PORT MORESBY - Community advocacy group Act Now! says a new logging operation in Milne Bay Province could be yet another example of a bogus agriculture project being used as cover for a large-scale forest grab.

The new logging operation began on Sideia Island earlier this year as part of the Loani Bwanabwana Integrated Agro-Forestry Project.

MICHAEL KABUNI
| Academia Nomad

PORT MORESBY - Reports of criminals being paid K300,000 for the release of hostages is troubling, but not a surprise. In Papua New Guinea, we pay for everything.

Our politicians bribe electoral officials to win elections. Prime ministerial candidates pay other politicians to join various camps to form government. When prime ministers underperform, they pay other politicians to keep them in power.

MICHAEL KABUNI
| Academia Nomad

Publicly criticising the judiciary is usually a bad idea.
(Bing image inspiration created by by AI)

PORT MORESBY – The recent arrest and refusal of bail for social activist and political commentator Samson Komati arrest is reminiscent of Bryan Kramer’s arrest before he became an MP. Bryan was an activist and a prolific social media commentator on politics and related matters.

Under two prime ministers, Papua New Guinea has become a place where social media activists are arrested and jailed.

EDDIE TANAGO
| Campaign Manager, Act Now!

PORT MORESBY – The community advocacy group, Act Now, has urged the Papua New Guinea government to stop the ongoing abuse of agricultural clearing permits being used as a cover for large-scale logging.

Forest Clearing Authorities are routinely misused to facilitate large-scale illegal and unsustainable logging.

MICHAEL KABUNI
| Academia Nomad

After the cyclone the flood (Generated with AI, 1 April 2024 0804 am)

PORT MORESBY – The history of disaster response in Papua New Guinea is fraught with delays, inefficiency and corruption.

Under the Public Finance Management Act, tendering processes are suspended when a disaster is declared to ensure the response is faster. And this opens the door to corruption. How?

ANTHONY WAGAMBIE JNR
| Academia Nomad

Anthony Wagambie Jnr is well known as a corruption fighter and one of the most respected police officers in Papua New Guinea.  Following the 10 January riots he was one of a number of senior police officers who were demoted and transferred, in his case from the Port Moresby to Bougainville as Deputy Commander.  There was an immediate wave of support for Wagambie throughout the country.  In response Wagambie wrote this reflection on his commitment to policing....

__________

BUKA - I grew up as a son of a police officer. I am the first born son of Anthony Wagambie Snr. He was then an Inspector of Police based in Lae and my mum, Mrs Elizabeth Wagambie nee Saun was a paediatric nurse at Angau Hospital.

ALLAN BIRD
| Facebook | Academia Nomad

The police hierarchy warn possible prime minister Allan Bird of death threats even as they move his trusted police commander to a distant post (Facebook)

Allan Bird has been nominated to succeed prime minister James Marape in a forthcoming vote of no confidence

WEWAK - Am I desperate to be prime minister of Papua New Guinea? Short answer is no. But someone needs to step up and seriously address the issues which are destroying our country. Those problems will not fix themselves.

Since my nomination, I have been advised by a deputy police commissioner that my life is under threat and the police are monitoring the situation.

GOVERNOR ALLAN BIRD
| Thanks to Academia Nomad

Timely reminder to the Australian people about where their aid money goes: PNG prime minister James Marape addresses the Australian parliament this week sporting a K340,000 ($US90,000) Audemarc Piguet wristwatch

WEWAK - I will not be the lookout, standing guard while the riches of Papua New Guinea are plundered. My conscience will not allow it.

I remained in government hoping that this government would solve our cost of living crisis, our power crisis, our FX [foreign exchange] crisis, our law and order crisis and our employment crisis.

PAEOPE OVASURU

Sad Wednesday [Bing Image Inspiration Feed]

PORT MORESBY - Last Wednesday the tenth of January started off like any other day in Port Moresby.

As the sun rose, workers made their way from home and street vendors put their goods on display.

At Gordons market, the mothers from Brown River accompanied truckloads of fresh garden produce. Outside, the usual crowd of loiterers went about their business, whatever that was.

KELA KAPKORA SIL BOLKIN

PORT MORESBY - As a child growing up in the mountains of Simbu, mourning and burial rites were special occasions regardless of the status of the dead person.

After the funeral, the widow of the dead man and her children could live normal lives and continue to use the land and assets of the deceased.

ARIANNE KASSMAN
| CEO, Transparency International PNG

PORT MORESBY - As the end of 2023 settles, it’s time to turn the page and raise the sails of anticipation for the year ahead.

But before embarking on a new year, we should take a moment to reflect on our small wins and learnings that propelled us through a season of collaboration, advocacy and unwavering momentum.

KEITH JACKSON

NOOSA, QLD - On Tuesday 31 October, an unusual full page advertisement appeared. It advised of the reinstatement of Alfred Rungol to his job as a divisional general manager of Papua New Guinea’s Climate Change and Development Authority (CCDA).

Rungol’s responsibilities include CCDA’s international negotiation and reporting obligations as well as the measurement and verification of PNG’s climate change efforts. That’s quite a role in a country with an economy that is so resource-dependent.

Sir Gibbs Salika GCL KBE CSM OBE (Supreme Court of PNG)

MICHAEL KABUNI
| Academia Nomad

PORT MORESBY - Are the District Development Act (DDA Act) and the Kumul Consolidated Limited Act (KCL Act) unconstitutional?

At the recent national development forum organised by the Consultation, Implementation, Monitoring & Implementation Council, Papua New Guinea’s chief justice, Sir Gibbs Salika, called both acts “bad laws.”

Photo-illustration by Bing.com

NEWS DESK
| Act Now

PORT MORESBY - The unlawful use of forest clearing authorities as a cover for illegal large-scale logging by foreign-owned companies in PNG has been further exposed in a new report from by Act Now!

The report focuses on the Mengen agriculture project in East New Britain Province and reveals how Malaysian logging company, KK Connections, committed to establish forest plantation and agriculture projects if it was given a forest clearing authority (FCA).

NEWS DESK
| Act Now

PORT MORESBY - A new Timber Legality Risk Assessment published by civil society organisation Act Now concludes that there is a very high risk that almost all logging occurring in natural forest areas in Papua New Guinea is illegal.

The assessment is based on a comprehensive review of all the available literature, including reports of official government inquiries, court cases, international organisations and civil society groups.

MICHAEL KABUNI
| Academia Nomad

WAIGANI - While many people have celebrated Paul Paraka's recent 20-year gaol sentence, a crucial aspect remains overlooked: there’s no K162 million in Paraka’s bank accounts. Nor is the K162 million he stole accounted for in any bank.

KEITH JACKSON

Panguna copper and gold mine, 2021 - the end of the rainbow for Australian (and the world's) con artists

NOOSA - Bougainville president Ishmael Toroama has firmly stated his government will not allow foreign investors on Bougainville to breach its laws to exploit its people and resources.

Toroama made the statement after the Bougainville Executive Council decided to refuse two mineral license applications from the Paruparu Joint Venture, a partnership between Wyndale Holdings and local company Karatapo Resources.

TONY DEGEN

The plantation homestead before and its demolition by villagers angry at the PNG government's land use practices

MADANG – I’m an investor in the Papua New Guinean agricultural and livestock industry and purchased a state agricultural lease on the north coast near Madang.

By August last year, I had paid all the required fees and charges like stamp duty and assured myself that the title was clear.

GENEVIEVE BENN & BIANCA SCHMIDT

SYDNEY – A program to minimise the impacts of gun violence and spread of illicit weapons in Papua New Guinea has been established by Macquarie University in conjunction with Armed Incident Management (AIM).

We are reaching out in hopes that people will want to work with us on this issue and aid us in tackling the injustice which gun violence and illicit arms causes in PNG.

MICHAEL TAM

"Papua New Guinea needs brave men and women with clever minds and loud voices to rise
against the few who are corrupting our government and sucking our people’s money"

PARI - Shamefully, the US-PNG Defence Cooperation Agreement was signed by PNG defence minister Win Bakri Daki and US secretary of state Anthony Blinken at APEC Haus on 22 May.

This was despite nationwide protests urging prime minister PM Marape to both sack former foreign minister Justin Tkatchenko and not sign the security pact.

The Marape government never respects the people of PNG.

GRANT W WALTON AND SINCLAIR DINNEN

‘Papua New Guinea: Government, Economy and Society’ by Stephen Howes & Lekshmi N Pillai (eds), ANU Press, 2022. Link here to all content in the book including chapters, contributors, citations and figures and tables. This extract is from Chapter 4 ‘Crime and Corruption’ by Grant W Walton and Sinclair Dinnen

CANBERRA - Many people consider that corruption in Papua New Guinea is a key threat to social and economic development.

GRANT W WALTON & SINCLAIR DINNEN

‘Papua New Guinea: Government, Economy and Society’ by Stephen Howes & Lekshmi N Pillai (eds), ANU Press, 2022. Link here to all content in the book including chapters, contributors, citations and figures and tables. This extract is from Chapter 4 ‘Crime and Corruption’ by Grant W Walton and Sinclair Dinnen

CANBERRA - For outsiders as well as many citizens, crime and corruption are viewed as significantly curtailing the fulfilment of Papua New Guinea’s development goals.

'We Must Put The People First'

DANNY ANDREW

KANDEP - In recent mass media news reports in Papua New Guinea, concerns have been raised by senior officials in various government agencies that governance systems are failing.

This is serious enough in itself but especially bad for PNG as a developing nation seeking to achieve its developmental goals as enshrined in Vision 2050.

A plan is hatched (not in the public interest)

KEITH JACKSON

NOOSA - Despite its rich and extensive natural resource base, which should make the task of national development, Papua New Guinea has been steadily dragged down over the last 30 years by a toxic blend of volatile politics and entrenched corruption.

A complex political situation intensified by corruption, cronyism and fluctuating strategic alliances have significantly hindered economic progress and contributed to societal challenges.

'Kramer Out' says the Post-Courier. 'Not so fast' says the corruption-fighting minister dismissed by a Leadership Tribunal

BRYAN KRAMER
| Facebook

Thanks to Phil Fitzpatrick whose scouring of social media revealed what he termed Bryan Kramer's “defiant response” to judge Lawrence Kangwia and senior magistrates Edward Komia and Josephine Nidue, sitting as the Leadership Tribunal which last week dismissed Kramer as a minister and parliamentarian - KJ

PORT MORESBY - Late Wednesday afternoon of 24 May 2023, a copy of a notice giving effect to my dismissal from office as the member of Madang Open was circulated on social media.

It was purportedly issued by the Governor General’s Office [and], given the errors on the face of the document, many raised the question whether it was genuine or fake. 

Author and PNG Attitude contributor Daniel Kumbon with Bryan Kramer, Papua Hotel, Port Moresby, 2017

KEITH JACKSON

NOOSA – The prominent Papua New Guinea journalist Scott Waide has said “the judiciary has come back hard” on former police minister Bryan Kramer who was sacked as the Member for Madang Open in a notice signed by governor-general, Sir Bob Dadae, on Wednesday.

Kramer had faced a Leadership Tribunal after he was accused of a number of charges including one of deceiving and misleading the court by submitting fabricated documents and two of scandalising the judiciary after publishing posts on Facebook implying a conflict of interest by chief justice Sir Gibbs Salika.

Michael Kabuni - "We hope this case sets a precedent, so citizens can continue to hold their leaders accountable"

MICHAEL KABUNI
| Academia Nomad

PORT MORESBY – It seems that the Papua New Guinea Ombudsman Commission has received “an avalanche of complaints from the public” in relation to the Justin ‘Primitive Animals’ Tkatchenko issue and that it intends “to treat each complaint accordingly”.

This case, this saga, is different from any I’ve observed since I became interested in PNG politics. It has set itself apart from the rise of internet, and its temperamental grandchild social media, in making issues go viral.

As Justin Tkatchenko clings to office, can James Marape afford to cut loose this powerful figure?

MICHAEL KUBANI
| Academia Nomad

Supplementary information by Keith Jackson

PORT MORESBY – Following his 'primitive animals' abuse of social media critics, demands are growing for Papua New Guinea’s foreign minister Justin Tkatchenko to quit his ministry or even resign from parliament.

Other people are calling for his passport to be revoked and then have him deported.

A hostile crowd gathers in Kaugere, Port Moresby, after a young man was fatally knifed. The mob later torched several houses owned by Engan residents (Photo: Courtesy Hon Justin Tkatchenko's Facebook)

KEITH JACKSON

NOOSA –Papua New Guinea has underestimated its population by nearly half, research by United Nations and British experts have found.

Previous estimates, based on the last census 12 years ago, had put the population at about nine million.

Corruption: It's in Your Hands (https://www.freepik.com/free-photo)

MICHAEL KABUNI
| Academia Nomad

PORT MORESBY - An Australian PhD student conducting research on corruption in Papua New Guinea met a group of youths in Port Moresby.

After a few exchanges he asked them: “What is the root of corruption?”

One of them pointed to the national parliament building, and said: “There lie the roots, the stem, the branches and the leaves of corruption.”

MICHAEL KABUNI
| Academia Nomad

PORT MORESBY - On Easter weekend, Bank South Pacific unintentionally credited its customers an undisclosed amount of money due to a technological glitch as the bank attempted to update its systems.

After customers received notifications on their phones, about 30,000 people rushed to the BSP ATMs and withdrew an average K1,000 each.

Some people subsequently switched banks.

EDDIE KABUNI
| Academia Nomad

PORT MORESBY - The internet has brought about many benefits, including the ability to make money online.

However, it has also brought about an increase in scams that target people looking to make a quick buck.

Papua New Guinea has not been immune to these scams, with many people falling victim to fraudulent schemes that promise easy money.

MICHAEL KABUNI
| Academia Nomad

PORT MORESBY - Golden Sun has now collapsed, leaving behind tens of thousands of Papua New Guineans heartbroken and maybe a good number broke.

What should Papua New Guineans learn from this?

Lesson 1 - Nothing is free

Used and abused so much, the phrase ‘nothing is free’ has become a cliché. Unless your parents are giving you money, nothing in this Covid-19 stricken world is free.

JUSTIN TAIM*

PORT MORESBY – A set-up calling itself Golden Sun is operating a Ponzi scheme in Papua New Guinea.

The scheme claims to be affiliated with big name Hollywood film production companies and sells the scam for fast easy money through bogus movie reviews.

The fake outfit claims to be working closely with Bank South Pacific. However the financial regulator Bank of Papua New Guinea recently released a public notice warning of unregulated entities operating within PNG.

The Australian newspaper speculates that the hostages were seized in this general area

KEITH JACKSON

NOOSA - Papua New Guinea's prime minister James Marape says his government is "at work" trying to free five hostages seized by a 20-strong armed gang yesterday.

The captives are believed to include an Australian archaeology professor and three students.

Centre, Jerry Ubase (Secretary, Community Development & Religion Department); right, Wesley Serber (Aramba Development Foundation); with  members of organisations working to prevent family and gender violence   (Lydia Kaia,  UNDP PNG)

NEWSLETTER
| United Nations Development Program PNG

PORT MORESBY - Wesley Serber is a man on a mission, determined to end the cruelty and abuse caused by sorcery accusation-related violence (SARV) in the remote communities of the South Fly region of Papua New Guinea.

A large number of sorcery accusation-related violence cases use glasman or glasmeri (akin to witchdoctors) to falsely and maliciously accuse men and women of sorcery for financial gain.

The royal commission was established and is being streamed live here: https://robodebt.royalcommission.gov.au/

COMPILED BY MAX OPRAY
| Schwartz Media

From time to time, when there’s something important to say, I give space in PNG Attitude for Australian politics. Each morning, Schwartz Media sends me a heads-up on the big stories of the day. This morning’s email brought with it sickening information about how a powerful segment of Australia’s public service, apparently working at the behest of senior politicians, had engaged in what would best be described as criminal behaviour. The passages underlined for emphasis are mine - KJ

EDITED BY KEITH JACKSON

Edited extracts from the TIPNG Domestic Election Observation Report 2022 compiled by Transparency International PNG (TIPNG). The full report can be downloaded here

PORT MORESBY - The accumulated failings in the preparation, conduct, delivery and conclusion of the 2022 national general election resulted in significant issues impacting the quality of the elections.

Many eligible voters could not freely, fairly or safely vote, and consequently their views were not taken into consideration in the formation of the 11th national parliament.

DOMINICA ARE

LAE - He may have been hungry and desperate. He may have been dying to drink alcohol. He may have been just looking for luck.

He may have planned my day for this. Perhaps hiding in the thick grass, or behind the trees. Ready to pounce.

As I walked past, the street was quite empty.

REPORT
| Transparency International Papua New Guinea (TIPNG)

Edited extracts from the Civil Society Report on the Implementation of Preventive Measures
of the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) in Papua New Guinea

PORT MORESBY - The overall findings of the report indicate that Papua New Guinea is only partially compliant with its obligations under the United Nations Convention against Corruption.

Furthermore, although laws and relevant agencies have been established to carry out these obligations, improvement is needed in areas where laws are inadequate and where UNCAC provisions are not strictly enforced. 

BOMAI DOO *

PORT MORESBY – I remember that morning well. It was around eight and the streets of Four Mile were filled with people, some going to work, some coming from work, plenty looking for work.

Many of the multitude were street sellers trying to make a few bucks from the crowd, or from each other.

Our bus stopped in front of Mondo clothing with the crew shrieking ‘hurry up, hurry up, this is police stop, you want us to get caught?’

“I'm afraid to live in this country. Police officers and army men think they're above the law and that they can get away with so many things. Corruption runs rampant in these streets” - Kaliop Ingirin Tomai

Port Moresby is considered to be one of the world's least livable cities

BOMAI DOO *

PORT MORESBY – I am still on probation in my job and the pay is really not enough to live on. I spend half of it on bus fares to get to and from work.

But who am I to complain or quit my job when so many accounting graduates from the universities are roaming the streets doing nothing.

Why should an elected member of the government accuse someone of sorcery? Why should a pastor or padre come home after church and blame someone of sorcery?

LEONARD FONG ROKA

PANGUNA – First I’ve got some people to thank for their effort against this insane Melanesian belief in sorcery and sorcerers that is now blighting Bougainville as well as mainland Papua New Guinea.

I’ll particularly mention Anton Lutz, Gary Bustin, the Tribal Foundation and the PNG Post-Courier newspaper.

The Pacific Islands are not only becoming a destination for drugs like methamphetamine and cocaine, they are places where criminals can take advantage of weak or out-of-date laws and police largely focused on local policing and public order

ERICH PARPART
| Voice of America | Edited extracts

BANGKOK — The Pacific Islands are increasingly being used as a transit point for transnational crime, including drug trafficking and money laundering, experts say.

Criminal organisations from Asia and the Americas are exploiting limited law enforcement resources in the region.

An all-out tribal warfare with spears and bush knives broke out between the two parties that led to 26 people killed from the Kuboma side and six people killed from the Kulumata side

Kaibola dancers on Kiriwina island,

REBECCA KUKU
| The National

PORT MORESBY - At least 32 people have been killed in an all-out war between Kulumata and Kuboma tribes in Milne Bay’s Kiriwina Islands.

Internal Security Minister Peter Tsiamalili Jr confirmed the killings that erupted early last month after yam gardens were destroyed.

Under the 'partial ban' policy, betel nut was only allowed to be traded in designated areas, but experience showed this only made the problem worse. The winners were the law breakers

BUSA JEREMIAH WENOGO

PORT MORESBY - Once again Port Moresby’s National Capital District Commission (NCDC) has embarked on a ban - this time targeting the sale of cooked foods in the city.

This is not the Commission’s first ban. In the last 10 years, there have been three other bans targeting the betel nut trade and the sale of cooked foods in the city.

The O’Neill and Marape governments’ many years of pro-ICAC rhetoric without establishing a working organisation is probably the best guide to acknowledging that PNG is unlikely to see a viable ICAC any time soon

KEITH JACKSON

NOOSA - Papua New Guinea is moving slowly towards establishing a long-promised Independent Commission Against Corruption with the help of the United Nations Office on Drugs & Crime (UNODC).

UNODC is supporting interim ICAC commissioner Thomas Eluh, who was appointed more than four years ago to deliver the PNG Anti-Corruption Project.

It is now expected that ICAC will begin the real work of fighting corruption in 2023.

The project, funded by the European Union, covers the development of management, recruitment, induction and staffing systems, the preparation of a code of conduct and a communication strategy.

A draft anti-corruption awareness and education strategy was developed in March 2022.

“Fighting corruption is very complex and requires a concerted effort from every citizen to have any chance of minimising this epidemic,” said Mr Eluh.

“If you want a corruption-free and safe tomorrow, I call on everyone now to assist ICAC in whatever way possible.

“We must try and eradicate corruption from society and save PNG from the clutches of corruption,” he said.

In a recent workshop, participants discussed key elements in establishing ICAC, the importance of an effective awareness and education strategy and fostering communication and collaboration between ICAC, civil society organisations and relevant government agencies.

Participants also addressed the topic of whether corruption affects women and men differently.

The main outcome of the workshops was that the interim ICAC will continue working on awareness programs in collaboration with civil society organisations CSOs and government agencies.

That the interim ICAC is still conducting discussions about implementing awareness programs after four years provides a clear view of the snail-like pace of PNG’s adoption of a robust anti-corruption body.

It throws a shadow over the PNG government’s commitment to fighting corruption.

Perhaps we will see a more energetic approach now that the United Nations Office on Drugs & Crime, UNDP and the European Union are collaborating in the PNG Anti-Corruption Project.

But the O’Neill and Marape governments’ many years of pro-ICAC rhetoric, workshops and discussions without establishing a working organisation is probably the best guide to acknowledging that PNG is unlikely to see a viable ICAC any time soon.

As Wikipedia succinctly notes: "Political corruption in PNG is largely enforced by political nepotism and the patronage system of governance.

"Elected leaders are inclined to seize and distribute resources amongst their electorates in order to secure and maintain popular support."

"Australia's apparent inability to assist in this most basic of legal processes does not sit well with its broader anti-corruption and security intentions in the region" – Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary

Samson Jubi was granted Australian permanent residency more than a decade ago (Facebook)

SEAN RUBINSZTEIN-DUNLOP
| ABC Investigations | Extract

SYDNEY - A Papua New Guinea government minister and top justice officials say they are "extremely frustrated" with Australia for harbouring a Cairns resident wanted for one of the biggest alleged frauds in the country's legal history.

In an early test for the Albanese government's Pacific strategy, PNG immigration minister Bryan Kramer and the country's national police force have spoken out to the ABC about "unacceptable" delays in Australia's handling of an extradition request for PNG citizen Samson Jubi.

"Corruption boils down to the attitude of individuals, which needs a complete change. The onus is on everyone to end this disease that continues to eat away the fabric of the nation"

PNG deputy prime minister John Rosso

NEWS DESK
| National Broadcasting Corporation

PORT MORESBY - The Marape government has vowed that it will work closely with key government agencies to combat corruption in Papua New Guinea.

Acting prime minister John Rosso said the government cannot tackle corruption alone, and needs a collective effort from government agencies and every individual.

In 17 years since the first Autonomous Bougainville Government was formed there has been little practical action to utilise the powers to hold political and bureaucratic leaders to account

Joseph Nobatau found himself targeted as he sought to bring senior Bougainville leaders to account. He lost his influential job as chief secretary, but was later completely exonerated by the courts

JOSEPH NOBETAU

BUKA - Bougainville president Ishmael Toroama recently announced his government’s intention to enact a new anti-corruption law. 

The president, who campaigned on a platform of eliminating corruption, has since his election advocated for reform and should be commended for his focus on corruption.