PNGBLOGS

JOHN FOWKE Stretok, having read your reply to Guest I do understand your need to use a pen-name, and commiserate with you sincerely on the loss and the experience you outline, if you will allow such expression from an old ex-colonial fool. Your depth of feeling, your commitment to the future of your country and your ability to express yourself are certainly not in doubt, and nor is the depth of frustration which your postings imply. Where you don't do yourself justice is to allow your obvious antipathy towards people like me and those who in one way or another, concur with the views I express, to go overboard so as to play the man, not the ball. Not that I take offence at your characterisation of John; as you will readily understand you are by no means the first to put me down as a nosy old bugger who should pull his head in. But both my late wife and I love- ( in her case loved)- your country and its people, and care about it a lot, and this is why, despite the possibility of offe

JOHN FOWKE Stretok, having read your reply to Guest I do understand your need to use a pen-name, and commiserate with you sincerely on the loss and the experience you outline, if you will allow such expression from an old ex-colonial fool. Your depth of feeling, your commitment to the future of your country and your ability to express yourself are certainly not in doubt, and nor is the depth of frustration which your postings imply. Where you don't do yourself justice is to allow your obvious antipathy towards people like me and those who in one way or another, concur with the views I express, to go overboard so as to play the man, not the ball. Not that I take offence at your characterisation of John; as you will readily understand you are by no means the first to put me down as a nosy old bugger who should pull his head in. But both my late wife and I love- ( in her case loved)- your country and its people, and care about it a lot, and this is why, despite the possibility of

IRIN PORT MORESBY, 16 March 2011 (IRIN) - Government officials in Papua New Guinea’s national health department have received massive kickbacks from pharmaceutical drug suppliers in a scandal that had been going on for nearly 10 years, but moves are afoot to tackle the problem, health officials say. Payments by medical suppliers to government officials for favours had run into the equivalent of hundreds of thousands of dollars, said the head of the country’s National Health Department (NDOH), Clement Malau, as well as senior hospital officers. “The Department of Health tendering process is not transparent. As a result, there is evidence that drugs have leaked, and favours have been given to individuals and companies... This has led to allegations of staff being paid for services rendered that were not in line with proper procurement processes,” Malau told IRIN. The procurement of medical supplies comes under the auspices of the NDOH, which procures drugs based on a national

IRIN PORT MORESBY, 16 March 2011 (IRIN) - Government officials in Papua New Guinea’s national health department have received massive kickbacks from pharmaceutical drug suppliers in a scandal that had been going on for nearly 10 years, but moves are afoot to tackle the problem, health officials say. Payments by medical suppliers to government officials for favours had run into the equivalent of hundreds of thousands of dollars, said the head of the country’s National Health Department (NDOH), Clement Malau, as well as senior hospital officers. “The Department of Health tendering process is not transparent. As a result, there is evidence that drugs have leaked, and favours have been given to individuals and companies... This has led to allegations of staff being paid for services rendered that were not in line with proper procurement processes,” Malau told IRIN. The procurement of medical supplies comes under the auspices of the NDOH, which procures drugs based on a

AAP A three-member tribunal hearing allegations of misconduct by Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Michael Somare has adjourned to consider its final decision. Tribunal chairman Roger Gyles on Tuesday adjourned the hearing, then said it hopes to decide Somare's fate this week. If the tribunal uncovers issues related to financial statements, the penalty would not be decided until next week, Gyles said. The fourth day of the leadership tribunal in Port Moresby heard closing submissions from both sides relating to 25 allegations that Somare failed to lodge his financial records as far back as 20 years ago.  Somare told the court on Monday he had lodged his returns every year and suggested staff might have lost some records that were missing from the Ombudsman Commission. But the commissioner who initiated the original investigation alleged that Somare had failed to lodge or did not lodge complete forms or did so late and thus breached his responsibility as prime minister. On Monday, the

AAP A three-member tribunal hearing allegations of misconduct by Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Michael Somare has adjourned to consider its final decision. Tribunal chairman Roger Gyles on Tuesday adjourned the hearing, then said it hopes to decide Somare's fate this week. If the tribunal uncovers issues related to financial statements, the penalty would not be decided until next week, Gyles said. The fourth day of the leadership tribunal in Port Moresby heard closing submissions from both sides relating to 25 allegations that Somare failed to lodge his financial records as far back as 20 years ago.  Somare told the court on Monday he had lodged his returns every year and suggested staff might have lost some records that were missing from the Ombudsman Commission. But the commissioner who initiated the original investigation alleged that Somare had failed to lodge or did not lodge complete forms or did so late and thus breached his responsibility as prime minister. On Mond

 AAP ANOTHER Australian aid worker in Papua New Guinea's capital Port Moresby has been carjacked at gunpoint. The female AusAID employee was returning home on Sunday night with a female friend when robbed by four men, at least two armed with firearms. According to a widely distributed email, sent to Australian officials by security personnel, there were no injuries. "The offenders attempted to keep the driver in the vehicle. "The driver refused and pushed past them and ran down the hill to the Crowne Plaza Hotel. "This particular location has experienced a number of reported carjackings in recent times," the email read. It is the third Australian and fourth person working for the Australian aid program this year to be robbed near their home in the popular diplomatic and expatriate area, Touaguba Hill. But numerous PNG citizens have told AAP they are also suffering a spike in violent carjackings across the city. Last month, an Irish female media adviser with PNG&