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Getting PNG back on track

By WALTER PAKEI Firstly let me answer the Question, Is it Australia's fault? In my opinion Australia is not at fault. The National Election 2012 is also not a failed one. The Majority of Papua New Guineans are voting. It is only a minority who are not having their names on the common roll. From the polling site I attended, those who did not have their names on the common roll may have been mobile at the time of the common roll update back in 2007 and may still be under the age of 18 years. However, while I was standing in the line, behind me there was a young girl who was less than 18 years old back in 2007 whom her name was on the common roll and she and her mother were already on the line ready to cast their votes. Australia never masterminded anything in Papua New Guinea. The election has gone ahead as scheduled by the PNGEC. The political timing was to postpone the election by 6 months which majority of Papua New Guineans in Social Media were not pleased with. Sur

Getting PNG back on track

By WALTER PAKEI Firstly let me answer the Question, Is it Australia's fault? In my opinion Australia is not at fault. The National Election 2012 is also not a failed one. The Majority of Papua New Guineans are voting. It is only a minority who are not having their names on the common roll. From the polling site I attended, those who did not have their names on the common roll may have been mobile at the time of the common roll update back in 2007 and may still be under the age of 18 years. However, while I was standing in the line, behind me there was a young girl who was less than 18 years old back in 2007 whom her name was on the common roll and she and her mother were already on the line ready to cast their votes. Australia never masterminded anything in Papua New Guinea. The election has gone ahead as scheduled by the PNGEC. The political timing was to postpone the election by 6 months which majority of Papua New Guineans in Social Media were not pleased with. S

Hypothetically yours

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By Susan Merrell Dr. Susan Merrell There comes a time when something oft-repeated becomes a 'truism'; when regardless of its authenticity it becomes widely believed as the truth. Such is the scenario painted by my critics who are, most likely, disciples of Belden Norman Namah. It goes like this:  The heroine was bedded, the expected payment went begging, then she was unceremoniously dumped, (like the proverbial sucked mango) while the hero strode off, loins girded, looking for ever more greener pastures. It's a fanciful tale suggestive of the heroine being 'a girl of the night' but then when you want to discredit a woman you call her sexually promiscuous.  On the other hand, when you want to turn someone quite ordinary into a 'Bik Man' you also make him sexually promiscuous – a lady killer.  Go figure!  And of course there we have the crux of the matter and the point to the rhetoric:  Discredit Susan Merrell and create a young, vibrant and virile hero out of

PNG Elections failure - Is it Australia's fault?

Today an article was published in The Australian Financial Review newspaper by Australia's Defence Force's captive Journalist/analyst, one Richard Barker, painting a dark picture of PNG and how it has become a failed state, needing Australian Ramsi style intervention immediately as a favor to PNG. In a recent article posted on the Masalai Blog , readers are being asked to comment on whether Australian Aid given to PNG under the watchful eyes, management and supervision of Australia's giant Aid conduit, Cardno Davies , has been an unmitigated failure or not? Recently this blog published the public accusation made by the Deputy Prime Minister, Hon Belden Namah, accusing Australia of masterminding an election failure . Hon Belden Namah's accusation of Peter O'Neill, his Prime Minister, and Australia is not an easy accusation to make, even for a man who storms the Supreme Court and orders the arrest of the Chief Justice. For a start, both actions call for a lot of thou

PNG Elections failure - Is it Australia's fault?

Today an article was published in The Australian Financial Review newspaper by Australia's Defence Force's captive Journalist/analyst, one Richard Barker, painting a dark picture of PNG and how it has become a failed state, needing Australian Ramsi style intervention immediately as a favor to PNG. In a recent article posted on the Masalai Blog , readers are being asked to comment on whether Australian Aid given to PNG under the watchful eyes, management and supervision of Australia's giant Aid conduit, Cardno Davies , has been an unmitigated failure or not? Recently this blog published the public accusation made by the Deputy Prime Minister, Hon Belden Namah, accusing Australia of masterminding an election failure . Hon Belden Namah's accusation of Peter O'Neill, his Prime Minister, and Australia is not an easy accusation to make, even for a man who storms the Supreme Court and orders the arrest of the Chief Justice. For a start, both actions call for a lot o

Faulty PNG electoral roll blamed on fraud

Papua New Guinea's electoral commissioner says he will conduct an investigation into allegations of widespread voter fraud. As PNG's election limps into its second week, electoral commissioner Andrew Trawen has defended his agency's handling of the 2012 elections. Producing a clean electoral roll was difficult because of widespread fraud, he said. Many voters have complained their names are not on the roll at some voting booths. Mr Trawen acknowledges fictitious names are also a concern amid allegations names appearing on the preliminary roll were not on the final roll. "It is very difficult to produce a roll with the highest level of accuracy and integrity when some people are prepared to go to any length to corrupt the process," he told The National newspaper. "We have found evidence of deliberate actions by some to remove names, add names and modify the status of persons. "Once we have completed our inquiries, I will refer these matters to the police.

Faulty PNG electoral roll blamed on fraud

Papua New Guinea's electoral commissioner says he will conduct an investigation into allegations of widespread voter fraud. As PNG's election limps into its second week, electoral commissioner Andrew Trawen has defended his agency's handling of the 2012 elections. Producing a clean electoral roll was difficult because of widespread fraud, he said. Many voters have complained their names are not on the roll at some voting booths. Mr Trawen acknowledges fictitious names are also a concern amid allegations names appearing on the preliminary roll were not on the final roll. "It is very difficult to produce a roll with the highest level of accuracy and integrity when some people are prepared to go to any length to corrupt the process," he told The National newspaper. "We have found evidence of deliberate actions by some to remove names, add names and modify the status of persons. "Once we have completed our inquiries, I will refer these matters to the polic