Comments

Thanks, Netta. Perhaps there was a semantic difficulty. I always think of CEOs, senior executives and scientifically-trained employees of companies as ‘workers’. When I checked the web site for New Britain Oil Palm it seemed that many on the company’s work force were not ‘born and bred’ West New Britainers. Are any of them ‘mainlanders’ who fly in and fly out? If I’ve got it wrong, thanks for the correction. But as someone with strong ties to West New Britain and oil palm it would be great if you could help us understand how Covid-19 took off in the Talasea district.

Thank for you understanding and well thought article. Doing better with minimum or without aid made Somaliland citizens globally to accept the reality and open their wallet for a better tomorrow.

This is a very interesting view. As a Papua New Guinean, I’ve been silently concerned with the PNG-Bougainville post-referendum consultations. It is understood that these consultations will follow the Melanesian Way, very much described in this article. The issues at stake, which will inform parliament to decide on whether Bougainville becomes independent, is too important to be discussed online. The Melanesian Way works well in a face-to-face meeting.

Sir thank you for your research into PNG Political Governance History. It has shed light into many unknown and unrecorded history of our country PNG. Please, I need a copy of election report of 1972.

Oil Palm workers on New Britain Island do NOT fly in fly out. They are nationals who live and work on estates.

Thank you. A well summarized obituary fitting the 'Sana' and the 'Lapan of Lapans' of PNG and the Pacific. Hope the future generations to come live to his dreams and follow in his dreams and foot-prints. A great man who was borned way ahead of his time that united the thousands of tribes and cultures into one nation in 1975. Farewell great man. Thanks once again.

Vanuatu has shown what good hands it is in, with leaders like Liz Pechan rising to the challenges that present during these times. Some exceptional well thought out points. Very thought provoking.

Hi Patrick WNB cases started to take off in late November and through December 2020. By end of January 2021 recorded tally was 177. To that time, majority of cases were from Talasea district with, I suspect, an oil palm fly-in-fly-out workers’ link. Then, as with Bougainville, cross-province meetings [in person, not via Zoom] to discuss emerging Covid-19 problems and solutions became initiating and spreading events. At 14 March WNB count is 195.

The Bougainville House of Representatives is mandated to make laws for the good of the people of Bougainville and for its development aspirations. My appeal to the elected representatives to the BHoR to have a thorough check on the amendment to the legislation and vote against it.

Hi Monica and Peter, I am surprised by the high count in West New Britain. No mining camps there, but there are logging companies and of course oil palm.

Learn from PNG under O’Neill days why such a move is a bad idea: when the Public Service Commission Act was amended, and politicians took control of the process, Police Commissioners were fired and hired based on their willingness to prevent the PM from being arrested.

Hi Andy, the stats for the total numbers include those of last year. The stats for the first week of March are clearly stated. Update as of 6pm, 15 March 2021: University of Goroka, Pacific Adventist University and Prime Minister & NEC Department (Manasupe Haus) on lockdown. Supreme Court and National Court on lockdown for the next two weeks. By Wednesday, NEC will give a clear direction on what the next step is. The PM has hinted a partial lockdown. Total positive cases exceeded 2, 200, with 360 reported in the last 3 days. 21 deaths attributed COVID-19. PM announced PNG entered the red-stage of its COVID-19 response. High profile cases include 12 MPs and 2 judges infected.