Comments

Thank you for your incredibly helpful comment, Michael. A lot to think about indeed.

Much food for thought Michael. Thanks for these comments.

This seems a very worthwhile suggestion. For so long as there is no more money in the aid program we need to concentrate on maximising the benefit of what we spend.

Hi Statish & Ryan, the idea you propose may be the better alternative. Exchanging teachers, and training teachers in Australia. At present, PNG’s National High Schools (Four schools) takes the cream of PNG’s Grade 10 students after exams to continue to grades 11-12. Many of these students come from rural areas. This leaves the second best to continue studying at their respective high schools/secondary schools. PSSSP will most likely take students who would have come to these National High Schools, which means second best will continue at National High schools, leaving the third best for the schools providing students for PSSSP and National High Schools of PNG. Martyrs Secondary School in Oro Province has similar arrangements with sister school in Melbourne, Melbourne Grammar, where two of the best Grade 10 students from Martyrs are sent to Melbourne. They repeat year 10, and proceed to year 11 and 12. However they are required to return to PNG as the scholarship only covers secondary schooling years. Most of these students had problems getting into PNG universities because selections for tertiary institutions in PNG are concluded before results of these students studying in Australia are ready. Unless students studying under PSSSP all continue on to Australian universities, they will face the same problems as those experienced by Martyrs Secondary students. Taking away the best students from rural areas is clearly not in PNG’s best interest. Training PNG (and the Pacific) teachers, and exchanging high school teachers benefits many students. PSSP only benefits a select few. But you have to look at the goal of Australian government. PSSSP is not necessarily aimed at improving the Pacific’s high schools, its aimed at maintaining a positive outlook towards Australia (possibly part of countering Chinese).

I can see the point and the need to present more value proposition of development for governments and donors but talking diplomats on development by illustrating the benefits for their security agenda will end up allocating budgets for development interventions that serve the donor's country but not necessarily produce interventions that address the local communities need. What is presented above undermine the participatory approach therefore it isn't sufficient and requires the employment of ethical criteria to ensure prioritisation of local needs whilst motivating diplomats to commit to development.

Children should fear punishment in school. A good paddle on the behind has not hurt anyone. If children were disciplined well in grade school we would not see these older kids so disrespectful. So spank them and spank them soundly.

Am with you on this particular point. PMJM only needs smart thinkers to deliver for him. We are done with laissez-faire & liberalism, it's time to face challenges of digitisation.

Solomon’s $100bn loans scandal: It hasn’t taken long for things to take a rather dramatic turn: to revisit the issue and my earlier observations, it’s risky to make far-reaching conclusions on a limited set of data bound by time; ‘debt is not static; some Pacific Island governments quite unpredictable and defy norms, and the situation can change in a blink - and so it has come to pass, it seems, with the Solomons changing allegiance from Taiwan to China, and seeking 100bn loan from ever-willing lenders, or so it seems from the following report. As I had mentioned, ‘China in the Pacific is a complex, multi-faceted, evolving phenomena not easy to keep abreast of, or fully comprehend.’ It’ll be interesting to see how this far-fetched sounding scheme unfolds now that the cat is out of the bag. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-solomonislands/solomon-islands-seeks-100-billion-loan-from-chinese-interests-documents-idUSKBN20F12I

Thank you Michael for this excellent piece. 1. It's quite difficult to understand politics in PNG. MPs in PNG find it very difficult to move from the government to opposition but very easy to move from opposition to the government which justifies your previous blog post about politics in PNG being fluid. For instance, just this week, Peter Numu, governor for Eastern Highlands moved to join the government from the opposition and Peter O'Neill to the opposition but Mr O'Neill insist to remain in the government. PM Marape, on emtv when welcoming Peter Numu, he said, "we are trading old Peter for a new Peter". This sounds hilarious but that's how PNG politics works. What matters is NOT the 'Rule of Law' but political party policy platforms. What MPs are doing is like they are literally tearing the constitution in front of the eight million citizens. It's more or less like Donald Trump's Senate Impeachment trial, his acquittal and his third State of the Union address which ended with Nancy Pelosi literally tearing Trump's speech in front of the congress and the world. 2. Political party policies matters. Your conclusion is inevitably likely to happen after the eighteen-month grace period for the election of prime minister because last year's VONC, the speaker Job Pomat obviously wanted O'Neill to retain the PM seat and in doing so, he ended up becoming a law professor turning the parliament's chamber into a lecture room with 110 law students to explain the Standing Orders of the parliament instead of running the election. So Speaker being the deputy leader of PNC, it is indeed likely to happen.

Theoretically your assumptions and opinions may work, however, our parliamentary processes have been tampered with when Peter O'Neill removed Sir Michael Somare and installed himself as the prime minister. This action by O'Neill forever questioned the power of parliamentary processes and also strength of the separation of powers. In an ideal democracy (there is none), this works. Experience has taught us that the Papua New Guinea democracy and parliamentary system including the judiciary do not work together as many assume and this is fine because of their separation of powers. There will be no supreme court reference, no vote of confidence and whatever, until, we go to elections in 2022.

Thanks bro Michael Kabuni for this comprehensive and insightful assessment of the major political challenges looming ahead for the James Marape-Davis Steven's coalition government. I, indeed think that James Marape's election will be nullified by the Supreme Court and the same will hold through for the appointment of Beldah Namah as Opposition Leader. This paves the way for Political Parties to hold Caucus meetings to muse over their alternate candidate for Prime Minister. It is my established political prediction that James Marape, Sam Basil, or Charles ABEL, MP, possible candidates for the post of Prime Minister.

Dear Michael Kabuni, thank you for this excellent political insight into the three prevailing political challenges that now looms large for the Marape-Steven Government Coalition Government. Firstly, in terms of the political math's on the floor of Parliament. I think that James Marape as Parliamentary Leader of the Pangu Pati still has the numbers to re-elect James Marape as Prime Minister if the Supreme Court Case seeking a Judicial Interpretation of Parliamentary Standing Orders in the election of James Marape as Prime Minister when another Prime Ministerial candidate - Peter O'Neill, CMG, MP withdrew his candidacy at the 11th hour after nominations had closed which is unconstitutional. Importantly, Prime Minister Honorable James Marape has over the last couple of days made statements to the effect that he had communicated with his Australian counterpart, Scott Morrison, regarding the recent political furor over allegations that William Duma has been involved in scandalous dealings in Australia. I think right now, Honorable James Marape needs William Duma's eight MP's to help bolster the Pangu Pati numbers currently in Government in a effort to maintain consistency and continuity of the Pangu Pati led coalition Government. How Hon. James Marape is going to achieve that remains to be seen. However, the Supreme Court case in the election of James Marape, the appointment of Beldah Namah, as opposition leader. If successful, which, I think they will be given that the Supreme Court has already dismissed Patrick Pruaitch's request to have the case withdrawn. This sends an important signal that the integrity of the political process when it comes to the election of a Prime Minister and the appointment of an Opposition Leader on the floor of Parliament is being brought into disrepute and undermines the moral spirit and letter of political process in the election of a Prime Minister. Hence, it is my political prediction that yes the Supreme Court will nullify James Marape's election as Prime Minister. This will leave it wide open for all political parties to immediately call for their political party's Caucus meetings. Similarly, the Supreme Court will also nullify Beldah Namah's appointment as Opposition Leader. This will leave his position vacant for a new Opposition Leader to be elected on the floor of Parliament. Hence, I therefore feel that whoever understands the political maths and has sufficient influence and the popular vote among MPs will immediately be nominated as a candidate for the position of Prime Minister. Who are the likely candidates for Prime Minister? I believe that this would be James Marape, Richard Maru, Sam Basil, and Charles Abel, MP,