Papua New Guinea in 2015: at a crossroads and beyond (2023)

FAQs

What is the biggest problem in PNG? ›

According to the PNG National Research Institute, corruption in the public sector is believed to be one of the main constraints for doing business in PNG, particularly for small enterprises.

Lack of accountability for police violence persisted in PNG, and weak enforcement of laws criminalizing corruption and violence against women and children continue to foster a culture of impunity and lawlessness.

Poor law and order. Law and order challenges in Papua New Guinea are intractable. Levels of crime and violence are high and are a major obstacle to economic development. Robbery, assault, and domestic violence are the most commonly reported crimes.

Concerns centre around criminal violence and the limited effectiveness of state controls. High levels of interpersonal violence are apparent in the activities of criminal gangs (rascals), the tribal fighting occurring in parts of the Highlands, as well as in everyday gender relations throughout the country.

So, why is Papua New Guinea poor? In short, because of income inequality, aggravated by years of poor planning and corruption by the government. To correct this problem, new measures will need to be taken to outline and enforce government oversight and the proper use of government funds.

The law and order situation in Papua New Guinea continues to pose serious risks to travellers. Violent crime, including armed robbery, carjacking, home invasions and sexual assault, is common throughout the country, especially in urban areas such as Port Moresby, Lae, Madang and Mt Hagen.

In 1914, Australia took control of the German colony in northeastern New Guinea. With Papua and New Guinea under its reign, Australia established English as the official language of instruction and laid the foundation for modern education in Papua New Guinea.

Equipping children with English skills at a young age will enhance their academic performance in post-elementary education and, thus, enable them to contribute meaningfully to the socio-economic development of Papua New Guinea.

Several initiatives have been provided to address Gender-Based violence (GBV), however, GBV remains a long-standing issue in Papua New Guinea (PNG). Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) has been one of the most common types of GBV, which has adverse effects on partners and their children.

The most important are: Political uncertainty: even though the previous government (2002–2007) completed its full 5-year term and the current coalition government retains many members who were in the previous administration, businesses still fear possible political instability.

What is gender inequality in PNG? ›

Gender equality is a significant challenge in PNG, and systemic violations of women's rights exist throughout the country. In 2014, Papua New Guinea ranked 140 out of 155 countries of the Gender Inequality Index. Women and girls have substantially less access to health care and education services than males.

Using the national measure (see "Poverty Data and Methodology" section below for details), 39.9 percent of the population lived below the basic needs poverty line. Using the international poverty line of $1.90 (2011 PPP USD per person per day), the poverty rate was estimated at 38.0 percent.

As a general rule, you're prohibited from entering Papua New Guinea with fruit, vegetables and animal products due to local quarantine controls. Marijuana and other narcotics are illegal in Papua New Guinea; offences can carry substantial prison sentences.

English common law (defined to include equity) in force immediately before 16 September 1975 (Independence Day and the day the Constitution entered into force), 'notwithstanding their modification through an amendment, repeal or alteration by a statute of England unless the modifying statute has been adopted in Papua ...

But when asked what causes poverty in PNG, the people consulted identified the most important factors as follows: • lack of jobs and other opportunities to earn cash, • too little or no land to cultivate food crops, • no access to education, • lack of access to services and poor living conditions, and • breakdown of ...

Papua New Guinea is vulnerable to several hazards, including floods, droughts, earthquakes, volcanic activity, tsunamis, and sea-level rise.

Papua New Guinea has 5 percent of the world's biodiversity, even though it only covers 1 percent of Earth's total land area. It has more than 20,000 plant species, 800 species of coral, 600 species of fish, and 750 species of birds.

Papua New Guinea is about 1.9 times bigger than United Kingdom. United Kingdom is approximately 243,610 sq km, while Papua New Guinea is approximately 462,840 sq km, making Papua New Guinea 90% larger than United Kingdom.

A 2004 article in The Economist ranked Port Moresby the world's least livable capital cities due to high unemployment and the consequent high levels of violent crime. At that time, unemployment rates were estimated to be between 60 and 90 percent.

Is it safe to live in PNG? ›

Serious crime is high in the capital, Port Moresby, and in the cities of Lae and Mt Hagen. Settlement or squatter areas of towns and cities are particularly dangerous. 'Bush knives' (machetes) and firearms are often used in assaults and thefts.

The general customary greeting is to shake hands and to ask “yuorait” – “How are you?” People commonly clasp hands with one another to greet or grasp each other around the hips. A nod of acknowledgement may also suffice.

Papua New Guinea has about eight million people, but more than 800 languages. The oldest ones, in the Papuan group, date back tens of thousands of years. So why are there so many languages in this mountainous island country?

English is an official language and is the language of government and the education system. However, it is not widely spoken. The primary lingua francaa common language used by people of diverse backgrounds to communicate with one another of the country is Tok Pisin (commonly known in English as New Guinea Pidgin).

Command of English is declining dramatically at every educational institution in Papua New Guinea. English is no longer esteemed as a universal language and its significance is no longer emphasised in schools. Teachers even turn a blind eye to the value of reading.

Formal education remains in English, although schools are allowed to use the vernacular in order to aid in understanding. No teacher training or materials are provided in the vernacular, however.

Political corruption in Papua New Guinea is largely enforced by political nepotism and the patronage system of governance. Elected leaders are inclined to seize and distribute resources amongst their electorates in order to secure and maintain popular support.

Papua New Guinea has a crime index of 80.79. In Papua New Guinea, crime, especially violent crime, is primarily fueled by rapid social, economic, and political changes. Raskol gangs engage in small and large-scale criminal activity and consist mainly of members with little education and few employment opportunities.

Fundamental Rights affect our very existence and quality of life. They include the Right to Life, Freedom from Inhumane Treatment and the Right to Protection of the Law. Every person who lives in PNG, for a long or short period of time, or is just passing through has these rights.

What are the four main reasons for small business failure in PNG? ›

The findings show that SMMEs owned by previously disadvantaged individuals are dealing with issues such as lack of finance, insufficient government support and lack of information on services available to them from government and NGOs, which if left unattended, can cause their businesses to fail.

Papua New Guinea became self-governing on 1 December 1973 and achieved independence on 16 September 1975. The country joined the United Nations (UN) on 10 October 1975 by way of Security Council Resolution 375 and General Assembly resolution 3368.

The National Public Service GESI policy is designed to develop and maintain a positive, respectful. work culture that ensures equity and diversity for all employees and is free from discrimination. In. particular it: • Outlines the legislative provisions supporting a respectful, equitable and inclusive workplace.

Dame Carol Anne Kidu (née Millwater; born 10 October 1948), also known as Carol, Lady Kidu, DBE, is an Australian-born Papua New Guinean politician.

Papua New Guinea is an island country that lies in the south-western Pacific. It includes the eastern half of New Guinea and many small offshore islands.

Development Context

PNG, a lower-middle-income country ranked 155 out of 187 countries in the 2019 Human Development Index, is the only Pacific country in the low human development band of the Index.

Living Income 2020:

The Anker Living Income Reference Value for 2020 for rural Papua New Guinea is PGK 1,593 per month (US $460). This is the estimated monthly cost of a basic but decent standard of living for a typical family in rural Papua New Guinea in 2020.

According to the PNG National Research Institute, corruption in the public sector is believed to be one of the main constraints for doing business in PNG, particularly for small enterprises.

Why is there so much violence in Papua New Guinea? ›

Crime throughout the country, particularly violence-related, has been influenced mainly by rapid social, political and economic changes. An increased rate of unemployment has resulted in poverty in rural areas, while a sequential shift towards urban areas has created cultural friction.

Concerns centre around criminal violence and the limited effectiveness of state controls. High levels of interpersonal violence are apparent in the activities of criminal gangs (rascals), the tribal fighting occurring in parts of the Highlands, as well as in everyday gender relations throughout the country.

Eternal law was God's perfect plan, not fully knowable to humans. It determined the way things such as animals and planets behaved and how people should behave. Divine law, primarily from the Bible, guided individuals beyond the world to "eternal happiness" in what St. Augustine had called the "City of God."

By having a dual system of law, the authors of the Constitution hoped that the role of custom within the legal system of the country would gradually increase.

The rule of law means that government must be carried out by pre-determined rules of engagement and should not be made up as we go along.

The laws from both the federal and state legal systems stem from three pri- mary sources: the Constitution, statutes, and common law. Although constitutional laws are relatively small in number, they are important because they protect rights that we as a society have found to be of fundamental importance.

A low score earns a high ranking, and signals a perception of a corrupt public sector. In the 2021 Index, Papua New Guinea scored 31 out of 100 possible and ranked 124 out of 180 countries; for comparison, the best score was 88 (ranked 1), and the worst score was 11 (ranked 180).

Latest World Bank Report says PNG's economy returning to modest economic growth after a heavy downturn in 2020. PORT MORESBY, March 4, 2022 – A new World Bank report says Papua New Guinea's economy is projected to grow by four percent in 2022, driven largely by growth in the extractives sector.

Does PNG have a foreign policy? ›

Papua New Guinea's foreign policy reflects close ties with Australia and other traditional allies and cooperative relations with neighboring countries. Its views on international political and economic issues are generally moderate.

The major economic sectors in Papua New Guinea are: Agriculture and Livestock, Forestry, Mining and Petroleum, Tourism and Hospitality, Fisheries and Marine resources, Manufacturing, Retailing and Wholesaling, Building and Construction, Transport and Telecommunications, and Finance and Business Trade.

Denmark, New Zealand, Finland, Singapore, and Sweden are perceived as the least corrupt nations in the world, ranking consistently high among international financial transparency, while the most apparently corrupt are Syria, Somalia (both scoring 13), and South Sudan (11).

The most common types or categories of corruption are supply versus demand corruption, grand versus petty corruption, conventional versus unconventional corruption and public versus private corruption.

The tropical birds, the vibrant colors, the composite cultures and the tribal traditions will make you fall in love with this place. This country of biological diversity and immense culture is known for its beaches, scuba diving and coral reefs.

Papua New Guinea is vulnerable to several hazards, including floods, droughts, earthquakes, volcanic activity, tsunamis, and sea-level rise.

In PNG, globalisation-fuelled international investment ushered in the huge Bougainville copper mine in the 1960s and thereafter a series of large – such as Ok Tedi, Porgera and Lihir cooper and gold mines – and medium-scale mining developments, such as Misima, Tolukuma and Hidden Valley.

Nevertheless, inflation in PNG is largely driven by external factors (Aba & Vellodi, 2013), given the country's reliance on imports for most of the consumer and producer goods.

Today, Australia and Papua New Guinea enjoy a strong bilateral relationship where economic growth, cultural understanding and political diplomacy is encouraged and supported. Papua New Guinea is a developing nation with 85% of its population living and working in farming and agriculture.

The indigenous peoples of West Papua in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea, commonly called Papuans, are Melanesians.

Was Papua New Guinea attached to Australia? ›

New Guinea was connected by land to Australia until about 10,000 years ago, meaning the first people could walk down through what is now Cape York to the rest of the continent.

In 2020, the national debt of Papua New Guinea amounted to around 11.31 billion U.S. dollars.

The main products that Papua New Guinea exported to Japan were Petroleum Gas ($1.26B), Copper Ore ($475M), and Refined Petroleum ($114M). During the last 25 years the exports of Papua New Guinea to Japan have increased at an annualized rate of 4.37%, from $650M in 1995 to $1.89B in 2020.