PNGBLOGS

Scott Waide Parliament has just passed a new law stopping landowners from interfering with developing companies like Ramu Nickel and LNG. This effectively stops landowners from expressing how they feel about developing projects. Ten from the Opposition voted against it. Seventy three voted for it. Members, The first two paragraphs are explanatory notes stating why the changes to the Environment act 200 should happen. Third paragraph is part of the law while the fourth to the seventh paragraph are explanations of the law changes. Paragraph 6 & 7 are interesting. 1) The explanatory notes state that: STATE THE LAW IS BEING MADE IN LIGHT OF RECENT COURT DECISION THAT HAS EXPOSED RESOURCE PROJECTS TO THE RISK THAT ANY PERMITS GRANTED BY THE STATE IN SATISFACTION OF LEGAL AND SCIENTIFIC REQUIREMENTS MAY NOT BE ENFORCEABLE... 2) The notes also state: A THIRD PARTY (FINANCED BY SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS), ALTHOUGH NOT STAKEHOLDERS CAN NOW CHALLENGE THE VALIDITY

Scott Waide Parliament has just passed a new law stopping landowners from interfering with developing companies like Ramu Nickel and LNG. This effectively stops landowners from expressing how they feel about developing projects. Ten from the Opposition voted against it. Seventy three voted for it. Members, The first two paragraphs are explanatory notes stating why the changes to the Environment act 200 should happen. Third paragraph is part of the law while the fourth to the seventh paragraph are explanations of the law changes. Paragraph 6 & 7 are interesting. 1) The explanatory notes state that: STATE THE LAW IS BEING MADE IN LIGHT OF RECENT COURT DECISION THAT HAS EXPOSED RESOURCE PROJECTS TO THE RISK THAT ANY PERMITS GRANTED BY THE STATE IN SATISFACTION OF LEGAL AND SCIENTIFIC REQUIREMENTS MAY NOT BE ENFORCEABLE... 2) The notes also state: A THIRD PARTY (FINANCED BY SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS), ALTHOUGH NOT STAKEHOLDERS CAN NOW CHALLENGE T

This just came from scribes in Parliament: Parliament has just passed a new law stopping landowners from interfering with developing companies like Ramu Nickel and LNG. This effectively stops landowners from expressing how they feel about developing projects. Ten from the Opposition voted against it. Seventy three voted for it.

This just came from scribes in Parliament: Parliament has just passed a new law stopping landowners from interfering with developing companies like Ramu Nickel and LNG. This effectively stops landowners from expressing how they feel about developing projects. Ten from the Opposition voted against it. Seventy three voted for it.

PNG Exposed We reported a few days ago on an email conversation with the Prime Minister’s daughter and Press Secretary about the Paraka Scams in which she struggled to explain why the government had not been to court to lift the injunction against prosecutions. Since then a few more emails have passed back and forth (which you can read below) but now Betha Somare seems to have pulled the plug; leaving us with the astonishing assertion that while yes, there are illegal activities going on, the government cannot be blamed and there are many positive developments for which the government gets no credit. Read the exchanges below and see if you are convinced…. Email 1. Betha Somare: As I mentioned in my previous email, I am not a lawyer and will pass on 
matters you have raised to the Attorney General’s office. Hopefully
they will be able to advise the way forward for government. Regards, Betha Somare, PM’s Media Unit Email 2. An observer responded: Thanks Beta for “at least” responding. B

National Editorial NORTHERN acting administrator Owen Awaita yesterday lamented the dire financial position of several local level governments in his province. While acknowledging the concerns of the LLGs, Awaita said funds had been delayed by the Department of Treasury. Problems facing the Higaturu, Kokoda, Kira, Kamata and Oro Bay LLGs are not exclusive to these LLGs alone. Throughout the country, LLGs have been operating on shoestring budgets and some with nil funds for many years. This third tier of government, the most neglected in the country, is also what we could refer to as the rock-face, or the frontline, in the development fight. Here is where the problems are, where the people are. Here is where the government ought to be concentrating most of it policies and programmes on, and it is not. Part of this problem lies with the national government and Parliament, in the way the law has been drafted and how government had consistently contravened certain provisions. Part of it l

National Editorial NORTHERN acting administrator Owen Awaita yesterday lamented the dire financial position of several local level governments in his province. While acknowledging the concerns of the LLGs, Awaita said funds had been delayed by the Department of Treasury. Problems facing the Higaturu, Kokoda, Kira, Kamata and Oro Bay LLGs are not exclusive to these LLGs alone. Throughout the country, LLGs have been operating on shoestring budgets and some with nil funds for many years. This third tier of government, the most neglected in the country, is also what we could refer to as the rock-face, or the frontline, in the development fight. Here is where the problems are, where the people are. Here is where the government ought to be concentrating most of it policies and programmes on, and it is not. Part of this problem lies with the national government and Parliament, in the way the law has been drafted and how government had consistently contravened certain provisions. Par

Hi all,  Just updating you all that we now have a new address for this blog. formerly known wakeuppng.blogspot.com  Its now www.pngblogs.com enjoy. Tanikiu bada erea....

Hi all,  Just updating you all that we now have a new address for this blog. formerly known wakeuppng.blogspot.com  Its now www.pngblogs.com enjoy. Tanikiu bada erea....

National Reports Senior public servants in the province and their cronies, in collusion with the banks, helped themselves to about K5 million of the total K18 million relief funds between 2007 and 2009, the auditor-general said in the report to the manager of the state-established Oro Restoration Authority, Sinai Brown. As a result, there were no major capital works and significant maintenance to restore services and infrastructure damaged by the cyclone in November 2007. Assistant auditor-general Gordon Kega, who was in charge of the investigation, recommended that all signi-ficant payments to individuals should be checked and individuals prosecuted for defrauding the state. The 11-page report to Brown, a copy of which was made available to The National, said 87 individuals were paid a total of K4,610,147 “for unknown services”. Neither Brown nor Northern administration officials could be contacted to comment on the report. The auditor-general’s office concluded that no proper financi

National Reports Senior public servants in the province and their cronies, in collusion with the banks, helped themselves to about K5 million of the total K18 million relief funds between 2007 and 2009, the auditor-general said in the report to the manager of the state-established Oro Restoration Authority, Sinai Brown. As a result, there were no major capital works and significant maintenance to restore services and infrastructure damaged by the cyclone in November 2007. Assistant auditor-general Gordon Kega, who was in charge of the investigation, recommended that all signi-ficant payments to individuals should be checked and individuals prosecuted for defrauding the state. The 11-page report to Brown, a copy of which was made available to The National, said 87 individuals were paid a total of K4,610,147 “for unknown services”. Neither Brown nor Northern administration officials could be contacted to comment on the report. The auditor-general’s office concluded that no proper financi

    PNG EXPOSED   Former Solicitor General, Zachary Gelu, should never be employed again in a senior position in the public service. This is the stark recommendation from the Commission of Inquiry into the Department of Finance after it found Gelu implicated in many of the scams in which a total of K780 million was stolen from the people of PNG between 2000 and 2006. The particular scam that prompted the Commission’s recommendation involved the former Administrator of the Southern Highlands, Tau Liu. In 1999 Liu claimed over K220,000 in damages from the State for alleged wrongful dismissal although in fact he had in fact only been suspended from duty, not terminated. In February 2003, then Solicitor General, Zachary Gelu, agreed to the claim and signed a deed of release in the sum of K305,410.61 (which included more that K70,000 in interest payments). The claim was approved by Gelu even though the State had initially filed a defense end had several good g

    PNG EXPOSED   Former Solicitor General, Zachary Gelu, should never be employed again in a senior position in the public service. This is the stark recommendation from the Commission of Inquiry into the Department of Finance after it found Gelu implicated in many of the scams in which a total of K780 million was stolen from the people of PNG between 2000 and 2006. The particular scam that prompted the Commission’s recommendation involved the former Administrator of the Southern Highlands, Tau Liu. In 1999 Liu claimed over K220,000 in damages from the State for alleged wrongful dismissal although in fact he had in fact only been suspended from duty, not terminated. In February 2003, then Solicitor General, Zachary Gelu, agreed to the claim and signed a deed of release in the sum of K305,410.61 (which included more that K70,000 in interest payments). The claim was approved by Gelu even though the State had initially filed a defense end had s

PEKU PILIMBO ONE of the richest province in Papua New Guinea is the Southern Highlands. It is a province that is meeting the oil supplies to several countries in the world after the Napanapa refinery was built. The province also boasts of having natural gas supplies after the recent discovery at Juha and Angore as well as others in the Western and Gulf provinces. The province will bring in billions of kina once production starts. But at the moment it is one of the poorest provinces when you look at the delivery of basic government services. There are very few sealed roads, bridges, hospitals, doctors, nurses, teachers, agriculture advisers, vocational teachers, missionaries, and the list goes on. The new LNG project will need good roads, communication, electricity, hospitals with doctors and other necessary facilities that will enable the successful operation. The country earns much of its revenue from exports of all the oil that is produced from the province. The amount o

PEKU PILIMBO ONE of the richest province in Papua New Guinea is the Southern Highlands. It is a province that is meeting the oil supplies to several countries in the world after the Napanapa refinery was built. The province also boasts of having natural gas supplies after the recent discovery at Juha and Angore as well as others in the Western and Gulf provinces. The province will bring in billions of kina once production starts. But at the moment it is one of the poorest provinces when you look at the delivery of basic government services. There are very few sealed roads, bridges, hospitals, doctors, nurses, teachers, agriculture advisers, vocational teachers, missionaries, and the list goes on. The new LNG project will need good roads, communication, electricity, hospitals with doctors and other necessary facilities that will enable the successful operation. The country earns much of its revenue from exports of all the oil that is produced from the province. The amou

PNG EXPOSED Port Moresby MP, Andrew Mald, is identified in the Finance Department Commission of Inquiry report as having stolen K5,193,538 from the people of PNG The MP, former Solicitor General Zacchary Gelu, former Attorney General Francis Damem and private lawyers Peter Pena and Jeffrey Abone are been recommended for prosecution over the unlawful payment to Mr Mald. The Commission of Inquiry uncovered how MP Mald submitted a fraudulent claim against the State, which, despite numerous flaws, was approved for payment by Gelu and Damem. Mald’s claim was in respect of a piece of land in Port Moresby, for which he claimed to have a valid lease. However the Commission of Inquiry found that Mald’s lease was unlawful and had been fraudulently obtained. That fraud included an illegal meeting of the Lands Board, falsification of the meeting minutes and a failure to gazette the lease. Not only was Mald’s lease totally illegal, his claim for damages was similarly flawed. The claim did not satis

PNG EXPOSED Port Moresby MP, Andrew Mald, is identified in the Finance Department Commission of Inquiry report as having stolen K5,193,538 from the people of PNG The MP, former Solicitor General Zacchary Gelu, former Attorney General Francis Damem and private lawyers Peter Pena and Jeffrey Abone are been recommended for prosecution over the unlawful payment to Mr Mald. The Commission of Inquiry uncovered how MP Mald submitted a fraudulent claim against the State, which, despite numerous flaws, was approved for payment by Gelu and Damem. Mald’s claim was in respect of a piece of land in Port Moresby, for which he claimed to have a valid lease. However the Commission of Inquiry found that Mald’s lease was unlawful and had been fraudulently obtained. That fraud included an illegal meeting of the Lands Board, falsification of the meeting minutes and a failure to gazette the lease. Not only was Mald’s lease totally illegal, his claim for damages was similarly flawed. The claim did not satis

By: PNG Exposed Betha Somare, the daughter of Prime Minister Michael Somare, and his Press Secretary has been been attempting to defend the governments lack of action on the Paraka Scams in an email correspondence forwarded to this blog. As you can read below, while Betha has been willing to talk, which is commendable, she has not yet been able to provide legitimate answers to some simple questions like: Why has the government not tried to get the injunction against prosecutions lifted? That question got a response any first year law student could spot was false and other questions about Gabriel Yer and the Kapris Tapes have been met with obfuscation – not answers. While Betha should be congratulated for her attempts at open government her answers so far do nothing to challenge the fact that her father, Michael Somare, is the Chief of a government that is overseeing the theft of millions of Kina every week from the people of PNG. Whether that is because: He is compl

Terry Bunpai The Political Horse Trading leading up to the PNG Governor General race has begun, the interest has spun a wide range of candidates and just as you can imagine, it has a lot of hype and aurora. We are observing closely on the issues surrounding the elections, we think this is a major event leading up to the General Elections in 2012. Governor Generals in the Commonwealth are the Heads of State, back in the years leading up to Independence from Australia, we took the stand to be part of the British Monarchy, while we do not have a history of segregation like that of India and other states, we had it coming very easily for us. When you try to compare how our country came out of the shadow in the periods when the United Nations was giving out a time-line for countries with territories like that of Australia, France, USA, and Britain to give Independence to states under their protectorate, we would assume we were lucky. Indeed we were lucky because we were still living in o

Terry Bunpai The Political Horse Trading leading up to the PNG Governor General race has begun, the interest has spun a wide range of candidates and just as you can imagine, it has a lot of hype and aurora. We are observing closely on the issues surrounding the elections, we think this is a major event leading up to the General Elections in 2012. Governor Generals in the Commonwealth are the Heads of State, back in the years leading up to Independence from Australia, we took the stand to be part of the British Monarchy, while we do not have a history of segregation like that of India and other states, we had it coming very easily for us. When you try to compare how our country came out of the shadow in the periods when the United Nations was giving out a time-line for countries with territories like that of Australia, France, USA, and Britain to give Independence to states under their protectorate, we would assume we were lucky. Indeed we were lucky because we were still living in o