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District Plans and Budgets still Missing

The initiative by the Department of Implementation and Rural Development (DIRD) in setting up the Bilum Digital Platform is commendable. A step in the right direction in promotion greater transparency and accountability in our public expenditure. Development partners especially AUSAid should be thanked as well for funding the Initiative.

The issue of corruption is huge in PNG especially when dealing with government funds and deprive the rights of citizens to have access to basic health and education services, particularly the majority of our rural population.

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Why the Morobe Forest Industrial Park is a Dubious Development Proposal

 

Morobe Timber Consortium and people from Labuta (Image: EMTV)

By Nalau Bingading, Customary Landowner and Forest Scientist

Morobe Timbers Consortium Limited has attracted a lot of media recently with claims it has reached some kind of agreement with Wagangluhu landowners of Labuta LLG in the Morobe Province, to set up a Forest Industrial Park on 2,000 hectares of customary land. 

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Log Export Volumes Not Meeting Govt Reduction Targets

Papua New Guinea’s log export volumes are too high and the Forest Authority is failing to comply with the government’s reduction targets. This is according to the analysis of official data published. 

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No to SIP fund increase

The National | Editorial | 5.09.2023

The Prime Minister James Marape has intimated to various audiences that the District Service Improvement (DSIP) fund will be increased from the current K10 million per open electorate to K20 million.

We presume naturally that the other two services improvement programmes at the provincial and local level government (LLG) will also be doubled.

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Value of Men is more than Gold

Cyril Gare| The National | Letters | 24.07.2023

What is the value of man to that of gold?  Likewise, what is the value of people to that of Pogera Mine?

Wisdom is needed if answers are to be found. Without wisdom is curse.

Careful with those who curse or have cursed for they are blinded by the value of gold over men.

We must judge by humanity with a good heart. Value the whole man, and not merely a part. Value his soul as well as his body.

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Blame Politicians, Not Public Servants

The National | Editorial, August 15, 2023

The public service is much aligned as a huge creature of pre-independence origin with tentacles reaching into every part of this country and affecting every aspect of life. 

It is said this gigantic creature gobbles up a third of the national budget.

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Consider the Environment

PC: Janelle Lugg (Getty_PNG Pomio) 
 

John Maine | The National | Letters | 1.08.2023

Papua New Guinea is blessed with a beautiful landmass with a wide range of virgin rainforest covering thousands of square kilometers. 

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New DDA Watch website to promote transparency

Community advocacy organization ACT NOW! is today launching a new website, www.ddawatch.org to promote transparency and accountability in how government funds are used across all 94 Districts in Papua New Guinea.

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Open Letter to the Prime Minister on log exports and downstream processing

This is the text of an Open Letter to the Prime Minister published by ACT NOW in the Post Courier newspaper.

Dear Prime Minister,

ACT NOW! is an advocacy organization that promotes a “gut pela sindaun blong olgeta” – a just and equitable society for all Papua New Guineans.

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Corruption- who is to blame?

Post Courier Editorial

Are the voters responsible for the corruption in the country?

Health Minister and Member for Wabag Dr Lino Tom seems to think so and he is partly right in his public statement on the matter in this newspaper last month.

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