PNGBLOGS

by MICHAEL PASSINGAN   More than K3 billion a year is likely being stolen and wasted by Prime Minister Peter O’Neill, his politicians, and their public service and private sector cronies. Over the five-year life of the O’Neill regime, they have likely stolen or wasted more than K15 billion. These estimates are based on figures made public by the Prime Minister himself, Works Minister Francis Awesa and the head of Task Force Sweep, Sam Koim. They demonstrate the enormous cost to the nation and the people of Papua New Guinea of O’Neill’s corruption and incompetence. They show that the rate of theft and other forms of corruption and waste under Peter O’Neill continues to increase. If O’Neill and his cronies had not stolen or misused K15 billion, Papua New Guinea would not be suffering from the current economic crisis. If the O’Neill regime had acted honestly, responsibly and competently, the decline in national development and service delivery could have been reversed. Instead, there h

by STEVEN ANDRE - PNGBLOGS Susan Merrell continues to amaze me at the way she ferociously attacks and defends herself on social media but not anymore. The name Susan Merrell is synonyms with keyboard warrior and she is very good at it. She claims and fiercely defends that she has a doctorate degree and two masters degrees. One would imagine that the degrees under her belt are sufficient to be an expert in her area of speciality. She poses so subtly as an independent commentator on PNG issues and with her proficiency and eloquence in English, bamboozles all other audiences and commentators alike to either follow her or left confused. Her recent wave of attacks mounted against respected citizens in the likes of Deputy Chief Justice Sir Gibbs Salika and Sam Koim of Papua New Guinea was a source of concern for me to know a little bit more about the person “Susan Merrell” and her motivations. An objective and critical observer who follows her trend of publications and commentar