PNGBLOGS

by ROB AGEN 1. Incident 1 Sat 22/April: Mr Pakop sent a group of Taurama based soldiers to 8 mile where I have a solid base of approx 10,000 to 12,000 confirmed eligible voters and falsely acuse my Election Chairman & my 8 mile youths of assaulting a Taurama based soldier on Friday at Block 2. They specifically mentioned the name of my chairman and his vehicle registration number. It was obvious these were rented soldiers who were paid by Powes - he was annoyed by the fact that when he sent in 4 x buses to pick up my voters on Thursday for his nomination, no one jumped on the buses. All 4 x buses left 8 mile settlement empty. The soldiers were armed when they put up a huge poster of Powes at the main 8 mile junction. My 8 mile youths pulled down the poster under the cover of darkness. The soldiers went into OK5 settlement at 8 Mile block 2 (Eastern Highlands, Enga and Simbu settlers) in two (2) fully loaded vehicles and demanded the settlers plus my chairman to compensate the sup

by SAM KOIM As I have introduced, in this article, we will be exploring the legal qualifications on the right to stand for public office. Bear in mind that subject to these limited qualifications, the right to stand for public office is a constitutional right. Deduced from the Constitution, there are number of limitations/qualifications on the right to stand for public office. In order to stand for public office, the candidate must: 1. Be a PNG citizen (including naturalized citizen): ss. 50 and 103(3)(a). 2. Be aged 25 years or above: s 103 (1) 3. Have his/her name on the common roll: s 103(3)(a) 4. have been born in the electorate for which he intends to nominate or have resided in the electorate for a continuous period of two years immediately preceding his nomination or for a period of five years at any time: s 103(2) 5. pay a nomination fee of K1,000.00: s 103(2) 6. Of Full Capacity (not of unsound mind): s 103(3)(b) 7. Not under sentence of death or imprisonment for more t

A series of Articles by Sam Koim Article I: Introductory I will be publishing a series of articles as part of my contribution towards educating the public to elect reasonably qualified people to the National Parliament in this National General Elections (NGE). Every citizen has two constitutional rights under section 50 of the Constitution to determine the leadership of our country every 5 years: (1) Right to Vote and (2) Right to stand for public office. If you are dissatisfied with the status quo in your electorate, province or country, you have these two powers to invoke during this period. We all may not be in strategic governmental positions to dictate the development of this country, but we all are given the right and the opportunity to stand for public office and elect those who will be in those strategic positions by exercising our voting franchise. Whilst a minority of the population will be raising their hands up as candidates for the 111 seats in Parliament, the en

by PETER S. KINJAP AT around the same time five (5) years ago, the Peter O’Neill and PNC team on campaign rallies promised to curb high level corruption in the Government, if we could remember. The then disbanded Investigation Task Force Sweep (ITFS) was setup for this purpose which did an excellent job exposing and prosecuting corruption and malfeasance. Along the way, when the police fraud squad got too nosy for comfort, police commissioner Garry Baki applied a somewhat special “vetting” to high profile cases under investigation, something which appears to be a smokescreen to hide the Paul Paraka saga that involves questioning Peter O’Neill. This is evident when Paul Paraka wrote to the Police Commissioner Garry Baki to ‘crash’ all files relating the case dated August 2016. The bond between Paul Paraka and Peter O’Neill is not so hidden. When Paul Paraka was arrested on the Oct 23, 2013 over 18 allegations, he claimed the payments were for the work done by his Law firm and

by JERRY SINGIROK MBE, DMS. I was born and raised on Karkar Island and went to Asaroka Lutheran High School then to Sogeri Senior High and joined to the PNGDF despite being accepted to read Law at UPNG in 1975. I graduated as a Second Lieutenant in 1976 and joined the infantry corps spending all my first 18 years in the field. I served overseas as an exchange officer with USA Military in 1982 with British Army on 1984 and seconded to the Australian Army in 1991-93. I had travelled extensively. In between I graduated in Military Arts and Science and a graduate of Australian Management Institute and undergraduate of Southern Cross University for an MBA. For my thesis I successfully completed my thesis on Military and it's application in International Relations and Diplomacy. I was posted to the Land Warfare Centre Canungra Qld as a leading instructor in Military Mobilisation in times of conflict and maneuver warfare in 1992-83. I was a Visiting Fellow at ANU in 2004

by MEAGHER TAYLOR This coming 2017, National General Election is most significant and crucial for the nation P apua New Guinea, and for every provinces, including my beloved Gulf Province with its current LNG issues. We have witnessed well over 5 years of turbulence, instabilities, corruptions, and undue manipulations of individuals, and reputable organisations, by current government of Peter O’Steal. The extent of the damages done by this grand coalition government to methodically destabilised the legal functions, rule of laws, procedures, processes and control structures is beyond comprehension. PNC and the ruling alliance has destroyed the independence and trust of custodian institutions designed to uphold the constitution, safe guard, and protect the nation. These acts of control by egotistic avaricious Prime Minister and his cohorts are mere deeds of criminalities to avoid incarceration. The principles and visions on which this nation was built upon by our fore-father ma

by GARY YAMKA KIAP Dear Mr. Paraka: The April 7, 2017 issue of the Post Courier reported how you announced with much fanfare before thousands of Papua New Guineans your intention to contest for member of Parliament as the leader of GRUF (Grass Roots United Front).  You were rather gruff in the assertions you made. You stated that if elected you would pass legislation to the effect that “all open members and governors will never come to the city of Port Moresby”, with the only exception being during sessions of Parliament. You also said that you would “monitor the movements” of Members of Parliament to ensure that they are spending time in their districts. It is a waste of tax payer resources to have numerous government spies shadowing the movements of MPs 24/7.  Or was it you plan to have electronic devices attached to the ankles of each MP to trace their every step?  It sounds like a high level of government surveillance as promoted in George Orwell’s book 1984. You have f

Former Prime Minister Sir Mekere Morauta said today he was disappointed that the Prime Minister continues to indulge in personal attacks rather than focus on issues and policies that could rescue the nation from the economic and financial chaos he has created. “Personal attack, especially when it consists of falsehoods and fantasy, is not a substitute for substantive and constructive public discourse,” he said. “I repeat my suggestion to the Prime Minister – that he focus on the things that matter, such as repairing the economy and government finances, refinancing the health and education systems after the massive cuts he has imposed, eradicating corruption, improving the quality of services, rebuilding the institutions of state that he has abused, respecting the law, following proper systems and processes of Government. “These are the critical issues after five years of his government. The people of Papua New Guinea deserve to be treated with respect by being provided with po

by PETER J RICKETS April is proving to be the most disastrous month in the history of Australia’s relationship with Papua New Guinea, with yet another crisis in Malcolm Turnbull’s concentration camp on Manus Island, to the north of the PNG mainland. At a time when the West is struggling to win the hearts and minds of Papua New Guinea in the face of a concerted Chinese diplomatic effort to do the same, Manus has once again blown up in Australia’s face. This week’s riot during which PNG Defence Force personnel fired approximately 100 rounds from military weapons into the refugee compound has created even more animosity towards Turnbull’s Australia. The compound is supposed to be officially closed, but still houses hundreds of refugees, with Turnbull and his Immigration Minister washing their hands of any responsibility for it and its occupants. Infuriated by the continuing Turnbull-Dutton deceptions and their attempts to slither away from Australia’s responsibilities, Papua New Gui