357 days to go

357 Days To Go Before the Pacific Games on July 4, 2015: Driving past Gordon Market this afternoon, while taking my kids out shopping, we came across smelly sewerage openly pouring out onto the road between the market and Gordon Police Barracks, something we thought had long been attended to.

358 days to go

358 Days To Go Before the 2015 Pacific Games on July 4:  2015:Walking to Waigani yesterday, I come across the drain which flows into the Sir John Guise Stadium - main venue of the 2015 Pacific Games - which reeks of smelly sewerage and is chock-a-block with plastic and other trash. 

Are we going to leave this till the last minute?

Abe reinforces Pacific relations as China seeks island toeholds

By Makiko Yanada / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer 

 China’s maritime expansion goes far beyond repeated intrusions into Japanese waters around the Senkaku Islands in Okinawa Prefecture and territorial disputes with the Philippines and Vietnam, as the nation has been reaching for Pacific island nations, which have thus far been under the influence of the United States, Australia and New Zealand.

The Yomiuri Shimbun

China has adopted an anti-access/area-denial (A2/AD) strategy against U.S. forces, in which it establishes a so-called first island chain that extends from Honshu to Okinawa, past Taiwan and on to the Philippines, and a second island chain that stretches from Guam to Papua New Guinea and Micronesia. Palau and other island countries can be found in between the first and second island chains.
For China, the Pacific island states are strategically vital as they offer anchorage sites for China’s warships in the vast Pacific Ocean. On the back of great capital resources, China has been trying to win over local governments of those countries through financial support for constructing government buildings and other public facilities.
Resource development by Chinese firms has also been promoted at a rapid rate in such countries. China also deepened military exchanges with Papua New Guinea and Fiji through reciprocal visits by high-ranking military officials and other actions.
Amid such a situation, relevant countries such as Japan, the United States and Australia feel an increasing sense of caution against China because, should the current situation continue, the Pacific Ocean could become the “sea of China.”
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe chose Papua New Guinea as one of his destinations during his first Oceania tour over strong concern regarding China’s expansion. At a summit meeting between Abe and Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O’Neill, scheduled for Thursday, they are expected to agree to bilateral cooperation mainly in the development of natural gas.

Abe also is seen to announce that Japan will provide support for building and improving infrastructure in the country through official development assistance programs.
Meanwhile, Australia and New Zealand have begun taking measures to strengthen maritime security cooperation by setting up a Pacific defense ministers’ meeting with Papua New Guinea and other countries last year, in addition to the Pacific Islands Forum, where leaders of Australia, New Zealand and 14 small island countries and territories meet.
The United States launched a fund to preserve the environments in Pacific island nations in March, while also gearing up support from the U.S. Coast Guard for maritime patrol activities by those island countries.

360 days to go

360 Days To Go Before the Pacific Games on July 4, 2015: Yesterday, I stopped outside SP Brewery, Gordon, to take pictures of the flags and banners for Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who visits PNG for two days starting today, when I came across this very public drain next to the bus stop spewing sewerage and full of trash.

The Melanesian Festival of Arts and Culture has been going on for the last two weeks and ends tomorrow.

PNG court dismisses police application to set aside Prime Minister Peter O'Neill's arrest warrant

By Liam Cochrane, PNG Correspondent
ABC
 

PNG District Court rules against a police move to have Prime Minister Peter O'Neill's arrest warrant set aside.

PNG's Acting Police Commissioner Geoffrey Vaki at a media conference last month. (Credit: ABC)

Papua New Guinea's District Court has dismissed an application by the Acting Police Commissioner to have the arrest warrant against Prime Minister Peter O'Neill set aside.

Audio: PNG Correspondent Liam Cochrane with the latest from Port Moresby's District Court (ABC News)

The decision follows the National Court ruling earlier this week to uphold the arrest warrant as well as legal action in the Supreme Court yesterday to appeal against that judgement - an action which has been adjourned to next Thursday.
It is more than two weeks since Prime Minister O'Neill was issued with an arrest warrant after the country's anti-corruption agency Taskforce Sweep accused him of authorising fraudulent government payments worth millions of kina to local law firm, Paraka Lawyers.
PNG Correspondent Liam Cochrane told Pacific Beat that Friday's District Court ruling was consistent with the earlier National Court decision to allow Mr O'Neill's arrest warrant to stand.
In making a decision on Acting Police Commissioner Geoffrey Vaki's application, the judge noted that it was the responsibility of the Police Force to execute the arrest warrant.
"Regular listeners will know from our previous conversations though, that there's very little chance of that happening," Liam Cochrane said.
"The current Police Commissioner Geoffrey Vaki has indicated he's not going to do that and in fact gave an undertaking to the Supreme Court [on Thursday] that he would not pursue the arrest of the Prime Minister."
With consistent decisions in the District Court and the National Court, it's now up to Thursday's appeal in the Supreme Court to make a further ruling, he says.
That appeal is by Mr O'Neill himself with his lawyers appealing against the National Court decision that the arrest warrant stands.
There are two more appeals against the National Court decision - one by the Finance Minister James Marape and also by the State.

Legal action by the Police fraud squad

Meanwhile the Police fraud squad has also been in court in Port Moresby, trying to get legal backing so they are not required to hand over the file relating to the corruption investigation into Prime Minister O'Neill.
"They don't want to hand it over to the new Police Commissioner, effectively," Liam Cochrane said.
"So it's an urgent application to stop that and the judge adjourned that until Tuesday next week to hear whether they will or will not be forced to hand over [the file]."

PNG PM Peter O'Neill says he'll respect court decision to allow police to pursue arrest warrant

ABC

Photo: Peter O'Neill says it is for it for all citizens to respect the court's decision. (AFP: Aman Sharma )

 

Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O'Neill says he will respect the court's decision to allow the police commissioner to pursue an arrest warrant against him.

In his ruling, Justice Ere Kariko said only in the clearest cases of abuse of police power should the court intervene in a police investigation.
He said in this case there was no such evidence of abuse of power.
At a media conference in Port Moresby on Tuesday, Mr O'Neill said it was for all citizens to respect that decision.
"I will respect the decisions of the Police Commissioner in the handling of any investigation," he said.
"All I have sought, as I am entitled to as is the right of any citizen, is to have an unbiased independent police investigations into any allegation.
"I have a duty to not allow bad precedent to be set for the future - by allowing a sitting Prime Minister to be arrested without clear and unbiased evidence of any wrongdoing."
Mr O'Neill was issued with an arrest warrant after the country's anti-corruption agency Taskforce Sweep accused him of authorising fraudulent government payments to a local law firm, Paraka Lawyers.
The recently-appointed acting police commissioner Geoffrey Vaki has not indicated whether he will arrest the man who gave him the job less than two weeks ago.
Mr O'Neill says he has told police he is ready to assist with proper and lawful police inquiries.
"This is the same approach adopted by leaders in our partner countries when they have been confronted by allegations," he said.
Mr O'Neill is continuing to deny any wrongdoing over the letter authorising payments, which he says is a forgery.
"I want to assure you without any qualification, that the letter did not originate from my office," he said.
The recently-sacked Police Prosecutor Thomas Eluh says he believes the evidence shows Mr O'Neill has a case to answer before the courts.
"The evidence is very overwhelming, it's very, very strong," he said.
"On the face of it, there is prima facie evidence for the prime minister and anyone else who is involved in this to come forward and be answerable to the law."

'Sad moment in our history'

Mr O'Neill has also criticised the former chairman of the now-disbanded Taskforce Sweep, Sam Koim, for speaking to foreign media.
Mr Koim last week told the ABC's 730 Australia should be keeping a close eye on any investigation as a large amount of its taxpayers' money has been used to develop Papua New Guinea.
Mr O'Neill says involving Australian aid in the discussion is "almost beyond belief".
"While never taken seriously, his demands would have caused hardship to small business and undermined medical and health programs in our nation," he said.
"The politicians and small group of police who colluded in this sad moment in our history should hang their heads in shame.
"They have put greed and ambition ahead of decency and fairness, and they have caused unnecessary tension within our community."

Puma Energy acquires InterOil’s downstream assets for US$525 million

By EnergyAsia on July 1, 2014 in Blog, Public Stories

 (EnergyAsia, July 1 2014, Tuesday) — Puma Energy, one of the world’s largest independent midstream and downstream companies, has acquired InterOil Corp’s oil refining and fuels marketing businesses in Papua New Guinea for US$525.6 million, the two companies have announced.

With the takeover of InterOil’s 28,000 b/d refinery in Port Moresby, a network of 52 retail service stations fuel terminals, 30 fuel depots and aviation facilities, Puma Energy said it will become Papua New Guinea’s main fuels supplier.

The Singapore-based firm said it plans to use its extensive experience in fuel storage, distribution and refining to link the Papua New Guinea fuel market with its global operations. It said it plans to retain InterOil staff and manage operations locally.

Puma Energy said it will fund the acquisition from its existing bank facilities and available cash on balance sheet.

CEO Pierre Eladari said: “We have been impressed by InterOil’s business, its strategic asset base, its customer portfolio and the quality of its management and people. There are many parallels between our global businesses and that of InterOil’s – in particular the importance of expertise in logistics, guaranteeing the reliable and secure supply of high quality fuels to our customers.

“We believe strongly in Papua New Guinea and its future growth prospects, and see many opportunities for continued investment in infrastructure and in the skills of our employees to build upon the historic success of InterOil’s business, and to position PNG as a strategic hub within our regional portfolio. This investment marks an important step in the execution of our regional strategy and offers considerable synergy with our developments in Australia and the broader Pacific region.”

InterOil said the sale, which followed an unsolicited approach from Puma Energy, will enable it to focus on its upstream and liquefied natural gas (LNG) businesses.

InterOil’s chief operating officer Jon Ozturgut said:

“For the past 10 years, the refinery and distribution businesses have contributed to InterOil’s business model and Papua New Guinea’s development.

“However, our upstream and LNG business has become core to the company’s growth and, as a result of the success we have had in discovering and monetising gas, the time is right to focus on this part of our business. The transaction immediately provides additional capital to fund our upstream and LNG