PNGi INVESTIGATES
William Duma and the Manu Manu Land Scandal: The Full Story
...John Griffin QC, drew the exact opposite conclusion to the RPNGC’s high command. While it did not have the power to subpoena records and witnesses, it was able to make one firm conclusion. Criminality was at play. The only question it could not answer with 100% clarity, who are the defendants that should be in the dock. Strap in, as...
POWER PROFILES
Fabian Pok: Leadership Tribunal Material
...of the Skate government in 1997 Dr Pok received his first Ministerial post. It included political responsibility for the Investment Corporation of Papua New Guinea (ICPNG). According to the ICPNG’s then Managing Director (1991-1997), John Ruimb, Fabian Pok and his associate Peter O’Neill issued Ruimb an ultimatum. He was to improperly appoint Port Moresby First National Real Estate Limited (Port...
POWER PROFILES
Chris Haiveta: A Slippery Fish?
...to Transparency International, ‘the Attorney General failed to serve the warrants and no action has ever been taken against the culprits’. Distinguished constitutional lawyer, Dr John Nonggorr, who filed the writ in Port Moresby on behalf of the government, suggested a decision was taken by the NEC not to pursue the case as a number of people in Cabinet were...
PNGi INVESTIGATES
PNGSDP/Cloudy Bay Scandal Blown Wide Open
...Nick Roniotis, has an ambiguous corporate footprint in PNG. He has consorted with an alleged underworld figure and men currently serving sizeable prison sentences, along with seemingly more upstanding members of the corporate community. Roniotis’ first formal imprint on PNG’s corporate sector takes place during 2007 through the firm Telit (PNG) Limited. He jointly owned Telit with Gregory John Melides....
PNGi INVESTIGATES
The Yama Files Part V: The Tale of 10 Supreme Court Judges
narrative narrative Staff Reporters Why Report? Why Report? Why report on Peter Yama? Why report on John Dege? Why report on Gudmundur Fridriksson? Why report on Peter O’Neill? Why report on Lachlan Leishman? Why report on Michael Somare? The stories are not about Peter Yama, John Dege, Peter O’Neill, Gudmundur Fridriksson, or whoever you may want to name. These are...
THE TOKAUT BLOG
Petition to investigate outlaw organisation and its management
...John Dege refused. On 18 November 2013, the NHC’s Managing Director John Dege informed Vaki Vailala the offer was cancelled. In evidence deposed to the National Court of Papua New Guinea, John Dege justified this decision arguing that Vailala was an illegal tenant, a rent defaulter, and had refused previous offers to purchase the property. Justice Canning rejected all three...
PNGi INVESTIGATES
Taking from the poor to feed the rich: NHC and John Dege (Part III)
narrative gallery narrative Staff Reporter NHC: Outlaw Organisation In a three part series (see part I here) (see part II here), PNGi exposes the numerous abuses attributed to the former NHC chief, John Dege, and the courageous people who fought back to protect their family home from an outlaw organisation – the National Housing Corporation. #3daysofDege #thepeoplefightback The National Housing...
PNGi INVESTIGATES
Taking from the poor to feed the rich: NHC and John Dege (Part II)
narrative narrative Make way for the Minister Make way for the Minister In a three part series (see part I here), PNGi exposes the numerous abuses attributed to the former NHC chief, John Dege, and the courageous people who fought back to protect their family home from an outlaw organisation – the National Housing Corporation. #3daysofDege #thepeoplefightback Surveyor Vaki Vailala...
PNGi INVESTIGATES
Taking from the poor to feed the rich: NHC and John Dege (Part I)
...and transfer instrument ae executed. They are signed by John Dege for the NHC, and Mr Elemi for Remdy Investment Limited. 04/03/2015: Marie Iravela lodges a caveat over the property with Benjamin Samson, Registrar of Titles. Samson refuses to register the caveat. 6/3/2015: A Senior Estate Officer at NHC, John Emena, makes a submission to the General Manager, Properties Division...
THE TOKAUT BLOG
Trade Union Congress ‘Dysfunctional’, Court Claims
...of the PNGTUC. Justice David observes, “they have been continuously frustrated [in this respect] by John Paska, the alleged incumbent General Secretary of the PNGTUC”. Paska and the PNGTUC initiated legal proceedings on 28 April 2016, in order to challenge the Special Committee’s formation, and subsequent decisions. In the decision Justice David cast a damning light on the affairs of...
PNGi INVESTIGATES
Whistleblower dumped by oil and gas industry
John Akar is a dogged whistleblower from Angoram in East Sepik Province. He twice exposed systematic breaches of immigration and labour laws by foreign companies working in Papua New Guinea’s booming oil and gas industry. Akar claims his career has been ruined as a result. John Akar before he was made redundant by HAES Two Oil Search contractors, High Arctic...
THE TOKAUT BLOG
Serious questions over Collingwood Bay logging
...owned by one man, John Dumare. As a director and majority owner of Aisor Development Corporation, John Dumare has failed in his duty to ensure the company files its Annual Returns. No returns have been lodged by the company since 2010. John Dumare has also featured in previous attempt to illegal acquire and log the forests of Collingwood Bay. In...
PNGi INVESTIGATES
The Wartoto crime spree remembered
...of vehicles, to service loans for Wartoto’s Australian properties, and transfers to overseas accounts. In the evidence presented to Justice Manuhu it is clear that there was expenditure not related to the Kerevat works. Among the accounts to which Mr Wartoto lodged money were his spouse’s, Louisah Wartoto, account, Litia Ilam and John Ilma. It was further alleged that the...
POWER PROFILES
John Pundari
Last year, 2017, John Pundari celebrated three significant milestones: his fiftieth birthday; twenty-five years since his first election to Parliament; and five years as Minister for the Environment, Conservation and Climate Change. In this Profile, PNGi examines his career as both a politician and a businessman. John Thomas Pundari was born on the 7th of January 1967. He first entered...
THE TOKAUT BLOG
Rejoice! National Housing Estates Limited Is No More
...wind NHEL up. Notably its Directors have been “terminated forthwith”, that includes Kevin Ahipum, Michael Barobe, Luke Karepe and John Witne. The remaining staff will be absorbed back into the NHC. At least some sanity has prevailed, with the government deciding to liquidate the company and reabsorb its functions back into the NHC. Of course, we dont know the motivations...
THE TOKAUT BLOG
Climate hypocrisy?
Papua New Guinea’s Minister for the Environment, Conservation and Climate Change, John Pundari, was in Germany last month for the COP23 Climate Change talks, where he urged countries to uphold their climate change promises under the Paris Agreement. Pundari was leading the PNG delegation in Bonn, a role he has become accustomed to having attended numerous international climate conferences as...
PNGi INVESTIGATES
K100 for Prime Waigani Land
...figure Labi Amaiu. Labi is currently trying to reclaim the seat of Moresby North East in the National Court – portion 1564 is situated within the Moresby North East electorate – which he lost to John Kaupa in the 2017 elections. He has denied any links to Macata. Image: When MP for Moresby North East, Labi Amaiu denied ties to...
THE TOKAUT BLOG
What does public service really mean in PNG?
...The seven new companies registered by John Pundari since February 2014. In an earlier series of investigative reports, PNGi exposed the substantial business network the current Prime Minister has nurtured over the past decades; it is a model that it seems others are following. John Pundari’s seven new businesses are not, after all, the only ones he owns. In total...
THE TOKAUT BLOG
Did the Lands Sec grant six leases to himself?
...the records of Auto Care Limited where he owns 15% of the shares and Yumi Traders Limited, where he owns 25% of the company. Nazar Hamer Babu Sa[b]john is also a director in N.H. Trading Limited. He was previously also a shareholder in the same company. Again, in the records of N.H. Trading, Mr Sa[b]john uses the address P.O. Box...
PNGi INVESTIGATES
PM’s Right Hand Man in Gabutu Palace Bonanza
...blog, ‘O’Neill backs up his lies with extreme violence,’ public statement, 31 July 2017, accessed on 2 September 2017 [2] In August 2017, the new housing Minister John Kaupa directed a major audit to be done by the office of the Auditor-General of both NHC and NHEL. “They are numerous court proceedings against NHC, and too many investigations ongoing that...
PNGi INVESTIGATES
Profiting from sickness
...control.[7] Adding further weight to the Department of Health’s refutation, the Public Accounts Committee under the leadership of John Hickey allegedly cleared Borneo Pacific of any wrongdoing with respect to its 2013 award. In an usual departure from the committee’s strict line on legal compliance, Hickey is reported to have said words to the effect, ‘corners were cut’ merely as...
THE TOKAUT BLOG
PM stake in Govt contractor hidden for 5 years
...there is a change of secretary under s170. According to signed Graphos Board minutes (see above), three individuals were appointed to executive positions in the company through a motion passed on 21 May 2010. Mr John Donald Beattie, and Mr Kenneth James Havery, were made directors, while Joseph Bakri Kup was appointed secretary. Yet the IPA change of directors form...
PNGi INVESTIGATES
The Midas Touch: Part 3
...by the Australian general manager of Dove Funeral Services, Kevin John Bender[19] (Bender later transferred his 10% share equally to L&A Tiles and LBJ Investments).[20] Ni Yumei was made Chairperson of the Prime Minister’s Foundation in 2013.[21] Network Graph: O’Neill’s links to the Cragnolinis The O’Neill-Cragnolini joint-venture, Dove Funeral Services Limited, has attracted notable public attention. For example, as the...
PNGi INVESTIGATES
Duma’s hidden hand in K3 billion development
Minister for State Enterprises, William Duma, was suspended from government in February this year, after it was alleged he had a beneficial interest in a lucrative land deal made with Kumul Consolidated Holdings.[1] Peter O’Neill ordered an administrative inquiry into the affair, led by John Griffin QC.[2] In a PNGi exclusive, we reveal the testimony of a senior Paga Hill...