By Scott Waide

Prior to 1995, Papua New Guinea's roads were constructed and maintained by the Department of Works. In 1995, structural and legislative adjustments shifted the role of the Works Department from maintenance and construction to monitoring and supervision.

"Seeds Blong Yumi”, is a 57 minute documentary that celebrates traditional food plants and the people that grow them and stresses the importance of maintaining traditional farming practices [see video tralier below].

Indigenous farmers around the world face increasing pressure from agribusiness corporations that push their low-diversity seed stock. Many of these varieties require costly inputs such as pesticides and chemical fertilisers.

Emirau is an island in New Ireland province of PNG.
 Evidence at the SABL inquiry has emerged that Emirau and its surrounding waters are owned by an Australian, reports the Post Courier newspaper.


This is the result of an agreement signed on November 10, 2004 by former Kavieng MP Ben Micah and businessman Edward Carr, the counsel assiting the inquiry Paul Tusais said last week.


Concerned Officer

The Secretary for Commerce and Industry, Steven Mera, should be commended for putting his re­putation on the line to call for a full financial audit of the Pacific Marine Industrial Zone project from 2008 to 2011.


This period effectively covers the administration of former secretary Anton Kulit and acting secretary John Andrias.
 We know very well that this project was politically hijacked by a former minister.

Observers of the operations of New Britain Palm Oil have raised serious concerns about a recent audit of the companies operations and their certification as sustainable. The concerns (see below) include health and saftey issues, sanitation and overcrowding, environmental issues and even corruption.

1.     Occupational Health & Safety

By PMIZ Watcher

Landowners in Madang are fighting over the crumbs rather than worrying about their futures once their land is gone, their environment polluted and thousands of low paid jobs bring myriad social problems....

By PMIZ Watcher

By Luana Paniu

Three portions of land situated on the island of New Hanover are the subject of controversy with allegations of illegal SABL’s and selling of customary land to foreign investors, reports the Post Courier.

Earlier last week, allegations were made against the Department of Lands and Physical Planning by former Custodian of Trust Land, Manasupe Zurenuoc, that three Special Agriculture and Business Leases were illegally issued for the said portions of Land without reaching his (then) office first.


By Luana Paniu

Two of New Ireland’s most scenic islands are practically off limits to their own people under the Special Purpose Agriculture and Business Leases (SPABL).


They are Emirau in the Mussau Group of Islands and New Hanover, situated North West of mainland New Ireland. These were revelations made at the Commission of Inquiry on Wednesday last week by the former Secretary for the Department of Provincial and Local Level Government Affairs (DPLLGA) who was the then Custodian of Trust Land.