The COVID-19 pandemic further emphasises the message that our customary land is our social safety net, our security, our life, our sustenance and our provider and must be protected at all costs.

Source: Scott Waide - My Land, My Country - 24 March 2020

So it’s a global pandemic with 15,000+ dead already, 350,000 infected and nearly 105,000 recovered.

2nd March 2020

Patrick Kaiku has recently published an important paper on our National Development Plans in PNG and how they measure up against the National Goals and Directive Principles.

Below is the Executive Summary and a link to download the full Paper.

PHOTO: The sugarcane project saw hundreds of Cambodian families forcibly evicted from their land. (ABC News: Sam Clark)

24th February 2020

Banks want to lend money to people and small business in Papua New Guinea and to take rights over customary land as security in case the loans do not get repaid.

This could lead to a huge transfer of customary land into private ownership and lead to families and whole communities being forced off their land and losing their livelihoods.

18th February 2020

The latest corruption scandal involving a government Minister and a foreign oil company emphasises once again the need for the government to legislate on hidden or ‘beneficial’ company ownerships.

Allowing people to register a company without revealing who are the real owners or beneficiaries creates a massive information vacuum that enables corruption and tax evasion to happen right under our noses.

12th February 2020

The latest version of the Bill to establish a new Independent Commission Against Corruption was published in the National Gazette on October 17, 2019

You can download a copy below.

12th February 2020

The Land Minister’s announcement of a new pilot project that will further disenfranchise customary landowners is part of a misguided promotion of private sector greed over people’s need for customary land for income generation.

The government should be focused on empowering rural people to build resilient communities on their own land rather than serving the greed of foreign owned banks and big corporations. 

Source:  Azril Annuar / Malay Mail - 8th January 2020

Malaysian companies from Sarawak are allegedly trespassing while carrying out logging activities in Papua New Guinea (PNG) and contributing towards deforestation in the island nation, Sarawak Report (SR) wrote today.

The online investigative portal accused Sibu-based Rimbunan Hijau Group (RHG) and WTK Group as well as Amanab 56 Timber Investments Limited as among those stripping the resources of PNG.

Source: Loop Business 

Treasurer Ian Ling-Stuckey has echoed Prime Minister James Marape’s call for the nation to embrace the emphasis on agriculture in the 2020 budget. 

He said significant funding has been allocated to the agriculture sector, including the K200 million allocation for SMEs, which is expected to also finance agriculture SMEs. 

Local Ni-Van women from Takara village preparing local laplap

Author: Joey Tau

The production and consumption of indigenous foods are important for our resilience and the survival as Pacific people, especially in challenging times of fast and easy foods.