PNGBLOGS

by JOHN KAMA The new Marape-Davis government has created a centre-piece in the cabinet that the entire country is drawn in with so much interest in the appointment of Kerenga Kua and Bryan Kramer among the 33 cabinet ministers.The following are the uniqueness about their appointment, hence, became the centre-piece of attraction: 1. They were members of the opposition who never voted for PMJM. 2. Their appointment to ministry as opposition members was unconventional in the WestMinster System. 3. They were the two top critics of the last government whom PMJM & majority of his current cabinet members were part of. 4. They both stood for zero tolerance on corruption at all levels by both citizens and non-citizens. 5. They were both outspoken on white collar corruption and the arrest of former PM Hon. Peter O'Neill and his cronies. 6. They both understood every letter of the law and were willing to use the courts as their strongest weapon against anyone. Why PMJM appointed

by DR PATRICK ONGUGLO The stitched up act in Parliament last week all a lie... Peter O'Neill used his position as PM to put PNG into more debt, read how O'Neill drummed up this idea back in 2014. Prime Minister Peter O’Neill (‘aka O’Steal) has personally and unilaterally directed that the State of PNG borrow US$1.2 Billion Dollars through international financiers syndicated by the Swiss UBS Bank, to buy 10% of Oil Search Limited (OSL) shares. It is believed this transaction is motivated by personal gain. Therefore, this loan is believed to be for a corrupt outcome. This corruption is perpetrated by UBS and other international banks lending the money.  PNG does not need the loan. It is Peter ONeill who needs the loan for his own corrupt gain. He is using the country’s assets to obtain a personal benefit. This must be made very clear to the international lenders. On this basis, no future PNG Government will be liable to repay the funds, lent for an illegal purpose.  As o

by HELASON OPENE You know why Mr Panic O'Neill ran over to Supreme Court to stop VONC? Here is the real reason... Supreme Court interpretation of Sections 19 of the Organic Law on Integrity of Political Parties and Candidates was made by the former Chief Sir Salamo Injia in 2011 and 2016. It was ruled, some parts of this section of the constitution unconstitutional (removed). No longer applicable; 1) Part of the law (Section 19) that states, all PM candidates must be leaders of their political parties and must have the highest number of its candidates winning in elections. Only parties with the highest number will be allowed by the Governor General to form a government. #RULLING: Supreme Court ruling made this part of the law unconstitutional (removed). That means any MP can be a PM candidate regardless as long as he/she can master the number on the floor of Parliament. 2) Part of the law (Section 19) that states, MPs who have voted for a PM in the formation of the new g

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 TONY CHARLES KEROWA Papua New Guinean development aspirations are all jumbled up and not in order. The National Government should invest its resources including Money where it will improve the lives of its people. From my observation and experience, there is more grandstanding on the political level building statuesque and echo more than planning on bringing tangible development to communities and towns by elected representatives from both sides of the house. The following important key development areas should be prioritized. 1. Improving Road and Bridges : Opening up and connecting the rural PNG communities through improved Road and Bridges will give an opportunity for our people to work on their land by converting ideal land to economic value by planting cash crops and livestock on a commercial scale. The Department of Works should be reviewed and upgraded to function independently. The Department should operate as independently as possible 2. Improving and empowerin

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 Up to 80% of sitting Members of O'Neill Government are expected to lose their seat following 2022 General Elections. Why? Corruption and mismanagement of the Economy. The last time our economy nose dived was in 1997 and 1998 under Skate PNC Government, a Government Peter O'Neill was a key adviser to. In just two years under a PNC led Government Kina plunged in value from being one and a half times stronger than Australian dollar in 1994 to less than 37 cents by end 1999. Interest rates on Government Treasury bills was as high as 24% which would normally be between 6%-9%. Lack of confidence in Skate Government also saw investors and private sector rush to send funds out of the country, concerned over the Kina fast losing its value. This caused a serious shortage in foreign currency reserves that went from US$500 million in 1996 to as low as $80 million by middle of 1999. In 1996 the debt levels were around 36% in less than one year under Skat

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

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 Deputy Prime Minister and Treasurer Charles Abel’s credibility was on the line. Did he actually deliver on the 100 Day Plan promised reduction in PNG’s 2017 budget deficit from unsustainable levels? The answer is almost certainly “no”. The actual 2017 budget deficit is conservatively estimated at over K1 billion larger than claimed – largely due to not paying bills or GST refunds. The conservative estimate would lift the size of the 2017 Budget deficit from 2.4% to just under 4% of GDP. However, the upper bound deficit estimate is K2 billion larger – or more than double – the K1.8 billion budget deficit reported in the 2017 FBO. Even a 4% outcome would have better than the budget deficits of 2014 to 2016. However, the reductions were made in the wrong way. Expenditure was cut entirely in areas key for PNG’s future growth and concessional loan projects were delayed. Even using FBO figures, the blow-out in operating expenditures entirely consumed the claimed incre

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