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PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (The National, Mar 2) – Papua New Guinea has offered to provide a close personnel protection unit to Solomon Islands prime minister Manasseh Sogavare.

The arrangement will be made under the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (Ramsi), Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Paul Tiensten confirmed yesterday.

He said the offer was made when Solomon Islands foreign minister Patterson Oti was in PNG.

Mr Tiensten said details were yet to be put in place.

"We will provide personnel who are well trained at Bomana, equivalent to international standards and have the necessary skills to protect the Solomon Islands prime minister. I am sure our police will do a good job," Mr Tiensten said.

He said the issue of arming was sensitive.

"The question of whether the unit will be armed is a contentious matter that will be discussed in the coming days."

He also announced that Ramsi had decided to increase the PNG...

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (PNG Post Courier, March 3) – The Government is under siege from the Supreme Court’s quashing of the Southern Highlands state of emergency and the powerful trade unions’ calls for the Prime Minister to step aside.

Sir Michael Somare stands defiant.

The Papua New Guinea Trade Union Congress and its 25 affiliates are adamant Sir Michael should step aside over his handling of the Julian Moti saga, but the Grand Chief yesterday said they could only remove him if he lost the East Sepik regional seat to a union-backed candidate.

"They are not responsible to any one; they are responsible to their respective unions. What have they done to improve their unions, what have they done on salaries and wages for urban workers who get a minimal of PGK34 [US$12] a week, what have they done? What has the Teachers Association done to put a protest on the Government and asking me to resign? Tell them to go and put candidates in East Sepik against me...

Editorial

PNG Post Courier

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (March 4) – It is not easy saying this but there is widespread perception in the community that Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister is no longer in control of his Government.

The nation is at a critical stage with the general elections just two months away and the need to ensure stability in the country at this time.

Everyone expects the Government to be in control of things to ensure the nation sails smoothly to the polls.

But the actions of the Prime Minister make people think otherwise.

The brief poll conducted by our reporters across a wide cross section of the community reveals the feelings people have about the Prime Minister’s handling of the Defence Board of Inquiry. Many have questions and doubts about the Prime Minister’s role. They are saying he has something to hide.

Now the trade union movement is expressing similar concerns. The unions represent thousands of...

By Michelle Yiprukaman

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (The National, Mar. 5) - A Leadership Tribunal has recommended that Wosera-Gawi Open Member of Parliament Gallus Yumbui be dismissed from office for misconduct in office.

The majority decision by the three-man panel was handed down in Port Moresby last Friday.

Chairman of the tribunal Justice Gregory Lay and magistrate Iova Geita recommended dismissal, while magistrate Lawrence Kangwia settled for a penalty of a fine of PGK1,000 [US$349] for each of the four counts Yumbui was found guilty of.

The leader was referred by the Ombudsman Commission in November 2004 over allegations that from November 2000 to August 2001, he used PGK85,718.60 [US$29,943] from the National Gaming Control Board to buy a 10-seater vehicle, which he used for his personal purposes without declaring it to the Ombudsman Commission.

He later sent the vehicle to his electorate to be used as an ambulance.

He was charged...