PNGBLOGS

By MIKE HEAD A national election called by the unconstitutional, Australian-supported government in Papua New Guinea has become a shambles, forcing an unscheduled third week of polling in seven provinces. Voting in the Eastern Highlands province will now end on July 17—11 days after the original July 6 national deadline. Logistical breakdowns, combined with allegations of violence, corruption, vote-buying, ballot box-stuffing and the exclusion of enrolled citizens from voting, have thrown the elections into disarray. An extension of time was granted by Governor-General Sir Michael Ogio on the advice of Electoral Commissioner Andrew Trawen. The disruptions have cast doubt on the hopes of de facto Prime Minister Peter O’Neill, and his backers in Canberra and Washington, that the elections would end months of political instability, and provide a veneer of legitimacy to his administration. Because of the mountainous terrain and lack of infrastructure across the country, the elect

By: Simon Simbiken Belden Namah has unique leadership qualities that is lacking in PNG’s political arena. He demonstrates good attributes of no-nonsense, spot-on and straight shooting rather than beating around the bush, especially when it comes to fighting corruption. He embraces transparency and good governance. He works hard and is disciplined character with a military background. He is free from the books of corruption and he discourages systemic and systematic manipulation of due processes which has been responsible for malpractices and corruption. Namah is the answer to PNG’s political and administration problems. He will deliver PNG out of evil men who feed from Haus Tambaran and Morauta Haus. He is here to fight corruption and promote good governance, transparency and unity amongst diversity Through unique leadership of Namah, Papua New Guineans can now distinguish between: good as against evil, transparency as against corruption, straight as against crooked, patriotic leadersh

By: Simon Simbiken Belden Namah has unique leadership qualities that is lacking in PNG’s political arena. He demonstrates good attributes of no-nonsense, spot-on and straight shooting rather than beating around the bush, especially when it comes to fighting corruption. He embraces transparency and good governance. He works hard and is disciplined character with a military background. He is free from the books of corruption and he discourages systemic and systematic manipulation of due processes which has been responsible for malpractices and corruption. Namah is the answer to PNG’s political and administration problems. He will deliver PNG out of evil men who feed from Haus Tambaran and Morauta Haus. He is here to fight corruption and promote good governance, transparency and unity amongst diversity Through unique leadership of Namah, Papua New Guineans can now distinguish between: good as against evil, transparency as against corruption, straight as against crooked, patriotic lead

By MIKE PEPPERDAY  Australia and New Zealand have propped up Pacific countries since their independence. They can go on propping up the micro-states indefinitely but Papua New Guinea, with its 6million people and its resources wealth, is becoming independent of our handouts. Private security companies are moving in and guns are flooding the country. The prospect is for civil strife and takeover by the colonels. The news stories of slush funds and “big man” chicanery indicate a terrible misapprehension. The reason that the government of PNG has deteriorated since independence is not the locals’ innate cultural defects. PNG’s problem is its unworkable political structure. In 1975, the Whitlam government set up PNG with a single chamber of parliament (a “unicameral” system) to which MPs were elected from single-member electorates (so-called “majoritarian” representation). This design – a single chamber composed of electorates each represented by a single member – has never w

By MIKE PEPPERDAY  Australia and New Zealand have propped up Pacific countries since their independence. They can go on propping up the micro-states indefinitely but Papua New Guinea, with its 6million people and its resources wealth, is becoming independent of our handouts. Private security companies are moving in and guns are flooding the country. The prospect is for civil strife and takeover by the colonels. The news stories of slush funds and “big man” chicanery indicate a terrible misapprehension. The reason that the government of PNG has deteriorated since independence is not the locals’ innate cultural defects. PNG’s problem is its unworkable political structure. In 1975, the Whitlam government set up PNG with a single chamber of parliament (a “unicameral” system) to which MPs were elected from single-member electorates (so-called “majoritarian” representation). This design – a single chamber composed of electorates each represented by a single member – has

By JOHN FOWKE The published comments of foreign writers/journalists unknown in PNG may be annoying to many but are not worth wasting time upon. I refer in particular to the piece recently printed in the Australian Financial Review. Anything by, for instance, Rowan Callick or Sean Dorney, to mention two Australian journalists who have longstanding connections with PNG are worth considering. Others are to be ignored. But more to the point, ol lain PNGBLOGS followers, there is, right now a glimmering of the start of a real discussion upon the need for, and the best form of, a reformed political structure for PNG. This discussion is starting to take place on the blogs of a number of erudite PNG'ans. The discussion may go on for long, but one hopes that it will build  momentum and arrive at a logical conclusion where a much better, fairer, more culturally-aligned system of representation, execution and administration  arises in PNG. PNG is firmly set on the path of democracy because a

By JOHN FOWKE The published comments of foreign writers/journalists unknown in PNG may be annoying to many but are not worth wasting time upon. I refer in particular to the piece recently printed in the Australian Financial Review. Anything by, for instance, Rowan Callick or Sean Dorney, to mention two Australian journalists who have longstanding connections with PNG are worth considering. Others are to be ignored. But more to the point, ol lain PNGBLOGS followers, there is, right now a glimmering of the start of a real discussion upon the need for, and the best form of, a reformed political structure for PNG. This discussion is starting to take place on the blogs of a number of erudite PNG'ans. The discussion may go on for long, but one hopes that it will build  momentum and arrive at a logical conclusion where a much better, fairer, more culturally-aligned system of representation, execution and administration  arises in PNG. PNG is firmly set on the path of democracy because

IT seems the overriding perception of Papua New Guinea by some in Australia is that we are an unsalvageable democracy on the downward slide to oblivion. A recent article by columnist Geoffrey Barker in the Australian Financial Review has put a not too flattering conclusion on the ills that plague the Pacific’s largest indigenous sovereignty. We are, by Barker’s estimation, a grossly mismanaged, politically and administratively corrupt, incompetent, dysfunctional and violent country. Anyone reading this would automatically assume PNG to be a country somewhere between the extremes that are Afghanistan and Somalia. This is indeed a dismal picture that one can paint of a neighbour. But Barker, we must admit, has displayed a candor and journalistic license to berate and critique that only one who has watched from afar can attain. It is true that Papua New Guinea faces many problems, the least of which is the contempt of some individuals in Australia. We make no bones about the fact that we

IT seems the overriding perception of Papua New Guinea by some in Australia is that we are an unsalvageable democracy on the downward slide to oblivion. A recent article by columnist Geoffrey Barker in the Australian Financial Review has put a not too flattering conclusion on the ills that plague the Pacific’s largest indigenous sovereignty. We are, by Barker’s estimation, a grossly mismanaged, politically and administratively corrupt, incompetent, dysfunctional and violent country. Anyone reading this would automatically assume PNG to be a country somewhere between the extremes that are Afghanistan and Somalia. This is indeed a dismal picture that one can paint of a neighbour. But Barker, we must admit, has displayed a candor and journalistic license to berate and critique that only one who has watched from afar can attain. It is true that Papua New Guinea faces many problems, the least of which is the contempt of some individuals in Australia. We make no bones about the fact that

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

It is a shame that the Prime Minister Peter O’Neil is crying foul when all along he was collaborating with the PNG Electoral Commissioner, Mr.  Andrew Trawen and the so-called Australian expert advisors advising through Australian High Commissioner, Mr. Ian Kemish for opposing the deferral of the 2012 elections. Cries have been received from all parts of PNG echoing and demonstrating that our country was and is not ready to proceed with elections this last week. What a disaster. We have more than two hundred (200) plus Australian advisors working for the PNG Electoral Commission who have assisted orchestrate this disaster. What a shame??? I speak with the weight of facts. In my own Vanimo town urban wards, the electoral rolls there were in shambles. More than 5,000 to 6,000 eligible voters’ names were not on the electoral rolls. This is an urban/town ward. You can expect worse going into the rural districts in the electorates. The Organic Law on National and Local Level Government Elec