Is the PNG Government Silencing Free Speech on Facebook? A Mysterious Facebook Disruption in Papua New Guinea Imagine waking up and realizing your Facebook isn't working properly. Pages won’t load, messages are stuck, and videos won’t play. This is exactly what many  Papua New Guineans  experienced recently. But what made it even more suspicious? It happened  on the same day Prime Minister James Marape testified in court against Jacob Yafai . Coincidence? Or was this a test to  control social media and suppress political discussions ? Government Testing New Censorship Technology? Police Minister  Peter Tsiamalili Jr.  confirmed that the government has successfully tested new technology under the  Anti-Terrorism Act 2024 . The official explanation? The goal is to  stop fake news, hate speech, and explicit content . On the surface, this sounds reasonable. Social media can spread misinformation and harmful content. However, many people are concerned...

Governor Allan Bird Demands Accountability: Unpaid 2022 Election Bills in Papua New Guinea In a recent parliamentary session, East Sepik Governor Allan Bird raised pressing concerns about unpaid bills from the 2022 National General Elections. Addressing Minister for Administrative Services Richard Masere, Governor Bird highlighted that numerous service providers in his province remain unpaid for their contributions during the elections. These outstanding debts, dating back to both the 2022 National Census and Local Level Government (LLG) elections, have left many ward members and local businesses in financial distress. ​ Post Courier This isn't the first time Governor Bird has spotlighted electoral challenges. As chairman of the Special Parliamentary Committee on the 2022 General Elections, he has previously emphasized the need for comprehensive reforms to prevent the chaos experienced during the 2022 elections from recurring in 2027. His consistent advocacy reflects a commi...

Garry Juffa Advocates for Law & Order in Parliament In a recent session of the Papua New Guinea parliament, Honourable Garry Juffa voiced his strong support for fellow parliamentarian Tom Lino as they tackled urgent issues surrounding law and order, particularly focusing on the critical topic of gender-based violence. As discussions unfolded, Juffa emphasized the need for effective legislation and community engagement to address the alarming rates of violence in society. Recognizing the deep-rooted cultural challenges, he urged colleagues to take decisive steps toward creating safer environments for all citizens, especially women and children who are disproportionately affected.

A Cabinet of 39 Ministers is Clumsy (30.01.25) Since PNG’s Independence in 1975, no Prime Minister has appointed 39 Ministers to Cabinet. The superficial appointment of 12 Vice-Ministers is also unnecessary and wasteful. 39 Ministers in Cabinet will only augment the complexity of decision-making, confusion, and ineffectiveness of government. The Prime Minister has created an obese, convoluted, and clumsy Cabinet that has proven to be lethargic since 2019, unable to develop solutions for the litany of problems that it has created, exacerbated, and run away from. For example, worsening inflation by compromising the Central Bank’s independence, creating a law-and-order crisis in Enga province and foregoing revenues and taxes by shutting down Porgera gold mine, and weakening public institutions across the board through nepotism and overlapping of Ministries.  Political expediency is the sole reason for the 39 ministerial appointments. For the sake of staying in power, the P...

Lino Tom on Vote of No Confidence Date:  September 11, 2024 Author:  Duncan Gabi By Dr. Lino Tom MP PNG is a democracy meaning “RULE by PUBLIC but MAJORITY CONSENT”. Our constitution prescribes or has put in certain provisions to hold the Government to ACCOUNT and one of them is the opportunity for a “VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE” in the Prime Minister. It’s not a “GAME” as some like to depict. It’s a sacred opportunity to test confidence in the way a Government is run and held to account. The only factors any INTELLIGENT and SANE leader should consider when making his or her decision is the basic SOCIOECONOMIC indices of the country. Nothing more, nothing less. Masquerading with cheap political gimmicks and flouting basic principles of morality and good government is an insult to our people. Politics in PNG gets away with mediocrity and poor performance as most of our people are uneducated, ignorant and very credulous; the educated heavily taxed masses who carry the weight of our na...

Breaking News: New Book Explores Judicial Power in Papua New Guinea Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea – October 2023 – A significant new contribution to legal scholarship is set to be published next month, titled "Rethinking Judicial Power in Papua New Guinea: A Mandate for Activism in a Transformative Constitution." This groundbreaking work is authored by PNG's very own legal scholar Dr. Bal Kama , who has dedicated years to this project while balancing various other commitments. This book marks an important moment in the legal landscape of Papua New Guinea, as it is the first substantive publication focused specifically on the PNG judiciary. The Chief Justice of Papua New Guinea, Sir Gibbs Salika , has honored Dr. Kama by writing the Foreword, further cementing the book's relevance and timeliness. Key Findings One of the central themes of the book is the unique liberal constitutional powers vested in the PNG judiciary . Dr. Kama argues that these powers are n...

TOWNS AND CITIES ARE ENGINES FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH AND NOT HUBS FOR POVERTY AND CRIMINAL ACTIVITY  by Lucas Kiap - PNG Anti-Corruption Movement (PNGACM) Port Moresby is ranked 4th as the city with the highest crime rate in the world. We are not only ranked the highest in corruption but also in crime rate, development index and everything. All these reflects largely on the leadership of the country.  Yet cities and towns are economic hubs, and have always played an important role in a nation’s growth by providing investment, employment and trade opportunities, as well as improving connectivity with rural and urban areas.  Today, global competition for investment, trade, and talent is increasingly between cities, making it very important to invest in cities in order to attract and retain investment, create employment and business opportunities.   However, lack of planning and littered with rubbish, pothole filled roads, substandard and rundown buildings, town...

Product Placement Opportunities in Upcoming Feature Film Projects. I am currently working on several film co-productions involving both PNG and international film production companies. I am reaching out to explore potential opportunities for product placement within these projects. Specifically, we are looking to feature local manufacturing products, including company brands, logos, and actual products, within movie scenes. This can involve products being used as props, actors using your products (e.g., drinking, cooking), or actors wearing branded clothing. Product placement is a growing industry with significant potential for brand exposure. As an example, Fiji Water has gained international recognition partly due to its placement in Hollywood movies. If this opportunity interests you, please feel free to message me on LinkedIn or email me at spwilliamwangare@gmail.com Thank you for considering this unique marketing opportunity. I look forward to the possibility of working togethe...

Urgent Call for Church Leaders to Remove Structures Voluntarily at Eviction Site Wednesday, July 17, 2024 Media Statement.  Police - NCD/Central Divisional Command CHURCH LEADERS ARE ASKED TO REMOVE THE CHURCH STRUCTURE  AT THE EVICTION SITE VOLUNTARILY.  The Sixth day of the eviction Exercise is progressing well at the Nine Mile Bush Wara. According to the reports provided by police officers at the eviction site, the majority of the squatters had already voluntarily vacated the area.  According to acting Commander of National Capital District and Central Province Assistant Commissioner of Police Peter Guinness, it had also confirmed that some of the church structures at the eviction sites are yet to be removed voluntarily. He said the Seven Day Adventist church inside the eviction had been voluntarily removed by the congregation while three other church buildings from different denominations are still up which is not good.  “I was expecting the church leaders...

Wau-Waria District Boosts Local Economy with K62,000 Financial Support to Enterprises Media Release For Immediate Release (17th July, 2024) Wau-Waria District Announces Financial Support for Local Enterprises (K12,000 Assistance to PNG Solardry Limited for Packaging Costs & K50,000 to Morobe Investment Holdings Limited) Hon. Marsh Narewec, Open Member of Parliament for Wau-Waria, is pleased to announce financial support totaling K62,000 to bolster local enterprises. This support includes a K12,000 assistance to PNG  Solardry Limited for packaging expenses and a K50,000 investment in Morobe Investment Holdings Limited, a new Morobe start-up company. K12,000 to PNG Solardry Limited  PNG Solardry Limited, dedicated to the downstream processing of Cocoa and Coffee, sources its coffee from Kwembu village in Biangai, Wau-Waria District. The K12,000 assistance will help cover packaging expenses, enabling the company to enhance its market presence and add value to local commodit...