PNGBLOGS

UP TO 94,000 hectares of land belonging to the indigenous people of New Hanover was sold to a foreign company for $US 1.6 million (K3.47 million). Incredible isn’t it, but yes the inconceivable idea that the Post-Courier revealed earlier this year on March 4 under the headline ‘Island sold to foreigners’ was true. It is alleged to be a conspiracy to the sale, outside the knowledge of the landowners. While it was technically not the whole island, it is a sizeable chunk situated west of Kavieng town in the New Ireland Province. The thought that an alleged foreign-owned company made the deal with another foreign company allegedly without the consent of the landowners itself is yet another case of the “land grabbing” disease. Contrary to the laws of Papua New Guinea, the sale went ahead allegedly to defraud the state and the people of New Hanover. As per the Sale and Purchase Agreement that the Post-Courier has a copy of, there are remittance advice of payments made in three installments (

UP TO 94,000 hectares of land belonging to the indigenous people of New Hanover was sold to a foreign company for $US 1.6 million (K3.47 million). Incredible isn’t it, but yes the inconceivable idea that the Post-Courier revealed earlier this year on March 4 under the headline ‘Island sold to foreigners’ was true. It is alleged to be a conspiracy to the sale, outside the knowledge of the landowners. While it was technically not the whole island, it is a sizeable chunk situated west of Kavieng town in the New Ireland Province. The thought that an alleged foreign-owned company made the deal with another foreign company allegedly without the consent of the landowners itself is yet another case of the “land grabbing” disease. Contrary to the laws of Papua New Guinea, the sale went ahead allegedly to defraud the state and the people of New Hanover. As per the Sale and Purchase Agreement that the Post-Courier has a copy of, there are remittance advice of payments made in three insta

The update: the Court convened. The members of the Supreme Court bench were Sir Salamo Injia (CJ), Gibbs Salika (DCJ), Bernard Sakora (J), Nicholas Kirriwom (J) and; Les Gavara-Nanu (J). The Lawyers were John Griffin QC for Hon. Dr. Allan Marat MP (Attorney-General) and; Michael Mal Varitimos QC for Hon. Belden Namah MP (Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Forrest and Climate Change and Acting Prime Minister). Derek Woods from Blake Dawson Waldron was for the Registrar of the Supreme and ; National Court. All the NEC members were present except Don Polye MP and Minister for Finance and Treasury and Theo Zurenuoc MP, Minister for Higher Education. The CJ, in his opening remarks, thanked the alleged contempnors (Nama and Marat) for their attendance. After that, the CJ advised that the discussions will be centered around bail and the conditions of bail as the Own Recognition (OR) bail granted by police lapsed in the morning. Submissions were made in that bail amounts and conditions were p

The update: the Court convened. The members of the Supreme Court bench were Sir Salamo Injia (CJ), Gibbs Salika (DCJ), Bernard Sakora (J), Nicholas Kirriwom (J) and; Les Gavara-Nanu (J). The Lawyers were John Griffin QC for Hon. Dr. Allan Marat MP (Attorney-General) and; Michael Mal Varitimos QC for Hon. Belden Namah MP (Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Forrest and Climate Change and Acting Prime Minister). Derek Woods from Blake Dawson Waldron was for the Registrar of the Supreme and ; National Court. All the NEC members were present except Don Polye MP and Minister for Finance and Treasury and Theo Zurenuoc MP, Minister for Higher Education. The CJ, in his opening remarks, thanked the alleged contempnors (Nama and Marat) for their attendance. After that, the CJ advised that the discussions will be centered around bail and the conditions of bail as the Own Recognition (OR) bail granted by police lapsed in the morning. Submissions were made in that bail amounts and conditions we

A full five-men Supreme Court bench has sternly instructed that Acting Prime Minister Belden Namah and Attorney General Doctor Allan Marat to appear before it tomorrow, before it can continue to hear an urgent application by the lawyers seeking to set-aside last week's orders of the court against them. Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia, delivered the warning on behalf of the bench, after almost ordering the detention of lawyers representing the two leaders. The directions of the High Court, follows an eventful day today in Port Moresby, starting with the arrest of Mr. Namah and Doctor Marat. There was hype in the capital city today, after Acting Prime Minister Belden Namah and Justice Minister and Attorney General Doctor Allan Marat, turned themselves in, to be arrested by police. The two leaders had surrendered at the Police Headquarters at Konedobu, at half-past-ten this morning, where they were arrested. Under a heavy guard, and a train of police escort the two leaders were brought

A full five-men Supreme Court bench has sternly instructed that Acting Prime Minister Belden Namah and Attorney General Doctor Allan Marat to appear before it tomorrow, before it can continue to hear an urgent application by the lawyers seeking to set-aside last week's orders of the court against them. Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia, delivered the warning on behalf of the bench, after almost ordering the detention of lawyers representing the two leaders. The directions of the High Court, follows an eventful day today in Port Moresby, starting with the arrest of Mr. Namah and Doctor Marat. There was hype in the capital city today, after Acting Prime Minister Belden Namah and Justice Minister and Attorney General Doctor Allan Marat, turned themselves in, to be arrested by police. The two leaders had surrendered at the Police Headquarters at Konedobu, at half-past-ten this morning, where they were arrested. Under a heavy guard, and a train of police escort the two leaders we

By Chang Jae-soon HONOLULU, Nov. 12 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Lee Myung-bak held a summit with Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O'Neill on Saturday, pledging to bolster energy and resources cooperation combining Korean technologies and the South Pacific nation's rich resources. The meeting took place in Hawaii on the sidelines of this year's summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum aimed at discussing ways to spur the global economy, create jobs, reform regulations and improve energy efficiency and security. During the meeting with O'Neill, Lee asked for support for South Korean firms operating in Papua New Guinea, noting that trade between the two countries has been on a steady rise since they established diplomatic relations in 1976, the presidential office said in a statement. O'Neill said that South Korean firms' participation in major infrastructure construction, such as roads, dams and power plants, has contributed to th