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It’s good to think ahead, as we are often told. Strategy 2050 makes one think that in a rapidly changing world, how far ahead should we think? Is there such a thing as thinking too far ahead?

Despite PNG's economic boom led by extractive industries, almost 40% of the country's population lives in poverty. The Government has not taken sufficient steps to address gender inequality, violence, corruption, or excessive use of force by Police. Today a MP forget what they suppose to do but they ignore.

Matt, thanks for this very thoughtful and sound summary of the role Mekere played in demonstrating that PNG could be a dynamic country with a strong economy and policies and programs designed to minimise and even eliminate, the adverse impact of corruption at high levels. The only difference of interpretation that I would have is that you omitted the central and fundamentally vital role that you and your team played in seeing this reform process through. We are indebted to Mekere. He gave us all the opportunity to demonstrate that PNG could be a better place socially and economically to the benefit of all parts of the population, not just those few who made their fortunes at the expense of the wider community in this generation and, I fear, the next as well. Paul Baxter

''A journey of a thousand miles take just a single step. I am inspired with your story''. I can relate to your story.

Thank you Ross for your insightful comments on Mekere - one of a kind, and whose work and qualities are unlikely to be duplicated. His passing came as a shock to me here in NZ where the news has just come through via Dr John Copland. Can I say that as Patrol Officer stationed at Kukipi in the early sixties I came to know Mekere's splendid father - a quiet mannered LMS Pastor based in Iokea West of Kukipi. Mekere's qualities were shining even then and he went off to Sogeri in keeping with Hasluck's policy. I later (in 1965) interviewed him for entry into the public service - a stepping stone to the University which was just opening and for which he became a foundation student. I always valued my association with him, the sage advice he provided me as he progressed through to the heights of Finance and the Treasury. I always considered that where there was a Mekere, there was hope. Your eulogy has shaken that fond belief, but I can only hope that some of his principles and qualities have rubbed off on others.im

On 19 Jan 2021 the Chairman of the ICSID Administrative Council announced the appointment of Mr Joseph Tirado as President of the Commission for the Barrick (Niugini) – Papua New Guinea conciliation hearings. Mr Tirado was appointed by the ICSID Chairman in accordance with Article 30 of the ICSID Convention. Mr Tirado (British/Spanish) is well-known as an experienced arbitrator and for his expertise with ADR. Barrick (Niugini) is represented by the New York law firm Debevoise & Plimpton. Papua New Guinea has not to date nominated a legal representative. The appointment of Mr Tirado as President of the Commission by the ICSID Chairman follows from the absence of a response by Papua New Guinea to ICSID Administrative Council requests. ICSID registered a separate request by Barrick (PD) Australia for an arbitration on 11 Aug 2020. Barrick (PD) has appointed Mr D. Brian King (U.S.) as arbitrator. ICSID notified Papua New Guinea of Mr King’s acceptance on 28 Dec 2020. If Papua New Guinea does not, within a short span of time, choose and nominate an arbitrator, Barrick (PD) may request the Chairman of the ICSID Administrative Council to appoint an arbitrator for Papua New Guinea. In the event that Papua New Guinea does not comply with its ICSID obligations the Conciliation and the Arbitral Commissions will meet and report. The Arbitral Commission, which may make orders for discovery, will use such evidence as is made available to it as the basis for its conclusions. Vailala

Thanks Stephen and good observation Bob. A point worth making is that the Covid crisis put many developing nations in considerable economic strife. The quick disbursement of additional aid from Australia to its neighbors during natural disasters is consistent with past practice. The additional aid on Covid-support was both warranted and is in the national interest. Australia cannot be Covid-free without the neighbors being in a similar position, a fact known to most Aussies!

We are an new registered company Recruitment Agent in PNG (Central Workers Recruitment Agent) we have a lot of interested Workers we need assistance in finding farmers for work. Would really appreciate your help.

I note that you don't mention the Rudd government which did not start by cutting the aid budget but by implementing its pre-election commitment to increase it substantially.

Thanks for highlighting the dental problems in PNG. Hope some media awareness would help.

It's a vexed problem isn't it! We all have an innate desire to form groups and plan together, but from the footy club to the UN it's another thing entirely to follow through without being distracted by the next big thing. The way ahead needs to be grounded and to appear sufficiently achievable if it is going to work out. But the best plans will also have a measure of inspiration. When I read this article yesterday I was frustrated that it seemed to be saying 'why bother'? Looking again today I think that its intention is to be more constructive than that, saying that any plan needs to get practical. I agree, but I think that the article misses the importance of inspiration. The Pacific Plan has been criticised as being overly technocratic. The Framework for Pacific Regionalism seems to have been overtaken. It implemented some tantalising consultation processes but may have lacked both inspiration and a plan for grounded implementation. Perhaps the Blue Pacific has that inspirational component that the others lacked, which is why it has shouldered the Framework to one side. The Pacific as the Ocean Continent speaks to Pacific identities and values in ways that the earlier initiatives did not, which may create stronger imperatives for longer term collaboration and the survival of the idea. It is interesting to read the piece by Eerishika Pankaj that was published on the Lowy Institute blog this week (https://t.co/E4bp5hWxsX) which explores the relationship between the Blue Pacific and the 'Quad'. It's a useful indication of the weight that the Blue Pacific concept can have, both in the region and beyond. Hopefully that can transcend the shortcomings of any individual strategy. The Blue Pacific is too compelling an idea.

Key benefits of multilateral organisations are that they provide opportunities to build communities among their members and for members to exchange views and learn from each other. All such organisations, however, struggle with the detail of how to construct opportunities for these benefits to occur. Rather than look at the limited outcomes of these efforts, it might be more interesting to look at the benefits of the processes and the underlying convergences they can build, which are particularly important for small isolated island states. Are there better processes tied to more specific outcomes that can be built? There probably are, although I’m a bit sceptical of always seeking very specific outcomes for every long term strategic discussion. Driving towards specific outcomes is a different sort of discussion and process.