VERY few things happen in isolation in today’s world of globalising business and commerce.

Rising cost of living throughout PNG is not just the price we pay for bad go­vernance but the net effects of a world gone crazy.

There is hyperinflation in the months ahead. The evidence is everywhere.

From the Peter O'Neill fanclub of POM

This is a very real and genuine feeling by a group of PNG middle class sporters concerning the new PM. Yes the wording is harsh in places but our politicians have been treated too delicately for much to long. Its time we catch up with the rest of the world and start really holding our pollies accountable. 

From Martyn Namorong

Tonight at Kaugere looking over the shanties

We see the glittering brightness of Overseas*

Creating The Darkness of Neon Lights

It is the loneliness and despair in the urban cities.

It is the alienation of LAND from rural people

That feeds the babes of rich people

We see true social security and happiness

Being diminished in the name of progress

The pursuit of large scale industries

The article below by Nick Dearden argues that African prosperity relies on a wholesale rejection of the western free trade model, which is still being promoted by the USA, Europe and their economic allies like Australia.

Papua New Guinea has recently approved a new Interim Economic Partnership Agreement with the European Union and is being pressured by Australia and New Zealand to sign the  Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations (PACER).

Two of the most senior people appointed to Papua New Guinea's Commission of Inquiry into the country's enormous land grab may have serious conflicts of interest that could taint the whole Commission process if they do not step aside.

Papua New Guinea's land grab has seen control of over 5 million hectares of land taken from customary landowners in dubious Special Business and Agriculture Leases that are often seen as a smokescreen for the logging industry.

The Hidden Valley gold and silver mine in Papua New Guinea has polluted the Watut river with acid forming rocks and soils. The increased sediment flows in the river have impacted the lives of thousands of people living downstream of the mine. Gardens have been flooded and destroyed, incomes from alluvial mining have plummeted, fish and other aquatic life, an important food source for local people, has been killed.

But there is no legal sanction for the mining company, jointly owned by Harmony Gold and Newcrest Mining. 

The Consultative Implementation and Monitoring Council in Papua New Guinea is being starved of funds by the PNG government and may have to shut down if AusAID follows the government lead.

The CIMC is an independent organization that brings together civil society, private sector and the government to develop policy and directly influence and monitor government decision making for the long term development of PNG. The CIMC was established by the National Executive Council (PNG's cabinet) after the National Economic Summit in 1998

The people of Papua New Guinea are waiting anxiously to hear more details about the Commission of Inquiry into Special Purpose Agriculture and Business leases which Acting Prime Minister, Sam Abal, heroically announced he was setting up last week.

Mr Abal has been widely praised for his announcement which brought a sense of relief to a Nation that was beginning to believe there was no hope for the future.

The National newspaper, owned by Malaysian logging giant Rimbunan Hijau, seems to be struggling to present a fair and balanced coverage of the issue of Special Purpose Agriculture and Business Leases (SABLs).

On Thursday, May 5, Papua New Guinea's Acting Prime Minister, Sam Abal issued a press statement just before 4pm, announcing a Commission of Inquiry into the controversial issuing of SABLs covering over 5.2 million hectares of customary land.

Local leaders representing communities around the site of the proposed Pacific Marine Industrial Zone in Madang Province have issued a signed declaration of their opposition to the project. The PMIZ will be Papua New Guinea's first Special Economic Zone under laws being drafted by the World Bank.