PNGBLOGS

by  Eragairma Yal I don't know if our Papua New Guinea Defence Force has a Blue Print. PNG has obtained the Right to Self-Rule in 1973 as a pre-qualification to gaining independence in 1975, 16th September. 43yrs on and I have just learned one fundamental fact that our PNG Defense Force has still been operating as the Eighth Division under the Australian Defense Force Military. The fact is we have not gained Military Independence. We are an Eighth Element or Division similar to an Infantry under the Australian Defence Force Military. One thing that baffles me is that the Australian Defense Force knowing very well that we are the Eighth Division operating under the ADF Military, why can't they develop our Defense Force into a full pledge Military Force carrying Land, Air and Sea Elements with complete state of the art equipment setup and logistics support with routine modern training as a requirement? Whatever arrangements they may have had in the past that lead us t

by ALBERT SCHRAM On 15 February, the Council of the Papua New Guinea University of Technology (PNGUoT) decided to terminate my services, and gave me and my wife 7 days to ship out, and leave our residence on campus, where we have lived more than 6 years. On 19 January I was given a mere 7 days to answer the allegations, and I managed to hand in my answers though incomplete before the deadline. I returned on campus from an engagement elsewhere with my wife on 23 January, and that same day the Acting Vice Chancellor Dr. Ora Renagi wrote that I should “stay away from the office. I was also denied an extension to prepare myself, and neither was I given access to important files in the Registry and Bursary regarding this case. Council itself, however, acknowledged that the main ground for dismissal was that allegedly I did not present a certified copy of my original doctoral degree from the European University Institute. Here is a link to my thesis on the Institute’s website http://

The PM recently instituted an Audit into the operations of one of the Foreign Missions allegedly for disposing of state property without complying with due processes as stipulated under the Financial Management Act (FMA), Public Service Management Act (PSMA) and the Foreign Service Manual of Operations and other related guidelines. This disposition and the subsequent audit carried out, as they say “is Only the tip of the iceberg”. Whilst waiting for the outcome of the audit, let us scrutinize some of the conduct of our Foreign Missions and its Officers at Post. The PNG Embassy in Manila Philippines will be in the uppermost list in official corrupt practices, abuse and mismanagement, especially of funds, allocated and funds generated through its Consular Services i.e. visa and Immigration services fees etc. From the Ambassador down to all staff, each has a fair share of misuse and abuse. The Ambassador and his staff have no regard for the existence of the FMA & PSMA and the n

SO BASIL CLAIMS I'M A LIAR? by BRYAN KRAMER Today the Post Courier published a front page story under the headline "Uproar in the House." The article was in relation to Member of Wau Bulolo and Minister of Communications & Energy Sam Basil's statement (personal explanation) on the floor of Parliament following question time yesterday. Basil's statement was in response to my article published on Facebook in relation to the recent defection of the Member of Wosera-Gawi Open from Opposition to O'Neill Government. An article authored by reporter Jeffrey Elapa, which I'm of the view was biased confirmed by the fact the reporter made no attempt to get my comment to balance the story. The central theme of the article and Basil's statement were expressed in the following terms: 1) Basil: the comments labeling me as “dumb and a stupid member of Parliament”, I felt obliged and convicted to stand up and speak as Mr Kramer’s comments are unaccept

by BRYAN KRAMER MP Prime Minister Peter O'Neill was caught lying and misleading Parliament during question time when it resumed its first session in 2018 on Tuesday. O'Neill was responding to a question raised by the Governor of Western Province, Toboi Yoto asking when his people would benefit from Oktedi Mine and when they would receive the share certificates. Western Governor explained that since the O'Neill Government took over the mine in September 2013 it had failed to transfer the share certificates representing 33% interest in the mine to the Western Province people. Further, still, they had yet to receive their dividends. In response, O'Neill claimed when his Government took over the mine from BHP, who at the time wanted to shut down the mine for not being profitable. He said the Government inherited a loss-making machine. He confirmed his Government has yet to transfer 33% interest to the landowners, claiming it was because of stamp duties issue.

MORE LIES FROM THE MASTER OF LIES Once again the Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, Mr Peter O’Neill, has lied to Parliament and the people of Papua New Guinea . He told the House yesterday that when he illegally took over Ok Tedi, the company was making a loss. That is a lie. The accompanying figures, obtained from Ok Tedi’s own publicly reported accounts, show that Ok Tedi was at its most profitable when majority owned by PNG Sustainable Development Program Ltd. Since Mr O’Neill’s illegal expropriation in 2013, reported profits have been slashed to less than one-third of what they were. In 2012, the last year of PNGSDP majority ownership, profit was K913.3. In 2016, the last reported year of O’Neill ownership, profit was K384 million. Average annual profit under PNGSDP was K1172 million. Average annual profit under Mr O’Neill was K98 million. Returns to Western Province through development programs have fallen to virtually zero. Western Province has also not be

by JOHN E. KUA Deceit by definition is keeping the truth hidden to get an advantage. So did the prime minister deceive the people of Western Province on the 33 percent shares in OK TEDI MINING LIMITED? Yes, he did lie about the transfer LIMITED? to the people of Western Province as no open dialogue or consultation was conducted by the government or its agents ,including the Mineral Resources Development Corporation ( MRDC ), the Department of Mining or the Department of Environment & Conservation to distribute the share equity amongst the different classes of landowners and the provincial and local level governments. The O'Neill government was applauded for nationalising the mine in 2013, from BHP and it's trustees nominee PNGSDP in lieu of catastrophic environmental damages done to river systems along the OK Tri river and the Fly river which flows 400 nautical miles into the Gulf Delta, displacing almost 100.000 people who have depended on the river systems