Blogs

About the new DDA Watch website

The DDA Watch website is an impartial and non-partisan information resource for the general public, officials and academics.

The website provides access to information on Papua New Guinea’s District Infrastructure Support Program (DISP) and the work of all ninety-three individual District Development Authorities (DDAs).

The website is completely politically neutral and is not associated with any political party, any elected official or any intending candidate.

Open Letter to the Prime Minister on log exports and downstream processing

This is the text of an Open Letter to the Prime Minister published by ACT NOW in the Post Courier newspaper.

Dear Prime Minister,

ACT NOW! is an advocacy organization that promotes a “gut pela sindaun blong olgeta” – a just and equitable society for all Papua New Guineans.

Landowners 'conned into giving land away'

Ramu BlocK 3 FMA. Source: Facebook.

The National | Letters | By Maus blo Garamut, Madang (May 4th 2023)

SINCE last year, the Papua New Guinea Forest Authority’s (PNGFA) Project Acquisition branch has been working to acquire forest areas in Madang and around the country.

And in this process, the rights of the landowner have been trampled on.

PNG’s Real Economy

Economic discussions in PNG are always centered on extractive industries such as natural gas, mining, logging, tuna, and large-scale agriculture. However, these export-orientated industries are tiny when compared to PNG’s real mainstream economy, “small farming”.

Studies into rural livelihoods over the past decade show that customary land is highly productive, but its output and impact are neither measured properly nor publicly recognized.