PNGBLOGS

[Press Release by Rt Hon Sir Mekere Morauta] Prime Minister Peter O’Neill should stand down and submit himself to an independent external inquiry into very serious allegations of personal and corporate impropriety. The allegations concern his then wholly-owned construction company Wild Cat Developments Ltd and a bridge-building contract with the Asian Development Bank. The bank investigated the contract and found it to be improperly and incompletely implemented by Mr O’Neill’s company. The bank found proper tender processes had not been followed, rigging of the tender process, misrepresentation, financial management deficiencies, potential integrity violations, serious procurement irregularities, contravention of contract terms, and lack of qualification to tender. Reports by the Guardian newspaper and the PNGi network state that the 2015-2016 project in West New Britain Province “was fraught with problems, requiring the ADB to temporarily stop payments and send in inspector

by PHILIP WEN PORT MORESBY: Barely a five-minute drive from the US$50 million conference venue for the just-concluded Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Papua New Guinea's capital, a makeshift squatter settlement is tucked away from visiting world leaders. The Wanigela settlement in Port Moresby looks out directly over APEC Haus, but might as well be a world away. With the South Pacific nation's rainy season looming, Wanigela's thousands of residents are packed together in overcrowded and dilapidated dwellings with no sanitation and unreliable electricity supplies. For all the hope and promise the APEC summit would put PNG on the world stage – and attract investment that will translate into jobs and infrastructure – many are questioning how such an international event will benefit their everyday lives. "The government says APEC is going to improve our lives, but I don’t know, because our politics is not trustworthy," said Bra

by BRYAN KRAMER MP While Post Courier published the front page headline "Yes We Did It'! the rest of the international media reported No we didn't! For the first time in APEC Summit history, leaders of 21 Nations were unable to agree on a formal written declaration. The purpose of APEC is to enhance economic growth and prosperity for the region and to strengthen the Asia-Pacific community. The Guardian reported O’Neill denied the failure to agree on a declaration was a humiliation for his poverty-hit country, which was hosting the annual gathering of the 21 nations for the first time. So how did it go so wrong? Look no further than the Chairman of APEC Prime Minister Peter O'Neill, while in PNG politics where he divides others in the pursuit of his own personal interest this time round it back fired on him. Never in the history of APEC has the host country made the blunder of staging a State visit at the same time. In this case O'Neill knowing the d

by JAYLON JACOB Everyone knows the history and international politics, I will just give a brief ... Power in international relations is defined in several different ways.. Those states that have significant amounts of power within the international system are referred to as Superpowers, big powers, middle powers, and small powers respectively. The power is measured by military and economic power. Countries like the US, Russia, China are a superpower...Example of Big power countries are Great Britain, France and for middle power in Australia and few others...So PNG fits into small power group...That means PNG can be easily influenced by Super Power countries in terms of money via aid and military by conducting an exchange training programme or other means. Going back to political history..The Cuban Missile Crisis, in 1962 confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union concerning American ballistic missile deployment in Italy and Turkey with consequent Soviet ballist

Dear Prime Minister Greetings to you and the Cabinet. This morning (Monday) 22nd of October 2018 I visited the Cancer Ward at Port Moresby General Hospital at 1:13 am. The purpose of my visit was to see and feel the life in this ward. Hon Prime Minister the first feeling that engulfed me as soon as I opened the door was similar to walking into a morgue.   There was no life in this building except the lights from fluorescent tubes. I will bring you to the realities in this place.   Hon Prime Minister, if you stand where I stood you will see a stretch of corridor. If you look to your left and right, you will see curtains hanging lifelessly on the doors. I believe you would vividly know what is behind those curtains. If you peep through these curtains you will see our mothers, wives and sisters awaiting their deaths. Looking at their lifeless faces and you see Death is inevitable. They expected it to come to them any moment. There are about 36 innocent patie

by MICHAEL J. PASSINGAN Many have asked the questions who paid for the 40 Maserati cars that will be used during APEC? Word on the street is that there is a certain expat in Department of Works (name withheld) who originally from Sri Lanka looks after awarding of donor-funded projects. He is the person that PM O'Neil deals directly in any awarding of contracts. The person has a great connection with many influential people and donors around the world. A few months back, a Tender for Highlands Highway Rehabilitation Investment Project (HHRIP) was organised by the DoW with funding from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) at a circa K3.0 billion kina to fund the rehabilitation of the highlands highway. Most of the top Engineering companies such as Cardno, SMEC, China Railway Construction, those with exceptional qualification and PNG experience were overlooked with the tender awarded to the Italian Firm - Bonifica. It appears the firm was promised of paying for the Maserati wi

by ROBERT T MARAPE PUMA ENERGY which is owned by Prime Minister Peter O'Neill and currently supplies diesel to PNG Power conspired with Carolyn Blacklock to sell off the gas powered gensets because they pose a threat to Puma. It's in exchange for writing off Inter Oil K4b tax owed to the PNG government. Some PNG consortiums are interested in buying the gensets to establish gas power stations to supply power to PNG Power at a cheaper rate than that of diesel power. There seems to be conspiracy and conniving between certain top elements in government, Carolyn Blacklock and expatriates in Deloitte, Puma Energy, PNG Power to rob PNG further by selling the gensets that originally cost K50m each or total K100m. Obviously, they will sell to their preferred buyers under shady deals for a private commission The government has transferred the two GE generators to PPL to utilise local gas for power generation. Under the controversies over APEC spendings etc, PPL, in particular, Ca

by PAUL FLANAGAN The new Treasurer released his first budget on 28 November. This was an opportunity to demonstrate the second term of the O’Neill government would help turn the corner on PNG’s economic mismanagement. So how did it do? Overall, there are some wonderful sentiments in this first Abel budget. My sense is that he is very genuine in what he is trying to achieve. But he seems to be let down by the realities of PNG politics. Protecting politicians electoral funds, finding money for APEC, trying to regain the upper-hand on the rhetoric of protecting health and education – all within the confines of fiscal responsibility – was simply too much. What has given way in this equation of trying to be responsible while dealing with the political spending pressures has been revenue credibility? Ultimately, he fails in his attempts to explain why we should believe his claim that revenues will suddenly jump by over 20 percent in 2018. This is an increase of over K2.2 billion and

by KERENGA KUA MP It is with great sadness and disappointment that we learned of the unfortunate recent court decision in Washington DC to lock out PNG. Embassy staff following three months of arrears in rental payments. The Parliamentary Leader and Member for Sinasina Yongomugl Mr Kerenga Kua said, "The O'Neill Government has spent a fortune during the campaign period telling Papua New Guinea, in a series of glossy advertisements, about how it has put PNG on the world stage. Hosting regional and global events has given us some recognition, but at the cost of so many other high priority areas like health and education. "Sadly, it is that very world stage that will witness us shame ourselves as we close foreign mission after foreign mission. So far this year we have failed to pay UN fees calling the failure an administrative glitch to avoid further humiliation. "High Commission and Embassy staff in Singapore, Beijing and Washington has had to

SIR MEKERE MORAUTA Former Prime Minister Sir Mekere Morauta expressed his concern today at social media pictures of heavily armed foreign mercenaries patrolling the streets of Port Moresby. He said it was clear that the public was very concerned about these men. “No-one knows who they are and what they are doing here,” he said. “The absence of any explanation from the Government is only serving to heighten concerns about these foreigners and why they are openly carrying high-powered weapons in public. “There are suggestions that these men are US Armed Forces personnel, and that they are here on APEC security business. Sir Mekere said he been advised that these men are not US SEALs – there are two SEALs on official business in Port Moresby, and they are certainly not driving around town in police vehicles. Nor are they taking part in road blocks and questioning people, he said. Nor are they in the country on APEC security business - the head of the APEC Secretariat, Mr Chris Hawkins

PRESS RELEASE Former Prime Minister Sir Mekere Morauta said today the proposed visit to Papua New Guinea by Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull is hard to fathom at this time, on the eve of PNG’s national election. Mr Turnbull came to office in September 2015 – over eighteen months ago.  In all that time, he has visited many countries, all over the world.  He has not found time to visit Papua New Guinea, one of Australia’s most important neighbors.  Why come now?  What is so important now that cannot be dealt with by officials? “The two Prime Ministers met in Australia a few weeks ago,” Sir Mekere said.  “They have met countless times at APEC, Pacific Islands’ Forum Leaders’ meetings, UN meetings, and I am sure they talk on the phone from time to time.  What is so pressing now, when Papua New Guinea is suffering at the hands of this corrupt, incompetent, uncaring Government headed by Peter O’Neill?” “It is insensitive and interfering for Mr Turnbull to pay homage to Mr

UN announcement highlights recent problems with the PNG Government's payment of bills Comes after state-owned electricity provider cut services to several government agencies over failure to pay bills Five other countries — Venezuela, Libya, Sudan, Cape Verde and Vanuatu — have also lost voting rights for non-payment Papua New Guinea has lost its vote in the United Nations General Assembly because it failed to pay its annual contributions. Papua New Guinea has lost its vote in the United Nations General Assembly because it failed to pay its annual contributions. PNG needs to pay the UN at least $180,000 to regain voting rights. It is one of six countries whose voting rights have been suspended for non-payment — the others being Venezuela, Libya, Sudan, Cape Verde and Vanuatu. The UN's announcement highlights recent problems with the PNG Government's payment of bills. It comes after the state-owned electricity provider, PNG Power, cut services to the country's n

by WILSON TALAG “For a small country whose economy is heavily dependent on volatile commodity prices to  borrow heavily hoping that commodity prices will remain high is the pinnacle of stupidity.” Smart investors are not anywhere as dumb as the average Papua New Guinean citizen whenever  Prime Minister Peter O’Neill speaks.   O’Neill can utter complete lies about the PNG economy and government budget to the public and people will take his words at face value.  Foreign investors and the foreign owned private sector in PNG make good money because they are not so gullible.  They check things out and what they have learnt is disturbing.  The Prime Minister himself does not understand this reality and continues to present only information he wants the investors to hear.  But the investors are wise to his tricks and overall investor confidence in PNG has plummeted close to nil if the side comments of investors are to be taken at face value.    Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minist

by PNGBLOGS The recent front-page stories on Prime Minister Peter O’Neill “confronting” facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg do more than highlight the ethical failings of the Post-Courier and the National. They also highlight the hypocrisy and dishonesty of Mr O’Neill himself. The Prime Minister complains about Facebook as being “disruptive”, and its content “misleading and incorrect”, “misinformation and malicious lies.” The problem for Mr O’Neill is that he himself is one of the worst offenders on Facebook. He has been caught lying on Facebook innumerable times. Worse, he actually pays Facebook to propagate his lies. The Prime Minister’s Office is so distrusted by the public and social media that it has now been forced to use “sponsored” posts – a type of post where Facebook is paid to propagate the post much more widely than would otherwise be the case. These posts (see the accompanying sample) are advertising, not genuine posts. In any case most of the people who read Mr O

by PNGBLOGS The 2017 Budget handed down yesterday confirms fears that the cost of APEC is far more than the K3 billion estimated by a recent International Monetary Fund report on PNG. The allocation for this year is K250 million, taking the total cost to at least K3.8 billion over the four years 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018. The current cost of K3.8 billion will rise even more when the Budget allocation for 2018 is announced at this time next year. The IMF report stated that “the government plans to spend K3 billion over 2015-18 on the preparations for APEC 2018”. Prime Minister O’Neill told Parliament last week that “the amount mention by IMF is utterly rubbish, inaccurate and not true.” But the IMF estimate is based on figures provided by Treasury officials during meetings in 2015 and earlier this year, and is likely to be very conservative. Further increases in expenditure are possible as the Prime Minister and the APEC Coordinating Auth

by PAUL FLANAGAN   PNG’s 2017 budget was a key opportunity to demonstrate the credibility of the government’s economic management before next year’s election.  It fails. Foolish games with numbers and unrealistic assumptions severely undermine the budget’s credibility (detailed examples on the revenue and expenditure side are provided below). Indeed, the level of deception arguably approaches fraud. This preliminary assessment of the budget documents will be updated over the next few days.  Hopefully more good will be found in the detail. A major winner from the budget are overseas petroleum shareholders with proposed cuts in the company tax rate from 45 or 50% down to 30%. This will be of particular joy to Oil Search and others that will gain from a new possible Papua LNG project – but they are possibly accessing the lower rate for condensate already. PNG’s tax regime for the petroleum sector was already considered generous relative to world standards – it now will be even