PNGBLOGS

The executive for the Bewani Palm Oil Development Limited has been summoned before the Commission of Inquiry to give evidence tomorrow as the SABL holding entity’s secretary. Mr Tom Sirae, who is the Company Secretary, will also be required to inform the Commission as to whether there was any public hearings held to obtain Landowners consensus on whether Portion 106C could be converted into an SABL. The portion of land is situated in the Oenake Milinch (SW) & (SE) Bewani (NW) & (NE) and Fourmil of Vanimo in the West Sepik Province and covers a total of 139,909 hectares of land. The SABL was granted on July 11, 2008 and gazetted on July 14, 2008 and was delineated on a Class 4 survey plan. This SABL is one of several from the West Sepik Province and evidence given by former Lands Secretary Pepi Kimas suggests that due process was not followed before it was granted. Mr Kimas, appeared last week and gave testimony that he had been ‘pressured’ by three prominent politicians into si

The executive for the Bewani Palm Oil Development Limited has been summoned before the Commission of Inquiry to give evidence tomorrow as the SABL holding entity’s secretary. Mr Tom Sirae, who is the Company Secretary, will also be required to inform the Commission as to whether there was any public hearings held to obtain Landowners consensus on whether Portion 106C could be converted into an SABL. The portion of land is situated in the Oenake Milinch (SW) & (SE) Bewani (NW) & (NE) and Fourmil of Vanimo in the West Sepik Province and covers a total of 139,909 hectares of land. The SABL was granted on July 11, 2008 and gazetted on July 14, 2008 and was delineated on a Class 4 survey plan. This SABL is one of several from the West Sepik Province and evidence given by former Lands Secretary Pepi Kimas suggests that due process was not followed before it was granted. Mr Kimas, appeared last week and gave testimony that he had been ‘pressured’ by three prominent politi

With Papua New Guinea's five-yearly general election just four months away, outsiders could be excused for being baffled by the desperate, damaging battle for power now consuming Port Moresby. Why bother, given that the people - not the courts or the politicians - will soon resolve the Constitutional conundrum of who has the legitimate mandate to govern? The answer was graphically illustrated in events engineered by the rival political supremos yesterday. In PNG the posturing of the Big Men and the perks of incumbency (the power to win favour through popular policy; access to Government coffers to bankroll campaigns) are critical to securing control of the next Parliament, and with it control of the vast riches anticipated to flow from the resources boom. Scene One: Belden Namah, acting Defence Minister and deputy to Prime Minister Peter O'Neill - who has clung to power through his strong majority on the floor and the s

With Papua New Guinea's five-yearly general election just four months away, outsiders could be excused for being baffled by the desperate, damaging battle for power now consuming Port Moresby. Why bother, given that the people - not the courts or the politicians - will soon resolve the Constitutional conundrum of who has the legitimate mandate to govern? The answer was graphically illustrated in events engineered by the rival political supremos yesterday. In PNG the posturing of the Big Men and the perks of incumbency (the power to win favour through popular policy; access to Government coffers to bankroll campaigns) are critical to securing control of the next Parliament, and with it control of the vast riches anticipated to flow from the resources boom. Scene One: Belden Namah, acting Defence Minister and deputy to Prime Minister Peter O'Neill - who has clung to power through his strong majority on the floor and

Lawyer Tiffaney Twivey has just been charged with contempt today apparently along with the entire O'Neill/Namah National Executive Council because she gave advice on the amendments to the Prime Minister and NEC Act. "They say it was-sub judice," she said last night."This is complete rubbish - the amendments covered completely different issues than the court case. "It is an act of desperation - and not to hide what you think." Twivey added: "My firm - in documents signed by me - filed contempt documents last Tuesday, January 24,  charging Arthur Somare and Peter Ipatas for contempt for offering a bribe of K200,000 to Police Commissioner's lawyer Alice Kimbu in return for her signing interim consent orders which would allow Fred Yakasa to be Police Commissioner until the substantive case is heard.  "She refused and informed the State.  "I filed the documents on behalf of the State and Parliament" " David Dotaona (Yakasa's la

Lawyer Tiffaney Twivey has just been charged with contempt today apparently along with the entire O'Neill/Namah National Executive Council because she gave advice on the amendments to the Prime Minister and NEC Act. "They say it was-sub judice," she said last night."This is complete rubbish - the amendments covered completely different issues than the court case. "It is an act of desperation - and not to hide what you think." Twivey added: "My firm - in documents signed by me - filed contempt documents last Tuesday, January 24,  charging Arthur Somare and Peter Ipatas for contempt for offering a bribe of K200,000 to Police Commissioner's lawyer Alice Kimbu in return for her signing interim consent orders which would allow Fred Yakasa to be Police Commissioner until the substantive case is heard.  "She refused and informed the State.  "I filed the documents on behalf of the State and Parliament" " David Dotao

PNG politics  has become what we can all call the 'Beauty & The Buffoon Show' after Julia Gillard has made her intentions known to O'Neill and has been pushing it in Waigani and other avenues, Alexander Downer has decided to push the matter beyond doubt by coming to her rescue with a few handy pointers and even a chronology of events of his own. Well how does that work? A blue blood die hard Liberal Party man coming to the rescue of this Labour Party red haired damsel in distress in the wilds of New Guinea with one leg in the air and the other conducting the Waigani Choir. There might just be a catch somewhere, and we know it is not political gratuity because over the years we know there was no love lost between Liberals and Labour when Downer was active. There is something sinister going on. To even think that Downer has any reserve goodwill or inherent altruism for the nation of Papua New Guinea or its people is the statement he has made would be far fro

PNG politics  has become what we can all call the 'Beauty & The Buffoon Show' after Julia Gillard has made her intentions known to O'Neill and has been pushing it in Waigani and other avenues, Alexander Downer has decided to push the matter beyond doubt by coming to her rescue with a few handy pointers and even a chronology of events of his own. Well how does that work? A blue blood die hard Liberal Party man coming to the rescue of this Labour Party red haired damsel in distress in the wilds of New Guinea with one leg in the air and the other conducting the Waigani Choir. There might just be a catch somewhere, and we know it is not political gratuity because over the years we know there was no love lost between Liberals and Labour when Downer was active. There is something sinister going on. To even think that Downer has any reserve goodwill or inherent altruism for the nation of Papua New Guinea or its people is the statement he has made would be far fro

OUR neighbour's political crisis should serve as a wake-up call for Canberra, writes Alexander Downer I was in New York to brief the United Nations Security Council last week when I saw the ugly scenes from Canberra of our Prime Minister and Opposition Leader being bundled out of a restaurant by security officers protecting them from protesters. This incident made news right around the world. It was embarrassing. All day people were asking me what was going on in Australia. Imagine my horror when I subsequently discovered that there was a political motive behind the protest: To try to humiliate Tony Abbott! Talk about an own goal! A Labor staffer had to resign and the protesters were seen to be party to a political stunt. But, as I said to my interlocutors, this was just a passing incident which will be well forgotten in a few months. Just to the north of Australia, something much more serious has been going on. For the last few months, Papua

OUR neighbour's political crisis should serve as a wake-up call for Canberra, writes Alexander Downer I was in New York to brief the United Nations Security Council last week when I saw the ugly scenes from Canberra of our Prime Minister and Opposition Leader being bundled out of a restaurant by security officers protecting them from protesters. This incident made news right around the world. It was embarrassing. All day people were asking me what was going on in Australia. Imagine my horror when I subsequently discovered that there was a political motive behind the protest: To try to humiliate Tony Abbott! Talk about an own goal! A Labor staffer had to resign and the protesters were seen to be party to a political stunt. But, as I said to my interlocutors, this was just a passing incident which will be well forgotten in a few months. Just to the north of Australia, something much more serious has been going on. For the last few mon

By: Barry Holloway and James Macpherson  The Danger  The next Parliament risks unconstitutional membership. Elections for provincial and open electorates could breach the Constitution. Such a breach would undercut a national strength: our Parliament. This Parliament needs to make informed decisions quickly so that elections to the next Parliament are constitutional. Achievements of this Parliament  Parliament has enacted the first changes to its electorates since Independence. Provision for Jiwaka and Hela provincial electorates is the first change to boundaries of any electorate since before Independence. Amendment of the Constitution to provide for women’s electorates shows willingness to consider radical changes by the overwhelmingly male majority. These achievements can form a foundation for a stronger Parliament. Unconstitutional Elections for Provincial Electorates  Elections to provincial electorates will breach the Constitution. Section 126 of the Constitution re

By: Barry Holloway and James Macpherson  The Danger  The next Parliament risks unconstitutional membership. Elections for provincial and open electorates could breach the Constitution. Such a breach would undercut a national strength: our Parliament. This Parliament needs to make informed decisions quickly so that elections to the next Parliament are constitutional. Achievements of this Parliament  Parliament has enacted the first changes to its electorates since Independence. Provision for Jiwaka and Hela provincial electorates is the first change to boundaries of any electorate since before Independence. Amendment of the Constitution to provide for women’s electorates shows willingness to consider radical changes by the overwhelmingly male majority. These achievements can form a foundation for a stronger Parliament. Unconstitutional Elections for Provincial Electorates  Elections to provincial electorates will breach the Constitution. Section 126 of the Con

(Reuters) - Papua New Guinea's investment risk has worsened after a failed mutiny, with Standard & Poor's revising its outlook to negative on Friday and warning that the political crisis, with two competing prime ministers, was impeding the resource-driven economy. Early Thursday, up to 20 soldiers raided the main army barracks in the capital Port Moresby, seized their chief commander and placed him under house arrest, and announced a new military commander. The rebels demanded the reinstatement of deposed prime minister Sir Michael Somare, but by Thursday night the mutiny had failed and the government of Prime Minister Peter O'Neill was back in control. "Political settings in PNG have weakened following the detention and later release of the defense force chief," said S&P in revising down the outlook for South Pacific nation, whose 'B+/B' sovereign credit rating was affirmed. "We would lower the ratings if the political frict

(Reuters) - Papua New Guinea's investment risk has worsened after a failed mutiny, with Standard & Poor's revising its outlook to negative on Friday and warning that the political crisis, with two competing prime ministers, was impeding the resource-driven economy. Early Thursday, up to 20 soldiers raided the main army barracks in the capital Port Moresby, seized their chief commander and placed him under house arrest, and announced a new military commander. The rebels demanded the reinstatement of deposed prime minister Sir Michael Somare, but by Thursday night the mutiny had failed and the government of Prime Minister Peter O'Neill was back in control. "Political settings in PNG have weakened following the detention and later release of the defense force chief," said S&P in revising down the outlook for South Pacific nation, whose 'B+/B' sovereign credit rating was affirmed. "We would lower the ratings if the politi

Australia belongs to the ASIA PACIFIC GROUP ON MONEY LAUNDERING (APG). This group consists of many countries in the region including Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia. In addition these countries have international Interpol obligations and have also entered into bi-lateral law enforcement cooperative arrangements with Australia, especially in the wake of 9/11 and the Bali Bombings. Under these arrangements, and especially under APG, all transactions above a certain amount in the banking system or known by other intelligence  automatically triggers internal reporting in Member countries, as well as to Member countries and their law enforcement agencies. Ever since the 9/11 bombings, (when  as I revealed large amounts of money were transacted by terrorists through Fijian banks)  the controls have been tightened, and the intelligence is followed and analysed on a daily basis, particularly because it has become a life and death business. In Australia, recently passed Anti-Mo

Australia belongs to the ASIA PACIFIC GROUP ON MONEY LAUNDERING (APG). This group consists of many countries in the region including Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia. In addition these countries have international Interpol obligations and have also entered into bi-lateral law enforcement cooperative arrangements with Australia, especially in the wake of 9/11 and the Bali Bombings. Under these arrangements, and especially under APG, all transactions above a certain amount in the banking system or known by other intelligence  automatically triggers internal reporting in Member countries, as well as to Member countries and their law enforcement agencies. Ever since the 9/11 bombings, (when  as I revealed large amounts of money were transacted by terrorists through Fijian banks)  the controls have been tightened, and the intelligence is followed and analysed on a daily basis, particularly because it has become a life and death business. In Australia, recently passed Ant

PRIME Minister Peter O’Neill, shaken by yesterday’s mutiny by rebel troops, will move to dissolve parliament next month and go to early polls to end the current political impasse. He said he would seek his government’s blessing to bring forward the scheduled June general election. O’Neill said this after announcing that the day-long mutiny by the 30 rebels, led by retrenched colonel Yaura Sasa, at Murray Barracks headquarters, was over. Fifteen of the soldiers have been arrested and Sasa was being “dealt with” but O’Neill declined to clarify what this meant (details, see Page 2). O’Neill said he would ask his government during the February session of parliament whether they should pursue the option of an early election. “We are looking at going for early election as quickly as possible to end this political impasse and we hope the Electoral Commission is ready for early elections,” he said. O’Neill said this yesterday when he accused the Somare camp of inciting mutiny at the