The Papua New Guinea government wants to have everyone on their National Identity (NID) card system by the country’s 50th anniversary on 16 September 2025.

While the government has been struggling to set up the NID programme for more than 10 years, in January the Prime Minister, James Marape, announced they aimed to have 100 percent of Papua New Guineans signed up by September 16.

However, an academic with the University of PNG, working in conjunction with the Australian National University, Andrew Anton Mako, said there was no chance the government could achieve this goal.

• READ MORE: Other PNG identity card reports

Anton Mako spoke with RNZ Pacific senior journalist Don Wiseman:

ANDREW ANTON MAKO: The NID programme was established in November 2014, so it’s 10 years now. I wouldn’t know the mechanics of the delay, why it has taken this long for the project to not deliver on the outcomes, but I can say a lot of money has been invested into the programme.

By the end of this year, the national government would have spent about 500 million kina (over NZ$211 million). That’s a lot of money to be spent on a particular project, and then it would have only registered about 30 to 40 percent of the total population. So there’s a serious issue there. The project has failed to deliver.

DON WISEMAN: Come back to that in a moment. But why does the government think that a national ID card is so important?

AAM: It’s got some usefulness to achieve. If it was well established and well implemented, it would address a number of issues. For example, on doing business and a form of identity that will help people to do business, to apply for jobs in Papua New Guinea or elsewhere, and all that. I believe it has got merit towards it, but I think just that it has not been implemented properly.

DW: Does the population like the idea?

AAM: I think generally when it started, people were on board. But when it got delayed, you see a lot of people venting frustration on the NID Facebook page. I think [it’s] popularity has actually fallen over the years.

DW: It’s money that could go into a whole lot of other, perhaps, more important things?

AAM: Exactly, there’s pressing issues for the country, in terms of law and order, health and education. Those important sectors have actually fallen over the years. So that 500 million kina would have been better spent.

DW: So now the government wants the entire country within this system by September 16, and they’re not going to get anywhere near it. They must have realised they wouldn’t get anywhere near it when the Prime Minister made that statement. Surely?

AAM: It’s not possible. The numbers do not add up. They’ve spent more than 460 million kina over the last 10 years or so, and they’ve only registered 36 percent of the total — 3.3 million people. And then of the 3.3 million people, they’ve only issued an ID card to about 30 to 40 perCent of them . . .

DW: 30 to 40 percent of those who have already signed up. So it’s what, 10 percent of the country?

AAM: That’s right, about 1.2 million people have been issued an ID card, including a duplicate card. It is not possible to register the entire country, the rest of the country, in just six, seven or eight months.

DW: It’s not the first time that the government has come out with what is effectively like a wish list without fully backing it, financially?

AAM: That’s right. The ambitions that the government and the Prime Minister, their intentions are good, but there is no effective strategy how to get there.

The resources that are needed to be allocated. It’s just not possible to realise the the end results. For example, the Prime Minister and his government promised that by this year, we would stop importing rice. That was a promise that was made in 2019, so the thing is that the government has not clearly laid out a plan as to how the country will realise that outcome by this year.

If you are going to promise something, then you have to deliver on it. You have to deliver on the ambitions. Then you have to set up a proper game plan and proper indicators and things like this.

I think that’s the issue, that you have promised something [and] you must deliver. But you must chart out a proper pathway to deliver that.

This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

Papua New Guinea yesterday intialled a defence cooperation agreement with the United States amid day-long protests against the signing by university students and opposition MPs.

The agreement was signed by PNG Defence Minister Win Daki and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

A statement by the US State Department said the signing, when it comes into force, “will serve as a foundational framework upon which our two countries can enhance security cooperation and further strengthen our bilateral relationship, improve the capacity of the PNG Defence Force and increase stability and security in the region”.

• READ MORE: ‘Two-way highway’ – PNG-US defence pact signed in spite of protests
• Analysis: Memories of war haunt ‘slippery slope’ to a militarised Pacific – Barbara Dreaver
• UPNG student protesters call for ‘transparency’ over US defence pact
• There must be clarity’ – PNG students protest over US defence deal
• Security pact: PNG expects more US military boots on ground
• Pacific leaders arrive in Port Moresby ahead of Modi and Blinken PNG visit
• OPM calls on global trade unions to blacklist Indonesian goods, services
• Other US defence pact reports

The US will publish the contents of the document when it enters into force as provided by US law, the statement declared.

Protests and demonstrations were held at four universities — the University of Papua New Guinea, University of Technology in Lae, Divine Word University in Madang and at the University of Goroka.

The UPNG protests spilled out on the streets last night stopping traffic.

Opposition Leader Joseph Lelang cautioned the government not to “sacrifice Papua New Guinea’s sovereignty” in the haste to sign international agreements with other nations, whatever the motivation.

In ‘crosshairs of China’
Former prime minister Peter O’Neill said the government was putting the country squarely in the “crosshairs of China and the United States” in their struggle for geopolitical supremacy in the region.

The US government will work with Congress to provide more than US$45 million (about K159 million, or NZ$72 million) in new programming as PNG and the US enter a new era as “partners for peace and prosperity in the region”.

The US will provide an additional US$10 million (about K35.3 million) to implement the strategy to “prevent conflict and promote stability” in PNG, bringing total planned funding to US$30 million (about K106 million) over three years.

Blinken and PNG Prime Minister Marape also signed a comprehensive bilateral agreement to counter illicit transnational maritime activity through joint at-sea operations, the US statement revealed.

“This agreement will enable the US Coast Guard’s ship-rider programme to partner with and enhance PNG’s maritime governance capacity.

Marape said before the signing that the agreement would not encroach on the country’s sovereignty.

“The US and PNG have a long history, with shared experiences and this will be a continuation of that same path.

Generic SOFA in 1989
“PNG signed a generic SOFA [status of forces] agreement with other countries in 1989 and today with the signing of the defence cooperation and the maritime cooperation (ship-rider agreement) it will only elevate the SOFA.

“And this cooperation will help build the country’s defence capacity and capabilities and also address issues such as illegal fishing, logging and drug smuggling in PNG waters.”

Blinken said the agreement would help PNG mitigate the effects of climate change, tackle transnational crime and improve public health.

“We are proud to partner with PNG, driving economic opportunities and are committed to all aspects of the defence and maritime cooperation,” he said.

Republished with permission.

Story: US and PNG strike new defence pact https://t.co/dfGDTCd52j

— Stephen Dziedzic (@stephendziedzic) May 22, 2023

A media network publishing an international research journal has vowed to expand its activities into community media and training initiatives.

The non-profit Asia Pacific Media Network, publisher of the ranked Pacific Journalism Review, says media and community advocates believe there is a need for minority and marginalised groups that feel neglected by the mainstream.

Network chair Dr Heather Devere told the annual general meeting of the publishing group in Mt Roskill yesterday that now that APMN had been consolidated it could turn to some of its wider community goals.

• READ MORE: Other APMN reports

Members from Australia, Fiji and Tahiti joined their New Zealand colleagues via Zoom in discussing many plans, including community media mentoring and training for diversity groups.

A proposal for a media conference in Suva, Fiji, next year by Pacific journalism associate professor Shailendra Singh was tabled and adopted in principle.

Dr Devere told the members that the network, established in 2021 to fill the void left by the closure of the Pacific Media Centre and to take on publication of PJR, had made great progress.

The ad hoc group was registered as an incorporated society last year.

“This first year of APMN we have concentrated on establishing a sustainable network that maintains the respected reputation that had been established at the Pacific Media Centre,” Dr Devere said.

“And I am happy to report that thanks to the commitment of a number of people who have the skills and expertise to continue some of this work, APMN is in a good place to look at moving forward into the coming year from a firm base.”

Pressing need
Community advocate Nik Naidu, an APMN member from the host Whānau Community Centre and Hub, said there was plenty of potential for the new network and there was a pressing need for media skills training to empower marginalised groups.

Retired Sydney journalism professor Chris Nash lamented that journalism schools had become very conservative and were “failing journalism”.

Pacific Journalism Review founder Dr David Robie and network deputy chair said he was encouraged by the developments and believed that APMN was consolidating its innovative role.

Current editor Dr Philip Cass said work on the July 2023 edition of PJR was underway.

“We have received a number of submissions that fall far outside our frame of reference from very distant countries,” he said.

“While this is slightly puzzling, it does indicate how far our name has travelled.”

‘Excited’ by developments
This second AGM of the network attracted new supporters, including Filipino media educator, filmmaker and PSTv5 podcaster Rene “Direk” Molina and broadcaster and community social media campaigner Ernestina “Tina” Bonsu Maro.

Maro, of Pacific Media Network, who works with Cook Islands and African communities, said she was “excited” by the developments.

“We need more opportunities to tell our own stories,” she said. “The mainstream media isn’t interested in us or our stories.”

Pacific Journalism Review, founded at the University of Papua New Guinea in 1994, has published two independent editions with the APMN, and hopes to celebrate its 30th year in Suva next year.

A presentation was made to AUT scholarly communications librarian Donna Coventry and the Tūwhera digital journals platform in gratitude for the “tremendous” support for PJR since the online edition was launched in 2016.

A Supreme Court ordered mass eviction of settlers on land between Papua New Guinea’s University of PNG, Gerehu Stage 3B and Morata stage one in the National Capital District has been stopped at the 11th hour by Chief of Police Operations and Deputy Police Commissioner Operations Anton Billie.

Deputy Commissioner Billie’s orders to stop this mass eviction have put him in a collision course with two separate orders of country’s highest court — SCA 19 of 2018 and SCA 77 of 2015 — unless he reviews and rescinds his orders within 72 hours.

Lawyers representing the land developers have threatened the police with a contempt lawsuit.

Deputy Commissioner Billie ordered a freeze on the mass eviction citing concerns that the court order was not clear and that the legal ramifications of police involvement were not properly clarified in such a large scale operation involving many families.

In a minute sent to NCD Central Commander, Deputy Commissioner Billie said: “After having been briefed on the matter involving the occupants of the portion of land, NCDC, Sixth Estate Limited and Lands and Physical Planning Department, I believe it is a very complex issue as it is.

“If a request with clear court orders have been presented for police assistance, then we have to engage our Legal Directorate to clarify our legal standing in the matter first before engaging our men.

“There is no real need for impetuosity.”

Land dispute settled in 2016
But the registered proprietor of the land — as determined and settled by a three-man Supreme Court bench in 2016 — the Sixth Estate Limited, through its chairman and chief executive officer Philip Mark Paguk, said the Deputy Commissioner may not have been privy to the history of the issue.

In a detailed, five-page letter, including attachments, lawyers of Sixth Estate Limited, Kandawalyn Lawyers, explained the background to all the court proceedings from the district, national and Supreme Court and two police operational orders for the eviction exercise.

The law firm urged the Deputy Commissioner to revoke his earlier orders within 72 hours or contempt proceedings in the Supreme Court would be filed against him and others who were hindering the mass eviction.

“There is no stay order of the Supreme Court Decision in Otto and Others vs Sixth Estate Limited and Others; SCANO. 19 of 2018 and SCA. NO.77 of 2015, hence the runway is clear for the proposed eviction to progress in compliance with the Supreme Court Order,” the lawyers advised.

The letter went on further and stated that: “As far as we are concerned, there is no court order in place stopping/hindering/restraining the pro-posed eviction exercise.

“There is a Supreme Court order in place as mentioned in our letter for police assistance, and that paves the way for the eviction to commence with the assistance of police.”

CEO Paguk said that while he appreciated the concerns raised by Deputy Commissioner Billie in his minute freezing the eviction exercise, his company had spent millions of kina in mobilisation for this eviction after almost 10 years of court battles.

Republished with permission.

A Frontline investigative journalism article on the politics behind the decade-long Bougainville war leading up to the overwhelming vote for independence is among articles in the latest Pacific Journalism Review.

The report, by investigative journalist and former academic Professor Wendy Bacon and Nicole Gooch, poses questions about the “silence” in Australia over the controversial Bougainville documentary Ophir that has won several international film awards in other countries.

Published this week, the journal also features a ground-breaking research special report by academics Shailendra Singh and Folker Hanusch on the current state of journalism across the Pacific – the first such region-wide study in almost three decades.

• READ MORE: Pacific Journalism Review – the articles

Griffith University’s journalism coordinator Kasun Ubayasiri has produced a stunning photo essay, “Manus to Meanjin”, critiquing Australian “imperialist” policies and the plight of refugees in the Pacific.

The main theme of the double edition focuses on a series of articles and commentaries about the major “Pacific crises” — covid-19, climate emergency (including New Zealand aid) and West Papua.

Unthemed topics include journalism and democracy, the journalists’ global digital toolbox, cellphones and Pacific communication, a PNG local community mediascape, and hate speech in Indonesia.

This is the first edition of PJR published since it became independent of AUT University last year after previously being published at the University of Papua New Guinea – where it was launched in 1994 – and the University of the South Pacific.

Lockdowns challenge
“Publishing our current double edition in the face of continued covid-driven lockdowns and restrictions around the world has not been easy, but we made it,” says editor Dr Philip Cass.

“From films to photoessays, from digital democracy to dingoes and disease, the multi-disciplinary, multi-national diversity of our coverage remains a strength in an age when too many journals look the same and have the same type of content.”

“We promise this journal will have a strong focus on Asian media, communication and journalism, as well as our normal focus on the Pacific.”

Founding editor Dr David Robie is quoted in the editorial as saying the journal is at a “critical crossroads for the future” and he contrasts PJR with the “oppressively bland” nature of many journalism publications.

“I believe we have a distinctively different sort of journalism and communication research journal – eclectic and refreshing,” he said.

The next edition of PJR will be linked to the “Change, Adaptation and Culture: Media and Communication in Pandemic Times” online conference of the Asian Congress for Media and Communication (ACMC) being hosted at AUT on November 25-27.

• Pacific Crises: Covid, climate emergency and West Papua, Pacific Journalism Review, edited by Philip Cass and David Robie, September 2021

Students of the University of PNG have taken the right step to demand that the authorities address harassment on campus, says the women’s wing of the Papua New Guinea Trade Union Congress.

Wilma Kose, leader of the wing, said the protest was the right thing to do as it would demand remedial action by the authorities.

She said the authorities must now inform the public on what action had been taken to address the issue.

• READ MORE: Media Council condemns ‘mob rule’ to intimidate female students, media at UPNG
• Other UPNG harassment reports

“The prevalence of harassment of the girls and mothers, left unattended for so long, has become a major hindrance to development progress,” she said.

“As a public institution for all Papua New Guineans which is largely funded by workers — half of which are women — we demand drastic action and responses from the university administration, Department of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology and authorities who should be concerned about such behaviour.”

Kose said girls and women who progressed to tertiary levels of education had earned their places by merit and deserved respect.

“We are not sending our daughters, our sisters or our mothers to be someone else’s punching bag to get harassed and assaulted,” she said.

Republished with permission.

A group of male students attacked the media covering a harassment protest by female students at the University of Papua New Guinea today.

The rowdy group said they did not want the media to report on an issue of sexual and physical harassment by males, claiming it was an “internal matter”.

Media personnel were made aware of the protest that was to take place on campus.

• READ MORE: Student protests at UPNG
• Video of today’s protest at UPNG

They showed up to capture what the female student protesters wanted to address about the continuous harassment by some male students.

After the female students had marched from the Games Village into the university’s Forum square, a group of rowdy male students also entered the area and charged angrily at journalists, cameramen and photographers, demanding that they leave.

Members of the governing University Council were present, but were outnumbered and were unable to contain the clash as it escalated.

The frustrated male students said the media did not need to be there to cover an issue that could be solved internally.

Media personnel were unharmed.

The PNG Media Council is expected to release a statement condemning the attack.

Jemimah Sukbat is a reporter for Loop PNG.

The UPNG protest meeting today. Video: Michael Kabuni

Prime Minister Peter O’Neill has sidelined the University of Papua New Guinea interim council but has retained interim chancellor Jeffery Kennedy.

The decision yesterday appeased the disgruntled National Academic Staff Association (NASA) members who have agreed to return to classes today.

According to NASA working committee head, Dr Linus Digim’Rina, the ouster move was relayed by government Chief Secretary Isaac Lupari on behalf of O’Neill yesterday.

READ MORE: UPNG shutdown crisis – the facts behind the turmoil

The new university council would be “open to dialogue” among members of the UPNG staff, Higher Education Department and the interim university administration, Dr Digim’Rina said.

Those who were sidelined included pro chancellor Jerry Wemin and acting vice-chancellor Dr Kenneth Sumbuk.

University of PNG academic staff “stopped work” on Monday in protest against the recent appointments.

Dr Digim’Rina said last night when all parties decided on a new appointment process nominations would be submitted to the National Executive Council for approval.

“I can assure you that NASA and all UPNG staff (those taking voluntary action) will sustain pressure to make sure the process is completed as soon as possible,” he said.

The chief secretary told UPNG staff yesterday that O’Neill had taken note of staff grievances “to acknowledge the process of the appointment of the vice-chancellor”.

“It (the process) has followed the statute of the university…it has followed the guidelines on merit-based system where it has protected and safeguarded the appointment of vice-chancellors since 1965.

“And that process must be completed and consistent with the Higher Education Act,” Lupari said, adding that Professor Frank Griffin’s appointment as vice-chancellor would be subject to Cabinet approval.

NASA acting president Mark Kia said that according to the documents received from O’Neill and the Higher Education Minister Pila Niningi, the acting chancellor Kennedy would not be retained and the opportunity was now given to the UPNG community to suggest names for the position.

He said that because the process to appoint Dr Griffin was not completed in due time, yesterday’s decision instantly allowed the process to continue and documents would be filed next week for NEC endorsement.

The announcement of Kennedy’s retained position was, however, met with murmurs of disapproval from UPNG staff yesterday who had had to wait for almost five hours to hear O’Neill’s decision.

They were not happy that Kennedy had not been sidelined. Niningi told UPNG staff members that his “hurried decision” that had led to the “stop work” was due to “lack of communication” with the university.

He maintained that he wanted to see good governance and would make no apology.

The three issues raised by the UPNG staff members was for the government to appoint Dr Griffin vice-chancellor, reinstate the duly-appointed registrar, Dr Peter Petsul, and remove the current council.

Leiao Gerega is a reporter with the Post-Courier. The photographs are by a Pacific Media Centre correspondent.

The University of Papua New Guinea has for a long time been in need of far-reaching reform. But not all change is good, and what has happened this year at UPNG has taken the university in the wrong direction.

In late January, the Higher Education Minister, Pila Niningi, dissolved the UPNG Council, appointed a new interim council, and put in his own choice of vice-chancellor, all on the grounds that the old council was not performing.

You can see his reasons for the decision, basically a number of serious performance and integrity issues, in this just-released ministerial statement. It seems convincing.

READ MORE: UPNG interim council claims stop work by staff ‘illegal’

But what the minister has never mentioned is that the selection process for the position of UPNG Vice Chancellor was concluded last year and the result informally made public early this year. That process, widely regarded to be transparent and credible, resulted in the appointment of Dr Frank Griffin as the new vice–chancellor.

Just when everyone was expecting the formal announcement, the minister instead made his move, dissolving the old council and appointing a new council and VC. To make matters worse, the the minister’s choice of interim VC competed unsuccessfully for the position last year, and is the subject of serious and well–known allegations.

The government’s inability to explain the timing of its decision, and even to talk about last year’s VC selection process, let alone why it was overturned, goes a long way to explaining the sense of illegitimacy and controversy that surrounds the university’s new leadership arrangements and the protest shutdown by staff this week.

It is one thing to say that the old council was not performing. It is another to override, without explanation, what was widely seen as a credible process. That way lies disputation and worse performance, not better.

Registrar’s critique
The controversy will not fade simply with the passage of time. The recently sacked registrar has just delivered a stinging critique. University staff have now started protesting by stopping lecturing.

At his 2018 PNG Update address, Deputy Prime Minister Charles Abel spoke of the need for more Australian lecturers in PNG and more links between Australian and PNG educational institutions. But PNG cannot ask for such support and then behave however it wants.

Without some decent governance and adherence to good process, greater integration with the Australian education system will simply be impossible. At the regional level, UPNG is far behind the Fiji-based regional University of the South Pacific (USP), and what is happening now will only increase the gap.

The issue is also one for the Australian government. The now-retiring former Foreign Minister Julie Bishop’s flagship project, the Pacific Precinct, has UPNG at its heart, and a mandate around ethical leadership. Australia has just built three new buildings for UPNG.

All is not lost. Many at the university are unhappy. And at least some commentators are speaking out.

Trade Union Congress president John Paska has described the recent UPNG appointments as “horribly wrong”.

For now, friends of UPNG such as myself watch on in dismay. Reform, not needless turmoil, is what the university needs.

Professor Stephen Howes is director of the ANU Development Policy Centre, and leads a partnership programme between ANU and UPNG. This article was first published by the Dev Policy blog.

• UPNG shut down

The University of Papua New Guinea registrar Dr Peter Petsul has become the first victim of the new university council, reports the PNG Post-Courier.

Dr Petsul was suspended on Monday on full pay for 14 days by new Chancellor Jeffery Kennedy at the country’s national university.

READ MORE: Unions slam ‘farcical’ appointment of chancellor, VC

In sidelining the registrar, Kennedy wrote:

“Dr Petsul has been suspended for 14 days starting on 11th February 2019.

“During this period, he is given an opportunity to show cause and respond to the council why drastic actions should not be taken against him.”

Dr Petsul was sidelined after failing to effect a council decision to rescind a decision by the former council to increase school tuition and boarding fees.

Kennedy has instructed the acting Vice-Chancellor Professor Kenneth Sumbuk to appoint an acting registrar to run the administration.

In early January, RNZ Pacific reported that most UPNG students faced a massive 29 percent hike in their fees this year.

Some degree courses, such as medicine and nursing, faced even bigger increases.

At the time, UPNG’s public relations director James Robins said other expenses, such as accommodation, were unchanged.

But Robins said this compulsory fee, along with the annual government budget allocation, was needed to cover basic costs so students can complete their programmes.

Last month, the PNG Trade Union Congress slammed the appointments of Jeffrey Kennedy as chancellor and Dr Sumbuk as vice-chancellor in an ongoing controversy over the university’s governance.

• More PNG stories

Papua New Guinea’s Trade Union Congress has slammed the appointments of Jeffrey Kennedy as chancellor and Kenneth Sumbuk as vice-chancellor of the University of Papua New Guinea, reports the Post-Courier.

President John Paska said the congress had initially welcomed the announcement to investigate administrative malpractice and other aspects of the university but these two appointments now questioned the credibility of the exercise.

He said this was a governance issue which attracted public attention and commentary.

“With the stroke of a pen the Minister, Pila Niningi, has turned what appeared to be a step in the right direction into a farcical exercise denigrating it into a comical show piece,” he said.

“Last year we questioned the selection process of candidates for the vice-chancellors position. Our questions emanated from information received about serious allegations that had been raised about Professor Sumbuk’s administration of K23 million (NZ$11 million) for various UPNG activities.

“We are not in any way pronouncing guilt on Sumbuk but the fact remains serious allegations hang over his persona that only a properly constituted investigation can ascertain to the contrary. To the best of our knowledge no investigation has been conducted to determine the veracity of the allegations,” he said.

Sources report that the university council had already recommended the appointment of Professor Frank Griffin, a former head of science at UPNG as vice-chancellor. However, the council was sacked on Monday and new members appointed.

Integrity in question
Paska told the Post-Courier Sumbuk’s integrity and credibility remained in question.

“Meanwhile, we query the eligibility of Mr Kennedy for the position of chancellor of the university. How does he qualify to be chancellor?

“Something is horribly wrong. The wheels of credibility and integrity of this investigation have collapsed before moving an inch. Unless otherwise my personal confidence in this exercise is shattered and I believe so is the public’s.”

“We call on the Prime Minister to intervene and rectify the situation, Paska said.

The National reports that the interim council would look into the 13 areas identified in a 2013 external audit as requiring attention, and implement them.

Acting vice-chancellor Professor Sumbuk told The National after his appointment by the interim council at its first meeting yesterday that he would “revive UPNG’s academic standard and review the 2013 external audit”.

Council ousted
“As we settle into the new academic year, we will audit all 13 areas of the university management that has not been done (since 2013),” he said.

“Parents and students must not worry about anything as there will be nothing shaken or swept under (the carpet). I am looking forward to facilitating the investigation and reviews proposed by the government.”

The 10 council members were appointed on Monday by Minister for Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology Pila Niningi after ousted acting chancellor Dr Nicholas Mann and acting vice-chancellor Vincent Malaibe.

Niningi said he had to make the changes because of the failure by the university council to respond to queries he had made on matters regarding the institution since last July.

However, Dr Mann told The National on Wednesday that they would reserve their comment on their “sidelining” by Niningi because they were seeking legal advice from the university’s lawyers.

“Whether the decision to sideline us is proper or not, that would be advised by our lawyers and then we will announce it to the public,” Dr Mann said.

The council also rescinded the hike in compulsory fees, which will remain at K2939 (NZ$1300).

• More PNG stories

University of Papua New Guinea students have spoken through the ballot in spite of being provided 2000 ballot papers less than needed due to discrepancies in the electoral roll.

One of their representatives, Gerald Peni, was a scrutineer to make sure their ballot boxes were counted during weekend counting.

Scrutineers of some candidates have raised concerns regarding these ballot boxes, claiming a breach of electoral process during the polling.

Some said many students used their ID cards to vote which is unconstitutional hence the votes should be declared informal.

However, Peni, stood up and explained why the boxes should be counted.

He said ballot papers issued were less than the total population in UPNG and there were also discrepancies in the electoral roll which denied many students their right to vote.

“The students felt that they were deprived of their right and they asked the presiding officer to get the Electoral Commission to provide extra ballot papers for especially registered 2000 plus residential students.”

He said the EC should have got the registered students list from the university to update its electoral roll for UPNG which had been the case in previous elections.

“Those who have voted, actually had their names on the common rolls, but had to show their student ID cards to prove their identity,” Peni said.

This was because names of former students who had already graduated and left the university were still on the electoral roll.

Peni later told EMTV Online, only 1348 of the 5000 plus eligible voters of UPNG had voted.

“The rest of us have not voted. We were deprived of our constitutional rights that we exercise every five years.”

Pacific Media Watch reports that many students at UPNG were at the centre of campus protests last year calling on Prime Minister Peter O’Neill to stand down pending police investigations into corruption allegations. The protests came to an end on June 8 when police opened fire at a student demonstration, wounding about 23 people.

A scrutineer for Moresby North West also told EMTV Online that voting using ID cards or any form of ID was unconstitutional. In some cases in Hohola, two longtime residents whose names were not on the electoral roll used their NID [national identity] cards to vote.

“This election has seen people voting using their ID cards and that is against the law,” the scrutineer said.

UPNG Drill Hall boxes were counted in the counts 77, 78 and 79 on Saturday.

Elizah Palme studied chemistry at the University of Papua New Guinea and lists among his achievements being president of UPNG Jiwaka Students Fellowship in 2015 and is current vice-president of Jiwaka Students and Graduates Association Inc. EMTV News Your Vote electoral coverage is republished with permission.

• More PNG election stories

The University of Papua New Guinea administration’s decision to ban eight students from continuing their studies is illegal, claims lawyer Peter Dumu, a former member of the Students Disciplinary Committee at UPNG.

The students were protest leaders during the recent two months of boycott of classes and demonstrations against Prime Minister Peter O’Neill that climaxed with PNG police opening fire on peaceful protesters on June 8, wounding up to 30 people.

Dumu, who was a UPNG disciplinary committee member in 2013, said the decision was procedurally wrong and unconstitutional for these reasons:

1. Firstly, according to the bylaws of UPNG (Students Disciplinary Committee statute), a student who has breached any laws must be given 7 or 14 days’ notice by the SDC to respond to their charge(s) in writing. The SDC will then call up a meeting to hear the student’s response, which means there must be a quorum to hear students matters. Following the hearing, the SDC would make its ruling or decision to whether suspend or terminate students from studies depending on the nature of the offence.

2. Secondly, students will then be awarded their rights under the regulations to appeal to the Students Disciplinary Appeal Committee.

3. If the appeal committee upholds the decision of the SDC then the aggrieved student(s) will have no option but to go to the National Court for a judicial review after exhausting the administrative procedures.

Lawyer Dumu said: “We all understand crystal clear that the administration of UPNG or the University Council have no power at all under the laws, either with the UPNG Act or SDC statute, to terminate students right away. The harsh decision made by the UPNG administration is ultra-vires and illegal from the start.

“I would say its unconstitutional because their right to be heard (principles of natural justice) was not awarded to them accordingly. Therefore, the UPNG administration should reconsider its decision, and at least go by the book,” he said.

‘Lessons needed’
There are many similar case precedents, he said.

Some lessons needed to be learned by people “advising the administration on legal stuff”.

Student Representative Council vice-president Arthur Amos said in a press conference yesterday that some of the excluded students who had already received their termination letter by hand had written back to the school administration asking it to reconsider their decision and reinstate the students.

Amos said the school showed no sign of allowing any verbal communication between both parties but only through written documentation.

He and a handful of his terminated SRC members have done as requested.

In the meantime, they will await the Council Appeals Committee’s decision after they go through the students appeal.

Classes are scheduled to start on Monday.

• UPNG student leaders banned from studies

The University of Papua New Guinea has served a contempt charge against the Students Representative Council lawyer Laken Lepatu Aigilo over the recent two months of protests demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Peter O’Neill.

The young lawyer was served with a contempt of court proceedings notice by UPNG’s registrar Jenifer Popat for allegedly “encouraging” the students to go on strike after the court had restrained the UPNG SRC from doing so.

The university has also blamed Aigilo for the UPNG property damages when a building was set ablaze days after after police had opened fire on a peaceful student protest on June 8, wounding more than 20 people.

The contempt application will be made in the National Court tomorrow by the lawyer representing UPNG, Daryl Kamen.

In response to the notice, lawyer Aigilo welcomed the proceedings.

“I welcome the proceedings and if the law finds me guilty, let me serve the prison term,” Aigilo said.

“The UPNG students took bullets for PNG; I can take a prison term or pay a fine for PNG if found guilty,” he added.

Restraining police
Aigilo represented the students in June to seek a court order to restrain police from arresting and harassing student leaders.

He also sought a court order to summon Police Commissioner Gari Baki, NCD/Central Commander Sylvester Kalaut and NCD Metropolitan Superintendent Ben Turi to come to court and explain why they ordered the shooting of students on June 8.

All these orders sought by the students were refused by the court on the June 15.

Justice Derek Hartshorn ruled that police could not be prevented from performing their constitutional function or be stopped by the court from conducting investigations.

Justice Hartshorn also found the balance of convenience did not favour the students, adding they could still sue for damages from the police.

He said the students had rights under the constitution but the interim injunction they were seeking was an interference of the constitutional function of the police force.

• Amnesty International protests over ‘disgraceful shootings’

Since the termination of the academic year at the University of Papua New Guinea earlier this month most students have left Waigani campus and returned to their home provinces.

Others have remained in the capital of Port Moresby to look for part-time employment to help themselves and their families with living costs as confusion still mars the academic year.

The UPNG administration has advised all 2016-registered students to re-enrol next year.

The 2016 year was cancelled after two months of protests and class boycotts by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Peter O’Neill, who decisively won a no-confidence vote earlier this week.

A revised 2017 re-enrolment form will be made available online on the UPNG website for continuing and first year students to re-enrol, university sources said.

Currently on the ground students have been turned away at the university’s main entrance gate and have not been allowed access into the campus.

Student queries
A few of the non-academic staff and administration officers have been attending to students’ queries at the university’s drill hall.

Most students have complained about the approach by the administration to not allow students back in to complete their clearance and sort out the necessary paper work.

The students are also seeking information about re-enrolling next year as most are still confused over whether they will need to re-apply, re-enrol and what procedures they will need to follow for returning next year to continue their studies.

In contrast, the University of Technology in Lae, Morobe Province, will not close.

The university management decided to continue to see its academic year right through to December.

Classes are expected to resume on August 29.

Unitech’s chancellor, Sir Albert Nagora Bogan, and vice-chancellor, Dr Albert Schram, said in an announcement that the commencement date was a tentative one pending the approval of the academic board.

‘’With the resumption on August 29, another K8 million will be spent, which has not been budgeted for,’’ the statement said.

Unitech’s administration is adamant that classes will resume and the academic year will continue.

UPNG abandons 2016 academic year

Andrew Winstanley talked to Pacific Media Centre director professor David Robie about the unrest and the latest developments.

The University of Papua New Guinea has abandoned the 2016 academic year and suspended the Student Representative Council, stripping it of its campus power.

• Listen to the 95bFM interview here
• 95bFM live streaming
• UPNG abandons 2016 academic year

The University of Papua New Guinea Council has suspended the 2016 Academic Year.

The announcement of the decision was made today by UPNG acting chancellor Dr Nicholas Mann following more than six weeks of protest and boycotts over the prime ministership of Peter O’Neill.

Other decisions taken by the UPNG Council include the suspension of the Student Representative Council (SRC), rendering it ineffective; and for students to leave the campus by this Saturday.

The decision has raised many questions regarding who will cover the costs of transporting students back to their home provinces.

UPNG Council said that it did not deal with the sponsorship of students, and their transportation home remains the prerogative of student sponsors.

EMTV News spoke to several first year students, who were unsure of their future at UPNG.

However, the UPNG Council has assured students that there is a process underway to ensure that first year students this year would not be pushed out by the new UPNG intake in 2017.

With regard to tuition fees for the year, the UPNG Council advised that funding for the first semester had already been used up following the beginning of the boycott, and the viability of refunds for the second semester of this year was currently under discussion.

Serah Aupong is an EMTV News reporter.

• Other PNG university campus unrest stories

After just one-week in New Zealand, three Pacific-based media and journalism students taking part in Pacific Cooperation Foundation’s (PCF) Media Programme have been exposed to a new realm of ideas and opportunities.

The media programme, now in its second year, sees three Pacific-based journalism students visit New Zealand for a two-week internship at various media organisations in Auckland, while two NZ-based students travel to Fiji and Samoa to complete an internship at media organisations there.

This year’s Pacific-based students include final year journalism students Nadia Marai, 22, from the University of Papua New Guinea (UPNG) and Sonal Singh, 21, from the University of the South Pacific in Fiji and a former editor of Wansolwara newspaper, along with Francis Vaigalepa, 20, who is in his first of two years studying journalism at the National University of Samoa.

Meanwhile, Julie Isles from Massey University and Anuja Nadkarni (AUT University) are in Samoa and Fiji respectively until July 11 when the Pacific and NZ-based students will gather in Auckland for a working breakfast to share their internship experiences before returning home.

One week into the internship, and the Pacific-based interns are experiencing the reality of work and what it takes to be a journalist in a New Zealand newsroom.

The interns have already visited Pacific Media Network, Māori Television, Pacific Media Centre and Tiki Lounge Productions where they have been exposed to many differences between media and journalism in New Zealand and in the students’ home countries.

They have also gained new perspectives on the industry they want to work in.

Media differences
A major difference Marai and the other interns have noticed is the type of equipment used in New Zealand is more technical and advanced than what is used throughout the Pacific.

“Papua New Guinea is slowly making progress but we need more equipment for journalism newsrooms … If I happen to work in a newsroom later on, I will share ideas on what I’ve learnt about using technology and equipment to work more effectively,” Marai says.

The idea of having programmes in the indigenous language of a country is novel, Marai adds.

“Māori Television try hard to keep the Māori culture alive with language programmes which is great … in PNG, we have over 800 different languages but all of our television programmes are in English.”

Marai is particularly interested in environmental reporting when she returns to PNG, whose environment has been vastly affected from mining and climate change, she says.

For Singh, who has a passion for politics, his short time in New Zealand has shown him it is okay to ask questions, despite a media decree limiting media freedom as in his homeland.

“In Fiji, my fellow students and people are afraid to ask questions about politics but here everyone speaks about it freely,” Singh says.

“I’ve learnt it is okay to ask questions, and if the person does not answer, at least you have tried your best to get one –- you don’t know unless you try.”

Singh adds he will encourage fellow students to ask more questions on his return to Fiji.

Absorbing information
Vaigalepa is keen to learn and absorb as much as information as possible about new technology and media practices in New Zealand to take back to Samoa, where he wants to focus on pressing Pacific issues.

Pacific nations face the same challenges, and by standing together, they can learn about how best to face them from each other, he says.

The director of Pacific Media Centre at AUT University, Professor David Robie, says he considers PMC’s collaboration with PCF’s media programme vitally important.

“We see these interns as brothers and sisters of journalism in the region,” Dr Robie says.

AUT has been working with USP for a number of years, and also with UPNG.

It also has links with NUS, so this programme assists with developing a Pacific-wide network, he adds.

“There are many challenges in the region that we all face and need to know more about.

Marginalised in NZ
“Through collaboration we can tackle some of these issues – important for the region but often marginalised in countries such as New Zealand and Australia.

“Part of our work at PMC is to help make these issues centre stage.”

As student contributions are encouraged at PMC for its news and current affairs website Asia Pacific Report, launched in January by PCF’s chief executive Laulu Mac Leauanae, Dr Robie has invited the interns to contribute work about issues in their homelands.

In week two of the internships, the trio will visit Tiki Productions again, along with Television New Zealand, The New Zealand Herald and SunPix, producers of Tagata Pasifika.

Michelle Curran is a Pacific Cooperation Foundation journalist.

• AUT’s Static FM 88.1 radio statiion – visited by the Pacific interns

Justice Andrew will be supported by a team of technical and legal experts that will soon be appointed.

This follows the killing of an engineering student at the University of Technology at Lae by off-campus attackers last weekend, the burning of buildings and cars at the University of Papua New Guinea and clashes at the University of Goroka last week,  and the police opening fire on peacefully protesting students at UPNG on June 8 with some 23 people wounded.

Prime Minister Peter O’Neill said in a statement the commission was essential in helping to better understand what transpired in recent weeks, as well as preventing a repeat in the future.

“We all need answers, right around the country, to understand the factors leading to the escalation of student protests and the acts of violence that we have seen in recent weeks,” O’Neill said.

“This Commission of Inquiry will be independent and thorough and seek to get to the bottom of this issues identified in its terms of reference.

“I call on all relevant parties to work with the Commission of Inquiry as members go about their tasks.”

The Commission of Inquiry will look into the following matters leading to protests and violence of recent weeks:

•       The role of the Student Representative Councils
•       The role of the management of the affected universities
•       The role of police
•       Whether there was outside influence and whether students were incited to encourage unrest at the universities.

The full terms of reference for the investigation will be published in the coming weeks after being finalised, the statement said.

Meanwhile, in other developments yesterday reported by Loop PNG after six weeks of anti-government student protests and class boycotts:

• National Capital District Governor Powes Parkop earlier called on Prime Minister O’Neill to make a bold decision to find a solution to the ongoing destruction of properties and students’ fight at state-run universities. “I call upon the Prime Minister to take immediate and decisive action to arrest the situation,” Parkop said, while he also challenged students to take responsibility of their future and not destroy university property.

• Minister for Works and Implementation Francis Awesa condemned the killing of a first-year male engineering student at the University of Technology in Lae last weekend. Awesa described the brutal murder of the student in his room as “a very primitive, barbaric and a cowardly act” by criminals lacking intelligence and had no regard at all for human lives.

• A group of men broke into two rooms at the Luavi hall of residence for female students at the University of Papua New Guinea in Port Moresby around 1am yesterday morning. Only six female students were at Luavi 3 and were located a few floors above the site of robbery.”I heard a loud hammering below me then I heard men walking up and down the stairs,” a final year student said. “I woke up and used my bed to block the door. There were no guards … It’s very unsafe on campus.”

• Unitech student dies after PNG attack

By Carmella Gware in Port Moresby

The burning of the University of Papua New Guinea’s Uni Venture building today was a spillover from yesterday’s confrontation.

A student leader told Loop PNG that students were still frustrated following the shooting of their colleagues on June 8.

“In the history of UPNG, we successfully held the most non-violent protest for the last eight weeks,” said the student leader, who declined to be named.

He said the students had displayed maturity, professionalism, diplomacy and most importantly, and patriotism in their long-running protest.

“Instead of working with the students and bringing peace after allowing the police to come in and shoot unarmed students, they send the Uniforce to harass them.”

Chewing betelnut
According to the student leader, yesterday a group of male students were chewing betelnut and discussing Wednesday’s State of Origin second game when Uniforce stopped there and allegedly swore at the crowd.

They tried to dismiss the crowd that they believed was a group that was stopping a few science students from attending classes.

The students did not take kindly to being sworn at, which resulted in the altercation yesterday that left behind five burnt vehicles and a couple of damaged buildings.

“The UPNG SRC and provincial leaders engaged the Catholic Bishops Conference, Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare, Sir Rabbie Namaliu, the UN and the UPNG Chaplin Service to negotiate between the students and administration to bring normalcy and peace,” the student leader said.

No reconciliation
However, the reconciliation, which was supposed to happen yesterday, did not eventuate due to the fight.

“The UPNG administration needs to come down and address this issue,” he said.

Students will only go to class after the administration makes peace with them, he explained.

Carmella Gware reports for Loop PNG News.

• UPNG students clash with Uniforce officers

Students from the University of Papua New Guinea reportedly clashed with Uniforce Security Service guards today, leading to three cars being torched and the Michael Somare Library being stoned.

Several security officers were injured in the clash on the Waigani campus that students blamed on provocation.

The clash was sparked when security officers tried to stop the students having a meeting in front the UPNG Clinic and Toa Hall residence.

The students met to discuss an official apology they were seeking from the university administration on the June 8 incident when police opened fire on peaceful demonstrators.

The Students Representative Council wants the university to cover the medical expenses of the students who were injured during the shooting incident and an immediate investigation separate from the one sanctioned by the government.

After discussing these issues, the students expected to have a reconciliation meeting this afternoon with the university administration and were hoping to return to class next week.

‘Students not to blame’
However, senior Post-Courier journalist Gorethy Kenneth warned fellow PNG journalists on her Facebook page today to write “sensitively” about this clash.

“The incident at UPNG is not protest connected…A group of boys were selling betelnut around the clinic area there… A Uniforce car came in to stop and disperse the sellers who were with some drunkards too and because of this a fight broke out as stones were thrown and this caused [the] setting alight of 2 vehicles parked in the security yard belonging to UPNG staff.”

Police have been called to the campus and the situation is now calm.

There has been unrest at the nation’s universities for six weeks with students calling on Prime Minister Peter O’Neill to resign and face an investigation into corruption allegations.

Meanwhile, University of Technology (Unitech) students are ready to resume classes next Monday.

A student from Unitech said there was a police presence on the campus and most students were ready to resume classes next week.

Gallery of UPNG pictures

A UPNG staff person said that at least three vehicles at the security base had been set on fire, while the base itself was allegedly ransacked by angry students.

The staff claimed that some students tried to prevent their colleagues from the School of Natural and Physical Sciences from attending classes.

Uniforce stepped in to prevent that from happening when the group of students retaliated.

However, a UPNG student leader said that Uniforce tried to force some male students to attend classes. The students were at the buai market at the clinic area when the guards ordered them to stop whatever they were doing and get to class.
– Carmella Gware of Loop PNG | Photographs by Citizen Journalist

Burning UPNG cars

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The officers were in training at the Bomana Police Training College on the outskirts of Port Moresby.

“Firearms are one of the dangerous equipment that police use,” said Commander Perou N’Dranou. “It’s there for a purpose to make sure that we do our job properly to protect life and property.”

The police have faced widespread criticism over the use of firearms with critics claiming that they are using firearms illegally.

Bradley Gregory reports for the state-run National Broadcasting Corporation TV News.

• Engan students call for inquiry

The shooting of university students by the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary in Port Moresby last week has been likened to the almost “terror-like” tactics used by the Riot Squad against Bougainvilleans in the late 1980s.

A parent from Bougainville said that the violent action by the police last Wednesday – shooting at random into the crowd, leaving at least 23 people wounded, two of them still serious in hospital – was reminiscent of the Riot Squad (predecessor of the Special Service Division’s Mobile Squad) harassment of Bougainvilleans which went on to ignite the 10-year bloody Bougainville Crisis.

The parent, who wished to remain anonymous, said that this was the type of behaviour by the police that had escalated a situation that could have been easily resolved.

The concerned parent, from Kieta in Central Bougainville, said the shooting of unarmed students by by police was a clearly indication that the safety of their children was not guaranteed in the nation’s capital.

“I am calling on the Autonomous Bougainville Government to look at measures to ensure that our children’s safety at UPNG [University of Papua New Guinea] is not compromised,” the parent said.

Seeking refuge
He also revealed that his son was currently seeking refuge in a settlement to avoid being targeted by the police who were supposed to be protecting their rights.

He added that his son had no way of getting financial aid or receiving help from relatives in the city as he was too fearful to venture out from his current place of refuge.

“As far as I know the Prime Minister will not relent on his position to step down despite this sudden turn of events and our children, not only from Bougainville but throughout PNG are not safe as the police have displayed a complete disregard for human lives – the lives of young people who will be the leaders of this nation one day,” he said.

“I call on the Prime Minister to consider the concerns that many of the parents throughout the nation have on the safety of our children,” he said.

Death of protesting PNG student denied

By Camela Gware, Charles Yapumi and a Citizen Journalist in Port Moresby 

Students at the University of Papua New Guinea today refused to return to classes and about 40 daubed themselves in red earth in “haus krai” mourning for their wounded fellow-students still in hospital.

The vice-chancellor, Professor Albert Mellam, said last Friday students would return normally to classes from today, but the mourning protest of the painted haus krai students was the significant development of the day.

It is understood at least two students who were critically wounded by police gunfire at UPNG last Wednesday are still being treated in Port Moresby General Hospital.

In other protests today, there were clashes at both the campuses of University of Technology in Lae and the University of Goroka in the Eastern Highlands.

Protesters, now in the sixth week of action, are calling on Prime Minister Peter O’Neill to resign and face an investigation into corruption allegations.

“This is to show that we are still in a haus krai. We are not in the mood to attend classes,” a student leader, Christopher Kipalan, announced to those on campus.

‘Sign of respect’

“Pasin Melanesia na mipla peintim pes na kam,” he said. “This is a sign of respect to our fellow students who are still on the sick bed,” another student said.

“We are not here to destroy anything. We want the administration to understand our plight and not force us to go to class.”

The line of students increased during the day as they walked around campus back to the Forum Square.

Only a handful of students could be seen on the ground for classes.

But the mood was quiet and orderly.

Fighting at Goroka
At the University of Goroka campus in the Eastern Highlands town of Goroka, police were called in to control students fighting each other over a disagreement to resume class.

“The situation got out of hand, yesterday and today,” chancellor Joseph Sukwianomb told Loop PNG today.

He could not confirm the number of students injured but said the casualties were from both sides due to stones being thrown and fired from slight shots. Bows and arrows were also being used.

“A number of students have been injured and taken to the hospital,” Dr Sukwianomb said.

“We have called police in just now to, first stop the fight and evacuate the injured students.

“The student group is a small number, made up of Enga and Western Highland students who want to continue with the boycott, while some students from Eastern Highlands and Chimbu want to return to class.

“The situation escalated when there were serious disagreements between those who wanted to return to class and those that wanted to continue the boycott.”

In Lae, an Engan student suffered knife wounds to his body after a fight broke out at the University of Technology’s Lae campus yesterday afternoon.

The student was rushed to Angau General Hospital by the Unitech clinic ambulance and he was reported to be in a stable condition.Today the situation on the ground was quiet but tense.

Loop PNG was reliably informed by a student that the fight broke out at the conclusion of a student forum hosted by the Unitech administration and Student Representative Council.

The student, who wanted to remain anonymous for safety reasons, claimed the attack on the general student body by Southern Highlands students was preplanned.

Fighting at Goroka campus

Highlands unrest follows PNG police crackdown

The Unitech administration in Papua New Guinea’s second city of Lae has condemned last week’s shooting by police of unarmed students at the University of PNG while all is quiet now at UPNG’s Waigani campus.

Unitech vice-chancellor Dr Albert Schram supported a call by the Catholic Bishops Conference to mediate in the conflict between the students – who have been campaigning for the resignation of Prime Minister Peter O’Neill – and the government in the coming months.

Schram said Unitech shared the concerns of all parents of students in the country for the safety of their children at the UPNG campus.

Dr Schram has also assured parents of Unitech students that their students’ safety on campus is guaranteed.

He said the administration noted the widespread international condemnation of such acts of violence against students as well as from the Secretary General of the United Nations, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International.

The situation at UPNG’s Waigani campus remained quiet with police continuing to maintain presence. Classes are due to resume on Tuesday.

According to a source within the university’s own campus security (Uniforce), almost 70 percent of the students had left the campus after the shooting incident with few remaining.

Dormitory security
The source revealed, that after the unrest on June 8, 20 male students remained on campus along with five females.

The Uniforce guards on duty grouped all twenty male students together in one male dormitory with the five women in a female dormitory in order to ensure their safety.

“Uniforce’s main concern is that we provide security for the staff and students and on campus property,” said the unnamed source.

This was made evident when they used their security vehicle to assist injured students to get to hospital.

However, he said that three Uniforce guards were assaulted when trying to assist a woman student who had fallen into a drain.

Loop PNG reported all was quiet in the Highlands city of Mt Hagen after rioting there followed the shooting incident in Port Moresby on Wednesday.

By Vasinatta Yama in Port Moresby

Two secondary school students in Papua New Guinea’s Highlands city of Mt Hagen were arrested after a riot following the police shooting incident in Port Moresby this week.

The grade 10 students Hagen Park Secondary School were accused of starting the trail of damage and the events that escalated.

Principal Tony Buldung told EMTV News that the public was blaming his students for all the damage caused in the city.

But Buldung said opportunists had been responsible.

Western Highlands Provincial Police Commander Chief Superintendent Martin Lakari also confirmed the incident and the arrest, but said MT Hagen had returned to normalcy.

Buldung said that on Wednesday students were sent home at around 2pm.

Frustrated public
He said at that time the public was already frustrated at pictures they saw on social media about the confrontation between the police and University of PNG students in Port Moresby, and were looking for ways to release their frustrations.

When the public saw Hagen Park students going out of the school gate, Buldung said they joined the students by throwing stones, targeting government offices. These included the police station, court house, and other government buildings.

Buldung also said that some property owners confronted him, intending to disturb the Grade 10 National Written Expression Exam, but he managed to send them away.

The Western Highlands Provincial Education board suspended classes for Thursday and Friday, and students will return to classes on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the Mt Hagen National Court has been suspended for an indefinite time, since yesterday, after it was badly damaged.

The Mt Hagen PPC, Martin Lakari, confirmed that Hagen was back to normal and there is a strong police presence in the city.

Vasinatta Yama is an EMTV News reporter.

Other reports on the PNG unrest

By Charles Yapumi in Port Moresby

Papua New Guinea’s national airline Air Niugini yesterday cancelled its flight to Kagamuga Airport in the Highlands town of Mt Hagen after reports of civil unrest and closure of the airport by authorities.

Loop PNG was informed in the morning by the state-owned airline’s public relations office that all flights operated as per the schedule this morning.

But in a press release yesterday afternoon, Air Niugini PX 186/187 was cancelled because of the situation on the ground.

“Although some flights this morning were delayed as passengers and staff had difficulty getting to the airport on time due to yesterday’s unrest, most Air Niugini flights operated as normal,” the statement read.

PNG Air flights to Mt Hagen were also cancelled yesterday.

Meanwhile, Western Highlands Province PPC Jacob Singura said situation was still tense but police have taken control of the situation.

In other developments yesterday:

• Professionals from other Commonwealth nations must be brought in to chair the commission of inquiry into the police opening fire at students at the University of Papua New Guinea on Wednesday, says the Opposition.

Opposition Leader Don Poyle welcomed the Prime Minister Peter O’Neill’s decision but said the inquiry should be balanced and fair.

“I do not trust the police commissioner; I want highly placed people from Australia, New Zealand or England who have the same jurisdiction like [PNG] to chair the commission.”

Poyle added that outside experts must be used to collect evidence and also give opinions.

• The Papua New Guinea government has termed as “intentionally reckless” reports by some international news organisations on Wednesday’s shooting at UPNG.

Foreign Affairs secretary William Dihm said the visa status of the foreign correspondent in Port Moresby would need to be reviewed because of it, Pacific Media Watch reports.

• In Paris, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said it was appalled by a police attack on a woman journalist during the UPNG demonstration that was dispersed violently and called on Papua New Guinea’s authorities to put an end to such violence and punish the police officers responsible.

Charles Yapumi is a reporter for Loop PNG.

• ‘They shot at us like we’re trying to rob a bank,’ says student leader
• David Robie’s Cafe Pacific commentary – History repeats itself

In a statement today to Asia Pacific Report, the Fiji-based USP Journalism Students Association (JSA) said its members were “deeply shocked and saddened” by the reported shooting, causing gunshot injuries to at least eight or more people who were taken to hospital.

According to some news reports, four students were rushed to the Port Moresby General Hospital in a critical condition, while four others sustained minor injuries.

Some news reports have cited 23 injuries from the shooting incident.

The shooting occurred after more than five weeks of protest over a disputed arrest warrant for the country’s Prime Minister Peter O’Neill for a police investigation into alleged corrupt practices.

The USP JSA said in its statement that it “strongly feels that the PNG police department grossly overreacted and behaved in a highly reckless manner”.

It added: “This kind of behavior from the authorities will only aggravate the situation.”

Double standards
JSA president Shalveer Singh expressed his disappointment with the double standards being practised.

“On one hand political leaders encourage youth to voice their opinions, but on the other hand, when they start voicing out their opinions, they are intimidated by higher authorities,  and in this case, shot at and severely injured.”

Singh said the PNG authorities must put a stop to this double standard and must immediately apologise to the students and families concerned.

“As Pacific island university students, we stand strongly behind our PNG student brothers and sisters. We deeply sympathise with their predicament,” he said.

The JSA said that it “strongly feels that the shooting should not have happened and must not happen again”.

“Surely there is a better way to bring the situation under control. In order to de-escalate the situation, there should be an urgent inquiry into this incident and the immediate suspension of the perpetrators until a full investigation is done,” Singh said.

“Our prayers and thoughts are with the victims and their families. We wish this issue is swiftly and peacefully resolved without any further loss of life or injuries.”

Other UPNG shooting stories

By Luke Kama of The National

Students at the University of Papua New Guinea claim they were assaulted and shot at by police “like criminals” when trying to stage a peaceful march to Parliament yesterday.

Students Representative Council president Kenneth Rapa told The National students were organising “a peaceful march to Parliament to demonstrate our concerns to the MPs who have been very ignorant on the national issues affecting PNG”.

He said a stay order the SRC had obtained from the National Court last week stated that police were not supposed to stop students from holding any public forums or making public demonstrations”.

“It said police will have to support the students in ensuring that any public forums held should be peaceful – and we have followed that,” Rapa said.

“So when we tried to walk out of the university campus to Parliament, police were at the gate preventing us.

“We hadn’t done anything wrong and we were wondering why police tried to stop us. We argued for almost an hour and National Capital District Metropolitan Superintendent Benjamin Turi tried to arrest me for leading the students.”

He claimed that Turi came forward and grabbed his shirt to make the arrest, but the students pushed him back.

‘Gunshots, tear gas’
“His police officers immediately fired several gunshots and tear gas at the innocent students protesting,” he said.

“I was hit by a tear gas [canister] on my chest and I lost consciousness and was rushed to the dormitory. I don’t know what happened thereafter,” Rapa said.

He said police had reacted “as if we’re criminals trying to rob a bank or a shop”.

“Anywhere in the world where we have democracy, police have not reacted in such way to public demonstrations,” he said.

There are other ways they could have reacted to control the protesting students.”

Sally Pokiton of Loop PNG reported that the UPNG administration yesterday succeeded in obtaining a National Court order to restrain the members of the SRC from continuing boycott and protest action.

More questions were raised about the presence of armed police officers at the University of Papua New Guinea, as reported in this NBC News parliamentary report by Sheila Malken.

In reply, Prime Minister Peter O’Neill said: “I am told that there have been some shots fired, and also tear gas – unconfirmed reports have come in, so Mr Speaker, I will make sure that the Minister of Police and his team give a detailed report in due course.”

In spite of persistent media reports in some media during the day that up to four people had been killed in the shooting, last night the Port Moresby General Hospital authorities confirmed only eight people had been brought in for treatment suffering from gunshot wounds, four serious.

Other UPNG shooting reports

The organisation has received information that there are 38 people injured, including four in critical condition. Three people are still being assessed in emergency.

“The shooting of students peacefully protesting is reminiscent of the worst excesses of repressive regimes in the region,” said Rafendi Djamin, Amnesty International’s director for South East Asia and the Pacific.

“Papua New Guinea’s authorities must establish a prompt, impartial and independent investigation to determine who is responsible for the unnecessary and excessive use of force.”

The Papua New Guinea police opened fire yesterday on a group of students at the University of Papua New Guinea (UPNG) who were peacefully protesting against the alleged corruption of Prime Minister Peter O’Neill.

Several eye-witnesses have come forward to say they saw students beaten and shot at, including one case where a student was shot in the head.

In a statement, Prime Minister O’Neill blamed the violence on the students who had set out from their university for a peaceful protest at Parliament.

‘Warning shots’
Before any investigation has taken place, he has denied that the police targeted the students, claiming that their only response was the use of tear-gas and “warning shots”.

“Prime Minister O’Neill’s reaction has been completely inadequate. He should ensure an investigation worthy of its name takes place into reports of excessive use of force. Instead, he has prejudged the outcome, blamed the students for what happened to them, and sought to evade accountability,” said Rafendi Djamin.

Prime Minister O’Neill told Parliament that an investigation into the shootings at UPNG would take place. It is not clear who will carry out the investigation, when it happen, or whether it will be independent of any government or police interference.

“It is not good enough for the authorities to investigate themselves,” said Rafendi Djamin. “The Papua New Guinea government is trying to absolve the police of all responsibility for the unlawful use of force.”

Claims by the Papua New Guinea authorities directly contradict several first-hand accounts reported of the violence.

Outside Port Moresby General Hospital, families and friends of students who were attacked were peacefully protesting the shootings. Hospital officials have said that they had heard shooting outside the hospital.

“The police must exercise restraint and respect the right to peaceful protest. Firearms must only be used when strictly unavoidable in order to protect life,” said Rafendi Djamin.

Background
Since May, Prime Minister O’Neill’s government has been the focus of sustained student protests over allegations of corruption.

O’Neill is accused by PNG’s Taskforce Sweep of allegedly authorising payments for fraudulent legal bills amounting to A$30 million.

The students have used peaceful methods, including protests and a boycott of classes.

Prime Minister O’Neill has lashed out at the students for taking part in the peaceful protests, deriding them as poor performing students and warning that they will have to “face the consequences” in terms of their academic prospects.

Other UPNG shootings stories

But police and hospital authorities denied anybody had been killed as stated in earlier news reports while saying eight students had been treated at Port Moresby General Hospital for gunshot wounds.

These graphic images capture scenes from today at Waigani campus – from peaceful protest to bloodied bodies. The students have been protesting against Prime Minister Peter O’Neill for several weeks.

Mayhem at University of PNG

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Parliament was told that up to four students were believed shot dead and at least 13 were wounded, news reports said.

But later reports said police denied that there had been any deaths. They gave the number of wounded as eight.

Responding to question by the MP for Rabaul, Dr Allan Marat, in Parliament, O’Neill accused certain leaders for inciting the protest at the Waigani campus that led to this morning’s shooting.

A frustrated Northern Governor, Gary Juffa urged the Prime Minister not to falsely accuse Members of the Opposition for inciting this situation.

The Prime Minister said the incident was unfortunate but it was now a police matter and the inquiry would get to the bottom of it, reported PNGFM.

Earlier story on police shootings at UPNG

Student leaders at the University of Papua New Guinea’s School of Medicine and Health Sciences stand firm on their decision to boycott classes today out of “patriotism”.

The medical school students were supposed to resume classes today while the main campus will resume next week.

However, Medfac has decided to continue with the boycott.

Male student representative Hermin Peamo said they would continue with this struggle as “we’ve come a long way and fought a good fight”.

Students at universities across Papua New Guinea have been protesting and boycotting classes for almost two months, calling on Prime Minister Peter O’Neill tio stand down and cooperate with police investigations into corruption allegations.

The UPNG leaders, including course leaders and members of the Student Representative Council (SRC), made the decision last night during a meeting.

“We have talked about all possible avenues regarding our academic studies and have decided that we will continue to stand in this fight,” Peamo said

“Whatever risk that it might take, we are ready to face it and we are not afraid to take risks as leaders,” he said after a student forum today.

Afternoon forum
Another forum was held this afternoon to collect views from the student body at the Three-Mile campus.

Peamo said: “SMHS [School of Medicine and Health Sciences] is really complex and diverse and we leaders have been really challenged to make strong decisions for our country and the people.

“It is our patriotism and our moral conscience that has caused us to stand this far.”

Peamo added that this is their stand and they would convey that message to their fellow colleagues and students at the Waigani Campus.

Meanwhile, UPNG acting chancellor Dr Nicholas Mann has urged students to avoid situations that would lead to another suspension. He said they would do more damage to their academic year if they continued to boycott.

An unnamed student correspondent today posted a message at Loop PNG, claiming that “most of the medical students attended class today”.

The student added: “Please, Loop PNG reporters must get information properly. Some started class today. The ones that you saw today at the forum [were] mixed with students from the main campus [at Waigani].

Quintina Naime is a reporter for Loop PNG.

• UPNG lifts suspension of classes

By Quintina Naime in Port Moresby

The indefinite suspension of classes at the University of Papua New Guinea has been lifted and students will return to class to continue semester one.

The decision was announced yesterday by the university council following 10 days of suspension.

Semester one will resume on June 13, which is a public holiday. This is so classes will kick off on Tuesday, June 14, while the medical students will commence classes on June 6.

UPNG’s acting chancellor Dr Nicholas Mann said the suspension had given the council ample time to reorganise the academic calendar and also for the students to “think things through”.

The 2016 academic calendar has now been extended by another three weeks past schedule.

The restructured calendar will see semester one continue from June 13 to July 22. This will head straight into semester two from July 25 to November 5.

Dr Mann appealed to parents to encourage their children to return to classes.

He urged students to avoid situations that would lead to another suspension as they would do more damage to their academic year if they continued to boycott.

The students had been protesting for about a month over the country’s governance, calling on Prime Minister Peter O’Neill to stand down and face investigations into corruption allegations.

Quintina Naime is a Loop PNG reporter.

• Court grants UPNG students go-ahead to seek judicial review over eviction

While university students in Papua New Guinea have continued their national political “awareness” campaign into the fifth week, a blockade of a campus across the Indonesian border in Papua has prompted staff to go on strike.

The blockading of the campus of Cenderawasih University in Waena, Abepura Jayapura, Papua, from Monday to Thursday by its students has resulted in a strike by its 615 lecturers and 321 administrative employees, The Jakarta Post reports.

“The strike is a protest against the students who have been frequently blocking the campus,” said university rector Onesimus Sahuleka on Friday, explaining that the students had been blockading the campus at least twice a month.

Onesimus welcomed students’ aspirations but encouraged them not to express them by disturbing the teaching and learning activities at the campus.

The blockading of the campus was held to demand that the campus prolong the enrolment period and to give 80 percent of its available seats to Papuans.

“I cannot extend the enrolment period because the registration was conducted online and nationwide,” Onesimus said.

He added that the university had also been prioritising Papuans.

Lecturer’s car stoned
Last year, he said, of the new students accepted, 79 percent were Papuans and the remaining 21 percent were “outsiders”.

During the protest on Thursday, a lecturer, John Kawatu, of the university’s school of teacher training (FKIP) was injured as protesters pelted his car with stones.

In Papua New Guinea, 18 students were arrested in Wewak at the weekend over a peaceful “awareness” programme.

Students in PNG are calling on Prime Minister Peter O’Neill to stand down and face a police investigation into corruption allegations.

• Free jailed Wewak students now, says PNG opposition leader

University authorities did not ask if the students had anywhere to go and have not provided any fares back to their provinces, say campus staff and students.

Those without wantoks have been trying to contact their local member of Parliament for help.

Exodus from UPNG

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The indefinite suspension of semester one at the University of Papua New Guinea will not only affect national students, but also the international students, reports PNGFM/PNG Today.

This means that the international students at the university will also have to leave the main Waigani campus within 48 hours.

An exception has been made for the students at the School of Medicine and Health Science Taurama campus given their hospital practicals and the peculiarity of the academic programme.

The decision by the university council to suspend the semester came following boycott and protests by national students with a demand for Prime Minister Peter O’Neill to step down and face an investigation of corruption allegations.

Awaiting word
According to a Solomon Islands student at the UPNG’s Waigani campus, fellow students at the campus are awaiting word from their High Commission in Port Moresby on how they will be taken care of after students vacate the campus.

The university council said it was “up to the sponsors” to take care of the students and it was now the Solomon Islands government’s decision on what arrangements to make for their students.

The Solomon Islands High Commission in Port Moresby was having a meeting with the university council. However, the topic of discussion is not yet known.

Meanwhile, the students told media that they were hopeful of getting a visit from the High Commission before all students are ordered to vacate the campus tomorrow.

While the University of Papua New Guinea in Port Moresby has closed its doors to more than 4500 striking students, the University of Technology in PNG’s second city Lae has taken a more neutral stance, reports Radio Australia.

Students throughout Papua New Guinea are calling on Prime Minister Peter O’Neill to step aside and face an investigation over corruption allegations.

The UPNG Council yesterday announced suspension of the semester but in an interview with Radio Australia’s Pacific Beat, vice-chancellor Dr Albert Schram said his students were doing what they felt was the right thing for the country.

“This is really a national student movement with all the state universities participating. It’s been endorsed by two former prime ministers, a former Supreme Court judge, a former attorney-general and an ombudsman,” he told Pacific Beat.

“These are very respectable and accomplished Papua New Guineans who believe that the students are fundamentally right in their demands.”

Dr Schram said a student referendum overseen by the country’s Electoral Commission eased tensions around his university’s class boycott, but UPNG students had not been allowed to hold a similar vote.

The poll showed that the overwhelming majority of students at Unitech were in favour of boycott.

“That created a clarity which has been lacking at UPNG, and frankly I question the present stance of the [UPNG] management and the council,” Dr Schram told Pacific Beat.

“If you don’t allow the students to hold a referendum, then you’re damned if you do and you’re damned if you don’t – it’s not fair.”

Students at the University of Technology have even travelled to nearby towns and provinces to explain their boycott to the public, reports Radio Australia.

Dr Schram says while the university leadership is not anti-government, it supports the right of boycotting students to express themselves democratically.

“I wish [the students] would not have been faced with this choice of choosing between their studies and their only chance to finish higher education, often sponsored by their parents and the whole clan … and what they feel is the right thing to do for the country,” he said.

He said it was unlikely that the University of Technology would suspend semester one classes in the same way UPNG has.

“We’ve had four boycotts over the last five years and the longest lasted about five weeks, and we’ve always been able to finish the academic year,” Dr Schram said.

“So as long as they don’t last for, let’s say more than two months, it’s possible for the academic board to rearrange the calendar.”

• Radio Australia’s Pacific Beat full interview with Unitech’s Dr Schram
• UPNG suspends semester classes to take academic ‘breather‘

The University of Papua New Guinea Council has announced the suspension of the rest of semester 1, which is supposed to end three weeks from now, in the latest development in the student political standoff with the prime minister.

The 4500 students have also been advised to vacate the campus within 48 hours of the announcement yesterday.

The students have been demanding for almost a month that Prime Minister Peter O’Neill stand down and face a police investigation into corruption allegations.

Student Representative Council (SRC) president Kenneth Rapa accepted the classes suspension decision but asked that the student’s air fares be made available within 48 hours.

Rapa told students that UPNG had made a sacrifice of their studies for PNG and the future in front of a supporting crowd of students.

The council has replied to Rapa’s request, saying that the students’ airfares back to their home provinces are not the responsibility of the University but of the sponsors.

In an urgent media conference, the acting chancellor said all facilities would close after the 48 hour notice expired.

The date of resumption will be the decision of the university council.

Protesting students
This decision was announced to students at the Forum Square yesterday afternoon to a noisy and unsatisfied crowd of protesting students.

The UPNG Council said it was “taking a breather” to restrategise the academic year.

Parents were urged to be understanding that students had signed agreements to follow the constitution of the UPNG and that the suspension was indefinite.

PNG Today reports an exception has been made for UPNG’s School of Medicine and Health at the Taurama campus.

The council made a decision that the medical faculty would continue to offer its programmes despite the situation, given the nature of their academic programs which includes hospital blocks and practicals for the medical students.

The decision, however, strongly stated that the medical school resumed in a manner that was consistent within the controls of the suspension.

The decision also included that the resumption of the university’s academic programme for all other faculties at the main campus would be decided by the council.

Cleopatra Kolta is a NauFM News reporter.

• Unitech student leader replies to PM: ‘We’re talking about morality’

23rd May 2016

Mr Kenneth Rapa
President
Students Representative Council
University of Papua New Guinea
P. O. Box 320
UNIVERSITY
NCD

Mr David Kelma
President
Students Representative Council
PNG University of Technology
Private Mail Bag
Lae 411, Morobe Province

Dear President Rapa and President Kelma,

RE: RESPONSES TO PETITIONS

Further to my letter of 20th May 2016, I am now able to provide my response to your Petitions.

Before I do that I wish to take this opportunity to thank you for raising those issues, which are indeed of national importance and in a responsible manner, in which you have expressed yourself.

You will agree with me that every citizen of this country has the right to speak their mind as long as this is done in a way that does not undermine the rights and safety of others. This right is a basic fundamental aspect of our National Constitution, and every responsible citizen must respect and exercise it in a proper manner.

I have considered all the issues raised in the petition and having sought advices from the State Agencies I wish to outline my responses in the following manner, taking into account some matters which are before our courts.

1. UBS LOAN
This matter is before the Court and as such it would be sub judice for me to discuss several aspects at this stage. However I wish to clarify misunderstanding and confusion over this borrowing.

(a) This Loan was obtained to secure our national interest in one of Papua New Guinea’s premier business asset, Oil Search Limited. If we had not done so, this Company, which is worth billions of US Dollars, would have been controlled by foreign interests.

(b) The maintenance of Papua New Guinea’s National interest in Oil Search Limited is vital because: (i) it is a major contributor to our economic growth; (ii) largest private sector employer; (iii) our largest taxpayer; and (iv) contributes significantly to foreign currency earnings and revenue for budget support.

(c) With Oil Search Limited’s acquisition of the InterOil stake in Papua LNG project, the value of PNG’s interest has increased, thus strengthened Papua New Guinea’s national balance sheet and will generate significant earnings to the Government in the future.

(d) The suggestion that the loan was secured outside of due process is entirely false. Full due process, as is required under our Laws, was fully complied with, including the subsequent approval of the Loan by the National Parliament.

(e) The other claim that this Loan will impact severely on our public finance, debt servicing and breach legal debt to GDP limit (35%) is unfounded. The loan comes in the form of what is called a “Collar”. The Collar has a floor of the Oil Search share price known as “PUT” and a Ceiling share price known as “CALL”. These CALLs and PUTs limit the exposure to Kumul Petroleum Holding Limited and the Bank, and therefore the value of the shares itself is used as security to the Collar.

(f) The Collar Loan was transferred to Kumul Petroleum Holding Limited in December 2014, and since then has been on the Kumul Petroleum’s Balance Sheet. As such it has no impact on the State’s public finance, Debt servicing and debt to GDP ratio.

(g) This loan has no direct implication for foreign currency availability in the country. In fact, foreign currency was procured through this transaction.

(h) Unlike previous loans from IPIC (the Arab loans), no other State assets, such as State Owned Enterprises, were mortgaged, only Oil Search shares.

2. BUDGET CUTS
(a) The 2015 supplementary budget was necessitated by the sharp decline in World Commodity prices for some of our major exports including Oil products. The global slump in commodity process affected many of the countries around the world, whose national finances are depended on exports. Papua New Guinea was no exception.

(b) As such the Government had to re-adjust the budget accordingly. The areas affected were: (i) non-essential expenditure, (ii) consumption expenditure, and (iii) projects and programs that were delayed due to slowness in procurement processes. It is important to highlight that key investments in education, health, free tuition fees, infrastructure, and law and order were barely adjusted.

(c) As a result of this action, the following outcomes were achieved: 4.9% budget deficit (consistent with our Medium Term Fiscal Strategy); hundreds of jobs were saved; essential services were maintained; and our economy recorded 9.9% real GDP growth compared to neighbouring economies. This Government is very proud of these achievements.

(d) If the Government had not undertaken this re-adjustment, the opposite result would have occurred. Prudent management of our fiscal policy (budget) is our top priority and we are committed to enhancing our investments in these key priority sectors. Our Government is committed to ensuring that current global pressures do not undermine and risk the welfare of our people.

3. PAUL PARAKA LAWYERS
As this matter is in Court, again it would be improper to debate on this issue. However, there are some facts, which students and the public ought to know.

(a) Paul Paraka Lawyers were engaged by the Somare Government in 2002 and they were paid millions of kina in legal fees without interruption by the Government since 2002.

(b) Taskforce Sweep was established by the O’Neill Government to investigate unexplainable spending by the Somare Government through the Department of National Planning & Monitoring. It is important to note that payments to Paraka Lawyers were NOT original part of the Terms of Reference.

(c) I made an Executive Decision in 2014 to authorise investigation into payments made to Paul Paraka Lawyers.

(d) None of the legal fees paid to Paraka Lawyers since 2002 until now have been found to be fraudulent by the courts.

(e) A Warrant of Arrest, that was of questionable political intent, was issued by Members of the National Fraud and Anti-Corruption unit over payments to Paul Paraka Lawyers.

(f) It does not make any sense at all.

(g) The questions that need to be asked are: Why I and others are being charged, when Paul Paraka Lawyers have not been prosecuted by the Police to establish that there was fraud? Is this the logical thing to do? Or is there another ulterior motive behind this?

(h) I have challenged the Warrant of Arrest in the Court as there has been a clear miscarriage in the administration of Law. As a citizen, I am entitled also to exercise my rights as provided for by the Constitution. In addition I have a duty to protect the Office of the Prime Minister and if I do not, what will stop it from happening to future Governments?

(i) Final point which I want to make is: If evidence is produced today by the Police or Taskforce Sweep that I have received any benefit from Paul Paraka Lawyers, I will voluntarily Step Aside.

4. TURBINE POWER GENERATORS
This matter is also in Court. However I wish to make the following points to clarify misunderstanding:

(a) The Decision to acquire two dual turbine generators by the Government was to assist PNG Power Limited to address power shortages in Port Moresby and Lae.

(b) The Decision was made by the National Executive Council for PNG Power Limited to acquire the two generators through the Israeli Electrical Company, which is a company owned by the Government of Israel.

(c) Both Generators are currently being utilised by PNG Power Limited in Lae and Port Moresby. It is not a waste of public funds as it is an investment that is worthwhile. This was demonstrated by the supply of additional 25MW to both Port Moresby and Lae, which also enabled us to successfully host the Pacific Games with uninterrupted power supply.

(d) The amount for this purchase was K94 million, and not K144 million as some have suggested. In fact, the generators were purchased at a substantially discounted price.

5. DISTRIBUTION OF DISTRICT SERVICES IMPROVEMENT (DSIP) FUNDS

(a) The PSIP and DSIP are not constitutional grants for the Districts and Province. These are a policy initiative by the Government to transfer funds from Waigani directly to the Provinces and Districts. These funds are used by the Districts and Provinces to invest in health, education, law and order, infrastructure and economic empowerment.

(b) No Government in the past has transferred financial resources on this scale directly to the Districts where majority of our people live. Through this policy intervention people are seeing for the first time Government services and developments taking place in their districts. Our people had been denied access to Government services for a long time. The Government’s intervention through DSIP provides an opportunity for our people to improve their lives.

(c) The management and disbursement of DSIP are done strictly in accordance with financial guidelines established under the Public Finance Management Act.

(d) All Districts, regardless of the political affiliations of their Member of Parliament, are treated equally. All Districts are allocated the same level of funding every fiscal calendar. There is no discrimination or unfair treatment against the Members of the Opposition. All members of Parliament receive the same amount of DSIP on annual basis.

(e) The release of funds to the Districts is subject to cash flow like every other expenditure appropriation in the Budget. If some Districts have shortfalls in their DSIP, it is largely due to cash flow issues.

(f) Finally, the suggestion that Districts are entitled to DSIP is false. The DSIP is NOT a constitutional grant. They are development funds, provided by the Government for service delivery in the Districts.

6. INDEPENDENT INSTITUTIONS AND THE BUREAUCRACY
(a) Compared to some past Governments, this is the only Government in Papua New Guinea’s political history to maintain stability in the public service. All the appointments of Heads of Constitutional and State Agencies are merit based and in full application of processes established by the Constitution and Laws.

(b) The appointment of Head of a Constitutional Office, such as the Ombudsman for example, is done by the Ombudsman Appointment Committee (OAC). This is comprised of the Prime Minister, Chief Justice, Chairman of the Public Service Commission, Leader of the Opposition and Chairman of the Permanent Parliament Committee on Appointments. In essence, the OAC is responsible for the appointment of the Chief Ombudsman or the two Ombudsmen, not the Prime Minister or NEC.

(c) Equally, in respect of removal of Heads of State Agencies are also done in accordance with the processes and guidelines, established under the Constitution and Laws. Some of the persons mentioned in your petition were terminated or removed for a range of reasons, including breach of their employment contracts, poor performance, retirement age being reached, indictments and expiry of their contract of employments.

(d) Also, it should be highlighted that this Government has appointed more women into senior executive positions in the public service than any other Government. These female executives are appointed on their own merits and fully in compliance with the legal processes. We are proud of this accomplishment.

(e) Finally, on the appointment and decommissioning of Ministers, it is the prerogative of the Prime Minister. This is embedded in the Westminster Parliamentary system.

7. NATIONAL DEBT
(a) PNG’s total public debt is K18 billion, and of this, K3.9 billion, (5.5% of 2015 GDP) is external Debt. The entire external debt is concessional from bilateral and multilateral sources, such as the World Bank, ADB, EXIM Bank, JICA and others. These loans attract low interest rates, and long grace and repayment periods.

(b) In terms of Debt to GDP, this represents about 28% of GDP, which is well below the 35% Debt/GDP limit set by Fiscal Responsibility Act. This is based on the recent statistical data or National Accounts published by the National Statistical Office.

(c) Our debt level is relatively low compared to other countries in the World. For example Fiji’s total debt to GDP is 49.5%, Ghana 71.1%, Mongolia 59.8, and Japan 247%.

(d) For 2016 Budget, the budget deficit is projected at K2.1billion, 3.1% of GDP. Parliament has approved financing of the deficit from either concessional or commercial borrowings. If you add this to the debt level, debt to GDP is projected at 28.9 %, still below the legal limit.

(e) PNG does not have a debt issue. This is because our debt is largely domestic and concessional and as such countries do not default on these types of debts. In essence, Papua New Guinea has a very low debt burden and a negligible foreign currency burden.

(f) Countries with high level of commercial debts are at high risk if they have serious fiscal issues. Papua New Guinea has no commercial debt and is not at risk. The UBS Loan is not part of the public debt and it is wrong to suggest it is. The UBS loan belongs to the Kumul Petroleum Holding Limited.

(g) Any discussion must be based on facts and use data from our national accounts produced by legal entities. There are a lot of critics, who do not wish to see Papua New Guinea succeed. These people deliberately fabricate numbers to mislead us. All of us, including Members of Parliament, must at all times protect our country’s interests and should not talk down our country for self-political interests.

8. DEFICIT BUDGET
(a) The budget deficit for 2015 was 3.9% of GDP, not as 9.9% as some claim. Papua New Guinea’s national accounts are published annually and are available and accessible by the public. For the 2016 fiscal year, it is projected at 3.1%. These ratios are revised based on new GDP data released by the National Statistics Office in March 2016. The deficit levels are very much consistent with the Medium Term Fiscal Strategy. We have deliberately planned for a reducing budget deficit each year so that we can return to a surplus budget.

(b) The outcome also refutes the claim of high deficits to GDP, used by several misleading commentators. The actual average deficit for the five years is 3.6% and not the 4.9% as claimed by some commentators.

(c) It should be noted that no deficit is justified if it is not used to fund key priority areas. This Government has applied all deficits to finance the key drivers of our economy. We have invested in education, health, socio-economic infrastructure and economic empowerment of our people.

(d) On average the actual expenditure in these priority areas is above 65% of the entire budget. This is a major shift from the past where only 35% of expenditure was spent on the key drivers of our economy, whilst 65% was wasted on consumption expenditure.

(e) This is record which this Government is proud of. We will continue to be fiscally responsible and by doing the right thing, by investing in these key drivers, the future health of our country is safe and bright.

9. CASH FLOW
(a) When this Government came into Office in 2011, there was zero balance in the Waigani Public Accounts. Even the trust accounts, where surpluses had previously been held, were empty. We are talking about K8 billion in surpluses, generated through windfalls from high commodity prices.

(b) Where did these funds go? Were these funds invested? If so where is the evidence?

(c) This Government had no choice but to formulate a MTFS based on deficit financing to rejuvenate the economy and deliver services to our people. The MTFS provides a Five Year fiscal plan for annual National Budgets.

(d) The Government’s Fiscal Plan was to borrow to finance investments in the key drivers of our economy. We knew that with the high commodity prices, sufficient revenue will be yielded to offset the deficits.

(e) However, with the sudden drop in commodity prices, we needed to re-adjust our fiscal plan for Five Years. One immediate decision we made was to re-adjust the 2015 Budget downwards by K3 billion.

(f) A tough decision was also made to reduce the 2016 Budget by K2 billion from K16 billion to K14.7 billion. The reduction was focused on non-essential expenditure side, whilst budget outlay for investment was maintained. These included funding for Tuition Fee Free education, free primary healthcare, education, health, law and order, DSIP, PSIP, infrastructure and economic empowerment.

(g) However, a further drop in commodity prices did not help with the 2016 Budget implementation. For example, the budget projected price for Oil (US$/barrel) was US$54 but when it dropped to less than US$30 a barrel it seriously affected our revenue projections.

(h) As a result, the Government had to put in place a cash flow management plan. Its implementation is overseen by a sub-committee of the Central Agencies Coordination Committee. The committee meets regularly to make sure that essential expenditures are financed on a monthly basis. In addition, the Committee is mandated to trim the public service where appropriate, prevent wastage and stop leakages in the system.

(i) Efforts are also being made to collect all the outstanding tax and non-tax liabilities. According to IRC and Customs, there is K2 billion tax liabilities outstanding. Past Governments completely ignored these outstanding tax liabilities. We have put a team of experts to collect these taxes.

(j) The Government is confident of implementing the 2016 Budget as planned. The improvement or surge in commodity prices, resumption of Ok Tedi Mine, collection of outstanding tax liabilities and increased explorations in mining and petroleum sectors provides a high level of confidence. However, if global market conditions do not improve, the Government will do what is responsible by re-adjusting the budget before the November sitting of Parliament.

(k) It should be noted that Papua New Guinea has no control over the some of the factors which affect our economy and budget. For instance, commodity prices are dictated by supply and demand in the international market, and Papua New Guinea is a price-taker.

10. FOREIGN RESERVES
(a) I cannot comment on this issue as it is part of the monetary policy apparatus, which is independently managed by the Central Bank. The Government, through the Ministry of Treasury, have been consulting closely with the Central Bank to address the foreign currency issue.

(b) The advice from the Central Bank is that the decline in the foreign reserves started in 2012, when there was sharp drop in commodity prices. This mean that foreign currency inflows were lower than the outflows. The Bank had to carefully assess the amount it required to intervene in the market with its reserves.

(c) We are advised that some of the commercial banks took advantage of the scarcity of the foreign currency and offered exporters and importers different exchange rates from the one established in the daily interbank market.

(d) The Central Bank intervened to stop these activities of the banks to reduce the exorbitant margins charged to importers.

(e) The further decline in the commodity prices, the closure of OK Tedi Mine, El Nino drought and completion of the construction of the LNG project further applied pressure on the foreign exchange market. As a result foreign reserves show a gradual decline.

(f) I understand the Bank is doing everything possible to intervene in the market so that our key importers are supported.

(g) The Government is also working closely with our donor partners to accelerate funding for some of our key capital projects. In this way, foreign currencies can be transferred into the country. In addition, the Government is also talking with some of major exporters in all sectors, to bring their foreign earnings into the country rather than keeping them aboard.

(h) It should be noted, the foreign currency issue is not a direct result of the Government’s spending, it is exacerbated by all the factors highlighted above, and more particularly by the sharp decline in commodity prices, which Papua New Guinea has no control over.

(i) In addition, it should be noted that the effect of the decline in commodity price has affected many other countries around world. Papua New Guinea is not the only country. Many of these currencies have lost their purchasing power, i.e. devaluation of our currency against our major trading partners is a case in point. The Government is doing all it can to address this issue.

(j) The good news is the commodity prices, particularly the Oil Price, have picked up in recent times coupled with resumption of production at the OK Tedi Mine. In addition, the Government is working with ExxonMobil to develop the P’nyang gas field. These developments will provide substantial relief as well as confidence in the foreign exchange market in the coming years.

11. CONCLUSION
(a) I trust that I have satisfactorily answered your petition and you will take whatever appropriate actions for the students to return to your classes. Further boycotts of classes will only affect the education of many young Papua New Guineans.

(b) The Government and your parents have invested so much in your education, and it is important that you give this your top priority.

Finally, I wish to state clearly that I have no intention of either stepping aside or resigning from the Office of the Prime Minister.

The people that have the legal mandate to remove a Prime Minister from Office are the National Parliament or the people at the General Election. I was mandated by the people in 2012 and duly elected by Members of Parliament, and I intend to uphold and respect their mandate until 2017 General Election.

Yours sincerely,

HON PETER O’NEILL CMG MP
Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea

The 10-page letter addressed to the presidents of the student bodies at both universities, says that there were aspects of all the points raised by the students that were still before the courts.

“I have no intention of either stepping aside or resigning from the Office of the Prime Minister,” he said.

“The people that have the legal mandate to remove a Prime Minister from Office are the National Parliament or the people at the General Election.

“I was mandated by the people in 2012 and duly elected by Members of Parliament, and I intend to uphold and respect their mandate until 2017 General Election.”

He appealed to students to go back to classes, saying further boycotts would only affect the education of many young Papua New Guineans.

“The government and your parents have invested so much in your education, and it is important that you give this your top priority,” O’Neill said.

This letter followed a short one on Friday to the student presidents saying that he needed technical and legal “advice” from government offices to reply to all the all points raised in their petitions.

UBS loan affair
On the UBS loan affair, O’Neill said there were some aspects relating to it, that were still before the courts, and therefore he could not comment on them.

However, he did say that the loan was to ensure that Oil Search Limited, one of the country’s premier business assets, had to be retained.

He said the UBS had been secured in compliance with PNG laws, and that the loan comes in the form of a “collar” loan, which limits the exposure to the country, and that it has not affected the availability of foreign currency.

On budget cuts, O’Neill said it was necessary to adjust the budget, saying that if it was not done, the country would be facing much more serious problems.

On controversial legal bills payments by the government, O’Neill said the previous Somare government had engaged the private law firms who had become the subject of investigations.

• The O’Neill letter in full at NauFM News
• Backgrounder on Cafe Pacific