PNGBLOGS

The Leader of PNG Party, Hon Belden Namah said today that he was very surprised to hear that the Australian High Commissioner Ian Kemish and the Deputy High Commissioner Margaret Adamson were at Government House when the Governor General issued the invitation to Hon Peter O’Neill, Leader of PNC to form a government. Mr Namah said that he was not aware that this was an occasion open to the general public. “What were the Australians doing there? Were other diplomats invited? Who invited them? Government House, or Peter O’Neill?” “I cannot imagine the PNG High Commissioner to Australia being invited to Government House in Canberra to a meeting between Her Excellency Quentin Bryce and an Australian politician.” “Kemish’s presence is a breach of protocol. It also raises many questions about the relationship between him and his mate Peter O’Neill.” “This Australian High Commissioner seems to have enormous power. He acts as though he is O’Neill’s chief adviser, telling him when Papua New Guin

The Leader of PNG Party, Hon Belden Namah said today that he was very surprised to hear that the Australian High Commissioner Ian Kemish and the Deputy High Commissioner Margaret Adamson were at Government House when the Governor General issued the invitation to Hon Peter O’Neill, Leader of PNC to form a government. Mr Namah said that he was not aware that this was an occasion open to the general public. “What were the Australians doing there? Were other diplomats invited? Who invited them? Government House, or Peter O’Neill?” “I cannot imagine the PNG High Commissioner to Australia being invited to Government House in Canberra to a meeting between Her Excellency Quentin Bryce and an Australian politician.” “Kemish’s presence is a breach of protocol. It also raises many questions about the relationship between him and his mate Peter O’Neill.” “This Australian High Commissioner seems to have enormous power. He acts as though he is O’Neill’s chief adviser, telling him when P

As you all have witnessed a while ago, I have just returned the Writs for ALL the 89 Open electorates and 18 Provincial electorates to His Excellency the Governor General Sir Michael Ogio. The date for the return of Writs for Western Highlands, Enga and NCD Provincial electorates has been further extended to next Wednesday 08th August, 2012 which I announced yesterday at the Media Centre. I have given advice to His Excellency the Governor General yesterday morning and that advice also covers Chimbu, Jiwaka and Eastern Highlands Provincial electorates in case they run out of time with their eliminations. Fortunately, the Jiwaka Provincial electorate made its declaration at 9:30 this morning with the Writ returned as well. Ladies and gentlemen, the Return of Writs ceremony today officially concludes the 2012 National General Elections in this beautiful country of ours, Papua New Guinea. A lot have been said and done before the Issue of Writs, during polling and counting BUT all these com

As you all have witnessed a while ago, I have just returned the Writs for ALL the 89 Open electorates and 18 Provincial electorates to His Excellency the Governor General Sir Michael Ogio. The date for the return of Writs for Western Highlands, Enga and NCD Provincial electorates has been further extended to next Wednesday 08th August, 2012 which I announced yesterday at the Media Centre. I have given advice to His Excellency the Governor General yesterday morning and that advice also covers Chimbu, Jiwaka and Eastern Highlands Provincial electorates in case they run out of time with their eliminations. Fortunately, the Jiwaka Provincial electorate made its declaration at 9:30 this morning with the Writ returned as well. Ladies and gentlemen, the Return of Writs ceremony today officially concludes the 2012 National General Elections in this beautiful country of ours, Papua New Guinea. A lot have been said and done before the Issue of Writs, during polling and counting BUT all these com

I'm not a big fan of GC. When GC put out his banners celebrating a political career of 40years, I'd drive by screaming at the banners "So what if you've been there 40 or a hundred years! We got nothing to show for it!" I'd get very incensed at his maneuvers to avoid motions-of-no-confidence. I'd complain constantly about him all the time. It's true just ask my fiancé! I didn't like NA. when I was in UPNG, NA had a convention at the MLT. I and like-minded students printed protest posters and pasted them visibly for NA members to read as they had their convention. His govt wasn't the best. And he wasn't my favorite PM. (I'm truly hoping that one day we can have a "favorite"/"best" PM.) When the NA govt amended certain Acts, it disgusted me, raised suspicion and further inflated my contempt for the NA govt...and the GC. But I'm Melanesian who has to justify a lack of respect for my elders. Otherwise my reverence eit

I'm not a big fan of GC. When GC put out his banners celebrating a political career of 40years, I'd drive by screaming at the banners "So what if you've been there 40 or a hundred years! We got nothing to show for it!" I'd get very incensed at his maneuvers to avoid motions-of-no-confidence. I'd complain constantly about him all the time. It's true just ask my fiancé! I didn't like NA. when I was in UPNG, NA had a convention at the MLT. I and like-minded students printed protest posters and pasted them visibly for NA members to read as they had their convention. His govt wasn't the best. And he wasn't my favorite PM. (I'm truly hoping that one day we can have a "favorite"/"best" PM.) When the NA govt amended certain Acts, it disgusted me, raised suspicion and further inflated my contempt for the NA govt...and the GC. But I'm Melanesian who has to justify a lack of respect for my elders. Otherwise my reverence e

By CHRISTOPHER PAPIALI The 9th Parliament is the improvement of the 8th parliament and I believe the best is yet to come. This is what my view is when I look at the line of members entering parliament. However, I am little naïve on my view. When Sir Michael Somare, Sir Julius Chan and other founding fathers of this great nation entered the House of Assembly, one can recall at that time that the knowledge of the world of politics, religion and economics was minimal. The debates and discussions focused on national development ideals. Since the Self- Government and Pre – Post independence periods, a lot of our politicians were not highly educated which meant that their ability to offer critique to the Australian dominated House was insufficient and lacked concrete understanding of western politics and systems of government. What we see now in 2012 National Elections is a team of elite Papua New Guineans, some educated at the very highest level, some very successful businessmen, some very