Comments

Thanks Terence. The volatility in funding is real. Its also interesting to read the Lowy paper on the their methodology (https://pacificaidmap.lowyinstitute.org/Lowy-Institute-Pacific-Aid-Map-Methodology_Web.pdf) and the challenges they have with quality of data on aid flows, whether forecast budgets or actual spending. Imagine what it is like for the Pacific countries or their finance ministries themselves trying to get their aid partners to tell them in advance what their levels of support will be. This lack of predictability in aid flows is a major constraint on effective operational planning linked to budgeting in service delivery areas such as health and education. As for actual levels of finance from development partners, this is also vexed. IFAC have now removed the need for reporting on aid partner financing from the cash based international public sector accounting standard.

Thank you Bill, I don't have polling station results. They're not usually published. I think this is to preserve voter anonymity. Thank you for your comment. Terence

Mr Wood, thank you for your great work. These database are really helpful as I know these will help me for my election campaigns. And one query: in the database that you've provided for each electorate and their number of contestants plus how much votes they've collected from 1977 to 2017 elections, can you also provide details how much votes a candidate collected in each of the polling venues? I mean the how a candidate has collected in each of the Rest Houses in all the electorates? I think this will really help us and we look forward to hearing from you soonest. Regards!

Hi Joel, Thanks for the question. There are a few resources that provide some good background on the development of PNG's education system. You can download Richard Guy's chapter which provides a good historical overview here: https://press.anu.edu.au/publications/series/state-society-and-governance-melanesia/policy-making-and-implementation Some references on education policy in PNG are unfortunately contained in books and paywalled articles that are difficult to access. However, I'm happy to send you further resources directly if you'd like, email: grant.walton@anu.edu.au. Best Grant

Registration of SIM cards and the deactivation of unregistered SIM cards is a critical aspect that should be discussed widely not just from the financial inclusion perspective but also from a cyber crime and cyber security perspective which will bring confidence and integrity to the digital transactions that would happen through all this efforts. For me, I think the Actors to ensure a smooth migration from unregistered SIMs to registered SIMs is critical but was not managed well. For example, the SIM Card Registration Regulation was gazetted on 22nd April 2016. According to Clause 9 of the Regulation, No Mobile Operator should have been selling pre-activated SIM Cards after the regulations came into force. All the efforts after that date should have been focused on ensuring Active SIM Cards at that point be registered. However, while TPNG and Bemobile pushed for Registration before Activation, Digicel the Major Operator continued to sell Pre-Activated SIM cards. I had bought one during that period and so I know. That simple Act had added to more unregistered SIM cards that were activated in the market. From 2016 up to 2018 I was not seeing any SMS prompts to Activate my SIM. It is only when the Regulator took a hardstand on the issue. This is another example of a market lacking effective competition with a player with significant Market Power (SMP). The SMP does not have any incentives to comply with the regulation and is made worse when the Regulator goes to sleep or does not monitor the implementation of the regulation they have put in place. A sad case but a case that we should learn from so that we are not penalising everybody after 4 years when we have allowed the manageable issue to grow out of proportion. Thanks Ebu Gomana

Dear Mba Miranda, Thank you so much for making this blog particularly this writing about Indonesian AID.

Absolutely agree with you Mclaine on your point raised on development parties driving programs that raise awareness on the importance of votes - at this critical juncture of the country. While I also support the push for reserved seats for women, I also think programs for women participation in Parliament should be held by our development partners during the 5 year period with a pipeline of programs leading up to the NGE. Not 1 year - 6 months before the elections. I also think the 20% candidacy of women in political parties would create further opportunities for women to be voted into Parliament.

You're welcome Dairi, I'm really glad to hear the information has been useful. Terence

Thanks for the response. Please provide some links to the Dr. Brij Lal's dismissal of the theory in U.S or foreign involvement in 1987 coup. Rabuka has sung like a canary on some things but cagey on other relevant details. However some if Rabuka's invitation to the U.S. Congress Prayer breakfast and White House visit [ https://www.fijileaks.com/uploads/1/3/7/5/13759434/published/rabuka-white-house-meeting.jpg?1485734866] , coupled with his statements that the 1987 coup was "God's Plan " does raise eye brows.

Thank You Terence, now I know my electorate Moresby North west electoral information since 1972- 2017

I am fed up with political system in PNG, whereby youths are left out to fend for themselves in all means to make a living. I registered a Political Party for Youth in PNG - PNG Youth Empowerment party to give chance for youth to participate in all developmental progress of the country. However, I do not have fund to launch the party in order to commence awareness campaign throughout PNG before the election commences in 2022. Any one out there please assist me to form next government for the good of young people. I can be contact through email:juliuslpololi@gmail.com

PNG have well qualified and capable women who can outperform men at the political arena. And who can also get elected without given reserved seats based solely on their merits. The only issue is vote-selling and special interest which is prevalent in PNG. To level the playing field to an extent, the very national and international agencies driving the reserved seats should develop programmes that would educate and create awareness on the value of citizens votes and how to determine and elect competent members of Parliament. What PNG is missing and needs right now is not the lack of women representation in parliament but the lack of honest result driven MPs.