Rimbink Pato

Non-genuine refugees seek to stop deportation

Their lawyer Ben Lomai filed the application on Monday, February 27 seeking that order.

The matter came for mention today before Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia who adjourned it to March 8 because the state was short served the application.

The court also made an indication that the application will go before a three-man Supreme Court bench.

PNG economy rebounding: Minister

In a statement, Foreign Affairs and Immigration Minister, Rimbink Pato, says: “We are emerging from a challenging period with reduced commodity prices, but we are seeing a rebound that is strengthening the economy.

“Our economy is into the fifteenth year of positive economic growth, and debt and inflation are under control.

“Despite the recent global downturn, the Government was able to manage pressures and not reduce critical service delivery.

“We do have foreign currency access concerns that are being resolved, and have improved since last year.”

UN contribution error being resolved: Pato

He said there was an error that saw the contribution funds used for ongoing operations, and this is being resolved through the transfer of additional funds.

“If the journalist behind the article had checked with appropriate sources, the article on UNGA funds would not have been a story,” the Foreign Minister said in a statement.

“The remittance of funds to overseas missions involves payments for different diplomatic purposes.

“In the case of the UN contributions, the funds were simply used for other operational areas.

We’ll deal with the UN matter accordingly: O’Neill

O’Neill told Loop PNG that funding for the UN have been in a trust account for months.

He said someone in the Foreign Affairs department is not doing his/her job which resulted in such.

PNG lost its vote in the United Nations General Assembly because it failed to pay its annual contributions of at least (K532,000) to regain voting rights.

PNG is one of six countries whose voting rights have been suspended for non-payment — the others being Venezuela, Libya, Sudan, Cape Verde and Vanuatu.

PNG yet to settle UN payments

Juffa made this call after PNG lost its vote in the United Nations General Assembly because it failed to pay its annual contributions.

PNG needs to pay the UN at least (K532,000) to regain voting rights.

PNG is one of six countries whose voting rights have been suspended for non-payment — the others being Venezuela, Libya, Sudan, Cape Verde and Vanuatu.

Juffa said once more the people of Papua New Guinea have been collectively humiliated internationally.

PNG foreign missions in need of operational funds, says Juffa

Juffa stated that he had been informed by reliable sources in several missions that they have not been paid for up to three fortnights.

He said that in the Solomon Islands water had been cut and power would soon follow.

Juffa further reiterated that it was totally embarrassing for the Pacific’s largest economy to be grandstanding at various international meetings and promoting APEC when it could not fund its international stations and was unable to fund its elections and free health and school fee policy.

Minister Pato welcomes new Republic of Korea envoy

Minister Pato said his (Bum-soc’s) tour of duty to PNG which will further enhance the bilateral relations between the two countries.

He thanked the Korean Government for their on-going support for bilateral development assistance since the two countries formed diplomatic ties in 1976.

Knight attacks Pato’s response in parliament

Minister Rimbink Pato, in responding to a series of questions without notice from Rabaul MP Dr. Allan Marat, said “the management of the refugee resettlement facility is not in a mess”.

He added that it is “professionally managed by competent people from within our Immigration and Citizenship Services Authority with the support of the Australian Government, United Nations agencies, including the International Office of Migration, which is looking at repatriation and resettlement of a number of asylum refugees”.

MSG chairs say West Papua will be admitted

Vanuatu's Daily Post reported Prime Minister Sogavare reportedly saying Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and New Caledonia's FLNKS movement would admit West Papua at the next MSG Leaders’ Summit in Vanuatu, even if Papua New Guinea and Fiji stay away.

The postponed MSG leaders’ summit will be held in December.

West Papua is a province in Indonesia that shares the common land border with Papua New Guinea.

PNG-Japan discuss airline codeshare arrangement

During the recent 71st United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York, Japan Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, met with island leaders where the idea was raised.

Minister for Foreign Affairs, Rimbink Pato, who was a part of the PNG delegation and attended the meeting, spoke on behalf of PNG’s national carrier to Prime Minister Abe.