PNGBLOGS

By: SAM  BASIL MP The Prime Minister caused the Publication of the National Ministers constitutions the NEC and their respective Responsibilities in the National Gazette on Thursday 3'd March 2011, National Gazette No. G57 of 2011. In the publication, particularly Schedule 30 provides that Patrick Pruaitch as the Minister for State Assisting the Prime Minister. This is in direct contempt of the Orders of the Supreme Court in the case of Pruaitch v Manek [2010] PGSC 7;SCl052 (31 May 2010) where the Supreme Court declared that the leader was automatically suspended when the charges were served on the Tribunal. The highest Court of the land constituting Kirriwom J, Gavan-Nanu and Davani JJ declared that the leader was suspended forthwith. How could the PM then appoint him to be a minister of his cabinet?   The Tribunal is yet to hear the case against Mr. Pruaitch and as far as I could recall, there was no Court Order setting aside the Supreme Court Orders. Until the Tribunal fin

James Macpherson, Eric Kwa and Ray Anere    Crisis  Political climate change can create a political cyclone. Controversies over parliament’s election of the Governor-General, votes of no-confidence, environmental legislation, integrity of political parties, and infrequent meetings of parliament are political climate changes. Parliament risks unconstitutionality and irrelevance. This could be the cyclone. Opportunity Parliament has been adjourned to 10 May 2011 so that maintenance work can be done. This long period could be used by leaders to debate steps for defining electorates that will create a consti¬tutional, representative, and effective parliament after the 2012 National General Elections. How¬ever, will they? Storm Clouds Unconstitutional Elections for Provincial Electorates A stable government requires a parliament that is defined by its Constitution. However, provincial Members of Parliament (MPs) throughout the country are currently holding of¬fice in breach of the Constitu

James Macpherson, Eric Kwa and Ray Anere    Crisis  Political climate change can create a political cyclone. Controversies over parliament’s election of the Governor-General, votes of no-confidence, environmental legislation, integrity of political parties, and infrequent meetings of parliament are political climate changes. Parliament risks unconstitutionality and irrelevance. This could be the cyclone. Opportunity Parliament has been adjourned to 10 May 2011 so that maintenance work can be done. This long period could be used by leaders to debate steps for defining electorates that will create a consti¬tutional, representative, and effective parliament after the 2012 National General Elections. How¬ever, will they? Storm Clouds Unconstitutional Elections for Provincial Electorates A stable government requires a parliament that is defined by its Constitution. However, provincial Members of Parliament (MPs) throughout the country are currently holding of¬fice in breach of the Co

SPROX WALKER I was one of the many people who attended the lea­dership tribunal of Prime Mi­nister Sir Michael So­mare in court room 1 at the Waigani National Court premises recently. As a layman, I understand the different functions of the office of public prosecutor and the Om­budsman Commission. I also understand what the tribunal is and the purpose for its set-up and its conduct of the proceedings. During the course of the tribunal, three issues surfaced and I am troubled by them. First, the composition of the tribunal. Whilst I have no doubt about the academic and professional experiences of the members, I am disturbed by the quality of questions raised during the proceedings. These questions would not have risen if we had our own judges presiding. For the tribunal to understand the crux of the matter before them, they need to have a fair understanding of the constitutional planning committee report (CPC), the Constitution, relevant Organic Laws and enabling legislations. The coun

SPROX WALKER I was one of the many people who attended the lea­dership tribunal of Prime Mi­nister Sir Michael So­mare in court room 1 at the Waigani National Court premises recently. As a layman, I understand the different functions of the office of public prosecutor and the Om­budsman Commission. I also understand what the tribunal is and the purpose for its set-up and its conduct of the proceedings. During the course of the tribunal, three issues surfaced and I am troubled by them. First, the composition of the tribunal. Whilst I have no doubt about the academic and professional experiences of the members, I am disturbed by the quality of questions raised during the proceedings. These questions would not have risen if we had our own judges presiding. For the tribunal to understand the crux of the matter before them, they need to have a fair understanding of the constitutional planning committee report (CPC), the Constitution, relevant Organic Laws and enabling legislations. The

Major General JERRY SINGIROK MBE (Rtd) It has been fourteen years to this day when under my command as Commander Papua New Guinea Defence Force made a conscious decision, not only to abort the Sandline Contract “Contravene”, but also to expel Sandline mercenaries out of PNG and subsequently ask the then Prime Minister, his deputy and the Minister for Defence to resign. Historians and many commentators have marked this event as a major crisis in PNG history. However in the main it was a result of series of blunders on the part of the executive arm of the Government and policy advisor who had far ulterior motives other than addressing genuine plea for increased benefits for the landowners and the Bougainville Provincial Government. The result was a significant shift in the security decision making thus affecting national security within the context of protecting PNG’s national interest, subsequently unleashing the contract by the grieving party which was me as Commander and a handful of

Major General JERRY SINGIROK MBE (Rtd) It has been fourteen years to this day when under my command as Commander Papua New Guinea Defence Force made a conscious decision, not only to abort the Sandline Contract “Contravene”, but also to expel Sandline mercenaries out of PNG and subsequently ask the then Prime Minister, his deputy and the Minister for Defence to resign. Historians and many commentators have marked this event as a major crisis in PNG history. However in the main it was a result of series of blunders on the part of the executive arm of the Government and policy advisor who had far ulterior motives other than addressing genuine plea for increased benefits for the landowners and the Bougainville Provincial Government. The result was a significant shift in the security decision making thus affecting national security within the context of protecting PNG’s national interest, subsequently unleashing the contract by the grieving party which was me as Commander and a handful

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