By Rowan Callick*

THE cyclone season is coming to an end for this year, yet a different type of turmoil is starting to stir the Pacific islands. A digital revolution is running through the region, with myriad mobile towers being erected providing cheap-as-chips, pay-as-you-go calls.

Landowners living on and around the site chosen for Papua New Guinea's first Special Economic Zone, the Pacific Marine Industrial Zone, have announced a three-day public forum to discuss their concerns about the project. Invitations to the event are being sent to among others, Madang Governor, MP James Gau, his predecessor and now Attorney General, MP Arnold Amet, World Bank representative in PNG, Laura Bailey and MP Gabriel Kapris, the Minister for Trade and Industry. 

BY ARTHUR WILLIAMS*

QUITE A FEW DECADES ago PNG started logging for export revenue rather than building homes for its people or making furniture. It was explained at the time that commercial logging would benefit the nation as well as the communities that allowed it on their land.

In the 1980s, Pedi Anis, one time Premier and now entrepreneur and friend of the Asian loggers, told the citizens of Lavongai Island that the only way forward for development was to embrace timber felling (despite knowing it was a very poorly regulated industry).

By Oseah Philemon

THE current National Parliament is the “worst” Papua New Guinea has had in the last 20 years, Lae MP and deputy opposition leader Bart Philemon said yesterday.


Speaking in support of former prime minister, Sir Rabbie Namaliu, who said the people have lost faith in PNG’s parliamentary democracy, Mr Philemon said parliament has lost its credibility and integrity because the present government has treated it with absolute contempt and disrespect.


By TODAGIA KELOLA

THERE must be a specific legislation governing the recent approval by the Government for the world’s first offshore mining project in the country, a senior lawyer has said.

Camillus Narokobi who has written a thesis on the Bismarck Archipelago seas while doing his Masters degree on the studies on law of the sea, said PNG doesn’t have any legislation governing the mining of our seabed.

By Colin Filer

This is the introduction to a Paper to be presented by Colin Filer at an international conference in the UK starting on April 6. The full paper can be downloaded below

By Joshua Arlo*

Women and children from the Rempi area of Madang fear eviction as the government presses ahead with plans for Papua New Guinea's first Special Economic Zone.

Together with their men, the women met to air their grievances about the government sanctioned US$300 million Pacific Marine Industrial Zone which promises to bring in 10 new fish canneries and about 30,000 jobs. 

PEOPLE have lost faith in parliamentary democracy because it’s not working as it should be and it’s not keeping the government and bureaucracy accountable, says former Prime Minster and senior statesman Sir Rabbie Namaliu.

I see our democracy, our parliamentary system, as being at the crossroads. The next election will be more critical than any since Independence. I say that because the people of Papua New Guinea, as I read them, have basically lost faith and trust in key aspects of democracy.

This is the reality that our leaders continue to ignore. This is the reality that our Prime Minister and his ministers continue to ignore. This is the reality that our health minister Sasa Zibe continues to ignore!

Papua New Guinean women are giving birth on the floor because there aren't enough beds. We have the means to take care of our people. We have the resources to make life better for women giving birth. Why aren't we doing it?