By John Fowke

By PMIZ Watcher

The signing of the Approval in Principle for the controversial Pacific Marine Industrial Park in Madang has been held in Port Moresby despite being scheduled to be held in Madang.

The move has angered local Kananam people who say it is just one more example of the government hiding behind secret deals.

By Nou Vada, UPNG student

On the fourth day of the 2011 academic year, the UPNG SRC has sanctioned a petition by members of the student body requesting an explanation from the administration on the 8% increase in school fee and then the subsequent introduction of a Two Hundred and Fifty Kina bond fee payable by every residential student which was never mentioned of or advertised until students old and new started flocking back to school mid February and were informed by UPNG Accounts personnel to pay extra.

By Nou Vada, student at the UPNG School of Law

Pasin Barata in English would translate to something like Brotherly Way. It is the philosophy of being a good Melanesian – of showing respect and kindness and courtesy to others. At its core it is about having pride – not in self but in the community and in those who support you. It’s a philosophy that seems global enough – and it is – but the essence of this Philosophy is something Melanesians understand almost intuitively.

By PMIZ Watcher

The loan agreement signed between the Papua New Guinea government and China's Eximbank, to fund development of the Pacific Marine Industrial Zone is a terrible deal for PNG.

Putting aside the fact that PMIZ promises to be a disaster for Madang, repeating and expanding all the terrible social and environmental impacts of the existing RD Tuna fishing project, the US$70 million loan agreement signed with China means PNG will be paying for China's continued economic expansion and business profits.

ACT NOW! says the Asian Development Bank has denied it is involved in supporting the government's controversial Pacific Marine Industrial Zone (PMIZ) in Madang.

ADB Country Director, Charles Andrews has told ACT NOW! "the ADB has no involvement in this project what-so-ever".

This denial contradicts government documents that claim the ADB and has been actively supporting the development of the PMIZ by providing technical advice and expertise and is a potential funder.

By David Ephraim Cloudiuz

Lessons from Nigeria, a nation that best illustrates the contradictions of being a producer of crude oil but an importer of petrol and diesel; when commercial extractions of crude oil began in Nigeria in 1958, the nation was producing 4,000 barrels per day. This climbed to over 2.2 million daily, Apart from fueling climate change; crude oil exploitation in Nigeria has fuelled corruption, poverty, disease and violence.

Today is International Women's Day, but, as Jo Chandler writes for The Age, mothers in Papua New Guinea have nothing to celebrate

By Reginald Renagi

AFTER more than three decades of gaining independence, PNG now needs more young politicians in parliament.

By PMIZ Watcher