PNGBLOGS

Source: DAN OAKES SMH PAPUA NEW GUINEA'S high commissioner has staged an astonishing attack on the Coalition and strongly endorsed the Gillard Labor government, throwing foreign affairs into the spotlight for the first time during the election campaign. Charles Lepani told the Herald that relations between his country and the Coalition had been severely damaged by the former Howard government, and that the opposition had made little effort to repair them since its defeat in 2007. Mr Lepani was speaking after a debate at the National Press Club between the deputy Liberal leader, Julie Bishop, and the Foreign Affairs Minister, Stephen Smith, in which Ms Bishop said that a Coalition government would repair relations with PNG. The diplomat said he was mystified by Ms Bishop's claim that the relationship between Australia and its former colony had deteriorated under Labor. ''There was no relationship left to repair when Labor was elected,'' Mr Lepani said. ''

Source: DAN OAKES SMH PAPUA NEW GUINEA'S high commissioner has staged an astonishing attack on the Coalition and strongly endorsed the Gillard Labor government, throwing foreign affairs into the spotlight for the first time during the election campaign. Charles Lepani told the Herald that relations between his country and the Coalition had been severely damaged by the former Howard government, and that the opposition had made little effort to repair them since its defeat in 2007. Mr Lepani was speaking after a debate at the National Press Club between the deputy Liberal leader, Julie Bishop, and the Foreign Affairs Minister, Stephen Smith, in which Ms Bishop said that a Coalition government would repair relations with PNG. The diplomat said he was mystified by Ms Bishop's claim that the relationship between Australia and its former colony had deteriorated under Labor. ''There was no relationship left to repair when Labor was elected,'' Mr Lepani said. &#

OP/ED WE have it on good authority that the third quarter school subsidies worth K3,134,125 for Central are now ready to be distributed to the five districts this week. We have it on good authority, too, that no school will get its share of subsidies if it has not submitted acquittals for its subsidy allocations for last year and for the first quarter of this year. A team from the provincial education division has issued stern instructions that no subsidy cheque ought to be paid unless and until acquittals are in.  “No acquittals, no subsidy,” provincial education adviser Titus Hatagen is quoted as saying in The National today. Hatagen appealed yesterday to school head teachers and boards of management to ensure subsidy acquittals are in. He has asked church agencies to help in this. The instructions will, of course, not go down well with many school headmasters and their governing boards. They are going to argue that the money is allocated by the government for their schools an

OP/ED WE have it on good authority that the third quarter school subsidies worth K3,134,125 for Central are now ready to be distributed to the five districts this week. We have it on good authority, too, that no school will get its share of subsidies if it has not submitted acquittals for its subsidy allocations for last year and for the first quarter of this year. A team from the provincial education division has issued stern instructions that no subsidy cheque ought to be paid unless and until acquittals are in.  “No acquittals, no subsidy,” provincial education adviser Titus Hatagen is quoted as saying in The National today. Hatagen appealed yesterday to school head teachers and boards of management to ensure subsidy acquittals are in. He has asked church agencies to help in this. The instructions will, of course, not go down well with many school headmasters and their governing boards. They are going to argue that the money is allocated by the government for their schools

By COUNTRYSIDE For the past 100 years, most of our iconic enterprises have been built on a pyramid scheme of boss man and his kago boi. From the perched plantations of the Niugini Islands to the cattle valleys of the Whagi Plain, it was all about the kago boi doing loads of work while boss yells every conceivable biological description of the female anatomy, to bring a sense of order. No knowledge building, no high end skill transfers, it was all about using our boys and girls as Lorries and trucks. I’d say not much has changed. Ok so we wear trendy clothes, have slick phones and work in air conditioned offices but guys, we’re still doing so much work for little remuneration. We’re still kago boi’ing around. But like anything in PNG, there are those who are making change in the most PNG way possible, Brukim Bush Tasol. Several years ago I befriended an influential lawyer who has been a dear mentor to me. He stands a mere 4,9 but you knew he was from the bar. With a shot gun o

By COUNTRYSIDE For the past 100 years, most of our iconic enterprises have been built on a pyramid scheme of boss man and his kago boi. From the perched plantations of the Niugini Islands to the cattle valleys of the Whagi Plain, it was all about the kago boi doing loads of work while boss yells every conceivable biological description of the female anatomy, to bring a sense of order. No knowledge building, no high end skill transfers, it was all about using our boys and girls as Lorries and trucks. I’d say not much has changed. Ok so we wear trendy clothes, have slick phones and work in air conditioned offices but guys, we’re still doing so much work for little remuneration. We’re still kago boi’ing around. But like anything in PNG, there are those who are making change in the most PNG way possible, Brukim Bush Tasol. Several years ago I befriended an influential lawyer who has been a dear mentor to me. He stands a mere 4,9 but you knew he was from the bar. With a shot gun o

WIKINEWS Click image to see original Screen Cap Police in Papua New Guinea have arrested the Culture and Tourism Minister, Guma Wau, and charged him with attempted murder. The host of Radio Australia's Pacific Beat programme, Firmin Nanol, reported that the minister was charged and detained for an hour before being released on bail in connection with the shooting of a 50 year old man on June 13 Minister Wau has said that he was driving through Kerowagi district when the road was blocked by local tribesmen who refused to let him pass, and as a result of this, he fired his pistol to break the crowd up. One of the bullets strayed and hit a local man, 50 year old John Agaundo, wounding him. Police in Chimbu have confiscated his pistol for examination. Minister Wau is due to appear before Kundiawa District Court today.

WIKINEWS Click image to see original Screen Cap Police in Papua New Guinea have arrested the Culture and Tourism Minister, Guma Wau, and charged him with attempted murder. The host of Radio Australia's Pacific Beat programme, Firmin Nanol, reported that the minister was charged and detained for an hour before being released on bail in connection with the shooting of a 50 year old man on June 13 Minister Wau has said that he was driving through Kerowagi district when the road was blocked by local tribesmen who refused to let him pass, and as a result of this, he fired his pistol to break the crowd up. One of the bullets strayed and hit a local man, 50 year old John Agaundo, wounding him. Police in Chimbu have confiscated his pistol for examination. Minister Wau is due to appear before Kundiawa District Court today.

Grave robbers in Papua New Guinea have reportedly dug up the body of one of the country's most loved and successful businessmen, Queensland-born Sir Brian Bell. Sir Brian, 82, a prominent home goods retailer, died on July 25 in a Brisbane hospital and was farewelled in a high profile funeral in Port Moresby last Thursday. PNG's Post-Courier newspaper reported on Monday that Sir Brian's coffin was dug up on Saturday and the body was moved so the robbers could look for valuables. However, family members told the newspaper Sir Brian "did not go for fancy things or jewellery and was buried in a suit and no trappings". The news has caused outrage in PNG, where Sir Brian was considered one of the country's most generous philanthropists. His funeral, which was broadcast live on PNG national television, attracted thousands of people and numerous dignitaries, including Prime Minister Michael Somare. One of the tributes at the funeral was given by his goddaughter, Austr

Grave robbers in Papua New Guinea have reportedly dug up the body of one of the country's most loved and successful businessmen, Queensland-born Sir Brian Bell. Sir Brian, 82, a prominent home goods retailer, died on July 25 in a Brisbane hospital and was farewelled in a high profile funeral in Port Moresby last Thursday. PNG's Post-Courier newspaper reported on Monday that Sir Brian's coffin was dug up on Saturday and the body was moved so the robbers could look for valuables. However, family members told the newspaper Sir Brian "did not go for fancy things or jewellery and was buried in a suit and no trappings". The news has caused outrage in PNG, where Sir Brian was considered one of the country's most generous philanthropists. His funeral, which was broadcast live on PNG national television, attracted thousands of people and numerous dignitaries, including Prime Minister Michael Somare. One of the tributes at the funeral was given by his goddaughter

By MICHAEL FIELD - Sunday Star Times Fiji and Papua New Guinea leaders have attacked New Zealanders as people not of the Pacific. Journalist and author Michael Field reflects on being a Kiwi in Pasifika. WHEN I first met Michael Somare, it was one of those rare moments when he wasn't prime minister of the country he largely created, Papua New Guinea. I was among crowds stuck at an airport in Madang in 2004, on PNG's northern Bismarck Sea coast. In the always interesting world of PNG, we were going nowhere because a wheel had fallen off the plane. Among the crowd were a group of old, sweating white men, some with the slouch hat of the Australian Infantry Corps that several decades before had fought the Japanese nearby. As PNG's founding prime minister at independence in 1975, Somare had a long struggle against Canberra. That hot Madang afternoon he went out of his way, pulling strings and using influence, caring for the old diggers. Thirty-five years on, Grand Chief Sir Mich

By MICHAEL FIELD - Sunday Star Times Fiji and Papua New Guinea leaders have attacked New Zealanders as people not of the Pacific. Journalist and author Michael Field reflects on being a Kiwi in Pasifika. WHEN I first met Michael Somare, it was one of those rare moments when he wasn't prime minister of the country he largely created, Papua New Guinea. I was among crowds stuck at an airport in Madang in 2004, on PNG's northern Bismarck Sea coast. In the always interesting world of PNG, we were going nowhere because a wheel had fallen off the plane. Among the crowd were a group of old, sweating white men, some with the slouch hat of the Australian Infantry Corps that several decades before had fought the Japanese nearby. As PNG's founding prime minister at independence in 1975, Somare had a long struggle against Canberra. That hot Madang afternoon he went out of his way, pulling strings and using influence, caring for the old diggers. Thirty-five years on, Grand Ch

By Countryside My dear grandmother died of thyroid cancer and it was ghastly. Her tender body rapidly deteriorated and because the cancer had closed her mouth, the only way to feed her was to drill a hole through her stomach and for to breathe, another through her throat. She had it bad and her odor was very strong, almost similar to putrification. It was advanced and after 6 months, she went home to be with the lord. You see cancer is a class of diseases in which a group of cells display uncontrolled growth (division beyond the normal limits), invasion (intrusion on and destruction of adjacent tissues), and sometimes metastasis (spread to other locations in the body via lymph or blood). These three malignant properties of cancers differentiate them from benign tumors, which are self-limited, and do not invade or metastasize. Most cancers form a tumor but some, like leukemia, do not. Cancers are caused by abnormalities in the genetic material of the transformed cells. These abnormal

By Countryside My dear grandmother died of thyroid cancer and it was ghastly. Her tender body rapidly deteriorated and because the cancer had closed her mouth, the only way to feed her was to drill a hole through her stomach and for to breathe, another through her throat. She had it bad and her odor was very strong, almost similar to putrification. It was advanced and after 6 months, she went home to be with the lord. You see cancer is a class of diseases in which a group of cells display uncontrolled growth (division beyond the normal limits), invasion (intrusion on and destruction of adjacent tissues), and sometimes metastasis (spread to other locations in the body via lymph or blood). These three malignant properties of cancers differentiate them from benign tumors, which are self-limited, and do not invade or metastasize. Most cancers form a tumor but some, like leukemia, do not. Cancers are caused by abnormalities in the genetic material of the transformed cells. These abnormal

PRIME Minister Sir Michael Somare has abrogated the National Alliance constitution to hand power over to his son. While the heat is on for Sir Michael to step aside and allow his deputy Don Polye to take over the top job, a ploy has also been engineered to dismantle the support of the National Alliance Highlands bloc for the latter. With the Minj national convention now deferred, concerns have been raised that Mr Polye is being marginalised while Sir Michael makes it conducive for his son to take over the top job. NA party president Simon Kaiwi has said the postponement was a result of recent political events and its implications on the party while Mr Polye reaffirmed his commitment to Sir Michael and the party yesterday. “As far as I know, the position of the NA leadership is filled and there is no vacancy. “The leader is currently Sir Michael and I totally support his leadership,” Mr Polye said. Cracks have emerged within the ruling party as late as the appointment of eight new minis

PRIME Minister Sir Michael Somare has abrogated the National Alliance constitution to hand power over to his son. While the heat is on for Sir Michael to step aside and allow his deputy Don Polye to take over the top job, a ploy has also been engineered to dismantle the support of the National Alliance Highlands bloc for the latter. With the Minj national convention now deferred, concerns have been raised that Mr Polye is being marginalised while Sir Michael makes it conducive for his son to take over the top job. NA party president Simon Kaiwi has said the postponement was a result of recent political events and its implications on the party while Mr Polye reaffirmed his commitment to Sir Michael and the party yesterday. “As far as I know, the position of the NA leadership is filled and there is no vacancy. “The leader is currently Sir Michael and I totally support his leadership,” Mr Polye said. Cracks have emerged within the ruling party as late as the appointment of eight new minis

OP/ED THE Port Moresby-based police inspector whose gun was used by a security guard to create panic on a business city thoroughfare has more than the gun to answer for. He has to answer to his commissioner, the Department of Personnel Management and to the Ombudsman Commission on what he was doing running a security company while he remained a senior member of the disciplined forces and a senior government employee. Stern rules bind the public servant to his employer, the state. The Public Service (Management) Act, section 76, prohibits any engagement in outside employment or business or in acquisition of land by any member of the national public service. The public service General Orders supports this provision at GO no.20, which specifies the areas where civil servants cannot engage in outside businesses or employment and other miscellaneous conducts which are improper. Failure to observe these orders would most normally attract the full rigours of the public service discip

OP/ED THE Port Moresby-based police inspector whose gun was used by a security guard to create panic on a business city thoroughfare has more than the gun to answer for. He has to answer to his commissioner, the Department of Personnel Management and to the Ombudsman Commission on what he was doing running a security company while he remained a senior member of the disciplined forces and a senior government employee. Stern rules bind the public servant to his employer, the state. The Public Service (Management) Act, section 76, prohibits any engagement in outside employment or business or in acquisition of land by any member of the national public service. The public service General Orders supports this provision at GO no.20, which specifies the areas where civil servants cannot engage in outside businesses or employment and other miscellaneous conducts which are improper. Failure to observe these orders would most normally attract the full rigours of the public service discip

 Australia Network News A Philippines fish cannery in Papua New Guinea has sacked over 400 of its employees for protesting against its failure to pay a wage rate of a dollar an hour. In 2009 PNG's Minimum Wages Board set its new wage rate at a dollar an hour. All employers were to pay the rate starting this year. PNG's Employers Federation says the RD Tuna cannery did not receive an exemption from the Department of Labour.The federation says therefore the company should pay the minim wage rate of a dollar an hour. RD Tuna applied for exemptions under the agriculture sector despite being an employer in the fisheries sector. The company's management says it will not implement the new wage rate until the Department of Labour makes a ruling. In March, PNG's Department of Labour advised companies which did not receive exemptions to implement the new wage rate. The Employers Federation has accused the Department of Labour of failing to inform companies individually. The

 Australia Network News A Philippines fish cannery in Papua New Guinea has sacked over 400 of its employees for protesting against its failure to pay a wage rate of a dollar an hour. In 2009 PNG's Minimum Wages Board set its new wage rate at a dollar an hour. All employers were to pay the rate starting this year. PNG's Employers Federation says the RD Tuna cannery did not receive an exemption from the Department of Labour.The federation says therefore the company should pay the minim wage rate of a dollar an hour. RD Tuna applied for exemptions under the agriculture sector despite being an employer in the fisheries sector. The company's management says it will not implement the new wage rate until the Department of Labour makes a ruling. In March, PNG's Department of Labour advised companies which did not receive exemptions to implement the new wage rate. The Employers Federation has accused the Department of Labour of failing to inform companies individual