PNGBLOGS

National Editorial PARLIAMENT cannot and must not set the terms and conditions of its own membership. Neither should Parliament vote for disbursement of funds which are to be channelled through its members alone. These powers or privileges must be disallowed by legislation. That this happens today is a travesty and contrary to the principles of good governance, of fair and equitable distribution of the nation’s wealth and of an impartial legislature. With the Speaker chairing the Salaries and Conditions Monitoring Committee (SCMC) which membership is mostly Parliamentarians, it is almost certain that decisions taken by this committee would most normally favour the Members of Parliament. And every decision has gone that way. The same is true for approving discretionary funds for members. The fund began in 1982 with the humble allocation of K10,000 per electorate under the equally humble description: Village Service Scheme. This has grown in size until in this term Parliament

National Editorial PARLIAMENT cannot and must not set the terms and conditions of its own membership. Neither should Parliament vote for disbursement of funds which are to be channelled through its members alone. These powers or privileges must be disallowed by legislation. That this happens today is a travesty and contrary to the principles of good governance, of fair and equitable distribution of the nation’s wealth and of an impartial legislature. With the Speaker chairing the Salaries and Conditions Monitoring Committee (SCMC) which membership is mostly Parliamentarians, it is almost certain that decisions taken by this committee would most normally favour the Members of Parliament. And every decision has gone that way. The same is true for approving discretionary funds for members. The fund began in 1982 with the humble allocation of K10,000 per electorate under the equally humble description: Village Service Scheme. This has grown in size until in this term Parlia

Island Business The most talked about issue in Papua New Guinea is corruption and how it is eating away at the fabric of a country that is often described by its political leaders as “the land of milk and honey” and “the land of plenty”. It is as if Papua New Guinea is a “promised land” with a people promised to inherit wealth of unprecedented proportions in the Pacific region. The reality, of course, is this “land of milk and honey” and “the land of plenty” is seeing an alarming rise in poverty among its increasing urban population and a shameful denial of basic services to 80 percent of its people who live in the rural areas of the Highlands, the coastline, swamplands and the islands. It is a land with a growing youthful population that is crying for employment with no success-a land that is seeing many of its young men turning to crime for survival. Everyone says the reason for the decline in wealth and services to the ordinary people of PNG is due to the increasing level of corrupt

Island Business The most talked about issue in Papua New Guinea is corruption and how it is eating away at the fabric of a country that is often described by its political leaders as “the land of milk and honey” and “the land of plenty”. It is as if Papua New Guinea is a “promised land” with a people promised to inherit wealth of unprecedented proportions in the Pacific region. The reality, of course, is this “land of milk and honey” and “the land of plenty” is seeing an alarming rise in poverty among its increasing urban population and a shameful denial of basic services to 80 percent of its people who live in the rural areas of the Highlands, the coastline, swamplands and the islands. It is a land with a growing youthful population that is crying for employment with no success-a land that is seeing many of its young men turning to crime for survival. Everyone says the reason for the decline in wealth and services to the ordinary people of PNG is due to the increasing level of corru

Greg Sheppard "I am Greg Sheppard, the lawyer the subject of the allegations made in this website Notwithstanding what you have read on this website, I have not rendered a fee for the opinion to the Forest Minister for K5 million, or for any sum at all. The suggestion that I have charged K5 million kina for a 7 page advice is simply not true. Considering that I have not been paid any money whatsoever for this matter, the allegation that I have split this fee with the Minister is also not true. I have decided to personally confront these slurs by setting out the facts of this issue and posting them on this website. In doing so, I do not intend to cower behind the anonymity of a hosted blog, or a handle, the way those making these allegations have done. Also I am happy to respond to bloggers’ polite queries about this issue if you want to email me on queries@ynw.com.pg. These are the facts. 1. If you look carefully at the published Invoice, it makes reference to an “attached letter

Greg Sheppard "I am Greg Sheppard, the lawyer the subject of the allegations made in this website Notwithstanding what you have read on this website, I have not rendered a fee for the opinion to the Forest Minister for K5 million, or for any sum at all. The suggestion that I have charged K5 million kina for a 7 page advice is simply not true. Considering that I have not been paid any money whatsoever for this matter, the allegation that I have split this fee with the Minister is also not true. I have decided to personally confront these slurs by setting out the facts of this issue and posting them on this website. In doing so, I do not intend to cower behind the anonymity of a hosted blog, or a handle, the way those making these allegations have done. Also I am happy to respond to bloggers’ polite queries about this issue if you want to email me on queries@ynw.com.pg. These are the facts. 1. If you look carefully at the published Invoice, it makes reference to an “attached l

Lucas Kiap The lack of government services in rural villages has resulted in the breakdown of law and order problems with escalating in violent crimes. Tribal fights and payback killings are very common with sorcery and witchcraft related killings also increasing. The Government only cares about what goes on at Waigani and does not have the time for the rural people.  In cities and towns, settlements are quickly developing, becoming a breeding grounds for street “mangis” (boys) who eventually find themselves on the streets searching for opportunities to survive – they simply don’t care if taking another person’s life is a crime to commit to survive. Far worse, there is no control over the influx of illegal Asian immigrants into the country, taking away business and employment opportunities from the locals.  Worse than that, there is a stiff rise in the smuggling of counterfeit goods by Asians into the country, evading government tax systems. The number of illegal bu

Lucas Kiap The lack of government services in rural villages has resulted in the breakdown of law and order problems with escalating in violent crimes. Tribal fights and payback killings are very common with sorcery and witchcraft related killings also increasing. The Government only cares about what goes on at Waigani and does not have the time for the rural people.  In cities and towns, settlements are quickly developing, becoming a breeding grounds for street “mangis” (boys) who eventually find themselves on the streets searching for opportunities to survive – they simply don’t care if taking another person’s life is a crime to commit to survive. Far worse, there is no control over the influx of illegal Asian immigrants into the country, taking away business and employment opportunities from the locals.  Worse than that, there is a stiff rise in the smuggling of counterfeit goods by Asians into the country, evading government tax systems. The number of illeg

Post Courier GULF Provincial Government says it will sue the State and the developer of PNG LNG Gas project ExxonMobil for more than two billion US dollars for what they claim to be failings in an Environmental Impact Study on the areas that will be directly affected by the project. In a news conference yesterday Gulf Governor Havila Kavo said the environmental study funded by the developer had not taken into account the negative impact this large scale project would bring to his people, especially the destruction to the marine life along the 400 kilometres from the Kikori Rriver and along the Gulf coastline where the gas pipeline is planned to be laid under the seabed. Mr Kavo decided to take this course of action after engaging a locally based environment company (Chem Clean Environmental Services) to undertake further study and to review and verify the EIS report. The environmental review and verification of the EIS report has been finalised and was officially presented to the Gulf