Don’t believe this front page story. James Marape fears man. James Marape’s fear of man is evident through various actions:
The Speaker, a Pangu Pati member, convened a 2020 Parliament meeting after the legal adjournment to prepare for a no-confidence vote chaired by the deputy speaker.
In 2020, Marape’s government unlawfully convened and passed legislation unopposed, avoiding a no-confidence vote while the opposition, with majority support, was in Vanimo.
The replacement of the Parliamentary Business Committee (PBC) with government MPs, responsible for vetting no-confidence vote notices, further highlights Marape’s manipulation of processes.
Marape, a Pangu Pati member, denied a no-confidence vote in 2020, citing a sidelined MP, despite the opposition having the numbers.
These actions raise questions about Marape’s professed fear of God, as his maneuvers in parliamentary procedures and engagement in unconstitutional practices to evade a no-confidence vote suggest a deeper apprehension of man. After all, a vote of no confidence is a human-driven process, not divine.
We work our asses off in 2024. Luck favours the hardworking. A few things that might help:
Write it down
Setting goals brings descipline, even if you don’t achieve it all. You generally move in the direct of the goals you set, even if not precisely.
Sense of progress
As you meet the first minor targets, it sets in motion momentum. It’s the small gains, the tiny successes. The dopamine that comes with it.
Consistency
If, for instance, your plan is to read one book every two weeks, be consistent. Consistency means you read a page when your grandma dies. Read a page when it’s your brother’s bride price. Read a page during public holidays. Read a page when your team loses. Consistency means just that, consistency.
Compounding effect
By December 31, 2024 you will look back at the incremental gains of 2024. It will become the dopamine for 2025.
Active year on Academia Nomad blog and especially the Facebook page. Below are the top 5 Academia Nomad post on Facebook that went viral. In addition are the most funniest, most controversial, most useful, call for action, among few others. Which one was your favourite? Is there any we missed?
Posts on Facebook that went viral:
A. Snax / Em Nau Biscuit (the company almost shut down)
477 shares
B. Investing in BSP-Kina is simple, follow these steps
463 shares
C. K10, 300 phone (cost of one iPhone 15 PROMAX)
415 shares
D. A response to PNG’s K6 million expense on King Charles’ coronation
228 shares
E. Why is PNG so uninformed and out of touch? (Referring to the Governor General of PNG sitting on the chair whist the Prime Minister of Fiji sat on the floor)
188 shares
Others:
A. Funniest post of 2023: Repost of Wilson Punim’s ‘Solwara i silip sore’:
Close to 1000 reactions 😂
B. Controversial post of 2023: No thunder, just rain: Mainline Churches in PNG
Post referencing mainline churches’ contribution to integral human development of PNG
C. Best places voted for visit in PNG: Kavieng, Tufi, Kopkop Island
D. Call to action: during the height of JT branding PNG primitives and trip to UK costing K6 million, we provided a template and instructions on how to lodge complaints to the Ombudsman Commission (more than 200 shares, and a good number of people used the template to lodge complaints)
E. Most useful post of 2023: List of Platforms in the Pacific that pay you for writing
It’s been a great year on Academia Nomad. Thank you all.
If you look at the reforms, good or bad in PNG, you can pin it on either IMF or World Bank. The reforms are usually attached as conditions for receiving loans from these institutions.
On the positive side, if the government is reluctant to adopt a workable policy, an IMF condition may force the government to adopt it. On the downside, the government can actually adopt policy that doesn’t work in PNG just to align with the capitalist world and advance interests of the institutions, losing sovereignty in the process.
PNG Courts
The Supreme Court is the only national body that can rule against, reverse, and direct parliament and leaders if they violate the provisions of the Constitution. Though there is a separation of powers principle, there is a provision under the Constitution where the Supreme Court can interfere in the affairs of the parliament if in the pursuit of its duties the parliament violates the processes and procedures set by Constitutional Laws (the Constitution and the Organic Laws).
Examples include 2016 when the Supreme Court ruled the adjournment of parliament unconstitutional, the 2022 meeting of parliament and decisions (including budget) unconstitutional when the other half of parliament was in Vanimo, ruling of the Manus Refugee centre unconstitutional, and some amendments to the such as the extension of grace period which the SC ruled unconstitutional.
There’s is a catch though: the Supreme Court, cannot on their own, initiate these cases. Someone with a standing has to bring it before the Court. Unless, the individual directly attacks the judiciary, as Brian Kramer did (in such cases the courts can initiate the cases).
Donor/powerful countries
The US, Australia, Japan and NZ are funding a $1.3 billion electricity project in PNG, to connect 70% of PNG to electricity by 2030. This is just one of many “money-deals.” There’s no way on earth you can receive money of this magnitude for free (grants) and not lean toward the wishes of the countries that give you money.
You can talk all you want, but when they threaten to pull the rug under you, you’ll cave.
You don’t need to be a geopolitical expert to know this. Watch kids play on the street: the kid who owns the ball makes the rules; his team wins the game all the time.
The people
In a democracy, the political class were supposed to be accountable to the people. There’s even a process called “elections” set up in the democratic systems to ensure accountability.
But Papua New Guineans don’t vote politicians based on policies, morality, integrity and related values. So the politicians do not care about living up these standards. They can mess up and get elected.
The people have the least impact on what the leaders do in PNG.
PNG extends Visa on Arrival (VOA) to countries and territories below. We hope they reciprocate.
Melanesian countries (since 2022: reciprocated)
Solomon Islands Vanuatu Fiji New Caledonia
Polynesian + Micronesia (since 20 December 2023)
American Samoa Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) Kiribati Marshall Islands Nauru Palau Samoa Tonga Tuvalu Tahiti Wallis and Futuna
New Zealand passport holding countries and territories including:
Cook Islands Niue Tokelau
United States territories:
Guam Northern Mariana Islands.
Visitors from these countries and territories will have Easy Visitor Visa for 60 days per visit.
VOA to Diplomatic, Official and Service passport holders from:
People’s Republic of China Japan State of Israel Republic of Indonesia based on bilateral visa exemption agreements on reciprocal basis.
Chinese tourists who hold ordinary passports and travels on organized group tours with a PNG registered tour operation are also eligible for VOA for a specific short stay only.
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