PNGBLOGS

With almost 60 more days to go before the current government reaches its first 100 days in Parliament under the leadership of Prime Minister James Marape, many people are anxious about what he will do to pick up from where his predecessor left off. Opposition leader Patrick Pruaitch, who was one of the speakers at the 2019 PNG update at the University of Papua New Guinea, claims that the inability of the Marape government to deal quickly and effectively with key resource project issues will impact on most other policy areas, including inadequate spending on education and health. Mr Pruaitch made this concluding remark while giving an update on the country’s state of the economy from the opposition’s point of view. He told attendees that the country is still struggling to get out from its troublesome past when the gross domestic product in 2000 was around US$3.5 billlion. The economy in that year shrank by 2.5 per cent as per the World Bank data. Pruaitch said per cap

Dear Hon. Bryan Kramer Before you became the member for Madang Open, you did not campaign for structural, legislative or policy changes. If I can remember correctly, you campaigned to end corruption. You campaigned to expose the perpetrators and serve them justice. I commend you for living up to your talks on Facebook and other media when you were mandated by the people of Madang to shake the tree of corruption. I commend you for shaking the tree of corruption so hard that th e monkeys fell off. Some fell silently whilst some screamed the loudest.  I believed you were God sent, so as the rest of gullible Papua New Guineans. Now your status is ranked top in terms of popularity amongst the simple people. PNG believes you more than the PM. PNG rejoiced when you were plucked amongst the opposition against your will to be bestowed the Police ministry. We anticipated more radical moves to fully finish what you've started. But you're now switching the path from serving j

By BEN MICAH I have been following with keen interest the debate on the call by the chairman of the public accounts committee Sir John Pundari for officials of KPHL to appear before the public accounts committee. I was the minister responsible for effecting the implementation of the O’Neil government’s Kumul Agenda between 2014 and 2015. I was entrusted with this responsibility by the prime minister after Kerenga Kua was dismissed as Attorney General since he was initially taking carriage of the matter since 2013. Many comments made about the legislative framework affecting the establishment of Kumul Petroleum Holdings Limited are relatively subjective and are not based on a deeper understanding of the background information considered by the NEC prior to establishing the Kumul Group of companies as State vehicles to participate in commercial activities within the economy of the country. The discussion is too long and which I am prepared to defend in any forum or seminar/workshop a

ANALYSIS - Another debt restructuring on the cards for Digicel Investors in telco’s riskiest 2022 bonds want a 71% market interest rate SIX MONTHS after Denis O’Brien’s Digicel issued about $2.9 billion (€2.6 billion) of new bonds – a deal that effectively pushed out debt repayments – and the market is betting his emerging markets-focused telecoms group may have to come back with another restructuring plan before too long. Following four months of negotiations, Digicel saw 98 per cent of the holders of $2 billion of bonds due for repayment in 2020 agree in January to postpone getting their money back from the debt-laden group, by swapping their holdings for notes that mature in 2022. Almost all of the investors in a separate $1 billion of 2022 debt agreed to exchange their notes for new 2024 bonds. Almost $2 billion of the new bonds that were issued stand at the back of the queue to be repaid if the wider Digicel Group, which has some $6.7 billion of borrowings, runs into fina

by RODLEY ESAU Sir John Pundari and the PAC team must thoroughly investigate Borneo Pacific Pharmaceuticals Ltd, former Health Secretary Dr Nicholas Mann, former Director of Medical Supplies Branch Mr Igo Baru, Senior Procurement Officer Mr Elari Kou, current Health Secretary Mr Pascoe Kase and the Boneo's Poh Brothers including Mrs Lucy Poh. It all commenced during the time of Dr Nicholas Mann who was then the Health Secretary in 2006. Borneo Pacific Pharmaceuticals Ltd was awarded contracts with millions of kina by Dr Nicholas Mann and Mr Igo Baru since and still continues to date under Mr Pascoe Kase. Majority of the drugs supplied are allegedly sub-standards drugs etc. Interestingly, Mr Igo Baru currently served as a Company Director for Boneo Pacific Pharmaceuticals Ltd. Right after the 2017 National General Elections, the GoPNG paid Boneo Pacific Pharmaceuticals Ltd K50million for procurement and distribution of medicines and medical supplies including the Health C

Or more accurately, The Parliament vs. the KPHL.   by NEMA YALO Counsel Ray Azaley has expressed his views on his FB page on the contest between the Public Accounts Committee and the Kumul Petroleum Holdings Ltd (KPHL).I agree with Ray. The Supreme Court in the case MRDC vs. Ombudsman Commission SC931 (August 2008) ruled that MRDC, a company registered with the IPA and of which the Prime Minister is the sole shareholder holding shares for and on behalf of the State was subject to the scrutiny of the Ombudsman Commission (OC), in particular its CEO being subject to the Leadership Code, so as the ex-officio board members who by virtue of their substantive offices were also declared as being subject to the same law. The Legislature, like the Judiciary, has the ultimate oversight role on the Executive arm and its agencies, arms and tentacles. KPHL CEO and the board are appointed by and are answerable to the Executive arm. Therefore by extension KPHL is answerable to the Legislature, no

by BUI WETAU The Public Accounts Committee Chairman Sir John Pundari's comments today on page#3 of the Post Courier that the Management of the Kumul Petroleum Holding Limited led by its Chairman continues to argue that their existence (actions) is governed by a separate Act triggers me to say that KPHL must now be investigated thoroughly as the public can now see that there is something not right about the whole issue. KPHL Chairman Mr Baing and his team of Management must know that th e Act that they continue to seek refuge under was given birth to by the Parliament for the sole purpose of KPHL governing or managing resources (financial or others) which were to come under the new body's (KPHL) care. This is merely a function that would otherwise have been parked under the Department of Petroleum or even Treasury with key personals employed to undertake the responsibilities of management and if so the responsible agency whether it be DPE or Treasury would still be requ