MARIAN FAA
| ABC Papua New Guinea correspondent

Western Province Governor, Taboi Awi Yoto (pictured), a key figure in project negotiations, says the Commerce Department is lead agent in the project.  Environmental law firm managing director, Peter Bosip, says this is highly irregular

PORT MORESBY - An ABC investigation has linked the Australian businessmen behind PNG's largest agroforestry project to key figures in a massive Indigenous land grab scandal in the country's Western Province more than a decade ago.

PNG prime minister James Marape announced the $1.8 billion development in late October, saying it was an "historical moment" for his country.

MICHAEL KABUNI
| Academia Nomad

Engans desperately try to dig for victims of the landslide (UNDP)

PORT MORESBY - I’ve never been a fan of Job Pomat (and for good reason), but what he said today in parliament is that what every national leader should say and do in times of disaster.

After the prime minister and opposition leader had belatedly spoken about the Enga landslide and offered condolences, Pomat, speaking in Pidgin, said something along the lines of the following:

Fego Kiniafa’s tribesmen rampaged through Goroka town armed with bush knives, burning houses and shops and ransacking other buildings

A building burns in Goroka following the slaying of Fego Kiniafa

KEITH JACKSON

NOOSA - Goroka was tense last night following the brutal murder of the chief executive officer of the PNG Ports Corporation, Fego Kiniafa, 43, on Saturday.

Kiniafa was killed near his village of Nagamiufa as his tribesmen clashed with clans from Korofeiga and Lower Bena, with the fighting taking to the streets of Goroka early on Sunday morning.

Lost on their boat in the Solomon Sea for 29 days, Livae & Junior were rescued by a lone fisherman

JARED KOLI
| Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation

HONIARA - Livae Nanjikana and Junior Qoloni have beaten big odds in surviving 29 days lost at sea on a 400 km drift from Solomon Islands until their rescue off the coast of West New Britain last Saturday.

The intended trip already had its risks, a 200 km sea journey in a 24-foot open raebo (ray boat) driven  by a single 60 horsepower Yamaha outboard.

In the footsteps of his late father, Peter Tsiamalili, Vice Minister for Bougainville Affairs, at the United Nations

EDITED BY KEITH JACKSON

Bougainville at the heart of the United Nations

PETER TSIAMALILI MP
| Vice Minister for Bougainville Affairs

NEW YORK - What an honour and privilege it is to accompany our prime minister, James Marape, to New York to witness the 76th General Assembly of the United Nations.

I am overwhelmed knowing my Lord has led me this far for my people, past, present and future.

It's unfair to stereotype taxi drivers as villains, Dominic says

EDITED BY KEITH JACKSON

No stereotyping, most taxi drivers are OK

Tokua airport near Rabaul (John C Cannon, Mongabay)

REPORT
| Guard Dog Security Service | Edited

KOKOPO – There was an unfortunate incident this morning at Tokua airport, the aviation gateway to Rabaul and the Gazelle Peninsula.

At about 4am, three busloads of Vudal University students were at Tokua Airport terminal waiting for it to open for check in. They were booked on the early bird flight to Port Moresby.

Senior Inspector Andrew Tovere (The National)

NEWS DESK
| Pacific Media Watch | Edited extract

AUCKLAND - Former Papua New Guinea Defence Force commander Jerry Singirok has condemned the killing of senior police officer Andrew Tovere, allegedly by off-duty soldiers.

“As the duly appointed secretary-general of PNG Flag Officers’ League, on behalf of the former commanders PNGDF, we condemn the killing of a senior police officer,” he stated on social media.

KEITH JACKSON

PORT MORESBY – Even as Papua New Guinea's airline, Air Niugini, announced it will cease carrying inbound international passengers from midnight tomorrow, expatriate workers and their families were flooding back to Australia to escape the closure of its borders.

Australia has been a late starter in providing an adequate response to the spread of coronavirus and even now there is controversy about whether it has done enough.

Dan McGarry -  After 16 years in Vanuatu, the highly respected Pacific islands journalist was harangued by the prime minister for “negative reporting” then had his work permit revoked

KEITH JACKSON

NOOSA – If a government is ever involved in something, anything, and it looks like a stitch-up, then you’re right to assume it is indeed a stitch-up.

And here at PNG Attitude we assume that the Vanuatu government is guilty of trying to remove Daily Post newspaper director Dan McGarry from his job and from the country on a pretext.

Why? Because the government knows his journalism is  telling the truth.

At the press conference, the resigning governors spoke of institutions needing to be protected and a nation tired of corruption

NEWS DESK | Radio New Zealand

AUCKLAND - Five members of Papua New Guinea's government have resigned from the party of prime minister Peter O'Neill.

Influential Enga Governor Sir Peter Ipatas is among those resigning from the People's National Congress.

Five government MPs, including four from the same resource rich Highlands region where Peter O'Neill is from, held a press conference late this morning in Port Moresby.

Sir Peter was flanked by the governors of Southern Highlands and Hela provinces, William Powi and Philip Undialu and two other MPs.

They announced their resignation from PNC, the party which has dominated PNG politics for the past several years.

It's the latest sign that Mr O'Neill's support is collapsing and the government could soon change, and follows the resignation of two high level government ministers earlier this month.

Mr O'Neill is currently in Beijing with a government delegation, attending China's Belt and Road global forum.

PNG's parliamentary opposition is planning on tabling a motion of no-confidence against the prime minister when parliament resumes next month.

First Pacific Islands Regiment on a 27 km route march as part of its combat fitness training

LI XIA | Xinhua

PORT MORESBY- Papua New Guinea has geared up its land, sea and air security support services for hosting the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in November, PNG Defence Force authorities said on Friday.

"It is a tremendous undertaking and a giant leap for us and therefore at this stage, with a number of months to go, it is important that we understand our capabilities and test them accordingly," PNG’s chief of force preparations, Colonel Siale Diro, told the PNG Post-Courier.

The deployment of dedicated special forces is already being tested to help police and other agencies provide safety and security for the international event, the newspaper quoted Diro as saying.

The Air Niugini Dash 8 totally destroyed after its undercarriage was shot out by gunfire and it was torched by rioters

MATHIAS KIN

KUNDIAWA -  Mendi town is in chaos after disgruntled supporters damaged the undercarriage of an Air Niugini Dash 8 aircraft by gunfire then burnt the plane to ashes.

It seems a national court decision on the disputed return for Southern Highlands regional MP William Powi, a member of Peter O'Neill's ruling People's National Congress, angered the numerous supporters of losing candidates Joseph Kobol and Bernard Kaku.

The rioters also burned down the local court house and William Powi's residence.

We are hearing through our bush drums that this is the beginning of other serious destruction today and in future days.

I will keep readers  posted on further developments.

Dr Schram & associate were delighted to see his Netherlands passport returned last week - now he has said he will not come back to PNG to face trial 

KEITH JACKSON

NOOSA – In a shock development in the Schram case, the former vice-chancellor of the PNG University of Technology has said he will not return to Papua New Guinea “until major changes occur in the country”.

Dr Schram said he has been the subject of a “political prosecution” and will forego bail rather than return to an uncertain legal future in PNG.

“[We entered] a parallel world where lies are truth and all people are blind, deaf and mute,” he wrote in Facebook of the charge of 'false pretence' he is facing.

“In this world, you are completely alone because there is no point in trying to have a reasonable conversation with anyone. A truly terrifying world, but the truth will set us free.”

But Dr Schram said he will still go through “the costly process” of getting his original doctorate legalised and send it through diplomatic channels to the committal court in Waigani.

“This should clear all charges for ever,” he said.

HARRY COCKBURN | The Independent

Benedict Allen

LONDON - A British explorer has gone missing in Papua New Guinea during an attempt to contact a tribe living in a remote area of jungle.

Benedict Allen, 57, has not been heard from in over three weeks after being dropped off by helicopter.

He was supposed to have begun his journey home on Sunday, but missed a flight to Hong Kong where he was booked to give a talk to the Royal Geographic Society.

He has not been heard from since late October. His last public post was earlier in the month when he tweeted a picture of himself wearing his rucksack on the way to Papua New Guinea.

“Marching off to Heathrow. I may be some time (don’t try and rescue me please - where I’m going in PNG you won’t ever find me you know...)”

His family is now concerned something may have happened to him on his trek.

Mr Allen was trying to reach the Yaifo people, who he first met 30 years ago in Papua New Guinea’s East Sepik province. He was trying to meet them again to film them for a new documentary.

DANIEL KUMBON

WABAG, Wednesday afternoon - Election violence has resumed here and gunshots are ringing out over the small township after a ceasefire imposed last week broke down yesterday and a death was reported this morning.

Wabag is experiencing its most violent time since Enga Province severed ties with the Western Highlands to assume its own political and administrative responsibilities in 1974.

Maters were made worse by the unrelated death of a young pilot Sano Peter Mendai (pictured), who was to graduate from a flying school in New Zealand this month.

Sano Mendai had come to Port Moresby to witness the graduation of his wife, Jane Kipok, from the University of Papua New Guinea’s.

RON KNIGHT MP

Overnight, in a Twitter stream, the member of parliament for Manus Open, Ron Knight (pictured), told of how the recent violence developed drawing from reports he received from participants and observers. We have assembled the tweets into this story. The image below is the full text of a statement on the incident released last night by PNG Defence Force chief of staff, Colonel Raymond Numa....

THE children of soldiers attempted to play soccer on the base sports field while asylum seekers were also passing ball around. They were yelled at and chastised.

A duty officer in uniform stepped in and asked them to share the field. He was assaulted and chased off the field bleeding.

Duty personnel arrived and the base alarm sounded.

“Fires are raging, hundreds of people are looting and police are shooting bullets and tear gas,” he said.

KEITH JACKSON

A STUDENT was killed and buildings set on fire at the University of Technology in Lae in a violent attack last night.

Vice-chancellor Albert Schram said that at around 10pm a group of men armed with bush knives attacked a dormitory with a student later dying from his wounds.

“Subsequently a group of marauders set fire to various academic buildings,” Prof Schram said.

“The power supply was cut off and the telephone network went down.”  

PETER SOLO KAULGA

UNIVERSITY of Papua New Guinea students at the Waigani Campus claim to have been provoked by the university security service this morning resulting in a fight in which vehicles were burned, the Michael Somare Library stoned and some security officers injured.

The situation occurred when students were meeting in front of the UPNG clinic and Toa hall of residence. It was alleged that security officers tried to stop the meeting.

The students were meeting to discuss an official apology from the University Administration on the police shootings including meeting the medical expenses of students who were injured.

They were also seeking an immediate independent investigation into the shootings separate from the government-sanctioned inquiry. After discussing these issues, the students were hoping to return to class next week.

Police have been called into the campus and the situation is now reported to be quiet.

Meanwhile, University of Technology (Unitech) students in Lae are ready to resume classes on Monday. A student from Unitech said there is police presence on the campus but most students are ready to resume classes.

Post Office Box & PNG Facts

MY utmost respect for Grand Chief Sir Michael Thomas Somare, the founding father of Papua New Guinea.

Isn’t it ironic that in the twilight of his political career, bloodshed is seen to be lurking on our front and back doors?

This is the nation he built without any guns fired or blood shed. He gathered 1,000 tribes together and held these fragmented societies miraculously up to and after independence.

For 40 long years he heard every cry from the four corners of PNG loud and clear. Alas he never kept the towns in East and West Sepik close to his heart and their present condition is a testimony of his national agenda.

DANIEL KUMBON in Wabag

FORTUNATELY nobody died in a horrific road accident in Enga yesterday afternoon when a dump truck carrying 37 protesting students supporting their UPNG and Unitech colleagues smashed into a gorge.

Twelve students from Foursquare Secondary School and one student from St Paul’s Lutheran Secondary School in Wapenamanda are nursing injuries at Wabag General Hospital.

One with serious head injuries is now in stable condition.

They were among hundreds of students from Wapenamanda travelling to Wabag in four trucks to join students from Sir Tei Secondary School in calling upon prime minister Peter O’Neill to resign.

JOY KISSELPAR | Australian Broadcasting Corporation

THE University of Papua New Guinea has suspended the school's first semester for an indefinite period, effectively ending a student boycott of classes.

Students have been boycotting for more than two weeks, demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Peter O'Neill over alleged corruption and mismanagement.

Acting chancellor Dr Nicolas Mann said the university council's decision is based on recommendations from the university senate.

The senate consist of lecturers, professors and heads of schools within the university.

Students were told they have 48 hours to vacate the campus and that all support amenities for students will cease after that time.

KEITH JACKSON & SOURCES

AN estimated 5,000 people, including students and members of the public, gathered at the University of Papua New Guinea’s Waigani campus today to demand that prime minister Peter O’Neill step down and face corruption allegations against him.

Protesters said they were rallying as concerned citizens of Papua New Guinea. One woman took to the podium to thank students for helping secure a good future for her grandchildren.

Civil society organisations in Papua New Guinea are supporting protesters who say they will not be cowed by the massive police presence in Port Moresby.

KEITH JACKSON

AS A certain mania overtakes the government of Peter O’Neill, his chief secretary Isaac Lupari has claimed that there are people behind the current university protests who are not students but agitators with sinister purposes.

Radio New Zealand International is reporting that Lupari has warned that people attempting to commit illegal acts as part of attempts to hijack student protests will face the full force of the law.

Talking of social media, which has grown to be a major bogey man for Peter O’Neill, Lupari said activists are not students but agitators who have no interest in student matters.

“There is big money involved in manufacturing protest for people of dubious intent,” Lupari alleged in a statement released tonight.

KEITH JACKSON

AS armed police in troop carriers moved on to the campus of the University of Papua New Guinea before dawn this morning, prime minister Peter O’Neill was providing the clearest sign that as long as he is around no dissent will be brooked.

Yesterday, the PNG electoral commission had invalidated student voting which seemed to legitimate boycotts on classes at a number of universities.

The boycotts began three weeks ago at UPNG in an effort to compel O’Neill to stand down in the face of corruption allegations against him.

GUARDIAN AUSTRALIA | Edited extracts

THE Papua New Guinea Supreme Court has ruled that the detention of asylum seekers and refugees on Manus Island is illegal, finding it to be in breach of the PNG Constitution.

The full bench of the court ruled the incarceration of asylum seekers and refugees was in breach of their personal liberty, the ABC has reported, and ordered both the PNG and Australian governments to immediately begin making arrangements to move people out of detention.

The challenge to the offshore detention regime, brought by Port Moresby lawyer Ben Lomai on behalf of more than 300 detainees, argued that the men’s detention was in breach of Section 46 of the PNG Constitution.

ERIC TLOZEK | Australian Broadcasting Corporation

ANTI-corruption police in Papua New Guinea have arrested one of the country's top judges and charged him with judicial corruption.

Police said Supreme Court judge Bernard Sakora accepted a K100,000 kina payment in 2009 from a company linked to Paul Paraka Lawyers, a law firm accused of defrauding the PNG government of millions of dollars via inflated legal bills.

The director of PNG's National Fraud and Anti-Corruption Directorate, Matthew Damaru, said his officers came across the payment while investigating the complex and long-running case.

"The arrest is a result of ongoing investigations to the payment of legal bills to Paul Paraka Lawyers where this payment to the judge was discovered and the investigation conducted into the payment made," he said.

"He [Bernard Sakora] denied receiving the money."

The 68-year-old has presided over several cases related to the payment of those bills and involving Paul Paraka Lawyers.

RADIO NEW ZEALAND INTERNATIONAL

PLANNING is underway for reconciliation between the Papua New Guinea Defence Force and members of the former Bougainville Revolutionary Army.

The armies opposed each other during the 10-year long Bougainville civil war which ended nearly 20 years ago.

Now, with the Autonomous Region preparing for a vote on possible independence from PNG, the Bougainville parliamentary referendum committee wants the former warring groups to reconcile.

Committee chair, Joseph Watawi, sais the plan is backed by PNGDF commander Brigadier General Gilbert Toropo and former BRA leader Sam Kauona.

NEWS LIMITED

PAPUA New Guinea's ex police chief Geoffrey Vaki has been sentenced to three years in prison after being found guilty of contempt for failing to arrest prime minister Peter O’Neill during a long running corruption probe.

Former police commissioner Vaki is expected to be soon taken into custody.

In June a court found Vaki guilty of contempt for failing to execute a district court arrest warrant issued last year for Mr O'Neill, and for later telling media any decision to arrest him was "a long way down the road".

NICK MCKENZIE, RICHARD BAKER, JOHN GARNAUT |
Fairfax Media | Extracts

AUSTRALIA has been exposed as a safe haven for corrupt funds from overseas after a pair of top lawyers were caught on video explaining how regional leaders steal money from their own people and park it in bank accounts here.

Fairfax Media has obtained recordings of an undercover sting that show one Papua New Guinea lawyer, Harvey Maladina (pictured), explaining how a "prestigious" law firm and a well-known Queen's Counsel issue inflated invoices to conceal the movements of corrupt money.

FRANCIS NII

FORMER Papua New Guinean police commissioner Geoffrey Vaki was yesterday found guilty of contempt of court in relation to his failure to execute an arrest warrant against PNG’s prime minister Peter O’Neill.

The warrant related to Mr O’Neill’s alleged authorisation of K78.1 million in state funds which was paid to Paul Paraka Lawyers.

In a National Court sitting presided over by Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia, it was ruled that Mr Vaki deliberately and willfully prevented the arrest of Mr O’Neill.

KEITH JACKSON

AS counting in the Bougainville elections continues, incumbent president Dr John Momis looks headed for a comfortable victory.

With 14,000 votes counted by six o’clock this morning he held an absolute majority over the other eight candidates with 53% of the vote.

Lagging well behind in second place was Ismael Toroama,  the hardline former commander of the Bougainville Revolutionary Army (BRA), with 12%.

Next was ex-resistance movement leader Sam Akoitai, a onetime captive of the BRA who murdered several members of his family. In 1994 Akoitai initiated peace talks with the BRA.

In fourth place is another former BRA commander Sam Kauona, who, as a PNG Defence Force soldier, had been trained in explosives by the Australian Army, a skill he put to effective use in the Bougainville civil war.

LIAM COCHRANE | ABC PNG Correspondent

PAPUA New Guinea's police and army have formed a joint taskforce to investigate a shootout between the two forces that left four men in hospital with gunshot wounds.

Businesses located near the confrontation closed their doors and there were reports of looting following the clash.

"After last night's stand-off, culminating from a drunken brawl between our soldiers and policemen ... senior officers from both the defence force and the constabulary have now formed a task force to investigate," deputy police commissioner Jim Andrews said.

"I appeal to all members of the constabulary to refrain from provoking or inciting further violence with our counterparts from the Papua New Guinea Defence Force (PNGDF)."

JIMMY AWAGL

THREE infants died when a semi-permanent house burned to ashes on Monday night at Gera village on the Highlands Highway in Simbu Province.

Two young mothers aged 25 left their homes for a card game the next house just 15 meters away when the nightmare began.

Two five month old babies and a five year old child were on a common bed asleep when it is believed a nearby hurricane lamp caused the fire.

It is thought an outstretched arm or leg tipped the lamp over, spilling kerosene over the mattress.

The flames set the mattress alight and quickly spread to the pitpit wall.

The fire soon engulfed the building with flames and smoke so thick that no-one could rescue the kids.

PNG EXPOSED | Edited extracts

ORO Governor Gary Juffa has demanded explanations from Community Development Minister Delilah Gore who he alleges used her official position to draw funds from the Department of Community Development to sponsor yesterday's political upheaval in Oro Province.

Governor Juffa was presented with copies of vouchers indicating that the Department of Community Affairs had paid for accommodation for four Oro local level government presidents who stayed at the Grand Papua Hotel for four nights at the expense of the Department.

The documents show that the Department paid over K17,000 to the hotel for the accommodation.

“The presidents for Kira, Afore, Tufi and Oro Bay were accommodated at the Grand Papua at the expense of the Department and PNG taxpayers, allegedly for political reasons,” Mr Juffa said.

RORY CALLINAN | The Age

THE Papua New Guinea-based Catholic priest ordered by the church to return to Australia after Fairfax Media revealed his alleged involvement in Australian child abuse cases appears to have stalled his departure by going into hospital.

The Catholic Church paid more than $100,000 to victims who alleged abuse by Father Roger Mount when he was a brother with the Catholic St John of God Order running children's homes in NSW and Victoria in the 1960s and 1970s.

He moved to PNG in the 1980s and became a Catholic priest - most recently in the Sogeri Parish about 45km north-east of Port Moresby - despite the allegations of child abuse being reported to the Catholic Church in Australia.

LIAM COCHRANE | ABC

ANTIPODEAN, a luxury yacht belonging to Australian media magnate Kerry Stokes has been robbed by ‘armed pirates’ in Papua New Guinea who stole phones and laptops before escaping.

The billionaire boss of Channel Seven flew into Madang on the east coast of PNG with his family on Friday.

Mr Stokes's luxury yacht arrived from Cairns on Wednesday and was anchored off Kranget Island after refuelling at a nearby marina, said former Madang governor and owner of the Madang Resort Hotel, Sir Peter Barter.

DAVID WAPAR

YOUNG mother Grace Tambor could have died but for a final year rural Health Extension Officer (HEO) student from Divine Word University who delivered a first born child on the high seas between Rai Coast and Madang town.

HEO student Margaret Kalisi said Grace was in labour when she was rushed to a local clinic where she and her colleagues were as part of their 10-week rural health centre practical engagement.

Margaret said Grace, from Biliau in the Rai Coast District, was due to deliver her first child on Wednesday 6 August at the local clinic, however the baby was in breech footling position posing a risk for both mother and child.

She said the health officer in charge of the clinic was in Madang and so she was prompted to act in the emergency.

“There were no supervisors at the clinic so I decided we should further seek help,” said the health student.

Margaret said she made a decision to escort Grace from Biliau by dinghy to Modilon General Hospital in Madang town – a three hour trip on the high seas.

LIAM COCHRANE | ABC PNG Correspondent

POLICE in Papua New Guinea have charged lawyer Paul Paraka with an additional 32 corruption-related offences, bringing the total alleged fraud to more than $A100 million.

Anti-corruption investigators allege the PNG Government paid millions of dollars to Paul Paraka Lawyers for inflated or invented legal cases. Mr Paraka was arrested last year over 18 alleged offences and now police have added another 32 charges of conspiracy to defraud, money laundering and misappropriation.

The total amount allegedly defrauded by Paul Paraka is around $AU102 million. The case has embroiled prime minister Peter O'Neill, who is alleged to have authorised some of the payments.

LIAM COCHRANE |
ABC Papua New Guinea Correspondent

Papua New Guinea's former attorney-general says Peter O'Neill's attempt to explain a crucial letter in a corruption case undermines the prime minister's later claim that the letter was forged.

Mr O'Neill has confirmed to the ABC that he signed a letter in 2013 that clarified the intent of an earlier directive to process legal bills, but insists he misunderstood what he was signing.

Mr O'Neill says his chief of staff, Isaac Lupari, drafted the letter for him to sign but Mr Lupari has refused to confirm that he was the author.

"If [Mr O'Neill] says that he didn't sign the first letter, then how is it that in the second letter he refers to the first letter by date?" former attorney-general Kerenga Kua said.

Mr Kua was dismissed for questioning Mr O'Neill's leadership but remains an MP for Sinasina-Yonggamugl.

A legal and political scandal has raged in PNG since police served Mr O'Neill with an arrest warrant for official corruption on June 16.

LEONARD FONG ROKA

THREE Bougainvillean students have been attacked by drunken fellow students from elsewhere in Papua New Guinea while inspecting building works for a new university campus supermarket.

The two drunkards aggressively demanded a handshake but, when first year Accounting student Gideon Davika giggled, violence erupted.

“Why yu lap? (Why are you laughing?),” one of the drunkards said to Davika.

Then his mate unexpectedly punched Peter Karatapi, a contributing writer to the Bougainville 24 website, also an Accounting student.

The Bougainvilleans retaliated, outmuscling their attackers until other students intervened and stopped the brawl.

OK TEDI MINING LTD

THE road link between Tabubil and the Ok Tedi mine has been re-established after excavation work over the weekend cleared soil and debris from last week’s landslip at Yuk Creek.

Until the road is fully restored, access is allowed only for OTML vehicles and authorised personnel. The road will be closed to all traffic from 9am-4pm and 7:30pm-5:30am to allow remedial works to continue. 

The copper concentrate pipeline remains dislodged from its footings, but is still intact. Company engineers are working on this and it may take up to two weeks before production returns to normal.

The OTML Community Relations Department have advised settlers in the vicinity of Yuk Creek to evacuate the area for their own safety as the soil structure at the top of the creek remains unstable and is still moving with continued high rainfall.

KEITH JACKSON

A major landslip in the Western Province last Wednesday, which cut off road access between Tabubil (pictured) and the copper mine, is costing Ok Tedi Mining $3.3 million a day in lost revenue.

While no deaths or injuries were reported, people living in settlements in the vicinity of the slip zone have been advised to vacate their homes.

A number of villages are cut off and arrangements have been made to airlift food supplies if road access is not restored in the next few days.

FR AMBROSE PEREIRA

HEAVY rain and floods have left more than 20 dead and tens of thousands homeless in Guadacanal.

The Solomon Islands government declared a state of emergency after the Matanikau River burst its banks, sweeping away, people, houses and bringing down bridges.

The floodwaters have receded, but the country is yet to come to terms with the full extent of the damage. While rain lashes the country, major damage is seen in the Chinatown area of Honiara and in north-eastern Guadalcanal.

LEONARD FONG ROKA

A REGULAR contributor of poetry and articles to PNG Attitude and Bougainville 24 websites, Ishmael Palipal from Koromira in Central Bougainville, was amongst the students who were killed and injured in a confrontation near Divine Word University in Madang late on Friday night.

The fight started after lectures on Friday when the deceased East Sepik man, Nigel Laki, a third year student in Communication Arts, set off for a few drinks with fellow students in the neighbouring suburb of Nabasa.

The group is said to have moved between a residential home where they lived and a liquor outlet where they were ttacked by what are described as “criminals”.

KEITH JACKSON | Twitter reconstruction

TENSIONS are running high at Divine Word University in Madang after a journalism student was stabbed and killed last night by inhabitants of the Gav Stoa squatter settlement and a resultant fight between students and settlers.

PNG political commentator, Martyn Namorong, who is familiar with the settlement, said elements had been causing trouble – “continuous harassment” - for too long and he hoped the Madang Provincial Government “evicts those bastards”.

“Governor Jim Kas will have community support to get rid of those animals. He better strike now while the iron is hot,” an emotional Namorong said on Twitter.

KEITH JACKSON

PAPUA NEW GUINEA’S OPPOSITION LEADER Belden Namah yesterday expressed concern over the “sluggishness of justice” in the matter of the K71.8 million payout to Paraka Lawyers which led to its principal, Paul Paraka, being arrested and charged.

“His co-conspirators have been allowed to get off scot-free,” Mr Namah said in a press statement. “Paraka would never have received K71.8 million without the highest political consent. [He is] small fry compared to the big fish who have assisted in the processing of the payment.

“It is inconceivable to think that such a large appropriation of the people’s money would have been possible without approval from the Prime Minister, Minister for Treasury and Minister for Finance.”

LIAM FOX | ABC

A JUDGE HAS APPROVED the release of a report into corruption in Papua New Guinea’s Finance Department. The judge lifted an injunction preventing the publication of the damning report.

A Commission of Inquiry spent several years investigating allegations of widespread corruption at the Finance Department. In 2010, the day after the report was tabled in parliament, lawyer Paul Paraka and former Solicitor-General Zachary Gelu obtained a court injunction suppressing the report.

They sought a judicial review of the inquiry but the National Court has rejected the application and discharged the injunction.

The report details how the department paid out hundreds of millions of dollars in sham compensation claims. It recommended more than 50 people including lawyers, senior bureaucrats and businessmen be referred for criminal prosecution.

PNG Exposed has posted the full report here

JO CHANDLER | The Global Mail

DETECTIVES FROM THE Royal Canadian Mounted Police are on Bougainville to investigate deals by Canadian-based miners positioning for a stake in the war-torn territory’s vast gold and copper riches.

Three Mounties, members of a specialist unit briefed to investigate allegations of corruption of public foreign officials, flew to Port Moresby on Sunday en route to Buka in Bougainville, where they are expected to spend a week gathering evidence and testimony and probing the miners’ interactions with the internecine workings of the island’s powerbrokers.

Though economically bereft, Bougainville has immense minerals wealth. Its Panguna site was once one of the world’s largest copper mines and underwrote PNG’s economy when it gained independence from Australia in 1975. Jockeying for access to, and income from, its buried treasure has become fierce ahead of the now autonomous island’s decree of new mining laws and the easing of a decades-long exploration moratorium.