Elections Updates from Rigo Open

Close to 100 voters turned up to vote as early as 8:30 am . According to information given by Huau Saina, the returning Officer of Rigo Central was that a few missing names on the Electoral roll , but otherwise so fare so good.
Polling has commenced in various area such as Girobada , Goulubu, Dirinomu, Gamoga and Keapara . On the other hand Voting will begin in Rigo Islands on Monday 26 June .

Updates by Loop PNG News  

Election Updates

 

 A total of 8 ballot boxes belong to James Marape were confiscated at Tari Airport yesterday the security personal. 

Polye: We will form new govt

 By MALUM NALU 


OPPOSITION Leader Don Polye and his team are confident that a new government will be formed on Friday when the no-confidence vote is taken against Prime Minister Peter O’Neill.
Polye said that yesterday in the company of East Sepik Governor and founding prime minister Sir Michael Somare, People’s Progress Party leader Ben Micah, PNG Party leader Belden Namah, Pangu Pati leader Sam Basil, Melanesian Liberal Party leader Dr Allan Marat and National Party leader Kerenga Kua.
“There are defections (from Government) coming,” a confident-sounding Polye said.
“I will not tell you but you will find out on Friday.
“Just trust us, we will be the new government. We are a very careful team, we are working prudently, we are building up the numbers and lo-and-behold, on Friday you will see a new government of Papua New Guinea for the people.”
Micah said in 1999, when Sir Mekere Morauta became prime minister, “he only became prime minister at the 11th hour”.
“This game is never finished until the referee blows the whistle.”
Polye asserted that the Opposition team was “solid”. 

PNG corruption: Secret letter reveals new evidence against Prime Minister Peter O'Neill

By Nick McKenzie, Richard Baker of Fairfax Media,

Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O'Neill allegedly engaged in "misappropriation, conspiracy to defraud and official corruption", according to explosive new evidence detailed in a top secret letter sent by PNG's corruption taskforce to the country's police chief.

The letter, shown to Fairfax Media by police sources, reveals that the expert testimony of Australian forensic experts - who told PNG investigators that Mr O'Neill signed a letter he had claimed was forged - helped to build a case that “PM O'Neill acted dishonestly and corruptly".

The allegations relate to Mr O'Neill's suspected role using his influence to help allegedly corrupt PNG lawyer Paul Paraka steal tens of millions of dollars in PNG government funds using a letter of authority allegedly authored by Mr O’Neill.

Much of the allegedly stolen money has been laundered through Australian banks in wire transfers which the Australian Federal Police are understood to have examined.

The Paraka scandal has been brewing for months in PNG and climaxed on Monday with the issuing of arrest warrants for Mr O’Neill.

The leaked letter to PNG police commissioner Toami Kulunga states that “fresh evidence” reveals that Mr O’Neill’s “denial of authoring and/or signing the directive letter [used by Mr Paraka to steal funds] … can no longer hold water”.

“We have found that PM O’Neill had knowledge of the Paraka Lawyers’ operations … [and] evidence reveals that under his [Mr O’Neill’s watch] as the Minister for Finance and Treasurer between July 2010 and June 2011 in the then Somare government, a staggering amount of K39.06 million [Kina] was paid to Paul Paraka lawyers through structured and layered payments.”

The leaked letter reveals that experts from a private Sydney firm, Forensic Document Services Ltd, analysed a document that appears to have been signed by Mr O'Neill but which the Prime Minister said had been forged.

The expert advice has confirmed suspicions of PNG fraud and corruption investigators that Mr O'Neill did sign the document, which directed PNG public servants to release funds to Mr Paraka’s firm.

Efforts to arrest Mr O'Neill may complicate the relationship between PNG and Australia, which relies on his government's support to run its Manus Island detention centre.

On Monday, Mr O'Neill enlisted lawyers to challenge any move to charge him.

In February, a district court rejected an earlier effort to arrest Mr O'Neill in connection to the alleged fraud, saying arrest warrants were invalid because they were based on laws that had been repealed.

Last year, Fairfax Media revealed that Mr Paraka had wired some of the allegedly corruptly gained funds to Australia.

Documents show Mr Paraka had been regularly transferring large sums of money to several contacts on the Gold Coast and in NSW. On one day in October 2012, a bank account linked to Mr Paraka wired about $80,000 in three transactions to his Australian-based wives and girlfriends, including one who lives in Sydney's Star City casino complex.

Between February 2012 and February this year, almost $3 million was transferred to Australia from bank accounts linked to Mr Paraka. PNG investigators believe most of these funds were corruptly obtained.

The ability of Mr Paraka - who denies any wrongdoing - to transfer suspicious amounts of money raises questions about what Australian banks, the federal police and the anti-money-laundering agency, Austrac, are doing to block or investigate dirty money.

The ease with which allegedly corrupt PNG officials and businessmen can transfer money to Australia is becoming an increasing concern for law enforcement officials in both countries.

PM: Govt camp intact

 By MALUM NALU

PRIME Minister Peter O’Neill declared that he had the numbers to remain in the job as he left for camp in Alotau with 78 other MPs – an overwhelming majority in the 111-seat Parliament.
“We are already in Government,” O’Neill said.
“You can talk about numbers with the Opposition.
“We displayed our numbers (in Parliament) last Friday and we’ll display it again this week.”
O’Neill said the Alotau Government caucus meeting would not only discuss the no-confidence vote against O’Neill.
“This gives us the opportunity to revisit our Alotau Accord, revisit some of the programmes we have done for the Government and plan for the next 12 months,” O’Neill said. “That’s why we are going to meet again.
“Since the formation of Government (in 2012), we haven’t had the opportunity to sit down and discuss our programmes with our coalition partners and our members.”
O’Neill said the last headcount before boarding was 81 MPs and “it could be up to 91”.
“We’ve got some of our members who are still in their electorates, some of them have gone back to their provinces because of urgent commitments, but when they join us it will be close to 90.
Meanwhile, Minister for Finance and Leader of Government Business James Marape said there were 91 MPs in the Government.
He said Government numbers were strong with members meeting in unity from the People’s National Congress (PNC), National Alliance (NA), United Resources Party (URP), People’s Progress Party (PPP), New Generation Party and a number of independents.
“I assure all our investors, business community and citizens that our Government numbers stand with PNC at 59, National Alliance at 14, URP at 8 and a number from PPP, NGP, SDP, PDM and other independents,” Marape said.
“Contrast that with the 17 members who were with the Opposition in Parliament on Friday.”
“While it is their democratic right to exercise section 145 (of the Constitution), the unstable image of the country being portrayed continues to derail the work and development and investment in this country.
“I ask all political party leaders to come to the Parliament with your numbers and to stop ringing my members offering inducements like money and ministries.
“In this term of parliament, our prime minister and and government has been facing many battles sponsored by politicians and we know who they are.
“The difference between the two sides is that in Government we are all behind one person as prime minister, whereas in the Opposition you have seven people all with their knives out ready to back-stab each other.”
Marape welcomed the move by Micah and fellow PPP MPs moving to the Opposition, saying Micah’s demand while in Government were often unrealistic.  This included the demand to be appointed as deputy prime minister. 

UOG to stay open: Leaders

Source : The National Newspaper 

HIGHLANDS leaders say the University of Goroka is the pride of the region and will not be forced to shut down by the recent student unrest.
Eastern Highlands provincial administrator Solomon Tato and senior education officials from Western Highlands have vowed to work together with leaders of the other Highlands provinces to initiate reconciliation between the students.
Tato and his team from the university have undertaken necessary procedures to facilitate a peace process by collecting views from all the leaders and students from the region to come up with the best way possible.
They said they would not let what had happened at the University of PNG (cancellation of the academic year) happen at UoG.
Western Highlands provincial education board chairman Leo Mininga said the student unrest at UoG was an eye opener for all Highlands leaders.
“It is a wake-up call for our leaders to use their problem solving skills on how we can solve issues of provincial, regional and national importance.
“Student behaviour is one of the factors in this aspect. We cannot let what transpired inside a university campus jeopardise the education of our future leaders.

I wish it was easy to give up !

Lucas Kaip

Some people think that I should now be stopped talking about corruption because of what is happening around the the country.

They are blaming some of us for the protests by University students which led to chaos, violences and shutdown of UPNG. They think that the more we talk, the more we are going to instigate the problem.

They want us to shut up. They just don't want us to talk about corruption anymore.

I wish they know me better. I wish it is that easy to give up. I wish I can easily forget everything. I wish I can find the courage to shut up and move on with my personal life. But I can't. Not even for a moment. I can't imagine how my life will be without talking about corruption.

Some people are talking about corruption because of their positions. Some people talking about a about corruption because they are paid to do it. Some people talk about corruption to please others. Some people talk about corruption because everone else is talking about corruption.

But for me, I have signed up to fight corruption in 2001 as a youth at the PNG University of Technology because I saw corruption as the worst enemy of the country.

I dedicated my life to fight corruption and I will never let outcomes, situations or seasons dictate my stand on corruption. Not even for a second. But I will gladly pay any price to stand up for the truth.

As long as corruption is here, I am not afraid of standing up for the truth.

One day I want this country to be a corruption free country. I want our people to live a better, decent life fitting for a resource rich country like PNG.

Even if it means to stand up alone, I will.