PNG's Hit Song - O Mama (mother)

Papua New Guinea music, ROCKS big Time


When I was in Papua New Guinea last November (2008), I love listening to one of the, I guess well composed songs, "O mama" from Owa Units Band from their volume one album. It totally blew my mind off when I was listening to it. It is a big hit on the PNG airwaves and hope the guys will make a name for themselves on the PNG music scene.

The song really talks about how mothers around PNG and worldwide normally do to raise us and our siblings. Even though, I am miles and miles away from home; the song, 'O mama' keeps me closer to sweet Mount Hagen and off course Ambma (mother).

All you mothers out there, YOU GUYS ROCK BIG TIME.


Click here to listen to the song, " O mama (mother)" from Owa Units Band. (The video is put together by Giluweowa, courtesy of YouTube)

PNG's Hit Song - O Mama (mother)

Papua New Guinea music, ROCKS big Time


When I was in Papua New Guinea last November (2008), I love listening to one of the, I guess well composed songs, "O mama" from Owa Units Band from their volume one album. It totally blew my mind off when I was listening to it. It is a big hit on the PNG airwaves and hope the guys will make a name for themselves on the PNG music scene.

The song really talks about how mothers around PNG and worldwide normally do to raise us and our siblings. Even though, I am miles and miles away from home; the song, 'O mama' keeps me closer to sweet Mount Hagen and off course Ambma (mother).

All you mothers out there, YOU GUYS ROCK BIG TIME.


Click here to listen to the song, " O mama (mother)" from Owa Units Band. (The video is put together by Giluweowa, courtesy of YouTube)

PNG's Hit Song - O Mama (mother)

Papua New Guinea music, ROCKS big Time


When I was in Papua New Guinea last November (2008), I love listening to one of the, I guess well composed songs, "O mama" from Owa Units Band from their volume one album. It totally blew my mind off when I was listening to it. It is a big hit on the PNG airwaves and hope the guys will make a name for themselves on the PNG music scene.

The song really talks about how mothers around PNG and worldwide normally do to raise us and our siblings. Even though, I am miles and miles away from home; the song, 'O mama' keeps me closer to sweet Mount Hagen and off course Ambma (mother).

All you mothers out there, YOU GUYS ROCK BIG TIME.


Click here to listen to the song, " O mama (mother)" from Owa Units Band. (The video is put together by Giluweowa, courtesy of YouTube)

Tom Olga - How well did he serve the people of WHP?

Tom Olga is a Papua New Guinea politician and my high school classmate at Kombolopa High School (1988 -1991) in the Mul/Baiyer electorate of Western Highlands Province, Papua New Guinea. He has been the independent Governor of Western Highlands Province and the member for Western Highlands Provincial in the National Parliament of Papua New Guinea since July 2007.

He cited this as his reason for running for parliament when, in 2007, he challenged former Prime Minister Paias Wingti in his seat of Western Highlands Provincial.

He was supported in his campaign by the Millennium Pack 2000, a group of provincial leaders supporting pro-development and anti-corruption initiatives, and more than thirty local councillors.

( Left, Gov. Tom Olga appears at one of his court hearings in Port Moresby)

Olga, who comes from the Mul Baiyer area, was a student leader at the University of Papua New Guinea during protests against government privatisation and land mobilisation policies in 2001 in which four students were killed in a police crackdown.

Olga campaigned on a platform of fighting government corruption and mismanagement and stemming the exploitation of the country's resources. He also made an issue of the need for a new generation of leaders, contrasting his age of 32 with Wingti's advancing years. The final result was extremely close, with Wingti leading for most of the count, but ultimately losing to Olga on preferences in the final stage of counting.

It was the last electorate to be declared, with Olga being eventually announced as the winner on August 6. The result was widely considered an upset, with the potential to end Wingti's thirty-year career in national politics. The result enraged some of Wingti's supporters, who retaliated by blocking roads in the region and digging up a major road into the city of Mount Hagen. Wingti subsequently filed a petition challenging the result with the Court of Disputed Returns on August 17. This challenge has not yet been resolved.

He was sworn in as the provincial governor on August 22, 2007. Olga's first act as governor was to advertise all acting public service positions in the province, including that of the provincial administrator. He also pledged to increase government services to remote areas of the province.

***Olga served for more than two years as governor of Western Highlands Province. Now; you, the people of Western Highlands know and have seen his actions during this short stint. Today is your only chance to vote him back or vote another person to lead the province. I think Western Highlands had suffered enough at the hands of leaders who had hidden motives not to serve the people of the province but themselves and their cohorts. I think we need a overhaul in changing of the leadership in Western Highlands Province. Over to you, THE PEOPLE OF WHP!

Tom Olga - How well did he serve the people of WHP?

Tom Olga is a Papua New Guinea politician and my high school classmate at Kombolopa High School (1988 -1991) in the Mul/Baiyer electorate of Western Highlands Province, Papua New Guinea. He has been the independent Governor of Western Highlands Province and the member for Western Highlands Provincial in the National Parliament of Papua New Guinea since July 2007.

He cited this as his reason for running for parliament when, in 2007, he challenged former Prime Minister Paias Wingti in his seat of Western Highlands Provincial.

He was supported in his campaign by the Millennium Pack 2000, a group of provincial leaders supporting pro-development and anti-corruption initiatives, and more than thirty local councillors.

( Left, Gov. Tom Olga appears at one of his court hearings in Port Moresby)

Olga, who comes from the Mul Baiyer area, was a student leader at the University of Papua New Guinea during protests against government privatisation and land mobilisation policies in 2001 in which four students were killed in a police crackdown.

Olga campaigned on a platform of fighting government corruption and mismanagement and stemming the exploitation of the country's resources. He also made an issue of the need for a new generation of leaders, contrasting his age of 32 with Wingti's advancing years. The final result was extremely close, with Wingti leading for most of the count, but ultimately losing to Olga on preferences in the final stage of counting.

It was the last electorate to be declared, with Olga being eventually announced as the winner on August 6. The result was widely considered an upset, with the potential to end Wingti's thirty-year career in national politics. The result enraged some of Wingti's supporters, who retaliated by blocking roads in the region and digging up a major road into the city of Mount Hagen. Wingti subsequently filed a petition challenging the result with the Court of Disputed Returns on August 17. This challenge has not yet been resolved.

He was sworn in as the provincial governor on August 22, 2007. Olga's first act as governor was to advertise all acting public service positions in the province, including that of the provincial administrator. He also pledged to increase government services to remote areas of the province.

***Olga served for more than two years as governor of Western Highlands Province. Now; you, the people of Western Highlands know and have seen his actions during this short stint. Today is your only chance to vote him back or vote another person to lead the province. I think Western Highlands had suffered enough at the hands of leaders who had hidden motives not to serve the people of the province but themselves and their cohorts. I think we need a overhaul in changing of the leadership in Western Highlands Province. Over to you, THE PEOPLE OF WHP!

Tom Olga - How well did he serve the people of WHP?

Tom Olga is a Papua New Guinea politician and my high school classmate at Kombolopa High School (1988 -1991) in the Mul/Baiyer electorate of Western Highlands Province, Papua New Guinea. He has been the independent Governor of Western Highlands Province and the member for Western Highlands Provincial in the National Parliament of Papua New Guinea since July 2007.

He cited this as his reason for running for parliament when, in 2007, he challenged former Prime Minister Paias Wingti in his seat of Western Highlands Provincial.

He was supported in his campaign by the Millennium Pack 2000, a group of provincial leaders supporting pro-development and anti-corruption initiatives, and more than thirty local councillors.

( Left, Gov. Tom Olga appears at one of his court hearings in Port Moresby)

Olga, who comes from the Mul Baiyer area, was a student leader at the University of Papua New Guinea during protests against government privatisation and land mobilisation policies in 2001 in which four students were killed in a police crackdown.

Olga campaigned on a platform of fighting government corruption and mismanagement and stemming the exploitation of the country's resources. He also made an issue of the need for a new generation of leaders, contrasting his age of 32 with Wingti's advancing years. The final result was extremely close, with Wingti leading for most of the count, but ultimately losing to Olga on preferences in the final stage of counting.

It was the last electorate to be declared, with Olga being eventually announced as the winner on August 6. The result was widely considered an upset, with the potential to end Wingti's thirty-year career in national politics. The result enraged some of Wingti's supporters, who retaliated by blocking roads in the region and digging up a major road into the city of Mount Hagen. Wingti subsequently filed a petition challenging the result with the Court of Disputed Returns on August 17. This challenge has not yet been resolved.

He was sworn in as the provincial governor on August 22, 2007. Olga's first act as governor was to advertise all acting public service positions in the province, including that of the provincial administrator. He also pledged to increase government services to remote areas of the province.

***Olga served for more than two years as governor of Western Highlands Province. Now; you, the people of Western Highlands know and have seen his actions during this short stint. Today is your only chance to vote him back or vote another person to lead the province. I think Western Highlands had suffered enough at the hands of leaders who had hidden motives not to serve the people of the province but themselves and their cohorts. I think we need a overhaul in changing of the leadership in Western Highlands Province. Over to you, THE PEOPLE OF WHP!

Paias Wingti - Will he win at the by election?

Paias Wingti (born 1951) is a Papua New Guinean political figure. He served as the prime minister of Papua New Guinea between 1985 and 1988, and again from 1992 to 1994.
Wingti is a member of the Jika Mukuka Tribe of the Western Highlands province.

While doing his final year in Economics at the University of Papua New Guinea, he stood for election in 1977, winning to become a member of the Hagen Open in the country's National Parliament. In 1985, as leader of the People's Democratic Movement (which had broken away from the Pangu Party), he became the youngest Prime Minister in the Commonwealth when Michael Somare lost a confidence vote. Julius Chan, who would himself become Prime Minister, served as his deputy.





















(Wingti (L) with Major General Jerry Singrok, ret.) is the founder of the People's Democratic Movement Party, PDM)

In 1987 Wingti returned to power with a slender majority of three votes. He announced a more independent foreign policy, attempting to enhance relations with the Soviet Union, U.S., Japan and China. He lost a motion of confidence in 1988 with changes in the shifting coalition and was succeeded by Rabbie Namaliu, the new leader of the Pangu Party, but Wingti returned for a further two-year stint in 1992.

His second term was marked by an escalation of unrest in Bougainville and he was ousted by Julius Chan in August 1994. Wingti continued to represent the Western Highlands in the National Parliament of Papua New Guinea, although he switched from the local Hagen constituency to the provincial-level electorate in 1995. Wingti served as the governor of Western Highlands Province from 1995 to 1997, when he was defeated for re-election by Father Robert Lak. He returned to parliament in 2002, defeating Lak to regain his seat and the governorship.

He subsequently won back the leadership of the People's Democratic Movement from Mekere Morauta, who had taken over after his defeat, in 2007. However, he was defeated in his bid for re-election at the 2007 election, losing to former student activist Tom Olga, largely as a result of the new preferential voting system. Wingti, along with fellow former Prime Minister Rabbie Namaliu, were the most high-profile losers of the election. Additionally, Wingti lost the governorship of West Highlands Province to Olga. The PDM also suffered a major defeat in the election, losing several seats.

(Tiri Kuimbakul’s book Success After Graduation was launched by former Western Highlands Governor Paias Wingti)

*** Is Wingti capable of serving the 500, 000 plus people of Western Highlands if he wins the by election for Western Highlands Regional? Olga claims that he is still the governor, even though; the National Court in Mount Hagen declared his election victory null and void. If there is a by election; the people of Western Highlands has the mandate to choose whom they want and the decision is solely theirs and theirs alone. But my advice is; elect leaders who can hear the pleas of those in the villages and spend time with them.

Paias Wingti - Will he win at the by election?

Paias Wingti (born 1951) is a Papua New Guinean political figure. He served as the prime minister of Papua New Guinea between 1985 and 1988, and again from 1992 to 1994.
Wingti is a member of the Jika Mukuka Tribe of the Western Highlands province.

While doing his final year in Economics at the University of Papua New Guinea, he stood for election in 1977, winning to become a member of the Hagen Open in the country's National Parliament. In 1985, as leader of the People's Democratic Movement (which had broken away from the Pangu Party), he became the youngest Prime Minister in the Commonwealth when Michael Somare lost a confidence vote. Julius Chan, who would himself become Prime Minister, served as his deputy.





















(Wingti (L) with Major General Jerry Singrok, ret.) is the founder of the People's Democratic Movement Party, PDM)

In 1987 Wingti returned to power with a slender majority of three votes. He announced a more independent foreign policy, attempting to enhance relations with the Soviet Union, U.S., Japan and China. He lost a motion of confidence in 1988 with changes in the shifting coalition and was succeeded by Rabbie Namaliu, the new leader of the Pangu Party, but Wingti returned for a further two-year stint in 1992.

His second term was marked by an escalation of unrest in Bougainville and he was ousted by Julius Chan in August 1994. Wingti continued to represent the Western Highlands in the National Parliament of Papua New Guinea, although he switched from the local Hagen constituency to the provincial-level electorate in 1995. Wingti served as the governor of Western Highlands Province from 1995 to 1997, when he was defeated for re-election by Father Robert Lak. He returned to parliament in 2002, defeating Lak to regain his seat and the governorship.

He subsequently won back the leadership of the People's Democratic Movement from Mekere Morauta, who had taken over after his defeat, in 2007. However, he was defeated in his bid for re-election at the 2007 election, losing to former student activist Tom Olga, largely as a result of the new preferential voting system. Wingti, along with fellow former Prime Minister Rabbie Namaliu, were the most high-profile losers of the election. Additionally, Wingti lost the governorship of West Highlands Province to Olga. The PDM also suffered a major defeat in the election, losing several seats.

(Tiri Kuimbakul’s book Success After Graduation was launched by former Western Highlands Governor Paias Wingti)

*** Is Wingti capable of serving the 500, 000 plus people of Western Highlands if he wins the by election for Western Highlands Regional? Olga claims that he is still the governor, even though; the National Court in Mount Hagen declared his election victory null and void. If there is a by election; the people of Western Highlands has the mandate to choose whom they want and the decision is solely theirs and theirs alone. But my advice is; elect leaders who can hear the pleas of those in the villages and spend time with them.

Paias Wingti - Will he win at the by election?

Paias Wingti (born 1951) is a Papua New Guinean political figure. He served as the prime minister of Papua New Guinea between 1985 and 1988, and again from 1992 to 1994.
Wingti is a member of the Jika Mukuka Tribe of the Western Highlands province.

While doing his final year in Economics at the University of Papua New Guinea, he stood for election in 1977, winning to become a member of the Hagen Open in the country's National Parliament. In 1985, as leader of the People's Democratic Movement (which had broken away from the Pangu Party), he became the youngest Prime Minister in the Commonwealth when Michael Somare lost a confidence vote. Julius Chan, who would himself become Prime Minister, served as his deputy.





















(Wingti (L) with Major General Jerry Singrok, ret.) is the founder of the People's Democratic Movement Party, PDM)

In 1987 Wingti returned to power with a slender majority of three votes. He announced a more independent foreign policy, attempting to enhance relations with the Soviet Union, U.S., Japan and China. He lost a motion of confidence in 1988 with changes in the shifting coalition and was succeeded by Rabbie Namaliu, the new leader of the Pangu Party, but Wingti returned for a further two-year stint in 1992.

His second term was marked by an escalation of unrest in Bougainville and he was ousted by Julius Chan in August 1994. Wingti continued to represent the Western Highlands in the National Parliament of Papua New Guinea, although he switched from the local Hagen constituency to the provincial-level electorate in 1995. Wingti served as the governor of Western Highlands Province from 1995 to 1997, when he was defeated for re-election by Father Robert Lak. He returned to parliament in 2002, defeating Lak to regain his seat and the governorship.

He subsequently won back the leadership of the People's Democratic Movement from Mekere Morauta, who had taken over after his defeat, in 2007. However, he was defeated in his bid for re-election at the 2007 election, losing to former student activist Tom Olga, largely as a result of the new preferential voting system. Wingti, along with fellow former Prime Minister Rabbie Namaliu, were the most high-profile losers of the election. Additionally, Wingti lost the governorship of West Highlands Province to Olga. The PDM also suffered a major defeat in the election, losing several seats.

(Tiri Kuimbakul’s book Success After Graduation was launched by former Western Highlands Governor Paias Wingti)

*** Is Wingti capable of serving the 500, 000 plus people of Western Highlands if he wins the by election for Western Highlands Regional? Olga claims that he is still the governor, even though; the National Court in Mount Hagen declared his election victory null and void. If there is a by election; the people of Western Highlands has the mandate to choose whom they want and the decision is solely theirs and theirs alone. But my advice is; elect leaders who can hear the pleas of those in the villages and spend time with them.

Who will emulate President Obama ...?

The talk of the world at the moment is all about the inauguration of President Barack Obama in the US.President Obama’s ascension to the most powerful position there is means different things to different peoples.


(Thousands flock into Washington, DC to witness Barack Obama sworn in as the 44th President of the United States)

From a racial perspective, Obama’s elevation has finally brought to reality the notion that all men are born equal and the colour of the skin is really a trivial matter. From an age perspective, it means that wisdom and understanding is not determined by how many grey hairs one has but by careful application of reasoning and deduction.


From a political perspective, President Obama has demonstrated that charisma and eloquence can help you achieve your ambitions. But of all the things he has said and done, one thing that really struck me when listening to his inauguration speech has been his desire to return to the noble values of honesty, integrity, hard work, humility, respect, tolerance, sacrifice, free spirit, innovation and a spirit of service.

(The 44th US President Barack Obama is taking the oath as wife Michelle and daughters, Sasha and Malia look on during the inauguration on the 20th January 2009)

President Obama called for the Americans to return to these virtues which he described as the founding values on which their great nation was built and the pillars that continue to hold them together and allow them to remain as the most prosperous and powerful nation. He made clear his firm belief that the host of crises they are currently facing are largely owing to their slight departure from these timeless values and that America will return to embrace them again under his reign. He will be judged in four years on the extent to which he will have walked his talk, but his vision as it stands is crystal clear.So what’s in it for PNG?

Well, President Obama has opened up his heart and poured out America’s secret to success. But the good President did not invent these values over night. In his own words, “these values are old” and universal too, if I may add. So why don’t we try and emulate the Americans and embrace these values from here on in and see what that does to our country?PNG needs an articulate, charismatic and determined yet humble, sincere and practical leader like President Obama. Who is this leader and where is he or she?


David Kitchnoge


Port Moresby


Source: Post Courier

Who will emulate President Obama ...?

The talk of the world at the moment is all about the inauguration of President Barack Obama in the US.President Obama’s ascension to the most powerful position there is means different things to different peoples.


(Thousands flock into Washington, DC to witness Barack Obama sworn in as the 44th President of the United States)

From a racial perspective, Obama’s elevation has finally brought to reality the notion that all men are born equal and the colour of the skin is really a trivial matter. From an age perspective, it means that wisdom and understanding is not determined by how many grey hairs one has but by careful application of reasoning and deduction.


From a political perspective, President Obama has demonstrated that charisma and eloquence can help you achieve your ambitions. But of all the things he has said and done, one thing that really struck me when listening to his inauguration speech has been his desire to return to the noble values of honesty, integrity, hard work, humility, respect, tolerance, sacrifice, free spirit, innovation and a spirit of service.

(The 44th US President Barack Obama is taking the oath as wife Michelle and daughters, Sasha and Malia look on during the inauguration on the 20th January 2009)

President Obama called for the Americans to return to these virtues which he described as the founding values on which their great nation was built and the pillars that continue to hold them together and allow them to remain as the most prosperous and powerful nation. He made clear his firm belief that the host of crises they are currently facing are largely owing to their slight departure from these timeless values and that America will return to embrace them again under his reign. He will be judged in four years on the extent to which he will have walked his talk, but his vision as it stands is crystal clear.So what’s in it for PNG?

Well, President Obama has opened up his heart and poured out America’s secret to success. But the good President did not invent these values over night. In his own words, “these values are old” and universal too, if I may add. So why don’t we try and emulate the Americans and embrace these values from here on in and see what that does to our country?PNG needs an articulate, charismatic and determined yet humble, sincere and practical leader like President Obama. Who is this leader and where is he or she?


David Kitchnoge


Port Moresby


Source: Post Courier

Who will emulate President Obama ...?

The talk of the world at the moment is all about the inauguration of President Barack Obama in the US.President Obama’s ascension to the most powerful position there is means different things to different peoples.


(Thousands flock into Washington, DC to witness Barack Obama sworn in as the 44th President of the United States)

From a racial perspective, Obama’s elevation has finally brought to reality the notion that all men are born equal and the colour of the skin is really a trivial matter. From an age perspective, it means that wisdom and understanding is not determined by how many grey hairs one has but by careful application of reasoning and deduction.


From a political perspective, President Obama has demonstrated that charisma and eloquence can help you achieve your ambitions. But of all the things he has said and done, one thing that really struck me when listening to his inauguration speech has been his desire to return to the noble values of honesty, integrity, hard work, humility, respect, tolerance, sacrifice, free spirit, innovation and a spirit of service.

(The 44th US President Barack Obama is taking the oath as wife Michelle and daughters, Sasha and Malia look on during the inauguration on the 20th January 2009)

President Obama called for the Americans to return to these virtues which he described as the founding values on which their great nation was built and the pillars that continue to hold them together and allow them to remain as the most prosperous and powerful nation. He made clear his firm belief that the host of crises they are currently facing are largely owing to their slight departure from these timeless values and that America will return to embrace them again under his reign. He will be judged in four years on the extent to which he will have walked his talk, but his vision as it stands is crystal clear.So what’s in it for PNG?

Well, President Obama has opened up his heart and poured out America’s secret to success. But the good President did not invent these values over night. In his own words, “these values are old” and universal too, if I may add. So why don’t we try and emulate the Americans and embrace these values from here on in and see what that does to our country?PNG needs an articulate, charismatic and determined yet humble, sincere and practical leader like President Obama. Who is this leader and where is he or she?


David Kitchnoge


Port Moresby


Source: Post Courier