APEC in PNG -- what do you think?

[Sam Asama]

APEC starts in a day or two. As this CNN item asks, what differences (positive or negative) will hosting APEC make to PNG?

https://edition.cnn.com/2018/11/13/asia/papua-new-guinea-apec-summit-intl/index.html

[A Squared]

APEC starts in a day or two. As this CNN item asks, what differences (positive or negative) will hosting APEC make to PNG?

https://edition.cnn.com/2018/11/13/asia/papua-new-guinea-apec-summit-intl/index.html

Cosmetically, parts of Port Moresby will look better ... for a while ... until they become run-down again. Other than that. not much.

[grizzled]

I agree with A Squared. On reflection I would also say that hosting APEC will have a net negative effect. By choosing PNG to host this conference, APEC and its member countries reinforces to PNG politicians and senior bureaucrats that countries and international organizations will (continue to) turn a blind eye to, and even reward, the corruption that constitutes governance in PNG.

[geeup]

World leaders are staying in Cairns and Brisbane with a daily commute due security.

And yet they having meeting about setting up expat companies in PNG and singing the countries praises... doesn’t make sense.. Come relocate to PNG, move to POM it’s all good from Brisbane & Cairns.

PNG shouldn’t even be a member of APEC

[packapoo]

Agreed.
If there was a set up for an Uneconomic Cooperation (which must be what AusAid is heavily involved in) I'd savvy....

[TBM-Legend]

Australia has punted around $100M to fund this gig. A complete waste of money, resources and time. [the Maseratis will love the roads in POM and maybe Cairns or the Gold Coast when they've been shipped out - oh I forgot about the three Bentleys]

The real reason we paid up is to hold Chinese money and influence at bay and try and keep a wolf from our doorstep.

[Pinky the pilot]

How many of the Maseratis have been damaged so far?:E

[LeadSled]

How many of the Maseratis have been damaged so far?:E

As Pinky has alluded to, PNG will be "better off" to the tune of 3 Bentleys, 40 Mazzers, and around 2000 (yes, that is the rest of special APEC order) new Landcruisers, Patrols, Silverados etc.
Who paid for the vehicles??
Tootle pip!!

[krismiler]

How many of them will get robbed at gunpoint ? Got to be one or two stupid enough to try walking around anywhere at night, or the wrong place during the day.

[chimbu warrior]

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-11-16/media-kicked-out-of-xi-jinping-pacific-leaders-meeting/10506666

Guess we'll have to watch CCTV to find out.

[Old Fella]

As Pinky has alluded to, PNG will be "better off" to the tune of 3 Bentleys, 40 Mazzers, and around 2000 (yes, that is the rest of special APEC order) new Landcruisers, Patrols, Silverados etc.
Who paid for the vehicles??
Tootle pip!!
I would suggest that this example of sheer wastefulness of funds should be enough to tell the PNG Government to bugger off next time
they hold out their hand for aid. No prize for guessing who did not pay for the vehicles...

[Pinky the pilot]

A brief mention on the TV News of the Chinese Government's involvement in PNG Infrastructure funding showed the official opening of a 6 lane highway in Port Moresby. It was described by the reporter as a 'highway to nowhere!':ooh:

Anyone know just where it starts and goes?:confused:

[A Squared]

A brief mention on the TV News of the Chinese Government's involvement in PNG Infrastructure funding showed the official opening of a 6 lane highway in Port Moresby. It was described by the reporter as a 'highway to nowhere!':ooh:

Anyone know just where it starts and goes?:confused:

It goes goes from Parliament House to Waigaini Drive. It's a little over a kilometer long. It looks kind of like a glorified driveway to Parliament House. It's not going to improve Moresby Traffic one iota ... unless you happen to be driving to Parliament House, and even then it only improves the last kilometer.

[machtuk]

Everything that is ever done during these corrupt feel good meetings world wide is a dog & pony show ! It's just PNG's turn to rort it !

[tail wheel]

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/543x622/80-png_car_scam_df0a3ee9e942662967370c36ef9d796a157a9208.jpg

[packapoo]

Gosh, he's porked up hasn't he? The gardener fellow, that is. O'Steal was always important looking...

[Pinky the pilot]

It goes from Parliament House to Waigaini Drive. It's a little over a kilometer long. It looks kind of like a glorified driveway to Parliament House. It's not going to improve Moresby Traffic one iota ... unless you happen to be driving to Parliament House, and even then it only improves the last kilometer.

Thanks for that, A Squared. I am presently undecided on whether to assume that someone in Gavmen thought that this was a great idea, (for purposes unknown, but probably 'gris') or an extraordinarily blatant example of stupidity from someone in Gavmen!:rolleyes:

Only in the Land of the unexpected could you expect something like this!!:*:=:{:ugh:

[Kiwiconehead]

Thanks for that, A Squared. I am presently undecided on whether to assume that someone in Gavmen thought that this was a great idea, (for purposes unknown, but probably 'gris') or an extraordinarily blatant example of stupidity from someone in Gavmen!:rolleyes:


I guess if you found out which construction company got the contract you'd know who thought it was a good idea ;)

[A Squared]

I guess if you found out which construction company got the contract you'd know who thought it was a good idea ;)

The China Harbour Engineering Company, it would appear (https://www.thenational.com.pg/new-6-lane-road-set-moresby/)

[Kiwiconehead]

The China Harbour Engineering Company, it would appear (https://www.thenational.com.pg/new-6-lane-road-set-moresby/)

OH - well they are well respected and above board, surely nothing to see there.

https://news.pngfacts.com/2016/02/chinese-companys-harbour-work-done-at.html
https://pngexposed.wordpress.com/tag/china-harbour-engineering/

[Pinky the pilot]

"...grease is the word...."

And no, that isn't just a brief part of a line from a song of the 70's.:ooh:

[A Squared]

OH - well they are well respected and above board, surely nothing to see there.

https://news.pngfacts.com/2016/02/chinese-companys-harbour-work-done-at.html
https://pngexposed.wordpress.com/tag/china-harbour-engineering/


No doubt they have reformed and put those dark days behind them ...

[TBM-Legend]

Another $100m from Australia down the gurgler!

[poteroo]

It occurs to me that there is rank hypocrisy in the PNG governments 'borrowing' from the Chinese government. It seems only yesterday that PNG, and the Solomons, were the location of riots against local Chinese businesses. Please explain if there has been a change in feeling towards non-indigenes in PNG. But, by borrowing so much, (USD300m already?), PNG is probably heading for an Argentinian type currency crash in the future: the Kina will be as valuable as a Zimbabwean peso. And Australia is bidding things up so that we can join the queue of lenders.... (probably of last resort!). Canberra seems to think that throwing more 'aid' money at PNG will balance things when it's really a classic 'dutch' auction that PNG is running. Talk about cargo cult - this mob have given it new life!

[tail wheel]

The Kina value is regulated by the Central Bank. It's true value if floated is estimated to be approximately 20% less than the current exchange rates. The PNG Government regulates the Kina value to avoid a significant increase in repayment of off shore debts.

[troppo]

The Kina value is regulated by the Central Bank. It's true value if floated is estimated to be approximately 20% less than the current exchange rates. The PNG Government regulates the Kina value to avoid a significant increase in repayment of off shore debts.
imagine the influx of tourists if they devalued the KINA though. Surely that would compensate :}
Ela beach could be lined with umbrellas and sun loungers and go go bars :}

[tail wheel]

And PNG exports from coffee to minerals, gas and petroleum would be far more attractive to foreign buyers. Currently PNG is extremely short of foreign currency limiting imports, allowing the Kina to float would partially relieve that problem.

[Sam Asama]

C'mon! You guys are making far too much sense...

[poteroo]

The Kina value is regulated by the Central Bank. It's true value if floated is estimated to be approximately 20% less than the current exchange rates. The PNG Government regulates the Kina value to avoid a significant increase in repayment of off shore debts.

Exactly why they are heading for a crash. The Argentinians had their peso pegged at USD1.00 when I was there around 2000, and the whole house-of-cards collapsed when they simply couldn't meet their debts. What I object to is Canberra giving them loads of 'aid', when the Chinese, very wisely, structure their 'aid' as loans. PNG looks at the western sources of aid with a near cargo cult mentality, but they can't pull that one with the Chinese!

[Bend alot]

Have the fleet of cars got satellite tracking?

Or we be be looking for them some place along the 7th arc?

[Sam Asama]

Boggles my mind how governments and international banks like the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank (funded by you and me...) don't seem to care that PNG is a train wreck. I mean the financial gurus know their stuff and aren't imbeciles, so why don't we hear more alarms being raised?

[troppo]

meanwhile...(paywall) (https://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/png-riot-soldiers-police-fight-outside-of-parliament/news-story/66e0a3a91e2d0b76d7f5a08616cfe353)PNG riot: security forces storm parliament over unpaid APEC wages

https://cdn.newsapi.com.au/image/v1/789d41703f27aa1c8fb4ee1d9dacb96a?width=650 (https://cdn.newsapi.com.au/image/v1/789d41703f27aa1c8fb4ee1d9dacb96a)Soldiers are fighting with police outside PNG's parliament. Picture: Supplied

BEN PACKHAM (https://www.theaustralian.com.au/author/Ben+Packham)


POLITICAL REPORTER
https://i1.wp.com/pixel.tcog.cp1.news.com.au/track/component/author/7347f5521d57d74bd77a11ec65601375/?esi=true&t_product=the-australian&t_template=s3/austemp-article_common/broadsheet/components/article-author/widget&td_bio=false&td_location=none
2 MINUTES AGO NOVEMBER 20, 2018
18 COMMENTS (https://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/png-riot-soldiers-police-fight-outside-of-parliament/news-story/66e0a3a91e2d0b76d7f5a08616cfe353#story-comments)
Papua New Guinea soldiers, police and corrective services officers have stormed the parliament in Port Moresby seeking unpaid APEC allowances.

The Australian understands the officers forced their way into parliament, smashing some windows, cars and furniture.

MPs were trapped inside during the incident, with reports that “a couple of ministers got slapped around”.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DsabOosVsAA5fdy?format=jpg&name=small
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PNG Flaver@PNGflaver (https://twitter.com/PNGflaver)
@Tribe92FM (https://twitter.com/Tribe92FM) I would like to send my dedication out to @PM_GOV_PG (https://twitter.com/PM_GOV_PG) Government. They have done an outstanding job during the APEC

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https://content.capi.newscorp.com/images/AUS-45d60a6fc04b8de3dc1156121a5b9eb3?width=320 (http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/crossbench-support-for-labors-integrity-commission-bill/news-story/69a662e223861e4807fef2c0196557dc)
EXCLUSIVE
Katter likely to back ICAC (http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/crossbench-support-for-labors-integrity-commission-bill/news-story/69a662e223861e4807fef2c0196557dc)
ROSIE LEWIS, RICHARD FERGUSON
Opposition MP Allan Bird, who was with colleagues in a conference room preparing their response to last week’s PNG budget, said the incident had died down but suggested “this could be a sign of things to come”.

Mr Bird claimed there was dissatisfaction with the PNG Government and that “APEC was just the spark that erupted it”.

Another opposition MP described the situation as “very tense”.

Senior opposition MP Kerenga Kua said parliament was due to resume at 2pm for the budget reply.

“If the parliament does not sit at 2pm, we will demand the Prime Minister’s resignation,” Mr Kua said.

PNG Prime Minister Peter O’Neill commands a sizeable majority, with only 22 opposition MPs in the 111-member parliament.

Those involved were part of the joint APEC security taskforce which had earlier been working side-by-side with AFP and Australian defence personnel.

The first occasion a vote of no confidence can been moved against Mr O’Neill is in February, 18-months since the last election.

The Australian understands the violence took place at the same location where Xi Jinping on Friday was greeted by PNG MPs and opened a new ceremonial road.

PNG residents have expressed anger about the cost of hosting APEC with the purchase of 40 Maseratis and three Bentleys infuriating voters in a nation with 60 per cent unemployment, a polio outbreak, ongoing tribal fighting in the Highlands and surging rates of gender violence.

Australia spent an estimated $200m supporting PNG in hosting the APEC summit.

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[Sam Asama]

Have the fleet of cars got satellite tracking?

Or we be be looking for them some place along the 7th arc?


Well done Bend alot!

[ResumeOwnNav]

Good to see in typical POM road rule chaos, the new road to nowhere has turn left and right arrows in both the left and right lanes! :ugh:

[A Squared]

Good to see in typical POM road rule chaos, the new road to nowhere has turn left and right arrows in both the left and right lanes! :ugh:

lol, good eye. I didn't even notice that. But in fairness, that's what they're going to do anyway, so might as well paint it on the lanes.

[packapoo]

I got picked up more then a few times for turning on the green arrow at lights near Boroko Motors when thru traffic was red lighted :=:ugh:

[Pinky the pilot]

PNG riot: security forces storm parliament over unpaid APEC wages

So (yet again) 'the Peasants are revolting.!:eek::ooh:

Didn't they do that a few years ago after some similar gabfest?:confused:

[Killer Loop]

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-02-13/png-police-ask-for-284-apec-cars-back/10805384 😄

[Duck Pilot]

Absolutely no surprises with the missing 284 vehicles! It’s actually that bad that it’s funny, but who gives a ****, the bros in the bigpla haus in Wagaini still take my taxes, and a **** load of them. And the thieves still charge $3:09 per minute to call the place from Oz....... Whoever has their filthy paws on the telecommunications gateway into PNG is obviously a filthy rich person/s. Those charges are absolutely criminal give Australia’s close proximity to PNG!!!!!