PNGBLOGS

ROWAN CALLICK Papua New Guinea’s founding father Sir Michael Somare, now aged 75, was suspended for 14 days from April 4 for failing to provide annual reports on his assets and business dealings to the Ombudsman Commission as required. It is Sir Michael’s skills as a leader and player of the PNG political game—at once ornate and brutal—that have held his ruling coalition together for almost 10 years. He has been at the centre of PNG’s parliaments for 42 years. But this long-anticipated court case ended up appearing more like a part of the passing of the old independence era, rather than a decisive centerpiece of the PNG story. For regardless of Sir Michael’s fate, PNG is on the cusp of an extraordinary economic, social and political transition, one which the country has not seen since gaining independence from Australia in 1975. Where this change will take it, remains utterly uncertain. But that it is undergoing a convulsion is clear. A new generation is on the move, one which has bee

ROWAN CALLICK Papua New Guinea’s founding father Sir Michael Somare, now aged 75, was suspended for 14 days from April 4 for failing to provide annual reports on his assets and business dealings to the Ombudsman Commission as required. It is Sir Michael’s skills as a leader and player of the PNG political game—at once ornate and brutal—that have held his ruling coalition together for almost 10 years. He has been at the centre of PNG’s parliaments for 42 years. But this long-anticipated court case ended up appearing more like a part of the passing of the old independence era, rather than a decisive centerpiece of the PNG story. For regardless of Sir Michael’s fate, PNG is on the cusp of an extraordinary economic, social and political transition, one which the country has not seen since gaining independence from Australia in 1975. Where this change will take it, remains utterly uncertain. But that it is undergoing a convulsion is clear. A new generation is on the move, one which has

OP ED Only in Papua New Guinea do we find regulators that charge inordinately high rates for services which are more than affordable by the average consumer in other countries. There is any number of products and services that are taken for granted by people in the global community but seen as a luxury here. Take, for instance, internet usage and web access. In virtually every Western country, and an increasing number of developing nations, this service is relatively inexpensive for individuals, institutions and businesses alike. Yet, here in PNG, one cannot say the same. The reality is that rates charged by internet service providers here are proportionately higher on average than what you would find in Australia, Malaysia, Fiji and other neighbouring countries. Some say we charge the highest fees in the world. One must critically ask whether the laws regulating this service are there to enable or prohibit access to the worldwide information network. Entry into cyberspace should com

OP ED Only in Papua New Guinea do we find regulators that charge inordinately high rates for services which are more than affordable by the average consumer in other countries. There is any number of products and services that are taken for granted by people in the global community but seen as a luxury here. Take, for instance, internet usage and web access. In virtually every Western country, and an increasing number of developing nations, this service is relatively inexpensive for individuals, institutions and businesses alike. Yet, here in PNG, one cannot say the same. The reality is that rates charged by internet service providers here are proportionately higher on average than what you would find in Australia, Malaysia, Fiji and other neighbouring countries. Some say we charge the highest fees in the world. One must critically ask whether the laws regulating this service are there to enable or prohibit access to the worldwide information network. Entry into cyberspace should c

SOUTH PACIFIC POST William Nanua Kapris did not deliver K1.2 million of the Madang BSP heist to his Port Moresby-based sponsors within the time requested resulting in his capture along the Magi Highway. In a lengthy allocutus he delivered to the National Court sitting in Madang last Thursday, Kapris said soon after the heist on the Metals Refinery Operations in Port Moresby and his escape from custody he returned home to Kimbe He said it was while there that he got a call from Port Moresby that he would execute another robbery in Madang - the BSP Branch – and he was to travel there. He told the court a sum of K20,000 wired for his movements through a Helen Minape’s bank account in Kimbe. He described the woman as his big sister having grown up with her in Kimbe. He said one of his nephew’s hired a banana boat for him from a Talasea man and he travelled to Lae via Finshhafen. His boat skipper was Elvis Bala Aka and his other companion on the trip was Kito Aso. Kapris said they had no k

SOUTH PACIFIC POST William Nanua Kapris did not deliver K1.2 million of the Madang BSP heist to his Port Moresby-based sponsors within the time requested resulting in his capture along the Magi Highway. In a lengthy allocutus he delivered to the National Court sitting in Madang last Thursday, Kapris said soon after the heist on the Metals Refinery Operations in Port Moresby and his escape from custody he returned home to Kimbe He said it was while there that he got a call from Port Moresby that he would execute another robbery in Madang - the BSP Branch – and he was to travel there. He told the court a sum of K20,000 wired for his movements through a Helen Minape’s bank account in Kimbe. He described the woman as his big sister having grown up with her in Kimbe. He said one of his nephew’s hired a banana boat for him from a Talasea man and he travelled to Lae via Finshhafen. His boat skipper was Elvis Bala Aka and his other companion on the trip was Kito Aso. Kapris said they had no

JEFFERY LEVONGO Corruption follows a formula: C = M + D – A. C)Corruption equals (M) monopoly plus (D)discretion minus (A)accountability. Corruption flourishes when someone has monopoly power over a good or service, has the discretion to decide how much you get or whether you get it at all, and has no accountability. - Robert Klitgaard, “Addressing Corruption in Haiti.” This is exactly what is happening in the corridors of power especially in Government departments especially respect to projects fund – Land Owner MOA’s, Development projects etc. Just like any mathematical equation, to do the opposite to reduce corruption. Increase accountability – improve bite for Ombudsman Commission and penalise wrongdoers, reduce monopoly – meaning decentralising powers so that one office is not looking after everything. Some functions can be transferred to the provinces; Discretion must be removed by setting up clear policies, processes and guidelines to be followed.   Jeffery Levong