ABSTRACT
This chapter argues that Papua New Guinea (PNG) shows the difficulty of forging a national identity and creating effective state institutions where state weakness and societal fragmentation are dominant, with the archipelagic nature of the country playing a prominent role in the latter. The prevalence of low-level violence, crime and high political contestation has imposed major human and economic costs on the country. PNG has a Westminster system of government, with parliament forming a single chamber legislature. Corruption, which remains a major problem in the public and private sectors, has eroded the trust of citizens in government. The reform also aimed to allow voters to vote for a most preferred candidate to represent them in Parliament. PNG has the highest number of candidates competing for elected seats in the national parliament. The Bougainville transition may take years and will have many ramifications.
