political reviews • melanesia 413 would indebt the Northern Province the Political Economy of Mining in New for a long period, in an age when Caledonia. The Contemporary Pacific multinationals use debt to keep small 16:287–319. countries under their control while kol, Kanaky Online. <http://fr.groups they loot their resources. ustke .yahoo.com/group/kanaky> camped out in front of the French NC, Les Nouvelles-Calédoniennes. Daily. High Commission and coordinated Noumea. <http://www.info.Inc.nc/ with other unions and protest groups caledonie> to blockade Goro, strike at Tontouta pir, Pacific Islands Report. Airport, and slow down trash pickups <http://pidp.eastwestcenter.org/pireport> and gas distributions, while oppo- nents erected their own roadblocks in ran, Radio Australia News, Pacific Beat. counter-protest (NC, 15 Dec, 17 Dec <http://www.abc.net.au/ra> 2005). On 24 December, the smsp rnzi, Radio New Zealand International. decided to construct the Northern <http://www.rnzi.com> nickel plant with Falconbridge, who TP, Tahiti-Presse. Daily. Papeete. would completely finance the project <http://www.tahitipresse.pf> with help from the smsp dividends, while the State approved smsp acqui- sition of title to Koniambo. The sln would receive title to Poum, but only Papua New Guinea after Eramet had lost its court battle to retain Koniambo. It remained to Papua New Guinea solidified its posi- be seen if inco would buy Falcon- tion in the region in 2005 by hosting bridge (NC, 24 Dec, 27 Dec, 28 Dec the Melanesian Spearhead Group 2005). Louis Kotra Uregei, former meeting in Goroka as well as the ustke president, argued that it was Pacific Islands Forum in Port Moresby. his union’s pressure that forced Both of these meetings were held in France to assure Jodar that it would the month of October. Despite its rep- support the Northern plant’s con- utation as one of the most dangerous struction by smsp and Falconbridge, countries to visit, many regional lead- including key financial contributions ers were impressed by the beauty of and guarantees. Neaoutyine, Uregei Papua New Guinea and its people. said, had his own vision of how to More significantly, Papua New solicit from France what Kanaky Guinea celebrated thirty years of inde- wanted (kol, 7 Jan 2006). The North pendence as a sovereign state. Many likes to negotiate patiently but relent- commentators noted that this journey lessly, while the unions keep up the has not always been pleasant, mainly pressure. due to the declining state of the econ- omy, infrastructure, and the provision david chappell of basic services such as health and education. However, Papua New References Guinea stands out as one of the few Horowitz, Leah. 2004. Toward a Viable former colonies that have managed to Independence? The Koniambo Project and maintain democracy. There have been 414 the contemporary pacific • 18:2 (2006) a few challenges to democratic rule in Somare in Parliament for not acting Papua New Guinea but constitutional on this (PNG Post-Courier, 21 April rule has always triumphed in the end. 2005). At the end of May, Wenge This is particularly notable given the asked the court to declare that Somare social and cultural diversity of the was constitutionally bound to appoint country. a deputy to fill the position, which Papua New Guinea has developed had been vacant for twelve months a political culture of surprise and (PNG Post-Courier, 30 May 2005). unpredictability. The year began with In February 2005, Sir Bill Skate the idea of a grand coalition pro- (who died in January 2006 after suf- posed by Prime Minister Sir Michael fering heart failure) decided to leave Somare. On the 31 December 2005 the Peoples National Congress he had “Year in Review” program on em tv founded, and join the middle benches news (Papua New Guinea’s national to support the government on its ini- television service), Somare announced tiatives. Sir Bill stated that the time to that his party, the National Alliance play petty politics was over and that (na), would go into a grand coalition he would concentrate on helping his with the Peoples National Congress electorate and the government. (pnc), a party founded by Bill Skate A Supreme Court reference was but later led by Peter O’Neil. The withdrawn by Chief Ombudsman Ila proposal emerged from the events of Geno, after he questioned the legality 2004, when the parliamentary system of a five-month adjournment of Par- fell into chaos as a result of members liament (National, 22 April 2005). of Parliament testing the new Organic Geno went to court after the govern- Law on Integrity of Political Parties ment, faced with an imminent vote of and Candidates. no confidence, adjourned Parliament Somare’s grand coalition idea did from 21 January to 29 June 2004. not go down well with members of Geno argued that the adjournment his own party. Don Polye, the deputy breached the constitutional require- leader of the National Alliance–High- ment that Parliament sit for at least lands Region, argued strongly that sixty-three days. He withdrew the taking the Peoples National Congress order after Parliament made up for on board would further weaken the the days that had been missed. The Opposition, and that the current long adjournment of Parliament is a ministers were performing exception- tactic used by governments to avoid ally well. A veteran of thirty years in votes of no confidence that have politics, Somare knew that his grand become the norm in Papua New coalition was unlikely to happen, like Guinea politics. similar initiatives that had foundered In a workshop organized by the in the past. Institute of National Affairs on the Three deputy prime ministers had theme “Understanding Reforms,” two been dumped in 2004, and by April national academics, Dr David Kava- 2005 no new appointment had been namur and Dr Henry Okole, argued made. mp Luther Wenge, the gover- that the reforms actually undertaken nor of Morobe Province, criticized by successive governments provided political reviews • melanesia 415 the least benefit to the economy, while Doctor’s Association started a fund- the ones promising the greatest raising drive to collect 10 million kina benefits were avoided. The academics to replace the country’s only radio- concluded that election years coincide therapy machine capable of detecting with budget blowouts because public cancer, which broke down a decade funds are deliberately channeled to ago. The government has not com- end up in the hands of members of mitted to assisting this very impor- Parliament and political parties. They tant cause. also pointed out that many politicians The public service was beset by a abandon reform packages in order to number of controversies during the get reelected; that members of coali- year. The first arose after incumbent tion governments can force a prime Attorney General Francis Damen’s minister to jeopardize reform efforts; contract expired in January 2005, and that there was often excessive opti- State Solicitor Isikiel Mesulam was mism about the expected outcomes of appointed to act in the position. reforms; and that many reform efforts Damen questioned the appointment failed to take into account the likeli- (PNG Post-Courier, 19 Jan, 20 Jan, hood of resistance from those nega- 21 Jan 2005), contending that proper tively affected (National, 23 March procedures had not been followed. He 2005). Allan Patience, professor of also pointed out that Mesulam was politics at the University of Papua under police investigation regarding a New Guinea (upng), argued that videotape allegedly containing porno- there was a long way to go before graphic materials. Mesulam was even- real reform could take place in Papua tually convicted for producing the New Guinea. Despite efforts to insti- video, and the appointment of a new tute reforms, the country has a poor attorney general was postponed. record of economic growth and is The Foreign Affairs Department ranked very low in global indicators also came under fire from politicians of human development (National, for encouraging corruption, especially 23 March 2005). in its Immigration Division. Two staff In May 2005, the prime minister members from that division were sus- announced that members of Parlia- pended after one received money for ment would receive a pay raise due to processing illegal working permits for increases in the cost of living (PNG foreigners, and the other was accused Post-Courier, 6 May 2005). It has of issuing seventy-eight illegal visas become common for members to (PNG Post-Courier, 6 May 2005). receive pay increases every year, while The Public Accounts Committee public servants are told that the econ- (pac) raised questions about the omy cannot afford raises for them. appointment of the auditor general, The pay award would be considered because the National Executive Coun- by the Salaries Remuneration Com- cil had apparently ignored the pac mittee, which is chaired by the recommendation and appointed some- Speaker of Parliament and includes one whose name was not even on the others who would benefit from the shortlist (National, 25 Feb 2005). pay raise. Meanwhile, the Women This appointment was also criticized 416 the contemporary pacific • 18:2 (2006) by Kevin Pamba in his weekly news- and communication systems; peace paper column. He noted that many of and reconciliation; weapons disposal; those appointed to senior positions in and the elections (PNG Post-Courier, the public service were from the prime 21 Feb 2005). The committee also minister’s province, East Sepik, result- met with the South Bougainville ing in what Pamba termed “the Sepik Council of Elders. This visit began a Tsunami” (National, 8 March 2005). close working relationship between A similar avalanche of appointments the national government and the of people from one part of the coun- Bougainville leaders toward the insti- try had occurred during the term of tution of the autonomous government Prime Minister Bill Skate.