgery on April 21. This is the view of a very senior legal officer in the Solicitor Generals Office. Had that been done, there would not be any confusion today on the way forward in relation to whether or not the office of the PM is vacant and when constitutional provisions should be invoked to elect a new Prime Minister. “The proper and moral thing to do after the PM was admitted to the ICU, was to appoint two medical doctors to report within 28 days, pursuant to Section 6 of the Prime Minister and National Executive Council Act 2002, and after three months, they could then certify that the PM is medically unfit to return to office,” the lawyer said. “That is to comply with the law, instead of allowing the PM to continue to hold the substantive post

SOUTH PACIFIC POST The Government was supposed to have appointed two medical doctors to report back within 28 days on the condition of the Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare when he went into hospital for medical treatment and also heart surgery on April 21. This is the view of a very senior legal officer in the Solicitor Generals Office. Had that been done, there would not be any confusion today on the way forward in relation to whether or not the office of the PM is vacant and when constitutional provisions should be invoked to elect a new Prime Minister. “The proper and moral thing to do after the PM was admitted to the ICU, was to appoint two medical doctors to report within 28 days, pursuant to Section 6 of the Prime Minister and National Executive Council Act 2002, and after three months, they could then certify that the PM is medically unfit to return to office,” the lawyer said. “That is to comply with the law, instead of allowing the PM to continue to hold the substantive p

Jonathan Pearlman Papua New Guinea's veteran leader and "father of independence", Sir Michael Somare, has resigned as prime minister because of poor health. Sir Michael, 75, was leader when his nation gained independence from Australia in 1975 and has led for a total of more than 16 years. The so-called Grand Chief of PNG politics has been prime minister three times and began his final term in 2002. He is recovering from heart surgery in Singapore earlier this year. Arthur Somare, the leader's son, announced the resignation at a press conference in Port Moresby. "It is our wish that Sir Michael will now pursue a life in retirement after nearly 50 years of active politics due to medical reasons and the uncertainty of the recovery period," he said. "We believe PNG should have a level of certainty with regard to political stability and leadership well into the future." Sir Michael, who oversaw the transition to independence, has had a profound impact

Jonathan Pearlman Papua New Guinea's veteran leader and "father of independence", Sir Michael Somare, has resigned as prime minister because of poor health. Sir Michael, 75, was leader when his nation gained independence from Australia in 1975 and has led for a total of more than 16 years. The so-called Grand Chief of PNG politics has been prime minister three times and began his final term in 2002. He is recovering from heart surgery in Singapore earlier this year. Arthur Somare, the leader's son, announced the resignation at a press conference in Port Moresby. "It is our wish that Sir Michael will now pursue a life in retirement after nearly 50 years of active politics due to medical reasons and the uncertainty of the recovery period," he said. "We believe PNG should have a level of certainty with regard to political stability and leadership well into the future." Sir Michael, who oversaw the transition to independence, has had a profound i

AFP A large green tree-dwelling frog, was among 1000 new spieces found in PNG (AFP/WWF/File) A frog with fangs, a blind snake and a round-headed dolphin are among more than 1,000 new species recently found on the incredible Melanesian island of New Guinea, environment group WWF said. Scientists made the astounding discoveries, which also included a river shark and dozens of butterflies, on New Guinea at a rate of two a week from 1998 to 2008, WWF said in a new report on the island's natural habitat. "This report shows that New Guinea's forests and rivers are among the richest and most biodiverse in the world," said WWF's Western Melanesia programme representative, Neil Stronach. New Guinea -- divided between the Indonesian province of Papua in the west and Papua New Guinea to the east -- has one of the world's least spoilt and most stunning ecosystems. Its rainforests are the third biggest in the world after the Amazon and the Congo, and, while the island c

AFP A large green tree-dwelling frog, was among 1000 new spieces found in PNG (AFP/WWF/File) A frog with fangs, a blind snake and a round-headed dolphin are among more than 1,000 new species recently found on the incredible Melanesian island of New Guinea, environment group WWF said. Scientists made the astounding discoveries, which also included a river shark and dozens of butterflies, on New Guinea at a rate of two a week from 1998 to 2008, WWF said in a new report on the island's natural habitat. "This report shows that New Guinea's forests and rivers are among the richest and most biodiverse in the world," said WWF's Western Melanesia programme representative, Neil Stronach. New Guinea -- divided between the Indonesian province of Papua in the west and Papua New Guinea to the east -- has one of the world's least spoilt and most stunning ecosystems. Its rainforests are the third biggest in the world after the Amazon and the Congo, and, while t

Brian Thomson PAPUA New Guinea's Prime Minister, Sir Michael Somare, has accused Australian mining giant Rio Tinto and its subsidiary Bougainville Copper Limited (BCL) of being behind the PNG military's bloody suppression of Bougainville rebels opposed to the company's Panguna copper mine. An affidavit written by Sir Michael when he was Opposition Leader in 2001 - and never made public - alleges that Rio played an active role in military operations that ultimately led to a civil war and blockade of the island in which 15,000 people died between 1989 and 1997. ''Because of Rio Tinto's financial influence in PNG, the company controlled the government,'' Mr Somare's affidavit states. Advertisement: Story continues below ''The government of PNG followed Rio Tinto's instructions and carried out its requests … BCL was directly involved in the military operations on Bougainville, and it played an active role. BCL supplied helicopters, which were

Brian Thomson PAPUA New Guinea's Prime Minister, Sir Michael Somare, has accused Australian mining giant Rio Tinto and its subsidiary Bougainville Copper Limited (BCL) of being behind the PNG military's bloody suppression of Bougainville rebels opposed to the company's Panguna copper mine. An affidavit written by Sir Michael when he was Opposition Leader in 2001 - and never made public - alleges that Rio played an active role in military operations that ultimately led to a civil war and blockade of the island in which 15,000 people died between 1989 and 1997. ''Because of Rio Tinto's financial influence in PNG, the company controlled the government,'' Mr Somare's affidavit states. Advertisement: Story continues below ''The government of PNG followed Rio Tinto's instructions and carried out its requests … BCL was directly involved in the military operations on Bougainville, and it played an active role. BCL supplied helicopters, which

West Enga Republic The country is now at a cross-road, a cross-road to a prosperous future or a path that will lead to the inhalation of this promising country. In the weeks ahead we will see what the leadership of Sam Abal is made of. We know clearly that Sir Michael Somare is not coming back to take charge of the leadership. Sam Abal has been thrown no life line as he has been made just like Daniel thrown into the lions den. He has a battle looming on four fronts, first he has to deal with the fact that his own party sacked him after his actions to terminate the services of Don Polye and William Duma, if that is not enough, URP a party that has backed National Alliance for the last 8 years is now cracked with leadership of the party undecided if they want to stay as a partner in this government. Thirdly he has an issue with Peter O'Niel's PNC party. It stems from the removal of PNC's Finance portfolio to Patrick Pruaitch, will this also be a sticking point come the next e

West Enga Republic The country is now at a cross-road, a cross-road to a prosperous future or a path that will lead to the inhalation of this promising country. In the weeks ahead we will see what the leadership of Sam Abal is made of. We know clearly that Sir Michael Somare is not coming back to take charge of the leadership. Sam Abal has been thrown no life line as he has been made just like Daniel thrown into the lions den. He has a battle looming on four fronts, first he has to deal with the fact that his own party sacked him after his actions to terminate the services of Don Polye and William Duma, if that is not enough, URP a party that has backed National Alliance for the last 8 years is now cracked with leadership of the party undecided if they want to stay as a partner in this government. Thirdly he has an issue with Peter O'Niel's PNC party. It stems from the removal of PNC's Finance portfolio to Patrick Pruaitch, will this also be a sticking point come the nex

SAM BASIL MP IF the acting Prime Minister does not know crime has been knocking on the government’s doorstep all along. Now, that fight has come right into his very own family home. Since the Prime Minister has sacked two other Ministers, it is now proper that he must wield the same wand to the Internal Security Minister. Mark Maipakai has to go. Acting Prime Minister, do you have the guts to sack Minister Mark Maipakai? You must. It is not a question of hypothesis. We want the acting Prime Minister to wear the shoes of every innocent Papua New Guinean and feel what it is like to lose a close relative to the hands of heinous Papua New Guineans against other Papua New Guineans day in, day out. The acting Prime Minister can now feel the raw nerves of so very ordinary Papua New Guineans whose lives have been turned upside down by crime. Given that his own son is the subject of police investigations in this gruesome murder, the acting Prime Minister has to offer an honest explanation to th

SAM BASIL MP IF the acting Prime Minister does not know crime has been knocking on the government’s doorstep all along. Now, that fight has come right into his very own family home. Since the Prime Minister has sacked two other Ministers, it is now proper that he must wield the same wand to the Internal Security Minister. Mark Maipakai has to go. Acting Prime Minister, do you have the guts to sack Minister Mark Maipakai? You must. It is not a question of hypothesis. We want the acting Prime Minister to wear the shoes of every innocent Papua New Guinean and feel what it is like to lose a close relative to the hands of heinous Papua New Guineans against other Papua New Guineans day in, day out. The acting Prime Minister can now feel the raw nerves of so very ordinary Papua New Guineans whose lives have been turned upside down by crime. Given that his own son is the subject of police investigations in this gruesome murder, the acting Prime Minister has to offer an honest explanation

THE NATIONAL THE controversial K125 million loan from Nasfund to the Kokopo district was illegal and placed contributors’ savings at considerable risk, a confidential brief to the government reveals. The brief, from the Central Bank, was to have formed part of the report that was to have been tabled in parliament by Peter O’Neill on Tuesday, the day he was removed as minister for finance and treasury. The brief revealed that the loan, obtained via a Treasury Department mechanism called the sovereign community infrastructure treasury bill (SCITB), did not have approvals from parliament, cabinet, treasury and the Central Bank and was outside the national budget. It further revealed that middlemen companies and individuals received K20 million in fees and commission long before any project got off the ground in Kokopo. The bulk of the fees, K20 million, was said to have been paid to Malco, a company incorporated in 2008, owed by a single proprietor, one Alan Waters. Communications Ministe

THE NATIONAL THE controversial K125 million loan from Nasfund to the Kokopo district was illegal and placed contributors’ savings at considerable risk, a confidential brief to the government reveals. The brief, from the Central Bank, was to have formed part of the report that was to have been tabled in parliament by Peter O’Neill on Tuesday, the day he was removed as minister for finance and treasury. The brief revealed that the loan, obtained via a Treasury Department mechanism called the sovereign community infrastructure treasury bill (SCITB), did not have approvals from parliament, cabinet, treasury and the Central Bank and was outside the national budget. It further revealed that middlemen companies and individuals received K20 million in fees and commission long before any project got off the ground in Kokopo. The bulk of the fees, K20 million, was said to have been paid to Malco, a company incorporated in 2008, owed by a single proprietor, one Alan Waters. Communications M

FIJI TIMES ONLINE INVESTMENT opportunities in Papua New Guinea are at an all-time high as a result of the economic boom experienced by the country's petroleum and mining sector, says PNG's permanent secretary for Trade and Commerce Moses Nangu. He said foreign investment was "speedier than ever" caused by the much-publicised liquified natural gas project. As a result of this investment environment, Mr Nangu said the need for skilled and semi-skilled labour was "becoming very important". He said it was therefore necessary that dialogue and negotiations on the subject with forum island leaders be pursued. The Melanesian Spearhead Group is drafting a memorandum of understanding on a skills movement scheme and further discussions will take place in the upcoming Trade and Economic Ministers meeting scheduled for Port Villa at the end of the month. Speaking at a meeting of the Pacific Islands Private Sector Organisation (PIPSO), Mr Nangu said the mining sector als

FIJI TIMES ONLINE INVESTMENT opportunities in Papua New Guinea are at an all-time high as a result of the economic boom experienced by the country's petroleum and mining sector, says PNG's permanent secretary for Trade and Commerce Moses Nangu. He said foreign investment was "speedier than ever" caused by the much-publicised liquified natural gas project. As a result of this investment environment, Mr Nangu said the need for skilled and semi-skilled labour was "becoming very important". He said it was therefore necessary that dialogue and negotiations on the subject with forum island leaders be pursued. The Melanesian Spearhead Group is drafting a memorandum of understanding on a skills movement scheme and further discussions will take place in the upcoming Trade and Economic Ministers meeting scheduled for Port Villa at the end of the month. Speaking at a meeting of the Pacific Islands Private Sector Organisation (PIPSO), Mr Nangu said the mining sec

POST COURIER The K125m Treasury Bills sourced through Nasfund and the unexplained expenditure of millions of kina in Keravat National High School were described as “stupid decisions” of a few leaders. That branding came from former Prime Minister and patron of Transparency International of the East New Britain chapter Sir Rabbie Namaliu during the recent “walk against corruption” in Kokopo. The former member for Kokopo Open led the TI-organised walk through Kokopo town and addressed thousands of men, women and children who joined him in one of the biggest show of disapproval and rejection of corruption by people in PNG. Walks were organised simultaneously in Alotau, Port Moresby, Lae, Madang, Kimbe and Kavieng. Sir Rabbie Namaliu spoke out strongly against the unexplained Keravat National High School missing funds that resulted in the school’s closure this year. He also talked about the much debated K125 million Nasfund loan organised outside of the Central Bank and Treasury Department

POST COURIER The K125m Treasury Bills sourced through Nasfund and the unexplained expenditure of millions of kina in Keravat National High School were described as “stupid decisions” of a few leaders. That branding came from former Prime Minister and patron of Transparency International of the East New Britain chapter Sir Rabbie Namaliu during the recent “walk against corruption” in Kokopo. The former member for Kokopo Open led the TI-organised walk through Kokopo town and addressed thousands of men, women and children who joined him in one of the biggest show of disapproval and rejection of corruption by people in PNG. Walks were organised simultaneously in Alotau, Port Moresby, Lae, Madang, Kimbe and Kavieng. Sir Rabbie Namaliu spoke out strongly against the unexplained Keravat National High School missing funds that resulted in the school’s closure this year. He also talked about the much debated K125 million Nasfund loan organised outside of the Central Bank and Treasury Depar