PNGBLOGS

Radio New Zealand Conflicting accounts continue to come in about the controversial recent visit to Papua New Guinea by two Vanuatu diplomatic representatives and the country’s Foreign Minister. PNG police and customs officials detained the passports of diplomatic representatives Pascal Anh Quan Saken and his brother Charles Henry Saken after the private jet they flew in arrived without proper clearance. Mr Saken is the owner of the super yacht Phocea which was detained in Vanuatu in July, originally on suspicion of guns and drugs smuggling, and remains seized by the Ports Authority because it has forged documents. Johnny Blades reports that the Phocea scandal, which continues to implicate members of Vanuatu’s Sato Kilman-led government, has also embroiled PNG’s top leadership. —————————– Vanuatu’s government has been tight-lipped about the PNG liaison between its Foreign Minister Alfred Carlot and the two Sakens, saying it had no knowledge of their meeting. However shortly before the c

Radio New Zealand Conflicting accounts continue to come in about the controversial recent visit to Papua New Guinea by two Vanuatu diplomatic representatives and the country’s Foreign Minister. PNG police and customs officials detained the passports of diplomatic representatives Pascal Anh Quan Saken and his brother Charles Henry Saken after the private jet they flew in arrived without proper clearance. Mr Saken is the owner of the super yacht Phocea which was detained in Vanuatu in July, originally on suspicion of guns and drugs smuggling, and remains seized by the Ports Authority because it has forged documents. Johnny Blades reports that the Phocea scandal, which continues to implicate members of Vanuatu’s Sato Kilman-led government, has also embroiled PNG’s top leadership. —————————– Vanuatu’s government has been tight-lipped about the PNG liaison between its Foreign Minister Alfred Carlot and the two Sakens, saying it had no knowledge of their meeting. However shortly

By Graham Tenaen Robinson Opposition Leader Hon. Belden Norman Namah during press conference this afternoon highlighted to effect, a legal proceeding underway through a court injunction preventing a parliamentary vote of the 30 Month Grace Period this week. Investigations by the opposition revealed damning evidence that the 30 month Grace Period was pushed by corporate interest and heavily tied with personal connections. “There are companies in Papua New Guinea tied to this 30 Months Grace Period,” the Opposition Leader claimed. A list of examples included the K6 billion Loan from China, triggered by Ni Cragnolini, wife of LNA Construction Owner Luciano Cragnolini who was sorely responsible for orchestrating the deal between the PNG Government and EXIM bank in China. “Corporate Greed is controlling our Government,” and further provided examples of contracts given to LNA Construction such as the maintenance renovation and LNA Construction renovated maintenance of Morauta Haus including

By Graham Tenaen Robinson Opposition Leader Hon. Belden Norman Namah during press conference this afternoon highlighted to effect, a legal proceeding underway through a court injunction preventing a parliamentary vote of the 30 Month Grace Period this week. Investigations by the opposition revealed damning evidence that the 30 month Grace Period was pushed by corporate interest and heavily tied with personal connections. “There are companies in Papua New Guinea tied to this 30 Months Grace Period,” the Opposition Leader claimed. A list of examples included the K6 billion Loan from China, triggered by Ni Cragnolini, wife of LNA Construction Owner Luciano Cragnolini who was sorely responsible for orchestrating the deal between the PNG Government and EXIM bank in China. “Corporate Greed is controlling our Government,” and further provided examples of contracts given to LNA Construction such as the maintenance renovation and LNA Construction renovated maintenance of Morauta Ha

Papua New Guinea's civil servants have been warned to be wary of impostors claiming to represent the new prime minister, as the Pacific state aims to clamp down on corruption.  Politicians will also have to clock in and clock out of parliament under new measures to clean up the "dysfunctional" government. Following the unveiling of the anti-corruption measures by the Papua New Guinea government led by Peter O'Neill, thieves on Monday ransacked an office belonging to the Commonwealth nation's anti-corruption task force. Mr O'Neill was elected last year after a standoff with the veteran leader, Sir Michael Somare, which at one time resulted in the country having two prime ministers, two governors-general, two cabinets and two police commissioners. The new government has issued a warning about fraudsters claiming to represent Mr O'Neill in a memorandum to heads of government departments, statutory bodies and state-owned enterprises. "The office of the pr

Papua New Guinea's civil servants have been warned to be wary of impostors claiming to represent the new prime minister, as the Pacific state aims to clamp down on corruption.  Politicians will also have to clock in and clock out of parliament under new measures to clean up the "dysfunctional" government. Following the unveiling of the anti-corruption measures by the Papua New Guinea government led by Peter O'Neill, thieves on Monday ransacked an office belonging to the Commonwealth nation's anti-corruption task force. Mr O'Neill was elected last year after a standoff with the veteran leader, Sir Michael Somare, which at one time resulted in the country having two prime ministers, two governors-general, two cabinets and two police commissioners. The new government has issued a warning about fraudsters claiming to represent Mr O'Neill in a memorandum to heads of government departments, statutory bodies and state-owned enterprises. "The office of the

AFP A United Nations report on Monday criticised Australia’s immigration camp on Papua New Guinea, warning living conditions are harsh and asylum-seekers’ detention arbitrary. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees called for no more children to be sent to the camp on remote Manus Island, which was established as part of Australia’s plan to ship refugees offshore to deter more from coming. In its report, the UNHCR warned of “very significant inadequacies in the legal and operational framework governing the transfer, treatment and processing” of asylum-seekers. Detaining asylum-seekers on a mandatory and indefinite basis, without possibility for review, amounted to “arbitrary detention which is inconsistent with international human rights law”, it added. Article continues below “The key failing is that there are in place no legal frameworks for the processing of refugee claims,” UNHCR regional representative Richard Towle told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. The Australian gover

AFP A United Nations report on Monday criticised Australia’s immigration camp on Papua New Guinea, warning living conditions are harsh and asylum-seekers’ detention arbitrary. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees called for no more children to be sent to the camp on remote Manus Island, which was established as part of Australia’s plan to ship refugees offshore to deter more from coming. In its report, the UNHCR warned of “very significant inadequacies in the legal and operational framework governing the transfer, treatment and processing” of asylum-seekers. Detaining asylum-seekers on a mandatory and indefinite basis, without possibility for review, amounted to “arbitrary detention which is inconsistent with international human rights law”, it added. Article continues below “The key failing is that there are in place no legal frameworks for the processing of refugee claims,” UNHCR regional representative Richard Towle told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. The Australian gov

Threats to the media in the South Pacific should not be taken lightly in two Melanesian countries, says the Paris-based global press freedom advocacy group Reporters Sans Frontières. Papua New Guinea has dropped six places to 41st in the latest RSF World Press Freedom Index with the security forces being "regularly involved in attacks on journalists". In Fiji,in spite of a 10-place rise to 107th - explained in part by the decline of other countries in this section of the index, news organisations are threatened under the Media Industry Development Decree with exorbitant fines, or even imprisonment, as in the case of a recently convicted editor of The Fiji Times. Elsewhere in the South Pacific did not rate a mention in the report, which highlighted the "Burmese spring" in the Asia-Pacific region. But among other Pacific Islands Forum countries, New Zealand rose five places to eighth and Australia climbed four places to 26th. Burma was an exception to decline in freed