PNGBLOGS

LAST Thursday night after 8 pm (PNG Time), a Boeing 737 touched down at the Port Moresby Jacksons International Airport and taxied to the international terminal. Airport staff, including Customs were caught off guard because they were not given prior notification, as is the norm under civil aviation regulations. By the weekend Papua New Guineans woke up to radio news bulletins and social media postings on the detaining of Vanuatu diplomats – brothers Vu Anh Quan Saken and Charles Henry Saken – and their alleged liaisons with two PNG cabinet ministers and Vanuatu Foreign Minister, Albert Calot. Papua New Guineans took to social media demanding an investigation and criticizing Prime Minister Peter O’Neill for not getting his ministers to tow the line, as negotiations continued behind the scenes between the various parties. While the acting PNG Foreign Affairs Secretary, Lucy Bogari yesterday brushed off any ulterior motives behind the mysterious flight by saying the Vanuatu Foreign Minis

LAST Thursday night after 8 pm (PNG Time), a Boeing 737 touched down at the Port Moresby Jacksons International Airport and taxied to the international terminal. Airport staff, including Customs were caught off guard because they were not given prior notification, as is the norm under civil aviation regulations. By the weekend Papua New Guineans woke up to radio news bulletins and social media postings on the detaining of Vanuatu diplomats – brothers Vu Anh Quan Saken and Charles Henry Saken – and their alleged liaisons with two PNG cabinet ministers and Vanuatu Foreign Minister, Albert Calot. Papua New Guineans took to social media demanding an investigation and criticizing Prime Minister Peter O’Neill for not getting his ministers to tow the line, as negotiations continued behind the scenes between the various parties. While the acting PNG Foreign Affairs Secretary, Lucy Bogari yesterday brushed off any ulterior motives behind the mysterious flight by saying the Vanuatu Foreign

Media Release The Opposition Leader, Hon. Belden Norman Namah made it clear, when the plane landed at 8:30pm that night, he was already aware of it. Prior to the 17th of January 2013, he had already been alerted through Vanuatu Post Publication of the involvement of the two persons of Vietnamese origin holding on to Vanuatu Diplomatic Passports, he was also made aware of the involvement by the Vanuatu Foreign Minister. On the afternoon of Thursday at about 2pm, he went to the International VIP Arrival and Departure Lounge to see one of his friends off to Singapore, he realised that the Minister for Foreign Affairs Hon. Rimbink Pato and Minister for State Owned Enterprises Hon. Ben Micah were in the company of the Foreign Minister for Vanuatu, Mr Karlot. He knew something ‘fishy’ was happening at the very highest level in our country similar to the incident involving Djoko Tjandra. He said; Papua New Guinea is continuously being used as a launching pad by fugitives who are seeking freed

A 737 Boeing chartered flight from International JetClub Limited known to provide private chartered service worldwide landed at 8:30 pm last night at Jacksons Airport after Immigration was already closed. The unexpected landing caused a stir when the two pilots and cabin crew acted very suspicious according to sources at customs check counters who alerted police currently working around the clock to determine the status of the incident. Two pilots including five-crew during routine check at customs provided valuable information about a high delegation meeting to be held today inside the cabin of the Boeing 737 aircraft. The meeting is supposedly to be headed by two men wanted by the transnational crime in Vanuatu and two Senior PNG Government Ministers, whose names are now known to police. The two fugitives named; Saken, Charles Henry and Saken, Pascal Anh Quan (Vanuatu Naturalized citizen of Asian Origin) who arrived yesterday under false pretence identified themselves as a Barrister

A 737 Boeing chartered flight from International JetClub Limited known to provide private chartered service worldwide landed at 8:30 pm last night at Jacksons Airport after Immigration was already closed. The unexpected landing caused a stir when the two pilots and cabin crew acted very suspicious according to sources at customs check counters who alerted police currently working around the clock to determine the status of the incident. Two pilots including five-crew during routine check at customs provided valuable information about a high delegation meeting to be held today inside the cabin of the Boeing 737 aircraft. The meeting is supposedly to be headed by two men wanted by the transnational crime in Vanuatu and two Senior PNG Government Ministers, whose names are now known to police. The two fugitives named; Saken, Charles Henry and Saken, Pascal Anh Quan (Vanuatu Naturalized citizen of Asian Origin) who arrived yesterday under false pretence identified themselves as a B

My quest for justice and the protection of PNG’s national interests On January 6 this year I was forced to take out a Court Order to restrain the Commissioner of Police, his agents or servants, in particular all members of the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary from assaulting or arresting me. The same court order also restrained two other persons, namely Mr Kenneth Thomson, and Hon. Theodore Zurenuoc, MP, former Minister for Education and current Speaker of the National Parliament of Papua New Guinea, their agents, servants and their tribesmen from assaulting or threatening me. This matter is returnable for mention on February 28. It is rather unfortunate that I took this course of action but it was taken after I had exhausted all other avenues, including a meeting with the senior hierarchy of the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary to find a clear way forward in what has become a strenuous, tormenting, time consuming and expensive exercise for me personally. It is rather regrettable

My quest for justice and the protection of PNG’s national interests On January 6 this year I was forced to take out a Court Order to restrain the Commissioner of Police, his agents or servants, in particular all members of the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary from assaulting or arresting me. The same court order also restrained two other persons, namely Mr Kenneth Thomson, and Hon. Theodore Zurenuoc, MP, former Minister for Education and current Speaker of the National Parliament of Papua New Guinea, their agents, servants and their tribesmen from assaulting or threatening me. This matter is returnable for mention on February 28. It is rather unfortunate that I took this course of action but it was taken after I had exhausted all other avenues, including a meeting with the senior hierarchy of the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary to find a clear way forward in what has become a strenuous, tormenting, time consuming and expensive exercise for me personally. It is rather

By LUCAS KIAP  Believe it or not we have a political mafia gang network operating in the country siphoning public funds. This political mafia gang operates out of the Department of Finance and Treasury and branches out to other key government departments and institutions throughout the country. Though this claim remains challenge able and probably unjustifiable, the evidences of such cannot be denied nor taken for granted in a country rich with natural resources yet very poor. The weak performance of many key indicators indicates that the facilitators of corruption continue to assist political elites to launder, store and otherwise profit from unjustly acquired wealth, which often includes public funds. For illustration purposes lets take a look at what happens when public funds are released into the hands of the politicians to carry out projects. When government funds (millions of Kina) are released for projects, politicians often pretend to open trust accounts to be managed by govern

By LUCAS KIAP  Believe it or not we have a political mafia gang network operating in the country siphoning public funds. This political mafia gang operates out of the Department of Finance and Treasury and branches out to other key government departments and institutions throughout the country. Though this claim remains challenge able and probably unjustifiable, the evidences of such cannot be denied nor taken for granted in a country rich with natural resources yet very poor. The weak performance of many key indicators indicates that the facilitators of corruption continue to assist political elites to launder, store and otherwise profit from unjustly acquired wealth, which often includes public funds. For illustration purposes lets take a look at what happens when public funds are released into the hands of the politicians to carry out projects. When government funds (millions of Kina) are released for projects, politicians often pretend to open trust accounts to be managed by

Prime Minister Peter O’Neill has attacked "false and misleading claims" by a mining company as reported in the Australian Financial Review, the PNG Post-Courier reports. O’Neill said BHP Billiton needed to get over its “colonial era” mentality, and appreciate that Papua New Guinea was an independent nation. He said Australia should negotiate with Papua New Guinea in the "same, mature and reasonable way" numerous other Australian resource companies do.
 “Instead of seeking the intervention and assistance of the Australian government, the company should negotiate with my government, and me, as Prime Minister,” O’Neill said.
 “The article claims that I had blocked the granting or extension of exploration licences because it would not agree with my proposals regarding the determination of the board of PNG Sustainable Development Programme. "This is totally and utterly false. It is just dishonest," the prime minister said, according to the Post-Courier. “BHP Bi

Prime Minister Peter O’Neill has attacked "false and misleading claims" by a mining company as reported in the Australian Financial Review, the PNG Post-Courier reports. O’Neill said BHP Billiton needed to get over its “colonial era” mentality, and appreciate that Papua New Guinea was an independent nation. He said Australia should negotiate with Papua New Guinea in the "same, mature and reasonable way" numerous other Australian resource companies do.
 “Instead of seeking the intervention and assistance of the Australian government, the company should negotiate with my government, and me, as Prime Minister,” O’Neill said.
 “The article claims that I had blocked the granting or extension of exploration licences because it would not agree with my proposals regarding the determination of the board of PNG Sustainable Development Programme. "This is totally and utterly false. It is just dishonest," the prime minister said, according to the Post-Cou

By Graham Tenaen Robinson Papua New Guinea is now seen amongst the international community as practicing Arbitrary Detention prohibited by the United Nations Division for Human Rights. Under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights under Article 9 reads; “NO ONE SHALL BE SUBJECTED TO ARBITRARY ARREST, DETENTION AND EXILE” Papua New Guinea in its bid to participate under bilateral ties with Australia in providing our land to be used for their offshore processing centre is now seen to have breached article 9 under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights under the UN Convention. United Nations and its member states have not commented to date, whilst we conduct our business pertaining to Australia's immigration policy on offshore processing. As a matter of human participation recognized by our membership symbolizing our stand supporting the preservation to freedom of speech, justice and peace we seem to have coherently broken NEARLY ALL articles listed under the Universal Declaratio

By Graham Tenaen Robinson Papua New Guinea is now seen amongst the international community as practicing Arbitrary Detention prohibited by the United Nations Division for Human Rights. Under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights under Article 9 reads; “NO ONE SHALL BE SUBJECTED TO ARBITRARY ARREST, DETENTION AND EXILE” Papua New Guinea in its bid to participate under bilateral ties with Australia in providing our land to be used for their offshore processing centre is now seen to have breached article 9 under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights under the UN Convention. United Nations and its member states have not commented to date, whilst we conduct our business pertaining to Australia's immigration policy on offshore processing. As a matter of human participation recognized by our membership symbolizing our stand supporting the preservation to freedom of speech, justice and peace we seem to have coherently broken NEARLY ALL articles listed under the Universal

Leading economist Ross Garnaut is calling on the Australian Government to negotiate a deal with Papua New Guinea to prevent the arbitrary use of its immigration powers to disrupt business between the two countries. The call comes after Professor Garnaut was forced to resign as chairman of PNG's largest mining company because of a travel ban imposed on him by the nation's prime minister, Peter O'Neill. The ban on Professor Garnaut travelling to PNG was imposed in November after he expressed an opinion on a spat between BHP Billiton and Mr O'Neill over the control of the PNG Sustainable Development Program (PNGSDP). The PNGSDP is a $1.4 billion charitable trust set up by BHP when it handed over its shares in Ok Tedi to the people of Papua New Guinea. Professor Garnaut says the ban represents a dark day for PNG. "My ban was a low point for Australian diplomacy generally, a low point for PNG development, and a low point for Papua New Guinea democracy," he said Pro

Leading economist Ross Garnaut is calling on the Australian Government to negotiate a deal with Papua New Guinea to prevent the arbitrary use of its immigration powers to disrupt business between the two countries. The call comes after Professor Garnaut was forced to resign as chairman of PNG's largest mining company because of a travel ban imposed on him by the nation's prime minister, Peter O'Neill. The ban on Professor Garnaut travelling to PNG was imposed in November after he expressed an opinion on a spat between BHP Billiton and Mr O'Neill over the control of the PNG Sustainable Development Program (PNGSDP). The PNGSDP is a $1.4 billion charitable trust set up by BHP when it handed over its shares in Ok Tedi to the people of Papua New Guinea. Professor Garnaut says the ban represents a dark day for PNG. "My ban was a low point for Australian diplomacy generally, a low point for PNG development, and a low point for Papua New Guinea democracy," he said P

By PATRICK O'CONNOR PAPUA NEW GUINEAN prime minister Peter O’Neill recently made his first official visit to Australia since his win in August’s national elections. O’Neill’s appearances in Canberra and Sydney demonstrated why the Australian government regards the prime minister as their man. He rejected any suggestion that Papua New Guinea was in danger of developing close strategic and military ties with China, and assured Australian investors in the mining and energy sectors that their interests would be upheld. On Monday, O’Neill participated in the PNG Mining and Petroleum Investment Conference in Sydney. The annual event was this year attended by a record 1,300 delegates, including executives from many of the major transnational giants including ExxonMobil, Rio Tinto, and Xstrata, as well as the multitude of smaller Australian, American, European, and Asian corporations now seeking to exploit PNG’s vast reserves of oil and gas, gold, copper, nickel, and other minerals. These

By PATRICK O'CONNOR PAPUA NEW GUINEAN prime minister Peter O’Neill recently made his first official visit to Australia since his win in August’s national elections. O’Neill’s appearances in Canberra and Sydney demonstrated why the Australian government regards the prime minister as their man. He rejected any suggestion that Papua New Guinea was in danger of developing close strategic and military ties with China, and assured Australian investors in the mining and energy sectors that their interests would be upheld. On Monday, O’Neill participated in the PNG Mining and Petroleum Investment Conference in Sydney. The annual event was this year attended by a record 1,300 delegates, including executives from many of the major transnational giants including ExxonMobil, Rio Tinto, and Xstrata, as well as the multitude of smaller Australian, American, European, and Asian corporations now seeking to exploit PNG’s vast reserves of oil and gas, gold, copper, nickel, and other m