Back with bitters

Poll results (multiple votes allowed): 72% of you felt the PM should resign because it is ethical to do so and 52% because the people have lost confidence in the PM and his office. 20% of you felt the PM should remain until found guilty by a court and 4% of you didn’t know or didn’t care. Overwhelming support for the Chief to STAND DOWN.

I’m back. Finally. Gosh it’s hard doing this blogging thing, especially when it sometimes seems so pointless. I pretty much got discouraged after reading this bullshit in the papers. Having only just drafted a letter to Dadae. Then I had work and more work and work and…it’s too damn easy to make it all about you and forget the bigger picture, of what is really going on, again, especially when it sometimes feels so pointless. But I’ve returned and many thanks to those who emailed me and encouraged the site!

So let’s do a whole 3-week backtrack on what has gone down in PNG.

Moti
First, as mentioned, Dadae and his plain stupidity. Since when is he, as a member of Parliament, able to overrule court findings? At least one good thing came out of it, well two, not only did Salika resoundly slap him down, but it’s now confirmed for all that there is in fact an appeal pending on the case. But when does that go through? What are we waiting on? Meanwhile, Dadae is being thrown into court for contempt and along with him some very senior news people. If they were in contempt, good on the Court but what I really want from the Supreme Court is a hearing of Somare’s appeal and a final decision. How long will this thing drag out for?

Again, I’m disappointed by the restrictions on civil society in PNG. Though apparently I’m not joined in this view by my friend Freddy Gigmai, whose various letters to the editor which the papers seem fit to repeatedly print are let us say, interesting. A Freddy column will be put up in the corner for us to follow this man’s opinions. I believe he may have been a journalist with The National and is truly exercising his right of free speech with letters to the editor, and though I may not agree with all he says, it will be interesting to follow his thoughts.

While we are on court proceedings, Mr Kua needs to stop. He seems to have created animosity with the Bench and is outdoing himself to bring his reputation down. Yes, he may be doing his job as a professional and trying to represent his client’s best interests but his declining relationship with the Bench and this business of arguing on mere technicalities is really not making him the best candidate for President of the PNG Law Society.

Budget
Meanwhile the Govt has produced a stellar budget. I commend it. However, I remain sceptical of trust accounts and though talk of money and economic growth is all well and good, I’m restraining my praises till I see some trickle-down happening. Mr Pruaitch can go on for all he wants about the fantastic growth in this country but what does that matter if living standards in PNG have improved nought and crime and security of person, seems to be getting worse, though stats say there has been slight improvement.

Bart Philomen too shares concerns with this love of trust accounts. Though the Govt. assures us there are only 200. Here’s a really good analysis of the budget including the dilemma with trust accounts and the truth that the Govt.’s budget can only truly be judged by the success and effectiveness of its implementation.

With all that money we should be able to adequately help victims of the flooding in Oro. Are we?

Before I go any further, I must mention the huuuuge coup PNG had with the EU at the PIF. Good? Maybe, however, if we have such a strong economy why in the hell are we so aid dependent? I don’t mind aid, I hate aid dependency and I hate being a pawn between the EU and Australia, making an asset of the rife corruption and thievery in this country. I’m hoping something is shown for this large unexpected windfall.

Congratulations to the Govt for reducing public debt. NONE of this legitimises Somare’s actions in the Moti Affair though. Sir Mek seems to have found more on Somare.

Hmmm of the day
Mr William Duma. Heard many whisperings over the suss conduct of this Member of Parliament. Especially in regards to the discharge of his duties as Minister for Environment and Conservation in the last Govt. There was talk of large “scratch my back” type favours being asked of mining and petroleum type projects requesting Ministerial consent, resulting in those who can ill afford it or with the higher moral ground walking away. Now I see he has implemented this. Is it to get people with petroleum licenses to get a move on and develop projects or will it be too easy now to ask for some cushioning at the end of every year? If the latter, then this can only discourage investors.

Mr Duma is one of the many Parliamentarians that live in Pom when their electorates are outside the NCD, I don’t get how that works but apparently it does. How can you represent your electorate if you visit it several weekends a year? And a member with a “urban” electorate has even less reason, they have all the technology and other modern comforts right within their electorate. I bring this up because of the slow decline of the Hagen Open electorate in terms of law and order problems, and the lack of comment or positive actions from its member. Mr Duma, can’t forward a few thousand kina every time a problem pops up and relax in Pom, nor can those other leaders who take the mandate of the people all the way to autonomous rule! Who are MPs accountable to if not their electorate?

Immigration
About bloody time is all I can bloody say. I do not know how far these improvements have come but probably not that far as last I heard the Dpt was still out of passport books and were issuing them to the most desperate cases, ie; go buy your ticket come in with it and they’ll sort something out…and if they can’t, you’re screwed. Kudos to Mr Abal and Mr Pepson for getting things moving though.

Ombudsman Commission
What are these new laws being proposed to limit the powers of the OC?

Aids
A few hours ago, it was World Aids Day. December 1st. Take a minute to reflect on the statistic of some 50 000 infected people in PNG. Take a minute to think about the mass of foreign aid and apparent budget surpluses PNG has, and then consider the struggle to get ARVs to infected persons and the struggle to make a concerted effort to teach sex education, especially safe sex education in PNG. I remember a friend’s human biology teacher, skipping the whole reproductive process because he felt ‘everyone knew enough’ about it, in other words he was uncomfortable.

The other problem is the increased risk-taking by people who feel they have nothing to lose. The sign of desperate society.


Lastly but worth your attention, I also got this in my inbox, can anyone shed some light, ie; true/false on the situation?

PNG people should be concerned about Somare's latest moves to turn the business interests of PNG into Somare Inc.

IPBC controls all of the PNG government's interests including its 18% ownership of Oilsearch. IPBC has now been put under the supervision of Arthur Somare even though Michael Somare is the caretaker Minister for that portfolio.

Somare has now appointed Glen Blake to IPBC Board and appointed Sana Somare, his eldest son, to PNG Power Board.

Glen Blake is the Managing Director of the Somare family companies Damai Investments and SBA Constructions Ltd.

Sana Somare is the Managing Director of SBA Construction, a small contractor company in Wewak.

Sana and Glen Blake are directors on the boards of these two companies with all the other somare children.

SBA stands for Sana, Bertha and Arthur construction.

By appointing Blake and Sana to the different boards of the statutory enterprises and IPBC under control of Arthur, Somare is turning IPBC and PNG Government's business interests into "Somare Inc."