Duncan Gabi

Papua New Guinea’s co-operative movement is not young. It traces back to the 1940s, boomed under colonial administration with more than 500 societies by the 1970s, and has had a legal framework in place for most of the last 80 years. Yet today, despite roughly 8,310 registered co-operatives and over 355,000 members, the sector remains financially marginal. Commercial banks routinely decline to…

In August 1974, the Constitutional Planning Committee delivered its Final Report to the pre-independence House of Assembly, a document drafted after two years of village consultations across the country. Chaired by John Momis, the Committee was blunt about what independence should not become: a continuation of “the colonial approach to development,” which relied on foreign companies to “invest,…

In 1972, as Papua New Guinea prepared for self-government, its first Chief Minister Michael Somare tabled a document that would become the moral compass of the new state’s economic policy. The Eight Point Plan promised something rare among newly independent states: development on Papua New Guinea’s own terms, driven by its own people rather than dictated by foreign capital. It called for local…

The National Parliament has made history by passing the Papua New Guinea University of Medicine and Health Sciences Bill 2025, with unanimous support (76–0). The new university, expected to be fully operational by 2030, will be the country’s first dedicated medical university, taking over the functions of UPNG’s School of Medicine and Health Sciences. Prime Minister James Marape hailed the move…

Papua New Guinea (PNG) and Australia have agreed on the text of a Mutual Defence Treaty, the Pukpuk Treaty. Once signed after following Cabinet processes in both countries, it will elevate their long-standing defence relationship into a formal alliance, committing both countries to treat an armed attack on either as a threat to both. Named after the Tok Pisin word for “crocodile,” the treaty…

By Dr Lino TomSo we will have to cross over alone….finally! Rest In Peace Sir Julius Chan. The nation will cherish and celebrate your legacy as “The Last Man Standing” and a founding father of our beloved nation and for the myriad of contributions you have made to the birth and growth of this nation! On behalf of the people of Wabag, I extend our Sincere condolences to his dear family,…

****Today, Finschhafen MP and PANGU Party Leader Rainbo Paita and Menyamya MP Solen Loifa were sworn in as Minister and Vice Minister assisting the Prime Minister on special projects. Prime Minister James Marape highlighted that with Paita’s inclusion, the cabinet is now at full capacity with 39 members. While the Prime Minister plans to review ministerial performances in the coming weeks, this…

By Dr Lino Tom WABAG MPNot one PM ascends with evil intentions. They all ascend with noble aspirations, only to be swarmed, strangulated, choked and drowned by the corrupt politics and its devious creatures that inhabit the Waigani Political and Bureaucratic swamps. You have to decide between “SURVIVAL” and therefore, longevity, or “DECISIVENESS” and the possibility of earlier deposition, but…

By Hon. Allan Bird MPFor those who are critical of Hon Paita, let me just say he did what must be done.I knew that I didn’t have the support to be PM when I was nominated. My chances were probably less than 2%.Our only hope was if government breaks and provides the numbers. Hence Hon Paita and his team were very important to our cause of changing the direction our country was going in.If…

By Hon. Peter O’Neill MPThe 2024 Mid-year Economic and Fiscal Outlook delivered this week by Government tells a sad story of our nation crippled by debt and suffering badly under the economic interference of Marape. There are perhaps many reasons why the MYEFO was not provided to the public in July or August as required by law and instead lumped in just ahead of the Budget but none more striking…

Prime Minuster’s Media Unit Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea; Friday, 15 October 2024: Prime Minister Hon. James Marape has announced the return of 14 members of the Opposition led by Member for Finschhafen Hon. Renbo Paita, welcoming them back into his Marape-Rosso Pangu-led coalition government. Prime Minister Marape commended Mr Paita and the 14 members of Our Party for forming their own party…

By Hon Allan Bird- MPAt the outset let me congratulate NSO for an excellent job of releasing the 2023 GDP Accounts on time. This must be a record of some sort.Thank you NSO for confirming what many of us have been saying for a number of years and exposing the real economic situation that our people are hurting from.Government ministers are going to point to the above graph as evidence of how well…

By Hon Allan Bird MP Early this week I shared a graph produced by NSO showing the growing gap between Nominal GDP and Real GDP under the Marape government to explain why our cost of living is escalating.Here is another graph by NSO showing the period 2010-2017 when the NA government under GC Somare managed to achieve the opposite of the Marape government. Around 2015 we see the gap beginning to…

By Hon. Allan Bird Another very worrying graph from the NSO. This confirms very clearly that things are getting worse, not better. This is a very strong argument for a Hard Reset. PNG needs a change in direction and management style.A decline of 9% in Real per capita GDP indicates that our citizens are worse off now then they were 5 years ago. Something every PNGan already knows too well and…

By Hon. Allan Bird East Sepik Provincial MPSeeing the escalation in organized armed conflict in our Upper Highlands provinces this past decade should concern all PNGans.First of all, how are ordinary villagers with no income able to afford such high powered firearms in a country where guns have been banned for 30 years now?One AR15 costs at least K75,000 on the black market. An SLR the same. A…

Hon. Peter O’Neill, CMG, MPMember for Ialibu-Pangia Statement to the Public31st October 2024Approved for ReleaseRestraining Order imposed by Court as Reported by Post Courier“I have just sighted a restraining order that Post Courier have published online, although I have yet to be formally served.”“The allegations stated by my former partner Lynda Babao are untrue, but I will respect the Court…

By Lynda Babao For 25 years I have been married to Peter O”Neill, as he declared to the Ombudsman Commission each and every year. I have silently endured constant abuse in many forms during my marriage with Peter O’Neill and am filing for divorce.  Unfortunately, my situation is not uncommon.  Although there is significant societal pressure to remain and suffer, I have come to the realisation…