PNGBLOGS

Dionisia Tabureguci Despite negative criticisms in Papua New Guinea over the government’s proposed Special Economic Zone (SEZ) concept, the International Finance Corporation (IFC) believes it will boost PNG’s attractiveness as an investment destination. IFC—the investment arm of the World Bank–is helping the PNG government develop the legislative framework to allow the establishment of SEZs there. “SEZ is one way countries can use to attract investment,” the IFC said in a statement regarding its involvement in the PNG SEZ. “To be successful however, they need to be supported by the appropriate legislative and regulatory frameworks that protect local interests while ensuring development and investors meet international best practice. “Best practice dictates that governments assign additional administrative resources to ensure efficiencies and to make certain that companies comply with the necessary regulations,” the IFC said. PNG’s proposed SEZ concept and the involvement of

POST COURIER Department of Finance officials received more than K2 million in “consultation” fees in a case that has landed a private lawyer in hot water. According to documents tendered in the Waigani National Court, the payments were made by the lawyer to facilitate the release of two cheques, which were the payments for the East Awin land in the North Fly District of Western Province. This land was bought by the National Government in 1983 to resettle the West Papuan refugees and the payments were made in 2008 with the first K4 million released in January and another K6.8 million in December, from which the landowners received K1.4 million. The landowners from the Homuku, Pesegai, Witigi Kukub, Witime, Yesa. Ukya, Kuse Ide, Kuga and Modia Kuga clans sued their lawyer Felix Kange of Kange Lawyers early this year for the balance of their money. The matter had gone before National Court Judge, Justice Ambang Kandakasi who ordered the Kange and another defendant,

PNGEXPOSED Criticism of The National newspaper for its biased reporting and staunch defence of the logging industry is not new. Everyone knows The National is owned by Malaysian logging giant Rimbunan Hijau who have a long history of illegal logging, corrupt deals and human rights abuses. By last Monday we saw an interesting example of just how subtle their distortions can be. On October 11, MP Belden Namah placed full page advertisements in both The National and the Post Courier newspapers. To the casual observer the text of both advertisements were the same, but in fact The National made two subtle changes to the text submitted by the MP. First The National removed these words about controversial DEC Secretary, Wari Iamo “This is the same man who the Ombudsman Commission recommended should face expulsion from the public service for his involvement in illegal forestry allocations” In fact the OC recommended Wari be removed for his involvement in illegal forestry allocations to RIMBUN

PNGEXPOSED Criticism of The National newspaper for its biased reporting and staunch defence of the logging industry is not new. Everyone knows The National is owned by Malaysian logging giant Rimbunan Hijau who have a long history of illegal logging, corrupt deals and human rights abuses. By last Monday we saw an interesting example of just how subtle their distortions can be. On October 11, MP Belden Namah placed full page advertisements in both The National and the Post Courier newspapers. To the casual observer the text of both advertisements were the same, but in fact The National made two subtle changes to the text submitted by the MP. First The National removed these words about controversial DEC Secretary, Wari Iamo “This is the same man who the Ombudsman Commission recommended should face expulsion from the public service for his involvement in illegal forestry allocations” In fact the OC recommended Wari be removed for his involvement in illegal forestry allocat

JAMES COOK UNIVERSITY The accessible forests of Papua New Guinea are likely to be logged or disappear in the next decade or two, according to a leading international team of scientists. In an article in the journal Nature this week, the scientists say that weak governance in Papua New Guinea is allowing foreign logging companies to over-exploit the country’s native forests. “Most accessible forests in Papua New Guinea are being seriously over-exploited,” said lead author Professor William Laurance of James Cook University in Cairns, Australia. “The rate of logging is definitely unsustainable.” “Papua New Guinea has some of the world’s most biologically and culturally rich forests, and they’re vanishing before our eyes,” he said. Titus Kakul, a scientist from Papua New Guinea also based at James Cook University, said it was almost impossible to control the foreign logging companies. “Corruption plays a big role—it often defeats efforts to manage forests sustainably,” he said. Timber in

JAMES COOK UNIVERSITY The accessible forests of Papua New Guinea are likely to be logged or disappear in the next decade or two, according to a leading international team of scientists. In an article in the journal Nature this week, the scientists say that weak governance in Papua New Guinea is allowing foreign logging companies to over-exploit the country’s native forests. “Most accessible forests in Papua New Guinea are being seriously over-exploited,” said lead author Professor William Laurance of James Cook University in Cairns, Australia. “The rate of logging is definitely unsustainable.” “Papua New Guinea has some of the world’s most biologically and culturally rich forests, and they’re vanishing before our eyes,” he said. Titus Kakul, a scientist from Papua New Guinea also based at James Cook University, said it was almost impossible to control the foreign logging companies. “Corruption plays a big role—it often defeats efforts to manage forests sustainably,” he said. T

ROWAN CALLICK AS PAPUA NEW GUINEA ENTERS ITS 35TH YEAR as an independent country, its options—the risks and the opportunities—are looking surprisingly familiar. It has, of course, as its leader, the most durable, cleverest politician whom the Pacific region has ever produced, in Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare. He has been prime minister for 16 of PNG’s 35 years. Still, the succession remains uncertain—both the cause of instability within his own ranks and the wider political terrain and a tool through which he subtly maintains power. Just as so often in PNG’s past, the country is entering an upbeat period on the crucial economic front, with growth expected to reach eight percent this year, well ahead of the rest of the islands region—except Vanuatu—on the back of the launch of the costly construction of ExxonMobil’s A$16.5 billion liquefied natural gas project. Tantalising prospects As before, but in a far bigger way than ever, PNG’s resources are offering the country the tantalisin

ROWAN CALLICK AS PAPUA NEW GUINEA ENTERS ITS 35TH YEAR as an independent country, its options—the risks and the opportunities—are looking surprisingly familiar. It has, of course, as its leader, the most durable, cleverest politician whom the Pacific region has ever produced, in Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare. He has been prime minister for 16 of PNG’s 35 years. Still, the succession remains uncertain—both the cause of instability within his own ranks and the wider political terrain and a tool through which he subtly maintains power. Just as so often in PNG’s past, the country is entering an upbeat period on the crucial economic front, with growth expected to reach eight percent this year, well ahead of the rest of the islands region—except Vanuatu—on the back of the launch of the costly construction of ExxonMobil’s A$16.5 billion liquefied natural gas project. Tantalising prospects As before, but in a far bigger way than ever, PNG’s resources are offering the country the tantali

Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd has welcomed the completion of a comprehensive review of advisers which will lead to a more effective Australian aid program in Papua New Guinea. The PNG review is part of an overall Australian aid program adviser review announced in the May Budget Statement. 'The Australian Government is committed to strengthening the aid program and ensuring value-for-money across all the development assistance programs,' said Mr Rudd. Mr Rudd discussed the PNG adviser review report with his counterpart, PNG Foreign Minister Sam Abal this week. Both agreed the review had been a valuable exercise to ensure a more targeted allocation of advisers and a reduction in the level of advisory support. The finalisation of the review was an outcome of the July 2010 Australia - PNG Ministerial Meeting. The jointly conducted PNG adviser review examined the role of each adviser position to ensure that its allocation was an effective response to meeting agreed development needs a

Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd has welcomed the completion of a comprehensive review of advisers which will lead to a more effective Australian aid program in Papua New Guinea. The PNG review is part of an overall Australian aid program adviser review announced in the May Budget Statement. 'The Australian Government is committed to strengthening the aid program and ensuring value-for-money across all the development assistance programs,' said Mr Rudd. Mr Rudd discussed the PNG adviser review report with his counterpart, PNG Foreign Minister Sam Abal this week. Both agreed the review had been a valuable exercise to ensure a more targeted allocation of advisers and a reduction in the level of advisory support. The finalisation of the review was an outcome of the July 2010 Australia - PNG Ministerial Meeting. The jointly conducted PNG adviser review examined the role of each adviser position to ensure that its allocation was an effective response to meeting agreed development ne

Ilya Gridneff AAP Australia will sack more than a third of the advisers directing aid to Papua New Guinea in an attempt to eliminate waste in the nation's $457 million PNG assistance program. Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd said on Thursday he had advised his PNG counterpart Sam Abal of the government's decision to make big cuts in the ranks of the 487 Australian advisers working on PNG aid. He said a review of the PNG-Australia Development Cooperation Treaty had found "widespread dissatisfaction with the aid program" and the "capacity building through advisers model is not working". Advertisement: Story continues below A string of negative reports about Australia's PNG aid program have pointed to a pattern of waste through spending on consultancies and training, as well as exorbitant salaries. In June, it was revealed that one aid adviser working in PNG was on a package of $55,000 a month. However, Mr Rudd did not provide details of which positions would be

Ilya Gridneff AAP Australia will sack more than a third of the advisers directing aid to Papua New Guinea in an attempt to eliminate waste in the nation's $457 million PNG assistance program. Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd said on Thursday he had advised his PNG counterpart Sam Abal of the government's decision to make big cuts in the ranks of the 487 Australian advisers working on PNG aid. He said a review of the PNG-Australia Development Cooperation Treaty had found "widespread dissatisfaction with the aid program" and the "capacity building through advisers model is not working". Advertisement: Story continues below A string of negative reports about Australia's PNG aid program have pointed to a pattern of waste through spending on consultancies and training, as well as exorbitant salaries. In June, it was revealed that one aid adviser working in PNG was on a package of $55,000 a month. However, Mr Rudd did not provide details of which positions wo

BELDEN NAMAH MP I am now convinced that the Somare Government does not consider the interests of local people or the country to be of any importance. Increasingly, decisions that negatively affect every citizen are being made by this Government that are justified because they say they are in the ‘National Interest’. In fact, these decisions are only in the interest of the political elite and the robber companies that the Somare Government is now attracting to steal from Papua New Guinea’s resources. Environment Act amendments The Somare Government recently passed amendments to the Environment Act that allow one man, the Secretary of DEC, to exempt any company or developer from abiding by PNG’s environmental protection laws. This is the same man who the Ombudsman Commission recommended should face expulsion from the public service for his involvement in illegal forestry allocations. Now, when ever the Secretary or his political masters feel that a project is in ‘the national interest’