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Why is the PNG government ignorant in investing in green waste technology? Why won't a technologically competitive firm that is environmentally concerned manage waste disposal? Such firms would turn trash to cash and protect the environment!

Informative thank you!

I believe that its the mind set that makes the differences due to the hostility that our country had went through and has experienced those hard times. This has had impact the way our forefathers think which has been passed to our younger generations. I would rather agree that PNG is largely comprises of Melanesia and Polynesia and perhaps few Micronesia. That is the fact. Perhaps, environmental factors (land mass), politic and social economic relations that we have are quite different which is affecting us in many ways, and off course developing withing individuals a different view of seeing things. That is why we have different mind sets to see things either in politics or in other areas of live. I think the work Pasifika in reality might have a totally different meaning to those who have started to initiate this name. They might have the intense of inclusive of Small Island States(excluding Australia and New Zealand), but in reality its either other Melanesian who distance themselves from the group, or the other.

very informative commentary. Thank you Micheal

Thanks for this very informative, and succinct, post Stephen. My guess is that the first two issues, i.e. those relating to aid and refugees, are hardly vote grabbing issues for the public. So not surprising that the campaign thus far has swept both these issues under the carpet. It is the next national budget that will 'reveal the money' dedicated to these priorities. And if the economy decelerates then we will see cuts in both aid and the refugee intake.

Hi Henry, you have documented the recent developments well. I'm wondering whether one of the "posts" that gave way might be the reduction of DSIP/PSIP funds from K10 million for open MPs and K5 million x number of open electorates for the governors, to about K2 million. The court ruled the amendments that reduced sitting days, numbers required to sign the motion, etc in 2015, but it took another four years for MPs to leave PNC in large numbers. In previous years MPs such as Basil, Juffa, and Namah accused government of withinholding their funds, and also using it to attract and maintain large numbers in the government coalition. These funds have greatly diminished.

Solid waste management is truly a concern in these two cities and other centers as well. Really uncontrolled waste disposal is becoming a norm in everywhere and Port Moresby is already being affected by this.

My opinion is, the Supreme Court will rule even section 63 of OLIPPAC as unconstitutional. Remember in 2010, it ruled that sections preventing MPs from voting against their party's position in parliament, or voting against the PM in a vote of no confidence having supported him after election, as unconstitutional. I guess the only reason why section 63 of OLIPPAC (which states that only party with majority after elections can form the government) is still active is because it was not one of the provisions raised for interpretation by the Supreme Court in 2010. Had it been raised, it would have been ruled unconstitutional together with the other provisions that were ruled unconstitutional. In it's ruling, the Supreme Court stated that such restrictions takes away citizen's fundamental rights under section 50 of the Constitution. Preventing individual MPs or party with small numbers does the same thing too. With this precedence set, section 63 may be ruled the same way. If another amendment is made, as you suggest, that can be contested in court.

Am thinking now that PM has advised the new Attorney General to review the OLIPAC. They may amend it to favor the PNC rulling party. By way of adding a new section similar to section 63 but for VONC, must comes from a party with large numbers. PM has passed so many controversial laws in his term than any other government in history to favor his Government.

I'm curious to know your definition of Pasifika Martyn? You allude to it in your text, but do you know the origin of this term and how it's use came about? There are many labels for nations and regions in Oceania that are not of our languages or ways of identifying. I'm with Epeli - "we have to search for appropriate names for common identities. That are more accomodating, inclusive and flexible than what we have today." Yes Pasifika may not be relevant for people from the Highlands region of Papua New Guinea, particularly when the origin of Pasifika evolved largely from the Samoan and Tongan diaspora who migrated to Aotearoa and chose to identify themselves as Pasefika / Pasifika. Did the people of Papua New Guinea choose this name for themselves as their country or did our colonisers? What about Melanesia? An anthropological term which has derogatory racial connotations. What I admire about Pasifika nations is that most of the names of their Island States are of their own or closely related languages; Samoa, Tonga, Tokelau, Niue, Viti (Fiji) Hawaii, Rapa Nui, Kiribati, Tuvalu, Tahiti etc. I vividly remember being in utter disbelief when my Tolai mother told me that the name of the island I was born on was called New Britain! It's great that a 'Pasifika' party has sparked your questioning about nationhood and regional identity. I think it's important to seriously consider and question the validity of continuing to have colonial associations and history associated with name of Papua New Guinea. Fossil fuel extraction and exploitation economy days are numbered. How will PNG's economy survive then and support it's people? Your tone in this article reeks of privilege and lacks empathy toward fellow Papua New Guinean's who have already been impacted by climate change in the Carteret Islands, who relocated to mainland Bougainville over 10 years ago, with no financial aid from the PNG government. In regards to that Pasifika party in Goroka, maybe those who attended weren't in a privileged position such as yourself to own a sulu or any other Pasifika clothing. Maybe that was the reason you won the prize?

Nice article, Michelle, especially on power shifts in the southern Highlands. As you rightly say the ‘seeming political volatility in earlier years may have been an important mechanism in preventing power from becoming entrenched in the hands of a few big men’.

In my mind I keep thinking about Vietnam and Papua New Guinea (PNG). I ask myself how is it that Vietnam went through a shocking war in the 1960s through to the 1970s and yet she is way ahead in economic development (or is she?) and appears to be politically (as in governance) stable (or is she?). Papua New Guinea on the other hand has not been through a shocking war and yet is no where as advanced as Vietnam. What is it? Why is this so? Does the progress of Vietnam from shocking bombings, gorilla warfare to where she is today have more to do with the people of Vietnam (once thoroughly colonized and for a much longer period than Papua New Guinea) who are industrious and more used to just chipping away at getting ahead than some of the people of Papua New Guinea? I would really appreciate an article (or a series of articles) that looks at both Papua New Guinea and Vietnam - look at both these countries critically and without being politically correct to one or the other. I read too many articles on Papua New Guinea as coming out screaming of political correctness (PC). For the sake of Papua New Guinea be truthful and cut out the PC. Also include looking critically at both indigenous societies. If local cultures of both societies have to come in for critical examination, do so. No PC. PNG is now 40 plus years old. Surely, we should be further in Development than we are today? What are the real issues keeping PNG down? If foreign corporations and individual business people have to be critically examined, do so. Mercilessly. Does Vietnam face the same massive corruption issues as PNG? If not, why not. If so, how does she handle this? How does Vietnam handle Development and foreign corporations who almost always use the international market fluctuations as an excuse for low prices for a commodity once the corporation has got its tax free profit contracts in place from the host country? As I see it, PNG has major problems but briefly the 4 major ones are: 1. Gross political corruption coupled with lack of good and honorable governance (both formal and informal), 2. Large corporations taking profits out of the country during their tax free honeymoon period, 3. the lack of an industrious culture within communities and 4. Constitutionally and culturally locked-in landownership. Too simple? Probably. Then someone in the Australian National University (they are the ones that do most of the writing with huge doses of PC) or UPNG should get her/his act together and throw some intelligent light on these issues - most particularly for PNG's sake. Australia should be glad of one important point:- PNG has not had a bloody political revolution in the streets. This is something that a lot of Australians said would happen within a few years of PNG Independence. Well it hasn't happened. Thank goodness for PNG's intelligence, this happens through the VONC.