PNGBLOGS

By GOVERNOR GARY JUFFA The continued presence in Papua New Guinea of Djoko TJANDRA, international fugitive , wanted for fraud by Indonesian authorities and Interpol raises serious concerns about whether or not the Government is truly interested in fighting corruption. Djoko TJANDRA'S citizenship was granted under suspicious circumstances without the Citizenship Committee having ever convened to consider his application. In fact, it was the whim and will of one single parliamentarian on the basis that he was "a major investor". The message we can deduce is that anyone with a bag of money deemed sufficient as "investment" can and will be granted citizenship. It should concern Papua New Guineans that Djoko TJANDRA is the same driving force behind the NAIMA RICE PROJECT which is about to be endorsed and approved by the NEC according to reliable sources. This project seeks exclusive rights for a foreign owned company to commercialize rice, that is, the cultivation a

The Cairns-based Cape York Institute has confirmed its chief executive, property developer Gummi Fridriksson, is on extended leave without pay. The institute’s group chief executive, Duncan Murray, issued a statement saying Mr Fridriksson “has been and continues to be on extended leave without pay to enable him to concentrate on his business interests in Papua New Guinea”. Mr Murray issued a glowing endorsement of Mr Fridriksson, whose Port Moresby property venture attracted international notoriety after settlers’ homes were bulldozed. “Whilst at the institute, (Mr Fridriksson) discharged his duties diligently and professionally,” Mr Murray said. As revealed in The Australian last Tuesday, Mr Fridriksson is the secretary of the PNG-registered Paga Hill Development Company, which acquired a commercial lease over a prime piece of real estate overlooking the harbour in Port Moresby in a land deal that was heavily criticised by a parliamentary committee in the Pacific nation. The PHDC insi

The Cairns-based Cape York Institute has confirmed its chief executive, property developer Gummi Fridriksson, is on extended leave without pay. The institute’s group chief executive, Duncan Murray, issued a statement saying Mr Fridriksson “has been and continues to be on extended leave without pay to enable him to concentrate on his business interests in Papua New Guinea”. Mr Murray issued a glowing endorsement of Mr Fridriksson, whose Port Moresby property venture attracted international notoriety after settlers’ homes were bulldozed. “Whilst at the institute, (Mr Fridriksson) discharged his duties diligently and professionally,” Mr Murray said. As revealed in The Australian last Tuesday, Mr Fridriksson is the secretary of the PNG-registered Paga Hill Development Company, which acquired a commercial lease over a prime piece of real estate overlooking the harbour in Port Moresby in a land deal that was heavily criticised by a parliamentary committee in the Pacific nation. The PHDC insi

A joint venture headed by InterOil Corp. (IOC) has offered to sell half of two gas fields it owns in Papua New Guinea to the government and local landowners, in a move that may unlock development of a new US$6 billion-plus export project, according to documents seen by The Wall Street Journal. Liquid Niugini Gas Ltd., a joint venture led by InterOil, signed an agreement in 2009 with Papua New Guinea to develop a large-scale liquefied natural gas, or LNG, project, but it has since clashed several times with the government over the design of the venture. In May, the government threatened to terminate the agreement, triggering a fresh round of talks. A letter sent by Liquid Niugini Gas, dated Sept. 18 and seen by The Wall Street Journal, outlined the venture's new offer to overhaul ownership of the Elk and Antelope gas fields and secure a breakthrough in the long-running dispute. It offers to split ownership of Elk and Antelope's resources equally, with InterOil and its partners h

A joint venture headed by InterOil Corp. (IOC) has offered to sell half of two gas fields it owns in Papua New Guinea to the government and local landowners, in a move that may unlock development of a new US$6 billion-plus export project, according to documents seen by The Wall Street Journal. Liquid Niugini Gas Ltd., a joint venture led by InterOil, signed an agreement in 2009 with Papua New Guinea to develop a large-scale liquefied natural gas, or LNG, project, but it has since clashed several times with the government over the design of the venture. In May, the government threatened to terminate the agreement, triggering a fresh round of talks. A letter sent by Liquid Niugini Gas, dated Sept. 18 and seen by The Wall Street Journal, outlined the venture's new offer to overhaul ownership of the Elk and Antelope gas fields and secure a breakthrough in the long-running dispute. It offers to split ownership of Elk and Antelope's resources equally, with InterOil and its par

Prominent Australian Prof Ross Garnaut, already under fire for his extensive links to the environmentally destructive mining industry in Papua New Guinea   has chosen to bring “evasive and dishonest” businessman, Rex Paki onto the board of the PNG Sustainable Development Program. Garnaut is the Chairman of PNGSDP. Over the past 20 years Paki has appeared before two Commission of Inquiries (Finance Department and National Provident Fund), two Public Account Committee Inquiries, and a Supreme Court case where he was slammed by the full court. Paki was intimately involved in the Paga Hill development in Port Moresby between 1997-2000, a development which has recently been making headlines for forced evictions and corrupt property deals In January 2004 the Public Acounts Committee reprimanded Paki’s company Ram Business Consultants (RAM) for issuing an “empty cheque” to the Accountants Registration Board, and then “practicing without … formal registration”. Two years later in a separate in

Prominent Australian Prof Ross Garnaut, already under fire for his extensive links to the environmentally destructive mining industry in Papua New Guinea   has chosen to bring “evasive and dishonest” businessman, Rex Paki onto the board of the PNG Sustainable Development Program. Garnaut is the Chairman of PNGSDP. Over the past 20 years Paki has appeared before two Commission of Inquiries (Finance Department and National Provident Fund), two Public Account Committee Inquiries, and a Supreme Court case where he was slammed by the full court. Paki was intimately involved in the Paga Hill development in Port Moresby between 1997-2000, a development which has recently been making headlines for forced evictions and corrupt property deals In January 2004 the Public Acounts Committee reprimanded Paki’s company Ram Business Consultants (RAM) for issuing an “empty cheque” to the Accountants Registration Board, and then “practicing without … formal registration”. Two years later in a se