THE controversial Special Agriculture Business Lease (SABL) and forest clearance will not be captured in the national forest plan undergoing review, the National Forest Service says.

Oh how wonderful that our infant government has taken a baby step in the right direction at last!

From Tuesday's Post Courier

Prime Minister Peter O’Neill has announced a moratorium on overseas travels for Ministers, heads of departments, government agencies and statutory bodies, as well as provincial administrators.

The announcement yesterday is part of a National Executive Council decision made during its meeting last week.

Diplomacy. People associate the word with foreign policy, international relations, economic ties and men and women in business attire, shaking hands, signing agreements and university degree holders.

Such an elaborate sounding word, when really it’s the simple art of negotiating. “I have something you want and you have something I want so let us sit down, have a chat and impress and try to woo each other!” and at the end of it the better negotiator will have the better end of the bargain.

Officially two weeks into the year 2013! For those of you who have been on leave and are feeling like you’ve just been woken up rudely from a pleasant dream and are still orientating yourself - welcome back and to those of you who have been working throughout - hope you’ve got enough to keep going for the next couple of months!

Towards the end of last year we saw some very promising developments that made it seem as if genuine compassion for the people of Papua New Guinea had returned to those whom we’ve selected to be our representatives in that Haus Tambaran.

Source: UPI | 21 December 2012

Gary Juffa, MP and Governor

During my election campaign, I spent many a day and many a night making my case to village elders and chiefs, informing them of what it was I believed in and wanted to do.

by Dr Kristian Lasslett - International State Crime Initiative

Although it has been in the pipeline for months, last week the O’Neill government formally announced that the National Housing Estate Limited (NHEL) would be taking over large chunks of the National Housing Corporation’s assets, and presumably its functions too.

I am officially enlightened today! All thanks to this report titled 'Chamber: Sydney Meet Crucial' in The National Newspaper by Malum Nalu highlighting why the 2012 PNG Chamber of Mines and Petroleum Investment Conference can only be held at the Sydney Hilton.