Belden Namah Attacks Peter O’Neill, Blames Australia

 

Deputy Prime Minister and leader of the PNG Party, Belden Namah, released this media statement just a few hours ago on the state of PNG Election 2012 thus far.

The media statement itself is nothing short of extraordinary, and I liken it to Bob Carr’s comments earlier this year to “organise the world to isolate and condemn Papua New Guinea” if elections were deferred.

The ramifications of what Namah has said will be substantial, with a response from Australia’s top diplomat in PNG via Australia’s Foreign Affairs Minister Bob Carr guaranteed.

It will also test the coalition which has been entered into by the PNG Party and People’s National Congress. I think Belden Namah has just made his first formal move to be the next Prime Minister of PNG:

— PRESS RELEASE —

“Namah Proves His Critics Wrong”
Thursday, 28 June 2012

It is a shame that the Prime Minister Peter O’Neil is crying foul when all along he was collaborating with the PNG Electoral Commissioner, Mr. Andrew Trawen and the so-called Australian expert advisors advising through Australian High Commissioner, Mr. Ian Kemish for opposing the deferral of the 2012 elections.

Cries have been received from all parts of PNG echoing and demonstrating that our country was and is not ready to proceed with elections this last week. What a disaster. We have more than two hundred (200) plus Australian advisors working for the PNG Electoral Commission who have assisted orchestrate this disaster. What a shame???

I speak with the weight of facts. In my own Vanimo town urban wards, the electoral rolls there were in shambles. More than 5,000 to 6,000 eligible voters’ names were not on the electoral rolls. This is an urban/town ward. You can expect worse going into the rural districts in the electorates.

The Organic Law on National and Local Level Government Elections envisages under sections 71 and 72 that Electoral Rolls in all its three forms i.e. ‘Preliminary Rolls, Primary Rolls & Certified Rolls’ must be ready three (3) months prior to the Issuance of Writs.

All along I have maintained the fact that PNG Electoral Commission was not ready for the National Elections as provisions under sections 71 and 72 had not been met or complied with. The PNG Electoral Commission is required to prepare and finalise the Electoral Rolls three (3) months prior to elections. However, this issue and concern was overlooked by the Prime Minister, Peter O’Neill and his cohorts.

Peter O’Neill denied supporting the deferral of the elections when he had physically participated and voted for the deferral in Parliament (63 FOR and 11 AGAINSTS).

We had on numerous occasions held lengthy discussions on this issue and made couple of propositions. One that the caucus agreed to adopt was the proposition by Hon. Dr. Sir Puka Temu. Sir Puka actually proposed to work three (3) months back from the date of the return of writs. Which should I believe have given PNG Electoral Commission sufficient time to adequately prepare the Electoral Rolls in their certified forms.

O’Neill openly criticized me during his election campaign on my initial call to defer the elections to allow PNG Electoral Commission time to prepare properly. This move was to give all eligible voters a fair and equal opportunity to each exercise their democratic rights to vote and elect their leaders.

Peter O’Neill should be ashamed for listening to the PNG Electoral Commissioner and its Australian Advisors. The Unionist turned Politician and wannabe musician Michael Malabag should be ashamed of himself as-well for pushing for elections using the UPNG students and innocent citizens in his capacity as President of Trade Union Congress with his so-called General Secretary John Paska.

If we continue the trend of forever listening to and following foreign advice we will continue face more problems in the future. I have total confidence in our own home grown Papua New Guinean advisors and I am prepared to listen to them. The sad fact is that half of the Papua New Guinean eligible voting population will likely and have unfairly been deprived casting their votes and exercising their democratic right.

We MUST be patriotic and nationalistic in our approach towards decision making for the future of our country. This is a duty we owe to ourselves and our children.

This entire situation could have been avoided had Peter O’Neill stood by his cabinet and parliament resolutions. Peter O’Neill and Andrew Trawen should both be held responsible and accountable for the ill-prepared Electoral Roll and National Elections which are in disarray.

I challenge Peter O’Neill to stop crying over spilt milk. You have done injustice to this country. You have failed the people of Papua New Guinea.

I have always emphasized; “People will criticize me for decisions I make now, but in the future they will look back while they relax in the comforts of their homes and say, THANK YOU or WE SALUTE YOU, Belden Namah.

— End Press Release —

WAFO aids Goroka Hospital

SMALL surprises come in big containers.
That’s what the major hospital and schools in Eastern Highlands received this week – that’s to the Wantoks Australia Friendship Organisation (WAFO).
The Goroka Base Hospital — now renamed Eastern Highlands Provincial Hospital — received a container of medical equipments and supplies including toys for the children’s ward while school uniforms were delivered for various schools in the province.
WAFO made contact through Governor Malcolm Kela-Smith to deliver the goods.
Co-ordinator of the Friendship organisation — a nursing sister in Brisbane and a former resident of Goroka for 36 years – Ms Dianne Wardill said the hospitals in Brisbane would donate equipments to her home and when there was enough to ship to PNG, she would contact the Governor who then pays for the freight charges for the shipment of the container of equipment and would donate them to Goroka Hospital.
On hand to receive the equipments was the Director of Nursing Services at the Goroka Hospital – Ms Sonia Vano Korowi – who thanked Ms Wardill and her organisation in Brisbane for the donation of the equipments and the Governor for paying for the freight cost.
According to Ms Wardill, this is the third container of medical equipments and suppliers she has organised with the Governor to have it shipped to the country, especially to Goroka Hospital, she said, with the school uniforms – it would be distributed to selected schools in Eastern Highlands Province.

Keep counting votes in Hela

I WRITE to commend the people of Hela and Southern Highlands provinces for going to the polls as planned.
Although there were some discrepancies at some polling booths, generally the event went ahead with return of the ballot boxes safely.
As reported by governor Anderson Agiru, Hela voters have been deprived with some 40,000 votes wasted.
The incidents at the booths were not the making of the small people but were the making of the candidates and their small band of supporters.
In Hela, some notable candidates with the support of their political parties moved big bags of money to bribe voters.
However, realising their money was a waste, they strategised other illegal ways and means to sabotage the polling and destroy ballot papers.
There are also contemplations for the scrutiny or counting of Hela ballots to be taken to Mt Hagen or Goroka.
This is yet again another strategy to confused the Hela public and eventually to declare their own candidates.
The candidates are hell bent to bribe returning officers as means to hijack the counting process with the strategy to declare candidates and thus abuse the Writs.
The PNG Electoral Commission is urged not to entertain such demands from candidates, not even from the highest authority of government.
There is a big conspiracy and electoral fraud in the Southern Highlands and Hela provinces that the PNGEC ought to be very careful.
In the best interest of the Hela people, the counting of votes must be done only in Hela and on Hela soil.
There are also contemplations for “rent” tribal fights to escalate in Tari as means to lure the PNGEC and the security forces to cause a transfer of counting from Hela to Mt Hagen or Goroka.
Hela Igini
Tari, HP

2012 National Elections is a disgrace and blunder

THE Geneeral Election is a farce, a total disgrace and a blunder. What a waste of time, effort and money and it just cannot be done right.
Hundreds were turned away in Port Moresby polling venues because their names were not on the Electoral Roll. Many voters were told by officials that the Roll is that from 2007. With the amount of money spent on updating the roll, it is a wonder why so many voters who had names on in 2007, now don’t have any names.
Tax payers pay thousands of Kina for services and it is only every five years that the opportunity comes and to mess it up is uncalled for. In Lae, polling was deferred due to rain. For businesses this is not good enough, as they will lose in a big way and the disruption will amount to substantial losses across the board. Didn’t the comission know that rain was an issue in Lae, so indoor venues could have been identified, as a stand by. And in the day and age of technology it is a shame that the PNGEC could not stage electronic voting, securely via the internet.

BOP
Port Moresby

More Election tensions and challenges

Counting will be held in Tari not Mt Hagen: Trawen

By Gorethy Kenneth and Andrew Alphonse

COUNTING in Hela Province will be held in Tari.
PNG Electoral Commissioner Andrew Trawen announced this Tuesday, adding that the counting would take place at Tari’s main court house and hopefully start on Friday.
Mr Trawen said counting for Hela would be held in the province despite earlier reports that the process was going to be done out of the province either in Port Moresby or Mt Hagen.
“Counting will be conducted within the province. A suitable venue will need to be found but it is likely that it will be the court house in Tari,” Mr Trawen said.
“Options were Port Moresby and Mt Hagen but it was considered that the people of Hela Province need to embrace the elections and take responsibility for their own destiny.
“Many other reasons support this decision. As one of the newest provinces in our nation, we must do all we can to support their independence and their need to determine their own way forward.
“I encourage the people of Hela to keep calm and allow the counting process to get underway as quickly as possible,” he said.
“Following a meeting I convened this morning with my senior staff, the Electoral Commission’s legal adviser, the Police Commissioner and his Assistant Commissioner and the Chief Executive Officer from Hela Province, I have reached a decision…” he said.
Assistant Commissioner of Police assisting Hela Province Thomas Eluh Tuesday  told the Post-Courier from Tari that counting may start on Friday this week or over the weekend, pending security and necessary security reinforcement by NATEL 2012 officials.
On the ground, this newspaper reporter Andrew Alphonse’s interview with Mr Eluh detailed that things were now under control and counting would proceed in Hela by the end of this week. After much guessing and anxiety, it was finally confirmed that counting for the Hela ballot boxes would be held in Tari, provincial capital of the new resource-rich province over the weekend, and not in Mt Hagen as announced. This was confirmed also yesterday by Mr Eluh who is the security co-ordinator for the 2012 National Elections operations in Hela.
Mr Eluh’s announcement puts to rest anxieties and a possible disastrous situation in Tari and throughout Hela where supporters of the 81 Hela candidates went on a rampage in Tari town in the early hours of yesterday.
The candidates and supporters protested against acting Hela provincial elections manager John Tipa and Mr Trawen’s decision and announcement on the FM100 news on Tuesday afternoon for the transfer of Hela boxes to be counted in Mt Hagen.
 

Police and PNG Defence Force soldiers providing security for the ballot boxes at the Tari police station fired several gunshots to prevent the rowdy crowd from coming any closure to the area where the ballot boxes. The Hela people pelted the police and soldiers with stones but fortunately no one was injured.
ACP Eluh said the crowd also felled trees and erected roadblocks with huge rocks along the Tari to Ambua section of the Highlands Highway into Mendi to prevent the movement of the boxes into Mt Hagen. He said a vehicle was also driven into the Tari airport runway where the fence was ripped down while broken bottles and debris were strewn on the runway to prevent aircrafts from flying into Tari to transport the boxes. There were no flights yesterday morning into Tari as police mobile squad 01 from Port Moresby and workers from international contractor Curtain Brothers (PNG) Ltd used brooms, spades, machines and equipment to repair the runway. Flights resume later in the afternoon.ACP Eluh yesterday met with the Hela candidates which included 28 for Komo Margarima, 18 for Tari Pori, 22 for Koroba Lake Kopiago and 23 for Hela regional seats to get their assurance that there would be no trouble if counting is to be held in Tari. The 81 candidates led by outgoing Southern Highlands Governor Anderson Agiru, Komo Margarima MP Francis Potape and Koroba Lake Kopiago MP John Kekeno also signed statuary declaration forms assuring the State that the candidates, their supporters and agents would allow for a peaceful counting period and accept whatever the result without any violence or trouble. They also said they would be held responsible by the law of the land should any situation flare up. ACP Eluh said the idea to shift the counting to Mt Hagen stems from tension building up in relation to the allegations of widespread vote rigging, tampering of electoral processes, hijacking of ballot papers, destruction of ballot boxes and papers among other electoral offences and irregularities.

SABL Commission of Inquiry Transcripts - February 2012 June 22nd 2012 SABL Commission of Inquiry Transcripts - February 2012

SABL Commission of Inquiry Transcripts - February 2012
June 22nd 2012
SABL Commission of Inquiry Transcripts - February 2012

Posted by rait man

John Numapo (Chairman of the Commission of Inquiry into the Special Purpose Agriculture and Business Leases) has said in an interview with Radio Australia that the Final Commission of Inquiry report is almost ready to be released. The report with the recommendations will be handed to whoever is the Prime Minister after the current elections, he says.

In the meantime, we are publishing all the transcripts from the Commission hearings.
       
    CoI_SABL_1_WAIGANI_21_FEBRUARY_2012.pdf    189.87 KB
    CoI_SABL_2_KIMBE_7_FEBRUARY_2012.pdf    142.82 KB
    CoI_SABL_3_KIMBE_8_FEBRUARY_2012.pdf    108.26 KB
    CoI_SABL_4_KIMBE_9_FEBRUARY_2012.pdf    269.16 KB

   

Dispute with PNG government, opposition by Pacific and Canadian citizens, financing woes

TORONTO. Today Canadians are standing in solidarity with civil society in the Pacific against deep sea mining. Canadian company, Nautilus Inc, is leading the rush to mine the sea floor in the Pacific. If it goes ahead, its Solwara 1 project in the Bismark Sea of Papua New Guinea will be the world’s first commercial deep sea mine.

However, a growing call from Pacific communities to stop seabed mining, the PNG Government’s refusal to contribute to development costs and the breakdown of a financing agreement with an European ship builder questions the viability of an already uncertain venture. Not a good look as Nautilus faces its AGM in Toronto today. Nautilus stocks have already droppeddramatically over the past couple of weeks.

Dr. Catherine Coumans, Mining Watch Canada said, “Canadian mining companies operate around the world and dominate the sector in number. But Canada does not regulate their activities to prevent them profiting from weak protection for the environment, workers, and human rights in some host countries.”

“Now, in spite of very serious concerns that have been raised by scientists and local citizens, we have Nautilus proposing to mine environmentally, socially and culturally significant seabeds in the Pacific, an activity that would not be allowed in Canadian waters.”

Wences Magun, national coordinator for Mas Kagin Tapani in Papua New Guinea said, “At this point local communities have NOT sanctioned this project. We can’t rely on our governments or companies like Nautilus to tell us that seabed mining is good, is safe.”

“No one knows what the impacts of this form of mining will be. We are being used us as guinea pigs in a sea bed mining experiment.”

Sharon Diave-Nerius from the East New Britain Social Action Committee said, “The recent blows to Nautilus are welcome news for communities in Papua New Guinea. But there are plenty of other companies and governments pushing for this experimental industry in the Pacific to get started.”

“The speed with which the PNG Government approved the EIS and granted the licence to Nautilus did not pay respect to the customary norms and cultural heritage of the indigenous people of the Bismarck Archipelago.

“Experimental mining of our seabeds is not going to provide any direct services or benefits for local communities.”

Dr. Helen Rosenbaum, campaign coordinator for the Deep Sea Mining campaign in Australia and author of Out of Our Depth: Mining the Ocean Floor in Papua New Guinea said, “The Nautilus EIS is deeply flawed. Even the company admits to moderate environmental risk. Independent analysis of the EIS indicates far higher risks.”

“Investors should be aware that contiguous nature of the ocean means that impacts will not be isolated to the 11 ha area of the Solwara 1 site. They will spread far and wide with liabilities to match. For example, stocks of tuna and other migratory species are likely to be contaminated by heavy metals and health of communities and ecosystems across the Pacific could be affected.”

Groups across the Pacific have a petition calling for Pacific governments to stop experimental seabed mining. Pacific women are currently promoting the ‘stop experimental seabed mining’ message at the international Rio+20 conference in Brazil. In New Zealand community have come together to campaign against seabed mining of their black sands. Meanwhilelocal groups and fishing industries opposing marine phosphate mining off the coast of Namibia have started to make links with people in the Pacific region.

For more information contact:
Wences Magun (Papua New Guinea),             +675 7195 9665      , magun.wences@gmail.com
Sharon Diave-Nerius (Papua New Guinea),             + 675 658 7893      , sdiave@yahoo.com.au
Dr. Catherine Coumans (Canada), +613 569 3439, catherine@miningwatch.ca
Dr. Helen Rosenbaum (Australia),             +61 413 201 793      , hrose@vic.chariot.net.au

O’Neill may return as prime minister

 By NEVILLE TOGAREWA

NATIONAL pollster Mell Research and Marketing Ltd (MRML) says the O’Neill-Namah Government’s free education policy is a vote winner and predicts it will bring the current regime back into office after the 2012 pollSs.
MRML managing director Michael Mell has also announced their poll results indicate that Prime Minister Peter O’Neill’s People’s National Congress Party (PNC) will win the most number of seats and he stands a good chance of winning the top post to serve his first full five-year term as Prime Minister.
The company boss also predicts that Mr O’Neill’s three major coalition partners - his deputy Belden Namah’s PNG Party, Don Polye’s THE Party and William Duma’s United Resources Party - will also perform very well at the polls.
Mr Mell revealed his latest nationwide poll findings to the Post Courier yesterday, just 24 hours before Papua New Guinea’s 4.8 million voters begin to flock to a total 9, 800 polling locations throughout the country to cast their votes starting tomorrow, Saturday June 23.
“PNC will win the 2012 national election and the Governor General will call on the party to form the next Government with Peter O’Neill tipped to retain the Prime Minister post,” he said.
Mr Mell said the predictions are based on a nationwide opinion poll conducted in all the 111 parliament seats.
“The results are showing that Prime Minister Peter O’Neill’s PNC will win over 30 seats, ahead of all the other (45) political parties contesting the election. The results are also indicating that THE Party, PNG Party and URP will also perform very well,” he said.
“This means that the current O’Neill-Namah coalition Government will collectively win the 2012 election. Their free education policy will bring them back into office in this election,” Mr Mell said.
Under the Organic Law on Integrity of Political Parties and Candidates, the party that wins the highest number of seats will be called upon to form the Government.
In the last seven general elections since the first one was held in 1977, no single party has ever won a clear majority to form a one-party government and it will be the same in this election.
It is therefore important that party leaders explore their options on which parties they will align themselves with for possible political marriages in order to cement their positions ahead of the “numbers game” to form the next Government in August.
Mr Mell will publish his nationwide poll results in the Post-Courier on Monday or Tuesday next week.

Voting starts in troubled PNG

Voting began in Papua New Guinea on Saturday in polls seen as a watershed moment after months of political uncertainty in the struggling Pacific nation which is on the brink of a huge resources boom.

PNG's electoral commission said voting started between 8:00 am and 9:00 am (2200-2300 GMT Friday) in a number of provinces across the rugged nation of 6.8 million with the full vote expected to take two weeks.

Commission spokesman Alphonse Muapi said the lead-up to the election had been mostly peaceful and the morning's voting had started without a hitch.

Electoral commissioner Andrew Trawen was yet to receive the first detailed updates from the ground but said "all systems are set to go".

"These elections are very important and we've needed to get under way very quickly," Trawen told AFP.

Security forces were out in strength across the nation, particularly in the volatile highlands where a number of pre-polling raids and arrests were made and which was the scene of violence in 2002 polls.

Police commissioner Toami Kulunga called for voting in the restive region to be extended by another day after delays in the arrival of ballot boxes and officials.

"All eligible voters have the right to cast their votes and responsible government agencies must ensure this happens," Kulunga said.

There are 4.6 million people registered to vote and 3,428 candidates are vying for just 109 parliamentary seats, with no single political party likely to win enough seats to form government on its own.

There are 4,700 polling stations -- 1,700 of which are so remote they are only accessible by air.

The commission has described the vote as the most crucial in PNG's 37 years since independence, with the country poised for a huge US$15 million liquefied natural gas project set to transform its impoverished economy.

Australia's secretary for Pacific island affairs, Richard Marles, expressed hope that the election would offer a "reset" button on "what has been a very difficult 12 months" for the country.

"I think we can all have a sense of hope and optimism that these elections will herald in a new period of politics in PNG," Marles told ABC Radio.

Corruption and bribery are common in the aid-dependent Melanesian nation, described as a "dysfunctional blob" and "steeped in traditional magic" by diplomats in memos published by WikiLeaks last year.

A backgrounder prepared by US officials ahead of the last elections likened the country's politics to "Ponzi" fraud schemes and described its citizens as "rubes", or country bumpkins, whose votes were easily bought.

Election observers said vote-buying was even worse this time around, with bribes on offer increasing as much as 30-fold in some areas as contenders jostled for a position in the front seat of the resources boom.

"Our team in Enga has reported that certainly one of the sitting members (of parliament) has been handing out debit cards with 3000 kina (US$1,445) in the account," said Nicole Hayley, head of the Domestic Election Observers group.

"Clearly this election is much more competitive and people are crediting that to the liquefied natural gas project. The stakes are much higher," said Hayley, from the Australian National University.

Due for completion in 2014, the US$15 billion ExxonMobil gas project stands to end PNG's reliance on foreign aid, potentially doubling the nation's GDP.

Wrangling over the project's spoils has been seen as the key driver of a power struggle between veteran leader Sir Michael Somare and would-be successor Peter O'Neill which has plunged the nation into a protracted political impasse.

O'Neill was installed as prime minister while Somare was ill in Singapore last year, but the Supreme Court ruled in December that the man known as the "Grand Chief" had been wrongly ousted.

The decision triggered a crisis which, at its height, saw the nation with two prime ministers, two governors-general and two police chiefs.

PNG PM revokes citizenship of Indonesian 'fugitive'

PAPUA New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O'Neill and his deputy, Belden Namah, have instructed their foreign affairs and immigration departments to withdraw the citizenship granted last week to fugitive Indonesian tycoon Joko Tjandra.

But Foreign Minister Ano Pala has defended granting the citizenship - providing PNG with another controversy before voting in the five-yearly national election starts tomorrow.

Joko, 61, fled from Jakarta by private jet in June 2009, shortly before he was convicted by the Indonesian Supreme Court of fraud, sentenced to two years' imprisonment, and ordered to repay $57 million he had obtained illegally.

Since then, Joko has spread his time between Singapore, Malaysia and PNG.

The PNG constitution requires new citizens to have lived in the country for eight years, to be of good character, and to speak a local language.

Joko is on Interpol's wanted list, and the Indonesian government has told PNG of its concerns on the issue.


Mr O'Neill said he had directed the withdrawal of Joko's citizenship pending a review by the Citizenship Advisory Committee. "I will not tolerate (the granting of citizenship) without due diligence in screening the people applying," he said.
Mr Namah went further, saying: "Whoever gave him the citizenship will be dealt with by the full force of the law."

He said a chartered jet in which he was flying over Indonesia six months ago was buzzed by two Indonesian air force fighters because it was suspected of carrying Joko.
But Mr Pala said he was satisfied Joko met all the requirements for citizenship: "Our primary interest in Mr Joko is his investments in our country."


Joko Tjandra was among a number of foreigners presented with a citizenship certificate last week by the PNG Immigration and Citizenship Advisory Committee.

Mr Tjandra is reportedly wanted by Interpol and faces allegations of fraud in Indonesia.
The National newspaper says Mr O'Neill has ordered Mr Tjandra's citizenship be revoked until a review of the process is complete.

"I will not tolerate practices in granting citizenships to people without proper screening and without due diligence on screening of people applying for citizenship," Mr O'Neill said.
The prime minister's decision comes after the Foreign Affairs and Immigration Minister, Ano Pala, said he approved Mr Tjandra's citizenship on recommendation from the citizen advisory committee.

"He's not a fugitive, he's not a criminal. He had a civil case, he was not found guilty of a criminal offence and that is the information we got from our High Commissioner," Mr Pala told Radio Australia's Pacific Beat.
"That is the information that went to the citizenship advisory committee and on the basis of their recommendation citizenship was granted."

He says Mr Tjandra is a good businessman, an investor and a good person to be considered a citizen of Papua New Guinea.
Mr Tjandra is alleged to have been involved in a banking scandal in Indonesia where billions of dollars were allegedly laundered or transferred to his businesses and companies.

He reportedly left Indonesia on a chartered flight from Halim Perdanakusumah Airport in Jakarta to Port Moresby on June 10 2010, just one day before the Supreme Court issued a verdict in his case.
Attempts by Radio Australia to to get comments from the Indonesian Embassy in Port Moresby to ascertain if Joko Tjandra is still wanted as a fugitive in Indonesia and for what specific crimes were unsuccessful

PNG Politics & the Facebook War for Votes

In March, highlighted on The Garamut that the PNG 2012 National Election will be the most important election in our nation’s history due to two key reasons:

1) the crucial yet fragile period of time in our development as a nation-state which we currently find ourselves in; and

2) the participation and influence of Papua New Guineans before, during and after the election through social media networks.

I again raised in April the importance of social media when I argued that social media is helping to drive a new socio-political phenomena in PNG by opening up our people’s consciousness as a result of pipol pawa, social media and technology.

Since then, I have documented how Papua New Guinean politicians are using social media to actually campaign, and followed this up with the publication of the PNG Politics Social Media Directory – a compilation of PNG candidates and political parties on social media which is updated daily.

When examining the usage of social media by PNG candidates and politicians, Facebook is by far and large the most popular platform used.

This isn’t surprising, as statistics show that Facebook penetration in PNG is 1.57% compared to the country’s population and 77.90% in relation to number of Internet users. Furthermore, the total number of Facebook users in PNG is reaching 93,480 and grew by more than 20,240 in just the last 6 months.

Tavurvur @Tavurvur 15 Jun 12

The @PNGPARTY is just in front of the @PNCPNG Party with the most Facebook "Likes" - both have just passed the 1000 mark #PNG #pngpol

Anthony Lynn @Anthony_S_Lynn

@Tavurvur @PNGPARTY @PNCPNG odd that the PNG Party has grown 440% in 5 days mostly from 13-17 year olds?

18 Jun 12

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Of the 46 registered political parties contesting the 2012 National Election, only 9 have active Facebook accounts. Of these political parties, there have been two particular parties that have managed to effectively use Facebook thanks to professional communication consultants – the People’s National Congress (Peter O’Neill), and the PNG Party (Belden Namah).

But in the race to be the most popular Papua New Guinean political party online, some interesting developments have been observed.

Of significant interest lately, has been the considerable growth in Facebook ‘Likes’ that the PNG Party has managed to accumulate over the past few days, especially when compared to PNC and other political parties – and more importantly, the demographics driving this surge:

As mentioned above, and pointed out by one of my Twitter followers, it is indeed odd that the PNG Party’s Facebook ‘Likes’ have grown by 440% in the past five days and most notably from the 13-17 years old age groups.

This is all the more surprising because the age distribution of Facebook users in PNG shows that the 13-17 years old age groups comprise only 15% of total internet users, with the lion-share 75% represented by the 18-44 years old age groups:

Presumably, because the PNG Party has the most ‘Liked’ Facebook page, it would be logical to assume that the most popular age group ‘talking about the page’ would represent either the 18-24, 25-34 or the 35-44 years old age groups.

This certainly is the case for People’s National Congress Party’s Facebook page, which has drawn its main support from the 18-24 years old age group.

Similarly, the People’s Movement for Change Party also demonstrates this correlation by drawing its main support from the 25-34 years old age group; and so too does the Triumph Heritage Empowerment Party.

A similar relationship is demonstrated by Robert Agorabe’s (the PNG candidate with the most ‘Likes’) Facebook page, whereby he is drawing most of his support from the 25-34 years old age group.

So why are we seeing an incredible turn-out of support for Belden Namah’s PNG Party from the under-represented and politically apathetic 13-17 years old age group?

It seems dirty politics has also found its way online onto social media.

Assess candidates carefully

I am talking  about serving members of Parliament and those intending candidates, and their rhetoric on getting elected back to Parliament.
Some are soliciting votes by making cash donations, some at rallies are pledging huge sums of money, and even some are promising what they will do for you in the next parliament.
My request to the people of Papua New Guinea is to assess those candidates individually. Our votes are very important. We won’t get another chance until 2017.
Therefore, my plea is that we must cast our votes with care and responsibility.
All current members of Parliament should be judged on their record. Have they delivered goods and services to your electorate?
Ignore those cash handouts you received at the funeral last year, or the chance airline ticket you received while being stranded, for example, in Port Moresby.
Instead we should ask some questions, for example, is our level of education and its infrastructure acceptable, is our level of health and its infrastructure acceptable, is our roads and its conditions acceptable?
These questions are relevant for all Government Assets and Institutions.
If one takes the time to look around and make an assessment of all our institutions of State, the answer is a resounding no. All politicians have failed in discharging their responsibilities. For example, it is a shame when each MP is given a K10 million Electoral Development Fund each year.
There is no or little evidence to suggest how or where the money was spent.
We have seen numerous ground breaking ceremonies and crony companies set up to milk these funds with little development or poor workmanship to show, for example upgrading of local roads.
I think the people of Papua New Guinea deserve better than that. It is our right to make sure our vote are cast for candidates that will pursue our desires for a better Papa New Guinea.

Joseph Kup
Port Moresby

Power, water shut, PM appeals

By MELISSA MARTIN

Koiari Landowners have forcefully entered PNG Power premises at the Rouna Hydro Station and shut down power Monday  afternoon.
 

Police personnel who were sent to Rouna earlier in the morning could not do much as the landowners entered the premises in numbers.
Meanwhile the Prime Minister Peter O’Neill yesterday appealed to PNG Power employees across the nation not to go on a planned sit-in protest.
The protest is to press the employees concerns at the Government’s decision to transfer PNG powers hydro to the LR Group to manage.
The shutting of power supply into Port Moresby has now prompted PNG Power to carry out widespread emergency load shedding of electricity supply into the city at as of this afternoon.
The landowners have taken advantage of threats by the PNG Energy Workers Union to shut down power nationwide this week.
PNG Power Management and officers from the Chief Secretary to the Government will commence discussions with the landowners tomorrow to sort out the issue.
The reason for the forceful shutdown by the landowners relates back to outstanding grievances they have with the National Government.
The Minister for Public Enterprises Sir Mekere Morauta said yesterday that he was disappointed with the continuous threat to disrupt the nation’s power supply.
“On Friday I had an amicable and constructive meeting with the PNG Power unions in which we had discussed a number of issues and worked out an approach that was satisfactory to all parties.
“Most importantly I repeated my assurances that there would be no redundancies as a result of our plan to rehabilitate Port Moresby’s power supply.
“I also reiterated my assurances that no PNG power workers would lose any entitlements or terms and conditions of employment whatsoever.
“I also told the unions that PPL would continue to hold all the generating assets, as they do now, there is simply no plan to sell or transfer those assets out of PPL control.
“We also agreed on a way for workers to deal with PNG Power over their past entitlements – identify each issue and deal with them one by one, in isolation from any other considerations.
“But it appears that a couple of very desperate would-be politicians have been spreading misinformation and half-truths to further their own political careers.”
Sir Mekere appealed to PNG Power workers to put the nation ahead of the interests of a few individuals.
Disruptions on the basis of false and misleading information would put the safety of tens of thousands of people at risk.
The PNG Power union gathered yesterday at a conference and demanded that they want to see the Prime Minister’s response Statement in the media today before they decide on any actions.They stated that if Port Moresby Power Limited and the new LR Company will share half the share each, than redundancy process will still take place.
The Workers Union President Eddie Gisa said the employees want their Elcom Entitlements settled before the new company starts operating.
“The Employees are concerned that employees’ benefits and welfare had not been considered fully before the decision was reached. We appeal to the government and relevant authorities to shelve the plan until after the national elections or otherwise pay all workers their outstanding entitlements and benefits with an agreement in place to secure all PNG Power employees during this transition,” he added.
The employees said the Government had not settled benefits of PNG Power employees affected when it was set up to take over from PNG Elcom in 2010,they demanded that this be sorted out before the new arrangement becomes effective. The Prime Minister Peter O’Neill who was on campaign duties in the highlands for his Peoples National Congress Party yesterday in Liagam and Kundiawa responded to the issue and said he understands the concerns raised by the employees of PNG Power. He urged the employees not to rush into a protest that was likely to result in the shutdown of water and power supply that would affect a lot of innocent people. He promised the Government would review the decision to pass hydro assets to LR Group and also the involvement in discussions of the new arrangement with all stakeholders including the employees of PNG Power.
“I am mindful of the concerns by the employees and I can say that the government will review the arrangement with LR Group and that will consult widely and include all stake holders as well as the employees in the final decision. I ask the employees to in the meantime go back to work and ensure there is no disruption to power supply,” he stated.

SICKENING TO LEARN OF FUJITIVE OBTAINING CITIZENSHIP

This news is sicker than anything I've read this month.

Post Courier Headline: "'FUGITIVE' IS NOW A PNG CITIZEN"
...
Fugitive Joko Tjandra, wanted by Interpol (see
http://www.interpol.int/Wanted-Persons/(wanted_id)/2009-21489), has been
granted Citizenship by government under the recommendation of the PNG
Citizenship Advisory committee.

Mr. Tjandra has never been a resident of PNG. The Constitution provides
that at a person must have "resided continuously" in PNG for "at least
eight years". Yes. 8 Years!!!. Mr. Tjandra has possibly been here in PNG
for ONLY 8 MONTHS! Yes. 8 Months as far as we know.

He is wanted by Interpol and Indonesia's Supreme Court. He was carted into
PNG by Belden Namah and Sam Basil in November last year in OUR plane.

Article says he was not present at the citizenship ceremony because his
papers were given to him before the event, unofficially of course. Foreign
Minister Ano Pala says NO COMMENT as issue has been taken up to the PM and
DPM.

The Citiizenship Advisory Board is made up of four permanent members, two
of whom are MPs, and an ad hoc member representing the community in which
the applicant for citizenship resides. The Committee is currently chaired
by Matthew Poia.

I ASK AGAIN: IS THERE ANYTHING IN THIS COUNTRY THAT MONEY CANNOT BUY?

Like, oh I don't know....DIGNITY perhaps? Or National Sovereignty? Pride
and Patriotism?


GOD SAVE PAPUA NEW GUINEA.See More

 

Tokaut Tokstret

Nautilus Continues Discussions to Resolve Dispute With State of PNG

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire -06/18/12)- Nautilus Minerals Inc. ("Company" or "Nautilus") (NUS.TO)(NUSMF)(NUS.L) announces that a number of meetings have taken place with the Independent State of Papua New Guinea (the State) over the last two weeks aimed at resolving the parties' dispute relating to the Company's Solwara 1 project and discussions will continue until a conclusion is reached.

On June 1, 2012 the Company initiated the dispute resolution process under an agreement between Nautilus and the State signed in March 2011 (see links section for full press release). Since then, senior representatives of Nautilus have met with senior representatives of the State in order to resolve the dispute.
A further update will be provided as the matter progresses.
Links
http://www.nautilusminerals.com/s/Media-NewsReleases.asp?ReportID=528424&_Type=News-Releases&_Title=Nautilus-dispute-with-the-State-of-PNG
Certain of the statements made in this news release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities law. Forward-looking statements and forward-looking information include, but are not limited to statements or information with respect to the resolution of Nautilus' dispute with the State, the completion of the agreement and the payment to Nautilus of the amounts provided for thereunder. We have made numerous assumptions about the material forward-looking statements and information contained herein including good faith negotiation by the State, a shared determination to resolve the dispute and the State's ability to pay the amounts due to Nautilus under the agreement with respect to Solwara 1. Even though our management believes the assumptions made and the expectations represented by such statements or information are reasonable, there can be no assurance that the forward-looking statement or information will prove to be accurate. Forward-looking statements and information by their nature involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results to be materially different from any future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or information. Such risks, uncertainties and other factors include, among others, the risk that negotiations with Petromin are not produtive. Should one or more of these risks, uncertainties or other factors materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in forward-looking statements and information. Although we have attempted to identify factors that would cause actual results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements and information, there may be other factors that cause actual results, performances, achievements or events not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Also, many of the factors are beyond our control. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements or information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly you should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information. Except as required by law, we do not expect to update forward-looking statements and information as conditions change and you are referred to the full discussion of the Company's business contained in the Company's reports filed with the securities regulatory authorities in Canada.
About Nautilus Minerals Inc.
Nautilus is the first company to explore the ocean floor for polymetallic seafloor massive sulphide deposits and is developing its first project at Solwara 1, in the territorial waters of Papua New Guinea, where it is aiming to produce copper, gold and silver. The company has been granted all necessary environmental and mining permits.
Nautilus also holds approximately 600,000 km2 of highly prospective exploration acreage in the western Pacific; in PNG, the Solomon Islands, Fiji, Vanuatu and Tonga, as well as in international waters in the eastern Pacific.
A Canadian registered company, Nautilus is listed on the TSX:NUS and AIM:NUS stock exchanges and OTCQX:NUSMF. Its corporate office is in Brisbane, Australia. Its major shareholders include Metalloinvest, the largest iron ore producer in Europe and the CIS, which has a 21% holding, global mining group Anglo American, which holds an 11% interest and MB Holdings, an Oman based group with interests in mining, oil & gas, which holds a 9.98% interest.
Neither the TSX, London Stock Exchange, or the OTCQX accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.

SES Signs New Multi-Year Capacity Deal with Telikom PNG

SINGAPORE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--SES (Paris:SESG) (LuxX:SESG) announced  at CommunicAsia2012 that it has signed a new multi-year capacity deal with Telikom Papua New Guinea (Telikom PNG), the country’s incumbent telecommunications operator. The deal involves a renewal of satellite capacity on NSS-9 at 183 degrees East and on NSS-6 at 95 degrees East. In total, Telikom PNG currently contracts more than 100 MHz in capacity with SES and is one of SES’ largest customers in Papua New Guinea.

Telikom PNG is the premier operator of voice and data services in Papua New Guinea. The renewal will enable Telikom PNG to continue expanding its cellular services into new regions and provide telephone services over challenging mountainous terrain by providing cellular backhaul between a large number of sites around the country and the capital, Port Moresby.
Deepak Mathur, Senior Vice President Commercial, Asia-Pacific and the Middle East at SES, said: “NSS-9 deploys state-of-the-art technology and is one of the most powerful satellites in SES’ fleet of 50 satellites, enabling customers like Telikom PNG to optimise their networks to get the maximum throughput to save costs and operate more efficiently. We are delighted to support Telikom PNG’s service expansion to improve connectivity for enterprises, governments and consumers, and contribute further to the development of the telecommunications sector in Papua New Guinea.”
Charles Litau, CEO, Telikom Papua New Guinea, said: “The new deal will allow us to provide our customers with connectivity to the remotest locations – the highlands, mining camps and islands of Papua New Guinea. We have benefitted from SES’ global expertise and excellent technical and engineering support, and we look forward to further developing our strong partnership by exploring other business opportunities in Papua New Guinea.”
Follow us on:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SES_Satellites
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SES.YourSatelliteCompany
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/SESVideoChannel
Blog: http://en.ses.com/4243715/blog
Find pictures and videos under: http://www.ses.com/4245221/library
About SES
SES is a world-leading satellite operator with a fleet of 50 geostationary satellites. The company provides satellite communications services to broadcasters, content and internet service providers, mobile and fixed network operators and business and governmental organisations worldwide.
SES stands for long-lasting business relationships, high-quality service and excellence in the broadcasting industry. The culturally diverse regional teams of SES are located around the globe and work closely with customers to meet their specific satellite bandwidth and service requirements.
SES (Paris:SESG) (LuxX:SESG) holds participations in Ciel in Canada and QuetzSat in Mexico, as well as a strategic participation in satellite infrastructure start-up O3b Networks. Further information under: www.ses.com.

Contacts

Markus Payer
Market Communication & PR
Tel. +352 710 725 500
Markus.Payer@ses.com

Conspiracies in Election 2012

There is a huge amount of money at stake for those who win the big prize of becoming MP because of all the LNG wealth likely to flow into the government treasury. More pressure than ever to find guaranteed ways to win the election. Here is what is already being planned by CERTAIN main political parties fighting to keep power. They all have a carefully mapped out strategy and it will be between them alone who will win this election. Some or if not, many of the followings have already happened and will happen this election.

1. Common roll update corruption is now finished. Those conducting the common roll updates have been bribed all over the country to make sure that the names of people in a particular electorate were either inflated or (in the case of areas with opposing candidates) were deflated.

2. Printing of common rolls: Bribery has also been widespread at this juncture to make sure the false figures actually get printed.

3. For the last month and more, the known election officers (election manager, returning officers, assistant returning officers) are being offered large bribes or being threatened with their life to pressure them to swing the election in the briber's direction. This has been especially common in the highlands, but even is occurring in certain island electorates. Also pretty widespread in Momase region.

4. For the last week and continuing up to now, senior election officials have been bribed at various parts all over the country (but especially in the highlands) to make sure that the distribution of ballot papers will be done selectively. Purposely ballot papers are coming up short so that on election day, people in certain regions who strongly support an opposing candidate will find that there aren't enough ballots and they can't vote. End of story. A simple trick that is being accomplished right now as I write with a simple but hefty bribe.

5. Security forces are being bribed and threatened now to look the other way. Everyone knows that every security has their price, it doesn't matter what their bosses say about taking bribes. Waigani has already gotten wind of just how widespread and successful this is likely to be in 2012.

6. When the election starts, especially in the highlands, women will be forced to vote certain ways by their husbands and wantoks also will be watched carefully to make sure they vote a certain way. While this corruption is widespread in every election its not an area where a candidate can control things with a simple bribe. In many villages, leaders will feed and guard election officials while youth outside mark all the ballots in favour of a certain candidate.

7. Plans are already in place for hijacking ballot boxes when they're leaving certain polling place. Most of this never gets reported in the newspaper so it is an effective way of getting rid of an opposition candidate's votes. Sometimes the ballot boxes are destroyed but usually either opposition votes are removed and in certain areas it is planned to replace them with fake ballots (see below).

8. Heaps of counterfeit ballots have already been printed overseas and smuggled into the country for use to replace the legitimate ballots in the ballot boxes of certain areas.

9. Counting room corruption is where some political groups are now planning to focus most of their efforts. It is all a matter of bribing the right election officials AND associated security. Tens of thousands of kina is likely to be the going price for this bribery.

IF EVERYTHING WORKS OUT AS PLANNED, MOST OF THE ABOVE WILL TAKE PLACE AND YOU'LL NEVER HEAR ABOUT IT.  WE BASICALLY HAVE NO INFLUENCE BECAUSE THE ELECTION WILL BE DETERMINED BY THE HIGHER UPS.

How can Electoral Commission, the Police and Defence play their part to avoid this?
The above are very valid points and it is very likely to happen, especially in the highlands region. The political parties and candidates are hell bound to do anything and everything under the sun to get into the parliament. 
What is the EC and the security teams strategies to foil this evil plan so PNGeans elect their leaders in a fair, free, transparent and safely manner? From the points above, we are aware that certain polling officials and security personals have been heavily bribed so this election is swayed their way.

If EC, Police and Defence are very neutral and believe that the election must be run in a safe, fair, free and transparent manner, I would suggest the EC, Police and Defence add this strategy to the list of strategies they have.

The polling officials and security personals are involved during the 3 phases of electoral processes; election campaigns, polling and counting and henceforth declarations. Some polling officials and security personals, by now are dining with politicians and intending candidates in the cover of darkness.

During the campaign period, political parties and candidates have been seen or trying to align themselves with electoral officials and security personals. By now the political parties and the candidates know who their foes and friends are in the Electoral Commission and the security personal. And they would like to maintain that friendship from campaigns period to polling and finally to the counting room.

The political parties and candidates believe this statuesque will be maintained during the polling and the counting and are heavily betting on them through financial offers or threats on the other if situations do not favour the political parties and candidates. And I strongly believe the some polling officials and security personals involved in such imbecile acts are denying the rights of every citizen to vote freely and fair.

I would like to suggest the following strategy to foil this evil plan to so PNGeans can vote free and fair. I strongly suggest to Electoral Commissioner, Police Commissioner and Defence Commander to, as much as possible to rotate their personals, both EC officials and security personals as much as possible.

I will give an example of such arrangement in this way. If EC officials and security personals have been in the electorates during the campaign period, during the voting, they should be rotated to another district. Eg, all electrical officials and security personals staged in Wabag district during the campaign periods should be rotated with electoral officials and security personals from Kompiam Ambum and the Kompiam Ambum officials should come to Wabag and conduct the polling. In this way a new team of EC officials and security personals are involved in the polling. 

During the counting, new electoral officials and security personals should come from another province. Eg, all EC officials and security personals involved in polling in Enga province should be rotated with a new team, probably from, Mt Hagen. In this way, we will have new EC officials and security personals during the polling and counting. 

By this way, if those parties, politicians or candidates have been bribing these officials during the campaigns, polling time, new people will be in charge of the polling and counting.
By then we will have a free and fair election. And the candidate elected MPs will be the people’s wish and not someone born out from counting rooms, as have been seen in many cases in PNG.




I. MHAN

Job crisis threatens as PNG LNG project moves to next phase

In Papua New Guinea, concern is growing about the unemployment and social dislocation that will occur as the PNG LNG project starts to lay off many of its more than 8000 strong Papua New Guinean workforce. Construction of the giant project is progressing so well that many of the jobs held by Papua New Guineans will start of come to an end, this year.

Landowner companies are warning of unrest if new jobs are not found for them.

Presenter: Jemima Garrett

Speakers: Peter Graham, Managing Director of ExxonMobil subsidiary Esso Highlands

Libe Parindali, Chairman of Hides Gas Development Company, the main highlands-based landowner company working for the PNG LNG project.

GARRETT: It has long been known the prime job opportunities offered by the ExxonMobil-led PNG LNG project would occur in the construction phase.

Now at its peak, the project employs more than 16,000 people. Over half of those are Papua New Guineans, many employed through landowner companies that have been set up especially, to cater to the project.

The bulk of the jobs are places like Hides and Komo in remote Hela province in the PNG Highlands, where the gas is located.

Peter Graham, Managing Director of Esso Highlands the PNG LNG project operator says the project is on time to deliver first gas in 2014, and to put first gas into the pipeline in the second quarter of 2013.

That means some of the construction jobs are about to wind up.

GRAHAM: In 2012, a number of the major contractors do finish their work. The offshore pipeline is complete, or will be complete within the next several weeks. The Komo airstrip will be complete by year end. The civil works on Hides Ridge and around the Hides Gas Conditioning Plant will be complete, so by the end of this year we will be focussed very much in the LNG plant site and the Hides gas conditioning plant site and the pipeline area.

GARRETT: The biggest landowner company, Hides Gas Development Company, is just 3 years old.

In that time it has gone from nothing to employing thousands of landowners, many of whom are getting their first taste of paid employment.

The cash has been a boon to families who are used to struggling without electricity and basic services.

But, Company Chairman, Libe Parindali, is concerned that as construction winds down families will hit the financial wall.

PARINDALI: Right now, you know the PNG LNG Project, in the area where I come from, we are creating too many unnecessary expectations! And we will have, those 2000 or 3000 people that we have on our books that we are supplying to the (project). After the construction phase is down, we will be left with 300-400 people! What are we going to do with the rest of them that will not have jobs?

GARRETT: Mr Parindali says the potential for unrest is real.

He wants help so the Hides Gas Development Company can diversify the opportunities open to landowners.

PARINDALI: We can take on other projects, like the infrastructure, the community projects, agriculture, forestry - you know something that is sustainable and something for the long-term. But what the contractors are doing now is they are focussed on trying to deliver the gas in 2014, that is their focus right now but something to sustain the community, I think the government and the company, need to seriously go back and look at it now!

GARRETT: Government infrastucture projects have been slow to get off the ground.

Esso Highlands Managing Director, Peter Graham, agrees a sharp drop in job opportunities is not ideal.

GRAHAM: We share the concern about the demobilisation of people. They are trained people, they have worked hard and contributed to the project. We'd like to put their skills and expertise to work productively in the community. How that is done is not absolutely clear to me at this point in time. We've got the infrastructure projects with government that will offer opportunities. It would be nice if those people can move progressively into that area and work in those sorts of projects, or to various mining projects.

GARRETT: Until now Esso Highlands has ensured landowners get jobs by reserving certain activities for landowner companies.

HGDC Chairman, Libe Parindali, wants the number of reserved areas extended.

PARINDALI: The so-called reserved business area activity needs to be opened up. Now they allow us to do light vehicles, catering, security , labour hire, camp maintenance but what is there for the long-term? We strated this company, HGDC from nothing and now its over 2 years, ExxonMobil has helped us to set this company up, it is set up to promote landowner participation, and after the construction phase, the 5 areas, what is there? How much are we going to make? I can't sustain this animal and the expectations that we have created!

GARRETT: Peter Graham does not believe extending the range of jobs kept exclusively for landowner companies, is viable.

GRAHAM: We work to a schedule and we have a lot of people trying to deliver this project on schedule. We've got customers waiting for the gas to come through, so we end up having to make a judgement call as to whether or not particular individuals and companies have the potentiual to do particular work. I mean, I get requests coming to me, a company saying I want to be the company that installs the pipeline. Well, I am not going to give a contract for the installation of a gas pieline, with critical welding and safety issues, to a company that has never been in that business. So its sort of horses for courses. I think there are some areas where we would be happy to try and work with landowner companies to expand into other businesses. I think, again, HDGC has done some of that, they have partnered with an engineering firm out of Huston and they are already benefitting from that kind of experience and expanding their range of skills.

GARRETT: Libe Parindali says landowner companies have the skills, capital and the overseas partners to do more.

He says it would be in ExxonMobil's interest to make it happen.

PARINDALI: If we give the jobs away to outsiders, they will not worry about us and then outside the fence we will have the people with high expectations, who cause problems for the project. And they are the ones I want to help, I want to train them, I want to upskill them, develop them to be somebody the community and the people of PNG can be proud of. We are not doing it now. Government is not in there helping us!

ExxonMobil Medial Release - 29 May 2012

ExxonMobil Medial Release

Air Force assists PNG electoral commission

Two Royal New Zealand Air Force UH-1H Iroquois helicopters have been loaded on to a Royal Australian Air Force C-17 and have been deployed in Papua New Guinea, The  third  flew  a further C-17 on Friday.

New Zealand and Australia are providing support to the Papua New Guinea Electoral Commission and authorities to ensure a fair, free and safe general election.

The NZ Defence Force is supporting the Australian Defence Force-led Combined Joint Task Force 630, where over 250 Australian and New Zealand personnel will assist the Papua New Guinea Electoral Commission in the transportation of election material and election officials to and from remote areas.
Deputy Commander of the Combined Joint Task Force, New Zealand Lieutenant Colonel David de Koning, says the arrival of No. 3 Squadron signals the start of an intense period of operations in support of the election. The total number of NZ Defence Force personnel involved will be 40.
"No. 3 Squadron will operate through Northern Province and Milne Bay transporting election officials and materials into the more remote villages. They have a lot of work to do over a very short period of time to help ensure the people on the ground get their opportunity to vote."
Four Australian Army Black Hawks helicopters, as well as Royal Australian Air Force B350 King Airs and C-130 Hercules, and a Royal Australian Navy Landing Craft Heavy have also been assigned to the operation. A small number of personnel have also been working with the Papua New Guinea Electoral Commission for several months in a planning role.
No. 3 Squadron has just returned from Ex TROPIC ASTRA, an annual tropical flying exercise in Samoa. Detachment Commander, Wing Commander Shaun Clark, says the deployment to Papua New Guinea comes at an ideal time with 3 Squadron personnel having just exercised their skills in a tropical environment.
"The terrain and weather in Papua New Guinea will present some challenging flying for the aircrew, particularly when operating to the villages in the mountains. The isolation of Tufi means that the maintenance team have no access to external support or equipment. They will be relying solely on what we bring into theatre when we deploy."
New Zealand and Australia are committed to working together maintaining stability and promoting good governance in the Pacific.
"We are looking forward to working with the Australians to assist Papua New Guinea authorities. The NZ Defence Force has a long history, working closely with our Australian partners building interoperability," adds Wing Commander Clark.
"It has been several years since 3 Squadron last deployed on an overseas operation, so everyone is excited about the opportunity."

No political bribes, PNG police told

One of Papua New Guinea's most senior policemen has warned his officers against taking political bribes ahead of the country's June 23 elections.
With just six days to go until the start of the 2012 poll, Assistant Police Commissioner Francis Tokura has told his troops not to be swayed by money being splashed around by candidates.
"Electoral officers and members of the security force, do not accept bribes. Let me repeat, do not accept bribes," Mr Tokura told about 500 officers as they prepared to depart for the Southern Highlands on Saturday.
"This is our country... PNG is our country and this is our election, so let us be responsible.
"Polling candidates, let us set the foundation for a better tomorrow by refusing to threaten or bribe your voters."
The police will spend 24 days based in and around the highland town of Mt Hagen and will provide security during PNG's two week voting period.
Including the PNG Defence Force and police, there are 8000 security personnel being rolled out throughout the country for the election.
Poor infrastructure and PNG's often unforgiving geography means polling officials have had to rely heavily on assistance from Australia in the lead up to the poll.
The Australian Defence Force are flying election material and personnel around the country, while the Australian Federal Police have funded and installed a $2.5 million nationwide communications network for PNG police.
Mr Tokura says his officers are prepared to handle the election.
"This is not the first time we have engaged in national elections," he said.
"I am very confident we will rise to the occasion."
The 2012 poll will be PNG's eighth since it gained independence from Australia in 1975.
In 2002, six electorates out of nine in the Southern Highlands had their polls declared invalid following widespread violence, intimidation of voters at gunpoint and electoral fraud.
The fraud included the bribing of police and electoral officials, multiple voting and the stuffing of hijacked ballot boxes with ballot papers ready-marked for particular candidates.
The 2002 poll was the most violent in PNG's history with an estimated 100 election-related deaths in the Highlands.
The introduction of Limited Preferential Voting (LPV) system for the 2007 election is widely credited as bolstering peaceful elections.