PNGBLOGS

By KOMAI APULIN Death Penalty Issue A while back Attorney General (AG) of Papua New Guinea (PNG) Hon. Kerenga Kua roundly rebuked three foreign diplomats. He accused them of taking debate on death penalty, an issue that he considers to be a purely domestic PNG matter, to unacceptable levels. The AG was incensed that the three European diplomats were “implicitly threatening and intimidating PNG in the way it is designing its social development agenda”. The AG was actually responding to a paid newspaper advertorial on the death penalty by those diplomats. The advertorial was critical of PNG Parliament’s passage of amendments to its laws to extend the death penalty to cover offences for which it had not been applicable previously. The three diplomats appeared to hold a view that the death penalty is inappropriate for PNG. They clearly want to influence a review of the death penalty in PNG. Obviously they strayed into sovereignty issues but I thought the diplomats conveyed a sobering persp

By KOMAI APULIN Death Penalty Issue A while back Attorney General (AG) of Papua New Guinea (PNG) Hon. Kerenga Kua roundly rebuked three foreign diplomats. He accused them of taking debate on death penalty, an issue that he considers to be a purely domestic PNG matter, to unacceptable levels. The AG was incensed that the three European diplomats were “implicitly threatening and intimidating PNG in the way it is designing its social development agenda”. The AG was actually responding to a paid newspaper advertorial on the death penalty by those diplomats. The advertorial was critical of PNG Parliament’s passage of amendments to its laws to extend the death penalty to cover offences for which it had not been applicable previously. The three diplomats appeared to hold a view that the death penalty is inappropriate for PNG. They clearly want to influence a review of the death penalty in PNG. Obviously they strayed into sovereignty issues but I thought the diplomats conveyed a sobering

By PNG PATRIOT Months of confusion about who is responsible for straightening out the management mess at UNITECH by members of the public, students and staff of UNITECH now extends to Minister David Arore.  His 20 December public statement on EM-TV news regarding the Vice Chancellor indicates that some basics of UNITECH governance need to be explained.   1.0  Major Errors In Legal Authority In his television statement, Higher Education Minister David Arore stated that he had terminated the vice chancellor stated that a new vice chancellor would be appointed. 2.0  Legislation Defining the Governance of UNITECH. The Papua New Guinea University of Technology Act of 1986 defines the governance of UNITECH.  The full legislation can be accessed at www.paclii.org/pg/legis/consol_act/pnguota1986446/ When PNG’s public universities were established they were purposely structured so that politicians would not have substantive, direct powers over the universities.   There was a desire to duplicate

By PNG PATRIOT Months of confusion about who is responsible for straightening out the management mess at UNITECH by members of the public, students and staff of UNITECH now extends to Minister David Arore.  His 20 December public statement on EM-TV news regarding the Vice Chancellor indicates that some basics of UNITECH governance need to be explained.   1.0  Major Errors In Legal Authority In his television statement, Higher Education Minister David Arore stated that he had terminated the vice chancellor stated that a new vice chancellor would be appointed. 2.0  Legislation Defining the Governance of UNITECH. The Papua New Guinea University of Technology Act of 1986 defines the governance of UNITECH.  The full legislation can be accessed at www.paclii.org/pg/legis/consol_act/pnguota1986446/ When PNG’s public universities were established they were purposely structured so that politicians would not have substantive, direct powers over the universities.   There was a desire

PNGBLOGS Middle class professionals from “awaraland” have complained quietly for years about Ijivitari MP David Arore.  Now that the criticisms have spread nationally and touch PNGBLOGS, we did some research and interviews to explore why they have surfaced.    Earning the Position of HERST Minister David Arore was a high school teacher, first elected to parliament in 2007.  He knew he could offer his loyalty to the highest bidder by running as an independent.  PM Michael Somare made the best offer, Arore accepted, and ended up being appointed Deputy Minister for Education. However, by July 2010 the ambitious Arore was upset by Somare’s reluctance to give him a higher post and became one of six NA members to defect to the Opposition.  This move failed to topple the government and Arore returned to government.  A year later, as PM Somare rested helplessly in a Singapore hospital, Arore defected again at the time when  Peter O’Neill successfully moved a vote of no confidence and became PM

Australia has withdrawn funding for a $38 million program that supplies medicine to Papua New Guinean health centres, due to concerns about the way PNG has awarded contracts. Previously, Australia's aid agency chose the supplier and distributor for the medicines, but this year that process was handled by PNG. In June, the PNG government removed a crucial quality-control criteria and later awarded the contract to local company linked to a Chinese supplier of sub-quality drugs. Doctors say the distribution of ineffective medicine in a country rife with TB, malaria, pneumonia and gastro will cost lives. Three years ago, a corruption scandal within Papua New Guinea's health system left hospitals running out of drugs and prompted the PNG government to ask for Australia's help in stocking health centres. For two years, the International Dispensary Association supplied medical kits to almost 3,000 health facilities across the country. Dr Glen Mola, treasurer of the Medical Society

Australia has withdrawn funding for a $38 million program that supplies medicine to Papua New Guinean health centres, due to concerns about the way PNG has awarded contracts. Previously, Australia's aid agency chose the supplier and distributor for the medicines, but this year that process was handled by PNG. In June, the PNG government removed a crucial quality-control criteria and later awarded the contract to local company linked to a Chinese supplier of sub-quality drugs. Doctors say the distribution of ineffective medicine in a country rife with TB, malaria, pneumonia and gastro will cost lives. Three years ago, a corruption scandal within Papua New Guinea's health system left hospitals running out of drugs and prompted the PNG government to ask for Australia's help in stocking health centres. For two years, the International Dispensary Association supplied medical kits to almost 3,000 health facilities across the country. Dr Glen Mola, treasurer of the M

By ANDREW PANAUAI Minister David Arore, I am sure many who support our current government were pleased to hear your announcement on Friday agreeing to release the unitech Sevua report. This decision is long overdue and commended. Minister Arore, what would not be appreciated by anyone right now is if you released a version of the report that was changed in any way, including parts being left out, wording changed, or new parts being added onto the original.To avoid suspicion that you made changes to the Sevua report before releasing, it is best to include written certifications by Judge Sevua and each council member confirming that that the released version is an exact copy of what Judge Sevua submitted. Minister Arore, you probably know that our PM is not too happy about the way you handled the unitech issue.Don’t forget the PM showed faith in your abilities by appointing you to the ministry of highest intellect.  You were too good to follow other instructions but your handling of unit

By ANDREW PANAUAI Minister David Arore, I am sure many who support our current government were pleased to hear your announcement on Friday agreeing to release the unitech Sevua report. This decision is long overdue and commended. Minister Arore, what would not be appreciated by anyone right now is if you released a version of the report that was changed in any way, including parts being left out, wording changed, or new parts being added onto the original.To avoid suspicion that you made changes to the Sevua report before releasing, it is best to include written certifications by Judge Sevua and each council member confirming that that the released version is an exact copy of what Judge Sevua submitted. Minister Arore, you probably know that our PM is not too happy about the way you handled the unitech issue.Don’t forget the PM showed faith in your abilities by appointing you to the ministry of highest intellect.  You were too good to follow other instructions but your handling