PNGBLOGS

Parliament yesterday afternoon passed the 2012 National Budget of 10.5 billion Kina with members showing their support through voices and not a head count . Minister for Finance and Treasury Don Polye when speaking during the budget debate today, says the measure of any government in the world us measured by the well being of the people, and it’s vital that this historical budget be used to ensure opportunities are presented for more than 7 million people in Papua New Guinea in order to better their lives. Mr. Polye says the implementation of the budget is critical adding that the Government will start implementing major priorities in the budget like health, education, and transport infrastructure amongst others, and carrying out this task is the challenge of the O’Neill/Namah Government. When speaking on the Government free education policy next year for elementary right up to grade 10, Mr. Polye says education is the biggest investment thus far that the Governme

Parliament yesterday afternoon passed the 2012 National Budget of 10.5 billion Kina with members showing their support through voices and not a head count . Minister for Finance and Treasury Don Polye when speaking during the budget debate today, says the measure of any government in the world us measured by the well being of the people, and it’s vital that this historical budget be used to ensure opportunities are presented for more than 7 million people in Papua New Guinea in order to better their lives. Mr. Polye says the implementation of the budget is critical adding that the Government will start implementing major priorities in the budget like health, education, and transport infrastructure amongst others, and carrying out this task is the challenge of the O’Neill/Namah Government. When speaking on the Government free education policy next year for elementary right up to grade 10, Mr. Polye says education is the biggest investment thus far that the Gov

FOR the past few days I have been working in Papua New Guinea, a country where I lived for more than a decade, in an earlier era. That past was another country. They did things differently there, as many Papua New Guinean friends from that time have kept reminding me this week. They did some things differently, but not everything of course. So much has changed, so much not. The constants include positives such as the sunny nature and good humour of Papua New Guineans. But that also includes their frustration at the failure of government services, at the astonishing gap between the cost of housing and their wages even many managers and skilled workers have no choice but to live in teeming squatter settlements and at the tales of vast sums of money that seem to flow past, tantalisingly just out of reach. The dominant focus is on the distribution rather than the creation of wealth. The creation is widely assumed to come from the resource game. As the quantums there have stepped u

FOR the past few days I have been working in Papua New Guinea, a country where I lived for more than a decade, in an earlier era. That past was another country. They did things differently there, as many Papua New Guinean friends from that time have kept reminding me this week. They did some things differently, but not everything of course. So much has changed, so much not. The constants include positives such as the sunny nature and good humour of Papua New Guineans. But that also includes their frustration at the failure of government services, at the astonishing gap between the cost of housing and their wages even many managers and skilled workers have no choice but to live in teeming squatter settlements and at the tales of vast sums of money that seem to flow past, tantalisingly just out of reach. The dominant focus is on the distribution rather than the creation of wealth. The creation is widely assumed to come from the resource game. As the quantums there have

Constitution is supreme:Somare MICHAEL Somare's attempts to assert he is Papua New Guinea's lawful prime minister are understandable, but after 43 years in the political rough and tumble he's being disingenuous in seeking to ignore the way the cards have fallen in his confrontation with Peter O'Neill. With parliament solidly behind Mr O'Neill, and Governor-General Michael Ogio reversing his position and formally declaring Mr O'Neill the rightful prime minister, Sir Michael's campaign for reinstatement has clearly run out of steam. The sooner he accepts this, the sooner political stability will return to PNG. Correctly, Mr ONeill has observed parliament is the place where politicians win the right to form governments. Sir Michael argues, however, that he has the force of constitutional law on his side following the Supreme Court's 3-2 decision that he was wrongly removed. But in addition to parliament and the Governor-General, all top public servants as w

Constitution is supreme:Somare MICHAEL Somare's attempts to assert he is Papua New Guinea's lawful prime minister are understandable, but after 43 years in the political rough and tumble he's being disingenuous in seeking to ignore the way the cards have fallen in his confrontation with Peter O'Neill. With parliament solidly behind Mr O'Neill, and Governor-General Michael Ogio reversing his position and formally declaring Mr O'Neill the rightful prime minister, Sir Michael's campaign for reinstatement has clearly run out of steam. The sooner he accepts this, the sooner political stability will return to PNG. Correctly, Mr ONeill has observed parliament is the place where politicians win the right to form governments. Sir Michael argues, however, that he has the force of constitutional law on his side following the Supreme Court's 3-2 decision that he was wrongly removed. But in addition to parliament and the Governor-General, all top public ser

Whilst the country awaits the passing of the 2012 Budget, Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare, says he will not support a budget which he has indicated contains loopholes in allocations of funding for districts. PNGFM news understands that Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare and his cabinet will not enter Parliament without the Speaker recognizing Sir Michael as the Prime Minister and arranging his correct sitting area on the floor of Parliament.  That’s the word from Madang’s Regional Governor and Somare Cabinet Spokesperson, Sir Arnold Amet. Also The O’Neil/Namah Government has been accused of holding Members of Parliament in captivity just for the sake of power. When supporting the stance of the Grand Chief, Sir Michael Somare, SHP Governor, Anderson Aiguru emphasized to the Press that Sir Michael did not have to go through a lot of hassles to impress Members to align with him, it was simple common sense. Madang’s Regional Member and Spokesperson of the Somare Cabinet, Sir Arnold Amet has des

Whilst the country awaits the passing of the 2012 Budget, Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare, says he will not support a budget which he has indicated contains loopholes in allocations of funding for districts. PNGFM news understands that Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare and his cabinet will not enter Parliament without the Speaker recognizing Sir Michael as the Prime Minister and arranging his correct sitting area on the floor of Parliament.  That’s the word from Madang’s Regional Governor and Somare Cabinet Spokesperson, Sir Arnold Amet. Also The O’Neil/Namah Government has been accused of holding Members of Parliament in captivity just for the sake of power. When supporting the stance of the Grand Chief, Sir Michael Somare, SHP Governor, Anderson Aiguru emphasized to the Press that Sir Michael did not have to go through a lot of hassles to impress Members to align with him, it was simple common sense. Madang’s Regional Member and Spokesperson of the Somare Cabinet, Sir Arnold Amet

Rallying support: O'Neill and Namah this afternoon Credit: IDPNG PNG's Prime Minister Peter O'Neill says he intends to introduce legislative changes forcing PMs to retire at 72. The political crisis appears to have eased with Mr O'Neill securing the support of the governor-general, most MPs, the public service, the police and the defence force. However, his rival 75-year-old Sir Michael Somare said he's determined to be returned as prime minister. Mr O'Neill has told Pacific Beat's Bruce Hill that won't be possible when the legislative changes are in place. Late this afternoon Prime Minister O'Neill and Namah came out to meet supports again at the Parliament roundabout. Activist Noel Anjo who rallied the crowd said this was to allow O'Neill to address and update Papua New Guineans and at the same time was presented with three petitions. 1 . To name the open space at the back of National Archives "Constitutional & Parliamentary Grou