Comments

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1C343YLjro/?mibextid=wwXIfr This ABC Pacific post (link above) from today compliments what I was talking about in this blog. In the blog, I didn't cover full details of this exchange between Mau from Yaap and Native Hawaiians on traditional ocean navigation (what I learned from Native Hawaiians when I lived in Oahu from 2014 to 2017) but this video interview with this more recent master navigator from the Cook Islands said it well.

Thanks Dr Bizhan and Clement for this timely piece. Just yesterday (13/08/26) Madang provincial hospital announced that they are scaling down their services due to critical drug shortages; heres the link; https://www.nbc.com.pg/post/38772/madang-provincial-hospital-scales-down-services

Medical supplies for GoPNG health facilities are largely procured by NDOH and supply gaps covered by PHAs if it has been budgeted by the Provincial Pharmacist. Delay of fund releases to NDOH and also Budget cuts are two of many factors in the PNG Pharmaceutical supply chain that contribute to shortages and stock outs of essential medicines. Hope these two factors can be addressed by Treasury, appropriations are as per medical supplies budget and ensuring warrants are released on time.

Thank you so much for this excellent article. It exposes the lack of a sensitive and well-informed diplomatic approach. This process should and could have been undertaken in a spirit of partnership and equality, rather than a high-stakes one, all too reminiscent of colonialism. It raises questions yet again about what the over-used term "Pacific family" really means - the powerful and wealthy uncle forcing compliance with threats and a cold shoulder, or the respectful relative who listens deeply and sees the concerns and realities of their relatives? Can we ask our experienced diplomats to pose the following question to themselves and their colleagues: what happens when family members treat each other this way? I see this as an embarrassing and even shameful episode in Australian diplomacy. I hope that our diplomacy can improve, guided by a deep understanding of our white privilege, and a true demonstration of decolonising approaches in all our relations with this beautiful country, Vanuatu, and with the rest of our Pacific neighbours.

I think MEL is much needed in the context of PNG to really establish effective management of PALM, and PEV as there is no sound research base that understudies cultural behavioral and emerging trend issues of the contemporary PNG labor migrants for short, medium to long term job. There is a research gaps sender, remittances and local institutional set ups. My concern is that PNG and Australia have not settled the migration and development nexus conceptually and is not well implemented by all stakeholders. It is argued that MEL will be used to explore the problematic areas. Therefore I as a researchers do support Mathew in the MEL is a process multiplyer for effectiveness in aid meeting development targets.

It is very challenging here at the PNG provincial level to find the appropriate organization to network with to get assistive devices for disability in this particular case amputees. Are there organizations out there who can support in this case? Please advise.

My sincere thanks to the two authors for raising this important issue. As the authors and many others would know, the problem of medicine stock-outs is not unique to Manus Province. I have known of many occasions in Madang Province when people were not able to receive, or even purchase, the medicine they needed. A friend of mine who lives near Angoram in East Sepik Province recently travelled to Madang to purchase medicine she could not secure in Angoram. Dr Colin Wiltshire has conducted research on public financial management. He explored this issue in a research report on the health sector in Papua New Guinea that was published in 2020 and is available at: https://openresearch-repository.anu.edu.au/items/b3d0a1d0-087b-4495-8be0-a8f7faa130f9 I was happy to assist with preparation of this report and I recommend it to anyone who wants to look into these issues in further depth. Thanks again to the two authors of this valuable blog post. Amanda

It is not realistic to suggest that better MEL makes a better facility. Most facilities operate with goals that can't be measured. In my experience, the same conditions that make for better aid in general also make for better facilities. A lot of it comes down to staff and counterparts.

Mauri ...e rabwa n am articles... with due respect I feel that one important factor that you have overlooked especially in the case of Tuvalu is the land size vs population. Tuvalu has an extremely limited land area, approx 27 sq. km compared to Kiribati 811 sq.km. Land in Tuvalu cannot be sold outright because they are scarce and precious to the land owners and their families. Tuvalu current population is around 10k, and with this number the country is already experiencing signficant pressure on its scarce land, limited natural resources (water, marine & land resources etc..), housing etc. Imagine if the 6k to 7k diaspora were in Tuvalu, the population will be 17k, our situation and living condition and the pressure on our limited natural resources will be far worse. Grateful for the migration pathways provided by Australia and NZ, they ease such potential situation. It also important to note that the large portion of the 6k or 7k Tuvaluan diaspora orignated during the period when Tuvalu and most of the PIC were visa free to NZ. Those original diaspora faced significant hardship from NZ Immigration dawn raids when their visas expired. Many spent their money on lawyers and immigration advisers to regularise their immigration status. Some were fortunate, and most from the amnesties that were granted.

Actually you want to say that when children speak out for themselves and fight back against any parents, teachers or elders for anything bad or unwanted behaviour towards them, then you call it disrespectful. Children also have full rights to fight back any unwanted activities or behaviour towards them and since it's not in compatibility to your situations and thinking and not according to your whims and fancies, you call it disrespectful. Remember children don't have any liability to satisfy any whims and fancies of the teachers and principal or the school authorities

Corporal punishments should be totally eliminated from both schools and homes and anywhere else. Whenever any segment of the society were hurt and faced abuse or beating we have raised our voices and actions have been taken legally and by all means to condemn it, then if children are also facing abuse, beating, torture or oppression then at that point of time also we need to raise our voices and take stringent actions to condemn such issues of child abuse. Like for example whenever women have faced torture and oppression, they have raised their voices and actions have been taken against it, when labourers faced torture and bad conditions they have also protested, raised corcerns regarding it and actions have been taken to condemn and when people from lower caste or race have faced discrimination and torture they have also fought against, voices have been raised and actions have been taken to stop these discrimination, oppression and torture against women, labourers and people of backward castes and race backgrounds protests and fights have been done and actions have been taken to stop it, then equally if children also face torture, beatings, abuse and oppression, then at that point of time also we need to raise our voices and stringent actions should be taken to totally stop and condemn it as children are human beings of tender age. Moreover if hitting or hurting any human beings are bad and unacceptable in nature so children are also human beings that too of tender age, so it's even more naturally bad and unacceptable to hurt them.

Thank you very much for your two blog posts. You have identified an alarming recent trend. You have also helped to highlight the vulnerability of Pacific newsrooms. Thank you.