PNGBLOGS

A Papuan New Guinea environmental advocacy group has accused Prime Minister Peter O’Neill of “falling silent” on the controversial  Solwara 1 deep sea mining venture planned off the coast of Madang. “Why has our Prime Minister fallen silent on this core issue?” asked Wence Magun, national coordinator for the Madang-based Mas Kagin Tapani and also a steering cvommittee member of the Deep Sea Mining (DSM) Campaign. The campaign wrote to O’Neill last December about its environmental concerns about the Solwara 1 mine and asked for documents relating to the approvals process of Nautilus Minerals Solwara 1 deep sea mine be made publicly available. The campaign is still awaiting a response from the PNG government. The group’s statement today said: Wence Magun, national coordinator for Mas Kagin Tapani, said: “After receiving our letter last December, Our Prime Minister described the environment as a “core issue”. “But communities are still waiting to hear how he will address the many risks as

A Papuan New Guinea environmental advocacy group has accused Prime Minister Peter O’Neill of “falling silent” on the controversial  Solwara 1 deep sea mining venture planned off the coast of Madang. “Why has our Prime Minister fallen silent on this core issue?” asked Wence Magun, national coordinator for the Madang-based Mas Kagin Tapani and also a steering cvommittee member of the Deep Sea Mining (DSM) Campaign. The campaign wrote to O’Neill last December about its environmental concerns about the Solwara 1 mine and asked for documents relating to the approvals process of Nautilus Minerals Solwara 1 deep sea mine be made publicly available. The campaign is still awaiting a response from the PNG government. The group’s statement today said: Wence Magun, national coordinator for Mas Kagin Tapani, said: “After receiving our letter last December, Our Prime Minister described the environment as a “core issue”. “But communities are still waiting to hear how he will address the many risks

By Susan Merrell There is so much smoke surrounding the name of Philip Eludeme, current Chairman of the Central Supplies and Tenders Board (CSTB - in the way of unanswered allegations and dubious past deals) that I'm forced to wonder why the Taskforce Sweep or Ombudsmans Commission do not have him in their sights, suspecting the smoke may lead them to the fire – because there's a serious conflagration burning unchecked in PNG. (Maybe they already do.) Another cursory google search has unearthed these allegations – they're out there already in the pubic forum, for anyone who has an interest to find.  They're lurking there available to those who have the power and the will to investigate: On March 9, 2012 a poster on a popular social media website, that has been mooted as changing the face of politics in PNG, remarked: Philip Eludeme a business associate to Belden Namah who is the SOLE DIRECTOR in this Bewani Palms Management Limited on this oil palm project is now the Ce

Yet another "witch" gets burned in Wa, Village, Mendi District, this is one of the many that is being reported. there are many that are being burned or tortured alive that are not being reported in the news media.

Yet another "witch" gets burned in Wa, Village, Mendi District, this is one of the many that is being reported. there are many that are being burned or tortured alive that are not being reported in the news media.

By LIVINGSTON HOSEA, UNITECH SRC PRESIDENT 2013 I feel urged and justified that you as tax payers and sponsors of Students in Papua New Guinea University of Technology deserves the right and are entitled to know the story of what is happening to the institution where your children are attending. I believe that equality and transparency to information dissemination is what every stake holder by law deserves a right to. The media has been flooded by a few individuals who are of interest to this institution. I quote from the Mediation Team Report that OHE commissioned a four-member Mediation Team, namely; Mr. Daniel Kapi (Team Chairman) - retired Senior Civil Servant and former Deputy Chairman of the National Strategic Plan Taskforce that produced the PNG Vision 2050 and a respectable community leader. Dr. Henry Okole- Senior Research Fellow in governance and institutional matters at the National Research Institute. He is also an advisor to the Provincial and Local-level Government Progr

By LIVINGSTON HOSEA, UNITECH SRC PRESIDENT 2013 I feel urged and justified that you as tax payers and sponsors of Students in Papua New Guinea University of Technology deserves the right and are entitled to know the story of what is happening to the institution where your children are attending. I believe that equality and transparency to information dissemination is what every stake holder by law deserves a right to. The media has been flooded by a few individuals who are of interest to this institution. I quote from the Mediation Team Report that OHE commissioned a four-member Mediation Team, namely; Mr. Daniel Kapi (Team Chairman) - retired Senior Civil Servant and former Deputy Chairman of the National Strategic Plan Taskforce that produced the PNG Vision 2050 and a respectable community leader. Dr. Henry Okole- Senior Research Fellow in governance and institutional matters at the National Research Institute. He is also an advisor to the Provincial and Local-level Governme

By GRAHAM ROBINSON Opposition Leader Hon. Belden Namah was blunt as usual in a press conference this afternoon when replying to questions from the media about his take on the Managing Director defying the orders of the CEO of this country with the eviction exercise at Waigani. Hon. Belden Namah was quick to respond as he provided a full account of how protocol is followed with directive from the top, claiming Peter O’Neill knew about the eviction, however was tight lipped, yet when things got out of hand, he stepped in to save face. “The MD or the Minister were not defying any directions from the PM. Initially when an eviction takes place the Chief Executive (referring to PM) is always consulted on any actions by any government departments or by any Minister. It was done (referring to the eviction exercise) with his full knowledge. Let me tell the people of Papua New Guinea, the public servants and the occupants of that particular house at Waigani; If you think that Peter O’Neill is a

By GRAHAM ROBINSON Opposition Leader Hon. Belden Namah was blunt as usual in a press conference this afternoon when replying to questions from the media about his take on the Managing Director defying the orders of the CEO of this country with the eviction exercise at Waigani. Hon. Belden Namah was quick to respond as he provided a full account of how protocol is followed with directive from the top, claiming Peter O’Neill knew about the eviction, however was tight lipped, yet when things got out of hand, he stepped in to save face. “The MD or the Minister were not defying any directions from the PM. Initially when an eviction takes place the Chief Executive (referring to PM) is always consulted on any actions by any government departments or by any Minister. It was done (referring to the eviction exercise) with his full knowledge. Let me tell the people of Papua New Guinea, the public servants and the occupants of that particular house at Waigani; If you think that Peter O’Ne

By GILBERT MONDO Susan Merrill again at the fore! Your comments are berated illustrious and contravening. Your standing in the public is questionable. Your mirage is outrageous. You prove to be a fool with the intent to demean and criminalize. You are a quake profusely littering the media! How comes Susan who lives in Sydney, Australia has adequate information of the politics and business activities here in PNG? It seems as though she is a proxy political propogandaist whose work is to derail the political career of Belden Namah. When Mr. Namah was the Deputy PM before the elections in June 2012, her outrageous comments of assassination of personal integrity and character was the obvious work of a popular plot of the deep political and business interests in the country. Mrs. Merrill is sponsored by politicians and business people to whitewash a national figure who vigorously fights white collar crime and corruption in the country. I am aware of her sources of information which nonethel

By Susan Merrell All roads lead to Rome. This is a letter to the editor in Thursday's Post Courier  ('Yutok' 21 February, 2013): Namah must own up I would like to ask Belden Namah, Opposition Leader and Member for Vanimo Green to clear himself on a corruption issue that is hanging on his back so that people can see him walking the talk in parliament and in the media. Can Mr Namah explain how his nominee was appointed as Chairman of the Central Supply & Tenders Board when he was Deputy Prime Minister? Can he explain to the people of Papua New Guinea why his nominee was appointed without following the appointment criterias [sic] for that position as per the law? Can he admit or deny the fact that the nominee was an accountant of a foreign road construction company before Mr Namah backed him to be Chairman of CSTB? Could the Opposition Leader admit or deny the fact that the alleged firm had swindled millions and millions of our people’s money in the K300 million Highlands

By JOE BEIG The following accounts of events transpired since formation of O’Neill-Dion government in August 2012 reflect the type of leadership and the government PNG has. These events impose various levels of serious national security threats and pose grave concern for PNG despite its status as a vibrant developing economy. These events are allowed to occur sporadically as a result of lack of transparency and governance by the O'Neill-Dion government. This government, though has numerical strength has been allowed to continuously abuse its powers through deliberate mismanagement of our blessed and beautiful country of Papua New Guinea. The following events will justify this notion; mysterious jet landing and departure, Djoko Tjandra saga, K6 billion loan from China, approval of sea bed mining, Lombrum asylum center, 89 Australian kiaps, Murray Barracks relocation and land grabbing plan, failed public service housing program, serious PNG/Indonesia border intrusion, Investment Corp

By JOE BEIG The following accounts of events transpired since formation of O’Neill-Dion government in August 2012 reflect the type of leadership and the government PNG has. These events impose various levels of serious national security threats and pose grave concern for PNG despite its status as a vibrant developing economy. These events are allowed to occur sporadically as a result of lack of transparency and governance by the O'Neill-Dion government. This government, though has numerical strength has been allowed to continuously abuse its powers through deliberate mismanagement of our blessed and beautiful country of Papua New Guinea. The following events will justify this notion; mysterious jet landing and departure, Djoko Tjandra saga, K6 billion loan from China, approval of sea bed mining, Lombrum asylum center, 89 Australian kiaps, Murray Barracks relocation and land grabbing plan, failed public service housing program, serious PNG/Indonesia border intrusion, Investme

Police  and members of the Lae’s East Taraka community  yesterday began  a hunt for three suspects wanted for  the rape of a Lae nurse  on Saturday.  This came  after one suspect turned himself   in  on Monday hours after Angau hospital staff  staged a sit in strike and demanded the arrest of the rapists within 48 hours.  The other was arrested by police yesterday. The first suspect  known only as “Nimo”   has given the  names and details of  three others.  "We know who they are... We need your help." As in many urban communities,  when crimes are committed,  there’s always somebody who knows the troublemakers.   The reaction from the community  has been one of outrage. Heads were shaken and the disgust and the anger on the faces of both young and old was clear as the police officer in charge called out the names of  three young men who broke into the nurse’s home. Those present at the meeting know them. They know their parents and they know where they live. “We have to bring