PNGBLOGS

The revelations from research by the James Cook University on oil palm being used by developers as a cover for logging should not come as a surprise to Papua New Guineans. “It is crucial that the real intentions of developers are understood and highlighted so the PNG Government can manage the property appropriately. At present a lot of people around the world think that buying products containing palm oil encourages deforestation, but boycotting those products at the supermarket is not going to stop loss of forest in PNG,” he added. The controversy relating to the Government’s Special Agriculture and Business Lease (SABL) is well documented in PNG, compelling the government of then acting Prime Minister Sam Abal in 2011 and a year later PM Peter O’Neill to support and establish a commission of inquiry. It is a pity that the commission of inquiry into the SABLs is yet to hand a final report to the Government as the findings of the research co-authored by the JCU’s Dr Paul Nelson and Jen

The revelations from research by the James Cook University on oil palm being used by developers as a cover for logging should not come as a surprise to Papua New Guineans. “It is crucial that the real intentions of developers are understood and highlighted so the PNG Government can manage the property appropriately. At present a lot of people around the world think that buying products containing palm oil encourages deforestation, but boycotting those products at the supermarket is not going to stop loss of forest in PNG,” he added. The controversy relating to the Government’s Special Agriculture and Business Lease (SABL) is well documented in PNG, compelling the government of then acting Prime Minister Sam Abal in 2011 and a year later PM Peter O’Neill to support and establish a commission of inquiry. It is a pity that the commission of inquiry into the SABLs is yet to hand a final report to the Government as the findings of the research co-authored by the JCU’s Dr Paul Nelson an

By JASON GIMA WURI As Melanesians, it is only natural and fitting to stand up for our own kind or our own Melanesian brothers and wantoks as we call it in this part of the Pacific. With Australia’s regional resettlement deal hot on its heels whereby Australia seems to be shifting its asylum seeker boat issues to the lesser competent Pacific island nations in Papua New Guinea and Nauru in exchange for promises of development and funding. It seems like Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has ulterior motives to win the federal elections and does not care who stands in the way whether it be Papua New Guinea or Nauru. PNG Prime Minister Peter O’Neiland his government as we understand are looking at it from a development perspective whereby funding is coming in from the deal to help bring about development in Manus Province  but do they  even consider the long term effects, whether or not the asylum seekers will be settled here? Recently reported on Australian Network this week, the Fiji G

By JASON GIMA WURI As Melanesians, it is only natural and fitting to stand up for our own kind or our own Melanesian brothers and wantoks as we call it in this part of the Pacific. With Australia’s regional resettlement deal hot on its heels whereby Australia seems to be shifting its asylum seeker boat issues to the lesser competent Pacific island nations in Papua New Guinea and Nauru in exchange for promises of development and funding. It seems like Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has ulterior motives to win the federal elections and does not care who stands in the way whether it be Papua New Guinea or Nauru. PNG Prime Minister Peter O’Neiland his government as we understand are looking at it from a development perspective whereby funding is coming in from the deal to help bring about development in Manus Province  but do they  even consider the long term effects, whether or not the asylum seekers will be settled here? Recently reported on Australian Network this week, the Fiji

A personal commentary by Sonja Barry Ramoi Deep in the mountains of the village called Paru Paru - the village of late secessionist leader and former first President of Bougainville Joseph Kabui - not far from Panguna Mine, Defence Force Captain and Helicopter Pilot Charlie Andrews was ordered by the Commander of the PNG Defence Force Brigadier General Jerry Singirok to go in and get Captain Belden Norman Namah out. The terrain, in enemy territory under the control of the Bougainville Revolutionary Army, was no place for a chopper to land. Captain Namah – in a daring, innovative feat and display of bravery – was airlifted out of the bush by hanging onto the skid of the chopper. Only a very strong man highly skilled and highly trained to be a Special Forces Unit commando could do that. Did Captain Namah, now the Opposition Leader of Papua New Guinea, tell me the story perhaps to try and impress me? No he did not. I heard the story from somebody else via Charlie Andrews and asked him to

A personal commentary by Sonja Barry Ramoi Deep in the mountains of the village called Paru Paru - the village of late secessionist leader and former first President of Bougainville Joseph Kabui - not far from Panguna Mine, Defence Force Captain and Helicopter Pilot Charlie Andrews was ordered by the Commander of the PNG Defence Force Brigadier General Jerry Singirok to go in and get Captain Belden Norman Namah out. The terrain, in enemy territory under the control of the Bougainville Revolutionary Army, was no place for a chopper to land. Captain Namah – in a daring, innovative feat and display of bravery – was airlifted out of the bush by hanging onto the skid of the chopper. Only a very strong man highly skilled and highly trained to be a Special Forces Unit commando could do that. Did Captain Namah, now the Opposition Leader of Papua New Guinea, tell me the story perhaps to try and impress me? No he did not. I heard the story from somebody else via Charlie Andrews and asked h

Papua New Guinea anticipates exponential growth in the next few years as many resource projects come into production. Where does it anticipate spending the bulk of that new found wealth? Government has given us its strategic pillars where much of the money is going to be spent. They will be in universal primary education, in basic health, in infrastructure, in tackling law and order and in growing the economy. They are indeed strategic but they need now to be broken down to far more specific areas for far concentrated effort. For let us not forget that the above strategic pillars of development have been every administration’s priority development goals since 1975. Yet despite growing budgets, including contributions from donor sources, key social and economic indicators in the country remain depressed and in real terms have regressed. Child and maternal mortality remain the highest in the Asia Pacific region. Access to schools, doctors and medicine and to clean water is negligible and