By Shirlyn Belden

Special Agriculture Business Leases in Papua New Guinea are said to be depriving customary landowners of opportunities to create wealth and self-development.  

According to the National Research Institute and National Land Development Programme, the work and effect of SABL since its introduction has been contradicting the two recent amendments through the Land Group Incorporation (Amendment) Act and Land Registration (Customary) (Amendment) Act 2009. 

By ELLEN TIAMU

THE Morobe provincial government plans to refer the controversial Judicial Conduct Act to the Supreme Court. The provincial executive committee will meet today to consider a submission on the referral. The bill was rushed through parliament in a space of 24 hours and passed in a 63-7 vote.

The National, Thursday 29th March 2012

A CALL-OUT order has been effected for PNG Defence Force troops to be deployed at LNG project sites in Southern Highlands. The National Executive Council gave the approval last night. The soldiers would assist police restore law and order in the province. Prime Minister Peter O’Neill had indicated earlier that a state-of-emergency would be imposed in Southern Highlands but that had been downgraded to a call-out after receiving advice from the National Security Advisory Committee.

By LESLIE OMARO

RABAUL Shipping’s services to Buka and other ports in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville have been suspended indefinitely.
In a letter to Rabaul Shipping owner Peter Sharp, Transport Minister Francis Awesa advised him the suspension was effective as of March 21.

via Post Courier online

A new NRI report based on a case study on the Porgera Gold Mine has highlighted the need for a probe into the current payment system.

The report by Peter Johnson recommends the need for EITI (Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative) to look at the flaws in the current payment system and pave way for transparency.

By EVAH KUAMIN

STUDENTS from the University of Technology in Lae will boycott classes tomorrow following absolute majority support gained by the Students Representative Council (SRC) for the Judicial Conduct Act to be repealed.

The SRC on Monday this week announced that it had given its full backing to their sister universities around the country to condemn the newly passed Act.

via Radio New Zealand International 

A Papua New Guinea social media practitioner says James Cameron’s historic diving mission has reinforced a message about the need to research and respect the undersea environment.

Yesterday I felt a tremendous sense of pride and maybe a little relief while observing the University of Papua New Guinea Student Representative Council (SRC) Executives give their statements to the press. We can breathe a little easier folks-it looks like the next generation will be getting a better deal when it comes to ‘LEADERS’, because that’s what these young men and women are handling themselves like ‘LEADERS’.

By Jo Chandler, Sydney Morning Herald

Social breakdown means that rape, beatings and even murder are the daily reality of women's lives in PNG, as a new UN investigation confirms.

By NELLIE SETEPANO