Be honest with yourself.
What's the biggest amount you won gambling at poker machines?
If you randomly do visual calculations, you have lost alot over time.
This is despite you concluding that it was just a minimum amount of K300 every fortnight.
You multiply that by 26 forts and you have lost quite a lot.
The wins in between if there were are still marginal because probability with these machines favour the owner.
Have you been violated by your wife or partner?
Do you want to share your story and challenge the status quo, change the narrative for a fair Papua New Guinea?
We got to speak out.
If we do not. Our sons will cop the biased shit in future.
Our law is not fair to males. It protects females.
As such females will do anything immoral to hurt you emotionally.
You can't react by inflicting any physical violence because they will report you to police and there is little police could do.
They will just have to arrest you because that's what the law says.
They will not hear ýour argument or justification that you reacted to an immoral act your wife did.
That is something you have to tell or inform your lawyer to argue in court.
With the current approach with law favouring females, in my strong opinion it is a recipe for social decay and promotion of immorality to be indulged in by females.
Why? They are confident that the law protects them from any physical reaction from men.
The law has not solved violence and is not promoting a happy healthy society that starts with building strong family institutions.
There's no more difficulties with you and me not owning a platform to publish our stories.
We don't need big printers and cameras and satellite for TV broadcast or transmitters for radio signals.
Here, your mobile phone and internet data connection is your platform.
You are reading this from a free blog site from blogger.
Just open a GMAIL account go to www.blogger.com and create your free blogspot.
Take pictures with your mobile phone, write any story that you want your blog to publish and publish.
You are on the roll.
Share your publications on social media and drive traffic.
You can earn money by activating Google Adsense.
Alternatively to earn higher income, you can liaise with companies to display their advertisement on your blog site.
They send the advert to you and you use Elfsight to create HTML tags and embed that to your website, the ads are now live.
You can charge probably K10 for 24 hours depending on your traffic and reach.
Our stories can best be digitised by writing and publishing videos or photos.
Don't mess with life.
You can be reduced to such a life living under a make shift shelter hidden in a corner at a street in prime location like Boroko.
Life is a struggle.
Port Moresby doesn't have reliable statistics about homeless ness and ghetto squatting.
But people like police officers and private security personnel who work into nights and mornings know very well what life is for many struggling Port Moresby inhabitants.
Many of these people survive through informal sales of betel nut and cigarettes.
There could be drugs sold under discrete business deals, just in the name of survival.
The National Housing Corporation has come under spotlight by commentators.
The big issue. What has it done to address housing woos in the country.
In metropolitan areas like Port Moresby and Lae- affording a decent home is challenging.
Families are living in one bedroom renting at K300 per fortnight (USD 100.00)
This is what struggling families are enduring.
If one is on a K50,000 per annum salary, you can not afford a decent home.
Walk into the Port Moresby's Jackson Airport and you see someone arriving from Vanimo.
A known person would call out "oi sampela Beng Beng kam".
It's this Indonesian made sweet chocolate many in Vanimo buy at Batas (PNG Indonesia border).
Most say the taste the Batas ones have is different from ones bought in Port Moresby.
We need food experts to comment about this.
A commentary by John Sowei about prostate cancer.
It's four months since I defeated the problems associated with enlarged prostate using my very own Wellness 12-40 product I developed after two years of research while going through three types of Prostate Supplements.
Yes, for men over 40 years of age can manage prostate early if we do something about personal health..including the choices we make in life.
Our lifestyle, our diet, the amount of sugar we take in the form of fizzy drinks, the amount of beer we drink, the amount of carbohydrate rich foods we eat, a sedentary lifestyle, the pressures of work and family commitments.
The mix nuts I am having with my six pack SP green beer are expensive, but are good for prostate health, boosting the levels of Nitric Oxide and Testosterone, the level of energy, heart health, liver health, high blood pressure, managing blood sugar levels etc.
These nuts are expensive, a packet retailing between 20 to 50 Kina. If you think these nuts are expensive, let remind you that your health is your wealth.
The money you're earning now is only useful for you while you are still alive.
You will not take this money with you when your journey is done on planet Earth.
Spend money on your wellness while you are still alive.
Taim yu pasim ai, mani em bai stap, yu nonap karim go!
This is an undisputed fact.
Many Papua New Guineans who have applied to get a National Identification Card from the office of Civil Registry have been waiting for as long as four years.
The question is why is this so.
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| NID applicants queuing on public road side before guards allow them entry to inquire and obtain documents |
It is plainly unacceptable.
The government ministry responsible must intervene, audit the system and ensure the processes function in a user friendly manner.
One of their criteria is once you pay, you need to follow up.
Come on, that is non sense.
The applicant just needs to turn up on set date and just pick up.
Freelance Journaalist and commentator CYRIL GARE writes about Prime Minister James Marape engaging the Pacific Leaders with influencial world leaders
He writes: After seven prime ministers in our short history, Prime Minister James Marape stands out and will be long-remembered for his part in lifting the ‘Pacific Solidarity’ agenda to new heights with tact and ‘shuttle diplomacy’.
Like never before since 1975, this Pastor’s son cum politician and second term Prime Minister has proven he was a ‘strategic planner and intervener’ for his country after been able to bring together world powers - United States and India - together with 16 leaders of the ‘free’ Pacific Island Countries (PIC) including New Zealand at one consensus point in Port Moresby for strategic multi-lateral and bi-lateral discussions of mutual interests.
It was here in Port Moresby last Monday – May 22, 2023 that the world’s hegemon – the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken in representing President Joe Biden signed the Defense Cooperation Agreement (DCA) with PNG effectively subsuming the obsolete Defense: Status of Force Agreement of 1989.
This chart new waters in ‘militarization of the pacific’. The US-PNG DCA 2023 is significant as it is a ‘direct deal’ between Washington and Port Moresby bypassing the ANZUS’s triangle Canberra and Wellington. No wonder the media hype by Australian and New Zealand media.
Despite the critics, the DCA is a two-fold winner for PNG. Firstly, our territorial boundaries - air, land and sea - as well as our sovereignty is ascertained when we are covered under the wings of the big eagle rather than being burnt in dragon fire. In this context, we ask the naysayers – i) what sovereignty are you talking about protecting, and ii) for whose interests do you represent with all these non-sense and hysteria?
US – PNG relations
Everett E. Bierman was appointed by United States President Ronald Reagan as Ambassador to Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu in January, 1987.
On 28 February, 1989, H.E Bierman signed the Defense: Status of Forces Agreement or SOFA in Port Moresby on behalf of the United States Government (USG) while Sir Kingsford Dibela, GCMG, K. St. J., Governor General counter-signed for the Government of Papua New Guinea (GoPNG).
The US-PNG SOFA is as old as thirty four (34) years notwithstanding US-PNG bilateral relations that was established since 1975.
In the retrospect, the US-PNG relations date back to World War II. “In Angels and Victims: The People of New Guinea in World War II” the New Guinea campaign against the antagonist was one of the hardest-fought of WW II. American and Australian forces relied on native New Guineans and shed blood together to achieve victory for a free world.
The Melanesian
In traditional Melanesia, a friend is someone who stands by me during the time of conflict, bloodshed and war, that tribe or clan who stand by me to defend my land, my village and family from incursion. The bond of mutual affection begins thereon. It is an obligation that you must reciprocate by way of compensation in form of giving a portion of land away, giving a woman away to the helping tribe as a symbol of friendship and extended family or doing both.
Trade-Off
If I have to choose between China and United States, it has to be United States for obvious reasons; i) bloodshed, and ii) obligation. It was the US led allied forces that stood by us then. Others came in post-war era after the establishment of the United Nations and Bretton Wood institutions such as World Trade Organization (WTO) with multi-lateral interests which are not necessarily of a ‘Melanesian friend’.
More so, our liberty in liberal democracy and the ecclesiastical Christian beliefs must never be traded-off for the ‘dollar’ and ‘road and belt’ diplomacy.
Defense Capabilities & Infrastructure
Secondly, the PNG Defence Force will gain big time in operational capabilities, training, and infrastructure development. Prime Minister James Marape has revealed around K4-5 billion in military upgrade will flow from the US-PNG DCA.
Chief of Defence (CDF) Brigadier General Mark Goina told a public forum at Murray Barracks in Port Moresby on Tuesday, 23 May, 2023 that the PNGDF has a 40% gap in its operational capabilities and urgently needs help.
After taking Office in 2022, Commander Goina commissioned an assessment of all units of the force to determine the “key operational capabilities” of the force and the revelations were stunning:
• Operational level of capability at 30-40% that is well below 50%. Acceptable world standard of military operational capabilities is 70-80%. No military in the world is 100% operational. He would like to see 70-80% in PNGDF.
• Troops have no uniforms, field equipment, no service lines to barracks, command systems and process are broken down.
“This is the current status of our Defence Force. This has to be fixed, it requires substantial amount of money from the Government to fix it. Without this, we cannot move the force forward.
“The PNGDF is the user of the DCA. Status of our partnership (with the US) is that we continue to strive among the super powers, conforming to our foreign policy – the guide to our actions.
“In the midst of geo-politics, we have a duty to ensure our people are safe so they go about doing their business, visitors, development partners are free to come in and do their business as well, knowing fully well that your Defence Force is out there taking good care of you.
“Duty of care that rests with Defence Force is enormous, over and above what your force can provide.
“It is the duty of the Government to provide resource and support. As your Chief of Defence, I am responsible to bring the Force to operational level of capability where it can perform its duties and responsibilities effectively and efficiently.
“Our Government alone cannot provide the support we need. It has competing priorities in health, education, and infrastructure development.
“So alternatively we have options to seek assistance from our development partners riding on existing bilateral relations with countries like the United States, Australia, United Kingdom, China, India, France and others,” CDF Goina said.
Marape’s Mind
The tactician’s mind needs to be understood in the context of PNG foreign policy of ‘friends to all, enemies to none’. Marape wants to see the world through a compass that shows the cardinal directions for navigation and geographic orientation in ‘The PNG Way’ with:
• East – being the Pacific (PIC) and the American continent.
• West – being Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Myanmar, Bangladesh, and India where there is big markets with a population of over 2 billion.
• North – being Philippines, South Korea, Japan and China, and
• South – being Australia and New Zealand.
PNG is in the middle and seeing all as equal partners for our friendship and prosperity. Our needs vary from country to country. For example, with the US, we capitalize on our bilateral relations for military, trade and commerce while with Australia we seek trade, commerce, public service, student and workers exchange, and other.
“Not all relations will be the same. Some we have military interests, some trade relations, some government relations, some education, satellite, health, etc.
No Compromise
The Prime Minister re-assures that the signing of the defense pact with the US will not compromise PNG’s relations with China.
“I gave my 100% assurance to China. I reaffirm this by closing down the Taipei diplomatic mission. Seven Prime Ministers before me never made this call.
“They know my sincerity, I don’t hide and play one against another. Their East and West is their own business. My East and West is completely different”.
World Stage
On the international front, PNG has made substantial representation within space of just one year with our Prime Minister James Marape meeting with world leaders and has established “connections”:
• White House, United States: Visited and held high level talks with President Joe Biden.
• Japan: Met and held discussions with Japanese PM. Will revisit in October.
• Other world leaders that our PM had met and held bilateral discussions include UK PM, King Charles, China President, India PM, Philippines President, Indonesian President, Thailand PM/King, and Australian Prime Minister who also visited and addressed the PNG Parliament.
• French president ‘a close friend’ and Indonesia President are said to visit PNG later this year.
• PMJM is set to visit South Korea this weekend for bilateral talks.
“These are world leading economies. Your PM has met and laid the foundation for future interest of PNG.
“It is now up to public servants and relevant Ministers to progress these connections that your PM has established.
“We relate to all nations in the East, West, North and South. In 100 years of activities in the world, PNG is placed at the middle of this paradigm that is shifting. I am seeing this clearly unfolding”.
The ‘Blue Pacific’
According to PM Marape, “we are not small island nations. We are big ocean nations”.
“The Blue Pacific – Our Sea of Islands is a shared resource, fill with prized fish and marine lives. The Pacific Ocean is our security for Sustainable Development, Management and Conservation.
“The Framework for Pacific Regionalism outlines the political ambition of our leaders to work together towards delivering a prioritized development agenda for all rather than a few.
“This meeting (in Port Moresby) enables us to reinforce our regional political identity through emphasizing our shared stewardship of the Pacific Ocean and identifying ways to mobilize resource to address challenges such as climate change and poverty alleviation among our people.
The Prime Minister says under this regional framework, PNG will offer land to the PIC ‘brothers’ at the Pacific Marine Industrial Zone (PMIZ) in Madang and elsewhere in ‘free trade zone’ provinces in PNG for them to build processing plants and export their (fish) products under their respective brands to the combine markets overseas.
With a hectic week ending successfully under his belt, a proud and satisfied James Marape can now more than ever asserts that: “if you want to talk Pacific, you cannot go pass PNG. We’re now their leader to talk about their fish, climate change, their well-being and prosperity”.
Gordons Police station officer Benjamin Dominic has been based there since 2010.
Few years back, he was based in Vanimo, West Sepik.
His commitment to policing has ignited him to pursue proactive policing to reduce and mimisise crime at the Port Moresby Northeast area.
Here he shares his conviction that proactive community policing is the approach to be employed if the country is to address crime.
And he further elaborates on the strategic approach they are taking.
Among them and I was impressed engagement with the media.
Gordons community policing already has a whatsapp group as well.
Benjamin writes: I recall back to 2010, when I was first inducted to Gordons Police Station, as a member of Public Safety Section.
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| Benjamin Dominic OIC Community Policing at Gordon's Police Station |
If my vague memory serves me right, there was no Community Policing Office at Gordons Police Station, despite the fact that the position of OIC Community Policing was already gazetted and structured under the Gordons Police Station Operational Structure.
A Sergeant ranked position, which was solely given to drive interest from personnel seeking promotion, yet no one was committed to fulfilling the duty statements being designated to that position and office.
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| Gordons Police Unit with their PSC Inspector Gabrirl Kini ready for security operations during FIPIC world leaders visit |
Within my thirteen (13) years or so years at Gordons Police Station, Community Policing has literally been non - existent, let alone the duty roster... which signified the skeletal existence of an OIC Community Policing.
As of January 1, 2023, I convened my role as OIC Community Policing at Gordons Police Station and simultaneously transformed an old, abandoned tea room into our current Community Policing Office, with state of the art office equipment & stationery - special thanks to our AFP Partners and a few kind hearted friends and partners.
Currently, our Community Policing Office serves the entire Electorate of Port Moresby Northeast and is still committed to doing more, even if there is minimal or nil logistics and technical support.
True to our Vision:
"TO MINIMIZE LAW & ORDER PROBLEMS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE," Community Policing currently employs three (3) distinct operational phases...
To date, Gordons Community Policing is working on a Seven (7) Years Operational Plan, which is scheduled to lapse in the year 2030.
Our Law & Order Awareness Campaign Programs include:
1. Cannabis Sativa, Marijuana or Illicit Drug Abuse;
2. Illicit Spirit, or Alcohol Abuse;
3. School Bullying;
4. School Fights;
5. School Cult Practices;
6. Basic Pedestrian Crossing Rules;
7. Unlicensed Sales of Alcohol;
8. Sales of Contraband items & Expired Products;
9. Roles & Responsibilities of Police Officers;
10. Citizenship POWER of Arrest;
11. Basic Human Rights:
12. Unnatural Sexual Practices; e.g., sodomy, incest, etc...
13. Gender Based Violence (GBV);
14. Sorcery Accusation Related Violence (SARV); &
15. Natural Resources, Environment & Conservation;
Evidence of our work in just five (5) months of operation, in itself, speaks volumes.
Countless and successive Law and Order Awareness Campaigns, and Successful Partnership with other agencies and entities within Port Moresby Northeast Electorate.
These include:
1. Village Court System
2. Community Leaders
3. Education Institutions
4. Women / Vendors Groups
5. Christian Churches
6. Youth Groups
7. NGO Awareness Group(s)
Despite all the odds, constraints and barriers, Gordons Community Policing will strive to serve the people of Port Moresby Northeast, NCD and PNG, without fear, favor, malice, or ill will.
As far as I am concerned, a sleeping giant has been awakened and there is no turning back.
If there be a way forward for RPNGC and NCD Metro Command to pave positively, then Community Policing is the way forward.
Now is not the time to focus on reactive policing alone
Our Policing approach for the 21st century has to be more proactive, through more Law and Order Awareness, Advocacy & Empowerment.
Successful Partnership with our communities is the only key to minimize our ever growing law and order issues.
Community Policing - Securing a Safer Communiy in Partnership.
Cheers always and God bless you all.
Our roads in Port Moresby do have busy traffic in the morning and afternoon during peak hours.
Traffic does flow though.
What makes the drive quite long is the queue jumpers and those who are impatient, interchanging lanes as they wade through traffic.
Sometimes they unlawfully drive on walk pavements for pedestrians putting pedestrians lives at risk too.
The main culprits are bus and taxi drivers.
I have noted though few well dressed drivers in very clean and latest make vehicles do the same too.
I should be forgiven for thinking they should be the well mannered road users but looks can be deceitful.
There are buses advertisers are promoting their products on them.
Sadly it appears the advertisers are supporting road rage users causing traffic stress and nuisance.
One is the government's owned PNG Tourism Promotion Authority promotes tourism on the buses.
Well I hope PNGTPA had set terms and conditions for the bus drivers to comply, promote traffic rules and road safety- if not stop giving them money.
The advertisers can help educate drivers and promoting road safety rules by setting conditions on advertising.
Be safe on the road today, don't bully, respect other road users.
A province not too highly acclaimed in the development index, West Sepik though has become famous in the last decade playing some influential roles in the making or breaking of Papua New Guinea governments.
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| Vanimo (Lido) village in the foreground and Vanimo Town at the back |
Belden Namah, a former army captain in the PNG Defence Force and nicknamed "Skull" is undoubtedly a name indelibly inked to the province as a mover and shaker of PNG politics.
He is the incumbent Member of Parliament representing the people of Vanimo Green River district.
Vanimo Green River comprises the local level governments of Vanimo Urban, Bewani Wutung Onei, Walsa, Amanab and further south and inland from Vanimo is Green River.
Namah is also the Opposition Leader and he served almost more than 10 years in the opposition.
At one instance, he was "one man" opposition.
A son of a laymen in the Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) Church from Somboi village, Bewani in the hinterland south of Vanimo, he says he fears no one but God.
He was one of the pioneers of Vanimo Provincial High School and then attended Sogeri National High School before joining the PNGDF cadet program and studied at the Royal Military College, Duntron in Canberra.
He became famous during the Sandline crisis when him and other soldiers forced Sandline mercenary boss Tim Spicer to leave Papua New Guinea.
Namah was later charged with mutiny, found guilty by the court and sentenced to prison.
He was paroled in 2003 and pardoned by GC Sir Michael Somare in 2005.
He became so involved with landholders of logging projects in the Vanimo TRP area and Amanab FMA protesting against Vanimo Forest Products and demanding the Provincial Forest Management Committee (PFMC) award logging licences to landowner companies.
Namah became powerful with money and was chartering Air Niugini Fokker 100's to Vanimo frequently in leading two years before 2007.
The Momase region volleyball tournament was hosted in Vanimo mid 2007 and Namah was the major sponsor.
Riding on his fame as a local who joined other military personnel and went against a government decision, kicking out Sandline-Namah's fame grew more and more.
He contested the Vanimo Green River open seat endorsed by Sir Michael Somare's National Alliance Party and won.
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| Classroom.learning at Oksapmin Secondary School Picture by GC Giles Facebook |
What an awesome development news for the people of Green River, West Sepik.
Last Friday, (24/3/23) the BSP Financial Group launched a cash agent at the Green River LLG office.
Customers can make deposits, withdraw or transfer money.
I think the last time a cash office managed by the BMS existed was some 30 years ago.
The BSP cash agent is owned and managed by Komeali Trading and the owners together with BSP must be applauded.
What does this development mean for the people?
First well for public servants mainly teachers and health workers who pretty much are the face of the government when other public servants have left will now benefit much to mainly withdraw or deposit money.
The set up of the cash agent will also stimulate the unbanked to bank monies with BSP and we can seriously know how much cash is being traded around the Green River area.
The cash agent may well serve the people of Idam and Yapsie who can just travel down the Sepik do their banking and return.
But seriously for Green River this should trigger small to medium businesses in agriculture or service industries to open accounts and bank money.
In the past cash crops such as rubber was popular but today villagers have expanded into cocoa, vanilla and trade of spice products like eagle wood and masoi bark have become popular.
Their trading partners are in Indonesia and goods are moved there through the Sepik River to Indonesia at Patom or other regencies.
What people need is a market to sell their produce and accessing bank services allow them to save and be in the formal business market.
With a bumpy logging road link to Vanimo trade stores can also start like before and also owners can bank their money at the cash agent.
The place has Telikom and Digicel networks and already the LLG manager Rodney Kane has ordered a diesel fuel generator from Lae.
Now these appears to be fundamental enablers for communication, services and business to function and ultimately servicing people.
Green River is sparsely populated and there is abundant arable land for agriculture with vegetables and fruits such as pineapple, cucumber and corn just to name a few can be grown in plentiful.
Of course very clean sago made after squeezing starch from the bark of the palm using very clean streams can be traded too.
There are 26 wards in Green River which spread from the upper lands Yuri area bordering West Papua to Upper Sepik in the Biak Huhi area bordering Telefomin district in the south.
Then you meander the Sepik down to the border with Namea LLG around Wagu and Sinou.
Then you have the inland Nagu area Wagu Sinou along the Sepiik bordering Edwaki and Lumi.
Travelling back west you have the villagers along the highway bloc of Biaka, Konobasi, Miarofei, Akrani.
The Green River local villages on the fringes of the government station complete the population who live in sparsely populated regions.
Green River has one of the longest airstrips in the province, if not the country constructed by the PNGDF engineering battalion in the 1970s.
Kleptocracy
There are symptoms of kleptocracy today, in our part of the world. it is a form of government where corrupt leaders use their political power to enrich themselves and their close associates through embezzlement, bribery, and other forms of corruption.
It is a corrupt system where the ruling class uses public funds to line their own pockets at the expense of the people.
Kleptocracies are usually repressive and undermine democracy and the rule of law.
Corruption like an octopus spreads its tentacles; it is the abuse of entrusted power for personal or private gain.
It is a form of dishonesty or criminal activity by those in power, typically involving bribery, kickbacks, and other forms of oppression.
Corruption can have adverse effects on a society, including economic stagnation, decreased foreign investment, and a weakened rule of law.
Consequently, corruption is seen as a major obstacle to development and economic growth.
Friends, relatives and cohorts are easily appointed to positions of authority and engage in Embezzlement, which is the theft or misuse of funds or other assets by a person or organization entrusted with their care.
It is a type of fraud wherein the perpetrator misappropriates funds or property for their own personal gain, with the intention of depriving the rightful owner of the funds or property.
Embezzlement is different from larceny or theft, as the embezzler has legitimate access to the funds or property taken.
Meanwhile at the grey collar and grassroots engage in Larceny, which is the wrongful taking of another person's property without their consent.
It is a type of theft and is considered a criminal offence in most countries.
Generally, larceny is defined by the taking away of property with the intention of permanently depriving the owner of it.
Examples of larceny include burglary, shoplifting, pickpocketing, and the taking of a bicycle or motor vehicle.
Bribery is the act of providing money, goods, or services to someone in order to influence their behaviour or actions.
It is a form of corruption and is illegal in many countries.
Bribery can take many forms, such as cash payments, gifts, discounts, or special favours.
Bribery is often used to gain an advantage in business or politics, and can have serious consequences if discovered.
Which the masses are focus on fear and uncertainties throughout the community; at the highest level of authority, it’s all in kickbacks, this is the payment made to someone in exchange for preferential treatment or other undue benefits.
It is a form of bribery and a form of corruption.
Kickbacks are often made in order to influence a decision-maker to award a contract to a certain company or individual. In many countries, kickbacks are illegal and can result in criminal prosecution.
No need to hide, camouflage or wear masks; It’s all happening in broad day!
I went to a side market to purchase a K3.00 phone credit and I had to pay K4.00.
The one kina difference is the market profit for the reseller.
That is profit cost for walking or taxing to a wholesaler to buy minimum quantity for sale, labour cost for selling, earning to put food on table and pay utility bills.
Damn you see its utterly expensive.
Have a look through your shopping receipt if you shop at pose supermarkets in Port Moresby, you don't get much with a K100.00.
This is real.
A packet of chicken costs around K17 and a loaf of bread costs more than K5.
Can drinks are K3.00 or just over and fruits like apples would cost around K14.00 for six.
When you start shopping you feel the brunt of this inflation.
Government intervention of tax reliefs are not even helping citizens in the formal and informal sector.
In fact the most affected are ones in the formal sector who pay regular personal income tax and other taxes like 10 % GST ( goods and services tax)
These employees do not control how they have to be taxed or when their earnings have to be raised to meet the inflation so that they have extra in their pockets.
For the informal sector sellers, they have one hundred percent control over their product and can increase or decrease their costs when ever they feel like and mostly influenced by a situation the locality is confronted with.
For example fuel shortage. Betel nut crisis, locked down on beer sales.
Triggered by more demand and less supply they increase their costs to make quick big money.
Increase in crime as a result of inflation has been evident but the justice system is very weak to arrest to ongoing issue.
I had a call from our family taxi friend who is from Mt Hagen and lives at 9 Mile Bus Wara on the outskirts of Port Moresby.
Well he said he got a SIM replacement because someone just came to him and grabbed his android phone and dashed off when he was texting at 9 Mile.
It was a beautiful phone gifted to him by his client.
Life seems to be getting very challenging for citizens because inflation is high.
This criminal is finding it so difficult to earn something save and buy a new phone.
And, he doesn't mind committing the crime because the criminal justice system will not get him.
The government needs to assist the citizens live through this tough high inflation period by lowering taxes on citizens so they have a higher take home pay.
Improve and be active on sourcing revenue (fines) through crimes like stealing, traffic offences, littering etc...
This revenue will cover loss for reduced income tax.
Disclaimer; This is a repost for public knowledge to promote Literature in PNG
By Dr Joseph Ketan
I have thoroughly enjoyed reading the works of some great PNG writers and would like to see their works translated into plain language for the ordinary reader. Unlike journalists, professionals in other disciplines do not have the training to write in simple English.
There are, however, notable exceptions. In law, my favourite writers were Peter Donigi, Chronox Manek, Anthony Deklin and John Nonggorr. The best, in my view, was Peter Pena, a man who could explain the law in simple English. Pena and Manek were great law salesmen. Deklin writes coherently in an accessible style, but he often picks on wrong issues for wrong audiences and gets himself into trouble with his readers. Lawrence Kalinoe and Eric Kwa, both great legal scholars, saw no reason to venture out of their comfort zones, sticking to legal reforms. I like the way John Kwimb writes, but we have not seen enough of it from him, as he pursues his political advisory role. Keep an eye out for Stanley Liria, a published lawyer, who has developed a passion for writing about legal issues from a local perspective. There is a star in Bal Kama, a practicing lawyer and academic in Canberra. He learnt his craft from the great Bill Standish. Kama explains law and politics in language that even grandma in the Wahgi Valley would understand.
In academia, I still like the great literature pairing of Russell Soaba and Steven Winduo. Yes, I know they sometimes get swamped in parochialism, but in literature, as in political science, local issues form the core business of writing. The bright star at UPNG has to be Lawrence Sause, who writes with wit and rare intelligence. We have not seen enough of it, but he will hopefully get around to connecting with the people who mater most in this country – the ordinary Papua New Guinean. For the future, look out for Michael Kabuni, a young political scientist, who is writing selecting his topics with great care and will get much better with experience.
In the public domain, I would go for Wilson Punim any time. This man is simply brilliant. In the true style of the literary pundit, or wordsmith, Punim writes with a burning passion, describing love and life in language that resonates life in contemporary villages and towns of Papua New Guinea. Using wit and metaphorical language, in the genre of the Hagen veiled speech style, Wilson exhibits all the core elements of a great story teller of our times. I would like to see his stories published in a book. The Institute of PNG Studies or the Institute of the Pacific Studies at USP in Suva would be ideal places to publish this kind of writing. The future looks bright for literature lovers. There are some really good writers coming through. There is a young man from DWU who is making his mark in the social media. His name is Duncan Gabi. Budding writers like Gabi need to be nurtured in an environment like the late 1970s Institute of PNG Studies and mentored by a new Uli Bier.
In journalism, there are many fine writers. I am a fan of Frank Senge Kolma and Daniel Korimbao. They lead a group of great writers in Ana Solomon, Harlyn Joku, Sinclair Solomon, Patrick Big Pat Levo, and others. The intent to entertain and to inform is always present in the writings of good journalists. I understand that we have lost the good ones to politicians, but there are some good ones coming along.
Papua New Guineans, like Africans, are always quick to take advantage of technological innovations. The digicel revolution is responsible for taking mobile phones to all corners of the country now. This has given us the opportunity to communicate effectively with the rest of the world. Unlike the con men and con women of Nigeria who use deception to steal money from gullible people across the world, Papua New Guineas are essentially warm and caring people who use the social media to build social networks rather than exploiting people. There are, however, occasional outrageous publications of brutality and obscenity.
The fun and humour in the PNG social media is healthy for the mind. Here, I wish to send my best wishes to the man in Rainy Lae, Alphonse Kapi Malipu, for entertaining us with witty messages. Kaim, I loved the one about “the horny young girls with their puffed up pride”. I hope our daughters did not take offence, taking your message for exactly what it was: dry humour. I love the rebuttals from Andrew Nagari. These two brothers of mine from Engaland make life worth living.
My prediction for Pangu seats that are most likely to be won.
Additionals would be bonus.
1. Prime Minister James Marape for Tari-Pori Open
2. Rainbo Paita for Finschaffen Open
3. Peter Tsiamalili for Bougainville Regional
4. Timothy Masiu for South Bougainville
5. Solan Mirisim for Telefomin Open
6. Joseph Sungi for Nuku Open
7. John Simon for Maprik Open
8. John Rosso for Lae Open
9. Pila Niningi for Imbonggu Open
10. Philip Undialu for Hela Regional
11. Robert Agarobe for Central Regional
12. Sasindran Muthuvel for WNB Regional
13. Thomas Opa for Kerema Open (new)
14. Casmiro Aia for Goilala Open (new)
15. Benjamin Philip for Menjamya Open
16. Manasseh Makiba for Magarima Open
17. Dr Kobby Bomareo for Tewai Siassi Open
18. Wesley Raminai for Kagua Erave Open
19. Ano Pala for Rigo Open (new)
20. Evele Kala for Abau Open (new)
21. Jerry Singirok for Madang Regional (new)
22. Jimmy Uguro for Usino Bundi Open
23. Francis Galea Maneke for Nakanai Open
24. Nina Giheno for Henganoffi Open (new)
25. Emil Tamurr for Kokopo Open ( new)
