Picture: PNG LNG Mine

PNG people are poorer but is that despite the big mines - or because of the big mines?

Perhaps a Sovereign Wealth Fund is NOT the answer.

Source: MY Land, My Country Blog

As a vote of no confidence against Oro Governor, Gary Juffa, looms, he writes about the successes and challenges he faces against the old guard.

The Papua New Guinea Forest Authority (PNG FA) will not cancel the Forest Clearance Authorities it has granted allowing logging inside Special Agriculture and Business Lease areas and thus is not defending the rights and interests of customary landowners.

This was made clear in a recent meeting of NGOs with the PNGFA. 

Source: Post-Courier

MANY in Bougainville are wondering why Bougainville Copper Limited’s (BCL) parent company Rio Tinto wants to make the domang minta (bel kol) payment.

The payment will be a compensation for loss of lives and properties during the decade-long conflict.

The period for bel kol has lapsed, say some, adding that Rio Tinto-BCL should now pay compensation outright.

Picture: Notice board at Mizoram

Source: The Epoch Times

Chatham Rise seabed hearing: the absence of evidence

Source: Scoop NZ

The phosphate on the seabed, 450m down on the Chatham Rise, has a particular quality that other phosphate doesn’t have: uranium.

The toxicity of this uranium was the focus of yesterday’s seabed mining hearing, and the evidence from a range of experts hasn’t filled us with confidence.

Source: PNG Mine Watch

The President of the Vanuatu National Council of Women (VNCW) Mrs. Blandine Boulekone, has said that women in Vanuatu totally disagree with the Deep Sea Mining in Vanuatu Waters.

In a statement to the Daily Post yesterday morning, Mrs. Boulekone strongly expressed the Vanuatu Women’s opposition to such projects.

Source: Radio New Zealand

Source: The National

A NATIONAL court judge has cautioned landowners to be wary of land hijacking.

Stephen Oli highlighted this during a court user forum in Kokopo last Friday.

He said with due respect, the Special Agriculture Business Leases (SABL) were a hotspot for corruption.