There’s a riddle that goes, “What am I? You may not always see me but you always know I where I am. I always have hundreds of soldiers guarding me no matter what time of the day or night it is. What am I?” and of course the answer is “An outhouse, the dunny, the loo, toilet.” Whatever you want to call the place where you carry out your ablutions.

Dr Kristian Lasslett*

By Scott Waide

The Paga hill story isn’t just about the demolition of houses and the displacement of families.

It is not about "stupid, uneducated people who should go back to their villages.” No. It’s about a global profit driven economic and political system that dictates that profits are far more important than human lives.

‘A hive of activity’ and ‘a storm brewing’ are two phrases that have different connotations, one simply  meaning a lot happening and the other implying the situation about to get volatile. But both to do with many things happening in close proximity. Well how about inside one’s head, one’s thoughts for proximity?

Inside my head there has been ‘a hive of activity’ and at one stage you could have even said that ‘trouble was brewing’ because of one statement that really hit home because it was said by someone whose opinion is of great value to me.

via Post Courier p. 17

Landowners are committed to fight against the Pomio SABLs despite a court ruling yesterday. Pomio landowners are disappointed at yesterday's Supreme Court ruling that upheld the appeal by Memalo Holdings, the landowner company holding the two disputed  SABLs in West Pomio, but have resolved to continue their fight.

The full bench of the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Memalo Holdngs in their appeal against the Judicial Review by landowners opposing the SABLs, due to the delay in making the Court application.

Dr Kristian Lasslett*

“The [Paga Hill] Estate will promote a way of life not yet seen in Papua New Guinea. A secure environment will be achieved not through fencing and guards, but a sense of community that will be fostered amongst residents and visitors alike”. Paga Hill Development Company (2012) 

While police are continuing to facilitate the forceable eviction of people living on Paga Hill in Port Moresby despite the protests of their local MP*, we should remember the Public Accounts Committee has already found the land acquisition by the developer was completely corrupt and fraudulent.

These are excerts from the PAC findings as recorded in their 2009 Report to Parliament on the inquiry into the Department of Lands:

Portion 1597 Milinch Granville, FourMil, Moresby At Paga Hill – Grant to Paga Hill Development Company Ltd.

Dame Carol bruised during attack