The Bloomberg news service is reporting the Democratic Republic of Congo will make all resource contracts public within 60 days of signing (see below). 

Like PNG, the Congo has large mineral, oil and timber reserves and like PNG, a lack of transparency and corruption are two of the problems blighting the resource sector.

The initiative in the Congo could therefore provide an interesting example for PNG to follow.

The Post Courier newspaper has used the occasion of World Environment Day and its Editorial Column to remind Acting Prime Minister Sam Abal of his commitment to set up a Commission of Inquiry into the Special Agriculture and Business Leases. SABLs have been misused as a vehicle to take control of more than 5 million hectares of customary land away from local people. Mr Abal made his commitment to set up an inquiry on May 5 but has not yet signed the instruments to make the Commission a reality.

From PMIZ Watcher

While local people in Papua New Guinea are beginning to suffer the impacts of a massive land grab orchestrated under the guise of agriculture projects, mining leases and Special Economic Zones, Vanuatu is suffering its own land grab as revealed in this video.

Transparency International has added its name to the list of organisations pushing for the government to make good on its promise of a Commission of Inquiry into the huge land grab which has seen over 5 million hectares of customary land locked away in Special Agriculture Leases. TI Chairperson, Lawrence Stephens says there is huge concern that the leases were improperly executed and will result in large scale logging without providing agricultural development.

P.Engee*

The Consultative Implementation and Monitoring Council in Papua New Guinea is being starved of funds by the PNG government and may have to shut down if AusAID follows the government lead.

The CIMC is an independent organization that brings together civil society, private sector and the government to develop policy and directly influence and monitor government decision making for the long term development of PNG. The CIMC was established by the National Executive Council (PNG's cabinet) after the National Economic Summit in 1998

By Martyn Namorong*

I have written this in response to critics of mine who believe a lot of what I have written previously are lofty political statements that have no tangible benefit. This essay is not a protest manual. Like Clausewitz’s On War it is an exploration of the phenomenon of protest in its tangible, physical, and psychological manifestations.

Below are two reports from the ABC about the appalling state of Papua New Guinea's public finances

Finances a 'profound national shame

By Liam Fox

A report has described the state of Papua New Guinea's public finances as a "profound national embarrassment" that has robbed people of basic services.



The Public Accounts Committee has only recently been able to hand down a report into the 2007 financial year.



There are no government administered policies, codes or guidelines in PNG related to corporate governance that would encourage companies to develop a corporate culture respectful of human rights. 

That is the conclusion drawn in a review of corporate law and human rights in PNG conducted by international law firm Allens Arthur Robinson on behalf of the United Nations Human Rights Council.