R.I.P. RON JONKER

The news of Ron Jonker's death is reaching us. We have lost a comrade.

He was a loyal supporter of Free West Papua. In the Netherlands, he did his best to do the same where West Papua could be promoted. Ron also came to support us a few times at our campaign tent at Malieveld in The Hague.

Prive, Ron has been battling cancer for 15 years. He had a rough time, but it never discouraged him. Even when he was very ill, he still thought of the Papua people.

He was feisty until the end.

Dear Ron, you have fought your fight, you are in a better place now.

Thank you very much for your love for West Papua, your support and solidarity over the years with the struggle of the Papuan people.

Thank you for your Fighting Spirit,

Thank you so much and Godspeed sir Ron.

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Bougainville Independence Consultation Heads to Historic Burnham, New Zealand

By BIM Corporate Author

Port Moresby, 10 April 2025— The next round of high-level political consultations between the Government of Papua New Guinea (GoPNG) and the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) is set to take place at Burnham, New Zealand, a location steeped in significance for the Bougainville peace process.

Burnham played host to landmark negotiations in 1997 that paved the way for the Bougainville Peace Agreement (BPA), signed in 2001. Its symbolic role in the peacebuilding journey makes it a fitting venue for the third round of the current consultation series, which aims to determine Bougainville’s political future.

The announcement came as the second round of formal consultations concluded today in Port Moresby. Held from 7 to 10 April, the talks were moderated by Lt Gen The Rt Hon Sir Jerry Mateparae, GNZM, QSO, KtStJ, who described the dialogue as constructive and forward-looking.

This round is the second in a scheduled series of four consultations occurring between March and June 2025. It built on the outcomes of the first meeting, during which Prime Minister James Marape and ABG President Ishmael Toroama presented their visions for Bougainville’s future.

The Port Moresby meeting focused on identifying and agreeing on key issues necessary for progress toward a political settlement. Discussions were structured around four core pillars: Political, Institutional, Economic, and Parliamentary matters.

Topics covered included transitional timelines, fiscal arrangements, institutional readiness, constitutional considerations, and mechanisms for continued consultation and public awareness. Both parties emphasized the importance of mutual respect and sustained engagement throughout the process.

In the final session, Minister for Bougainville Affairs Hon. Manasseh Makiba and ABG Vice President Hon. Patrick Nisira reaffirmed their governments’ commitment to the BPA and the peaceful path it laid out.

Sir Jerry praised the efforts of both delegations, saying, “I commend both parties for their continued dedication to peaceful dialogue, and I remain honoured to support their efforts toward a lasting and meaningful resolution.”

As the process moves to Burnham, hopes remain high that the spirit of 1997 will inspire renewed progress toward a peaceful and lasting outcome.

Photos Credit: ABG Media Bureau

#pngcurrentaffairs #pnghistory #pngpolitics #pngupdates #bougainvilleindependence #Bougainvilleisland #Bougainvillepeople #Bougainvillenews #Bougainvilleupdates

Peter O'Neill: The People Want Change. Hear their Call

 

I made this statement to the press this afternoon. Would appreciate you sharing.

In 2019, I thought as Prime Minister, that I was steering the Government I led in the right direction for the betterment of Papua New Guineans.

Whether it was keyboard warriors or whether it was politics from within my own

Government or whether it was just time for a change, the people of PNG told me clearly, they wanted me to step aside and hand over to another Prime Minister.

It was not an easy to decision to resign not the least because the Party I lead; the Peoples National Congress (PNC) had fairly won 29 seats in the 2017 National General Elections. The PNC MPs would undoubtedly also be impacted by my decision to resign. But I did it anyway knowing the MPs I stood with in PNC also understood that we could only govern if the people we represented wanted us to. I and PNC had lost the social licence to operate, and it was clear the people of PNG wanted me to stand down.

At the time, allegations of corruption against me were loud and drowning out my ability to represent my country properly and professionally. I understood and had faith in the Justice system that if I stood down without the power and influence that comes with the top job, it would allow investigations to be undertaken fairly. I was confident my record of integrity would be re-established by being tested in a court of law and I could see that this was impossible to achieve if I remained Prime Minister.

Being the Prime Minister is a privileged position and I loved the role. A lot of people around me had a vested interest in me hanging on to the role of PM and naturally, applied a lot of pressure for me not to resign. It is a very public role and a decision to step down would inevitably affect my own ego and self-confidence. I took counsel from people around me including former Prime Ministers, Sir Michael Somare and Sir Julius Chan. After weighing everything up, I resigned.

Resigning on the day in parliament was straightforward. The decision was made, and I felt an ease that I was doing the right thing. It was no longer for me to have an opinion about whether James Marape was ready for the role as he was well supported by both MPs and the public.

It is clear times have changed and after six years, the current Prime Minister, Honourable James Marape, a proud representative of Tari-Pori, Hela Province and Papua New Guinea needs to hear and heed the cries of our people.

Our country and democracy are in dire straits and the people are convinced that under the current Prime Minister we are not going to repair. Time for a new Prime Minister to lead at least until the 2027 election.

Prime Minister Marape has much more to contribute to our country but for now he has lost the confidence of our people and staying in the top job is doing more harm than good. I am sure this is not his intention, but it is the undeniable case.

There is no shame in resigning - the opposite. It takes strength and courage to know when to step down and be humbled.

Pangu Pati as a foundational political party also needs to show leadership as a collective.

Pangu formed government with coalition partners. These partners and Pangu Pati are being severely damaged at the party level and as individual MPs for hanging on to power when the people have clearly said “inap nau”. Pangu’s reputation matters just like PNC’s mattered in 2019. Pangu should not persist to cling on to power when it is clear it has lost the mandate of the people.

The winds of change are upon us. Time to listen to the people and act. Not listening to the winds of change will only make them stronger.

PO.

#WokMasGoYet #papuanewguinea #vonc2025PN

Enga Governor Grand Chief Sir Peter Ipatas has been officially reaffirmed as the Alternate Prime Minister nominee

 

By Steven Kenda | PNG SUN

In a dramatic turn of events shaking Papua New Guinea’s political landscape, Enga Governor Grand Chief Sir Peter Ipatas has been officially reaffirmed as the Alternate Prime Minister nominee.

The announcement was made moments ago at a press conference held at the Crown Hotel, where Sir Ipatas addressed the media flanked by key opposition figures. His nomination comes amid reports that four fellow Engan Members of Parliament — Sir John Pundari, Don Polye, Mikki Kaeyok, and Amos Akem — have declared their continued support for the current government, adding further complexity to the unfolding political drama.

Governor Ipatas was quick to clarify the nature of his nomination, stating, “I was not nominated by an individual party or the Engan Members.” He emphasized that his candidacy is a product of a collective decision by several opposition-aligned parties, united in their pursuit of a government change.

In a bold statement, Sir Ipatas called on all Members of Parliament, including those from Enga, to “leave the government to form a new government,” signaling a potential bid for a vote of no confidence in the current leadership.

Adding momentum to the move, former Prime Minister and prominent opposition figure Peter O’Neill has publicly endorsed Sir Ipatas. “We, the opposition, are backing his side,” O’Neill declared, highlighting a unified front within the opposition bloc.

This nomination marks a critical moment in the nation’s political timeline, as tensions escalate and strategic negotiations intensify behind the scenes. The stance of the four Engan MPs — all seen as key political players — will be closely watched in the days ahead, as pressure mounts for them to align with the newly declared opposition movement.

Whether this development will lead to a successful change in government remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: Papua New Guinea’s political future hangs in the balance.

PAPUA NEW GUINEA TO HOST 4th MSG PRIME MINISTER'S CUP TOURNAMENT

PORT VILA, VANUATU (9 April 2025): The fourth edition of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) Prime Minister’s Cup will be held in Port Moresby from 4 - 18 October 2025, following the signing of a Host Agreement between the MSG and the Government of Papua New Guinea, through the PNG Sports Foundation today.

This followed the end of day one of the MSG Sports Stakeholder Consultation on the MSG Prime Ministers Cup in Port Vila, Vanuatu this afternoon.

The Agreement will now commit the Government of PNG’s budgetary support in preparation for the hosting of the 4th Edition of the MSG PM’s Cup.

In his opening remarks, the MSG Chair and Sports Minister Hon. MP Job Sam Andy, Minister of Justice, Youth and Community Services, welcomed the delegation and officials from the PNG Sports Foundation and commended the 2025 theme of the MSG PM’s Cup - “Supporting a healthy Melanesia through Sports”.

The tournament he said, is one of the flagship events of the MSG and a standing mandate by the MSG Leaders for Members to host it on a rotational basis.

“Football is connected to the livelihoods and future of the people of Melanesia, a sport that not only builds our nations’ pride and identity but has also put the region on the world map.”

He added it is imperative that sports is connected to the development of Melanesia’s youth as a mechanism for dealing with social issues to improve their status.

Acting Director General of the MSG Secretariat, Ilan Kiloe, in his remarks stated that the Sports programme has and will continue to help the MSG chart its course.

“The success of this Consultation proves yet again the ongoing commitments of the Membership for youth and sports development, and we will continue to celebrate our achievements as we look forward to the milestones through the vision of our Leaders,” he said.

“Sports is an important programme of the MSG Secretariat and for the MSG, Sports including Arts and Culture acts as a glue that binds everyone together despite our diverse political, cultural and religious views,” Mr Kiloe added.

Vanuatu was the proud host of the inaugural MSG PM’s Cup in September 2022 in Port Vila when PNG emerged as winner. New Caledonia hosted the 2nd Edition in October 2023 which saw Solomon Islands coming out victorious while the 3rd Edition was hosted in the Solomon Islands in December 2024 which saw PNG winning for the second time. Fiji will host the tournament's 5th Edition in 2026.

Papua New Guinea Supreme Court orders recall of parliament to debate no confidence vote

Nicole D'Souza | U. Auckland Law School, NZ

April 2, 2025 05:05:43 am

The Supreme Court of Papua New Guinea has ordered a recall of parliament on April 8, to debate a motion of no confidence. The court decided on Monday that parliament’s rejection of an earlier motion of no-confidence against the prime minister was unconstitutional.

The Supreme Court ruled that the parliamentary Private Business Committee’s decision to reject the motion of no confidence, acted on by Deputy Speaker Koni Iguan on November 27, 2024, was unconstitutional and breached Section 111 of the Constitution of Papua New Guinea, permitting MPs to introduce new bills and motions.

Iguan, as the acting Speaker, invoked Standing Order 165 in disallowing the motion filed by Chauve MP and Deputy Opposition Leader James Nomane. Standing Order 165 allows the Speaker to “disallow any motion or amendment that is the same in substance as any question that, during the previous 12 months, has been resolved.” Filing an application in the Supreme Court under section 18(1) of the Constitution, Nomane sought to determine whether the Committee and Iguan’s November decision was constitutional.

In his public statement, Prime Minister Marape, in response to the Supreme Court decision, stated, “Our government have consulted our coalition partners as well as the rank and file of Pangu Pati; they are all in total support that we respect the Supreme Court.” Reaffirming that his government is committed to upholding the rule of law, he stated, “I just want to tell our country we respect the court decision. We will comply with the court decision.” Marape confirmed that the “Speaker will advise the country that Parliament is recalled based on the court order, and Parliament will sit on the 8th as directed by the court.”

On September 12, 2024, the parliament rejected a vote of no confidence in the prime minister with 75 votes in favor and 32 against. The present court ruling affirms that the September ruling does not prohibit subsequent motions. 

PM Marape Announces Targeted Agricultural Credit Scheme to Drive Economic Growth and Food Security

PRIME Minister James Marape today announced a landmark national agricultural credit scheme aimed at empowering Papua New Guinean farmers, agribusinesses, and provincial governments to drive commercial production and long-term economic growth.

 

He made the announcement after officially opening the National Agriculture Industry Public–Private Sector Partnership Conference in Lae today.

 

The conference, jointly organised by the Department of Agriculture and the Consultative Implementation and Monitoring Council (CIMC), brings together key stakeholders from government, industry, and civil society to strengthen partnerships in transforming the agriculture sector into a commercially competitive industry that supports PNG’s economic future.

 

Prime Minister Marape described the new credit scheme as part of his government’s visionto move the nation away from over-reliance on the extractive sector and toward a productive, agriculture-led economy.

 

“We are rolling out the largest and most strategic targeted credit facility ever seen in thiscountry to support agriculture, food production, and value-added exports,” Prime Minister Marape said.

 

The Prime Minister highlighted that this programme is designed to:

* Replace over K2 billion worth of annual food imports, including rice, dairy, and processedgoods.

* Empower one million farming families to generate household income through crops suchas coffee, cocoa, copra, oil palm, balsa, fresh produce, and livestock.

* Create direct and indirect jobs across transport, logistics, extension services, and agro-processing.

* Boost domestic production for both national consumption and export markets in Asia andthe Pacific, tapping into over 4 billion consumers just one flight away.

“If one million families each earn K10,000 annually through agriculture, that’s K10 billioncirculating in our economy every year. This is how we build a sustainable K200 billion economy – not just through oil and gas, but by empowering our people to produce andprosper,” he said.

 

A New Lending Model: Long-Term, Intergenerational Loans.

 

"The facility, to be administered in partnership with the National Development Bank andcommercial lenders, will offer concessionary, long-term loans to Papua New Guineans who are actively engaged in agriculture — not “paper farmers,” the Prime Minister stressed.

 

“These are not handouts. We are willing to provide loans with long repayment terms – 20 to40 years – to serious farmers, cooperatives, and provincial governments. These must be intergenerational loans. We want to see agricultural families growing their businesses across generations,” he said.

 

Reviving Plantations and Provincial Partnerships.

 

Prime Minister Marape called on provinces with idle or under utilised land to partner with the National Government and revitalise plantation estates through structured block farmingand management models.

“We are revisiting the plantation model. Provinces must take responsibility. We will provide credit, but it must be repaid through revenue generated by productive land use,” he said.

 

The Prime Minister acknowledged past failures in plantation schemes, but noted that with better oversight and provincial accountability, the model can be revived successfully.

National Infrastructure Supporting Production.

 

This credit programme aligns with major investments in Connect PNG, port infrastructure,and rural development, ensuring that production areas are linked to domestic and international markets.

 

“We are not building ports just for imports. These ports must enable exports. That is the point of infrastructure investment,” he emphasised.

 

Prime Minister Marape stressed that PNG can follow the model of nations like New Zealand,which built a globally competitive economy from a strong agricultural base.

 

“We don’t need to go through every phase of development. With agriculture as our foundation, we can leapfrog to a modern economy. Education, health, ICT, and servicesall become accessible when we have a productive economic base,” he said.

 

He concluded by reaffirming that this targeted agricultural credit facility is central to building a resilient, inclusive economy, where all citizens participate in wealth creation

through the land.

ENDS