PNGBLOGS

ISLAND BUSINESS Niue is backing Papua New Guinea in ending a 25-year relations with the United States, after it abrogated the South Pacific Tuna Treaty, signed in 1987. Making the statement a day after being re-elected Niue’s Premier, Toke Talagi said his country was on the same wavelength as PNG, which announced it did not want to continue under the present circumstances. The treaty allows US fishing boats limitless access to the Pacific’s tuna stocks. “We formally give notice to withdraw from the multilateral treaty on fisheries with the U.S.,” acting PNG Prime Minister Sam Abal was quoted as saying in April in the local daily newspaper Post Courier under a banner headline screaming “USA Ejected.” The decision effectively ended two years of fruitless negotiations to renew the treaty. “We’ve been begging them for years to update it, but they haven’t been listening at all,” said Sylvester Pokajam, a senior fisheries official in PNG, who is also the chairman of the Parties to the Nauru

ISLAND BUSINESS Niue is backing Papua New Guinea in ending a 25-year relations with the United States, after it abrogated the South Pacific Tuna Treaty, signed in 1987. Making the statement a day after being re-elected Niue’s Premier, Toke Talagi said his country was on the same wavelength as PNG, which announced it did not want to continue under the present circumstances. The treaty allows US fishing boats limitless access to the Pacific’s tuna stocks. “We formally give notice to withdraw from the multilateral treaty on fisheries with the U.S.,” acting PNG Prime Minister Sam Abal was quoted as saying in April in the local daily newspaper Post Courier under a banner headline screaming “USA Ejected.” The decision effectively ended two years of fruitless negotiations to renew the treaty. “We’ve been begging them for years to update it, but they haven’t been listening at all,” said Sylvester Pokajam, a senior fisheries official in PNG, who is also the chairman of the Parties to the Nau

JAKARTA POST State electricity monopoly PT PLN plans to seek additional natural gas supply from Australia and Papua New Guinea (PNG) to overcome a shortfall that has led to a significant increase in the company’s operating costs. This year, the company is struggling to acquire more gas to reduce costs in producing power amid soaring global oil prices, PLN president director Dahlan Iskan said in Jakarta on Friday. “We need around 1,800 million standard cubic feet per day [mmscfd] of gas, but we only receive 800 mmscfd from the government. If we our supply of gas was adequately met, we could save up to Rp 60 trillion [US$6.97 billion] a year,” he said. Due to the shortfall, PLN currently only produces 9,800 megawatts of electricity from its gas-fired power plants, below the maximum capacity of 11,000 megawatts. As reported earlier, PLN is also considering the possibility of importing liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Iran and Kuwait. The House of Representatives Commission VII overseeing

JAKARTA POST State electricity monopoly PT PLN plans to seek additional natural gas supply from Australia and Papua New Guinea (PNG) to overcome a shortfall that has led to a significant increase in the company’s operating costs. This year, the company is struggling to acquire more gas to reduce costs in producing power amid soaring global oil prices, PLN president director Dahlan Iskan said in Jakarta on Friday. “We need around 1,800 million standard cubic feet per day [mmscfd] of gas, but we only receive 800 mmscfd from the government. If we our supply of gas was adequately met, we could save up to Rp 60 trillion [US$6.97 billion] a year,” he said. Due to the shortfall, PLN currently only produces 9,800 megawatts of electricity from its gas-fired power plants, below the maximum capacity of 11,000 megawatts. As reported earlier, PLN is also considering the possibility of importing liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Iran and Kuwait. The House of Representatives Commission VII over

TIMES OF INDIA Mexico and Papua New Guinea have come up with a proposal that could either end the continuing impasse at the UN climate talks or break down negotiations completely. The two countries have proposed that instead of working by unanimity, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change should decide on major issues by a simple majority. At present, the gathering of 195 countries cannot take a decision without consensus. Till recently, consensus meant unanimity. But at the last big meeting in Cancun in 2010, the host Mexico dramatically altered that by over-ruling a very vocal Bolivia and finalized the 'Cancun agreements'. The Cancun agreements operationalised the controversial Copenhagen Accord, which could not be adopted earlier as a UN decision because some countries had opposed the move. Bolivia had said the Cancun agreements were leading to a regime that would not stop climate change but be a fig leaf for all. The Copenhagen accord had remained just a political sta

TIMES OF INDIA Mexico and Papua New Guinea have come up with a proposal that could either end the continuing impasse at the UN climate talks or break down negotiations completely. The two countries have proposed that instead of working by unanimity, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change should decide on major issues by a simple majority. At present, the gathering of 195 countries cannot take a decision without consensus. Till recently, consensus meant unanimity. But at the last big meeting in Cancun in 2010, the host Mexico dramatically altered that by over-ruling a very vocal Bolivia and finalized the 'Cancun agreements'. The Cancun agreements operationalised the controversial Copenhagen Accord, which could not be adopted earlier as a UN decision because some countries had opposed the move. Bolivia had said the Cancun agreements were leading to a regime that would not stop climate change but be a fig leaf for all. The Copenhagen accord had remained just a political

OP-ED   It was too good to last. That is our conclusion when we view the political marriage between the National Alliance Party (NA) and the United Resource Party (URP) now. In a country where political alliances used to last no more than 18 months, nine years both parties have stayed together is a record of sorts in the political history of Papua New Guinea. The current NA led Government swept to power in 2002 and retained the Government after the 2007 National Elections. The electors endorsed the NA as the party to lead Government by voting in 22 MPs while URP joined NA as its major coalition partner with six MPs. The two were joined by several junior political parties. With men like Don Pomb Polye, Sam Abal, Patrick Pruaitch, Paul Tiensten, William Duma, Anderson Agiru and Peter O’Neill with other leaders of the minor parties at the helm, they provided the needed support to the Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare, to establish a stable Government for this country. That partnership remai

OP-ED   It was too good to last. That is our conclusion when we view the political marriage between the National Alliance Party (NA) and the United Resource Party (URP) now. In a country where political alliances used to last no more than 18 months, nine years both parties have stayed together is a record of sorts in the political history of Papua New Guinea. The current NA led Government swept to power in 2002 and retained the Government after the 2007 National Elections. The electors endorsed the NA as the party to lead Government by voting in 22 MPs while URP joined NA as its major coalition partner with six MPs. The two were joined by several junior political parties. With men like Don Pomb Polye, Sam Abal, Patrick Pruaitch, Paul Tiensten, William Duma, Anderson Agiru and Peter O’Neill with other leaders of the minor parties at the helm, they provided the needed support to the Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare, to establish a stable Government for this country. That partnership rem

Advocate for Indigenous Constructions Industry  The National Development Bank (NDB) has major plans on improving its current branch office buildings in preparation for the proposed NDB micro-bank by giving contracts ONLY to Foreign Construction Companies by overlooking qualified PNG Indigenous contractors. It has started with the NDB Wewak branch in East Sepik to be the first to undergo this new deve¬lopment with the construction of a modern two-storey building. The National Development Bank (NDB) and its management needs to be mindful that not all Papua New Guineans are daft. This is open letter of rebuke to the Government and the directors of the National Development Bank and its management team regarding the recent awarding and signing of a K4.9m contract to build NDB bank office in Wewak by a foreign/Malaysian own Construction Company as reported in The National on Friday the 10th June 2011 . Please correct me, Is this not the same National Development and people’s bank under the

Advocate for Indigenous Constructions Industry  The National Development Bank (NDB) has major plans on improving its current branch office buildings in preparation for the proposed NDB micro-bank by giving contracts ONLY to Foreign Construction Companies by overlooking qualified PNG Indigenous contractors. It has started with the NDB Wewak branch in East Sepik to be the first to undergo this new deve¬lopment with the construction of a modern two-storey building. The National Development Bank (NDB) and its management needs to be mindful that not all Papua New Guineans are daft. This is open letter of rebuke to the Government and the directors of the National Development Bank and its management team regarding the recent awarding and signing of a K4.9m contract to build NDB bank office in Wewak by a foreign/Malaysian own Construction Company as reported in The National on Friday the 10th June 2011 . Please correct me, Is this not the same National Development and people’s bank under

Associated Press Police were preparing to charge the son of Papua New Guinea's acting prime minister with murder Thursday after a 29-year-old waitress' body was found at the family home. A guard at the house told police he saw the son, Theo Abal, and the woman arrive home in the early hours of Monday and head for a garden on the premises. Police said the guard later heard the woman scream and that Abal confessed to killing her. Acting Prime Minister Sam Abal said he personally reported the "alleged murder" to Police Commissioner Tony Wagambie on Monday after the woman's body was found at the home in the capital, Port Moresby. He made no comment on his son's alleged confession. Theo Abal was arrested at a Port Moresby hotel Tuesday night and was still in police custody Thursday. Police spokesman Supt. Dominic Kakas said police would charge Theo Abal, 21, with willful murder Thursday. He will likely make his first court appearance Friday when he is indicted, Kak

Associated Press Police were preparing to charge the son of Papua New Guinea's acting prime minister with murder Thursday after a 29-year-old waitress' body was found at the family home. A guard at the house told police he saw the son, Theo Abal, and the woman arrive home in the early hours of Monday and head for a garden on the premises. Police said the guard later heard the woman scream and that Abal confessed to killing her. Acting Prime Minister Sam Abal said he personally reported the "alleged murder" to Police Commissioner Tony Wagambie on Monday after the woman's body was found at the home in the capital, Port Moresby. He made no comment on his son's alleged confession. Theo Abal was arrested at a Port Moresby hotel Tuesday night and was still in police custody Thursday. Police spokesman Supt. Dominic Kakas said police would charge Theo Abal, 21, with willful murder Thursday. He will likely make his first court appearance Friday when he is indicted

AAP PAPUA New Guinea's acting Prime Minister Sam Abal said his family were "immediate suspects" in a murder case today after the corpse of a woman was found inside his Port Moresby compound. Heading the Pacific nation while veteran leader Michael Somare recovers from heart surgery in Singapore, Abal said an "unfortunate and regrettable incident" had taken place at the family home at the weekend. "The alleged murder took place within the perimeters of my private home," Abal said in a statement published by the Post Courier newspaper today. "All family members living with me are immediate suspects and are subject to investigation and questioning by police," he added. Abal had recently moved to a hotel and was not living at the Konedobu address, the newspaper said. The prime minister said he had personally called PNG's police commissioner about the matter and promised to "fully co-operate" with the investigation. "We will not

AAP PAPUA New Guinea's acting Prime Minister Sam Abal said his family were "immediate suspects" in a murder case today after the corpse of a woman was found inside his Port Moresby compound. Heading the Pacific nation while veteran leader Michael Somare recovers from heart surgery in Singapore, Abal said an "unfortunate and regrettable incident" had taken place at the family home at the weekend. "The alleged murder took place within the perimeters of my private home," Abal said in a statement published by the Post Courier newspaper today. "All family members living with me are immediate suspects and are subject to investigation and questioning by police," he added. Abal had recently moved to a hotel and was not living at the Konedobu address, the newspaper said. The prime minister said he had personally called PNG's police commissioner about the matter and promised to "fully co-operate" with the investigation. "We w

The Australian FOREIGN Minister Kevin Rudd has rejected a request from former Papua New Guinea prime minister Rabbie Namaliu that he to fly to Port Moresby to rescue the Gillard government's floundering asylum seeker deal. A spokesman for the Foreign Minister said: "Mr Rudd has no plans to travel to PNG at the near future. The PNG leadership is currently focused on issues other than the proposal for a regional processing centre." Sir Rabbie told The Australian on Sunday that last week's sacking of foreign minister Don Polye "put the relationship with Australia in a situation where nothing will happen on the asylum-seeker issue while Port Moresby's focus is on domestic politics". He said the key to concluding the deal would be "for the Australian government to send someone senior to PNG -- and I think if Kevin Rudd came up, the proposal would be made to work". He said that Acting Prime Minister Sam Abal, who sacked Mr Polye for plotting to oust

The Australian FOREIGN Minister Kevin Rudd has rejected a request from former Papua New Guinea prime minister Rabbie Namaliu that he to fly to Port Moresby to rescue the Gillard government's floundering asylum seeker deal. A spokesman for the Foreign Minister said: "Mr Rudd has no plans to travel to PNG at the near future. The PNG leadership is currently focused on issues other than the proposal for a regional processing centre." Sir Rabbie told The Australian on Sunday that last week's sacking of foreign minister Don Polye "put the relationship with Australia in a situation where nothing will happen on the asylum-seeker issue while Port Moresby's focus is on domestic politics". He said the key to concluding the deal would be "for the Australian government to send someone senior to PNG -- and I think if Kevin Rudd came up, the proposal would be made to work". He said that Acting Prime Minister Sam Abal, who sacked Mr Polye for plotting to

NASFUND CONTRIBUTOR The media in PNG is sickening in the sense that it lacks balanced investigative journalism. This story about the PNG Media Council misusing close to K2 million of AusAID money paints an even more scary scenario about PNG’s media. (RADIO AUSTRALIA, Mon, 6 Jun 2011) ---- A senior figure in Papua New Guinea's media council has been suspended after an audit of Australian aid found anecdotal evidence of fraud. Executive director Nimo Kama has been suspended after an independent audit of AusAID's funding to the organisation. AusAID said the audit found funds “had not been managed in accordance with procurement guidelines” and there was “anecdotal evidence of fraud”. A spokesman declined to say how much money is involved, but the ABC understands it is a few thousand dollars. AusAID provided the council with $US500, 000 in 2010, but further funding has been withheld until an investigation is complete. Council president Joe Kanekane has confirmed Kama's suspensi

NASFUND CONTRIBUTOR The media in PNG is sickening in the sense that it lacks balanced investigative journalism. This story about the PNG Media Council misusing close to K2 million of AusAID money paints an even more scary scenario about PNG’s media. (RADIO AUSTRALIA, Mon, 6 Jun 2011) ---- A senior figure in Papua New Guinea's media council has been suspended after an audit of Australian aid found anecdotal evidence of fraud. Executive director Nimo Kama has been suspended after an independent audit of AusAID's funding to the organisation. AusAID said the audit found funds “had not been managed in accordance with procurement guidelines” and there was “anecdotal evidence of fraud”. A spokesman declined to say how much money is involved, but the ABC understands it is a few thousand dollars. AusAID provided the council with $US500, 000 in 2010, but further funding has been withheld until an investigation is complete. Council president Joe Kanekane has confirmed Kama's susp

POST COURIER The PNG Maritime and Transport Workers Union with other sister union members who contribute to Nasfund are planning to stage a one day nationwide stop work. They want to protest against the Nasfund Executive Management and board members for illegally disbursing K125 million to National Capital Limited Kokopo project. The PNG Maritime and Transport Workers Union president John Mahuk made the announcement in a press statement yesterday. Mr Mahuk said the exact date of the stop work would be announced soon after a rally to be staged at the Jack Pidik Park. Mr Mahuk said Acting Prime Minister Sam Abal confirmed on May 19 in a meeting with the union that the transaction was illegal. “Mr Abal gave us his undertaking to revisit the illegal process and make it legal for the Government to honour this transaction. “However, there are some legislative changes to be made to a relevant act to protect workers’ savings,” Mr Mahuk said. He said the PNG Maritime Union in a lunch time meeti

POST COURIER The PNG Maritime and Transport Workers Union with other sister union members who contribute to Nasfund are planning to stage a one day nationwide stop work. They want to protest against the Nasfund Executive Management and board members for illegally disbursing K125 million to National Capital Limited Kokopo project. The PNG Maritime and Transport Workers Union president John Mahuk made the announcement in a press statement yesterday. Mr Mahuk said the exact date of the stop work would be announced soon after a rally to be staged at the Jack Pidik Park. Mr Mahuk said Acting Prime Minister Sam Abal confirmed on May 19 in a meeting with the union that the transaction was illegal. “Mr Abal gave us his undertaking to revisit the illegal process and make it legal for the Government to honour this transaction. “However, there are some legislative changes to be made to a relevant act to protect workers’ savings,” Mr Mahuk said. He said the PNG Maritime Union in a lunch time mee