PNGBLOGS

by RODERICK KANAMA Those of you who condemned the actions of the people of Southern Highlands in Mendi should have been more scared about the judiciary being compromised The demarcation in authority and separation of powers between the three (3) arms of Government – the Judiciary, Legislature and the Executive is there to protect against apprehension of bias which may emanate from just the Government acting alone. Unfortunately, this separation of powers has been breached. Breached in that for the first time in the history of democracy as we know it, ordinary citizens can deduce quite correctly that there is an apprehension of bias in the ruling by the Court. This is quite evident with the recent burning of the Air Niugini aircraft and the Court House in Mendi, Southern Highlands Province. In any democracy, a vibrant, exceptionally strong and independent judiciary and legal system, free of any influences, corruptible or otherwise, sworn to uphold the rule of

by MELL LAKKA Mr. Prime Minister, Papua New Guinea does not need to amend the constitution to cater for an individual's  greed. We need intelligent people to debate on controversial issues affecting our lives. I hope your newly appointed CIS Minister looks into the deplorable Prison conditions in Papua New Guinea. Having said that it begs the question, What happened to the mass killing of the prisoners last year and the year before that, its been almost two years and it seems like the government had slaughter pigs and no one even cares about it. Look at the  Correctional Institution Service of Papua New Guinea, it has been facing problems of organization, administration, training, lack of community support and finance.  So far, it has asked for and received advice and financial help from the Australian government to surmount these difficulties. The invited organizations and specialists have presented several reports with many recommendations to improve the situation. But up unti

by ROLLAND JAMES Prime Minister Peter O’Neill’s decision to have his two senior Ministers sidelined and a dozen heads of government organisations suspended in connection with the controversial Manumanu land deal is welcomed. In announcing his government’s decision at a media conference Monday, Mr O’Neill said “We want to clearly demonstrate to our country and to our people that our Government is committed to the principles and practises of good governance.” And I thought –really? Is this the joke of the century? Since when did this corrupt government commit to observing the principles of good governance? Is it not a case of convenience and saving face exercise? My suspicion is like a situation of a bank robbery going wrong where the criminals shoot at each other after robbing the bank. Is O’Neill not more concerned about Duma and United Resource Party being resourced for the elections, than a genuine concern to protect the interest of the public? I am led to lean to the former.

POST COURIER Department of Finance officials received more than K2 million in “consultation” fees in a case that has landed a private lawyer in hot water. According to documents tendered in the Waigani National Court, the payments were made by the lawyer to facilitate the release of two cheques, which were the payments for the East Awin land in the North Fly District of Western Province. This land was bought by the National Government in 1983 to resettle the West Papuan refugees and the payments were made in 2008 with the first K4 million released in January and another K6.8 million in December, from which the landowners received K1.4 million. The landowners from the Homuku, Pesegai, Witigi Kukub, Witime, Yesa. Ukya, Kuse Ide, Kuga and Modia Kuga clans sued their lawyer Felix Kange of Kange Lawyers early this year for the balance of their money. The matter had gone before National Court Judge, Justice Ambang Kandakasi who ordered the Kange and another defendant,