Model of Development

On 18 Jun, 2020 By ACTNOW

Source: The Guardian, 18 June 2020

'Locals say the Sepik river region must be protected from ‘exploitation and destruction from outsiders’'

Locals protest against mine at PNG’s Sepik river region. Photograph: Project Sepik

Chiefs from 28 haus tambarans – “spirit houses” – representing 78,000 people along Papua New Guinea’s remote Sepik river have formally declared they want a proposal for the country’s largest ever mine halted.

We had systems that worked. Why did we abandon them?

On 02 Jun, 2020 By ACTNOW

Source: Scott Waide / My Land My Country

We have to get this right if we are to thrive in this country: The quality of transport infrastructure – especially roads and bridges – determines the price of food. Apart from consumption, this single factor influences the rate of supply and demand to a large extent.

Decolonizing Education in Papua New Guinea

On 11 May, 2020 By ACTNOW

Noted commentator Martyn Namorong shares his ideas on why and how we need to reform our education system in order to fulfil our dream of being an independent and prosperous nation.

"I believe we are a species with amnesia. I think we have forgotten our roots and our origins. I think we are quite lost in many ways."

- Graham Hancock.

Giaman Rot Bilong Divelopmen

Cook Islands Support Package for Growers

On 09 Apr, 2020 By ACTNOW

Cook Islands support for farmers and home gardeners could provide an excellent model for Papua New Guinea

Source: Ministry of Agriculture Cook Islands - 6 April 2020

The Frieda River mine's EIS must be rejected

On 31 Mar, 2020 By ACTNOW

31 March 2020

A local Civil Society Organisation (CSO) called Project Sepik, today called for the rejection of the Frieda River mine on the grounds that the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) was ‘unfit for purpose’.

How do government plans stack up against the Constitution?

On 02 Mar, 2020 By ACTNOW

2nd March 2020

Patrick Kaiku has recently published an important paper on our National Development Plans in PNG and how they measure up against the National Goals and Directive Principles.

Below is the Executive Summary and a link to download the full Paper.

Hands Off! Why Customary Land should never be 'bankable'

On 24 Feb, 2020 By ACTNOW

24th February 2020

Banks want to lend money to people and small business in Papua New Guinea and to take rights over customary land as security in case the loans do not get repaid.

This could lead to a huge transfer of customary land into private ownership and lead to families and whole communities being forced off their land and losing their livelihoods.