PNGBLOGS

The government of Papua New Guinea has failed in a bid to stop the chief justice of the Supreme Court from presiding over case challenging the election of Prime Minister Peter O'Neill. Mr O'Neill's lawyers had filed a motion asking the Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia to remove himself from hearing the case, because his son, Terry Injia, worked for a law firm employed by the opposition. But Sir Salamo ruled on Wednesday there would be no conflict of interest after lawyers for former acting prime minister Sam Abal announced they had dropped Terry Injia's law firm, Steeles Lawyers, earlier in the day. "He is no longer involved in this case," Sir Salamo said, handing down his decision to a packed court room in Port Moresby. "My son has not appeared in these proceedings heard before me and he has not appeared today. "It was clear this morning that the firm has now withdrawn from the case." It was noted that Mr Injia had filed briefs for his firm, but

The government of Papua New Guinea has failed in a bid to stop the chief justice of the Supreme Court from presiding over case challenging the election of Prime Minister Peter O'Neill. Mr O'Neill's lawyers had filed a motion asking the Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia to remove himself from hearing the case, because his son, Terry Injia, worked for a law firm employed by the opposition. But Sir Salamo ruled on Wednesday there would be no conflict of interest after lawyers for former acting prime minister Sam Abal announced they had dropped Terry Injia's law firm, Steeles Lawyers, earlier in the day. "He is no longer involved in this case," Sir Salamo said, handing down his decision to a packed court room in Port Moresby. "My son has not appeared in these proceedings heard before me and he has not appeared today. "It was clear this morning that the firm has now withdrawn from the case." It was noted that Mr Injia had filed briefs for his firm

PAPUA New Guinea's founding father, Michael Somare, has left the Raffles hospital in Singapore, 4 1/2months after a series of operations for his heart condition. Aged 75, he emerged no longer prime minister or leader of the National Alliance, the biggest party in parliament. His son Arthur, who is also a parliamentarian, told AAP: "He's in good health and he'll be in Singapore a little while longer, quite simply to ensure he's in close proximity to the hospital." The National newspaper in PNG published an undated photo released by the Somare family of Sir Michael and Arthur Somare, taken at the hospital. The younger Somare told a court in Port Moresby on Monday that he supervised the service to his father, last Friday afternoon, of court papers to facilitate a legal challenge filed by the executive council of East Sepik province, which Sir Michael has represented in parliament for 43 years. The council is challenging the legitimacy of the parliamentary electio

PAPUA New Guinea's founding father, Michael Somare, has left the Raffles hospital in Singapore, 4 1/2months after a series of operations for his heart condition. Aged 75, he emerged no longer prime minister or leader of the National Alliance, the biggest party in parliament. His son Arthur, who is also a parliamentarian, told AAP: "He's in good health and he'll be in Singapore a little while longer, quite simply to ensure he's in close proximity to the hospital." The National newspaper in PNG published an undated photo released by the Somare family of Sir Michael and Arthur Somare, taken at the hospital. The younger Somare told a court in Port Moresby on Monday that he supervised the service to his father, last Friday afternoon, of court papers to facilitate a legal challenge filed by the executive council of East Sepik province, which Sir Michael has represented in parliament for 43 years. The council is challenging the legitimacy of the parliamenta

Papua New Guinea's Supreme Court has cleared the way for initial operations to begin next month at the $US1.5 billion ($A1.44 billion) Ramu Nickel project, a shareholder said in a statement. The Chinese majority-owned nickel and cobalt project, located about 75 kilometres west of the northern city of Madang, has faced 18 months of delays on environmental concerns. Australia-based minority shareholder Highlands Pacific Ltd said the Supreme Court had rejected an application for an injunction that would have stopped the project using a system of deep sea placement of tailings from the mine with a pipeline. It followed a similar ruling by the National Court of Madang on July 26. Highlands holds 8.56 per cent of the project. Metallurgical Corp of China leads a Chinese syndicate which holds 85 per cent. The rest of the project is held by the Papua New Guinea government. Ramu "will commence ore commissioning activities at the Basamuk treatment plant in September," managing direc

Papua New Guinea's Supreme Court has cleared the way for initial operations to begin next month at the $US1.5 billion ($A1.44 billion) Ramu Nickel project, a shareholder said in a statement. The Chinese majority-owned nickel and cobalt project, located about 75 kilometres west of the northern city of Madang, has faced 18 months of delays on environmental concerns. Australia-based minority shareholder Highlands Pacific Ltd said the Supreme Court had rejected an application for an injunction that would have stopped the project using a system of deep sea placement of tailings from the mine with a pipeline. It followed a similar ruling by the National Court of Madang on July 26. Highlands holds 8.56 per cent of the project. Metallurgical Corp of China leads a Chinese syndicate which holds 85 per cent. The rest of the project is held by the Papua New Guinea government. Ramu "will commence ore commissioning activities at the Basamuk treatment plant in September," managing

National Capital District Governor, Powes Parkop, has been accused of gross financial mismanagement in an internal audit report. READ THE REPORT HERE The audit report presents prima facie evidence that Parkop, City Manager, Leslie Alu and the Executive Management Committee have all acted beyond their powers in approving substantial payments to named individuals and companies without following proper processes. Parkop is also accused of breaching the Public Finance Management Act, the NCDC Act and the Organic Law on the Leadership Code. One prominent beneficiary of the Governor’s largess has been Justin Tkatchenko, a political ally of the Governor and the fundraising Chairman for the Governors Peoples Social Democratic Front Party. Payments made to Tkatchenko companies in 2010 totaled over K3 million for work on the NCDC Mini Park, Water Fountain, Waterslide and Zoo and Animal Farm. No quotation were provided for any of these works and there was no tender advertised or accepted, says t

National Capital District Governor, Powes Parkop, has been accused of gross financial mismanagement in an internal audit report. READ THE REPORT HERE The audit report presents prima facie evidence that Parkop, City Manager, Leslie Alu and the Executive Management Committee have all acted beyond their powers in approving substantial payments to named individuals and companies without following proper processes. Parkop is also accused of breaching the Public Finance Management Act, the NCDC Act and the Organic Law on the Leadership Code. One prominent beneficiary of the Governor’s largess has been Justin Tkatchenko, a political ally of the Governor and the fundraising Chairman for the Governors Peoples Social Democratic Front Party. Payments made to Tkatchenko companies in 2010 totaled over K3 million for work on the NCDC Mini Park, Water Fountain, Waterslide and Zoo and Animal Farm. No quotation were provided for any of these works and there was no tender advertised or accepted, say

The proposal by Mining Minister Byron Chan, the son of former prime minister Sir Julius Chan, has been tabled just as PNG -- which is often described as an island of gold in a sea of oil surrounded by gas is entering a massive resources boom. The industry, which employs 30,000 people, provides 80 per cent of PNG's export earnings and is sending annual economic growth soaring, up to 9.7 per cent of gross domestic product last year and 11 per cent expected in 2011. But analysts say any move to change the rules could derail the mining boom, which has led to most big mining companies in Australia move back into PNG in the past few years. "This was totally unexpected, and is especially explosive in election year, with landowner groups expected to cheer and push for renegotiation even of existing projects," one analyst said. Several planned LNG projects would also be affected. Greg Anderson, executive director of the PNG Chamber of Mines and Petroleum, yesterday told The Austra

The proposal by Mining Minister Byron Chan, the son of former prime minister Sir Julius Chan, has been tabled just as PNG -- which is often described as an island of gold in a sea of oil surrounded by gas is entering a massive resources boom. The industry, which employs 30,000 people, provides 80 per cent of PNG's export earnings and is sending annual economic growth soaring, up to 9.7 per cent of gross domestic product last year and 11 per cent expected in 2011. But analysts say any move to change the rules could derail the mining boom, which has led to most big mining companies in Australia move back into PNG in the past few years. "This was totally unexpected, and is especially explosive in election year, with landowner groups expected to cheer and push for renegotiation even of existing projects," one analyst said. Several planned LNG projects would also be affected. Greg Anderson, executive director of the PNG Chamber of Mines and Petroleum, yesterday told T

VERY few things happen in isolation in today’s world of globalising business and commerce. Rising cost of living throughout PNG is not just the price we pay for bad go­vernance but the net effects of a world gone crazy. There is hyperinflation in the months ahead. The evidence is everywhere. The United States is recklessly printing money while many of Europe’s economies are facing massive sovereign debts that threaten to bring not just those economies but the rest of Europe down with them. Greece, Portugal, Ireland and possibly Spain are now economies facing unsustainable debt burdens. And we thought debt of that sort was the exclusive preserve of least developed nations. Real estate markets conti­nue to be overpriced, both here and abroad, as if nobody has ever learnt from the pro­perty credit bubble burst of 2008 which triggered worldwide recession. The United States is simply printing more money to stay afloat but it has a huge debt that Congress and the president have not come to t

VERY few things happen in isolation in today’s world of globalising business and commerce. Rising cost of living throughout PNG is not just the price we pay for bad go­vernance but the net effects of a world gone crazy. There is hyperinflation in the months ahead. The evidence is everywhere. The United States is recklessly printing money while many of Europe’s economies are facing massive sovereign debts that threaten to bring not just those economies but the rest of Europe down with them. Greece, Portugal, Ireland and possibly Spain are now economies facing unsustainable debt burdens. And we thought debt of that sort was the exclusive preserve of least developed nations. Real estate markets conti­nue to be overpriced, both here and abroad, as if nobody has ever learnt from the pro­perty credit bubble burst of 2008 which triggered worldwide recession. The United States is simply printing more money to stay afloat but it has a huge debt that Congress and the president have not come to

The opposition’s nomination of Works Minister Peter O’Neill as Papua New Guinea’s new prime minister on 2 August came as a shock to many. But there were clues in some earlier press comments. Last year, O’Neill and the opposition agreed he would become the next prime minister if he crossed the floor before the mid-year challenge. And although Deputy Prime Minister Sam Abal was acting prime minister during Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare’s continuing absence in Singapore following heart surgery in April, the opposition succeeded in declaring the prime ministership vacant without following constitutional procedures. The National Alliance led government’s collapse arose in three phases. First was Somare’s coalition’s gradual loss of public support over the last few years on the back of failing government services across most the country and allegations of corruption over the dispersal of development funds. Second was the increasing frustration among opposition members with Somar

The opposition’s nomination of Works Minister Peter O’Neill as Papua New Guinea’s new prime minister on 2 August came as a shock to many. But there were clues in some earlier press comments. Last year, O’Neill and the opposition agreed he would become the next prime minister if he crossed the floor before the mid-year challenge. And although Deputy Prime Minister Sam Abal was acting prime minister during Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare’s continuing absence in Singapore following heart surgery in April, the opposition succeeded in declaring the prime ministership vacant without following constitutional procedures. The National Alliance led government’s collapse arose in three phases. First was Somare’s coalition’s gradual loss of public support over the last few years on the back of failing government services across most the country and allegations of corruption over the dispersal of development funds. Second was the increasing frustration among opposition members with Som

THE United Nations refugee agency will be sidelined from involvement in the Manus Island detention centre when it is reopened by Australia in several weeks' time. Immigration Minister Chris Bowen said the centre, in Papua New Guinea, would be “appropriately” administered. He said the Australian government would talk to the UNHCR, but the agency would not play a role in the centre's management. “We certainly don't envisage UNHCR involvement,” he told ABC radio. The Gillard government was anxious for the UNHCR to give its imprimatur to its Malaysian refugee swap, but the agency refused to endorse the deal. Australia and PNG reached an in-principle agreement on the use of the Manus Island centre, previously used by the Howard government, following the election last week of new PNG Prime Minister Peter O'Neill. Mr Bowen said the two governments were still working to finalise the details of the arrangement. He said it would be several weeks before the centre became operation

THE United Nations refugee agency will be sidelined from involvement in the Manus Island detention centre when it is reopened by Australia in several weeks' time. Immigration Minister Chris Bowen said the centre, in Papua New Guinea, would be “appropriately” administered. He said the Australian government would talk to the UNHCR, but the agency would not play a role in the centre's management. “We certainly don't envisage UNHCR involvement,” he told ABC radio. The Gillard government was anxious for the UNHCR to give its imprimatur to its Malaysian refugee swap, but the agency refused to endorse the deal. Australia and PNG reached an in-principle agreement on the use of the Manus Island centre, previously used by the Howard government, following the election last week of new PNG Prime Minister Peter O'Neill. Mr Bowen said the two governments were still working to finalise the details of the arrangement. He said it would be several weeks before the centre became op

WE hear loud and clear the case made by the promoters of transferring ownership of resources to the land owning groups in the country. There is much credence in the arguments. Basically the arguments arise from inequity, not wrongful ow­nership. For decades, landowning groups from Guava v­illage in Panguna to the Min people of the Star Mountains and the Foe and Fasu of lake Kutubu have played obser­vers to the harvesting of billions of kina worth of mine­ral and hydrocarbon wealth on their land. Only a few landowner­ managers and leaders might have come into some real money but the majority received next to nil and remains destitute and frustrated. Transferring ownership to the landowners of their resources will not improve their case. Indeed, it will make murkier the muddy waters of land tenure system that we have in PNG. Since land ownership itself is a taxing question vesting ownership of wealth in the hands of a group of landowners is akin to giving a child a loaded pistol with the

WE hear loud and clear the case made by the promoters of transferring ownership of resources to the land owning groups in the country. There is much credence in the arguments. Basically the arguments arise from inequity, not wrongful ow­nership. For decades, landowning groups from Guava v­illage in Panguna to the Min people of the Star Mountains and the Foe and Fasu of lake Kutubu have played obser­vers to the harvesting of billions of kina worth of mine­ral and hydrocarbon wealth on their land. Only a few landowner­ managers and leaders might have come into some real money but the majority received next to nil and remains destitute and frustrated. Transferring ownership to the landowners of their resources will not improve their case. Indeed, it will make murkier the muddy waters of land tenure system that we have in PNG. Since land ownership itself is a taxing question vesting ownership of wealth in the hands of a group of landowners is akin to giving a child a loaded pistol with th

PAPUA New Guinea's new Prime Minister, Peter O'Neill, has vowed to introduce free education up to Year 10, create a centralised medical supplies base, rebuild the nation's core highways, extend the key airstrips in Port Moresby and Lae and rebuild the army and police. This highly ambitious program will fully occupy his large ministerial team through to the election due mid-next year. Mr O'Neill became Prime Minister after the parliament voted last week to declare that the position had been vacated by Michael Somare's four-month absence, and subsequent treatment in a Singapore hospital. He won the ensuing vote by a thumping 70 votes to 24. The first legal challenge to his election indicated that the proceedings may have been unconstitutional, but the court found that Mr Somare's lengthy absence had already introduced an element of dubious constitutionality as well as considerable uncertainty. The court also found that by participating in the vote those who were i

PAPUA New Guinea's new Prime Minister, Peter O'Neill, has vowed to introduce free education up to Year 10, create a centralised medical supplies base, rebuild the nation's core highways, extend the key airstrips in Port Moresby and Lae and rebuild the army and police. This highly ambitious program will fully occupy his large ministerial team through to the election due mid-next year. Mr O'Neill became Prime Minister after the parliament voted last week to declare that the position had been vacated by Michael Somare's four-month absence, and subsequent treatment in a Singapore hospital. He won the ensuing vote by a thumping 70 votes to 24. The first legal challenge to his election indicated that the proceedings may have been unconstitutional, but the court found that Mr Somare's lengthy absence had already introduced an element of dubious constitutionality as well as considerable uncertainty. The court also found that by participating in the vote those wh

Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O'Neill says his cabinet has approved an asylum seeker detention centre on Manus Island. Mr O'Neill told reporters in Port Moresby on Thursday a timeframe on the re-establishment of the centre was "entirely up to the Australian government", which would manage the centre. "The Papua New Guinea government has now approved that arrangement and we have invited officials from Australia to immediately set this facility up so that we can battle this ongoing regional issue," he said. "We also have similar problems in Papua New Guinea but it is not on the scale that is confronting our neighbour. But as a responsible government, we see that is a regional issue." He expects Australian officials to arrive in PNG at some point next week. While the Australian government would meet the cost of running the centre, PNG officials will assist and work closely with Australian officials ... "so that we can also build our own c

Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O'Neill says his cabinet has approved an asylum seeker detention centre on Manus Island. Mr O'Neill told reporters in Port Moresby on Thursday a timeframe on the re-establishment of the centre was "entirely up to the Australian government", which would manage the centre. "The Papua New Guinea government has now approved that arrangement and we have invited officials from Australia to immediately set this facility up so that we can battle this ongoing regional issue," he said. "We also have similar problems in Papua New Guinea but it is not on the scale that is confronting our neighbour. But as a responsible government, we see that is a regional issue." He expects Australian officials to arrive in PNG at some point next week. While the Australian government would meet the cost of running the centre, PNG officials will assist and work closely with Australian officials ... "so that we can also build our

A confidential report on Papuan separatists prepared by Indonesia's elite Kopassus military unit claimed armed groups stood ready for guerrilla war but had proof of just one weapon for every 10 men. The report "Anatomy of Papuan Separatists" was published by Australia's Fairfax newspapers Saturday, and claimed the people of the resource-rich eastern province were "easily influenced by separatist ideas". "Irrational demands for customary rights to land and limited transportation infrastructure (have) hampered economic growth," the report said. "Obedience and loyalty of Papuans towards their customary/religious leaders is very high, to the point that it has primacy over law and creates opportunities for horizontal conflict." Based on extensive surveillance operations in the special autonomous region, home to some 2.7 million people, the report contains dossiers on key figures in the Papuan independence movement, and lists its international