PNGBLOGS

by PAUL FLANAGAN   Papua New Guinea’s budget , released on 3 November and rushed through Parliament the same day, could have been so much better. Given the country’s record deficit levels, fiscal consolidation was vital even before the fall in international commodity prices. However, the proposed expenditure cuts do not match the government’s stated priorities of protecting health, education and infrastructure. They are also excessive – even more than those imposed on Greece as part of its structural adjustment program. Further, the budget suffers from factual errors relating to GDP and the external accounts, a lack of revenue effort, and inadequate transparency. This is the first of two posts providing a detailed analysis of the 2016 PNG Budget. GDP errors The budget makes a serious error in calculating PNG’s nominal GDP – and this affects all the key ratios and messaging from the budget. The nominal GDP budget estimates assume there has been no fall in LNG

by YAKAN LEPAKAILI In this post-modern era, the controversial infamous Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea namely Peter O’Neil, has failed to walk the talk. Peter O’Neil has threatened to withdraw the visa on arrival arrangements PNG has with Australia unless visa rights are reciprocated. This in record, broadcasted through radio Australia on the 15th of November 2013, titled “O’Neil threatens to scrap visa on arrival rights for Australians”. He (PO) unequivocally made the statement on the floor of Parliament and rest of the script is cut and pasted as follows: “Speaking in parliament, Mr O'Neill said he is disappointed with how long it takes Papua New Guineans to get an Australian visa. He says he is also upset with reports about inconvenient questions being asked by the Australian High Commission during the application process. "This visa on arrival business for all Australians will be withdrawn by the following year if we don't get a similar arrang

NIUGINI OUTLOOK The now infamous John Mangoes of PNG Power CEO fame was Digicel PNG CEO until the end of March. Mangoes competency at Digicel was questionable as Digicel service was frequently erratic and some things just seemed never to be fixed. But this past January, it was under Mangoes direction that the new Digicel customer service unit was establis hed under a returning Lorna McPherson and the much hated "no warning message before the voicemail charge" policy was finally done away with. At least that's what we thought. But the voice mail warning has come back on, with no advance warning, in the typical "we don't give a Sh!t about our customers" way. What happened to the supposed commitment to customer service? Enter Maurice McCarthy, another Irishman seeking to shovel as much money as possible towards Irishman Denis O'Brien, as he struggles under an overall Digicel debt of around USD $6 billion. The last 2 years of Digi

by BRYAN KRAMER It seems Digicel has not taken heed of my last article in relation to ripping off its customers nor have they taken corrective measures to discontinue violating our consumer rights. In recent weeks I've been busy taking to task the head of Government, a Prime Minister who evades arrest and facing corruption charges over misuse of public funds. I would rather commit all of my time pursuing that cause than expend my time bringing to account a billion kina foreign company on allegations of corrupt and deceptive practices, stealing from our illiterate and impoverished people. I intend to write two in-depth articles about Digicel: The first under the above headline and the second to discuss in detail the legal process of a class action lawsuit. We will look into their earnings, profits and capital expenditure. We will consider the facts that support my opinion that Digicel has been ripping off PNG, its No.1 earner. Both articles will leave Papua New Guineans gri

by NEMO YALO*  The National (19.10.15) in its editorial labelled the Opposition’s move to bring a motion of no confidence against the Government as “premature”. Referring to the speculated motion of no confidence it opened with the line: “Has Papua New Guinea gone to the dogs?” This is a seriously preposterous and bias characterization of a healthy process of democracy. Whether a motion of no confidence in the Prime Minister is tabled or not and what the outcome will be if it is voted is a matter for Parliament. What must not go unchallenged is The National’s lopsided and politically biased editorial. The editorial attempted to demonstrate balance by quoting what the Opposition and its members said in a recent press conference and then quoted the Prime Minister’s response to the Supreme Court ruling on 4 September 2015 which nullified the so-called “grace period” Constitutional amendment. The invalidated constitutional amendment granted a government 30 months i

PETER O’NEILL: ‘PNG’S CHAMPION OF PROGRESS’ FOR THE CORRUPT IN PNG As decreed in the Constitution of the Independent State of Papua New Guinea:- “By authority of our inherent right as ancient, free and independent peoples WE, THE PEOPLE, do now establish this sovereign nation and declare ourselves, under the guiding hand of God, to be the Independent State of Papua New Guinea. AND WE ASSERT, by virtue of that authority · that all power belongs to the people—acting through their duly elected representatives · that respect for the dignity of the individual and community interdependence are basic      principles of our society · that we guard with our lives our national identity, integrity and self respect · that we reject violence and seek consensus as a means of solving our common problems · that our national wealth, won by honest, hard work be equitably shared by all” All power is with us the people who must guard with our lives PNG’s nation

 by YAKAN LEPAKAILI   GOD OF ALL CREATION RULES AND DAY OF JUSTICE AGAINST EVIL, WICKEDNESS AND CORRUPTION IS EMINENT. Judge stays the lawyers’ travel ban and reinstatement of sacked top fraud squad cops is a victory for the people of Papua New Guinea. Crafty politicians and bureaucrats devise schemes giving the ruthless and totalitarian regime the competitive advantage over rival political opponents. When interrogated by the media, put on the brave face and front media with purported explanation stating letter does not link to PM or to say, sacking not politically motivated. Events evolved raises lot of eye brows revolving around Prime Minister’s authorisation of K71.8 million payments of controversial legal bills to Paul Paraka Lawyers executed by Lieutenant James Marape. Apparently, actions of Manasupe Zurenouc, Gari Baki and Mataio Rabura have correlational causation and aren’t isolated events. Arrogant Zurenouc, Baki and Rabura aren’t speaking with clear conscience for th

by MARK PARAKISAN S ensitive questions to break out the truth: WHY WAS PETER O'NEILL SO DESPERATE TO SECURE THE UBS LOAN? THE BEANS ARE SPILLING OUT. The very sad details about the UBS loan has been revealed. Knowing all this, one starts wondering why from all accounts, Peter O'Neill expressed more than happiness when the deal with through and the Oil Search shares were bought. Witne sses say he was overjoyed. Overjoyed? Anyone who knows Peter O'Neill knows that he is a man of few outward emotions. Yet, the UBS deal obviously meant something big to him. Very very big. There are 2 very obvious possibilities: Peter O'Neill was either receiving the proceeds of corrupt commissions, or he was profiting greatly off selling shares of Oil Search as the UBS loan co-occurred with the peak Oil Search price. "Corrupt commissions" are when someone with insider knowledge sets up a crony (or a relative) to be in charge of facilitating