PNGBLOGS

A COMBINED police team investigating high profile crimes in the nation’s capital yesterday made a major breakthrough when they arrested a wanted suspect. The arrested man Alphonse Sailas or Alfie as commonly known, who is alleged by high-profile robber William Kapris Nanua to have been the mastermind behind the 2007 Metals Refining Operations (MRO) armed robbery, was arrested over allegations of abduction and rape. Kapris had also claimed during a police interview and which was recorded in a widely circulated tape and recently said in court that the man was among the group involved in the MRO robbery. Last month, the arrested man was also referred to by senior National Court judge, Justice Bernard Sakora as the “mastermind’’ in the robbery that Kapris was part of in 2007 in which K78,000 cash and more than K2 million worth of gold bars were stolen. Justice Sakora made the query in light of Kapris’ testimony alleging the man to be the person who went ahead to organise the crime and late

A COMBINED police team investigating high profile crimes in the nation’s capital yesterday made a major breakthrough when they arrested a wanted suspect. The arrested man Alphonse Sailas or Alfie as commonly known, who is alleged by high-profile robber William Kapris Nanua to have been the mastermind behind the 2007 Metals Refining Operations (MRO) armed robbery, was arrested over allegations of abduction and rape. Kapris had also claimed during a police interview and which was recorded in a widely circulated tape and recently said in court that the man was among the group involved in the MRO robbery. Last month, the arrested man was also referred to by senior National Court judge, Justice Bernard Sakora as the “mastermind’’ in the robbery that Kapris was part of in 2007 in which K78,000 cash and more than K2 million worth of gold bars were stolen. Justice Sakora made the query in light of Kapris’ testimony alleging the man to be the person who went ahead to organise the crime and

JEREMY HANCE On May 28th the parliament in Papua New Guinea passed a sweeping amendment that protects resource corporations from any litigation related to environmental destruction, labor laws, and landowner abuse. All issues related to the environment would now be decided by the government with no possibility of later lawsuits. Uniquely in the world, over 90 percent of land in Papua New Guinea is owned by clan or communally, not be the government. However this new amendment drastically undercuts Papua New Guinea's landowners from taking legislative action before or after environmental damage is done. Essentially it places all environmental safeguards with the Environment and Conservation Minister. Comparing the amendment to the US deregulation that paved the way for the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, Papua New Guinea environmental and human rights lawyer, Tiffany Nonggorr, said the amendment seeks "to remove the checks and balances of the Environmental Act for proje

JEREMY HANCE On May 28th the parliament in Papua New Guinea passed a sweeping amendment that protects resource corporations from any litigation related to environmental destruction, labor laws, and landowner abuse. All issues related to the environment would now be decided by the government with no possibility of later lawsuits. Uniquely in the world, over 90 percent of land in Papua New Guinea is owned by clan or communally, not be the government. However this new amendment drastically undercuts Papua New Guinea's landowners from taking legislative action before or after environmental damage is done. Essentially it places all environmental safeguards with the Environment and Conservation Minister. Comparing the amendment to the US deregulation that paved the way for the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, Papua New Guinea environmental and human rights lawyer, Tiffany Nonggorr, said the amendment seeks "to remove the checks and balances of the Environmental Act for

SPEAKER of Parliament, Jeffery Nape, bowed to pressure from the Government to declare Sir Paulias Matane as Governor-General for a second term against advice from his own Parliamentary legal counsels. This is according to Parliamentary witnesses who said Mr Nape had been advised by his lawyers to seek a Supreme Court interpretation on the uncertainty surrounding Section 87(5) of the Constitution following a point of order raised by East Sepik Governor, Peter Wararu. They said this was to maintain the integrity of the Chair and the House in accordance with adopted and normal parliamentary best practices. They said despite clear advice also on maintaining the independence of the Chair, the Speaker announced the Government’s interpretation of the constitutional provision. Parliament had taken a vote on the eligibility of Sir Paulias as the incumbent Governor-General under the provision which saw him muster 84 votes with only 13 against. Mr Wararu’s point of order was for the Speaker’s rul

SPEAKER of Parliament, Jeffery Nape, bowed to pressure from the Government to declare Sir Paulias Matane as Governor-General for a second term against advice from his own Parliamentary legal counsels. This is according to Parliamentary witnesses who said Mr Nape had been advised by his lawyers to seek a Supreme Court interpretation on the uncertainty surrounding Section 87(5) of the Constitution following a point of order raised by East Sepik Governor, Peter Wararu. They said this was to maintain the integrity of the Chair and the House in accordance with adopted and normal parliamentary best practices. They said despite clear advice also on maintaining the independence of the Chair, the Speaker announced the Government’s interpretation of the constitutional provision. Parliament had taken a vote on the eligibility of Sir Paulias as the incumbent Governor-General under the provision which saw him muster 84 votes with only 13 against. Mr Wararu’s point of order was for the Speaker’

ACTNOW Prime Minister, Michael Somare, has a secret legislative plan that will make the proposed changes to the Leadership Code and even the recent amendments to the Environment Act seem relatively benign and insignificant. The PM is waiting for the opportunity to again by-pass proper Parliamentary process and bulldoze through legislation for a Special Economic Zones (SEZs) that will further impoverish rural Papua New Guineans and boost the profits of foreign multinational companies. The legislation will allow the government to declare key ports and coastal areas as Special Economic Zones where foreign companies can import goods duty free, enjoy lengthy tax holidays and avoid any minimum wage restrictions for the workers they employ. With this legislation the Prime Minister seems determined to further enslave his own people and consign them to a life of poverty while he lives the high life in the bosom of the foreign companies and governments he is allowing to plunder PNG. It is unders

ACTNOW Prime Minister, Michael Somare, has a secret legislative plan that will make the proposed changes to the Leadership Code and even the recent amendments to the Environment Act seem relatively benign and insignificant. The PM is waiting for the opportunity to again by-pass proper Parliamentary process and bulldoze through legislation for a Special Economic Zones (SEZs) that will further impoverish rural Papua New Guineans and boost the profits of foreign multinational companies. The legislation will allow the government to declare key ports and coastal areas as Special Economic Zones where foreign companies can import goods duty free, enjoy lengthy tax holidays and avoid any minimum wage restrictions for the workers they employ. With this legislation the Prime Minister seems determined to further enslave his own people and consign them to a life of poverty while he lives the high life in the bosom of the foreign companies and governments he is allowing to plunder PNG. It

NATIONAL EDITORIAL THE legal advice provided to the prime minister on the appointment of the governor-general is seriously flawed. The actions of Parliament in the recent controversial re-appointment of the governor-general were contrary to the explicit directions provided by the Constitution. The appointment of Grand Chief Sir Paulias Matane for a second term as governor-general, therefore, cannot be held to be legal. The legal advice or, as it turned out, the legal position adopted by the government and Parliament, is a clear misreading of section 87 of the Constitution and should not stand any serious contest of it in a court of law. The part of the Constitution cited as the basis for the advice is section 87(5). Clearly, and in plain English, that entire section deals only with “qualifications for appointment” to the post of governor-general. It makes no mention of the process for the “appointment of the GG” which is, again, very clearly spelled out in the following section. Sectio