PNGBLOGS

Image Caption: Enga tribal village court magistrates are shown here after returning from negotiating a cease-fire to a tribal war in Enga Province, Papua New Guinea. In a new study of war and peace among the Enga, University of Utah anthropologist Polly Wiessner examined how an indigenous village court justice system, sanctioned by the state, sharply reduced wars among the Enga after 20 years of fighting killed 4,816 people during 1990-2010. Credit: Polly Wiessner, University of Utah. Traditions stem gunfire after 4,800 die in Enga, Papua New Guinea  Mostly isolated from outsiders until the 1950s, Papua New Guinea’s Enga tribes fought with bows and arrows until 1990, when their young people and mercenary “Rambos” began using shotguns and semiautomatic rifles, igniting 20 years of warfare that killed 4,816 people. Wars diminished among some 110 Enga tribes when they tired of bloodshed and economic chaos. Clan and church leaders restored peace using traditional indigenous institut

Image Caption: Enga tribal village court magistrates are shown here after returning from negotiating a cease-fire to a tribal war in Enga Province, Papua New Guinea. In a new study of war and peace among the Enga, University of Utah anthropologist Polly Wiessner examined how an indigenous village court justice system, sanctioned by the state, sharply reduced wars among the Enga after 20 years of fighting killed 4,816 people during 1990-2010. Credit: Polly Wiessner, University of Utah. Traditions stem gunfire after 4,800 die in Enga, Papua New Guinea  Mostly isolated from outsiders until the 1950s, Papua New Guinea’s Enga tribes fought with bows and arrows until 1990, when their young people and mercenary “Rambos” began using shotguns and semiautomatic rifles, igniting 20 years of warfare that killed 4,816 people. Wars diminished among some 110 Enga tribes when they tired of bloodshed and economic chaos. Clan and church leaders restored peace using traditional ind

Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O'Neill says a $A2.8 billion loan from China will greatly improve infrastructure in the country, dismissing criticism that the loan is too big to be repaid. The O'Neill government and China's Exim bank are currently working out the details of the massive loan, first announced two months ago. Mr O'Neill says the money will be used to upgrade the Highlands Highway, a decrepit road running through the heart of the nation, as well as improvements to the nation's airports. "Our infrastructure in the country is declining to a state where some infrastructures are not able to cope with the demands of our people and our economy," Mr O'Neill told Radio Australia. "So when you look at this, what solutions do you have? We need to program a massive overhauling and redevelopment of many of these infrastructures, particularly the transport systems in the country, and we are doing that by borrowing large sums of money."

Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O'Neill says a $A2.8 billion loan from China will greatly improve infrastructure in the country, dismissing criticism that the loan is too big to be repaid. The O'Neill government and China's Exim bank are currently working out the details of the massive loan, first announced two months ago. Mr O'Neill says the money will be used to upgrade the Highlands Highway, a decrepit road running through the heart of the nation, as well as improvements to the nation's airports. "Our infrastructure in the country is declining to a state where some infrastructures are not able to cope with the demands of our people and our economy," Mr O'Neill told Radio Australia. "So when you look at this, what solutions do you have? We need to program a massive overhauling and redevelopment of many of these infrastructures, particularly the transport systems in the country, and we are doing that by borrowing large sums of money."

"We give Australians visa on arrival, they (Australians) dont need to go to Canberra to get a Visa, the same principal should be applied to PNG visitors to Australia" PETER O'NEILL, PNG Prime Minister Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister, Peter O'Neill, has called on Australia to offer easier access to Australian visas for Papua New Guineans. Mr O'Neill says says Australia's policy of requiring a visa prior to departure is reducing the number of Papua New Guineans able to visit Australia. He's told Radio Australia's Pacific Beat program Papua New Guineans deserve the option of visas on arrival, to match the arrangements his country offers Australians. "I think Papua New Guinea deserves the opportunity to have a similar arrangement to that Australia has with New Zealand," he said. "New Zealand has never been a colony of Australia, whereas Papua New Guinea has. "I think Australia ought to learn from such experiences." Mr O'N

"We give Australians visa on arrival, they (Australians) dont need to go to Canberra to get a Visa, the same principal should be applied to PNG visitors to Australia" PETER O'NEILL, PNG Prime Minister Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister, Peter O'Neill, has called on Australia to offer easier access to Australian visas for Papua New Guineans. Mr O'Neill says says Australia's policy of requiring a visa prior to departure is reducing the number of Papua New Guineans able to visit Australia. He's told Radio Australia's Pacific Beat program Papua New Guineans deserve the option of visas on arrival, to match the arrangements his country offers Australians. "I think Papua New Guinea deserves the opportunity to have a similar arrangement to that Australia has with New Zealand," he said. "New Zealand has never been a colony of Australia, whereas Papua New Guinea has. "I think Australia ought to learn from such experiences." Mr O&

CHEAP KNIGHT JOHN "SNAKE" PUNDARI We call on her majesty Queen Elizabeth II to stop issuing knighthoods to despot countries like PNG as it ridicules and undermines the integrity and prestige of such awards. The process in smaller countries like PNG need to be overhauled so that award committees are chaired by respected individuals who are not prone to bribes and persuasions by their political leaders. The recent award of knighthoods to foreigners such as George Constantinou Jr and Luciano Cragnolini are classic examples of individuals-mostly small time businessmen-who have never served the state on any respectable boards let alone made sacrifices in their own lives that have benefited the majority. Donating K30,000 per annum like Constantinou has done is not a sacrifice when your profits are beyond that, Being a drinking buddy of the PM Peter O'Niell and having your wife Ni Cragnolini- visited the PM residence every night and donating cash to his political par

Administrator, Please post this in the blog in response to Susan Merrells article below. Cheers, Mark Rami Susan, Beldon is in opposition now. Not in charge of the Health Ministry nor responsible for Goilala. Every post of yours in the social networking sites comes with criticism of Beldon, which I see as too personal. Your comments are too personal and I even feel bad reading. It would be good, if Beldon responds to your personal vendetta, not in such forums but somewhere else. If you have a problem with him, please call him personally instead of posting everywhere. Remember, we don’t attack your Australian Leaders, thus we expect same from you Australians. Irrespective of who he is, the people of Vanimo/Green have voted for him and he is one of our national Leaders. Ta, Enough is Enough…

By SUSAN MERRELL In the remote Central Province district of Goilala, all 15 of the government aid posts are closed.   For the villages of the district the nearest facilities are now in the township of Tapini.   Yet, in Port Moresby, the PNG government has, in its employ, 'managers' responsible for the running of the aid posts - they have nothing to do, but they still collect their pay cheques every fortnight.  This notwithstanding, there's no available government money to keep the aid posts operational.  This is sheer bastardry that carries unimagined consequences.  Nowadays, in Goilala, to access medical services, many villagers need to walk for many hours, some for days.  The district is as bereft of roads as it is aid posts.   Goilala has also been left particularly bereft of 'district funds' that are allocated by the government to the sitting Member of Parliament each year for distribution.  Health secretary of the Catholic diocese of Bereina, Leontine Javia, sa

By GABRIEL RAMOI The most revealing aspect of the  ADB study is not the information  put forward  by the writers  in support of  Privatisation but of the lack of critical  information  that the study should  have  generated  in assisting  policy debate in PNG  as to how  PNG can solve the lack of basic services to the bulk of its people in terms of the Provision  for  the Supply of Clean Treated Piped Water. The supply of Electricity to each house  and  the cost of  supplying  and providing  durable Housing  to the  7 million People of PNG .  The Debate on Privatisation in PNG ended  with the removal of Sir Mekere  as  Prime Minister  in 2002 following the loss of   life’s  and  national  indignation  directed at the World Bank Structural  adjustment Program  and on  Native  Land registration Agenda which is the other critical pillar of the Privatisation debate.  Privatisation has led Ireland and Greece to the brink of Bankruptcy and is a path that PNG has chosen not to follow. The  un

By GABRIEL RAMOI The most revealing aspect of the  ADB study is not the information  put forward  by the writers  in support of  Privatisation but of the lack of critical  information  that the study should  have  generated  in assisting  policy debate in PNG  as to how  PNG can solve the lack of basic services to the bulk of its people in terms of the Provision  for  the Supply of Clean Treated Piped Water. The supply of Electricity to each house  and  the cost of  supplying  and providing  durable Housing  to the  7 million People of PNG .  The Debate on Privatisation in PNG ended  with the removal of Sir Mekere  as  Prime Minister  in 2002 following the loss of   life’s  and  national  indignation  directed at the World Bank Structural  adjustment Program  and on  Native  Land registration Agenda which is the other critical pillar of the Privatisation debate.  Privatisation has led Ireland and Greece to the brink of Bankruptcy and is a path that PNG has chosen not to follow.

By DAVID MURI P hoto Cred it : Malum Nalu DO animals inhabit Port Moresby? Many visitors would think so. Because the city’s entire length and breadth is overshadowed by stink and filth. This supposedly modern metropolis – Papua New Guinea’s largest – replicates more or less a pigsty, where animals of the lowest echelon dwell and breed. I am forced into this filthy issue because I see that junks, which are hardly found in pavements of any other capital cities on earth, are hastily dumped here. Why? Should we say Papua New Guineans have animal brains and could not distinguish good from bad? Or are we still primitives and could not differentiate between right and wrong? I am briefly breathing fresh air here in North Lakes, a quiet Brisbane suburb of some thousand residents. I left on Independence Day to commemorate our big day with other patriotic PNG residents here. I know Port Moresby is home, but I want to be frank and make some sincere comparisons here. Port Moresby is our capital whi

By DAVID MURI P hoto Cred it : Malum Nalu DO animals inhabit Port Moresby? Many visitors would think so. Because the city’s entire length and breadth is overshadowed by stink and filth. This supposedly modern metropolis – Papua New Guinea’s largest – replicates more or less a pigsty, where animals of the lowest echelon dwell and breed. I am forced into this filthy issue because I see that junks, which are hardly found in pavements of any other capital cities on earth, are hastily dumped here. Why? Should we say Papua New Guineans have animal brains and could not distinguish good from bad? Or are we still primitives and could not differentiate between right and wrong? I am briefly breathing fresh air here in North Lakes, a quiet Brisbane suburb of some thousand residents. I left on Independence Day to commemorate our big day with other patriotic PNG residents here. I know Port Moresby is home, but I want to be frank and make some sincere comparisons here. Port Moresby is our capi

By CHRISTOPHER PAPIALI In the name of the political game in Papua New Guinea, what we see is the crucifixion of rival candidates, business opponents, and MPs on opposing sides. It has been a norm and it is becoming a norm despite major political transitions in the life of the national parliament and continuous constitutional amendments. So we ask: Would this form of payback system stop forever or continue? After 37 years of uninterrupted lowering of Australian flag, the country has changed a lot and one cannot disrepute this major observation because a lot of our people can affirm this major transition. What has not changed is the tendency of the payback culture within our political and bureaucratic system. This week the current government has nailed the former Gaming Board chief, Mr. Simon Sanagke, who was a major rival candidate to Hon. William Duma. The government has extended its muscle and tussled Former Speaker, Hon. Jeffrey Nape, who was a major rival to Hon. Kerenga Kua, whom t

By CHRISTOPHER PAPIALI In the name of the political game in Papua New Guinea, what we see is the crucifixion of rival candidates, business opponents, and MPs on opposing sides. It has been a norm and it is becoming a norm despite major political transitions in the life of the national parliament and continuous constitutional amendments. So we ask: Would this form of payback system stop forever or continue? After 37 years of uninterrupted lowering of Australian flag, the country has changed a lot and one cannot disrepute this major observation because a lot of our people can affirm this major transition. What has not changed is the tendency of the payback culture within our political and bureaucratic system. This week the current government has nailed the former Gaming Board chief, Mr. Simon Sanagke, who was a major rival candidate to Hon. William Duma. The government has extended its muscle and tussled Former Speaker, Hon. Jeffrey Nape, who was a major rival to Hon. Kerenga Kua, w

With an expected budget deficit of K500+ million for 2012 and the intent to borrow K6 billion from China, the O’Neil Government intends to STEAL MORE FROM FUTURE GENERATIONS from the anticipated LNG benefits. The national debt from foreign and domestic lenders accrued over the last few decades already tips the scales at K9 billion. The K6 billion from Exim Bank will close to double the national debt overnight to a whopping K15 billion. Sovereign investment funds generate economic security for future generations by converting “endowments” of natural resources into financial endowments. Some of them are so-called “permanent funds,” born of the philosophy that benefits from a country’s nonrenewable resources belong to all future generations, not just to the generation that discovered them. National laws should be made to ensure the current and future governments don’t use up the principle from the LNG cashflows but only live off the interest from these funds so the value of principle amou

With an expected budget deficit of K500+ million for 2012 and the intent to borrow K6 billion from China, the O’Neil Government intends to STEAL MORE FROM FUTURE GENERATIONS from the anticipated LNG benefits. The national debt from foreign and domestic lenders accrued over the last few decades already tips the scales at K9 billion. The K6 billion from Exim Bank will close to double the national debt overnight to a whopping K15 billion. Sovereign investment funds generate economic security for future generations by converting “endowments” of natural resources into financial endowments. Some of them are so-called “permanent funds,” born of the philosophy that benefits from a country’s nonrenewable resources belong to all future generations, not just to the generation that discovered them. National laws should be made to ensure the current and future governments don’t use up the principle from the LNG cashflows but only live off the interest from these funds so the value of principle

"Screw you pig, go to jail while I walk free from NPF, whose laughing now" THE Task Force Sweep has swiftly moved to arrest former speaker of parliament Jeffery Nape in Kundiawa, Chimbu, on the eve of the 37th Independence Day anniversary. Nape was alleged to have misused K5 million. A warrant of arrest issued by the Task Force Sweep was used to apprehend Nape as he was leaving the Kundiawa court house last Friday where he was attending a separate bribery charge of K30,000. Nape was alleged to have offered K30,000 to a fellow candidate in the Sinasina-Yongumugl seat during the elections to induce him to step aside. Reports said Kundiawa police acted on the advice of police investigators attached to the Task Force Sweep to arrest Nape. “The Sweep team executed the warrant through Goroka police who then briefed the job to Kundiawa police to effect arrest,” an officer said. He said the police have a duty to perform for the state. Therefore, they executed the warrant to make the

"Screw you pig, go to jail while I walk free from NPF, whose laughing now" THE Task Force Sweep has swiftly moved to arrest former speaker of parliament Jeffery Nape in Kundiawa, Chimbu, on the eve of the 37th Independence Day anniversary. Nape was alleged to have misused K5 million. A warrant of arrest issued by the Task Force Sweep was used to apprehend Nape as he was leaving the Kundiawa court house last Friday where he was attending a separate bribery charge of K30,000. Nape was alleged to have offered K30,000 to a fellow candidate in the Sinasina-Yongumugl seat during the elections to induce him to step aside. Reports said Kundiawa police acted on the advice of police investigators attached to the Task Force Sweep to arrest Nape. “The Sweep team executed the warrant through Goroka police who then briefed the job to Kundiawa police to effect arrest,” an officer said. He said the police have a duty to perform for the state. Therefore, they executed the warran

The Kina TT sell rate is dropping fast in the last couple of days USD 0.4550, USD0.4531, USD0.4526 This is showing sign that this government is throwing the economy down the drain, unplanned borrowing, unnecessary spending, K500million deficit in 9 months is something to worry about yes the problem list still stand tall regardless of K76billion spend in the last 10 years. Constant PNG Power power blackouts, Incompetent Telikom PNG with unreliable services, Papua New Guineans being paid under colonial pay grade as compared to their expatriate colleague with little experiences, Roads system crumbling down, still no company has found innovation in building tar roads that will last for more than a year. Housing and health care is a problem for all urban areas in PNG and the worst is still in the rural areas, Government is not smart enough to develop sustainable agriculture project that can equal the magnitude of the LNG and other mining projects so to save our mineral resources for future

The Kina TT sell rate is dropping fast in the last couple of days USD 0.4550, USD0.4531, USD0.4526 This is showing sign that this government is throwing the economy down the drain, unplanned borrowing, unnecessary spending, K500million deficit in 9 months is something to worry about yes the problem list still stand tall regardless of K76billion spend in the last 10 years. Constant PNG Power power blackouts, Incompetent Telikom PNG with unreliable services, Papua New Guineans being paid under colonial pay grade as compared to their expatriate colleague with little experiences, Roads system crumbling down, still no company has found innovation in building tar roads that will last for more than a year. Housing and health care is a problem for all urban areas in PNG and the worst is still in the rural areas, Government is not smart enough to develop sustainable agriculture project that can equal the magnitude of the LNG and other mining projects so to save our mineral resources f