James Donald

Aust visa processes queried

He is concerned that simple Papua New Guineans find it difficult to obtain an Australian Visa because of its complicated requirements.

Getting an Australian Visa is a mammoth task that involved a lot of requirement; and to add to that the Australian Visa office is based in Fiji and not in the country.

North Fly MP, James Donald raised this issue in Parliament highlighting that some countries have relax visa requirement compared to Australia.

Injunction on P'Nyang Agreement

Lawyer representing the MP, Ralph Saulep said they served the restraining order electronically to Minister for Petroleum, Kerenga Kua before the signing took place.

However, Prime Minister James Marape signed the Gas Agreement at the Government House at midday today, Tuesday 22 February.

Mr Donald, in a media conference, has stated that the signing is illegal as landowners were not involved in the agreement process and that the Project Retention License for one developing partner, ExxonMobil, had expired.

MP stresses on agriculture

He says agriculture is the way forward for people in Western Province as it will create more employment opportunities for locals and generate income for individuals and families.

“Don’t think that the Ok Tedi mine will stay forever. In the event it closes, agriculture will sustain you,” he stated.

Kua clarifies P'nyang PRL expiry

Petroleum Minister, Kerenga Kua clarified this in parliament today when questioned why ExxonMobil continued discussions on the Pnyang Project when the PRL License expired.

North Fly MP, James Donald, raised a series of questions in parliament.

One of them was to clarify why ExxonMobil was allowed to negotiate on the P’nyang Project when the PRL the hold expired.

“Can the Minister confirm or deny the PRL license gas expirzed and so ExxonMobil is unlawfully holding onto the license?” asked Donald.

Western Leaders back PM on Pnyang

Western Governor, Taboi Awi Yoto, and North Fly MP, James Donald, announced in a joint statement their endorsement of the Prime Minister stance to stop negotiations and focus on other resource projects currently in the pipeline.

According to the statement the leaders said PNG was entitled to a fair deal. And after the PNG LNG Project, they expectied ExxonMobil and project partner, Oil Search, to display commercial fairness and reasonableness.

The leaders said the companies chose to discard these core virtues.

Youth allegedly assaulted, killed by PNGDF: MP

Member for North Fly District, James Donald, during “question without notice” today in Parliament, told the Defence Minister that PNGDF personnel manning the border have been accused of killing the youth, whose body is now in the morgue.

Tread carefully in reviewing resource laws: Minister

His question during the recent Parliament session was directed to the Minister for Petroleum, Kerenga Kua, who said industry legislations will be looked at carefully because these are billion-dollar industries.

Minister Kua said the first task that his Ministry has taken to is the Papua LNG Gas agreement.

North Fly to get three more high schools

The proposed new high schools are Olsobip High in Olsobip, St. Betila in Kiunga rural and Bedamuni High in Nomad.

This comes after the North Fly District Development Authority (DDA) passed its policy decision on their establishments during the first 2019 DDA meeting on February 11th in remote Mougulu station in Nomad local level government.

North Fly MP and chairman, James Donald, said it was a government directive that all LLGs in the province should have a high school.

DSG helps students continue studies

A cheque of K150,000 was presented on Wednesday by local MP, James Donald to the Kiunga ITI center - funds from the 2018 Discretional component of the District Support Grant.

 Donald said ITI was introduced when he was council President for Kiunga rural LLG, and will ensure those who cant make it through the normal system can be given a second change through the ITI center.

He further said he will continue to support all North Fly students who attend the institute annually

Western leaders ‘Look West’

The Member for North Fly, James Donald, outlined this when talking about the efforts in place to build up infrastructure along the border.

Mr Donald says that he has spoken with the relevant authorities to begin preparation work on sorting out key areas along the border to pursue connections with Indonesia.

The member explains that this preliminary arrangements and negotiations have been ongoing for a while now with several decisions being made as a result of the numerous dialogues that have taken place to date.