PNGBLOGS

by JEAN ROCKINGHAM It is almost 5 years since the Laniata Legacy got established as a non-profiting organisation on April of 2013 in Brisbane, Australia. The inception of the Laniata Legacy bears the name of an innocent woman who was accused of sorcery, put through prolonged periods of public torture, humiliated and set ablaze to her death. Kepari Laniata was 20.  The formation of the Laniata Legacy proved significant at the time when both the domestic and international community woke up to the news of this barbaric act and were in need for information to fully comprehend how such savage ferociousness would transpire in a country renowned for its principles, moralities, ethics and beliefs all based in the Christian faith. From its inception in 2013 in Brisbane and gradually reaching PNG, the Laniata Legacy won hearts over as it took a bold step in publically condemning and openly denouncing every act leading to Kepari Laniata’s torture and death by way of demonstrations [anti

by ALAN BIRD When a puppet like Mr. Gamato criticizes the deliberations of a legitimate government like the ESPG; it would normally be quite hilarious given his own infamous achievements. However, his baseless comments in the National Newspaper cannot go unchallenged. Thankfully ESP Assembly is not answerable to someone of Mr. Gamato’s caliber. Sharing the accolades for a burnt Air Niugini plane in Mendi as one's greatest achievements is certainly not an enviable record. Many of us remained silent while Southern Highlands leaders and people were grappling to contain the spill-over results of Gamato’s failed election. The content of my post, if he cared to read it is as follows, point 4: “The Assembly also resolved to seek clarity on the LLG elections. LLG elections are critical to the operation of the Provincial Government, if LLG elections are conducted contrary to law, we run the risk of failed elections which would seriously hamper the operation of the provincial gove

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 APO KEFAMO Words cannot fully express the disgust that is now felt throughout EHP on the stupidity, immaturity and criminality of the new governor of Eastern Highlands Province, Peter Numu. His ascension to power was never though a honest and fair game, Mr Numu himself cannot deny this fact! He was the only candidate in the 2017 National election in EHP that extensively used deceit, bribery, sorcery and external forces to get to power. Most of us at the counting venue know about these facts and also know that the petition case filed against him is a very competitive one, thus passing through listing and pre-trial hearings last month at Waigani National Courts without a single challenge to its competency and is listed early in February next year for trial. Just as this court was reaching its peak, Numu led mobs, street drug bodies and opportunists into looting the shop of the fellow candidate, who is also the petitioner. What a way to be a governor! Numu was alway

by DANIEL POLONSKI IEA school system has been hitting the headlines on the dailies in the last few weeks, and all for wrong and dubious reasons, it would seem. In doing so they may have unwittingly exposed a greater evil that belies IEA. It was only a matter of time anyway. IEA and its Board, admitted its Chairman, Mr Mea Ravu, (Post Courier 1st Dec 2017), has voluntarily made press statements to a female National Newspaper journalist who published under the headline “ K7 Million Gamble Hits IEA”.  That article was published by Mr Ravu and Mr Joe Lali the CEO, to explain why National IEA teachers had to suffer pay cuts and reduction in terms and conditions, while the Chairman himself, the CEO and Management, and expatriate teachers enjoyed pay and benefits increases at the same time. The level of exchanges in the media has sparked my interest in this organisation and I started digging and asking around. I have an interest in this school system because I am a fee-paying parent, and o

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

Outlined below are some of the most serious allegations that warrant the immediate termination of Mahesh Patel and appointment of a new Board chairman to take charge of the SOE. We will provide evidence once an internal investigation is set up. SERIOUS ALLEGATIONS AGAINST MAHESH PATEL.(Evidence Available) 1.    2012- VES (voluntary exit scheme). Mahesh Patel, being chairman of HR Sub- Committee went ahead and implemented the VES under the pretext of Government Reforms. The exercise was poorly planned and executed, which resulted in the termination of employment of approximately 500 qualified technical staff, engineers and support staff from their employment. As a result a skills gap was created, Telikom never recovered and recorded consecutive loss in revenue and never declared profit and paid dividends to the state up till 2017. The affected staff under VES in 2012 took Telikom PNG to court seeking damages to be awarded to them. In 2017, a three men Supreme Court Bench upheld the N

by KLEO LEORNADE With improvements in Health, Wealth, Education and Justice in the 20th and 21st Century most countries in the world have to a large extent moved on from accusing and burning of witches in medieval Europe to accepting Wica (witchcraft) and sorcery in the west as mere “curiosities” that in reality are non-existent extensions of a warped mind. However, in few emerging (or ‘yet to emerge’) states where poverty and social oppression within an environment plagued with deficiencies in Health, Wealth Education and Justice, there continue to be strong beliefs in witchcraft, sorcery and the occult.  This is because the people find comfort in the supernatural to explain their ill fates because of their ignorance or deficiency in explaining the causes of deaths, loss of jobs, exam failures, passing the blame, bad luck, bad weather patterns, and crop failures, are all easily explained by Science nowadays. There is a regression in society’s development with people embracing

by KIN OPOSEPA Manumanu Land Deal: Aftermath The Manumanu Land deal issue has subsided through time and all stakeholders affected have seemed to move on, the dust has settled. Let me refresh your memories on the issues again. The purported Manumanu Land Deal (MLD) for the relocation of the PNG Defense Force is alleged to involve five different transactions totalling an amount of K46 million. However, the dealings did not comply with established processes. The MLD issue was raised in Parliament by Member for Kairuku –Hiri, Peter Isoaimo that eventually led to the sidelining of 2 Senior Ministers and suspension of 6 Departmental heads, CEO of State Owned Enterprise and chairman of CSTB. In a media statement on the 6th of February 2017 PM, O’Neil had announced a Commission of Inquiry (COI) headed by a retired Judge to investigate the claims made, referred the matter to the National Fraud Squad and the Ombudsman Commission also for potential breaches of the Leadership Code. He further

by PNG BLOGS 1. Marked Boxes in Kandrian Gloucester in West New Britain were set aside and not counted for Sunday polling WHEREAS all boxes containing votes cast on Sunday for Ialibu Pangia Electorate in Southern Highlands were counted and the winner declared. 2. NCD Election Manager was caught red-handed with more than K180,000 cash and marked ballot papers with a purported agreement between a candidate. Secretary for Finance who administered funding for elections stated that all payments of allowances for electoral officials were directly remitted to their bank accounts WHEREAS Gamato claimed the substantial cash was for allowances for election officials (in a metropolitan area where most have their personal bank accounts???). 3. Joseph Tonde’s declaration for the Port Moresby North East Electorate was rejected because the Returning Officer was not the one on duty WHEREAS Nick Kuman’s declaration by a dead Returning Officer for Gumine Open was accepted. 4. William Duma’

THE TRUE STORY OF THE UBS LOAN AND OTHER DEALS BETWEEN THE O’NEILL GOVERNMENT AND OIL SEARCH Part 2 – Sweetheart  deals cost taxpayers and landowners BY A SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT IN SINGAPORE Comments by Oil Search executives and directors at the company’s annual general meeting earlier this year raise serious concerns about its knowledge of many specific instances of corruption in Papua New Guinea relating to its business, and its corporate behaviour. These instances are separate to the illegal UBS Loan which Oil Search helped to arrange, as detailed in Part 1 How Peter O’Neill and Peter Botten cost Papua New Guinea at least K1 billion. Some of these issues were the subject of questions in in the Australian Senate, but no satisfactory answers were provided by the Australian officials responsible. For example landowners in the PNG LNG project are owed hundreds of millions of kina in royalty payments and other entitlements, much of which is paid to the Government by Oil Se