PNGBLOGS

In the National Gazette for 15th August 2016, the then Secretary for the Department of Lands, Luther Sipison, published a notice stating that he was granting, apparently to himself, substitute leases over six parcels of land at Erap in Morobe Province. The leases were each for a term of 99 years with no rent payable and no improvement covenant. The grant of the leases was subsequently evidenced by an entry in the Titles Register Lease Book. Is this a case of the Lands Secretary granting leases to himself? If so, there are a number of important questions that need to be answered: Why did the Secretary apparently grant the leases to himself? How were the rather obvious potential conflicts of interest managed? Were the proper notices of the intention to grant the substitute leases ever published? Were all the relevant parties consulted including the landowners and previous lessees? Are all the relevant documents on file in the Department? Are the

by PNGI BLOG The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) in February this year, issued a country report on PNG. One of the issues addressed is corruption. The old saying that the fish rots from the head down, is reversed by DFAT. They suggest that in PNG, the rot begins at the tail, within grass-roots communities, slowly travelling up the spine, to rot the head – senior politicians and public officials. This is how the argument is framed by DFAT: Corruption in PNG takes a number of forms. What outsiders call corruption may often reflect the wantok obligations of the individuals concerned. For example, virtually all politicians need to reward their supporters in material and tangible ways, ranging from providing projects to villages and districts which voted for them, to ensuring contracts are directed towards leading supporters. MPs (and candidates) are also under considerable pressure to assist their constituents pay school fees, funeral costs, bride prices and

by KIN POLOWA The appointment of former Assistant Commissioner of Police, Thomas Eluh, as the Acting Provincial Administrator of Southern Highlands Province will not go down well with many of us who have been following him closely in his commitment to combat corruption as a police officer. He was appointed by the National Executive Council on 2nd November 2017. The NEC decision comes a week after Mr Eluh’s court challenge against his dismissal from the police force was handed down. Although the National Court Invalidated Police Commissioner Gari Baki’s decision to dismiss Mr Eluh from the Force, the Court refused to reinstate Mr Eluh –which effectively puts Eluh on the street as an ordinary person. When I heard the NEC decision news, the first thing that came to mind was –Eluh has now been compromised, just like many others. Instead of taking my judgmental rant to social media, as usual, I decided to do some background check on Eluh. You have to know the person and the facts

by SIR MEKERE MORAUTA The Member for Moresby North-West, Sir Mekere Morauta, said today that Papua New Guinea is like a patient lying on a sick-bed being drip-fed – one arm with a foreign exchange drip; the other arm with a cash flow drip. “The patient is likely to get weaker if the drip-feeding continues,” he said. “What the patient needs are large doses of the medicine given in one hit, to allow the patient to recover, gain strength, start walking and begin gardening for the future. “However, without appropriate action by the Government, it is possible that one or both of the medicine bags will drain completely, endangering the patient’s life.” Former Prime Minister Morauta said that every fortnight the Government is scratching everywhere to find the K200 million needed to pay public servants’ salaries in full and on time. “I understand that the Government has been milking state-owned agencies such as Kumul Petroleum and the Gaming Board, to enable it to pay fortnightly wages

PNG be informed that the Department of Petroleum & Energy was appropriated from the 100 days supplementary budget through the NEC of K3m to implement the S.47 of the Oil and Gas Act 1998 to compliment S. 167 & 168 benefits to be disbursed across the Png Lng affected Landowners, Provincial Governments and the LLG's. There are also other associated benefits available in the various agreements (Gas Agreement, UBSA & LBSA). Sadly, the K3m will be transferred to KPHL to run the CVP/LOBID at the interest of DPE acting secretary & may be the responsible Ministers'. This is a gross abuse of the Public Finance Management Act. KPHL is an entity created to manage the commercial Kroton Equity for PG's & Landowners investment per the UBSA Clause 6 in Kokopo. Therefore if KPHL is willing to manage this funds, they must call for an immediate NEC review through submissions to transfer the K3m LOBID fund so they can manage this funds. This might be the right way

  by ZOE MEERS & KIM YI DIONNE - WASHINGTON POST Papua New Guinea’s parliamentary elections took place June 24 to July 8, and there was significant controversy. During the election, officials went on strike in the capital city, Port Moresby, and violence broke out at polling stations in Enga province, where at least 20 people died. Election officials worked slowly to tally the votes, delaying the announcement of results as a way to protest lack of payment. It wasn’t until late September that the last undeclared seat was filled. Despite these and other setbacks, Prime Minister Peter O’Neill formed a new government in Papua New Guinea in early August. Here’s what you need to know about this country’s complex voting system. The electoral contest was particularly crowded In Papua New Guinea’s ninth election since independence from Australia in 1975, 3,340 candidates ran in races for 111 parliamentary seats. Half of those candidates came from 44 political parties — including

 by DANIEL TULAPI LLB In my one term of Member of parliament 1992 to 1997 , I , Daniel Bali Tulapi have stood up to Julius Chan ( PM) and foreigners when I was in NEC . I was sacked by Prime Minister Chan as minister for standing up to him for "telling him what to do in NEC. " I told PM Chan.. " I submitted a NEC policy to adopt the Saudi Arabia model of hard KINA policy and not to devalue the KINA at the world market currency trade market." I told National Executive Council (NEC) cabinet not to listen to foreigners and foreign governments. " I said the Kutubu oil when exported will be paid for and purchased by USA our KINA not by USA Dollar. That means and I said " K 1 = 3 USA Dollars. At that time K1 = 1.5 one Dollar 50 cents USA DOLLAR. I said we PNG maintain hard KINA policy and adopt Saudi Arabia model of the Riyal currency of Saudi Arabia 1 riyal = 3 USA dollars. Saudi Arabia was the largest oil exporter in the world at t