PNGBLOGS

ILYA GRIDNEFF, AAP The South Pacific's largest commercial bank had numerous warnings that senior staff in Papua New Guinea had close criminal connections, months before three branches were hit by robberies, documents show. Internal security briefings obtained by AAP show Bank South Pacific (BSP) was told in early 2008 of links between PNG's notorious gangs known as "raskols" and staff, with some criminals even visiting senior staff at BSP's Port Moresby head office. Documents show BSP's former head of security services, Duncan Smith, raised various security concerns with BSP executives after investigating the matter in February 2008. The following month, Smith was sacked - one year into his three-year contract with BSP - due to company "restructuring". Then on May 19, BSP's Kerema branch, in Gulf Province on PNG's southeast coast, was robbed of one million kina ($A400,000). PNG police subsequently arrested four local bank staff and a villag

ILYA GRIDNEFF, AAP The South Pacific's largest commercial bank had numerous warnings that senior staff in Papua New Guinea had close criminal connections, months before three branches were hit by robberies, documents show. Internal security briefings obtained by AAP show Bank South Pacific (BSP) was told in early 2008 of links between PNG's notorious gangs known as "raskols" and staff, with some criminals even visiting senior staff at BSP's Port Moresby head office. Documents show BSP's former head of security services, Duncan Smith, raised various security concerns with BSP executives after investigating the matter in February 2008. The following month, Smith was sacked - one year into his three-year contract with BSP - due to company "restructuring". Then on May 19, BSP's Kerema branch, in Gulf Province on PNG's southeast coast, was robbed of one million kina ($A400,000). PNG police subsequently arrested four local bank staff and a vil

National Editorial PNG is ill-prepared for the impact of liquefied natural gas (LNG). So far, we have watched the progress from gas agreement in May 2008 to financial closure on March 11 with little more than fascination. We have heard the talking-up of PNG LNG, about the enormous wealth creation and its potential to change our fortunes but thought little of how it might impact us individually or as a community. Partly, this has been because there has been little to work on. Nobody has given us any clue on the full cost and benefit of this project.   The blame for this must be placed squarely at the doorstep of the executive Government and on the steps of Parliament House. While there has been a ministerial economic committee formed for the express purpose of the LNG project, its sole purpose, so it would seem, up to now has been to speed up the approval of the project. Little has been done by way of preparing the nation for the effect which will have a tsunami-like consequence upon PN

National Editorial PNG is ill-prepared for the impact of liquefied natural gas (LNG). So far, we have watched the progress from gas agreement in May 2008 to financial closure on March 11 with little more than fascination. We have heard the talking-up of PNG LNG, about the enormous wealth creation and its potential to change our fortunes but thought little of how it might impact us individually or as a community. Partly, this has been because there has been little to work on. Nobody has given us any clue on the full cost and benefit of this project.   The blame for this must be placed squarely at the doorstep of the executive Government and on the steps of Parliament House. While there has been a ministerial economic committee formed for the express purpose of the LNG project, its sole purpose, so it would seem, up to now has been to speed up the approval of the project. Little has been done by way of preparing the nation for the effect which will have a tsunami-like consequence

BENNY SANDEKA   WHEN the National Government granted autonomous powers to the Bougainville government in 2001, few other provinces have also put their hands up. Notable among them are East New Britain followed by New Ireland. Morobe has made an indication to be autonomous but there have not been any serious follow-ups. When these old flames of self determination through autonomy were rekindled again in 2007, Prime Minister, Sir Michael Somare laid down the ground rules: Autonomy for Bougainville is a special case and the National Government will not entertain any more quest for autonomy brought to government by aspiring provinces. At the time of the Prime Minister making the public statement, East New Britain was well ahead of its preparation towards the attainment of autonomy. In fact, its bid for autonomy received full backing from East New Britain leaders in Cabinet at that time. But the government's stance on the issue has put their quest for autonomy on hold. Until

BENNY SANDEKA   WHEN the National Government granted autonomous powers to the Bougainville government in 2001, few other provinces have also put their hands up. Notable among them are East New Britain followed by New Ireland. Morobe has made an indication to be autonomous but there have not been any serious follow-ups. When these old flames of self determination through autonomy were rekindled again in 2007, Prime Minister, Sir Michael Somare laid down the ground rules: Autonomy for Bougainville is a special case and the National Government will not entertain any more quest for autonomy brought to government by aspiring provinces. At the time of the Prime Minister making the public statement, East New Britain was well ahead of its preparation towards the attainment of autonomy. In fact, its bid for autonomy received full backing from East New Britain leaders in Cabinet at that time. But the government's stance on the issue has put their quest for autonomy on ho

'God save Papua New Guinea' is one phrase that any one person would want to say given the country's current situation where government services are non-existent in rural areas and more so when corruption seemed to take precedence. When we talk about public service delivery, time and time again we refer to the very basic needs of health, education, roads and infrastructure, and law and order. These are the basis of our very survival and existence as a nation, but when these services are not delivered the way it is, then we tend to question what has gone wrong. More often we have the tendency of blaming the political leaders and bureaucrats of the failure on their part for not delivering the much needed services that we lack. But can we really blame them for all the failures or should we blame ourselves for doing nothing to get the leaders responsible for their actions. I believe we should blame ourselves, simply because we failed to exercise the "peoples'