Outlook 2022: The year ahead
For the third year running, COVID-19 is defining and disrupting life, leadership and governance in the Pacific Islands. Compounded by climate change-related flooding and the devastating Hunga-Tonga-Hunga-Ha’apai
Papua New Guinea
Low vax rates threaten PNG economy
By Kevin McQuillan COVID-19 will remain a threat to the Papua New Guinea economy throughout 2022, due to the low rate of vaccination and poor health infrastructure, compounded by a lacklustre foreign investment climate.
Political leadership in PNG: women parliamentarians in the 2017 election
The three women parliamentarians who were elected in the 2012 Papua New Guinea (PNG) election failed to win re-election in the 2017 general election. Their electoral defeats only deepen the concern for gender
“It looks like malaria, dengue, pneumonia and asthma all in one”
By Scott Waide Our mother, Patricia, sits on the bed in the small room she is currently sharing with our dad, Peter. There’s an oxygen bottle at the bedside and she’s breathing through a tube. She was sleeping
Five-year timeline to vaccinate
By Kevin McQuillan New modelling has revealed that Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea will have vaccinated less than 20% of their adult populations by the end of this year and it could take five years to
Refugee processing in PNG to end
Australia and Papua New Guinea have announced the closure of Canberra’s offshore refugee processing program by the end of this year, leaving responsibility for the remaining asylum seekers and refugees to Port
Refugee processing in PNG to end
By Nic Maclellan Australia and Papua New Guinea have announced the closure of Canberra’s offshore refugee processing program by the end of this year, leaving responsibility for the remaining asylum seekers and
PNG edges closer to sovereign wealth fund
By Kevin McQuillan The PNG Parliament approved establishing a Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF) more than a decade ago but it’s only this month that Prime Minister Marape indicated moves towards its establishment. In
UBS Inquiry: Loan losses quantified
Papua New Guinea lost US$432 million on a loan arranged by the Sydney office of the Union Bank of Switzerland (UBS) in 2014, far more than earlier thought, the UBS Inquiry has heard. Current Prime Minister, James
Loan losses quantified as PNG Inquiry prepares to release report
Papua New Guinea lost US$432 million on a loan arranged by the Sydney office of the Union Bank of Switzerland in 2014, far more than earlier
Weaving a path to sustainability
As founder and creative director, Jessica Cassell’s ambition for Papua New Guinea’s Bilum & Bilas is for the venture to be well-known internationally as “a brand that has best practice around in working with
Oil Search and Santos merger reflects funding worries for new projects
The proposed merger of oil and gas companies Oil Search and Santos could put downward rating pressure on Santos, according to S&P Global Ratings, while other analysts predict more global mergers and acquisitions in
“We can’t just sit back and wait for the tourists to come”
By Samantha Magick Banz Kofi’s online business was transformed when owner Patrick Killoran negotiated a significant reduction in freight rates. Last year during COVID, while regular sales out of the company’s
Pacific artist soars to the top of the world
Justin Wellington By Rowena Singh Spend a bit of time on TikTok and the chances are you will pretty quickly come across someone dancing to the iconic track “Iko Iko” performed by Pacific music star Justin
Oil Search rejects Santos bid
Oil Search rejected an unsolicited scrip-based takeover proposal from Santos Ltd that valued the Papua New Guinea-focused oil and gas producer at AUD$8.8 billion (US$6.5 billion), the two companies said on Tuesday.
COVID-19 Delta variant reported in PNG
A single positive COVID-19 case with the Delta mutation has been detected in Papua New Guinea. Deputy Controller of the PNG COVID-19 National Pandemic Response Dr Daoni Esorom confirmed a 65-year-old Philippine national
BSP and FASU clash over alleged money laundering warning
The Bank South Pacific Financial Group Ltd (BSP) has always complied with its anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing (CTF) obligations in Papua New Guinea, says chairman Sir Kostas Constantinou. He made
The crisis of governance in PNG’s power sector
The recent spate of power outages (70 in a week according to the Post Courier), and the sudden resignation of yet another PNG Power Chief Executive Officer after only nine months in the job have brought into stark
Gender-based violence report to go to PNG parliament
Papua New Guinea Special Parliamentary Committee on Gender-Based Violence (GBV) will table a report for the August session of parliament which will include concrete, practical recommendations for action aimed at
Pacific artist soars to the top of the world
Spend a bit of time on TikTok and the chances are you will pretty quickly come across someone dancing to the iconic track “Iko Iko” performed by Pacific music star Justin Wellington, aka ‘JW’. While Pacific
We need arrests
Testimony to the PNG Parliamentary Committee on Gender-Based Violence This is the edited testimony of Ms Denga Ilave, Lae Operations Director for Femili PNG, delivered on Monday 24 May to PNG’s Special Parliamentary
PNG economy may recover when second LNG project begins, but debt will rise
Ratings agency, S&P Global Ratings expects the Papua New Guinea to recover when the second LNG project commences next year, but has maintained a Negative outlook for the economy. In its latest review of the South