Comments

Great initiative! Really important to see this connection between menstrual hygiene initiatives, reproductive health services and family planning education as well. Anyone who has ever had the extra burden of (non-technical term here...) 'nightmare periods' (i.e. women living with PCOS or endometriosis, for example) in particular would feel empathy for women and girls in this position without access to healthcare, information, products or facilities. Without education and healthcare access, women experiencing problematic periods might not know that they are a symptom of a bigger problem, or something that can sometimes be better managed (i.e. through the use of birth control) -- this 'grin and bear it' approach still happens in developed countries as well, and these conditions definitely impact on school/work attendance. So the connection makes a lot of sense for so many reasons. Also I find it really sad that many girls haven't had any education about menstruation prior to menarche. I mean, I would have been terrified if I didn't know that was supposed to happen, right? So important that SRH education and information is made available -- we live in these bodies, we should be empowered to understand them and make informed decisions about them.

It has been a life long wish to visit the Solomon's. While there is still hope, my time is running out. My great uncle Victor was lost in the Solomon's in, I believe, 1918. His full name, Victor Frederick Augustus Giraud. He was turned down for the military because of poor health he ended up working in the islands. I have his last 3 letters (typewritten copies)sent from the Solomon's, employed with supplying copra and wheat for the war effort. His letters, while having much written on our family, include much on the situation and hardships on the islands. They are very interesting letters, a good read and can be passed on to you. What I am really asking, is if there is any information on his time in the Solomon's and his disappearance. Any effort toward this cause would be greatfully compensated. Byng Giraud

Inequality and immigration is a problem faced in any country of this world and it will hardly have a happy ending.

Hi Professor Howes, Thanks for following up on my question to you (after Andrew Leigh's lecture on 20/4) about the relevance of Acemoglou's theories to China's & Singapore's development in this blog. It's been great exploring this stuff with you & A. Prof. Golley @ Crawford. I'm sad to have had the final lecture of my Masters of Public Policy there today - it was the only year* of my 23 in formal education that I really enjoyed! Thanks :o) (* more accurately, 4 yr part time)

Very eloquent and inspiring. Thank you Lucas for your contribution.

i require post poll verdict in karema region in png

It would be useful to also bring investors/fund managers on board with this push. Country-by-country-reporting and the disclosures that EITI calls for would help reduce the risk of negative surprises for investors. It would make for a better informed market.

Thank you Bal. There is no quick fix solution to addressing the issue you have highlighted. As you know such developments have their tentacles stretched out right to the top echelon of power in PNG. Unless and until there is political drive and will we can only watch as this nation plunder under the control of foreigners. At some stage there were signs of it but somehow it has faded with time so to speak. If I can correctly recall a special taskforce operating under what was termed as "Operesen Rausim Alien" some years back were on the trail arresting and deporting illegal foreigners however that somehow vanished with not a single report been furnished on the operation. Inaddition, the SME Policy and Masterplan does set out parameters to safe guard PNG owned micro-enterprises however the challenge will always be about implementation. For instance, SME policy has not been allocated any funding interms of activities in 2017 budget and it is highly likely that this trend will continue in the 2018 and 2019 budget due to the APEC where a large chuck of government funding will be exhausted. Yet this should not stop relevant agencies from putting in place relevant mechanism to addressing this sorts of issues. SME Corporation (The government lead agency to implement the SME Policy and Masterplan) and the Ministry of Commerce, Trade & Commerce working in partnership with the Department of Community Development & Religion should look at setting up a working committee to look into addressing this issue. Key to this working committee should be the engagement of Department of Labour & Industrial Relations, Department of Immigration, Customs and IPA to ensure compliance and control. Right now foreign entities are taking up business space that should have been "reserved for Papua New Guineans".

Thanks for the summary - very useful!

Right on point Bri! The potential for mischief cannot be underestimated.

Hi Allan, I am not sure what you mean in terms of the issue but it did evidence tolerance which is a positive thing as argued in the article. A Head of State often has a limited role with even lesser influence on the process of constitutional amendment.

Thank you Busa for an important contribution. Meaningful investment into the informal economy can have significant influence. Recently though, there are reports of foreign nationals also participating in the informal economy i.e. running trade stores, selling road side goods etc. Maybe as a result of the unregulated informal sector. Wonder if this should be of concern.