PNGBLOGS

by FRANK MENEM JR Our forefathers were the first celebrated people on earth to have toiled the land and farm the upper Wahgi Valley. We have survived without any resources apart from our land from which we cultivate and propagate our fresh vegetables and green coffee beans. Those legendary men and women were among the prominent Highlanders to embrace the ‘white men’ during the wave of civilization. They were classified as the first known primitives who were hospitable and capable of forging lasting relationships with the Europeans. Our people were classified as permanently rich in culture and abundantly wealthy by the first Europeans. A Catholic Missionary had this to write about our people; “The Hagen people of the Wagi raised pigs in abundance and at times, they would even slaughter up to a thousand in a day for their neighbors or allies to celebrate or mark their relationship”. During the migration epochs after the onset of the Leahy brothers, we had more than a

by JAMES YOKA EKIP My name is James Yoka Ekip. I am from Hagen district, Western Highlands Province. I contested the Hagen Open seat in the last election (2012). Below is my opinion of what's happening with the Electoral Commission and the scamming and defrauding of funds from the State. I now see the “writing on the wall” clearly. Peter O’Neil is behind all the dirty politics that has been happening in Western Highlands and Hagen politics. My conclusion and that of most Western Highlanders and Hageners is that Prime Minister Peter O’Neil has created this problem between Mr. Duma and Mr. Wingti and he is using the two leaders against each other. In the process he is finishing both of them. He is talking to one leader and saying one thing and talking to the other leader and blaming that leader for some of his decisions going against that leaders favor. PM blamed Wingti for the none funding of Hagen City Authority in the 2017 national budget and Duma slaps Wingti on the floo