The incredible metamorphosis of Paul Reinbara.

By PNG Echo.

Paul Reinbara is the name associated with the website PNG Blogs – he’s not a real person – it is the name that a group of people chose to be the face (name) of the group when it was first launched. They chose to remain anonymous.

So, Paul Reinbara is not one person; he’s a group of people who operate the blog site – it’s a paradigm that has existed from the start, around seven years ago.

 The past is a foreign country, they do things differently there. (JB Priestly)

Around five years ago, I was told by Paul Reinbara (or at least the person who used to answers his emails), that the website was intended to broadcast social and political issues that were being ignored by the mainstream press.

Theirs was a noble mission and they fearlessly went where angels fear to tread.

He told me that all of the group had good 8-4 jobs and would not be bought – although Paul (not his real name) had been courted for employment by both the Prime Minister, Peter O’Neill and Opposition Leader, at the time, Belden Namah – both of whom he knew personally.

Many journalists and new bloggers used PNG Blogs to publish and distribute their work, some going on to launch their own site (including me) – while others disappeared into the abyss of spent enthusiasm.

I corresponded often with Paul (not his real name) and we formed an amicable cyber relationship. Indeed, Paul did me a couple of favours for which I remain grateful.

I found him to be a very erudite, thoughtful and earnest young man, with a passion for his mission, which had no evidence of self-interest.

His journalistic standards were such that on two occasions, that I can remember, he either asked me to “tone down” the language I’d used or, in another instance, to produce the evidence. He judgement was spot on, and I did.

But things slowly and subtly started to change.

The changing of the guard

Paul (not his real name) informed me, sometime around the end of 2013, that he needed to sort out some personal matters and had given over the running of the blog to a friend from Unitech – but just temporarily.

However, from then on, the tone of the blog site changed.

Scurrilous articles started to appear that contained scandalous accusations made by people with the sort of names that internet trolls use, believing themselves clever.

The standard of writing also deteriorated to the point where one wonders whether the published articles are the result of a Primary School assignment.

On PNG Blogs, currently, English is being murdered, the same homicide repeated over and over without a skerrick of editorial intervention, rather, tacit approval.

Paul Reinbara (not his real name) even started entertaining articles which were nothing more than published threats of violence against a commentator who didn’t tow the party line, which had also mysteriously developed latterly

Then there was the cringe-worthy campaign targeting Finance Minister, James Marape’s teeth.

Now while I am a fan of satire this was neither witty nor clever, it just smacked of schoolyard bullying. It certainly was not the usual thing that Paul Reinbara (not his real name) would have entertained.

There are only two conclusions that can be reached and that is that there’s a whole new slew of Paul Reinbara’s, (not their real names) and “temporarily” has become permanently, or that the original Paul (not his real name) has taken leave of his senses.

The identity of Paul Reinbara

But, be that as it may, there are still many people who wonder whom it was that used to answer Paul Reinbara’s emails (Not his real name). Indeed, I’m one of them – journalists are terminally curious and I’m no exception. I am also wondering whether the bounty put on the revelation of Paul’s (not his real name) identiity by a certain Rod Mitchell is still extant?

Well my dear Paul (not his real name), strap yourself in because I do believe they know.

They have told me they do – and while they have not told me your name (which they say they have) they have divulged much information about you that is verifiable from the conversations we have had, over the years. I think they’ve got it!

Anyway, I’m pretty certain that were I to gather together the information you divulged to me during our many cyber conversations and list it here there would be many who would instantly recognise you.

Things have changed, Paul (not his real name) since you were my second ever Facebook friend (in the days when I had only joined Facebook because I wanted to see an old friends photos that I needed an account to access.)

Since then, I have acquired a Facebook following that constitutes the maximum number of ‘friends’ (5,000) and many thousands on the waiting list (followers) – and that’s without taking into account PNG Echo website and Facebook Page. Someone there would be bound to recognise you – if not many of them.

But I’ve never had any interest in betraying you, so it was only last night, after the conversation with them that I took stock of our cyber conversations to come to that conclusion.

However Paul, (not his real name) on the other hand, you have betrayed me over and over. So much so that, a while ago, I found it necessary to ‘unfriend’ you from Facebook suspecting that our ‘friendship’ was just a ruse for you to collect information to use against me and to have access to my pictures, which you have then defaced. (Tee hee hee)

Now maybe you’d argue that that was the new Paul (not his real name) and not you, but the problem is, the only thing constant in all of this is the name ‘Paul Reinbara’ so the sins of the new incarnations will necessarily be visited on you.

That was not problematic while no one knew your identity – but, toksave, it’s about to be revealed.

That mask of Guy Fawkes that the new Paul Reinbara (not his real name) chose to adopt is about to be ripped off – and not off him, but off you.

One question to the old Paul (not his real name) – when you look at the current PNG Blogs, aren’t you ashamed of this thing you’ve spawned?

Paul Reinbara has grown up into a grotesque monster. You, Paul, (not his real name) as it’s parent must shoulder some of the blame.