Comments

From Alex Erskine on Smoke and mirrors: understanding the rise of medical marijuana as a ‘treatment’ for diabetes in Vanuatu
A horrific story for people with diabetes. Massive failure of governance processes.
From Phillip Glanville on PNG: some reform suggestions
I don't know when economists are going to stop treating PNG as a developed nation! I pray that it is soon.
From Geraldine Wambo on Poor governance in the Pacific: the forgotten issue
Very informative
From Jonas de Deus on Reflections on the twentieth anniversary of Timor-Leste’s independence referendum
Together we can bring our nation to the better life. Thank you for sharing your story in the past. It’s really emotional.
From Joe Roach on The potential for anti-corruption reform in PNG’s public sector
Grant, I keep an occasional eye on PNG related matters and especially financial management and corruption. I was the senior (Aust) adviser to the PNG Dept of Finance 2013-14 - an eye opening experience. The problems are entrenched, intractable, pervasive. I think there are some things western influencers can do better, but in partnership with PNG nationals. Let me know if you would like to discuss.
From Emma on Reflections on the twentieth anniversary of Timor-Leste’s independence referendum
Parabens... inspiring story
From Jerry Wana on Community-driven development: a field perspective on possibilities and limitations
Thank you very much for sharing your information. I am also working as what you have done. My organization name is Sepik Wetlands Management Initiative Inc. For more information go to UNDP website Small Grand Project. Also on WWF World Wide Fund.
From Michael NENZEPA on The internal brain drain: foreign aid, hiring practices, and international migration
My name is Michael Nenzepa. I am over 60 years old and I have tried all odds to help our youth to become better citizens by getting them to work in Australian farms under the Pacific Seasonal Worker Programme. I had arranged a few youth using my own funds and send two youth down to Gatton and rotate them over last 3 years. I need funding and government support now to continue. I hand pick hard working youth who will work hard, save money and come back home and enrich themselves.
From Manas Sukumara Panicker on PNG’s China and Australia loan requests
Given the bilateral trade between Australia and PNG is a bit more than $6 billion, what is hard about rescuing its Pacific neighbour with a $10 billion soft loan? At the end of the day, it would still be good for Australia, as they can keep China in a distance and flourish on their $16 billion investment RoI.
From Jason Kapram Pandum on The Bougainville referendum: James Marape’s biggest challenge or biggest opportunity?
If Bougainville does gain independence, then who will be working in the government and the private sectors? Who will be moving Bougainville's economy? Where is the human resource, ladies and gentlemen? The supposedly productive age group of Bougainvilleans between 25-50 are illiterate because they grew up during the crisis and never went to school. Most of them even took part in the fighting. This group of people, especially men, are only contributing to social disorder in Bougainville. There's no one to build Bougainville up as yet, ladies and gentlemen. If the ABG is serious about independence, they should build more schools, educate their children and allow this lost generation to pass out before they can gain independence from PNG. Otherwise, Bougainville will be another South Sudan. So for humanitarian sake, the Prime Minister of PNG must not let Bougainville go as yet. It is suicide if he does so!
From Peter Snell on Australia should apologise to Timor-Leste
I get denied my pension. I worked and paid for over 47 years due to spending "too much time" volunteering on community projects in Timor-Leste. Centrelink prefer to regard it as "living" in Timor Leste... I always fly out of Australia with a 6 month return ticket. Need more people volunteering not less.
From Jamie Tanguay on The opportunity for a wellbeing focus in the Pacific
The 2006 HPI from NEF was a milestone in the journey beyond GDP in that it drew critical attention to the non-income contributing factors of well-being. Vanuatu is committed to collecting high quality SWB statistics as regularly as possible, and part of that is due to the local attention that arose following the 2006 HPI publication. In full agreement with your thoughtful comment, I also believe that the importance of the HPI is not in the comparisons, but rather in where the light is shined and how that helps build policy with improved purpose.
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