The National | Editorial, August 15, 2023

The public service is much aligned as a huge creature of pre-independence origin with tentacles reaching into every part of this country and affecting every aspect of life. 

It is said this gigantic creature gobbles up a third of the national budget.

According to the PNG Chamber of Mines, PNG relies heavily on resource extraction and foreign aid and development assistance to deliver economic growth, promote social development and address pressing issues of poverty, healthcare, education, and infrastructure development. 

But this analysis is self-serving and ignores economic and social realities.

John Maine | The National | Letters | 1.08.2023

Papua New Guinea is blessed with a beautiful landmass with a wide range of virgin rainforest covering thousands of square kilometers. 

John Maine | The National | Letters | 1.08.2023

Papua New Guinea is blessed with a beautiful landmass with a wide range of virgin rainforest covering thousands of square kilometers. 

This year, a huge K1.8 billion has been allocated to 93 Districts through the District Service Improvement (DSIP) and District Infrastructure Programs (DIP) by the Marape-Rosso government.

Already though, more than half of the year is gone, yet there is no way to know how these monies are being spent, as most Districts have no road map in the form of a District Development Plan.

Users of the DDA Watch website are encouraged to upload comments about the performance of individual District Development Authorities for display on the relevant DDA page. Steps to make a comment on your DDA

Step 1: Find the right page for your DDA. Go to the “Find and Score your DDA” search button on the homepage.

You will land on your District page. (All 93 district has a district landing page. Exclusive of AROB) Below is the landing page for North Waghi DDA.

The DDA watch website has a DDA rating system that includes a rating score for each DDA and a ranking table for the top five DDA on the home page. The rating score assesses the performance of each DDA against a number of fixed criteria and incorporates a public satisfaction element.

The DDA Watch website is an impartial and non-partisan information resource for the general public, officials and academics.

The website provides access to information on Papua New Guinea’s District Infrastructure Support Program (DISP) and the work of all ninety-three individual District Development Authorities (DDAs).

The website is completely politically neutral and is not associated with any political party, any elected official or any intending candidate.

Community advocacy organization ACT NOW! is today launching a new website, www.ddawatch.org to promote transparency and accountability in how government funds are used across all 94 Districts in Papua New Guinea.

This is the text of an Open Letter to the Prime Minister published by ACT NOW in the Post Courier newspaper.

Dear Prime Minister,

ACT NOW! is an advocacy organization that promotes a “gut pela sindaun blong olgeta” – a just and equitable society for all Papua New Guineans.