448 the contemporary pacific • 22:2 (2010)

Widjojo, Muridan. 2009. Negotiating projects, Sir Michael left Enga earlier the Past and Looking to the Future. than expected. (One PNG kina [k1] Inside Indonesia 98 (Oct–Dec). http:// equals approximately us$.37.) The insideindonesia.org/content/view/1269/47/ Joint District Planning and Budget Widjojo, Muridan, editor. 2009. Papua Priorities Committee was to coordi- Road Map: Negotiating the Past, Improv- nate the spending, which caused some ing the Present and Securing the Future. controversy. Sir Michael was offended Jakarta: Yayasan Obor Indonesia. by comments made by Enga Governor Peter Ipatas, who questioned the capa- bilities of the committee to account for millions of kina given to them. Ipatas questioned why the funds were going The government of Prime Minister Sir to committees instead of going to the is pulling through in established provincial government spite of the scandals that plagued the system (Post Courier, 2 March 2009). government in 2008 and is likely to The government also faced a num- successfully complete its full second ber of challenges as it clung tightly term (2007–2012) in Parliament, to power in its endeavor to set a new provided that there is no major shift in record of successfully completing a allegiance and a vote of no confidence second term. On 28 July 2009, the does not dissolve the government Opposition brought a no-confidence in the next two years. Prime Min- motion against the prime minister. The ister Somare announced during the leader of Government Business and country’s thirty-fourth independence Minister for National Planning Paul anniversary that he will not step down Tiensten responded with a motion to as prime minister until Papua New adjourn Parliament until 10 Novem- Guinea gets back on the right track ber, even though there was a full (Post Courier, 17 Sept 2009). That quorum. All hell broke loose when the was the latest pledge from Sir Michael, Speaker of Parliament, , who is serving as the longest-running ruled in favor of the adjournment member of Parliament (mp) ever in the motion, thus circumventing a vote of Commonwealth group of nations. no confidence. This, as expected, drew In March 2009, the National the ire of the Opposition and nation- Executive Council (nec) had its first wide condemnation of the integrity of meeting of the year in . the Speaker and the political process. It was one of the biggest political Some observers commented that the events ever held in the province. To government has used the office of the welcome the prime minister and the Speaker to protect the prime minister nec, the people of Enga had almost when a motion of no confidence was one hundred pigs, thirty cassowar- presented. Long-time political analyst ies, and twenty goats on the menu. It Dr Ray Anere argued that the adjourn- was also a courtesy on the part of the ment might prevent Parliament from Enga people to celebrate Sir Michael’s meeting the constitutional requirement forty years in politics. However, after to sit for sixty-three days and would delivering more than k142 million for deny members of Parliament the free- pol i t ical reviews • melanesia 449 dom of speech and debate guaranteed provinces. The vote was 86 to 0, far under section 115 of the PNG Consti- above the absolute majority vote of 73 tution (Post Courier, 30 July 2009). (Post Courier, 12 March 2009). The Opposition threatened to The Somare government continued refer Prime Minister Somare, Speaker to fare exceptionally well in the face Nape, and Tiensten to the Ombuds- of tremendous odds and in spite of the man Commission for a possible breach scandals that dominated the previ- of the constitution for their part ous year. In 2008, issues such as the in adjourning the Parliament. The clandestine flight of to Opposition also echoed the claim that on a PNG Defence Parliament would not reach its full Force aircraft; the us$40 million nine weeks or sixty-three days a year from the 2.1 percent of the sale of (Post Courier, 13 Oct 2009). log exports held in a bank account in On 29 July, in a move that sur- Singapore by a government minister; prised many, eleven members of the us$30 million “Taiwan dollar Parliament from the ruling National diplomacy scandal”; Prime Minister Alliance Party joined the Opposition. Somare’s shareholding in the company These members were PNG Coun- Pacific Registry of Ship Ltd “in trust try Party Leader Jamie Maxtone- for the Independent State of PNG”; Graham (Anglimp South Wahgi), and the prime minister’s court actions Thompson Harokaqveh (Goroka), to stop the Ombudsman Commission Peter Ipatas (Enga Province), Samson and Public Prosecutor from referring Kuli (Usino Bundi), Sai Sailon (Kai- him on allegations that he had not nantu), Jim Nomane (Chuave), Boka completed or provided annual returns Kondra (North Fly), Bob Danaya since 1992 were all big news (see Kan- (Western Province), Jack Cameron tha 2009). However, all these scan- (Kiriwina-Goodenough), John Boito dals, with the exception of the Moti (Obura-Wanenara), and Peter Iwei Affair, were never fully investigated. (Telefomin). They described the Prime Minister Sir Michael and others Somare regime as evil, corrupt, and were implicated for allegedly autho- dictatorial. The members reported that rizing the covert flight of Moti out of when they had spoken of moving to the country but were not prosecuted. the Opposition they had been threat- These scandals remain a dark spot in ened with cuts to their annual discre- the record of the Somare government tionary funds or special project funds since it took office. (Post Courier, 29 July 2009). Perhaps the most dominant issue of After thirty-five years of struggle, this year was the liquefied natural gas by 2012 Papua New Guinea will have (lng) project. The government held two new provinces: Hela and Jiwaka. and continues to hold many posi- On 11 March 2009, Parliament gave tive expectations that the k30 billion unanimous support for a law allow- lng project will drastically change ing for the creation of the provincial the economic face and stature of the headquarters and administration of country. The landowners and the State the new provinces. Papua New Guinea stand to reap a considerable share of will then have a total of twenty-two the benefits. The PNG government 450 the contemporary pacific • 22:2 (2010) and lng project developer Exxon- fore, any agreement reached by the Mobil spent a few months in early State, developers, or landowners in 2009 on the arduous task of negotiat- that forum would not be binding. ing the benefit-sharing agreement with Talks at the benefit-sharing agree- the landowner groups. The govern- ment forum reached a stalemate when ment was successful in negotiating an landowners and the Southern High- agreement, but many landowners were lands Provincial Government, led by caught unprepared and still lack a full mp , insisted that they understanding about how the project be given 10 percent equity in the lng will affect them. project, when the State offered them A forum on the benefit-sharing 2 percent as the legally prescribed agreement involving landowner groups ceiling. The landowners threatened and government representatives was that they would not proceed with any held at Kokopo in the East New Brit- agreements until their demands were ain Province. To ensure that the lng considered. The State responded with project remained on schedule, the gov- an offer of 6.88 percent, but that still ernment wanted an umbrella agree- did not satisfy the landowners. The ment, even though some landowners State eventually was compelled to were against holding the forum at that settle at 8 percent. The landowners time because no independent cost and have therefore struck a landmark mul- benefit analysis was carried out (The tibillion-dollar agreement, setting the National, 16 April 2009). benchmark for companies looking to Aggrieved landowners took out share the proceeds of future projects a court injunction to prevent the with affected landowners. The land- forum—which they called a “devel- owners are expected to receive more opment forum”—from being held in than k20 billion in the thirty-year life Kokopo. They argued that the State, of the project (Murphy 2009). through the Department of Petroleum Even though the lng project is not and Energy and the developers, did yet fully into its construction phase, not comply with the Oil and Gas Act. the hype has already raised high That act requires that a benefit-shar- expectations in the capital city, Port ing agreement can only be agreed to Moresby. A domino effect can be seen in a “development forum,” and that in numerous construction projects, a “development forum” can only be expansion and competition between held or convened after a full-scale business houses, and new real estate social mapping and landowner iden- developments taking place. Conse- tification is carried out (Post Courier, quently, accommodation facilities such 28 April 2009). The landowners as rented apartments in some of the finally agreed to convene the forum affluent locations of the city have sold when the government explained that out, and rental costs have reached the meeting in Kokopo was not a extraordinarily high levels. “development forum” but was simply For most ordinary citizens, the intended to promote cooperation and looming lng project may be just the understanding of the different roles opportunity they have been waiting the stakeholders would play. There- for. It is anticipated that they will also pol i t ical reviews • melanesia 451 benefit, directly and indirectly, from and Petromin PNG Holdings Ltd 0.2 the project. Local business ventures percent (Post Courier, 7 Dec 2009). expect rapid expansion to supply the Meanwhile, China, the world’s increased demand from the lng work- second-biggest energy user, has agreed ers and project developers. Perhaps to buy liquefied natural gas from most significant is that the increased ExxonMobil Corporation’s us$10 employment opportunities will give billion venture in Papua New Guinea. workers leverage to negotiate better Unipec Asia Co Ltd, a subsidiary salaries. The government and the of China Petroleum and Chemical private sector are already seeing an Corporation (Sinopec, a state-owned exodus of highly educated and experi- oil company) signed an agreement enced public servants and technically to buy two million metric tonnes of skilled workers who are taking up jobs liquefied natural gas a year under a on the lng project for salaries double, multiyear contract—about 32 percent triple, and even quadruple what they of the project’s proposed output (The were earning before. National, 28 April 2009). Prime Min- However, there are also concerns ister Somare said that the agreement that Papua New Guinea might not was a boost for PNG–China bilat- actually have the capacity to provide eral relations (The National, 11 May the required labor for the project. It 2009). was revealed by the Department of In December, Somare announced Labour and Industrial Relations that that the cabinet had approved another more than 7,500 local employees will lng project agreement led by Inter be needed for the multibillion-kina Oil. He also announced that the lng project, and the country can- cabinet has also endorsed the appoint- not provide this labor force, let alone ment of the state company Petromin the 500 welders that the developers as equity shareholder in the project. require. As the country lacks enough Petromin is the 22.5 percent equity highly skilled or trained people to holder on behalf of the PNG govern- fill the huge number of job openings, ment, with 20.5 percent of revenue to Papua New Guinea now faces a pos- go to Petromin and 2.0 percent to the sible influx of foreign workers taking project agreement landowners. It is a those jobs while locals become mere significant milestone for Papua New spectators (Post Courier, 5 Nov 2009). Guinea to have two lng projects that Nevertheless, the Somare gov- will add value to the development of ernment has generally performed the country and its people (Sunday extremely well in securing major Chronicle, 13 Dec 2009). partners and participating interests in In an economic update for the East the lng project. These include Exxon- Asia and Pacific region, the World Mobil (through various affiliates, Bank said that Papua New Guinea’s including Esso Highlands Ltd as oper- multibillion-kina lng project holds ator) at 41.5 percent, Oil Search 34 major potential in terms of revenues percent, Santos 17.7 percent, Nippon and economic growth, both during Oil 5.4 percent, Mineral Resources the construction stage (2010 –2013) Development Company 1.2 percent, and especially after production starts 452 the contemporary pacific • 22:2 (2010) in 2014. The report adds that a key tary John Paska. The Chinese Embassy challenge will be translating the strong in also expressed grave macroeconomic performance and rev- concern for the safety of its nationals enues from the extractive industry into and their businesses (The National, improvements in living standards. The 19 May 2009). report also says that it is time to start Ousted Madang Governor Sir thinking about setting up more robust called on the government institutional structures and mecha- and businesses to be serious about the nisms to save and use the windfalls localization of jobs, stop the contin- from liquefied natural gas and other ued employment of noncitizens for commodities in the future (World jobs that could be done by nationals, Bank 2009). and ensure that skills transfer from The government was heavily criti- noncitizens to locals actually occurs cized by the Opposition and members and is not just something on paper. of the public for the purchase of a Eastern Highlands Province Governor new Falcon ultra-long range executive Malcolm Kela Smith petitioned the jet from the for k120 government in Parliament to remove million. The Opposition described the Asian business people in the country, purchase as a complete waste of public claiming that they have exploited funds, particularly when the majority locals. He claimed that Asian busi- of grassroots people are struggling day nesses were oppressing local employ- by day to make ends meet. The gov- ees and depriving them of their rights. ernment responded that the jet would Governor Smith further claimed that be put on hire for government use the problems were not the Asians by Air Niugini (Post Courier, 8 April themselves but the responsible govern- 2009). ment departments and leaders who In May, an anti-Asian protest in had allowed foreigners to enter the Port Moresby organized by a non- country (Post Courier, 21 May 2009). governmental organization led to a Soon after the anti-Asian riot, a chain-reaction attack on Asian busi- Parliamentary Bipartisan Committee nesses in the provincial towns of Lae, was set up to investigate the causes of Madang, and Goroka. On 18 May, the riot. During its deliberations the opportunists attempted to loot several committee was told by immigration Asian-owned shops in the provinces officers that there were up to 15,000 of Western Highlands, Chimbu, and foreigners of Asian origin living Eastern Highlands, but quick action illegally in Papua New Guinea (Post from police prevented what could Courier, 5 Nov 2009). A member of have been a calamitous situation in the committee, MP Philip Kikala, com- these provinces. The looters’ actions mented that he had been informed were condemned by a host of politi- by Philippines Ambassador Madam cians and civil society leaders includ- Shirley Ho-Vicario at a luncheon that ing Prime Minister Somare, Foreign of the 19,000 Filipinos working in the Affairs Minister , Opposition country, 16,000 were working illegally leader Sir , and PNG (Post Courier, 20 Nov 2009). The Trade Union Congress General Secre- comment was greeted by wrath on pol i t ical reviews • melanesia 453 the part of the Filipino community in to have an institution to take the lead Papua New Guinea, who argued that on carbon trading and climate-change it was not a factual reflection of the issues affecting the country. Weeks situation. before the December 2009 Copenha- In November, the Parliament gen meeting on climate change, the disbanded the bipartisan committee government officially announced the established to look into the anti-Asian abolition of the Office of Climate riots, arguing that the panel had Change and Environmental Sustain- become a “tool to sabotage” the eco- ability, and k3.2 million was approved nomic bilateral relations between the to be paid out to seventy former Philippines and Papua New Guinea. occes staff who would have to find The Parliament caucus deemed that new employment. The government MP Jamie Maxtone-Graham was no also reportedly spent k3 million for longer fit to chair the panel (The the total cost of Papua New Guinea’s National, 16 Nov 2009). Three thirty-member delegation to Copen- other committee members submitted hagen (Post Courier, 11 Dec 2009). their resignations in protest over the The functions of the occes are now decision. to be handled by the Department of There were also fears that the anti- Environment and Conservation under Asian riots could affect the lng proj- Secretary Wari Iamo. ect. Trade Union President Michael It was also reported in Septem- Malabag warned the public not to ber that National Alliance Party take part in riots after an anonymous Vice President James Kond received e-mail was widely circulated giving the k200,000 from Australian company deadline of 31 December for all Asian Carbon Planet for his part in liaising businesses to pack up and leave the with and advising the PNG Govern- country. Malabag said that the Asian ment. After Yasause’s suspension and markets would play a major role in eventual termination, occes Acting the lng export and that a riot would Director Wari Iamo announced that reflect badly on the country (Post carbon-trading agreements could not Courier, 31 Dec 2009). be legally signed until the government On the climate change front, the has put in place an appropriate policy cabinet made a decision in July to and legal framework (The National, suspend Theo Yasause, the execu- 28 Sept 2010). tive director of the Office of Climate The National Court on 14 August Change and Environmental Sustain- ruled that the Kandep sitting member, ability (occes), pending a full-scale National Alliance Party candidate investigation into the operations of , had not been duly elected the office (The National, 1 July 2009). and that his 2007 election was void. Yasause was embroiled in many The court found that the total number controversies, such as signing sample of votes subject to illegal practices carbon-trade certificates without exceeded the winning margin. There having any policy or legislative frame- were incidences of hijacking of ballot work in place. The office had been set boxes, stuffing ballot boxes, officials up in 2008 as a government initiative marking ballots contrary to the wishes 454 the contemporary pacific • 22:2 (2010) of the voter, complete destruction of will bow out of politics in 2012 (The ballot boxes, electoral officials mistak- National, 6 Nov 2010). Sir Michael enly sending ballot boxes to incorrect has led the National Alliance Party locations, and manipulation of the since its inception and plans to hand counting of ballot papers (Butler and over the reins to a successor in 2012. Wheen 2009). Polye has been a sitting However, there is still much uncer- member since 2002, was the deputy tainty as to the leadership of the party prime minister from 2002–2007, and after he retires. Sir Michael has not most recently served as minister for announced or provided a short list of transport, civil aviation, and works. potential successors, and there have When Polye opted not to appeal ostensibly been tussles for the leader- the decision of the court to prove to ship among regional branch leaders of his family and electorate that he had the party. Some have also speculated been legitimately elected and had won that Sir Michael’s son, mp Arthur by popular choice, a by-election took Somare, would most likely succeed his place. It was widely reported that the father. Others have predicted the fall Kandep open electorate by-election of the National Alliance Party in the was absolute chaos and a disaster. The coming 2012 national elections if Sir security situation deteriorated to the Michael relinquishes the leadership extent that the returning officer for role. the by-election abandoned three of In early September, the country the polling areas. Counting was also experienced one of its worst recorded moved to Goroka in the Eastern High- catastrophes with the sudden out- lands Province to be completed due to break of cholera in Morobe Province. the security situation in the Kandep The cholera outbreak, which was electorate in Enga Province. When the first detected in the remote district results of the counting were declared, of Wasu, quickly spread to the main Polye reclaimed his seat by a land- township of Lae and to parts of the slide victory of primary votes. Elec- Highlands including Madang and toral Commissioner Andrew Trawen East provinces. The government described the Kandep electorate as declared a public health emergency one of the most difficult and challeng- and committed more than us$4 mil- ing in Papua New Guinea when he lion to combat the disease, but none returned the writs of the election to of the funds were released in time, Governor-General Sir . leaving local health authorities and The by-election was marred by loss nongovernmental organizations strug- of lives due to a series of violent gling to cope. Health workers have clashes between supporters of differ- blamed the government’s inaction as ent candidates and police, changes of a contributing factor to the spread of counting venues, and complaints over cholera. The most affected communi- ballot box distribution (The National, ties were squatter settlements, where 18 Dec 2009). poor sanitation practices and an acute While campaigning for the National lack of access to potable water fueled Alliance candidate Polye, Prime the spread of the disease. Of the 1,356 Minister Somare announced that he cases recorded from July to December pol i t ical reviews • melanesia 455

2009, the World Health Organization Organization Peter Garry criticized reported that 608 have occurred in the the government’s appointment of provinces of Madang, 462 in Morobe, three women representatives as a bad 281 in East Sepik, and 5 in the Eastern precedent. He argued that he was Highlands, with at least 35 confirmed not against women entering Parlia- deaths (irin 2009). ment, but that the House itself was Papua New Guinea conferred the for leaders who had been mandated title of the “grand chief ” in October by the people. If women were to be on former Australian Prime Minis- appointed to Parliament, then youth ter Bob Hawke. Hawke received the and churches should have represen- highest honor as a non–Papua New tation in Parliament as well (The Guinean when he was invested with National, 18 March 2009). the insignia of the Grand Compan- A number of leaders from the ion of the . Hawke Highlands, namely Branch President received his award during the Inde- of Simbu Women in Politics Dere pendence Anniversary Awards from Cecilia Kimagl and community leader the Governor-General Sir Paulias Michael Wak, separately said that the Matane at the Government House. move to nominate women was not in Hawke was recognized for service to the best interest of the nation as these Papua New Guinea prior to and since women were trying to get a “free ride” Independence through the involvement into Parliament, and suggested that in the establishment of the trade union the move actually treats women in movement and early national wage Papua New Guinea cheaply. Several development (The National, 22 Oct women from the Highlands expressed 2009). disappointment, as there were no On 26 October, the National Exec- women from the Highlands nomi- utive Council approved three nomi- nated (The National, 16 July 2009). nated seats for women in Parliament. A group of concerned women in Port A total of ninety-five women had Moresby supported the option put submitted expressions of interest (The forward by the Opposition calling on National, 20 Jan 2010). In July 2009, Parliament to reserve twenty elected the three nominees for the special seats for women only to contest in the measures for women to be considered provinces. Their representative, Susan for appointment to Parliament were Nengen, said that they are not seeking named: Enny Moaitz, Priscilla Kare, free access into Parliament but that and Mary Toliman. However, there they do want women to run for public was a split among women leaders on office (The National, 17 March 2009). the final nominees. National Council When Parliament resumed, the of Women (ncw) President Scholar government on 11 November failed Kakas argued that the prime minister to produce the numbers required should reconsider the nominees and to pass the historic motion to have have a ncw representative among women representatives in Parliament. them. The Opposition, led by Sir Mekere Meanwhile, Chairman of the Morauta, argued against the motion PNG Millennium Good Governance and voted against it. The motion 456 the contemporary pacific • 22:2 (2010) required a two-thirds majority of On 18 November, the govern- seventy-three votes in order to vote ment launched its grand forty-year in the first women nominees (The plan, titled PNG Vision 2050, which National, 3 Nov 2009). Minister for projects that the country will become Community Development Dame Carol richer, safer, and healthier over the Kidu and Prime Minister Somare, next four decades. Under the plan, it who have been vocal on the bill and is expected that Papua New Guinea’s have given their backing throughout real gross domestic product will grow the entire process, vowed to continue from around k12 billion in 2010 to a pushing to see women representatives whopping k200 billion by 2050, with in Parliament. the country’s lng project coming on On 2 November, Prime Minister stream and the implementation of land Somare received from Justice Mau- reforms. The gross domestic prod- rice Sheehan the final report of the uct per capita should have increased Commission of Inquiry, which had from around K2,000 to k13,000 in looked into financial mismanagement forty years. It is estimated that this is and corruption at the Department of only the base case, meaning that the Finance. A number of prominent gov- situation could be even better if other ernment officials and members of Par- projects come on, and if the various liament were implicated in the report. sectors perform effectively under the Sir Michael mentioned that he would plan (The National, 19 Nov 2010). study the 800-page report and seek the Prime Minister Somare said that endorsement of the cabinet on certain Vision 2050 is a gift from the govern- measures to enable implementation of ment to the people. Sir Michael added the report’s recommendations (Busi- that it is the most significant instru- ness Times 2009). Observers and the ment since the adoption of the PNG public are now waiting to see what the Constitution and the Eight-Point Plan government will do and hope that this in 1975 toward the improvement of report will not be shelved to collect Papua New Guinea’s performance dust like previous ones. as a nation. PNG Vision 2050 maps According to the Transparency out the future directions the coun- International Corruption Perceptions try should take, reflecting the hopes Index, which annually ranks countries and aspirations of the people (The by “the degree to which corruption National, 19 Nov 2010). The launch is perceived to exist among public of the plan was witnessed by thou- officials and politicians,” Papua New sands of people in the nation’s capital Guinea has dropped three places, from at the Sir John Guise Stadium. 151 in 2008 to 154 in 2009 (Transpar- In May, the Special Parliamentary ency International 2009). This implies Committee on the Ombudsman Com- that the perception of corruption in mission proposed a constitutional Papua New Guinea has worsened, a amendment, which was introduced worrying trend that could cast a lot in a private member’s bill by Esa‘ala of doubt on the government’s capabil- mp . The amend- ity to manage the substantial income ment would remove the power of from the lng project. the Ombudsman Commission to pol i t ical reviews • melanesia 457 issue directives preventing payments Australian aid money to Papua New from public funds to officeholders it Guinea had been misspent on con- believes are using those funds improp- sultants rather than used to support erly. The commission, which has teachers and health services. He said previously used the provision to stop that the effectiveness of aid in Papua members of Parliament from using New Guinea must be tied to the public money for their own personal –mandated Millennium or political activities, expressed fears Development Goals, so that outcomes that the proposed constitutional from foreign aid spending can be amendment would greatly hamper measured (The National, 29 April its ability to enforce the Leadership 2009). In an article in The Australian, Code and make it difficult to hold Professor Helen Hughes of the Centre leaders accountable. Chief Ombuds- for Independent Studies corroborated man Chronox Manek raised concerns Rudd’s assertion, stating that aid about both the content of the new money is being wasted on egregiously amendment and the processes used to high salaries of aid-funded advisers, develop the proposals (Post Courier, and that capacity building has failed 11 May 2009). to get Pacific Islands to grow (Hughes In the evening of 11 December, 2010). Meanwhile, PNG Trade Union when returning home after a func- Congress General Secretary John tion, Manek survived an assassina- Paska argued that all aid to Papua tion attempt. A car abruptly pulled New Guinea must continue to remain up behind him as he was about to outside the control of the PNG gov- enter his driveway and a gunman ernment, as there is currently no safety fired several shots, which missed the net in place to deter politicians from chief ombudsman’s vital organs but abusing funds. severely injured him (Post Courier, Poverty is still a significant and 14 Dec 2009). The attempt on his life growing problem despite huge devel- was condemned by a wide spectrum opment projects such as that for of society, terming the attack as the liquefied natural gas. Papua New first of its kind in PNG history. Most Guinea has been considered as being people alleged that the attempt was off track in its progress toward made because of Manek’s commit- halving poverty (AusAID 2008). ment to investigating and referring According to the Pacific Economic some prominent leaders for their Survey (AusAID 2009), Papua New corrupt activities. The police vowed Guinea as one of the most populous to investigate and bring to justice all Pacific Island nations is unlikely to those responsible for the assassination meet any of the Millennium Develop- attempt. ment Goals by 2015, including the In a joint news conference in Can- targets of halving poverty, achieving berra in April, Prime Minister Somare universal primary education, reduc- met with Australian Prime Minister ing child and maternal mortality by and discussed historical two-thirds, or improving access to safe problems with aid delivery. During water and sanitation. the conference Rudd mentioned that There are high expectations for 458 the contemporary pacific • 22:2 (2010) the lng project, and the country’s References economy is projected to transform significantly when the project comes AusAID, Australian Agency for Inter- national Development. 2008. Tracking into full swing. However, there is Development and Governance in the still much uncertainty in terms of the Pacific. August. http://www.ausaid.gov country’s preparedness and capacity .au /publications /pdf / track_devgov.pdf to deal with the demands of the project in providing the local expertise ———. 2009. Pacific Economic Survey and labor, as well as accommoda- 2009: Engaging with the World. Septem- ber. http://www.pacificsurvey.org /2009/ tions, catering, and social services for the huge number of workers, both Business Times. 2009. The Business News local and foreign. Much remains to of Papua New Guinea. Issue 88, 6–12 be seen in terms of how the country November. will manage the avalanche of cash and Butler, George, and Katherine Wheen. people. With this opportunity at the 2009. Preliminary Report on Domestic country’s doorstep, the onus is on the Observation of the Kandep By-Election, government to ensure that the people 15–19 November 2009. Port Moresby: can meaningfully benefit from the Transparency International PNG. lng project. It is also timely for the Hughes, Helen. 2010. Army of Well-paid government to start considering and Advisers Keep Pacific Poor. The Australian working on institutional structures Online, 22 February. http://www and mechanisms such as a Sovereign .theaustralian.com.au/news /opinion / Wealth Fund to save the windfall army-of-well-paid-advisers-keep-pacific from the project for future -poor/story-6frg6zo-1225832749197 generations. [accessed January 2010] More so, the lng project will give irin, Integrated Regional Information Papua New Guinea the capacity to Network. 2009. Papua New Guinea: Gov- take another look at its efforts in ernment “Inaction” Fuels Cholera Spread. meeting the Millennium Development 15 December. http://www.irinnews.org/ Goals. In the next few years, if the Report.aspx?ReportId=87432 [accessed government prioritizes its national January 2010] obligations in the right direction, it Kantha, Solomon. 2009. Melanesia in will be able to significantly reduce Review: Issues and Events, 2008: Papua poverty, achieve universal primary New Guinea. The Contemporary Pacific education, reduce child and maternal 21:364–373. mortality, and improve access to safe water and sanitation for its populace. Murphy, Mathew. 2009. PNG Landowners Receive $9.5bn. The Age, 26 May. solomon kantha http://www.theage.com.au / business /png -landowners-to-receive-95bn-20090525 The views expressed in this review -bkuf.html [accessed January 2010] are those of the author and do not The National. Daily. Port Moresby. represent those of his employer, http://www.thenational.com.pg the International Organization for Post Courier. Daily. Port Moresby. Migration. http//www.postcourier.com.pg pol i t ical reviews • melanesia 459

Sunday Chronicle. Weekly. Port Moresby. was launched and implemented in http://www.sunday-chronicle.com 2009 despite a number of cautions. Transparency International. 2009. Corrup- For instance, the premier of Choisuel tion Perceptions Index 2009. http://www province, Jackson Kiloe, warned .transparency.org /policy_research /surveys that the policy could promote more _indices /cpi /2009/cpi_2009_table dependency on aid, as donors were [accessed February 2010] requested to foot the bill (sto, 2 Jan World Bank. 2009. Transforming the 2009). The implementation of this Rebound into Recovery. East Asia and policy as a priority was reflected in the Pacific Update, November. Washington cabinet’s approval of the largest sector dc: World Bank. budget in 2009, with a 24 percent increase in the recurrent budget and 12 percent decrease in the develop- ment budget compared to 2008 (mehrd 2009, 3). New Zealand Aid Solomon Islands (NZAid) and the Republic of China Solomon Islands survived 2009 rea- (ROC) provided additional funds to sonably peacefully, with several chal- implement the policy. By June 2009, lenges and achievements. As in 2008, the prime minister acknowledged that citizens continued to call for decisive the policy had problems, and again in and visionary leadership throughout September he admitted that the Fee the year. Major issues that warrant Free Education policy was challeng- some coverage in this review include ing, although it relieved the burden on the Fee Free Education policy; the parents and guardians. The Ministry continuation and conclusion of former of Education and Human Resources Solomon Islands Attorney General Development (mehrd) revealed that Julian Moti’s child sex case; 2009 enti- a major drawback of the policy was tlements for members of Parliament; that it led to the misunderstanding workers’ strikes (or their intentions that parents were no longer required for industrial action); by-elections; to contribute toward school expenses ministerial reshuffles and election of (mehrd 2009, 44). Moreover, the the new governor-general; the ongo- sustainability of funds for this bold ing tug-of-war on the Political Parties move by government has yet to be Integrity Bill; double standards used determined, although si$66 million by the Solomon Islands government was allocated for it in 2010 (sto, 18 in regional and international politics; Jan 2009). (si$1 equals approximately lawlessness; and central-provincial us$8.33.) government collaborations. By the end The Julian Moti case continued to of 2009, the focus was once again on be featured in political commentaries national elections scheduled to take throughout 2009. With the toppling place around August 2010. of the Grand Coalition for Change The Coalition for National Unity (gcc) government, the installation and Rural Advancement (cnura) of cnura government, and Moti’s government in late 2008 adopted eventual deportation to face child sex the Fee Free Education policy. This charges in , the issue has not