DOCSLIB.ORG

Building a Nation in PAPUA NEW GUINEA VIEWS of the POST-INDEPENDENCE GENERATION

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Building a Nation in PAPUA NEW GUINEA VIEWS of the POST-INDEPENDENCE GENERATION Building a Nation IN PAPUA NEW GUINEA VIEWS OF THE POST-INDEPENDENCE GENERATION EDITED BY David Kavanamur, Charles Yala and Quinton Clements Building a Nation IN PAPUA NEW GUINEA Building a Nation IN PAPUA NEW GUINEA VIEWS OF THE POST-INDEPENDENCE GENERATION EDITED BY David Kavanamur, Charles Yala and Quinton Clements PANDANUS BOOKS Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies THE AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL UNIVERSITY Cover: A yam mask, one of the many forms of eleborate art created by men of the Abelam people, who live in the vicinity of Maprik in the East Sepik Province. The masks, made of plant fibres, are embellished with coloured clays, and used at harvest time to decorate the ceremonial long yams (Dioscorea alata). Photography by Coombs Photography. © David Kavanamur, Charles Yala and Quinton Clements 2003 This book is copyright in all countries subscribing to the Berne convention. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study, research, criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright Act, no part may be reproduced by any process without written permission. Typeset in Garamond 11pt on 13.75pt and printed by Pirion, Canberra National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication entry Building a nation in Papua New Guinea: views of the post-Independence generation ISBN 1 74076 028 X 1. Papua New Guinea — Politics and government — 1975–. 2. Papua New Guinea — History — 20th century. 3. Papua New Guinea — Social conditions. 4. Papua New Guinea — Economic conditions. I. Kavanamur, David T. II. Yala, Charles. III. Clements, Quinton. 995.305 Editorial inquiries please contact Pandanus Books on 02 6125 3422 www.pandanusbooks.com.au Published by Pandanus Books, Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies, The Australian National University, Canberra ACT 0200 Australia Pandanus Books are distributed by UNIREPS, University of New South Wales, Sydney NSW 2052 Telephone 02 9664 0999 Fax 02 9664 5420 Editor: Gillian Fulcher Production: Ian Templeman, Duncan Beard, Emily Brissenden This book is dedicated to the children of the post-independence generation. It is our hope that the Papua New Guinea they inherit is one that has finally lived up to its enormous potential. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS utting together a book of this size has been a happy addition to our Pintellectual journey. We are almost certain too that this has been the case for those who have contributed chapters to this book. The concept of a book of this nature first emerged in May 2000 when the editors were invited to a State, Society and Governance in Melanesia Project organised workshop on ‘Papua New Guinea Provincial Capacities’ at the Murrumbateman Winery outside Canberra. The idea grew and, despite our study commitments and other delays, resulted in this book. Although the workload was taxing, the joy and pains of putting together this collection were very much worth the effort. This book would not have been possible without the role played by many people. We are especially grateful to David Hegarty, convenor of the State, Society and Governance in Melanesia Project at the Australian National University, for recognising the value of such a book when the concept was first mooted. David Hegarty provided invaluable advice and support throughout the development of the book and was particularly keen to foster new links between post-independence generation leaders and academics in Papua New Guinea and Australia. David was also instru- mental in facilitating funding and publication. We are also particularly grateful to Professor Hank Nelson, a veteran of Papua New Guinea studies at The Australian National University, for kindly reviewing the first draft of the manuscript. Hank gave us the green light for publication. Tim Curtin from the National Centre for Development Studies reviewed the chapters. His comments and suggestions were particularly helpful in verifying facts and finalising the chapters, given his long association with Papua New Guinea. For this we are deeply indebted to Tim. A book of this nature that covers varying aspects of development in Papua New Guinea is not possible without the contribution of those many Papua New Guineans who want nothing short of a better country viii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS for themselves and their children. We thank the contributors for their wonderful efforts and tremendous patience in awaiting the publication of the book. For ensuring that the manuscript saw the light of day we are grateful to AusAID for sponsoring the presentation of the manuscript at the ‘Governance Update Workshop’ in Port Moresby in March 2002, and for the eventual publication of the book. We would also like to record our most sincere thanks to Pandanus Books, for recognising the importance of such a collection of essays, for agreeing to publish it, for their patience with novice editors, and their assistance throughout the process. David Kavanamur Charles Yala Quinton Clements CONTENTS Preface xi Steven Winduo Introduction: A Mixed Inheritance 1 David Kavanamur, Charles Yala & Quinton Clements SETTING THE SCENE PNG in the New Millennium: Some Troubled Homecomings 11 Regis Stella ASPECTS OF GOOD GOVERNANCE A Democratic Audit for Papua New Guinea 25 Alphonse Gelu Enhancing Nation Building through the Provincial 51 Government System in Papua New Guinea: Overtures toward Federalism Henry T. Okole PNG Defence Force: An Analysis of its Past, Present and 69 Future Roles James S. Laki Bureaucratic Corruption in Papua New Guinea: 91 Causes, Consequences and Remedies Hengene Payani Challenges in Reporting Corruption in Newspapers 107 Joe R. Kanekane ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: PROGRESS AND CHALLENGES An Appraisal of the Papua New Guinean Economy: 117 Retrospect and Prospects Modowa T. Gumoi x BUILDING A NATION IN PAPUA NEW GUINEA The Future of Foreign Aid in Papua New Guinea 133 After 25 years of Successes or Failures Christopher Taylor Hnanguie Have We Walked ‘on the Clear(ed) Path’? An Assessment 149 of the Development of Industrial Relations in Papua New Guinea Benedict Y. Imbun Environment and Development in Papua New Guinea: 167 25 years on Enaha Peri Kwa Efficient Management of Forest Resources 183 Ruth C. H. Turia SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT: PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS The Health Problems of the 21st Century: 201 Persisting Problems and Emerging Challenges Francis W. Hombhanje Education and Development in Papua New Guinea 221 Samuel Haihuie Civil Society and Nation Building 247 Anne Dickson-Waiko Gender and Development in Papua New Guinea 269 Margaret G. Vatnabar The Role of Churches in Nation Building in Papua New Guinea 283 Daniel K. Leke Peace Studies as a Process of Peace Building: An Alternative 309 Approach to Violence in PNG, 25 Years and beyond Julienne Kaman Problems of Housing Resources in Papua New Guinea 329 Elizabeth Kopel Notes on Contributors 349 Maps 356 Index 359 PREFACE hat is a nation? A question asked by many a theoretician as well as Wby individuals who persist in recognizing some form of commu- nity, recognizable relational identities and political will to declare sovereignty over geopolitical spaces, cultural and social environments. Where a nation is defined in terms of nationalism a paradox appears. Since the definition of a nation can have the elite influence and insist on ‘standardized, homogeneous, centrally sustained high cultures, pervading entire populations and not just elite minorities, a situation arises in which well-defined educationally sanctioned and unified cultures constitute very nearly the only kind of unit with which men willingly and often ardently identify. The cultures now seem to be the natural repositories of political legitimacy’ (Gellner, 1983: 55). The paradox of this is that under these conditions only, nations can indeed be defined in terms both of will and of culture, and indeed in terms of the convergence of them both with political units. In these conditions, men will to be politically united with all those, and only those, who share their culture. Polities then will to extend their boundaries to the limits of their cultures, and to protect and impose their culture within the boundaries of their power. The fusion of will, culture and polity becomes the norm, and one not easily or frequently defied (Gellner, 1983: 55). Though the argument presented here is more relevant to nations within the European context, the definition might not be too appropriate for the postcolonial world where nationalism has a different flavor. Since the beginning of nationalism in Papua New Guinea, the persistent attempts by Papua New Guineans to define themselves within its boundaries, cultures and society as a nation, challenges Gellner’s arguments. Indeed, attempts to define nation has often eluded any defini- tional concerns in Papua New Guinea. Why? Simply because of the xii PREFACE historical conditions from which it emerged as a consequence of colonialism, nationalism, prior to political independence in 1975, was the channel in which Papua New Guineans vented and resisted European colonialism. Since political independence was achieved, nationalism began to undergo a transformation, paradoxically in disguise, so as to achieve a desired result such as reinvention of a nation, and reclaiming cultural and social values deemed inherently Papua New Guinean. Nationalism has, however, lost its fervent political fire. It has transformed itself to embody a nation, by nurturing a divergent cultural, social, philosophical, political outlook of people within a nationally defined frame of reference. The success of this was that as a nation, the manifestation of nationalism was only operative at the ideological level, while the insistence at the provincial and local level was for the recognition of governance directly affecting those who do not necessarily, understand the nature and goals of a nation. That is to say, nationalism was sound at the national level, whereas provincialism was ideally sound at the provin- cial level. These are two different sets of praxis, in terms of their desired goals and expectations. The suggestion here is that at the provincial level a nation exists only as an idea that correlates the representation manifest in the general elections, from which a political leader is elected to represent the voters in the nation.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • 3 Political Style in Modern Melanesia*
    State and Society in Papua New Guinea 3 POLITICAL STYLE IN MODERN MELANESIA* In recent writing about contemporary politics in Melanesia one frequently comes across the term style. The suggestion seems to be that there is, if not a unique, at least a distinctive Melanesian style (or styles) of politics. Hegarty, for example, speaks of an ‘essentially accommodative political and governmental style’ in Papua New Guinea (1979c:110) and Quiros (1979) speaks simi- larly of a ‘conciliatory style of political leadership’ in that coun- try. (Also see Standish 1978:29 and Herlihy 1982:575.) Mela- nesian political leaders themselves frequently talk about doing things ‘in the Melanesian Way’ (for example, see Lini 1980). This paper seeks to identify some of the elements of political style in modern Melanesia and to relate them to broader aspects of the region’s political culture. I begin by accepting that there is such a thing as political style; I will not, however, attempt to define the term, except to say that it has something to do with the way in which nations’ leaders (and by extension nations themselves) behave within a frame- work set by formal constitutions and realpolitik. The suggestion that one can distinguish a national or regional political style implies the existence of an identifiable political culture,1 though * This paper was presented at a seminar at the ANU in 1980 and published in R.J. May and Hank Nelson (eds), Melanesia Beyond Diversity (1982). 1 On the concept of political culture see Almond and Verba (1963), Pye and Verba (1965), Almond and Powell (1966:chapter 3), Kavanagh (1972).
    [Show full text]
  • July 3, 1991 the UNIVERSITY of HAWAI'i at MANOA AUSTRALIAN AID to PAPUA NEW GUINEA POLICE GOALS and LIMITS a PLAN B RESEARCH
    July 3, 1991 THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI'I AT MANOA AUSTRALIAN AID TO PAPUA NEW GUINEA POLICE GOALS AND LIMITS A PLAN B RESEARCH PAPER SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF THE CENTER FOR PACIFIC ISLANDS STUDIES IN CANDIDACY FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS SCHOOL OF HAWAIIAN, ASIAN AND PACIFIC STUDIES BY EDWARD JOSEPH MICHAL AUGUST 1991 Committee Members: Dr. Robert Kiste, Chairperson Dr. Michael P. Hamnett Dr. Terence Wesley-Smith c Copyright 1991 by Edward J. Michal, Port Moresby, Dept. of State, Washington, D.C. 20521-4240 Executiye Summa~ Crime, a perennial problem in Papua New Guinea, is once again the center of attention, due to an upsurge in violent or spectacular incidents in both urban and rural areas. Domestic and foreign confidence in the government's ability to control organized gangs, militant landowners, Bougainville rebels, corrupt politicians and other malefactors is fading. The level of violence is rising, prompting foreign governments to issue warnings and Prime Minister Namaliu to unveil a series of proposals to crack down on criminals. The 1984 Clifford Report, a major study sponsored by both government and private enterprise in Papua New Guinea, advocated increased efforts to support community-based policing, but there is no indication the Government is moving in that direction. Both Western and Papua New Guinean commentators consider the imported Australian legal system bequeathed to Papua New Guinea to be alien to its numerous fragmented communities, leading to tension between customary and Western means of resolving conflict. Australia has embarked upon a major effort to strengthen the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary (RPNGC), the nation's one and only police force, through the provision of technical assistance, especially training.
    [Show full text]
  • Talking It Through: Responses to Sorcery and Witchcraft Beliefs
    Talking it Through Responses to Sorcery and Witchcraft Beliefs and Practices in Melanesia Talking it Through Responses to Sorcery and Witchcraft Beliefs and Practices in Melanesia Edited by Miranda Forsyth and Richard Eves PACIFIC SERIES Published by ANU Press The Australian National University Canberra ACT 0200, Australia Email: [email protected] This title is also available online at http://press.anu.edu.au National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication entry Title: Talking it through : responses to sorcery and witchcraft beliefs and practices in Melanesia / Miranda Forsyth, Richard Eves (editors). ISBN: 9781925021561 (paperback) 9781925021578 (ebook) Subjects: Witchcraft--Melanesia. Witchcraft--Papua New Guinea. Melanesia--Social life and customs. Papua New Guinea--Social life and customs. Melanesia--Religion. Papua New Guinea--Religion. Other Creators/Contributors: Forsyth, Miranda, editor. Eves, Richard, editor. Dewey Number: 133.43 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher. Cover design and layout by ANU Press Cover photo: Woman who had been accused of sorcery and tortured returning for the first time to her village following reconciliation. Photo courtesy of Father Philip Gibbs. Printed by Griffin Press This edition © 2015 ANU Press Contents Foreword: Sorcery- and Witchcraft-Related Killings in Papua New Guinea . vii Gairo Onagi The Problems and Victims of Sorcery and Witchcraft Practices and Beliefs in Melanesia: An Introduction . 1 Miranda Forsyth and Richard Eves Part 1: Social, Economic and Cultural Dimensions to the Belief in Witchcraft and Sorcery 1 .
    [Show full text]
  • Chapter 1: Introduction
    1 ,QWURGXFWLRQ 1.1 The Minister for Foreign Affairs originally referred an inquiry into the Bougainville peace process to the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade (JSCFADT) in May 1998. As a consequence of the dissolution of Parliament on 31 August 1998 prior to the federal election, the Committee ceased to exist and the inquiry lapsed. On 7 December 1998, the Minister again referred the matter to the newly- appointed Committee in the 39th Parliament. The formal terms of reference for the inquiry are listed on page xix. 1.2 A map of Papua New Guinea (PNG), showing its 19 provinces, is provided at page iii.1 North Solomons Province is located approximately 1,000 kilometres north east of Port Moresby, and comprises two large islands, Buka and Bougainville, and a number of smaller groups of islands and atolls. At its southern end, Bougainville is barely 20 kilometres from the neighbouring Solomon Islands. 1.3 In the absence of recent census data, it has been estimated that Bougainville has a population of somewhere between 160,000 and 200,000 people, fewer than four per cent of the total population of PNG.2 An Explanation of Terms 1.4 Throughout this report, the term 'Bougainville' has been used in the same way as 'North Solomons Province' to refer to the geographical and political entity comprising a number of islands and atolls. Where the 1 A map showing the two main islands of North Solomons Province and the border with the Solomon Islands is provided at page iv of this report.
    [Show full text]
  • Prime Minister Sir Julius Chan Stated in His Christmas
    M'Mfi'Q;I'.wSe€idS&!3!!iaij!!f!!F&".!&#.i!'.MPlW4MM.iif4.ra!i6iiMP44I§YY'......._ ww , PI THE CONTEMPORARY PACIFIC· FALL 1995 tion was soon revealed by a contro­ PAPUA NEW GUINEA versy over the reappointment of the Prime Minister Sir Julius Chan stated commander of the defense force. in his Christmas address that 1994 was After Wingti left for visits to Aus­ the most turbulent, painful, and unpre­ tralia and New Zealand in early Feb­ dictable of the nation's nineteen years ruary, Acting Prime Minister Chan of independence (PC, 28 Dec 1994, 5). announced that Defence Force Com­ Most who witnessed the sudden mander Robert Dademo had passed change of government in August, the the stipulated retirement age and volcanic destruction of Rabaul in Sep­ been replaced by Colonel Lima tember, the dramatic collapse of peace Dotaona. This cabinet decision was talks on war-weary Bougainville in confirmed by Minister for Defence October, the ominous confrontations Paul Tohian, Chan's colleague in the over provincial government reform, Peoples Progress Party. Soon after the the confusion surrounding the giant announcement, however, staff in Lihir gold project, and the multi­ Wingti's office indicated that the cabi­ billion-kina environmental lawsuit net had decided in a subsequent meet­ against the operators of the Ok Tedi ing to change the compulsory retire­ mine, would agree. Affecting all of ment age from fifty to fifty-five and these issues and events was an unprec­ reappoint Dademo. Neither Chan nor edented financial crisis, whose impact Tohian was present when these deci­ will be felt for some time.
    [Show full text]
  • 3. in the Courtroom
    3. In the Courtroom The colonial law was part of the colonial wave which came without invitation and without warning, toppling Papua New Guinean societies, destroying its laws and institutions. Bernard Narokobi, lawyer, philosopher.1 In Chapter 2, I introduced Michel Foucault’s arguments concerning the connection between law and other normative discourses, and how writers on colonialism have highlighted the effective use of introduced sexuality norms and laws in governing colonised populations. In the colonial territories, a completely new paradigm of norm, boundary and discipline was established through the imposition of colonial laws. I described how the system of Native Regulations, which governed the intimate lives of villagers in minute detail, was supported by the discourses of medicine and Christianity, and how decolonisation and modernity have seen the emergence of the social groups who support the imposition of these discourses onto the social body. Meanwhile, the introduced Anglo-Australian legal system, technically supreme from the outset, was mainly concerned with governing the colonists themselves, and only intruded into the lives of the colonised in situations of serious crimes and land disputes vis-à-vis the colonists. As I describe in this chapter, the introduced system gradually took over, and the Native Regulations were eventually abandoned.2 Policing the boundaries: The modern role of law in society The classic interpretation of Foucault’s thinking on law has been termed the ‘expulsion thesis.’ It holds that pre-modern law was identified with a repressive form of power exercised by the sovereign over transgressors, but was later displaced by the regulatory schemes of modern ‘bio-power,’ exercised over 1 Bernard Narokobi, 1980, The Melanesian Way: Total Cosmic Vision of Life, Boroko: Institute of Papua New Guinea Studies, 144.
    [Show full text]
  • SUSAN COCHRANE Art in the Contemporary Pacific
    SUSAN COCHRANE Art in the Contemporary Pacific Figure 1. Tolai tubuan groups arrive by canoe for the Wawargira ceremony, which heralds the opening of the Kokopo National Mask Festival, East New Britain, Papua New Guinea. The dukduk masks are exclusive to initiated men of the tubuan (men’s secret societies) of the Tolai people. Field research photo by Susan Cochrane, with permission of the artists. Throughout the Pacific region—also called Oceania—people have different vantage points, indigenous and non-indigenous, from the past to the present, from which they observe, discuss and value art and participate in their communities’ cultural life. The Papua New Guinean philosopher, Bernard Narokobi, posted this notice on his office wall at the University of Papua New Guinea in Port Moresby: 78 Junctures 17, December 2016 Welcome to the University. The ancient, timeless, eternal University of Melanesia. The village where courses are offered in living.1 Across the span of oceans and time, what links today’s Pacific peoples to each other and the realm of their ancestors, across the space of the Pacific? Is there a language for art that can be shared across indigenous and non-indigenous art and culture systems? We should be prepared to have our ideas about art in the contemporary Pacific challenged. Multiple types of art, places for display, and inspirations for creative expression exist simultaneously in village, urban and global settings. The selection of images throughout this paper includes some of artworks and performances in their own cultural setting, which are astonishing in their dramatic visual effect and virtuosity.
    [Show full text]
  • MJT 13-1 Full OK
    Melanesian Journal of Theology 13-1 (1997) In Search of Peace for Bougainville Mark K. Neapila1 Mark Neapila is a Bougainvillean. He graduated from Rarongo Theological College in 1996 with a Bachelor of Divinity degree, and is now serving as a “probation minister” of the United church in North Solomons Province. [In the printed version, there were two footnotes numbered “1”. This has now been corrected. —Revising ed.] This is an attempt to analyse the peace process that has been employed in the war-torn island since the beginning of the conflict on November 26, 1988. Since the conflict erupted seven years ago, a lot of time, effort, and money has been used in trying various means and strategies to achieve lasting peace and normalcy. However, up until now, none of the peace deals has really been successful. Time and time again, one or both parties have breached the agreements that were signed. Therefore, the road to peace has been a slippery and illusive one, with many oceans to cross and mountains to climb. The Problem of the Paper Previous materials that have been written on the current subject have been the works of people from outside the province and country. Mostly, they were written by people, who did not have any first-hand experience of the crisis at all, but were from people, especially journalists, who made it their business to report, and write up, anything that came up on the news. Another group was the so-called scholars, who were attached to universities, and other research institutions. 1 This article is extracted from a sub-thesis presented at Rarongo Theological College, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Bachelor of Divinity degree.
    [Show full text]
  • Law, Society and Governance in the Pacific
    PASSAGE OF CHANGE PASSAGE OF CHANGE LAW, SOCIETY AND GOVERNANCE IN THE PACIFIC edited by Anita Jowitt and Dr Tess Newton Cain Published by ANU E Press The Australian National University Canberra ACT 0200, Australia Email: [email protected] This title is also available online at: http://epress.anu.edu.au/passage_change _citation.html National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication Entry Title: Passage of change : law, society and governance in the Pacific / edited by Anita Jowitt and Tess Newton Cain. ISBN: 9781921666889 (pbk.) 9781921666896 (eBook) Notes: Includes bibliographical references. Subjects: Jurisprudence--Pacific Area. Customary law--Pacific Area. Pacific Area--Politics and government. Pacific Area--Social conditions. Other Authors/Contributors: Jowitt, Anita. Cain, Tess Newton. Dewey Number: 340.5295 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher. Cover design by Emily Brissenden Printed by Griffin Press This edition © 2010 ANU E Press First edition © 2003 Pandanus Books CONTENTS Acknowledgments vii Table of Abbreviations viii Table of Cases x Table of International Conventions xiii Table of Legislation xiv Notes on Contributors xvii INTRODUCTION Anita Jowitt and Tess Newton-Cain 1 SECTION 1: THE CONTEXT OF CHANGE 1. Modernisation and Development in the South Pacific Vijay Naidu 7 SECTION 2: CORRUPTION 2. Corruption Robert Hughes 35 3. Governance, Legitimacy and the Rule of Law in the South Pacific Graham Hassall 51 4. The Vanuatu Ombudsman Edward R. Hill 71 SECTION 3: CUSTOMARY LAW 5.
    [Show full text]
  • State and Society in Papua New Guinea
    STATE AND SOCIETY IN PAPUA NEW GUINEA T H E F I R S T T W E N T Y - F I V E Y E A R S STATE AND SOCIETY IN PAPUA NEW GUINEA T H E F I R S T T W E N T Y - F I V E Y E A R S R. J. M AY THE AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL UNIVERSITY E PRESS State and Society in Papua New Guinea E PRESS Published by ANU E Press The Australian National University Canberra ACT 0200, Australia Email: [email protected] Web: http://epress.anu.edu.au Previously published by Crawford House Publishing Pty Ltd PO Box 50, Belair, SA 5052 May, R. J. (Ronald James), 1939- . State and society in Papua New Guinea: the first twenty-five years. New ed. Includes index ISBN 1 920942 06 8 ISBN 1 9209420 5 X (online document) 1. Papua New Guinea - Politics and government - 1975- . 2. Papua New Guinea - Social conditions. I. Title. 320.993 All rights reserved. You may download, display, print and reproduce this material in unaltered form only (retaining this notice) for your personal, non- commercial use or use within your organisation. All electronic versions prepared by UIN, Melbourne Cover design by Michael Birch with a photo by R. J. May First edition © 2001 R. J. May This edition © 2004 R. J. May iv Foreword FOREWORD Rt Hon Sir Michael Somare, GCMG, CH, MP A 25th, or silver, anniversary tends to be an occasion for both celebration and reflection. Both activities are apt when, as on the occasion of Papua New Guinea’s 25th anniversary of independence, silver itself has contributed significantly both to national revenue, as the third most valuable metal export, and to one of our greatest national tragedies, the violent conflict in Bougainville between 1989 and 1997.
    [Show full text]
  • The Implementation of Papua New Guinea's National Goals
    View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by ResearchArchive at Victoria University of Wellington THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PAPUA NEW GUINEA’S NATIONAL GOALS AND DIRECTIVE PRINCIPLES AND BASIC SOCIAL OBLIGATIONS BY VERGIL NAROKOBI A thesis submitted to the Victoria University of Wellington in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Law Victoria University of Wellington 2016 Table of Contents Acknowledgements .......................................................................................................... vii Abstract ............................................................................................................................ ix Glossary ........................................................................................................................... xi Chapter One – Introduction .............................................................................................. 1 I National Goals and Directive Principles and Basic Social Obligations .................. 1 II Research Methodology ............................................................................................ 1 III Thesis Finding ......................................................................................................... 2 IV Thesis Map .............................................................................................................. 2 V Conclusion ..............................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Legislating Pluralism Statutory ‘Developments’ in Melanesian Customary Law1
    LEGISLATING PLURALISM STATUTORY ‘DEVELOPMENTS’ IN 1 MELANESIAN CUSTOMARY LAW Jennifer Corrin Care and Jean G. Zorn It was hoped that the common law of Papua New Guinea would quickly develop. Unfortunately, this has not happened. The judges have moved very slowly, preferring to re-adopt pre- Independence legal rules or the English common law rules than to develop new rules to suit conditions in our country. … The blame does not lie entirely with the judges, however. There is very little evidence that the profession is persuading the judges to consider developing new legal rules …. We consider that if the mode of declaring and developing the underlying law was re-stated in a way that requires the profession and the judges to consider customary law and to consider if it meets the needs and aspirations of the people, then a new common law of Papua New Guinea would begin to develop. (Papua New Guinea Law Reform Commission 1977: 10) 1 The authors wish to thank Christine Stewart, Peter Murgatroyd, Kenneth Brown, Guy Powles, Eric Kwa Lokai and Steve Zorn for their contributions to this article. We dedicate the article to Bernard Narokobi who continues as he began, nurturing custom and customary law. © Copyright 2001 – Jennifer Corrin Care and Jean G. Zorn - 49 - STATUTORY ‘DEVELOPMENTS’ IN MELANESIAN CUSTOMARY LAW Jennifer Corrin Care and Jean G. Zorn Introduction For more than a quarter century the Independent State of Papua New Guinea and the Republic of Solomon Islands, two South Pacific nations, have wrestled with the problems of pluralism.
    [Show full text]