PNGBLOGS

PNGEXPOSED BLOG The National newspaper has done it again – publishing the public relations spin paid for by its parent company as if it is news and, worse still, not having the common decency to point out its clear conflict of interest. The National newspaper in Papua New Guinea is owned by Malaysian logging giant Rimbunan Hijau which is frequently criticized for illegal and unsustainable logging and human rights abuses – not that those accusations ever appear in The National. Rimbunan Hijau employs a guy called Alan Oxley to defend its logging operations and publish flattering reports about its behaviour under the guise of his consultancy company ITS. Today The National published as a news item a story (see below) about Oxley’s latest report, commissioned no doubt by RH, which claims that restricting illegal and unsustainable logging would be bad for PNG. Not one word from The National about Oxley’s connection to RH, not one word from The National about its connection to RH. Apart f

PNGEXPOSED BLOG The National newspaper has done it again – publishing the public relations spin paid for by its parent company as if it is news and, worse still, not having the common decency to point out its clear conflict of interest. The National newspaper in Papua New Guinea is owned by Malaysian logging giant Rimbunan Hijau which is frequently criticized for illegal and unsustainable logging and human rights abuses – not that those accusations ever appear in The National. Rimbunan Hijau employs a guy called Alan Oxley to defend its logging operations and publish flattering reports about its behaviour under the guise of his consultancy company ITS. Today The National published as a news item a story (see below) about Oxley’s latest report, commissioned no doubt by RH, which claims that restricting illegal and unsustainable logging would be bad for PNG. Not one word from The National about Oxley’s connection to RH, not one word from The National about its connection to RH.

SMH AID workers in Papua New Guinea will be making health patrols to isolated villages, in the steps of predecessors who brought the New World to locals more than 60 years ago. Australian patrol officers, known as kiaps, often trekked for days in harsh conditions, spreading the idea of government and law and order to villagers who had never seen white faces before. A product of the colonial era, the kiaps brought much-needed health supplies and new tools. They provided basic education and prolonged villagers' life expectancies. Advertisement: Story continues below Since independence in 1975 PNG governments have failed to deliver in remote areas despite huge resource revenues. With the kiaps now a distant memory, PNG is filled with highly paid advisers and consultants who rarely get their boots muddy or leave their air-conditioned Port Moresby offices. But late last month, in a significant shift of approach, an Australian special forces soldier and a doctor and nurse team helped PNG

SMH AID workers in Papua New Guinea will be making health patrols to isolated villages, in the steps of predecessors who brought the New World to locals more than 60 years ago. Australian patrol officers, known as kiaps, often trekked for days in harsh conditions, spreading the idea of government and law and order to villagers who had never seen white faces before. A product of the colonial era, the kiaps brought much-needed health supplies and new tools. They provided basic education and prolonged villagers' life expectancies. Advertisement: Story continues below Since independence in 1975 PNG governments have failed to deliver in remote areas despite huge resource revenues. With the kiaps now a distant memory, PNG is filled with highly paid advisers and consultants who rarely get their boots muddy or leave their air-conditioned Port Moresby offices. But late last month, in a significant shift of approach, an Australian special forces soldier and a doctor and nurse team he

OA AMORA Recent long delays to get my relatives issued with visas to come to Australia has prompted me to raise this concern to all Papua New Guineans.  PNG is now classified Category D by Australian Foreign Services. PNG is in the same category as Afghanistan, Iraq  etc. These countries are considered highly dangerous and problematic. Visa processing now takes one week before approval is given. This is to ensure proper background checks are made, whether people have sufficient funds to travel to Australia, whether their relatives in Australia are able to support them etc etc etc. As PNG is category D classification, there will continue to be delay after delay at the Aussie High in Pom. What irks me is that PNG politicians do not seem to give two hoots about this, yet many flock to Australia like grasshoppers. I was saddened to see my birth countryman standing for hours on end like cattle to be loaded on the road trains. I had tears in my eyes to see them standing in long windy lines.

OA AMORA Recent long delays to get my relatives issued with visas to come to Australia has prompted me to raise this concern to all Papua New Guineans.  PNG is now classified Category D by Australian Foreign Services. PNG is in the same category as Afghanistan, Iraq  etc. These countries are considered highly dangerous and problematic. Visa processing now takes one week before approval is given. This is to ensure proper background checks are made, whether people have sufficient funds to travel to Australia, whether their relatives in Australia are able to support them etc etc etc. As PNG is category D classification, there will continue to be delay after delay at the Aussie High in Pom. What irks me is that PNG politicians do not seem to give two hoots about this, yet many flock to Australia like grasshoppers. I was saddened to see my birth countryman standing for hours on end like cattle to be loaded on the road trains. I had tears in my eyes to see them standing in long windy li

IN this era when the government hands down record budgets, and there is runaway excess funds sufficient to bring on successive supplementary budgets, what is happening to the management of simple things such as payment of bills. The non-payment of a mere K11,040 worth of electricity bills has put at risk K6 million worth of medicinal supplies, which are kept in the Lae area medical store, for most parts of the country that requires constant cooling. It is not good enough that the accounts section of the Health Department yesterday released a cheque to pay the bill. The power was turned off at 10 am on Monday. More than 24 hours had elapsed. Were it not for the use of a diesel generator by the time the power was switched on, most of the medicine could have been beyond recovery or use. Much of the drugs are antibiotics and other medicine for pathology and laboratory. The drugs in the area medical store supply Morobe, Northern, Eastern Highlands, Chimbu, Western Highlands, Enga,