PNGBLOGS

The star of United States television medical series House , Hugh Laurie, is on his way to New Zealand and Papua New Guinea to film a feature adaptation of the novel Mister Pip . Mister Pip , written by New Zealand author Lloyd Jones in 2006, tells the story of the last white man left on the strife-torn island of Bougainville, Papua New Guinea. He reopens a school and reads his favourite novel, Great Expectations , to the students, inspiring a gifted 14-year-old named Matilda. Laurie, of Blackadder fame, who now stars in House , will film in New Zealand and on Bougainville in May. The New Zealand Film Commission, New Zealand on Air, TV3 and a number of overseas parties are funding the project. "It's an immensely touching, unique, yet completely unsentimental story of love. It is unlike any script I have read, or any story I have ever heard. Plus I get to go to Papua New Guinea and call it work. I am a very lucky man," Laurie told the Hollywood Reporter . New Zealande

The star of United States television medical series House , Hugh Laurie, is on his way to New Zealand and Papua New Guinea to film a feature adaptation of the novel Mister Pip . Mister Pip , written by New Zealand author Lloyd Jones in 2006, tells the story of the last white man left on the strife-torn island of Bougainville, Papua New Guinea. He reopens a school and reads his favourite novel, Great Expectations , to the students, inspiring a gifted 14-year-old named Matilda. Laurie, of Blackadder fame, who now stars in House , will film in New Zealand and on Bougainville in May. The New Zealand Film Commission, New Zealand on Air, TV3 and a number of overseas parties are funding the project. "It's an immensely touching, unique, yet completely unsentimental story of love. It is unlike any script I have read, or any story I have ever heard. Plus I get to go to Papua New Guinea and call it work. I am a very lucky man," Laurie told the Hollywood Reporter . New Zea

PAUL BARKER Institute of National Affairs It is disappointing that the Papua New Guinea Planning Minister should choose to criticise the feedback being provided by professionals with respect to the 20 year strategic plan (DSP2030), and notably the agricultural forecasts (full page advert in National of 8th April). Constructive feedback should be encouraged, recognised and appreciated, not condemned. Government plans should not be considered sacrosanct, and whilst there was certainly some consultation on the Vision 2050, it was limited for the DSP2030. If these are meant to be national plans, not just government plans, it is critical that there is wide public participation and endorsement. Medium and longer term plans are valuable tools if suitable resources are provided to enable their implementation, but it requires that the targets and forecasts are realistic and well researched. PNG has had many plans and strategies, but, as with the Medium Term Development Strategy (MT

PAUL BARKER Institute of National Affairs It is disappointing that the Papua New Guinea Planning Minister should choose to criticise the feedback being provided by professionals with respect to the 20 year strategic plan (DSP2030), and notably the agricultural forecasts (full page advert in National of 8th April). Constructive feedback should be encouraged, recognised and appreciated, not condemned. Government plans should not be considered sacrosanct, and whilst there was certainly some consultation on the Vision 2050, it was limited for the DSP2030. If these are meant to be national plans, not just government plans, it is critical that there is wide public participation and endorsement. Medium and longer term plans are valuable tools if suitable resources are provided to enable their implementation, but it requires that the targets and forecasts are realistic and well researched. PNG has had many plans and strategies, but, as with the Medium Term Development Strategy

ERIC ALOM If you are a Southern Highlander, you have a responsibility to express your opinion on issues that are of public interest. More importantly you have a responsibility to safeguard the resources, the income those resources bring to the province and how these funds are utilized within and outside the province, public infrastructure and other interests and the integrity of the province and its people. There are countless elites, alot in higher places but we keep turning a blind eye on alot of the things that happen in our province, especially on the issues of corruption and misappropriation of much needed public funds. We are failing to educate our people in the villages starting from our family units, clans, and then tribes and further, about the importance of education, healthy living and taking care of our body, independence and abstinence from co-dependency, enterprising, respect for ourselves, respect for elders, respect for others and respect for public property, hard work,

ERIC ALOM If you are a Southern Highlander, you have a responsibility to express your opinion on issues that are of public interest. More importantly you have a responsibility to safeguard the resources, the income those resources bring to the province and how these funds are utilized within and outside the province, public infrastructure and other interests and the integrity of the province and its people. There are countless elites, alot in higher places but we keep turning a blind eye on alot of the things that happen in our province, especially on the issues of corruption and misappropriation of much needed public funds. We are failing to educate our people in the villages starting from our family units, clans, and then tribes and further, about the importance of education, healthy living and taking care of our body, independence and abstinence from co-dependency, enterprising, respect for ourselves, respect for elders, respect for others and respect for public property, hard wo

PNGBLOGS This Letter was addressed to the Prime Minister, DPM, Finance Minister and other relevant authorities for intervention in the newly created Hela Province. MASSIVE CORRUPTION IN TARI PORI DISTRICT & HELA TRANSITIONAL AUTHORITY This open letter is produced on behalf of all the peace loving women, children and youth of Tari Pori District. Enough is enough, we are fed up of our MP for not bringing any development to our areas. We are not his fools telling us to form youth groups and think and behave like youths (liklik pikininis). We are adults and as responsible adults, we are standing up to fight corruption in our land. Please help us if you believe in helping children, women and youth. Please help us if your position exists to help the poor and suffering. Just visit our electorate, talk the district officials, physically inspect any projects being done, and go through their books. You will discover that Tari/Pori is rotten and stinks with corruption. Please get the message