Submitted By:  Jan Kees van Donge, retired ex Professor of Political Science at UPNG

On November 4th, the Prime Minister, Peter O’Neill, stood in Parliament and told the nation the SABL land grab was at an end, the unlawful leases were being cancelled and the illegal logging stopped.

“Development cannot happen without culture and Papua New Guinea must develop on its own terms” - Amanda Donigi

Source: PNG Today

Papua New Guineans have been urged to take inspiration from the country’s diverse culture and rich natural environment to create sustainable businesses and contribute to the nation’s development.

Australia is a haven for dirty money, money stolen from countries like Papua New Guinea, according to research by Professor Jason Sharman which will shortly be published in a new book, The Despot’s Guide to Wealth Management.

SOURCE: GRACE AUKA SALMANG - POST COURIER

THE proposed tax increase on log export announced in the 2017 Budget has been described as a big win for the people of PNG.

Source: PNG Exposed blog

The Prime Minister has again announced the government is cancelling controversial SABL leases and returning the land to its customary owners.

“I am pleased to say that all the SABL leases to be cancelled, instruction has now gone to the Lands Dept and as of today (last Friday) I can assure you that leases are now being cancelled” – see story below.

Police stationed at logging camps in the Pomio district of East New Britain are continuing to intimidate and threaten landowners protesting against illegal SABL leases and wide spread logging.

Logging on New Hanover: "This is our customary land. Why would they do this to us?" 

New Ireland Provincial Government has sent in armed police to defend illegal logging and road clearing operations on New Hanover island. Local people have been engaged in a long struggle to defend their land and reclaim what is rightfully theirs from the foreign logging companies.

The dark side of economic globalisation: politics, organised crime and corruption in the Pacific

By Sinclair Dinnen and Grant Walton on DevPolcy Blog

Paul Pavol, with MP Gary Juffa, at a protest outside the Rainforest Summit in Sydney

Mr. Paul Pavol, from the Pomio District of East New Britain, has been awarded the Alexander Soros Foundation Award for Environmental and Human Rights Activism at a ceremony in New York city.