PNGBLOGS

South Pacific Post A STAGGERING K26 million “disappeared without a trace” from the Works Department - part of the money paid out for improvements and structures in the Highlands Highway Rehabilitation Program in Chimbu. The K26 million was part of the K54 million reportedly paid to the landowners for improvements and structures along the 20m corridors on the Highlands Highway between 2005 and 2006. “It is as if the money has sunk into a big hole. We can’t tell. There is not a single trace of it, we can’t account for this money,” Works Secretary Joel Luma said yesterday. Mr Luma said police could not carry out an investigation into the massive fraud involving the first payment of K54 million because their own investigation into the whole affair was incomplete. “We have names on the cheques but we do not have addresses and telephone numbers. How do you trace these payments? It is very hard because we can’t verify the payments,” Mr Luma said. Mr Luma said there was an investigation by pol

South Pacific Post A STAGGERING K26 million “disappeared without a trace” from the Works Department - part of the money paid out for improvements and structures in the Highlands Highway Rehabilitation Program in Chimbu. The K26 million was part of the K54 million reportedly paid to the landowners for improvements and structures along the 20m corridors on the Highlands Highway between 2005 and 2006. “It is as if the money has sunk into a big hole. We can’t tell. There is not a single trace of it, we can’t account for this money,” Works Secretary Joel Luma said yesterday. Mr Luma said police could not carry out an investigation into the massive fraud involving the first payment of K54 million because their own investigation into the whole affair was incomplete. “We have names on the cheques but we do not have addresses and telephone numbers. How do you trace these payments? It is very hard because we can’t verify the payments,” Mr Luma said. Mr Luma said there was an investigation

SOLOMON STAR NEW mobile phone entrant bemobile has failed to live up to one of the first requirements under its licence. This had cost the Papua New Guinea-based telecommunications company USD$1.5 million (SBD$12 million). Telecommunications commissioner Nicholas Williams said he had taken the $12 million from a demand guarantee of USD$10 million (SBD$80) provided by bemobile to ensure its compliance with the network coverage obligation in its licence. Under its licence, mobile is required to launch a network serving 25 per cent of the population by 18 June 2010.  Mr Williams said he had given bemobile an extension until 30 August to become compliant with its licence.  “If bemobile were not to meet this new deadline, I will take an additional USD$1 million (SBD$8m) from the demand guarantee,” he said. “There are further coverage thresholds that bemobile is required to meet,” Mr Williams said. He said he expects bemobile to work strenuously and diligently to meet these thresholds and ca

SOLOMON STAR NEW mobile phone entrant bemobile has failed to live up to one of the first requirements under its licence. This had cost the Papua New Guinea-based telecommunications company USD$1.5 million (SBD$12 million). Telecommunications commissioner Nicholas Williams said he had taken the $12 million from a demand guarantee of USD$10 million (SBD$80) provided by bemobile to ensure its compliance with the network coverage obligation in its licence. Under its licence, mobile is required to launch a network serving 25 per cent of the population by 18 June 2010.  Mr Williams said he had given bemobile an extension until 30 August to become compliant with its licence.  “If bemobile were not to meet this new deadline, I will take an additional USD$1 million (SBD$8m) from the demand guarantee,” he said. “There are further coverage thresholds that bemobile is required to meet,” Mr Williams said. He said he expects bemobile to work strenuously and diligently to meet these thresholds and

SUSAN MERRELL Papua New Guinea (PNG) is embedded in the Australian psyche as the arena where many died fighting for their country during the Second World War. Notions of Australian nationhood were born in the PNG jungles at places like Kokoda. More recently, PNG, while recognised as a country of huge mineral wealth is also one that is experiencing significant social and economic problems where corruption is rife. Transparency International rates PNG as 154th out of 180 countries on a corruption scale (180th being most corrupt). PNG has also been identified as part of the Asian/Pacific 'Arc of Instability' surrounding Australia, as such it's in Australia's best interests to prop up this young and fragile nation. To this end, since PNG independence, Australia has been providing the country with ever-increasing aid funding which is tipped to rise to $457 million next year. Nevertheless, PNG's problems just seem to worsen, begging the question of the aid's efficacy