Comments

Well articulated! If the government is serious on banning betel nut selling in the city. It must come up with a proper policy framework to solve this issue. Since, most of the people living in the city (Port Moresby) are unemployed and living in the settlements they usually make their living by selling betel nuts etc. The government must build proper market and set a location for them to sell their products.

Thanks for information about PNG election Update on referendum in arob.

Excellent writing. Speaks mind of all visited Funafuti.

Now i can see light flickering at the end of the tunnel. Thanks doc.

A well-articulated masterpiece, thanks doctor.

Our fear is for another civil unrest, because this mark is history that will not be let gone. So, Bougainvilleans will not easily accept higher autonomy. Every new nation begins with a struggle, so give our people a chance to break away. How will the PNG Government serve Bougainville if it's operating on huge deficit? Let Bougainville to have Independence and we sort out ourselfs.

Thank-you Fiona and Miranda. Can you give a name, identity and recognition (credit where credit is due) to the local peacebuilding (and EVAW) NGO which has worked doggedly and consistently training and networking Human Rights Defenders and sending local police and other key actors to Fiji (FWCC) for training in a gender responsive and rights-based response - as part of their successful rapid response initiative. I assume you are talking about Voice for Change (mentioned in the photo caption) and the heroic and hardworking women who founded that organisation and have progressively built their program and empowered local actors, since 2003. Their story is an important one for us to learn from, as are the stories of KWP and Kafe Women. Training and holding local police and magistrates accountable is an important element of these stories.

Hi JK Domyal, Thanks for your comments. Always an interesting read. Looking forward to insightful updates. Cheers.

Nice blog Raphael. Personally, I'd very much like to see betel nut consumption, together with lime and mustard, completely eradicated. I agree with Michael above, policies have focused on addressing the supply side of either betel nut, or it's dubbish, and not too much addressing the demand of betel nut. My observation of the decrease in smoking in Australia among generations Y and Z, tell us decreasing demand for betel nut is possible. Knowledge of the adverse health effects, coupled with the view it is a revolting habit, seems to have shifted tastes of Australia's younger demographic. Maybe it's a question of when education and incomes reach higher levels, that tastes change in the direction of more hygienic, healthier choices.

Thanks Michelle for the discussion. Thanks again for raising these 4 points above as it will be the business for this Marabe Davis government. Being a politician is not the same as being a leader of a political party. If Marabe becomes the leader of Pangu (he assumed the leadership now), my take is that he would not live beyond 2022 (I will explain the reason later). If Marabe becomes the leader of PNC, he would have a stiff challenge trying to keep PNC dominance in PNG (I will explain the reason later). As a young aspiring politician, though PNG is big and diverse, there is just one or two things that Marabe could do to develop himself as the next generation of a great leader and no one would remove him for the next 15-20 years as PM, mark my word. I will not explain it here, but leave it open for an intellectual discussion in this forum, I would do it in another time not now.

In my commentary above (second paragraph), I made a mention of Pangu leadership, today's news paper has confirmed my assertion that PM Marabe assumed the Pangu leadership. This could create more movement to the balance of power or the emergence of political risks as I alluded to in my subsequent paragraphs above. Stay tune and I will continue to provide the updates.

An update immediately post the replenishment: It looks like the Global Fund was successful in hitting its $US14 billion target. Actually they fell $US80 million short, but Macron, Gates and Bono have promised the fundraise the difference. Australia contributed $A242, an increase of exactly 10%. Apparently, Marcon called Morrison and got him to up Australia's increase from 7% to 10%. In terms of making a proportional contribution, a 10% increase is better than a 7% one which is better than no increase at all. But 10% is still below the 16% average increase secured by the Fund. And there is also the question of where Australia's extra funding for the Global Fund will come from given forward estimates showing no increases in aid in the aggregate. Will total aid be increased, or will country programs such as Pakistan be further cut?