PNGBLOGS

by TAENG KA The is the tale of PNG’s two newest Knights, or Sir’s as the Brits would have you say. It makes for a frighteningly intriguing tale of two MPs that hail from the same Province, Enga. One is the current governor for Enga, Sir Peter Ipatas, and the other is the current MP for Kompiam Ambum, in Enga Province. Both are long serving Members of Parliament. Both were knighted, same time, in 2022. Fascinating! This is probably where their similarity ends. So how did both become Knights? One is a true son of Enga, widely recognised in the country as the best Governor the country has ever seen. A truly remarkable and visionary leader who had the foresight to develop Enga’s intellectual capacity. He figured education held the key to the success of its people. His ideas are now being copied by other provinces, albeit a little too late. This is truly a tale of two contrasting people; one a leader that arguable deserves the knighthood more than any other person in PNG’s history, if servi

by JAMES MARAPE MP, PRIME MINISTER To all PNG miners (those in both operations and explorations) we will not change goal posts in between. PNG is a robust democracy that honors all agreements to the text and spirit, congruent to our mining act. Major amendments to the resource law regimes we doing will be effected post 2025 and will not affect those agreements secured under present regimes. You can have that comfort. However Pogera is a special case and is an exception because Barrick’s lease expired on 18th August 2019. My letter to Barrick is on it’s way and will explain this and also allude to formal and legitimate processes of government including MAC’s deliberation that refused application for lease renewal. I have my country’s 8million shareholders including the people of Ipili, Pogera , Enga, environmental footprint areas plus present mine workers to look after. Now that your lease has expired, the legal process is there for Barrick to comply so you can maintain your oper

by ANDREW BEATTY -AFP Tribes in Papua New Guinea's rough and rugged highlands have fought each other for centuries, but a recent influx of automatic weapons risks turning minor beefs into all-out war. Israel Laki misses the old days -- just a few years ago -- when clansmen would settle fights in what he deems the proper way: with bows, arrows, axes and spears. It was honourable, he insists, even if an arrow once thumped within millimetres of his heart as he tried to axe a rival tribal fighter to death. The wiry 69-year-old still carries the scars and spirit of the old ways from this picturesque part of central Papua New Guinea, which westerners only reached in the 1930s. Even today, the modern state is little more than an abstract concept in the isolated region, where few respect the government. Old rivalries persist, as do fights over rape, theft and tribal boundaries. But tradition is increasingly melding with modernity, to devastating effect. Locals now speak d

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 WABAG OBSERVER Enga Governor Sir Peter Ipatas' defection from his People's Party to join the ruling PNC party in the eleventh -hour has attracted criticisms, wanders and, of course, amazement from the citizens. His move was made during the seven-day nomination period. He made the decision after its party had prepared itself well to contend for the top post this election. It hosted its party convention at his motel Bluff Inn outside Port Moresby. His supporters and fans have flowed with his decision, a something which Ipatas defended as a move to maintain political stability after the election like confirmed by PM O'Neill who said he moved to PNC at his own will. His critics alleged him for being lured with the promise of PSIP and other funds in light of the cashflow crisis. This was not in the best interest of the province where it is known for its integrity and quality leadership in the country. PNG's former Opposition Leader late Sir Tei Abal, late Sir Alb

by MICHAEL PASSINGAN The Government’s Chief Secretary Isaac Lupari who heads the Country's Public Service machinery has once again come under the spot light of corrupt activities. Lupari who not long ago was identified to be at the center of the K3.7 million fraud by the Finance Department Commission of Inquiry. (but was never prosecuted). This time Lupari has been seen to be using the office of the Prime Minister and his position as the Chief Secretary to steal. On December 2015 Chief Secretary  Isaac Lupari advised the Prime Minister's Department by writing that the Prime Minister approved K1 million from the PM's Commitment Funds for the Ipatas Foundation Inc in which he is the Executive Chairman. The Ipatas Foundation Inc is a non-profit organisation established by the Enga Provincial Government. The foundation is registered and certified under the Association Incorporation Act of PNG and is run by a board who are appointed by the Enga Provincial Executive C

by BRANDON CLAY I am not revealing my real name because of security reasons but the issues I raise here are true to the best of my knowledge. I was initially engaged to provide some consultancy services to a LNG landowner company. Occasionally, I would attend Court for my client but most of my work is non-court. I am compelled to expose this rot because I feel that Papua New Guineans have to know the frightening level of corruption gripping the judiciary and I believe the information I am providing is among the many salient examples. My clients had a case before the Court, and the presiding judge, Ambeng Kandakasi, considered this case to be part of a number of legal disputes concerning the PNG LNG so he proceeded to direct all these cases for mediation at the National Court’s Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Track. Justice Kandakasi appointed himself as the Chief Mediator over all these cases. At the ADR track, the issues changed form, from a dispute concerning Infrast

ALL INSTITUTIONS OF STATE COLLUDE IN INSTITUTIONALISATION OF CORRUPTION. by LEKEM LAKI Intriguingly it is becoming very scary with the psychopath and pathological liar Peter O’Neil at the helm as Prime Minister remotely in control of the country. A lot has come undone by this ruthless regime whilst he and cronies make a good killing. He has cleverly strategized to make all institutions of state become powerless or virtually being paralysed evident by prolonging of milestone court cases against PO and those of his close associates and others getting suspended sentence. Every institutions of state are manipulated or intimidated in a way to remain mute or collude to leverage Peter O’Neil and his political cronies to hugely prosper at the expense of the naïve people of PNG. My heart is pained to envisage people power is not rising to the occasion. The civil society appears paranoid and pessimistic but for what and why? Students alone can’t fight the monster. The students hav