PNGBLOGS

by LAKEN LEPATU AIGILO Greetings PI, foremost, let me congratulate you for winning the Enga Regional Seat in the 2017 National Election through election-corruption. In one of the days of February 2017 before the election, we met at the opening of Waiyep Lodge at Laiagam and I heartedly greeted you. You exchanged with a handshake with your trademark smile and called me ‘Son!’ I replied, ‘Yes Dad, I’m here to greet you!’ and you elaborated, ‘Almost Son!’ I responded, ‘Yes we are father-son,’ then we had little conversation about the event and I concluded by saying, ‘Ikinigim Takange pigelion sin namenakap’ (Son challenging father so don’t hold my sins). You responded, ‘You are exercising your democratic rights and I don’t mind but let us play a ‘FAIR GAME.’ I was thrilled by your response and agreed for a ‘FAIR GAME’ and we dismissed. However, the outcome speaks otherwise that you had willfully LIED! I regret calling you dad. I don’t know what to call you; a Liar, a snake in the

by YAKAN LEKAPALI Will Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia settle the law on re Powers, functions, duties, and responsibilities of the Commissioner of Police? The grant of interim stay orders by the Supreme Court instituted by Chief Justice Sir Salamo has not settled well with many frustrated citizens. This is understandable given the grave negativity with the recent incidents involving senior judges. But hold on and be patient for now. Was the grant on the stay orders legal? In short, YES. Like other citizens, Peter O'Neill has the right to appeal as allowed by the law. Hence, among other factors, the execution of the warrant of arrest stay in the interim is in order. Without the temporary stay order, the whole purpose of the appeal could stand defeated.  Note that the time gap between execution of the warrant by police lapsed when Police Commissioner Gari Baki delayed executing warrant of arrest on PM. Prime Minister Peter O'Neill must, therefore, thank Gari Baki for the de

by JOHN BRIA Planet Shakers ' a gospel concert turn into a mob gathering as youths take absolute control and third night cancel for security reasons. The aftermath outcome of the concert in NCD resulted in the news of rape, killing, assault, bag snatching, drunken brawl, harassment etc, etc, as neighbors within the vicinity hear nothing but 'gun shots and, tear gas. What does it tell us? This picture itself tells a thousand stories of the grim reality of the potential looming danger of PNG's internal security which also has the potential to ignite national security threats. It is estimated about 85% of PNG's population are made up of youths between the ages of 15-45 years of age and this is the most active age group. In PNG, in metropolitan cities Port Moresby, Lae and Mt Hagen, there is widespread social disorder like crime and prostitution associated with socioeconomic factors like unemployment, school drop outs, rural urban drifts etc. It's now p

by PAUL FLANAGAN PNG’s new Treasurer and DPM, Charles Abel, has released the promised 100 Day Economic Stimulus Plan (see  here ). Overall, there are some positives in the plan. But politics is already circumscribing necessary actions to get PNG back onto the right economic path. Starting with the positives, even having a 25 point plan is a useful statement that the new government recognises PNG’s economic challenges. The five elements of the plan are appropriate. There is a focus on raising revenues as well as fiscal discipline. Population policy is given priority.  The plan announces the suspension and review of some scary micro-economic policies in areas such as land, agriculture, bio-security and mining. Some politically brave action is foreshadowed to at least temporarily reduce politicians’ discretionary electorate spending (PSIPs and DSIPs). There seems a commitment to on-going sensible strategic budgetary and planning processes. There is no mention of the absurd “gold bu

by GARY JUFFA MP My advice for Papua New Guinea’s new MPs and their staff, minions, hangers on and supporters … Some words about the middle bench. It’s a myth. I should know. I was there believing that myth for the first two years of the last term of Parliament. The middle bench IS government. I attended government caucus from time to time and made critical reviews of government decisions. If you are allowed to attend government caucus…you ARE government. Why did I not choose the Opposition at that time? Because I believed the myth of the “Middle Bench” … Little difference And I saw little difference in either side at that time…with the government seeming to be a slightly better option. I hoped I could do more to influence government decisions for the better. How wrong I was. The benefit of hindsight has since proved otherwise. Well at that time both government and opposition seemed like bad choices, just flipsides of the same coin, and I honestly thought there w

by  Professor Kristian Lasslett   MAKING THE INVISIBLE, VISIBLE The problem with corruption in PNG, at its most grand levels, is that it is everywhere and nowhere. Its morbid symptoms are apparent for all to see, but the particular mechanisms through which the disease of corruption infects governments and markets, and disables the body of the nation, proves difficult to observe, owing to its secretive nature. Yet in order to fight corruption effectively, we need to answer elementary questions relating to its core characteristics. For example, what type of corrupt transactions are most common and damaging in PNG, who are the participants, what motivates them, how do they make their illicit gains, what do they spend it on, and which institutional structures permit these illegal activities to take place? Despite the difficulties associated with observing corruption, we can still pull together enough credible data from the civil and criminal courts, commissions of inquiries, nati

by CYRIL GARE One of the greatest challenges for our new first time politicians is to acquaint themselves with and understand the country’s foreign policy among others. It is even challenging for a first-time Minister. In many democracies in the world, a first-time politician does not become a Minister immediately. The reason is obvious. He or she must first understudy and learn the trade skills of the game before taking on a ministerial responsibility in Government. Last week, we boasted about the launch of PNG’s first ever National Trade Policy (NTP). In time, many Papua New Guineans including myself will be able to read and understand the NTP from an available copy. For now, let’s just deduce from information provided in media reports that the NTP now “gives an upper hand to negotiate trade with its partners”. In essence, trade involves supply and demand; i) we supply others with what they do not have, and ii) in reciprocate buy from them what we do not have such as medicine an

by MELL LAKA The Attorney General is empowered to brief private lawyers/counsel to act for the State. This occurs when there is need for particular expertise or the Attorney General is unable to undertake the work itself. From Finance Department records a Commission of enquiry found that over the period 2000 to 2006 the State incurred liability in payouts of approximately K100 million in legal fees. The Inquiry saw that there has been no compliance with the Public Finances (Management) Act procedures of expenditure for approval prior to engaging in those brief outs. A  Commission of enquiry after making extensive examination of these payments with ready assistance from all the law firms concerned except Paul Paraka Lawyers which has been the recipient of at least the K41 million in brief out fees for January 2003 to August 2006 noted in NEC records.  Let me illustrate what I mean by excessive legal fee with our so called Chief Secretary of the National Government, Mr. Isaac Lupari