PNGBLOGS

By BRYAN KRAMER Former Police Commissioner Sir Thomas Kulunga has filed an application for leave for Judicial Review against the decision of the PM & National Executive Council (NEC) that terminated/retired him from office. Kulunga's lawyer filed an urgent application in the National Court last week, but was only listed this morning (24/7/14) after short service on the State. Kulunga is seeking to be reinstated as Commissioner of Police. The central grounds of his case is that his termination/forced retirement by NEC was without proper cause nor was he given the right to be heard. Judge Gava-Nanu adjourned the matter to 7th August 2014 after the State failed to appear in Court. This recent development may chuck a spanner in the works in the PM's efforts preventing police from arresting him. If leave is granted and stay on Vaki's appointment then Kulunga may re-assume office and consolidate the force. It was Kulunga who wrote to the PM on 16

In what seems a relentless cycle of resource companies lining up to take a bite out of Bougainville, on Monday Nevis Capital Corporation purchased a 50% stake in Tall J (PNG) Ltd (see the announcement below). Tall J, is currently owned by Stephen Strauss, whose was the subject of a expose published via the MicroKhan blog in 2011, which includes a detailed response from Strauss himself (see below). According to the company press release Tall J has rights to pristine Bougainville forest with timber valued at $1.3 billion, in addition to mineral exploration rights over 255,000 acres of land. So what do we know about this company who has evidently purchased a large chunk of Bougainville? Not much. It has one subsidiary, registered in, gulp, Costa Rica, which focuses on the online gaming industry. From one swindling industry to another, it would seem. And the company’s website hardly inspires confidence, either. http://www.neviscapcorp.com/ But as long as government economic policy hinges