PNGBLOGS

OP/ED So now we know. And that is, the Prime Minister Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare did not just give the Deputy Prime Minister’s job to Wabag MP Sam Abal, and then elevated him to the Acting Prime Minister’s post. He was “advised” by senior government ministers Moses Maladina, Peter Ipatas, Andersen Agiru, Paul Tiensten, Arthur Somare, Peter O’Neill and John Pundari to do that. It is interesting to note that, apart from Andersen Agiru, the others are leaders of the coalition partners in the National Alliance led government. We are sure, the Acting Prime Minister will get around to “acknowledging and thanking” these men, but what we want to know is why? What was their motive? Was it because Mr Polye was a threat to them? Was it because with Mr Polye, they would not get their way and view Mr Abal as a push over? The Opposition provides its own answer, claiming the “king makers” did what they did to serve their own interest, that they would not find Mr Polye an easy man to influence. Ho

OP/ED So now we know. And that is, the Prime Minister Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare did not just give the Deputy Prime Minister’s job to Wabag MP Sam Abal, and then elevated him to the Acting Prime Minister’s post. He was “advised” by senior government ministers Moses Maladina, Peter Ipatas, Andersen Agiru, Paul Tiensten, Arthur Somare, Peter O’Neill and John Pundari to do that. It is interesting to note that, apart from Andersen Agiru, the others are leaders of the coalition partners in the National Alliance led government. We are sure, the Acting Prime Minister will get around to “acknowledging and thanking” these men, but what we want to know is why? What was their motive? Was it because Mr Polye was a threat to them? Was it because with Mr Polye, they would not get their way and view Mr Abal as a push over? The Opposition provides its own answer, claiming the “king makers” did what they did to serve their own interest, that they would not find Mr Polye an easy man to influence

The National Online Former Madang governor Sir Peter Barter has called for a stop on the harassment on Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare and his family. “Like many responsible citizens in PNG, I am dismayed and disgusted at the manner in which certain sections of the media, particularly in the newspapers, whipped up anti-Somare sentiments over the stepping down of Sir Michael, in regard to what appears to be an administrative or procedural rather than a substantive, alleged breach of the leadership code,” he said in a statement yesterday. “With just over 12 months to go, it is hard to imagine why he is being persecuted so relentlessly when the public knows he will not be contesting the elections in 2012. “I see him as an inspiring, encouraging and motivating leader. “He took the post as prime minister, not to be a manager or to organise, regulate and control processes but to represent his people and to lead,” Sir Peter said. “The unbalanced reports in the newspapers try to make Sir Mic

The National Online Former Madang governor Sir Peter Barter has called for a stop on the harassment on Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare and his family. “Like many responsible citizens in PNG, I am dismayed and disgusted at the manner in which certain sections of the media, particularly in the newspapers, whipped up anti-Somare sentiments over the stepping down of Sir Michael, in regard to what appears to be an administrative or procedural rather than a substantive, alleged breach of the leadership code,” he said in a statement yesterday. “With just over 12 months to go, it is hard to imagine why he is being persecuted so relentlessly when the public knows he will not be contesting the elections in 2012. “I see him as an inspiring, encouraging and motivating leader. “He took the post as prime minister, not to be a manager or to organise, regulate and control processes but to represent his people and to lead,” Sir Peter said. “The unbalanced reports in the newspapers try to make Sir

Rowan Callick The Australian THE Bougainville mine's development was fast-tracked by the Australian government. This occured when pressure built at the UN for Canberra to grant early independence to Papua New Guinea. The mine was intended to provide the new nation with solid income in addition to aid. In the 17 years from 1972 to 1989, it contributed about 44 per cent of PNG's exports, about 17 per cent of the government's revenue, and 10 per cent of PNG's gross domestic product. It employed 2800 people. The mine had been built by Rio Tinto in the face of landowner opposition. Women -- through whom land in much of Bougainville is inherited -- lay down in front of bulldozers. It took until 1980 for the original compensation package to be signed with 600 families. PNG's decentralisation to 20 provincial governments resulted from Bougainville's threat to pull of PNG in 1976, a fortnight before Australia was due to declare it independent -- threatening to rob the ne

Rowan Callick The Australian THE Bougainville mine's development was fast-tracked by the Australian government. This occured when pressure built at the UN for Canberra to grant early independence to Papua New Guinea. The mine was intended to provide the new nation with solid income in addition to aid. In the 17 years from 1972 to 1989, it contributed about 44 per cent of PNG's exports, about 17 per cent of the government's revenue, and 10 per cent of PNG's gross domestic product. It employed 2800 people. The mine had been built by Rio Tinto in the face of landowner opposition. Women -- through whom land in much of Bougainville is inherited -- lay down in front of bulldozers. It took until 1980 for the original compensation package to be signed with 600 families. PNG's decentralisation to 20 provincial governments resulted from Bougainville's threat to pull of PNG in 1976, a fortnight before Australia was due to declare it independent -- threatening to ro

OP/ED National Court judge, Justice Graham Ellis, in an address to the people of Enga , urged them to maintain their change in their behaviour so that the province is safe for those who live there or visit. Justice Ellis said there has been a great thirst for justice in that province and he was happy that people were supporting his work to quench this thirst. In his own words, the good Judge said, “The change in the law and order in Enga Province has been caused by you, the people of Enga. The criminal cases that come to the National Court are the result of criminal behaviour. In the course of dealing with the result of criminal behaviour, we seem to have had an effect on the cause of that criminal behaviour. That is the most important change that has occurred in Enga Province this year. It is up to the people of Enga Province to keep that change in behaviour so that Enga Province is safer for those who live here and for those who visit here”. He told the people that what was achieved

OP/ED National Court judge, Justice Graham Ellis, in an address to the people of Enga , urged them to maintain their change in their behaviour so that the province is safe for those who live there or visit. Justice Ellis said there has been a great thirst for justice in that province and he was happy that people were supporting his work to quench this thirst. In his own words, the good Judge said, “The change in the law and order in Enga Province has been caused by you, the people of Enga. The criminal cases that come to the National Court are the result of criminal behaviour. In the course of dealing with the result of criminal behaviour, we seem to have had an effect on the cause of that criminal behaviour. That is the most important change that has occurred in Enga Province this year. It is up to the people of Enga Province to keep that change in behaviour so that Enga Province is safer for those who live here and for those who visit here”. He told the people that what was achie

SMH THE United States fears that Indonesian government neglect, rampant corruption and human rights abuses are stoking unrest in its troubled province of West Papua. Leaked embassy cables reveal that US diplomats privately blame Jakarta for instability and "chronic underdevelopment" in West Papua, where military commanders have been accused of drug smuggling and illegal logging rackets across the border with Papua New Guinea. A September 2009 cable from the US embassy in Jakarta says "the region is politically marginalized and many Papuans harbor separatist aspirations". An earlier cable, from October 2007, details claims by an Indonesian foreign affairs official about military influence in West Papua. "The Indonesian official] claims that the Indonesian Military (TNI) has far more troops in Papua than it is willing to admit to, chiefly to protect and facilitate TNI's interests in illegal logging operations," says the cable, obtained by WikiLeaks and