Post Courier, Monday January 26, 2015

OUTRAGE AS TRIGGER-HAPPY COPS RUN RIOT IN

CITY VILLAGE: PAGES-4-5

Cops slay my hubby

WIDOW Mary Daure, tearfully tells of the last day with her beloved, innocent husband, allegedly shot dead by police at the weekend

BY DONALD WILLIE

“I DID not choose to be a widow,” sobbed heavily pregnant Mary Daure, tears streaming down her cheeks.

“This was the work of someone who pulled the trigger, killing my husband,” she wept over the death of hubby Nicholas Rarua, gunned down with another villager, allegedly by police, in broad daylight on Friday at Hanuabada village, Port Moresby.

Mary Daure is eight months pregnant, due in a matter of days to give birth to a baby who will grow up never knowing who the father was.

Yesterday, the 30-year-old widow described her late husband as a proud Motu-Koitabuan, intelligent and caring man. Her biggest regret was that their unborn child would never feel the love and care of his father.

“He was not an ordinary villager, he was a law-abiding citizen and a smart man.”

CONTINUED PAGE 2

‘First they took Moanna Pisimi from us, now they take my husband and make me a widow’

Picture: TARAMI LEGEI

Why celebrate nationhood when we are threatened?

EYEwitness accounts of the shooting of Hanuabada villagers Nicholas Rarua and Toka Gaudi last Friday are horrifying. One of them was allegedly gunned down right in front of his family home in the big village in the National Capital District. The fatal shooting comes just a fortnight after the police also come under scrutiny over the death of a man from Tatana village, another Motuan village. And prior to that the police car chase which led to the shooting of Lae resident and mother Moanna Pisimi, resulting in her death kept the nation transfixed and led to uproar and public condemnation of “trigger happy” policemen.

The Hanuabada shootings point to a Royal PNG Constabulary (RPNGC) in crisis and in urgent need of decisive leadership and the will to tackle disciplinary problems within the rank-and-file of the constabulary. Papua New Guineans have taken to social media, calling for the full disarmament of the police force and side-arms or pistols to be restricted to senior officers within the police force. Others have called for the disbanding of the constabulary and the sacking of the top management.

In the midst of the debate and at the end of the day, Papua New Guineans have had enough of the extrajudicial killings and the human rights abuse allegedly perpetrated by members of the RPNGC. They have lost total confidence in the constabulary and its ability to be impartial and objective when it came to the conduct of its own members. This is why the push by Hanuabada, Tatana and other Motuan villagers and their supporters for justice will get the support of most Papua New Guineans because they have over the years seen, heard or experienced police brutality.

The Police Commissioner Geoffrey Vaki has announced an immediate investigation into last Friday’s tragic shooting with the NCD Governor Powes Parkop offering financial support to the affected families and calling for swift action. We look forward to the convening of the inquiry as soon as possible to get down to the bottom of the issue, as failure by authorities to address this could have security ramifications for the national capital.

There is no doubt the month-long shootings allegedly by members of the RPNGC are a manifestation of the structural problems that continues to threaten the constabulary. These are problems that were identified by the 2004 Bire Kimisopa Administrative Review into the RPNGC. The report identified problem areas, such as ill-discipline and abuse of firearms and recommendation solutions. It was commissioned by the Somare government and endorsed by the Opposition. To date most of the recommendations in the report are yet to the implemented by successive governments including the current one.

There was political will lacking at that time to take the report forward and to fully implement all of its recommendations. It is time to revisit that report in order to avoid bloodshed which could threaten this nation’s future. Papua New Guineans are eight months away from celebrating nationhood, but why celebrate when our safety and security continues to be threatened by the very ones who swore an oath to protect us.

The bottom line

How

ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Paula Speakman Ph: 309 1044 Email: pspeakman@spp.com.pg

321 3284

REGIONAL

Lae: Franco Nebas Ph/fax: 472 4683. Email: fnebas.spp@global.net.pg

Kokopo: Grace Tiden

Ph: 982 9186. Fax: 982 9147.

Email: gracetiden@gmail.com

Mt Hagen: Johnny Poiya. Ph: 542 2602. Fax: 542 3039. Email: posthagen.spp@global.net.pg

Buka: David Lornie

Ph: 973 9188

Fax: 973 9170

Email: davelornie@ digicelpacific.blackberry.com

Fight against HIV needs more action

PAPUA New Guinea is among Asia-Pacific nations that need to do more to fight the AIDS epidemic, says the United Nations.

It said in a statement on Friday that the international community will need to once more, show bold action in charting a path forward on HIV.

As the deadline for achieving the millennium development goals come to an end in September, governments

will decide on a new set of sustainable development goals for the period after 2015, it said.

To help define the future of the HIV response in this new era, governments across Asia-Pacific together with civil society and other partners are gathering in Bangkok this week (January 28-30) at a major regional meeting convened by the UN Economic and Social Commission for

Asia and the Pacific in partnership with the joint UN programme on HIV/ AIDS (UNAIDS), the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and other organisations.

Since HIV emerged, AsiaPacific region has been a leader in demonstrating political commitment and investing resources to address the epidemicc.

In 2000, governments became committed to MDG

which addressed the epidemic that included halting and the reversing of the spread of HIV but more needed to be done, the UN said in a media statement.

The UN wanted to see countries such as PNG to ensure sustainable financing for HIV programs, stating that health authorities must work with civil society to promote communitybased HIV services for the people who needed it.

My husband doesn’t deserve this death

FROM PAGE ONE

“WE had plans together, plans that are soon to take effect. After the birth of our child, we were going to start a business for the family,” she said, her voice trembling.

Nicolas Rarua had recently left ExxonMobil PNG, the developers of the PNG LNG Project, as a technical adviser to move with the new business company in mind while Mary was still working, also with ExxonMobil.

“My husband and I con-

tributed a lot to the economy of the country, the same revenue that pays for the wages of the policeman who pulled the trigger,” the weeping widow said. “Is this how the Government rewards us? He does not deserve this, I shouldn’t be like this crying.” She wants justice to be served. This is not the first time police had taken a loved one out of her life.

By a strange twist of fate, Mary is also related to the late Moanna Pisimi, the

Lae mother who had died after being shot in the back of the head during a highspeed car chase in Lae on January 1. One policeman has been charged with wilful murder.

“I want the leaders to be tough on the police. They need to be trained properly. Six months of training is just like a crawling baby, and not all police need to be armed.”

The Rarua family is also in mourning for the son, the sole breadwinner for the family. “I am going to

miss my son very much,” said Rarua’s mother Mary Goava, tearfully.

Mary last spoke to her husband on the phone just before the shooting about noon on Friday.

He told her he was on his way to the village to check on the commotion and would call back.

That call never came. She had to find out for herself after running into the protest march by villagers at the Poreporena Freeway, in front of the Konedobu police headquarters.

If teacher pay had risen in proportion to per-pupil spending since 1970, the average teacher would make more than $120,000 today.

Logs, oil palm drive up border revenue

BY GORETHY KENNETH

REVENUE collection in the West Sepik ports of Vanimo, Wutung and Bewani have increased dramatically in the past three years because of logging and oil palm developments.

Figures released by PNG Customs Service show that money collected last year was K73.5 million compared with K47.1 million in 2012.

PNG Customs West Sepik manager John Kiu said that in 2012 they collected K47,133,909.80, in 2013 it was K55,858,015.57 followed by K73,533,461.64 last year.

“The increase in revenue collection as result of an upsurge in economic activity driven by the forest and

The bottom line

At a glance

REVENUE INCREASED: Revenue collection in the West Sepik ports of Vanimo, Wutung and Bewani Ports have increased dramatically in the past three years because of logging and oil palm.

CUSTOMS FIGURES: Money collected last year was K73.5 million compared with K47.1 million in 2012.

logging industry will remain so in the years ahead with prospects of oil palm developments and direct international trade,” Mr Kiu said. He said a setback though had been illegal border activities with Indonesia

and the need for completion of the border administration office and residential village at Wutung which had been delayed, causing officers to work in cramped office space coupled with constant power blackouts.

“While PNG Customs appreciates a significant collection in revenue collection since 2012 it is confronted with a huge task to deter unreported illegal activities at our borders,”

Mr Kiu said.

He said that the success of revenue collection was the hard work of PNG Customs Vanimo staff, adding that most of the revenue, about 90 per cent collected, were in export duty. “This revenue figure is a reflection of

the hard work put in by the managers Patrick Kinavai, Robbie Watson and Jerry Abraham at Vanimo, Wutung and Bewani respectively.”

He said PNG Customs Service was committed in its mandate to serve the people and country and they expected the people to help by abiding by PNG Customs rules and regulations.

“Officers are required to work daily to meet increasing border travel demands and other related duties at designated times, after hours and at weekends,” Mr Kiu said, adding that remuneration and allowances were pressing issues which had not been addressed in years.

CAUTION

THE crisis in the big village of Hanuabada in the NCD over the weekend could turn nasty if not handled properly by the authorities. It was triggered by the fatal shooting of two young men last Friday.

ACT SWIFTLY

THE solution to avoid another standoff is the swift arrest and charging of the two policemen who fired the lethal shots. It has been three days since the shooting. How much longer will the constabulary take to haul them in?

ABSENCE

THE villagers are also somewhat perplexed at the “absence” of the Motu Koitabu Assembly head. In times of crisis, leaders are expected to take the lead to pressure authorities to do the right thing.

SHAME

OUR Yu Tok pages continues to get letters from teachers and their family members detailing how they were given the run-around by their provincial education offices. Some of them even flew to Port Moresby to follow-up on their leave fare entitlements.

MY RULES

PROVINCE

BUT the functions relating to the processing of entitlements were transferred to the provincial governments. If officers in the provincial education office say they know nothing about your fare entitlement application they are lying.

BREAKUP

LAST year the National Government transferred K27 million to the provincial governments to cater for the entitlements. Wonder what the breakup was for each province? Some complained that they missed out.

EASTER

A YOUNGSTER puts his dad on the spot on the NCDCinstalled Christmas lights at Ela Beach. He asks his dad: “Dad why are the Christmas lights still on at Ela Beach?” His father replies: “Maybe they will change from Christmas lights to Easter Lights!”

GULF BOSS

INTERESTING interpretation of the Organic Law on the Provincial Governments and Local Level Governments by the Deputy PM Leo Dion. The DPM is of the view that the Deputy Governor is the care-taker political head of the Gulf Province.

PENGEE: thedrum@spp.com.pg

Customs broking or brokerage is a profession that involves the clearing of goods through customs barriers for importers and exporters.

PORT Moresby motorists are notorious for creating their own traf fi c regulations. Some of them, such as the owner of this bus, don’t see anything wrong with leaving his bus parked in the middle of the road and using a stone as a traf fi c cone.

‘ONE! TWO! THREE! GO!’ This stunning traditional dance of the people of Siwai is known as the ‘Momoraka. They have unique type of dancing with ‘kaur’ (panpipes) from other areas of Bougainville. They are seen here performing at Toniva in Central Bougainville at a public gathering. Picture: JACOB IENU

HERE COMES THE BAND

Cops kill two, injure three

BY DONALD WILLIE

TWO Hanuabada men are dead and three others injured after armed police personnel open fired on villagers at around noon on Friday.

The dead were identified as Nicolas Rarua, 36, and Toka Gaudi, 29, both grandsons of two prominent Hanuabada statesmen.

Rarua, whose mother is Mary Goava, is the grandson of the late Sinaka Goava, a Motu-Koitabu leader, while Gaudi, son of Gaudi Dadi Toka, is the grandson of businessman Sir Dadi Toka.

The killings took place right inside the village, at the market grounds, in the midst of women, children and families.

From eyewitness accounts, it was all instigated by officers enforcing the buai ban, trying to stop the betelnut sellers in the central market.

Witnesses said the officers physically assaulted vendors and buyers, most of them women, taking their money and belongings.

The village men retaliated to protect the women, forcing the police to withdraw.

The group of uniformed men later returned in unmarked tinted vehicles, heavily armed, after regrouping and blocked off the road into the vil-

At a glance

KILLINGS: Armed Police opened fire killing two Hanuabada men, leaving three injured.

DEATHS: The dead were identified as Nicolas Rarua, 36 and Toka Gaudi, 29.

LOCATION: The killings took place right inside Hanuabada village.

EYEWITNESS: Villagers said that it started off by officers enforcing the buai ban who were trying to stop the betelnut sellers in the Central market.

OCCURENCE: Police officers physically assaulted vendors and buyers in, which most of them were women taking their money and belongings.

lage, near the Catholic and United churches.

Villagers present at the scene said that the police had positioned themselves in battle formation and, without warning measures, began to fire directly at unarmed villagers.

The direction of the shootings covered areas were children were present, standing or hiding in parts of the villages and with dwelling houses.

Several rounds of teargas were fired in the raid, and eyewitness accounts said at least one child was knocked unconscious by the effects of the teargas.

Father mourns death of his son in police mayhem

BY JACOB POK

“I CANNOT accept this horrific killing of my son. He is not a criminal or was not even part of any buai vendors,” says an emotional Lohia Rarua.

Mr Rarua is the father of Nicholas Rarua, who was shot by armed men representing the police at the Hanuabada village in the nation’s capital on Friday evening.

The grieving father told reporters at a press conference near their Hanuabada home that he is still questioning him-

Review buai ban, says Malabag

HEALTH Minister Michael Malabag has called for a review on the current buai ban following the police killing and injuring of innocent people at Hanuabada village on Friday.

Mr Malabag, whose Moresby Northwest electorate covers Hanuabada, condemned in the strongest term of what he described as one of the many senseless shootings of innocent people by police.

He called on Police Commissioner Geoffrey Vaki for an immediate investigations to bring those responsible to justice.

“I also call for a review of the buai ban and the role of the rangers in the NCDC enforcement unit whom have gone too far, in harassing people, especially women rights in their village.”

Mr Malabag said the senseless killing and harassment by police had affected his people of Moresby Northwest, especially the Motu-Koitabu villages, including the Tatana Island police killing the previous weekend.

He said just last month an innocent life was lost in Lae at the hands of police.

It was time the Government review the use of high powered arms in the police force.

The local MP and former union leader also called for the Police Commissioner and Minister to review the use and carrying of high-powered guns by police in the cities and towns.

self what had happened to his son. Nicholas 36, who recently left ExxonMobil PNG Ltd as a technical adviser, was shot at the chest along with fellow Hanuabada resident Toka Gaudi, 29.

Mr Rarua told reporters that the killing was totally cruel and inhumane.

“I still cannot digest this. Why? I am still confused as to why my son was killed in such fashion by those who supposed to uphold the law and protect lives and properties,” Mr Rarua said.

He said his son has a

lovely wife who is eight months pregnant and a young daughter who still cannot accept the fact that her father is dead.

“I would like to appeal to the police hierarchy to come down hard on these rogue police officers. There is no war in our country and why are police acting as if they are at war and shooting people directly using high powered rifles,” Mr Rarua added.

The other victim, Toka Gaudi, is unmarried and works as a driver for local radio station, Lalokau FM

He was shot through the back. He was rushed to the St John’s Gerehu clinic and transferred to Port Moresby General Hospital for emergency surgery but died due to complications arsing from severe internal bleeding.

A number of bystanders were also shot by police in the same incident and the identities are yet to be confirmed. Other spokespersons from the village condemned the killing and called on NCD Governor Powes Parkop and the government to intervene and assist the people.

Aside from the deaths and injuries caused, many villagers who use the market facilities as vendors lost valuables such as money and goods during the police raid at the market.

They villagers said they would stage a peaceful protest march on Tuesday if there is no positive response from the authorities as to the reasons behind the killing.

They said the villagers would combine and stage a peaceful protest to show their grievances on such cruelty caused to them.

“I am calling for the complete ban on the carry and the use of high-powered firearms by police in the streets of Port Moresby and using it to kill our own people.”

“This country is not at war.”

Mr Malabag said Prime Minister Peter O’Neill had raised concerns on police carrying high-powered firearms in public and without any action that had resulted in more deaths by trigger happy policemen.

The Member has passed his condolence to the family and relatives of those killed during the senseless shooting at a peaceful Hanuabada village.

AN elderly woman protestor walking amid the rubble left behind after the police raid in Hanuabada village at the weekend.

Angry Motuans block roads

BY JACOB POK

AGGRIEVED villagers from the Hauabada village in the nation’s capital have blocked off all road access leading into their village.

The blockage started on Friday shortly after a police raid that saw two people killed.

The villagers blamed the death on the unit that go around enforcing the ban on betelnut in the city.

At a press conference at the village yesterday, the villagers pledged to demand police as to the reason behind the killing of Nicholas Rarua, 36, who was shot in the chest and Toka Gaudi, 29, who was shot from the back.

Community leaders condemned the killing and called on the Police Commissioner Geoffrey Vaki to come out and explain to the people as to why police officers are going around killing people at will.

An eyewitness who requested not to be named said the manner in which the police acted was unbecoming of policing.

“Our village is a peaceful village,” he said.

“For armed police to come and open fire at us like this is very cruel and unbecoming of law enforcing agency.”

He said the two victims that were killed were not criminals or part of the betelnut vendors.

“They were just killed just like that - point blank,” he added.

He said police were not suppose to fire directly at people but fire in the air only when there is some form of commotion or incident taking place.

“I just feel that our policing in the country is going from bad to worse, unlike in the past. This ‘discipline force’ tag should be removed because its not working at all.

“We are only seeing the opposite.”

The villagers are expected to stage a peaceful protest today to air their grievances on the unlawful shooting that caused death to two of their men.

Police urged to probe shooting

NATIONAL Capital District

Governor Powes Parkop has urged the police to immediately investigate the death of two young men from Hanuabada village, allegedly shot dead by police.

“The killings are completely unnecessary and I join the relatives and community in the villages to call for a quick investigation into the matter to bring those responsible to justice,” Mr Parkop said in a media statement.

He said that he was particularly and personally saddened that the deaths might have arisen as a result of police responding to a request from the villagers to clear out a betelnut market in the village.

Villagers up in arms over police killing

BY DONALD WILLIE

MORE than 500 women and men from Hanuabada village on the outskirts of Port Moresby marched to the police headquarters at Konedobu on Friday following the deaths of two young men gunned down allegedly by armed police.

Immediately following the shootings, emotions were high among villagers as woman leader Mere Oala, backed by her husband Papua New Guinea Defence Force Colonel Vagi Oala, took charge of the situation.

After convening a meeting, it was agreed that they march to police headquarters nearby and present a petition to Police Commissioner Geoffrey Vaki and deputy Commissioner for Operations Jim Andrews.

At a glance

RIGHT TO LIFE: Everyone has the right to life, which cannot be deprived, unless deprivation of such right is warranted by any of the circumstances listed under section 35 of the Constitution of the Independent State of Papua New Guinea.

REFERENCE: The police need to acquaint themselves with section 35 of the Constitution and Dambe vs Peri (1993) PNGLR 4 regarding the limits to the use of the guns they carry around.

It was at this point that the body of the first victim was brought back from the hospital and laid at the feet of the police commissioner, to make a statement to the family. The villagers had demanded that an investigation be carried out immediately and police personnel allegedly involved in the deaths charged and locked up.

Police were told not to

enter the village and that villagers were going to put up road block at the entrance into the village and the back road leading to the LNG plant.

Baruni, Tatana and Kilakila villagers have also made their intentions known to stand together with Hanuabada villagers as Motu Koitabuans.

Mary Daure, the wife of the late Nicolas Rarua, said

that her loss and the loss of the other family in mourning will unite all MotuKoitabuan. She urges other villages to stand together to fight for justice for the Motu-Koitabu people.

Compensation of an unspecified amount is also part of the demand from the government for the families of those killed and injured in the open fire.

Mr Vaki and Mr Andrews condemned the actions of the police and assured the villagers that an investigation would be carried out.

A voluntary committee was set up on Friday to organise and drive the investigations.

Witness statements will be collected at the Metorea Hall, Poreporena Lahara, to be used to assist with the investigations.

It is well known in the Motu-Koitabu villages that betelnut vending and smuggling had been occurring in the villages in breach of the betelnut ban in the city.

“We have restrained our enforcers from enforcing the ban in our villagers as a sign of respect to our people and leadership of the Motu-Koitabu villages,” Mr Parkop said.

He said that betelnuts had been sold openly in Tatana, Baruni, Hanuabada, Taurama, Pari and other villages but NCDC enforcers had made no attempt to stop or shut them down since the ban was announced in October 2013.

“Our reserve police and rangers have not been shutting down these markets,” Mr Parkop said.

“Nevertheless, we pledge to fully cooperate with investigators to ensure that if police acted wrongly we will assist to pay reasonable compensation and assist in any criminal prosecution that arises.”

As an expression of their deepest regret at this unnecessary killings and condolences to the families, Mr Parkop’s office would contribute K50,000 to the parents and relatives of the two deceased to meet basic funeral expenses and associated cost.

MOTU-Koitabuans marching in protest over police shooting dead of two Hanuabada villagers.

Concerns raised on teachers mass resignation

OPPOSITION Leader Don Polye expressed concerns on Friday about the possible mass resignation of teachers and the State losing millions of kina in court battles for non-payment of leave fares in the affected provinces.

“I am equally concerned that the teachers’ grievance will affect the education calendar as the schools are set to start on Monday,” he said in a statement.

“They may resort to court actions or withdrawal of their service for the government’s negligence in taking good care of their welfare.”

Mr Polye said the government should not be beating its chests about the fee free education policy when the welfares of the very officers on the ground were not looked after.

He added that the increase in student enrolment had put a strain on the availability of teachers and the teacher-to-student ratio had been compromised.

“The fault in the system should become a lesson for the government. It should be identified with a workable one to avoid similar problem next year and onwards. “Looking after our teachers’ welfare forms the basis of quality education and that should not be taken for granted,” he said.

Mr Polye was equally concerned about the manner in which the K26.8 million for teachers’ entitlements had been handled.

He has reiterated his call on the Government to strengthen the systems of accountability and good governance for weeding out corruption.

“The Opposition, when or if, in power has a comprehensive policy targeting to improve the welfare and professional working condition of all echelon of teachers. “The policy aims at listening to and improving their grievances beyond the free education policy,” he said.

The bottom line

Polye calls on girls’ custodians to be more vigilant

THE Opposition has expressed concern about the rise in attacks and the abuse of young girls.

Opposition Leader Don Polye has called on all the custodians of girls like the schools, parents, guardians and the churches to be more vigilant and do more to address the abuses.

“As a father of girls, I am concerned that such an inhumane behaviour of a few with who are sick in the head should stop once and for all for the betterment of our country.

“I also urge the courts and law enforcers to apply tougher penalties on such people,” he said.

Mr Polye said abusers were “unfit to live in a normal, ordinary society” and he regarded their actions as “intolerable and abhorrent”.

He said they did not deserve to live in the community, adding their rightful place was in jail.

The abuses were a slap in the faces of the police and the people because their actions made an insult of existing laws protecting women and girls.

“I commend those who have reported the matters to the law enforcers and urge others too to assist police in making their work easy,” he said.

Censorship office upbeat

THE Censorship Office is set to deliver more to perform its duties this year. During the first official staff meeting for the office of censorship, chief censor Steven Mala encouraged his officers to effectively deliver proposed activities and programs that were carried on from 2014 and those that are planned and outlined in the draft Annual

Operational Plan (AOP) for 2015. Mr Mala said now that financial autonomy has been granted to the office, it is not easy and the respective officers and divisional heads must prove to the government and other departments that we are capable of managing our funding to deliver the respective activities and programs outlined in the draft AOP.

He added that if the office of censorship can manage this year well, it will mean that we can be able to do more and to do it better with the resources we have in the coming years. According to director logistics & support services Nancy Kilala, the Department of Finance has yet to issue a warrant to the Bank of Papua New Guinea

which will allow them to create a drawing account for the office.

Mrs Kilala said she will be following up next week with the Department of Finance to confirm and finalise the procedure.

Also discussed during the meeting was the progress of the establishment of the office to be a separate government body upon

approval and endorsement by the National Executive Council (NEC) on the proposed Classification of Films, Publication & Online Services Bill, 2014, which was developed during last year’s consultative workshops on the amendment of the current Classification of Publications (Censorship) Act, 1989.

LAW keeping in Alotau and Milne Bay Province got a much need boost with the arrival of 19 newly recruited policemen and women. Four policewomen are among the 19 that arrived last week and following a welcome parade. Pictured is Governor Titus Philemon inspecting the welcome guard of honour.

When an attorney graduates from law school, he is not yet licensed to practice law, he first must pass the bar examinations.

New CS recruits pass out

23 women pass test

BY TONY SII UPNG Journalism Student

THE pathway to Correctional Service has been cemented for 23 young women who graduated last Friday from the Correctional Service Training College at Bomana in the Moresby Northeast electorate.

The 23 were among 136 recruits who passed out of the college as custodial officers.

The pass-out parade marks the officers’ successful completion of a four-month training in carpentry, motor mechanics, teaching, accountancy, and as operational officers under the custodial officer entry training program developed by the Bomana trainers in consultation with Queensland Corrective Service Academy. These officers will undergo five-months on-the-job training in prisons before qualifying as Correctional Service officers. They were successful candidates who enlisted under the training program last year from Southern, Momase, and New Guinea Islands regions. Highlands region recruitment will begin this year.

Initially nine candidates had qualified under the training program as health work-

CS Commissioner attributes success of 2014 to officers

BY TONY SII UPNG Journalism Student

CORRECTIONAL Service

Commissioner has attributed the success of 2014 to the commitment of his officers.

Michael Waipo said during the pass-out parade of 2014 CS recruits on Friday that since his appointment last year he had noted most of his officers becoming resilient, tough and well-disciplined in dispensing their duties and ethical responsibilities.

“All in all 2014 is one of the successful years because of the commitment of these officers,” Mr Waipo said. He added that this success extends to the training of the recruits, hosting of the Pacific Women Conference in Corrections, acting appointment of the deputy and assistant commissioners to stabilise the department, developing debt repayment strategies to repay debts, as well as the final completion of the Gumini lockup.

Mr Waipo said this was despite challenges plaguing the department such as debts of more than K20 million, rundown infrastructures and staff accommodation and general decline in few officers’ work performance.

Mr Waipo said if all his officers from the executive down to the junior level maintain unity, 2015 would be an exciting year for the department.

He said the department’s focus for this year included:

The completions of Finschhaffen, Moreguina and Misima rural lock-

SUCCESS STIMULUS: The factors that contributed towards the success are training of the recruits, hosting of the Pacific Women Conference in Corrections, acting appointment of the deputy and assistant commissioners to stabilise the department, developing debt repayment strategies to repay debts, as well as the final completion of the Gumini lockup.

CHALLENGES: The setbacks overcome are debt of more than K20 million, rundown infrastructures and staff accommodation and others.

ups and commencement of Bulolo, Pangia, Baiyer, and Pomion rural lockups; Opening of Hawa (Hela) and Budaira CS institutions;

PROPOSALS for new jails in Gulf, Bougainville and Western, and Jiwaka provinces; RELOCATION of Manus, Kavieng, and West Sepik CS institutions; RECRUITMENT and training of 70 new officers; PARTNERSHIP prospects with PNGDF for pilot cadetship trainings; REVIEW of CS legislation by Law Reform Commission, national prison system, and organisational structure 2015-16;

COSTING and scoping of current infrastructure for maintenance and rehabilitation planning and budgeting for 2016-2018, among others; and others.

ers. Correctional Service Commissioner Michael Waipo told them that being a CS officer was a privilege which has its challenges and opportunities. The onus was on the officers if they chose to excel in a correctional service career.

“While I sincerely like to see you succeed in the remaining months and becoming Correctional Service officers, only you can decide whether to serve our government, people, and country as Correctional Service officers or bow out and choose another career,” Mr Waipo said.

Correctional Service Minister Jim Simatab said now was a “crucial turning point” to refresh the aging PNG CS with youthfulness.

“Over the next medium term we will need new blood and experienced professionals to be engaged in all aspects of the detainee rehabilitation and containment.

Modern and world best correctional practices demand such change.

He said such changes are in line with the government’s objectives of improving institutional capacities of State institutions to respond to law and order challenges.

THE 136 CS graduates taking part in the pass-out parade. They passed out of the college as custodial officers.

NO SPACE FOR GARY LO

IT IS SAD to hear that rugby league player Gary Lo is back in the country after walking out of the PNG Hunters camp some three weeks ago to join Stanley Gene’s New Castle Thunder in England.

W hile I appreciate the player who t akes the field to make decision w here to go, he must also understand that there are people who are at the back of him to prosper in his league career by committing their time and resources and for him to just walk out of the camp and jump ship is a slap in the face of the international rugby league body.

SP Hunters have no room for heartless players like Gary Lo should he w ish to re-join the camp.

We have committed young players already filling the void and the rugby league body must not be fooled by one individual with divided interests. Leave Gary Lo alone to play with his local club until a space is created in the SP Hunters list to play in the Queensland Cup as his actions show that he hates SP Hunters outright.

Yamo Pita. League Fan.

WHY ARE YOU FIGHTING

RECENT ethnic violence between Engans, Jiwakans and Sepiks at 10 Mile outside Lae City is uncalled for.

Those particular persons involved in the violence have no respect and concern for other people in the community.

A s a settler from another province, they should be humbled and mant ain peace at all times. It’s time now to put their differences aside and make peace ASAP.

I wonder what life is really like back at their home that forces them to migrate to "Wopa kantri."

Natare gwang gwang Lae city

I AM looking for a couple namely Luke and Gloria Yapao. They are from Wabag but are currently living in Kimbe. If anyone knows this couple please tell them to call me on my mobile phone number: 73262482.

Benny Weso Ipopi

ROCK WELL

IT was in the early 80's during my childhood days, that I first heard this name Justin Kili popularily known as JK until his death. During my child hood days, he was known by everyone as Justin Kili. This name would ring like a bell in my ears on NBC news every morning at 7.00. This was the usual time I had breakfast and got myself prepared to go to school. I would see my dad sitting close to the old radio listening to the 7 am news bulletin being read by Justin Kili. In those days radio NBC’s signal around the country was clear and powerful and people living in remote areas knew what was happening in PNG and around the world. I use to ask my dad, is that a white man reading

the news and my dad use to tell me, no he is from Buka. That is where I got to know his name

Justin Kili through the NBC news apart from other news readers like late Sevese Morea, Benson Topatiliu, Cathy Goroa, Roger Hau’ofa, Francisca Semoso and the list goes on.

Justin Kili (JK) contibuted greatly to the media industry and he should be recognised by the PNG Goverment for his tireless effort in getting the media industry to where it is today. Justin Kili had the best voice in PNG and I know every PNG citizen will miss his voice for many years to come.

Once again, thank you Justin Kili for the news you read in the 7am news bulletin when I was

a kid. The news you read gave me more information on the daily happenings in the country and through out the world and I knew the actual facts of what was happening and many more interesting news about PNG, it was through you Justin Kili and your other colleagues.

Thank you JK, you are the best radio personailty and your memories and your voice will be remembered by many of your admirers in PNG. Rest in Peace

Thank You very much JK

Detective Senior Constable Michael Sewode Provincial Fraud Unit Goroka - EHP

WRITE TO US Text us on 208

Education’s crying shame

Letter of the day

THE picture of the Fincorp House, Waigani on your front page last Friday caught my eye as the building reminded me of my big sister who is a teacher. It’s sickening and sad to see the plight of teachers being ignored and denied their entitlements which are rightfully theirs.

Thank you Nellie Setepano for the front page story “Leave Fares Stink” on Friday, January 23, 2015 only makes me angry. This story which I believe should lead to uncover the truth of where all the dues for our teachers have ended up. My big sister is a classic example of the front page story- she’s been teaching for the last 17 years with 13 years of service in West New Britain Province.

She had lodged her furlough leave application at the Kimbe Education Office in May 2014, which was certified and leave was taken from July- December 2014. My sister made a visit to Kimbe Education office to check on the status of her leave application the following month only to be told her papers were misplaced and was advised to re-submit.

My sister had her application lodged four times as the first three applications were misplaced at the

Kimbe office. She resumed leave in July and between July and early September, she travelled to and from into Kimbe town to check on her leave pay but was told it would be processed soon.

The ‘next pay, next pay’ excuses was frustrating as my sister was spending a lot of money for bus fares and other expenses while travelling in every fortnight. It was an unfortunate situation when airfares were also not met by the Education Department; she thought it would be best to come to Port Moresby to sort out her leave entitlements.

From September to December 12, 2014 my sister spent in Port Moresby, she made visits to Education Department (Salaries section) and Teaching Service Commission at Fincorp Haus every week only to be told her leave files was not received nor sighted for processing.

My sister’s leave ended on December 12 and on December 17 she was contacted and told her files were found at Salaries office in Port Moresby and was advised to re-apply for another six months to get her entitlements. What a lame explanation?

During her visits to Fincorp Haus, my sister was allowed to see officers at TSC on Tuesdays and

Text us on 208

MONEY SCAM BACK

Thursdays between 2pm-4:06pm, makes me wonder what is done during the other hours and days, when the office should be open from 8:00-4:06 Monday to Friday to listen to teachers’ queries. Also nothing is done free-of-charge you have to pay someone to get the job done quickly.

Security guards at Education office are also trained on the side to get extra money from ‘poor’ teachers to be allowed to see education officers. Shameful!

After so many visits to the education offices in Kimbe and Port Moresby within the six months, unfortunately my sister was never paid her leave entitlements.

Despite the negligence of concerned authorities my sister is back in Kimbe ready to stand tall and educate the future leaders of this nation. What a shame to those concerned, you know who you are. You cannot put a figure on the value of sparking a child's love of reading, or making a whole room of students feel safe taking risks. But teaching is a profession, after all, and the truth is that the way we treat and pay our teachers doesn't even come close to the true value of great teaching.

Susan Savoa Waigani

It’s sad, Daulo has nothing to show

IT IS depressing to see negativity expressed regarding lack of tangible change in Daulo district. If people like Mr Mutono who lives right at the doorstep of the district can hardly see any change, it shows that services are deteriorating in the district.

Maybe, Ron Ganarafo and his administration must have done something worthwhile in some

10 years ago

parts of the district that needs reporting to ease uncertainties.

Frankly, people have not heard or seen their elected leader in the district since his election victory. He only sends his representatives to special events and occasions he is invited to attend.

People are fed up to see representatives or politically appointed persons representing the MP.

They prefer to see their elected leader. The people of Daulo have democratic and constitutional right to know where the government allocated fund is spent, what was achieved and what the district plans for this year.

Luwi James Mahi Lower Asaro

I REFER to the public notice put on Thursday’s Post-Courier dated January 22, 2015, regarding the above subject matter by the Bank of PNG.

I wish to call on the bank to have Police investigate a particular money company.

This company has been collecting money from people for sometimes now and are operating either at the back of Boroko Post Office and at times at a residence near Amini Park and at Apex Park Boroko, NCD. Investors of the scheme are being promised Kl million in return for every K100 investment.

Interestingly they are not doing business in an office, which is very suspicious.

To help the unsuspecting citizens from being connived, I call on the authorities to promptly investigate and confirm the status of the company and advise the public accordingly.

Police should also arrest the perpetrators of this money scam scheme.

Conned Once -Hohola NCD.

WEALTH ROLL-OUT

LEADERS of Kairuku-Hiri have spoken well to create wealth for their people by maximising the use of their customary land. (PostCourier, January 6).

The land-based economic initiatives should not be just talk. Leaders must get the ball rolling now. This is by far the best way forward for the disillusioned Kairuku-Hirians after the betelnut sales ban in the National Capital District. Agriculture, livestock, inland fi sheries, and food production are sustainable revenue earners.

You will need customarily land issues sorted and land registered. You will need local and foreign expertise and financial institutions’

full backing. Donor support is vital as well. Consider empowering land owners to form Cooperatives or SMEs. Train, empower and utilise the youth. Consider technical vocational education and training in agriculture, inland fi sheries, livestock, piggery and farm-based food production for city markets.

When these initiatives thrive, individuals could get into small family enterprises.

Tourism can thrive so buildguest houses, resorts and organise cultural festivals.

You can see that opportunities will be unlimited for all Kairuku-Hiri people to take advantage of and excel. In this way, you will change for the better.

DANGEROUS FUMES

DO we have laws in this country that govern unserviced vehicles that give off black fumes on Port Moresby city roads? The fumes are dangerous to the health of asthma sufferers, patients with upper respiratory tract infections and infants.

If there are such laws, then can the government agencies responsible please police our roads, apprehend the culprits and impound their vehicles?

Numerous road blocks are set up and we appreciate the hard work by the National Road Safety Council staff.

Keep doing it fellows, but please spread your wings to catch the air polluters.

Owners of PMV buses, private owned and company vehicles are regular offenders.

Despite the new year spirit, Speaker Jeffery Nape and MIlne Bay Governor Tim Neville are at it again - clashing over United Resources Party leadership - PC, 2005

I made the decision to move and play in the UK but some things did not turn out as I believed they would.

PNG

rugby league excitement machine Gary Lo on his return to PNG after things did not work out for him.

Non-Papuan Port Moresby

Motorist Port Moresby

Tribunal stays govt moves

AN international arbitration tribunal has granted a request by PNG Sustainable Development Program Ltd for provisional measures against the PNG Government.

The provisional measures were sought in July last year as part of PNGSDP’s case before the International Court for the Settlement of investment Disputes on the O’Neill Government’s expropriation of its 63.4 per cent shareholding in Ok Tedi Mining Ltd.

However, the PNG Government has made it clear that it will not participate in the arbitration process as there was no expropriation, as PNGSDP is a State agency and that OK Tedi mine belongs to the people of Western Province and Papua New Guinea.

“We do not need agents of foreign interests to tell us what to do. Sir Mekere and the Board are the only ones benefitting from PNGSDP,” a government source said PNGSDP is seeking the return of its shareholding

At a glance

REQUEST: International arbitration tribunal has granted request by PNGSDP to take measures against PNG govt.

ASSESSMENT: Provincial measures were sought in July last year as part of PNGSDP’s case.

ACT: The tribunal’s orders prevent the State from taking any further steps under Section 6.

or, failing that, compensation for the shareholding.

The tribunal’s orders prevent the State from taking any further steps under Section 6 of the Tenth Supplemental Agreement Act passed late last year, or otherwise interfering with PNGSDP’s management.

In particular, the tribunal said the State should refrain from taking any measures purporting to restructure or otherwise alter the management of PNGSDP.

It also ordered that, for the duration of the current arbitration proceedings,

the State should refrain from transferring or issuing (or completing the transfer or issue of) any OTML shares to any third party, or taking any steps that will change the ownership of OMTL.

The chairman of PNGSDP, Sir Mekere Morauta, welcomed the decision.

“PNGSDP has been very concerned about the need to preserve the value of the company’s assets and former assets, its independence, its structure and its ability to continue or resume normal operations.

“PNGSDP has its own plans for the 63.4 per cent shareholding and how best to use it for the benefit of the people of Western Province. These plans have already been discussed with Community Mine Continuation Agreement representatives and PNGSDP looks forward to working with them and the community.”

AIRPORT CHORES

The

case and court action in Singapore are continuing.

Exploration – a core business of InterOil

Exploration is a key part of InterOil’s business and provides invaluable information about what lies deep underground in the search for oil and gas.

At present, we are working on an extensive seismic exploration campaign across the Eastern Papuan Basin.

The Murua seismic survey in the Malalaua district of the Gulf Province began in late 2014 and is progressing well. We are also starting a second survey around the Raptor discovery.

Also in progress is an airborne gravity gradiometry survey, which includes the collection of data from aircraft across all 16,000sqkm of our Eastern Papuan Basin acreage.

The seismic operations are providing jobs for more than 700 Papua New Guinea staff and contractors.

ICSID

PEOPLE resting under the palms while either going to see relatives off waiting for them to arrive at the Jackson’s Airport in Port Moresby. Picture: TARAMI LEGEI

InterOil employees harvesting data from seismic operations, and a bridged seismic line across grassland.

Dion tells Kavo to stay away

CONVICTED Gulf Governor

Havila Kavo cannot perform official duties as governor pending his appeal, according to Deputy Prime Minister Leo Dion.

Because of this, the deputy governor is legally mandated to carry on the duties as acting governor while Mr Kavo clears his name through the same courts before resuming the role as a governor.

Mr Dion, speaking as the Minister responsible for provincial and local level governments, said this after the matter came to his attention through the media that there had been much debate and controversies regarding the office of the Gulf governor following Kavo’s jailing and his release on bail by the court pending outcome of the appeal.

“Since Havila Kavo was successfully convicted and imprisoned for 18 months term for offences committed while occupying the very office of the governor for Gulf Province on his capacity as the governor, it is only ethical and morally proper that he clears his name through the same courts before resuming the role as a governor,” he said.

“Although Kavo has been released on bail and outside of jail pending the outcome of the appeal, the court decision is still in effect and his status as a prisoner of State remains until determined otherwise by the

At a glance

DION: Kavo cannot perform official duties pending his appeal in the high court. Because of this the deputy governor is legally mandated to carry on as acting governor while Kavo clears his name MORAL DUTY: Mr Dion says it is only ethical and morally proper that Kavo clears his name through the same courts that convicted him before resuming his role as governor

higher courts. “To protect the credibility and integrity of the office of the governor of the Gulf Province from further demeaning and callinto question, Havila Kavo is also advised not to conduct any official businesses in any capacity as the governor for Gulf Province,”

Mr Dion said the department had written to the deputy governor on December 15 advising him to care-take and continue assuming the role of Gulf governor and chair the provincial assembly while awaiting Kavo’s final outcome of the appeal.

He said there were also differing legal arguments on the status of the office given the current scenario as the Organic Law on Provincial Governments and Local Level Governments was inconsistent and not clear in such event.

Potape’s jailing shocks supporters

THE people of Komo Margarima and Hela are shocked and in mourning over the jailing of their MP Francis Potape.

The National Court sentenced Potape to two and half years in jail last week in Port Moresby after finding him guilty of stealing K60 000 while his other joint district budget priority committee (JDBP&PC) members got K30 000 totaling to K300 000. Mr Potape was taken to Bomana Prison Camp outside Port Moresby where he is currently being held.

However, his sentencing has not gone down well with majority of his supporters and people back at his electorate and throughout Hela.

When this newspaper

visited the electorate on the weekend, people were in mourning of their leader and were still in a state of shock upon hearing of Potape’s jail sentence.

Tony Akilo, Halabi ward councillor in the Hulia LLG of Komo Margarima, said as a councillor for 15 years, he has never seen any MP from the district working so tirelessly to serve the people.

He said Potape has a heart for the people and delivered many impact services in his term of being in office.

HE said since independence, the electorate which is vastly scattered and geographically remote has being given lip- service by the powers that be and people suffered and wished for

government services.

Mr Akilo said when Potape came to office the Komo Margarima people finally saw light after their many years of sufferings.

He said Potape is amongthe few performing MPs in the country like Bulolo’s Sam Basil and for him to be jailed for a “lousy” K60,000 is regretful and has shocked the bulk of his supporters and well-wishers throughout Hela.

Jim Wake, Kupari ward councillor in the neighboring Tari Pori district, said Hela people know that Potape has delivered so much for his people and there are many developments and changes taking place in the Komo Margarima district.

Remote area rolls out infrastructure projects

THE remote Hulia local government council (LLG) in Komo Margarima district is currently rolling out several key infrastructure development projects for its people and council wards.

Hulia LLG president Eric Yawas highlighted these projects to this newspaper in Tari yesterday.

Mr Yawas said about K48,000 was paid to Brian Bell Company in Mt Hagen for the delivery of 32 executive-suite chairs for the new Hulia LLG council chamber building at Halabi.

The chairs would be used by the 29 elected and two nominated ward councilors for their meetings at the chamber.

The chamber was also recently constructed at the cost of K450 000 jointly funded by Komo Margarima MP Francis Potape and Hela Governor Anderson Agiru.

Mr Yawas said a new fully knitted Toyota Land Cruiser vehicle worth over

K160,000 was purchased and presented to LLG manager

Mr John Wambi to assist him and the LLG staff in their duties.

He said another K150,000 was used to purchase a 3.5 tone dump truck from Boroko Motors in Lae for the LLG to use as project

vehicle. Mr Yawas also delivered K76 000 each to the Evangelical Church of PNG (ECPNG) at Wabia, United Church at Wabia, Nazarene Church at Wabia and Seventh Day Adventists (SDA) church at Kela.

He added that K78 000 each was disbursed for

the construction of new double- classrooms for elementary school at Halabi, Alua-Kambe, Lomia, AbuAwira and Yangome council wards.

He said funds were also allocated for feeder road projects in Hulia LLG.

Mr Yawas said fund-

ing from these projects is from the outstanding development levy to the LLG derived from the Moran PDL 5 oil project.

Mr Yawas thanked Department of Petroleum and Energy (DPE), Finance, Moran landowners and the State for releasing the K2.8 million which has enabled the Hulia LLG to deliver some of its key development aspirations, adding that they are still expanding the programs and projects to other areas and sectors in the LLG.

Councillor Tony Akilo of Halabi ward commended Mr Yawas and his LLG staff for bringing about these important services to their people.

Mr Akilo said he has being a ward council for 15 years but to date he commends Mr Yawas, MP Potape and Governor Agiru for bringing government services never like before into his LLG and district.

He said it is a sad day for Komo Margarima and Hela to see one of their finest leaders being jailed for stealing K60,000.

Mr Wake, who is also a principal landowner of the Angore oil project, said it is also sad to see Potape, a key figure that delivered the nation-transforming multi-billion kina PNG LNG project being sent to jail when the fruits of his hard work is about to be harvested by PNG.

Mr Wake said the Hela people marvel at Potape’s leadership as he was always on the ground in Hela and the people are deeply sorry to hear him being sent to jail.

He called for fairness on all leaders accused of misuse.

Company confident to deliver

THE National Housing Estate Limited is confident that it will present eight houses valued at K3 million to the Ombudsman Commission in March.

NHEL general manger for operations Bonny Korugl said following a visit to the project site at Gerehu 3b, Moresby Northwest, on Wednesday with other NHEL officials.

“The major housing project was initiated by the National Housing Estate Limited and is progressing well with the good work of the new City Pharmacy Limited construction company,” Mr Korugl said.

He said each high-covenant house will be self-contained with three bedrooms each. NHEL is a business arm of the National Housing Corporation which entered the competitive and upper real estate market in 2011.

YESTERDAY at the Hulia council chambers in Halabi near Tari, councillor Tony Akilo (right holding a newspaper) explains the peoples’ sorrow and pain at the jailing of their MP Francis Potape

Hulia LLG president Eric Yawas (centre), Halabi ward councillor Tony Akilo (left) and Hulia

LLG manager John Wambi getting the feel of the new executive chairs at the new Hulia Council chamber

Eyes on Pluto for encounter

A NASA probe is to start photographing the icy world of Pluto, after travelling 5bn km (3bn miles) and nine years to get near the dwarf planet.

The mission to Pluto is being billed as the last great encounter in planetary exploration.

It is one of the first opportunities to study a dwarf planet up close.

The pictures are critical to enable the New Horizons probe to position itself for a closer fly-by later this year.

As the probe is still 200 million km away, Pluto will be hardly discernable in the images - just a speck of light against the stars.

But the mission team says this view is needed to help line up the spacecraft correctly for its fly-by on 14 July.

“Optical navigation is one of those techniques where we image Pluto repetitively on approach to determine the position of the spacecraft relative to Pluto,” explained Mark Holdridge, from the Johns Hopkins University’s Applied Physics Laboratory (JHUAPL) in Baltimore.

“We then perform a number of correction manoeuvres to realign our trajectory with the reference trajectory, thus ensuring we hit our aim point to travel through the Pluto system.”

Any initial correction is likely to be made in March.

When New Horizons arrives at Pluto it will be moving so fast - at almost 14km/s - that going into orbit around the distant world is impossible; it must barrel straight through instead.

One complication is that the seven different instruments aboard the spacecraft need to work at different distances to get their data, and so the team has constructed a very elaborate observation schedule for them all.

But what this means is that very precise timing will be required to make sure the flyby runs smoothly.

The closest approach to Pluto is set for around 11:50 GMT on 14 July - at a miss distance of roughly 13,695km from the surface.

Mission planners want the exact timings nailed to within 100 seconds. New Horizons will know then where and when to point the instruments.

For people who grew up with the idea that there were “nine planets”, this is the moment they get to complete the set.

Robotic probes have been to all the others, even the distant Uranus and Neptune. Pluto is the last of the “classical nine” to receive a visit.

Of course, this 2,300km-wide ice-covered rock was demoted in 2006 to the status of mere “dwarf planet”, but scientists say that should not dull our enthusiasm.

TENDER SALE

The below motor vehicles are offered for sale by tender in LAE on an “As Is Where Is basis”.

The dwarfs are the most numerous planetary class in the Solar System, and Nasa’s New Horizons probe is one of the first opportunities to study an example up close.

The first set of navigation pictures may not be anything special, but by May, the probe will be returning views of Pluto that are better anything from Hubble. Come July, the view should be spectacular, said Andy Cheng, the princi-

pal investigator on the probe’s main camera, which is called LORRI.

“The most recent surprise we had was with the Rosetta mission. Hubble had made a ‘shape model’ of Comet 67P but no-one expected it to look like a rubber duckie,” he told BBC News. “I am more than hopeful that we will get similar surprises with New Horizons - it’s what we should expect.”

Those surprises could include yet more moons (five are currently known) and possibly even rings like those seen around some of the bigger planets.

Pluto is currently 5bn km from Earth. It has taken New Horizons more than nine years to get to the dwarf’s doorstep.

Once the flyby is complete, the probe will be targeted at an even more distant object in

the Kuiper Belt - the name given to the icy domain beyond the main planets. Scientists think this region of space may contain many thousands of Pluto-like objects, some of which may even rival Mars and Earth in size.

The first optical navigation images should be back on Earth by Tuesday at the latest. They will show Pluto with its largest moon, Charon.

-BBC news

Japan vows to ‘never give up’ search for Islamic State hostages

JAPAN has vowed to “never give up” its struggle to save two Japanese hostages held captive by Islamic State militants after the deadline to pay their ransom passed in agonising silence.

Anyone interested in purchasing the vehicles is advised to inspect the same prior to writing to the address below stating their purchase price with evidence of finance to complete and advise their contact telephone and or fax numbers. (Offers by email or fax will not be considered)

The successful bidder must provide evidence of finance available and will be required to:

1. Pay the 10% deposit within twenty four (24) hours notification of the acceptance of the tender.

2. Pay the balance of the purchase price in cash or by Bank Cheque within seven (7) working days notification of the acceptance of the tender.

Tenders Close 31 January 2015

The Regional Manager Northern Kina Finance Limited P O Box 682 LAE Morobe Province

Tender Ref: KFL # 26508

Tenders can also be hand delivered to the office of Kina Finance Limited, Ground Floor, Nambawan Haus, Lae. For enquiries contact Terry Hall on telephone 472 8175 or 71978526

The company is not obliged to accept the highest or the lowest offer nor respond to all offers received.

Whether freelance journalist Kenji Goto and Haruna Yukawa, the self-employed contractor he had gone to rescue, were alive remained unknown a day after the deadline to secure their release expired with no word from their captors.

The Islamist militants had threatened to kill the hostages if they did not receive $200 million in 72 hours, which Tokyo interpreted as meaning 2:50pm (0550 GMT) on Friday.

Deputy foreign minister Yasuhide Nakayama, who was heading Japan’s efforts to rescue its two nationals out of Jordan’s capital Amman, told reporters: “It is a very difficult path to see their release, despite a variety of routes.”

“We are focusing on scrutinising information over again. We will never give up. We will bring them home.”

Foreign minister Fumio Kishida told reporters there was “nothing new to report” after holding a meeting of an emergency taskforce on Saturday morning.

Islamic State militants released a video this week in which Mr Goto and Mr Yukawa, apparently kneeling in the desert, are threatened with execution by a man with a Brit-

ish accent. The jihadist group, which rules large swathes of Iraq and Syria under a strict form of Islamic law, has murdered five Western hostages since August last year but this is the first time it has threatened Japanese captives.

Junko Ishido, Goto’s mother, on Friday launched an emotional appeal begging for mercy for her son.

“I say to you people of the Islamic State, Kenji is not your enemy. Please release him,” she said.

Japanese officials said they are still trying secure a chan-

nel of communication to contact the Islamic State group as they scrutinise various information.

Yosuke Isozaki, an adviser to prime minister Shinzo Abe, on Friday reportedly said there had been some “indirect” communication with the militants, but “nothing direct”.

Tokyo has little diplomatic leverage in the Middle East, but local media said Mr Abe may try to use his close relationship with Turkey’s president Recep Tayyip Erdogan to rescue the hostages.

Japan’s Yomiuri Shimbun

newspaper reported on Saturday that Jordan had also tried to contact the Islamic State through influential religious leaders in Amman.

The Islamists linked their $200 million ransom demand to the amount Mr Abe said he would earmark to help countries dealing with the influx of refugees fleeing fighting between IS and regular forces.

Tokyo is under pressure from Britain and the United States to stand firm on the demand, as both countries have a policy of never paying ransoms.

WHEN it gets to Pluto, the New Horizons probe will have a packed schedule of observations. Picture: BBC

A VIDEO still from footage released by the Islamic State militant group, threatening to kill two Japanese hostages. Picture: ABC/SUPPLIED

Indonesia’s envoy gives credentials

BY DONALD WILLIE

INDONESIA’S new ambassador Ronald Josef Manik has presented his letter of credence to GovernorGeneral Sir Michael Ogio.

The Vice-Regal told Mr Manik at the Government House yesterday that he accepted the letter from Indonesia’s president Joko Widodo, adding Papua New Guinea and Indonesia had enjoyed cordial ties since September 1976.

Ambassador Manik said the ties had been have built on respecting the solidarity and national integrity of each country.

“We share good ideas and good friendly principals on which I believe our relationship will become stronger and bring prosperity to both our people,” he said.

Sir Michael encouraged both countries to do more to facilitate trade investments and businesses that were meaningful and mutually benefiting to both.

“We are at an exciting time

in the bilateral relations of our two countries.

“This relationship has been enhanced through the signing of the comprehensive partnership agreement between our countries during the visit of our Prime Minister to Indonesia in 2013,” he said.

It was during this visit that multiple MOUs and agreements were signed to provide a significant phase in the continued growth and expansion of this bilateral relation.

“Given the success story of the transition to democracy and positive economic growth, the relationship is expected to strengthen in the years ahead.”

WHILE having lunch with mum and dad at Ela beach in Port Moresby, six-year-old Bryan Wakore from West New Britain and Madang couldn’t resist when he was his favourite face on rite music,PNG’s stand-up-comedian Elton Kili. So he asked his dad to take a picture with the comedian. Picture: BENEDINE

Teachers plan protest over entitlements

THE 2015 academic year for five remote schools in Morobe Province is marred with a plan protest today for non-payment of overdue allowances.

As teachers throughout the country return to school starting this week for the full resumption of classes next week, the case is not for the remote teachers of the Engati primary school in Menyamya, Lalan, GapetTobo and Wamuki primary in Finschaffen and Sabaya in Huon Gulf District

Several teachers of the mentioned schools fronted up at the Lae Post-Courier office and have confirmed over the weekend that the plan protest today demanding answers to the delay be addressed by the provincial education office.

Speaking on behalf of the teachers, Headmaster of Engati Primary school Mr Saunu Wilikiow said, their complain of the overdue payments has continuously been made harder with excuses and buck passing the blame by the Morobe provincial education office. Wilikiow said the response by the education office in Lae since last Friday has shifted the buck to telecommunication company-Digicel PNG.

WALUKA

BIG FAN

We share good ideas and good friendly principles ...

RONALD JOSEF MANIK Port Moresby

If you have a story to tell, call us on 309 1042, or email

Water woes in settlement end

BY DENYSE KALAU

THIRTY five years of being a water camel will now be a thing of the past for the residents of Talai settlement in the Moresby South electorate in Port Moresby.

The peaceful community habitated by people from Gulf, Eastern Highlands and Morobe provinces had been without a proper water supply for the past 35 years.

The people, mostly women and young girls from upper Talai, had to endure the painful and weary task of carrying buckets of water while walking a long distance back to their homes.

Last Friday, the community gathered in a very big ceremony to commend their leaders, particularly Minister for Events and Sports and MP for Moresby South Justin Tkatchenko, Governor for National Capital District Powes Parkop and the chief executive officer for Eda Ranu Henry Mokono, for working together in

bringing a reliable water supply project which will benefit the whole community after suffering for more than 35 years.

Mr Tkatchenko said the ground breaking ceremony of the water project is a good project that will relieve the women and young girls of the community by minimising the daily hardships of carrying water daily.

“Women and girls will no longer have to face the hardship of carrying water or even other health issues in regards to poor water supply because the opening of the proper, clean and reliable water supply project is built right at their door step,” Mr Tkatchenko said.

Meanwhile, chairman for the Talai community Kevin Kari, on behalf of the 5000 people in the settlement, thanked the leaders for the wonderful initiative that eventually resulted in the proper and clean water supply project being brought right into their shanty homes.

A WOMAN with hearing impairment is struggling to fight for justice after being kicked out of her home forcefully.

Winnnie Weoa, from Enga Province, who has hearing and speech impairment, is now homeless after the home that she had once shared with her late husband for the past 11 years in Gerehu was taken away from her by her in-laws without a court order, is seeking legal assistance to take the matter to court.

Ms Winnie, through an interpreter, expressed frustration in the manner in which she was been mistreated at the time of the “illegal” eviction in July last year.

Winnie, despite being disabled, is a former fine art graduate from the University of Papua New Guinea in 1994.

Since then, she has been known by the arts and crafts industry as one of the best artists in the country for her unique and outstanding paintings. But all this fame and success came to and end during the eviction, when all her personal belongings including all her original paintings, were burnt to ashes by what she indicated was an opportunist who took advantage of her disability and the fact that she can not defend herself by forcefully removing her from her home.

“Twenty five years of hard work of painting has gone down the drain just like that,” Winnie told the interpreter.

“I have been homeless for the past seven months which is why I have taken the matter to the District Court three times last year to fight for justice and the return of my home.

“The title of the house at Gerehu stage two belongs to my late husband and not his relatives, she told the interpretor.

“I was thrown out of my home because my brother in-law from Tari

saw the opportunity that I am a widow with disability who can not defend my self.”

At present, Winnie is struggling to earn an income because, the little income she normally earns from the selling of her paintings have been destroyed during the illegal eviction. She has taken the matter three times to court and is now seeking assistance to finance her K20,000 legal suit or legal assistance from individuals or human rights lawyers to fight for justice and the return of her home.

RESIDENTS of Talai settlement in traditional attire welcoming the water supply project in the settlement.

Residents happy with liquor ban

MT Hagen city residents have commended the city authority for imposing a complete ban on the sale and consumption of alcohol in the city.

The ban was imposed following the killing of a policeman few months ago. Hagen resident Amos Hare said yesterday that most of the communities in living along the city’s suburbs of Warakum, Tarangau, T-School and Newtown have been experiencing safe and trouble-free weekends since the ban was imposed.

He said authorities should allow the ban to continue to ensure peace and good order is restored in the communities surrounding the city.

“As a long time city resident, I often feel unsafe to roam around in the evenings because of too many drunkards and drug addicts in the streets. It has been very unsafe for women and children to move around,” Mr Hare said.

SIT IN PROTEST CEASED

Govt urged to back Komo projects

THE people of Komo-Margarima have called on the national Government to continue funding major impact projects initiated by jailed MP Francis Potape.

Hela leader Peter Pureni has raised concerns about the future of the major impact projects in KomoMargarima electorate following the conviction of the MP.

“Who will take charge of some of the major project initiatives currently undertaken in the district as well as projects which are planned for this year and next year?”

Mr Pureni called on the government to continue allocating development funding for roads, hospitals, schools, law and order and other LNG related development packages provided for under the gas agreements.

“If the former MP and his district authority have put in project submissions then it is proper that the normal tendering process and awarding of the contracts to go ahead to continue bringing in much needed development to the LNG capital of PNG.” Mr Pureni said.

“These are projects that are aimed for the benefit of the people and not for Mr Potape or any member of parliament.”

“After 40 years of living in the dark, we are starting to see some light at the end of the tunnel but that has been switched-off again with the conviction and sentencing

Feeder road mantained

THE 5km Onuma-Gun feeder road in the limestoneriddled Chuave district is maintained with funding from the District Services Improvement Program (DSIP).

The Joint District Planning and Budget Priority Committee headed by local MP Wera Mori has made available K2.5 million for the project.

Chimbu-based Kaiaworks Construction company was handpicked to fix the stretch over the past four months.

The immediate benefactors of the project (Aikibi and Duma tribes people) had thanked both Mr Mori and Kaiaworks for their contributions towards the rehabilitation of the road.

Shrubs had overtaken the road as it was not being maintained by the successive MPs for three decades, according to the locals.

The Chuave-Movi trunk road was sealed recently, said the MP.

of MP Potape,” said Mr Pureni.

He said since Mr Potape came into office under the current Government a lot of developments have taken place construction of the Komo to Mt Bosavi road, Komo to Hulia and Ambua road and the Hulia to Benaria road.

Mr Pureni said major projects that have come into fruition are the Margarima hospital, the construction of a police barracks and vehicles for police, construction of a K5 million district administration office complex, a K3 million market at Wapi, three rural hospitals at a cost of K28 million under construction at Hulia, Komo, Margarima and Mt Bosavi.

He said the convicted MP was also instrumental in rallying together landowners during the umbrella benefit sharing agreements that have now witness the first LNG project underway and the first shipment of gas to overseas markets.

He said Komo-Margarima had been one of the least developed districts until the discovery of oil and gas.

Mr Pureni said Komo-Margarima is now the host of the LNG project and thus all gas related funding including infrastructure development grants (IDG), high impact project funding, development levy, tax credit scheme, ministerial commitments should continue to flow for the benefit of the people.

If you have a story to tell, call us on 542 2602, or email posthagen@spp.com.pg

THE sit in protest that was to take place at the Imbonggu district headquarters was stopped by police as they declared it was illegal and proper procedures were followed. Seen here are policemen dispersing the crowd.

Work on high school to start

BY NICOLE JOANNES

CONSTRUCTION

work

on the proposed Talasea High School in West New Britain Province is expected to begin soon following the signing of the contract between the provincial government and the contractors.

The Provincial Supply and Tenders Board has split the major contract between Kimbe Concrete Products (KCP) and Pacific Development Company (PDC).

The board has also awarded minor contracts for electricity to JA Electrical and Maintenance and water supply to Plumbline Contractors.

The contracts were signed last Friday and plumbline is expected to begin work by next week.

Chairman of PSTB and provincial administrator Williamson Hosea said the contractors have

been given eight months to complete the building of the school. PDC which has been given over K1.2 million is expected to build a four-in-one double classroom, one L40 duplex and two ablution blocks.

KCP which was awarded K862,950.00 contract is expected to build three teachers’ houses.

Plumbline Contactors are expected to put a mini southern cross at the school while tenders for other buildings will be advertised later this year.

The National Government has allocated K3 million for the building of the school following the commitment made by Prime Minister Peter O’Neill when he visited Kimbe in 2013.

Member for Talasea Open Francis Marus has given an additional K1 million for the building of the school.

ENB police pledge partnership

BY GRACE TIDEN

POLICE in East New Britain Province have pledged to continue to work closely with stakeholders in the province this year.

East New Britain provincial police commander (PPC) Superintendent Anthony Wagambie Jr highlighted this during the first PPC parade for 2015 which was held recently at the Ralum provincial police headquarters in Kokopo.

He said they will continue to work with the East New Britain provincial administration, national and local leaders, business houses and the community as a whole.

“I also acknowledge the support given to police by them in the year 2014 and look forward to strengthening this in 2015,” he said.

The policemen on parade were also told to embrace the community and work closely with them.

Supt Wagambie said East New Britain was very different from many other provinces where the communities cooperate well with the police.

The officers were told to reflect on 2014 and improve this year. They were also told to uphold a high standard of discipline and conduct themselves professionally.

“Many times we are not appreciated by the community and get criticisms on our conduct,” Supt Wagambie said.

“We must be professional on how we do our job and how we deal with people.

“We are here to serve the public and a customer care approach must be practiced.”

Supt Wagambie also said they get criticised by the public, especially faceless people on social media.

“They do not understand the type of work we do and sacrifices we make.

“But I accept the criticisms and name calling as it is a challenge to thrive for better standards.

“It is only a minority or individual police personnel who bring the rest of us to disrepute,” Supt Wagambie Jnr told his officers.

He further said that last year, a lot of members were charged for disciplinary and criminal offences and he appealed to his officers to always do the right thing and stay away from wrong doings.

Supt Wagambie urged the general public to report any police officer who behaves in a manner which will discredit the reputation of the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary and the policemen and women.

PROVINCIAL Administrator Williamson Hosea (center) and Talasea LLG President and chairman of Education Services Victor Narere at the signing of the contracts.

Morobe govt snubs uni ‘representative’

A K50 fee and a representative of the Morobe Provincial Government (MPG) at the University of Technology in Lae are both not recognised by the provincial government, says provincial chairman of education Andrew Genna.

Any amendment to the Gerson Solulu scholarship scheme must first be deliberated by the Provincial Executive Council (PEC), Mr Genna said.

He said the representative of the MPG at University of Technology is unknown to him and must not be seen to deal on behalf of the provincial government.

Mr Genna said to date, there was no progressive report by the implementers of the scholarship scheme to allow the provincial government to analyse and make adjustments to the annual funding of K5 million.

Mr Genna said the recent reviving of the K50 fee by the Morobe students attending the University of Technology as association membership fee must not be in any way associated with the scholarship.

“The fee is of no relation and

Hospital culture changing

PAPUA New Guinea’s second largest hospital in Lae has trudged through decades of negligence and poor administration but the last 13 months portrayed optimism, says regional chief of the intensive care unit Alex Peawi.

If ever the hard-work and commitment has gone unnoticed then no one is to be blamed but the medical officers, who have developed a trend of negligent work practice as expressed by acting CEO and administrator of Angau Dr Jim Abrahams since taking office last year.

Dr Peawi, based at Angau, said the poor performance of doctors is also related to remunerations and unproportionate availability of medical staff, especially doctors. But today with improvements to facilities seen to be moving forward so too is the mentality shift of Angau health staff, he said.

John Urabe, who was hospitalised at Angau for nine months, said the changing perception and practice of Angau doctors and other medical staff is saving lives.

In a letter to Dr Abrahams, Dr Urabe, who has been discharged and is now recovering in his home in Bulolo, said the dedicated professionalism of the health workers

Dedicated professionalism of Angau health workers saved my life...

JOHN URABE Morobe Province

saved his life. Mr Urabe said his badly mutilated and tortured body is now a living testimony of the gifted hands of staff of Angau from the outpatient and emergency to ward 1B and onto ward 7D and the physiotherapy section.

Mr Urabe urged the staff to continue serving patients with diligence and love.

He was airlifted from Wau to Angau and spent nine months at the hospital from September 21, 2013 to September last year.

Dr Abrahams admitted that Angau staff have undergone enormous pressure with limited resources.

“We are slowly addressing our facility issues, manpower, supplies and equipment striving to give our community the healthcare service delivery they so richly deserve,” said Dr Abrahams.

cannot be associated with the scholarship scheme at this time,” Mr Genna said.

Morobe Unitech Students Association president Ixzara Bakung explained the K50 fee is a membership fee to the association to support the association members.

Bakung refuted claims that the fee is a guarantee to be awarded the Gerson Solulu scholarship. The fee is there to run the association and support those who faced financial difficulties or any other problems such as health and death but the money is not for the executives’ use.

“I would like the students and parents to understand that we are not charging this K50 fee for own reasons but to help the association so that it can benefit all the Morobe students in the school,” Bakung said.

Meanwhile president for the Morobe Tertiary Students Union of PNG (MTSUPNG) Offo Olio said the fee is an ongoing strategy that has been exercised in the last couple of years.

Olio said initially the union charged K100 but that has been reduced to K50.

TERTIARY students from the Morobe Province listening to MTSUPNG president Offo Olio at the Tutumang haus in Lae. Picture: FRANKIY KAPIN

Common roll still open for enrolment

ENROLMENT for this year’s Autonomous Bougainville General General Election is still on, says the acting Bougainville Electoral Commissioner George Manu.

Mr Manu said those who have not had their names on the common roll still have the chance to get enrolled.

“Enrolment is still open for eligible voters to get registered. Enrolment will only close when the writ for the 2015 ABG general election is issued by ABG Speaker Andrew Miriki,” Mr Manu said.

Mr Manu will be travelling to Port Moresby shotrly to get the enrolment rorms from the national Electoral Commission.

He said these forms will then be given to the council of elders in each constituency to conduct the enrolments.

He said the executive managers in each districts will be supervising this exercise.

Electoral commissioner warns early campaigners

THE intending candidates for this year’s Autonomous Bougainville Government general elections have been warned not to be involved in early campaigning.

According to the acting Bougainville Electoral Commissioner George Manu, those caught doing that will be taken to court for their il-

legal action.“I am calling on the intending candidates not to be involved in conducting early campaigning,” Mr Manu said.

“This is illegal and you will be taken to court for doing this.”

He said candidates are only allowed to start campaigning upon payment of nomina-

tion fees following the issue of writs.

Mr Manu issued this warning following reports he received that certain intending candidates have already started their campaign drives.

Mr Manu is also appealing to the intending candidates to ensure that their names are registered on the common

roll before the issue of writs. Meanwhile, the acting Bougainville Electoral Commissioner said the updating of the common roll for the 2015 ABG General Election will commence next week.

Mr Manu will be travelling to Port Moresby to collect the enrolment forms from the PNG Electoral Commission.

These forms will then be given to the council of elders in each constituency to conduct the enrolments.

The Bougainville Electoral Commission, together with the executive managers of each district in Bougainville will have a hand in this exercise to ensure eligible voters are registered.

The Bougainville Electoral Commission will be assisting in the updating of the common roll to ensure all eligible voters are registered.

Mr Manu later stressed that it was very important that all eligible voters get enrolled in the common roll so they will be able to exercise their rights in voting in leaders for the third ABG House.

Meanwhile, the newly appointed ABG Political Parties registrar, Joseph Kaipu, officially assumed office last Tuesday.

But Manu said Mr Kaipu will need to set up his office this week.

Mr Manu said people can start enquiring at the office of the registrar starting next week to check if their names are on the common roll.

Mr Kaipu’s office is located at the top floor of the Matanhei Building in Buka town.

THREE girls engaged with the Arawa Town Council (water and sewerage unit) working on a blocked sewerage main at Section 15, Arawa town. The town is experiencing a lot of water and sewerage blockades because of lack of rehabilitation of the town’s water supply since the Bougainville conflict.

Picture: JACOB IENU

Miner to face court battle over plagarism

BY ANDERSON KOPONO

PORGERA Joint Venture (Barrick) is facing a likely court battle in relation to plagiarism of ideas under the Copyright Act after PJV claimed to have initiated the Tax Credit Scheme (TCS) concept which was claimed to have been borrowed from a local man from Enga (Lagaip-Pogera) in 1989 when it was under Placer Pty Ltd. This was revealed in an exclusive interview with the Post-Courier in Mt Hagen last weekend by the initiator and founder of the concept Mr James Rau who presented the original copies and process he went through to make his proposal originally known as PJV state Tax Cut proposed in 1989 to then Placer PNG Pty Ltd to borrow and use to stem the confrontation and mistrust among the project affected communities.

Mr Rau said the brainchild of TCS was not Porgera Joint Venture as uttered by PNG Chamber of Mines and Petroleum executive director Greg Anderson in a speech delivered during the 13th Mining and Petroleum Conference held in Sydney last Month, December 2014, and reported in the Post-Courier on December 23, 2014.

“Porgera Joint Venture (Barrick PNG Ltd) is the pioneering company in using the TCS concept but TCS itself is not the brainchild of PJV but rather a borrowed concept from me,” Mr Rau said.

Mr Anderson when contacted for comments by the Post-Courier said he did not know whether there was an original individual initiator but said he saw the copy of a formal letter by PJV to the State stating the TCS was the brainchild of PJV.

According to Mr Rau, the concept was initially introduced to

avoid another Bougainville crisis to stem the confrontation and mistrust among the host communities which in effect would retain certain a percentage of PJV Taxable income to be used to bring benefits in the form of infrastructure development to the hosting communities in Enga and PNG as a whole. He said the con-

cept was borrowed by PJV in order to work out a legal framework in partnership with the state. It was approved and legislated in 1991 and came into effect in 1992

Mr Rau said PJV had already admitted and accepted liability, but to date had not paid any consultation fees from the borrowed concept.

A copy sighted by the Post-Courier revealed that the contents indicate PJV had been liable to pay Mr Rau certain fees with half of the contracts under TCS infrastructure developments to be awarded to Mr Rau but to date had failed to materialised.

Continuous letters to PJV for fees in the form of consultancy over the years had fallen on deaf ears, instead PJV had directed Mr Rau to the state and provincial government to deal with the matter as the funds are owned and controlled by the State.

The current commercial Services manager of Barrick through its legal officer Christopher Trainor when contacted by the paper last Friday referred the matter to the government stating “Barrick don’t get any benefit from this concept, they pay taxes to the government for infrastructure development” and even refused to answer as to who the initiator of the TCS concept is.

The Enga Provincial Government maintained their neutrality over the issue stating that the agreement was signed between Mr Rau and PJV (Placer PNG Pty Ltd)

The provincial government through their then legal officer Mr Harry Derkley stating in one of their letters, dated May 14, 2001, “that TCS was established by an act of parliament and has been used by other resource developing companies apart from the PJV.

The appointment was made and approved by PJV without any form of consultation for approval by the EPG or state authorities”.

Mr Rau stated, “it is no longer a query for overdue payment but a legal matter because PJV had claimed to initiate the concept which is a big lie.”

PNG to enjoy enhanced internet service

SPEEDCAST International Limited (SpeedCast) has entered into an agreement with O3b Networks (O3b), where O3b will provide capacity for Papua New Guinea via its innovative Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) satellite constellation.

The new service based on O3b capacity will address the growing demand from SpeedCast’s customers in the region and marks the continuation of SpeedCast’s leadership in the Australia-Pacific region.

The O3b-based service will allow SpeedCast to deliver high throughput and low latency Internet services to local customers.

SpeedCast’s high bandwidth new IP Trunk from Port Moresby to the international Internet backbone will enable high throughput voice and data services, whose

The bottom line

performance will be similar to or even exceed that of traditional fiber connectivity.

O3b’s MEO configuration provides unprecedented low latency in satellite communications of less than 150 milliseconds.

The new network will complement SpeedCast’s existing global network, which uses traditional Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) satellite capacity and is the basis of SpeedCast’s comprehensive coverage.

SpeedCast’s traditional network will further serve as a redundant back-up solution in the event of a primary network failure or other type of outage. SpeedCast can offer its customers unprecedented levels of reliability.

O3B has already pioneered this type of innovative satellite com-

munications model in a number of Pacific nations, who are now experiencing levels of performance which they have never seen before over a satellite network.

“As a long-term key player in the PNG market, we understand our customers’ business needs and how service availability or speed limitations can impact their business activities.

This new investment shows our commitment to the PNG market,” said Pierre-Jean Beylier, CEO of SpeedCast. “We are pleased to extend our value proposition in partnership with O3b, to enable our wholesale customers to deliver the highest combination of bandwidth, speed, low latency and availability at a more accessible price for an even wider range of end-users,” Beylier added.

Market Snapshot

“SpeedCast is a leading provider of satellite services in the Australia-Pacific market.

O3b is pleased to support their ongoing expansion in Papua New Guinea with a cost-effective solution to extend their coverage with O3b’s high throughput, low latency satellite transport,” said Steve Collar, CEO of O3b Networks.

“SpeedCast’s customers in the region will enjoy much improved connectivity with fiber-like speeds with the reach and reliability of satellite,” Collar added.

The new partnership with O3b follows SpeedCast’s acquisition of a PNG-based telecommunications provider, Oceanic Broadband Services and its new teleport facilities in Port Moresby in 2014, and will expand to other territories in the Pacific.

$A plummets below 80 US cents

SYDNEY: The Australian dollar has fallen below 80 US cents for the first time in almost six years amid growing expectations of an imminent rate cut by the Reserve Bank.

At 1700 AEDT on Friday, the local currency was trading at 79.90 US cents, down from 80.66 cents on Thursday.

The Australian dollar fell through 80 US cents on Friday morning, shortly after the European Central Bank said it would buy 60 billion euros ($A86 billion) worth of private and public sector bonds per month between March 2015 and September 2016.

The ECB announcement sent the euro plunging and the US dollar skyrocketing, which weighed on the Aussie dollar.

The Australian dollar managed to recover some of its losses on Friday morning before falling as low as 79.64 US cents in afternoon trade.

Westpac senior currency strategist Sean Callow said the Aussie’s fall was unsurprising, given growing expectations that the RBA will deliver a rate cut on February 3.

The soaring US dollar and further falls in the iron ore price were also weighing on the currency, he said.

“The US dollar is rising against the currency of any central bank that is even thinking about looser monetary policy, and the RBA is in the category of thinking about it, or at least the market thinks so,” Mr Callow said.

At 1700 AEDT the Australian dollar was at 94.58 Japanese yen, down from 95.34 yen on Thursday, and at 70.48 euro cents, up from 69.59 euro cents.

Currency analysts say we should get used to a falling dollar, with many forecasting it to fall to 75 US cents by mid year.

All interest will now be focussed on the release of official inflation figures on Wednesday, amid growing expectations that weak inflation will push the RBA to cut the cash rate to 2.25 per cent next month.

The bigger than expected ECB package also drove Australian bond futures prices lower, as investors flocked to riskier assets, UBS interest rate strategist Andrew Lilley said.

In March, 2014, Colorado sold $19 million dollars worth of Cannabis. $1.9 million went to schools and crime fell by 10%.

If you have business story to tell, text or call us on 3091028, or email ptwundai@spp.com.pg

A LETTER from PJV (Placer) dated May 28, 1991, confirming the authorship of TCS to Mr James Rau.

Locals praise miner for services

BY RIODEN BEGUSHAR

THE multibillion kina operator of the LNG project , Exxon Mobil was acknowledged by the people of Benaria in the Hela Province for not only running the giant LNG project in the area but delivering vital services and enhancing the local peoples’ livelihoods.

Santos revenue tops AUSD1b

AUSTRALIAN petroleum company and PNG LNG Project proponent Santos’ revenue has topped a billion dollar for a year ending 2015.

This company’s success was attributed to the PNG LNG Project operated by ExxonMobil Corporation’s subsidiary ExxonMobil PNG Limited.

In a report by Sky News of

Australia, Santos has posted record annual and quarterly sales revenue figures driven by the ramping up of production from the PNG LNG project as well as higher Cooper Basin output.

The group achieved fourth quarter production of 15.1 million barrels of oil equivalent, up 15% on the corresponding quarter.

Sales revenue for the three months was $1.1 billion (K2.2 billion) taking the full-year figure to $4bn (K8.41billion).

Full-year production reached 54.1mmboe; a 6 % increase in full-year production and within the company’s guidance range.

“Notwithstanding the fall in oil prices, Santos has delivered growth in full-year

and quarterly production, and record sales revenue,” chief executive officer David Knox said.

The company also said it will fire up its first gas turbine generator at the Queensland GLNG LNG plant in the coming weeks, with the project remaining on time and on budget.

Santos has delivered growth in fullyear and quarterly production ...

Simon Denny, chairman of locally owned company, Bebahoya Limited, thanked Exxon Mobil for its work and made mention of the basic services they provided, such as the seven kilometre road link from Tari to Benaria station and others like the water tanks and solar panels.

“ExxonMobil’s willingness to assist and help Benaria is a great relief for the people and will make a difference,” Mr Denny said.

“If ExxonMobil had not helped some of our people, they would have been out looking for water in the bushes.”

He said that they will make sure to support ExxonMobil’s operation in the region and look after what they have provided for them.

InterOil was also recognised for their help in the area.

PUBLIC NOTICE

WITHDRAWAL OF PAPER BANKNOTES

The public is hereby advised that all PAPER BANKNOTES (K2.00, K5.00, K10.00, K20.00, K50.00 and K100.00), which have been in circulation previously are been withdrawn by the Bank of Papua New Guinea in accordance with Section 62 of the Central Banking Act of 2000. These PAPER BANKNOTES ceased to be legal tender in Papua New Guinea since 2012.

The PAPER BANKNOTES have been phased out and replaced by the POLYMER (plastic) substrate. The Polymer Banknotes remain as legal tender and are not affected by this notice.

Despite of the withdrawal of the PAPER BANKNOTES in 2012, the Bank of PNG has allowed the public who are holding onto PAPER BANKNOTES to return them only to the Bank of PNG and not commercial banks during 2013/2014. The Bank is aware that there are some unused PAPER BANKNOTES in the hands of the public. These unused PAPER BANKNOTES will NOT be accepted in exchange for Polymer Banknotes.

The public is therefore advised that effective from 31st December 2014 the Bank of PNG will NOT accept any more PAPER BANKNOTES in exchange for Polymer Banknotes .

All queries regarding this notice should be addressed to Mr. David Lakatani on telephone number 3227343 or email dlakatani@bankpng.gov.pg

Authorised by:

Loi M. Bakani Governor

PNG LNG carrier just named recently as PAPUA.

CEO DAVID KNOX Santos

BANK OF PAPUA NEW GUINEA

DRDGold shares leap as profit, output rise

Quick news

FIJI WATER WOES

A BROKEN pipe saw millions of litres of raw sewage poured into the Samabula River last month and infected the waterways and the waterfront around Suva. An environmental emergency was declared nearly a month ago after the pipe burst in early December. Speaking at a function of the Water Authority of Fiji on Friday, Mr Bainimarama said it was heartbreaking to see the disruption to the lives of people living around the affected foreshore. He says the Water Authority has seen its budget increase to 128 million US dollars this year to address the problem. He also says as of next month, households earning less than 15,000 US dollars a year will 250 litres of water a day for free.

MARKET ACCESS

“DRDGold will post an increase of about 5% in its operating profit for the six months to end-December compared with a year earlier”. - Bloomberg At

THE upward march in DRDGold’s share price continued on Wednesday on news its interim operating profit and output increased, swelling its cash holdings, according to BDAlive newswire.

DRDGold, which is a purely tailings dump retreatment company, also received a boost from the improvement in the rand gold price as the dollar value of bullion scaled five-month highs.

DRDGold will post an increase of about 5% in its operating profit for the six months to end-December compared with a year earlier.

Production was 6% higher and cash holdings were 19% higher than at the end of September.

The higher output stemmed from better metallurgical efficiencies and improvements

DRDGOLD LIMITED: A South African gold producer and a specialist in the recovery of the metal from the retreatment of surface tailings. The company is listed on the New York and Johannesburg stock exchanges.

PRODUCTION: Was 6% higher and cash holdings were 19% higher than at the end of September.

at the business after it shut down its new, underperforming flotation and fine-grind circuit in April, CEO Niel Pretorius said.

The circuit had been tweaked and after testing, a flotation circuit was restarted earlier this month. Another would be in production by the end of this week, he said.

The rand gold price has surged to more than R480,000/ kg, widening profit margins for companies with South

African mines where costs are paid in rand and revenue generated in dollars.

The international gold price broke through $1300/ oz for the first time since August on rising fear about the health of the global economy.

“Capital is flowing into safe assets such as gold,” Mark To, head of research at Wing Fung Financial, a trader and refiner in Hong Kong, told Bloomberg.

“The market is full of news

that’s supportive of higher gold prices — expectations for lower global growth, uncertainty around what the European Central Bank will do, and more stimulus around the world,” he said.

DRDGold shares ended nearly 5% higher at R3.32 on Wednesday, well off the low of R1.89 reached in late December. On a three-month view, the share is up about 1%.

Gold Fields said last week it would report full-year production of about 2.22-million ounces in February, a slight improvement over the previous year’s output and at a lower cost.

Gold Fields said it had produced gold at an all-in cost of $1095/oz, well below the $1300/oz target it set for itself. Gold Fields shares have gained about 63% in the past

Dangerous Coconut beetle found in SI

SOLOMON Islands Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAL) officials said on Wednesday they had found a beetle considered to be one of the world’s most dangerous agricultural pests known as oryctes rhinoceros, has been confirmed to be present in Honiara.

The coconut Oryctes rhinoceros is a species of rhinoceros beetle attacks the developing fronds of coconut, oil, and other palms.

Director of Quarantine department Francis Tsatsia told the Solomon Star MAL confirm the presence of rhinoceros beetle after breeding sites were identified in Honiara. Tsatsia said quarantine officers investigated further and found adults and larvae of the coconut rhinoceros beetle around Kukum and Panatina areas. He said the beetle kills the palms (particularly newly planted ones) when the growing point is destroyed

during feeding. “Larvae do not damage crops, but instead grow in dead, decaying trunks and other organic matter.

“Oryctes rhinoceros is the World’s most deadly coconut rhinoceros beetle which can damage fronds in triangular cuts,” he added.

“It is endemic to several countries and the reason it is very dangerous is that its life cycle is very long and it goes into all kinds of food grains,” Director

three months to trade at about R67.

Ross Norman, on the Sharps Pixley website, forecast gold to average $1321/oz this year, with a range between $1450 and $1170.

Harmony Gold has added nearly 61% to its share price in the past three months to trade near R36, receiving a boost from renewed interest from a large US investment fund last year.

Van Eck Associates more than doubled its holding in Harmony, which produces almost all its gold in SA and has a large copper and gold project in Papua New Guinea, to 12% at the end of December from 5%. Shares in Sibanye Gold, the largest producer of South African gold and an aggressive dividend payer, have risen. - Bloomberg

Giving Fijian products more access to Japan’s market topped talks held this week between Fiji’s Ambassador in Tokyo, Isikeli Mataitoga and the Director for the Oceania Division in Japan’s Foreign Ministry, Yukihiro Wada. During the meeting Ambassador Mataitoga raised the prospect of more Fijian made goods and services entering the Japanese market. He said direct investments in Fiji by Japanese investors would also encourage new business partnerships and strengthen relations between the two countries. A significant area highlighted by the Fijian envoy was Fiji’s capacity to provide the Japanese market with a wide range of goods that could be processed in Fiji using Japanese technology. He highlighted that while certain processed products or items such as canned food, biscuits, cosmetics, filtered water already have a presence in the Japanese market, the lack of volume in exports could be addressed through a government-to-government agreed framework.

BROADCAST ISSUES

The government in Vanuatu says it’s looking for partners to help modernise the state broadcaster, and fix radio transmission problems to the outerislands. Communities rely on the radio broadcast of cyclone warnings during cyclone season. Worries have been raised over the on-going failure of the Vanuatu Broadcasting and Television Corporation (VBTC) to transmit Radio Vanuatu to some of the outer-islands. The PR officer for the Prime Minister’s Office, Kierry Manassah, says the government is looking for partners to help VBTC move from analog to digital TV, as well provide radio transmission solutions. anassah says a lot of the transmitters are old and need to be replaced.

Francis Tsatsia said. He said quarantine department staff followed up immediately and discovered symptoms of coconut rhinoceros beetle that continues to spread out through east Honiara.

Director Tsatsia said the discovery was made after a member of the public reported strange damages on coconut palms at Panatina and Kukum area. - SOLOMON STAR/PAC-

Never lose a contact again

DIGICEL PNG has introduced another innovative service called ‘Digicel Space’ which allows users to store pictures, music, videos and mobile contacts in a secured space online from a mobile device or PC. Have you ever lost or broken

your phone? Nowadays, we have become so reliant on the Information stored in our mobiles. Losing your phone means so much more. You lose your contacts, your images and some of your memories. It’s a

Color management

A COLOR management system reconciles color differences among devices so that you can be reasonably certain of the colors your system ultimately produces. Viewing color accurately allows you to make sound color decisions throughout your workflow, from digital capture through final output. Color management also allows you to create output based on ISO, SWOP, and Japan Color print production standards.

Understanding color management

Why colors sometimes don’t match?

No device in a publishing system is capable of reproducing the full range of colors viewable to the human eye. Each device operates within a specific color space that can produce a certain range, or gamut, of colors.

A color model determines the relationship between values, and the color space defines the absolute meaning of those values as colors. Some color models (such as CIE L*a*b) have a fixed color space because they relate directly to the way humans perceive color.

These models are described as being deviceindependent. Other color models (RGB, HSL, HSB, CMYK, and so forth) can have many different color spaces. Because these models vary with each associated color space or device, they are described as being device-dependent.

Because of these varying color spaces, colors can shift in appearance as you transfer documents between different devices.

Color variations can result from differences in image sources; the way software applications define color; print media (newsprint paper reproduces a smaller gamut than magazine-quality paper); and other natural variations, such as manufacturing differences in monitors or monitor age.

What is a color management system?

Color-matching problems result from various devices and software using different color spaces. One solution is to have a system that interprets and translates color accurately between devices.

A color management system (CMS) compares the color space in which a color was created to the color space in which the same color will be output, and makes the necessary adjustments to represent the color as consistently as possible among different devices.

A color management system translates colors with the help of color profiles. A profile is a mathematical description of a device’s color space. For example, a scanner profile tells a color management system how your scanner “sees” colors. Adobe color management uses ICC profiles, a format defined by the International Color Consortium (ICC) as a cross-platform standard.

Do you need color management?

Without a color management system, your color specifications are device-dependent. You might not need color management if your production process is tightly controlled for one medium only. For example, you or your print service provider can tailor CMYK images and specify color values for a known, specific set of printing conditions. The value of color management increases when you have more variables in your production process.

Color management is recommended if you anticipate reusing color graphics for print and online media, using various kinds of devices within a single medium (such as different printing presses), or if you manage multiple workstations.

painful experience because so many of us rely on these items to connect us to our friends, family, pretty much our entire world. With Digicel Space, store all your most important information in a secured space that will never be lost.

you 1GB of free storage space until January 31st. Now is the perfect time to download the app or go to www.digicelspace.com and test out the new service for free. Visit www.digicelspace. com now for more details. NEVER LOSE A CONTACT AGAIN SIGN UP FOR DIGICEL SPACE Safely secure your contacts & content for FREE until January 2015 with Digicel Space. Visit a DIgicel Store or www.digicelspace.com to sign up today.

“With Digicel Space, I don’t have to worry. My gym music, favorite NRL video highlights and family photos are saved in a safe and secure space. So the next time I lose my phone, I can download all my favorite stuff again, like I never lost

Fiji PM sorry over Suva water issues

Fiji’s Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama has apologised for the recent water problems and pollution in the Suva area, saying much of the infrastructure around the capital dates back to colonial times, Radio New Zealand reports.

A broken pipe saw millions of litres of raw sewage poured into the Samabula River last month and infected the waterways and the waterfront around Suva, it said. An environmental emergency was declared nearly a month ago after the pipe burst in early December.

Speaking at a function of the Water Authority of Fiji on Friday, Mr Bainimarama said it was heartbreaking to see the disruption to the lives of people living around the affected foreshore.

He says the Water Authority has seen its budget increase to 128 million US dollars this year to address the problem. He also says as of next month, households earning less than 15,000 US dollars a year will 250 litres of water a day for free. – Radio New Zealand

SI chief justice calls for action on graft

SOLOMON Islands’ chief justice has called on the newly-elected government of prime minister Manasseh Sogavare to tackle corruption and halt the appointment of “cronies” to top jobs.

In a speech to mark the opening of the legal year, Sir Albert Palmer said the High Court would make corruption one of its priorities for 2015 and he called on the government to get its house in order.

The comments follow an auditor-general’s report last week which revealed $8.6 million ($SBD54.1 million) of government funds from financial years 2012 and 2013 are unaccounted for.

Sir Albert described the situation as “disgraceful”.

“It is unacceptable that

while some government ministries are acting responsibly, some are squandering people’s money which could be utilised for much needed public and essential services,” he said.

“The government must get its house in order as a matter of priority.”

Sir Albert told judges, senior civil servants, police and other key office holders attending the opening ceremony that “having the right leaders for this developing nation at this point in time is critical for the future of our people”.

“The government must allow appointments to key positions on merit and suitability grounds to ensure that the best public servants man (the) top posts, ...not cronies and relatives,” he

said. The unusually frank remarks come as community concern about corruption grows.

“It is good that the chief justice has finally realised that corruption has gone viral in this country and it has spread its tentacles in every sector of the society,” said Benjamin Afuga, president of Forum Solomon Islands International, an online group of concerned citizens.

Missing payment vouchers are providing opportunities for criminals to identify weaknesses in government systems and take advantage of them, according to the acting auditor-general Robert Cohen.

The full scale of the problem was likely to be much larger than the latest dis-

coveries. The missing millions identified in the 2012 and 2013 audit reports was the result of checks on a small random sample of government records.

The total unaccounted sum “would be expected to be significantly larger,” Mr Cohen told Radio Australia’s Pacific Beat.

The Office of the AuditorGeneral is one of a number of anti-corruption agencies that has had found it hard to get its recommendations implemented.

Mr Cohen said the chief justice’s remarks were “confirmation of the exasperation that we all feel in terms of the very slow reforms that are taking place in government administration”.

“Our audit reports stretch back many years and the

Greens call for upper house

sorts of weaknesses that we have been discovering in our audits are the same ones that we have discovered year in, year out,” he said. “So reform had been very slow and it has been very exasperating.”

Mr Sogavare, who took office after elections in November, has promised to establish an Independent Commission Against Corruption but has been embroiled in a controversy over planned appointments to top government posts.

A leaked list of potential appointees has been criticised by non-government organisations and the opposition for proposing candidates who do not having the necessary skills and qualifications for their roles.

–ABC

Fire destroys King Island’s only pharmacy

FIRE has destroyed King Island’s only pharmacy overnight, leaving the Bass Strait community without an essential service.

Emergency services were called to a blaze on Edward Street in the main settlement of Currie about 3:30am.

Crews were also called in from Naracoopa on the other side of the island but the fire ultimately destroyed several businesses.

Residents told the ABC the fire spread from the pharma-

cy to the town’s newsagency, a cafe and an adjoining apartment.

Nobody was injured in the blaze.

King Island Mayor Duncan McFie said the fire was a major blow for the island’s 1,800 residents.

“The immediate effect, of course, is quite dire,” he said.

“It’s our pharmacy and there’s quite a few issues around that, but similarly there’s a newsagency and the

people there are quite distraught, as you’d well imagine.

“Plus there’s some accommodation. Nobody was injured, thank goodness.”

Councillor McFie said the council was speaking with the local health service to ensure access to emergency medication remained available.

Investigators from mainland Tasmania will travel to the scene to determine the cause of the blaze. –ABC

BRISBANE: The Greens have called for the resurrection of Queensland’s upper house during a rally against the Newman government.

A host of union, political and social groups congregated in Brisbane’s Queens Park on Saturday morning for the Rally Against Newman demonstration.

Protesters donned Guy Fawkes masks and brandished banners slamming the Liberal National Party on a number of fronts for adopting what they called a Joh Bjelke-Petersen style of government.

One man calling himself Spoon, claimed the LNP’s Vicious Lawless Association Disestablishment (VLAD) laws meant he was unfairly penalised for going on lawful “poker runs” with motorcycle gangs. “They were police-sanctioned rides,” the 38-year-old told AAP. “And now they’ve pulled my security licence and I’m being forced to work for the dole.”

Edmee Leroy, 32, said she’d come out with her young daughter to campaign against the sacking of public servants and nurses. “I’m not in the Labor or Greens party but I really believe we have to put them in front of the LNP to make sure they’re thrown out,” the Ipswich local said.

Queensland Greens senator Larissa Waters, flanked by federal colleague Scott Ludlam and local candidate Jonathan Sri, joined the activists in calling for greater accountability.

THE Samabula River in Fiji. Picture: Radio New Zealand

In 1988, the roof of a plane blew off mid-flight in Hawaii, USA, but the plane still managed to land safely The bottom line

The early morning fire destroyed several businesses

Aussie of the year nominee on a mission

SYDNEY: Australian of the Year nominee Hetty Johnston doesn’t play elite sport.

Fellow nominee Rosie Batty doesn’t sing, act or dance and neither woman is rich or, in the usual sense, famous.

What these two people do is work tirelessly to bring attention to confronting, difficult and often hidden or ignored issues. This year’s Australian of the Year candidates list is notably dominated by women: six of the eight finalists are female. But the list is also populated by people who are agitators for action on social issues. Ms Johnston, the Queensland finalist for Australian of the Year, is a veteran campaigner against child sexual abuse.

Ms Batty, Victoria’s finalist, is tragically new to confronting domestic violence - opting into the fight after her 11-year-old son Luke was murdered by her ex-partner last year.

Amid the Australia Day party atmosphere, on January 26 Australians will likely find themselves considering a national award recipient whose work is not glamorous or high-profile but is aimed squarely at creating meaningful social change.

As National Australia Day Council CEO Jeremy Lasek says, all contenders are remarkable people “making a real difference to our nation”.

Actor Deborra-Lee Furness, the NSW finalist, enjoys a high public profile courtesy of her career in film and that of her husband, Hugh Jackman. But it’s her passionate campaign to change Australia’s adoption laws and culture that has landed her on the nominees list.

Gill Hicks lost her legs when she was caught in an underground train explosion in the 2005 London terrorist bombings.

The former designer barely survived but now, back in her home town of Adelaide, she campaigns for peace and an end to violent extremism through her charity MAD (Making a Difference) and has been named South Australia’s Australian of the Year finalist.

Rosalie Kunoth-Monks, from the

Young Aussies to be honoured

CANBERRA: Kristin Carson is proof hard work can get you just as far as grades.

The 30-year-old only just passed high school and didn’t get the marks for university.

But a decade on, she’s one of the youngest senior medical research scientists at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Adelaide, in charge of 40 projects and 25 staff.

born deaf and has deaf parents. She was given access to Auslan as her first language.

“When you delay that language, they have a delay in cognitive abilities,” she said.

Northern Territory, has been an actor and a nun but has dedicated her life for decades to humanitarian work and ending divisions between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians.

Tasmania’s nominee, Rodney Croome, has been fighting for 26 years to end discrimination in all its forms against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people.

ACT nominee Glenn Keys is a wealthy, successful businessman but he is also working to improve the lives of intellectually disabled Australians with an innovative home ownership initiative.

And Professor Lyn Beazley is a scientist with 30 years’ research in neuroscience but the WA nominee has also advised governments, set up a healthy waterways program and another to put microscopes in primary schools.

Mr Lasek says the Australian of the Year award has often gone to agitators, many of them controversial - including 2014 recipient Adam Goodes whose outspoken challenges to racist attitudes angered some commentators.

However, social researcher Hugh Mackay thinks the 2015 candidates list demonstrates a growing concern in Australia about the strength and health of social structures: families, neighbourhoods and communities.

Disillusioned with the negativity of politicians, Mr Mackay says Australians are paying more attention now to social activists.

“We’re starting to listen to other voices and look to other sources for people who have some visionary message about what sort of society we want to be,” he said.

Bali nine families’ heartbreak

SYDNEY: The families of two Bali Nine drug smugglers awaiting execution in Indonesia have told of their heartbreak but say they are not giving up hope.

Andrew Chan and Myuran

Sukumaran face execution by firing squad with the pair’s pleas for clemency rejected by Indonesia’s president Joko Widodo last week.

Myuran’s mother, Raji Sukumaran, said on Saturday she was “terrified” her son could be executed in the coming days.

“I’ve been told my son will be taken out and shot at any time. I don’t know what to do,” she told the ABC. “He’s done something stupid, he made a mistake, he’s apologised for that and he’s rehabilitated.

“Now I’ve been told he could just be given 72 hours and he’ll be taken out and shot.”

Chan and Sukumaran were sentenced to death in 2006 for trying to smuggle heroin worth about $4 million into Australia.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott spoke to both men’s families on Friday and said the Australian government

was “continuing to make every possible effort” to stop the executions.

Mrs Sukumaran did not comment on what’s being done to try to save her son but said she had full confidence in the Australian government.

“I’m not giving up and I know the Australian government will do everything it can to bring the boys home or even to stop the execution,” she said. “They can’t do this to them.”

Andrew Chan’s brother Michael said he was not giving up hope because “there are things that are being done” that would remain “behind closed doors”.

But the reality of his 31-year-old brother’s fate was hitting home.

“The last couple of days have probably been worse for wear,” he told reporters. “I don’t think I’ve felt this way, probably, since the beginning when it first all happened.

“But to know that we’re sort of nearing the end of the road is heartbreaking.”

He is flying to Bali in the coming days.

Ms Carson’s hard work and dedication to transforming lab research into patient care has landed her a finalist for Young Australian of the Year.

It’s an honour she finds overwhelming.

“I’m so lucky to be here,” she told AAP, adding she’s been inundated with support and interest since her nomination.

“I didn’t really think anyone took notice of my work.”

After completing year 12 two points shy of a fail, Ms Carson rolled up her sleeves and took on multiple research assistant positions while studying at Tafe.

She’s now a PHD candidate at Adelaide University and focuses on respiratory illness and indigenous tobacco use.

Ms Carson attributes her success to hard work, passion and

the people who have given her opportunities.

“I get up every day and I love going to work and that’s really what keeps me going,” she said.

Fellow finalist Drisana LevitzkeGray is also no stranger to hard work.

The 21-year-old can’t hear but on meeting her, it’s obvious she wants to be heard.

Ms Levitzke-Gray has travelled the world advocating for deaf rights and pushing for deaf children to have access to Auslan - the language of the Australian deaf community - from birth.

“It’s a human right for deaf children to be able to access their language,” she said.

Ms Levitzke-Gray is the fifth generation of her family to be

“I consider myself quite an intelligent person and it’s sad for me to see other deaf children who don’t have those opportunities because they’re denied a language at birth.”

Among the other finalists is indigenous basketball player for the NBA’s San Antonio Spurs Patrick Mills, who will be notably absent from award ceremonies as he takes to the court in the US.

The list also includes business mentor Adam Mostogl, community leader Chantal Ober, film maker Genevieve Clay-Smith, environmental activist Thomas King and engineer and social advocate Yassmin Abdel-Magied.

Last year’s Young Australian of the Year, paralympian Jacqueline Freney will hand over her title to one of the eight finalists on Sunday at a ceremony at parliament house.

“I’m glad it’s not my call,” Ms Freney said.

PUBLIC NOTICE

British American Tobacco PNG Ltd Fraudulent Activities and Product Tampering by Criminals

British American Tobacco PNG (BAT PNG) Limited would like to take this opportunity to issue a warning to any persons purchasing our legitimate products in the market at the moment.

We have reason to believe that organized criminal gangs are fraudulently tampering with BAT PNG’s tobacco products, specifically packets of cigarettes. Those involved in the crimes are removing the BAT PNG tobacco products from the containers, replacing the tobacco products with cardboard filler, and then offering the tampered tobacco packets for sale at retail outlets to unsuspecting retailers and consumers. In doing so, they are defrauding the consumers of the product the consumers believe they are purchasing. This is a criminal act and will have penalties for those found to be committing, or participating in, the fraud against PNG tobacco consumers.

Customers who are the victim of this scam are advised to report this matter to police immediately if they come across such activities. BAT PNG recommends that as a precaution, consumers be vigilant when they are buying their tobacco products and immediately check the packaging at the time of purchase, in store, to avoid falling victim to these illegal and fraudulent substituted products.

British American Tobacco PNG Limited has a world class manufacturing plant based in Madang. The plant has stringent quality control processes and security systems that alleviate this type of product tampering at a factory level. Our warehousing and secondary supply chain controls add another layer of confidence that this is unlikely an internally occurring practice.

Once again, BAT PNG Customers are advised to take precautions when buying tobacco products in their outlets by opening purchased tobacco products in store at the time of purchase, and if fraudulent packs are discovered by retailers and consumers, we urge you to report them to the police immediately.

For any queries please contact the following persons at our Port Moresby Head Office:

Corporate Affairs Manager

Landline: 320 1416

Email: Albert_Veratau@bat.com

National Security Manager Landline: 320 1416

Email: Andrew_Knight@bat.com

KRISTIN CARSON Australia

I am so happy to be here. I didn’t really think anyone took notice of my work....

New TV Talent Emerges From Workshop

Papua New Guineans are renowned for their sense of humour and creativity. And this month a group of extraordinary young men and women were given the chance to channel those energies into the medium of television.

The seven talented students were selected to attend a special wee lm and television workshop at the University of Goroka, facilitated by PNG’s Centre for Social and Creative Media. They were chosen on merit from a large number of candidates who entered the nationwide “Get Connected” competition, sponsored by Digicel Play and TVWAN.

During the two weeks the students were mentored by Llane Munau, one of the directors behind the locally produced Pawa Meri series, and Sorrel Wilby, an Australian documentary lm maker and former reporter on Channel Nine’s agship travel show, “Getaway”. The two worked tirelessly to encourage the students to make the most of the unique opportunity they had been given and both tutors were impressed by the level of enthusiasm and passion their students exhibited.

The workshop proved to be something of a crash course in television production with

students learning the various processes involved in making quality news and drama: planning, script writing, story boarding, directing, camera operating, lighting and editing. Commenting at the end of the workshop, Sorrel Wilby said, “It was evident by the end of the two weeks that the students were more than able to put everything they’d learned into practice, producing several pieces for TVWAN News and two truly wonderful ads for Digicel Play.”

The students ended their workshop on a real high, enjoying a special ceremony and dinner in their honour. Dr Michael Mel, the Pro Vice Chancellor at the University of Goroka, joined Jack Bourke, Head of Marketing for Digicel Play, and Paul Stafford, Head of New Business, to present each student with a certi cate recognising their efforts and a wonderful pri e the latest Samsung Galaxy mobile phone. As if that wasn’t overwhelming enough, a visiting Minutes lm crew from Australia dropped in to surprise the students and watch the work they had produced. Reporter Karl Stefanovic was so impressed with their news stories and dramatic television ads, he stood up and delivered an entirely impromptu speech, encouraging the students to pursue their dreams and make the most of all the opportunities

opening up in PNG for young lm makers.

Jack Bourke, who was behind the “Get Connected” competition from the get go, couldn’t have been happier with the students results. “The sense of humour; the creativity of the students evident in the ads they have made for us is truly remarkable! They even did their own acting and stunts and the end results will really ‘wow’ everyone in PNG. We can’t wait to share the experience with our viewers on TVWAN.”

Back in Port Moresby, Tony Thornton, Head of News, Sports and Production for TVWAN, was impressed by the high standard of the work the students produced, saying, “I continue to be thrilled by the creativity and passion our students display for their craft. They learn quickly and their skills are very evident. To be a part of this, and establishing a future for these students, is a privilege. Their success is assured and their future contribution to lm and television in PNG is sure to be amazing.”

L-R – Jack Bourke presenting Jasmine Simeon with her award, together with Paul Stafford and Pro VC Michael Mel

Michel Mel and Angelo Kalan learning how to use the camera.

Cast and crew on location in Goroka

Angelo Kalan, Jasmine Simeon, Michel Mel, Dillen Doika and Llane Munau learning how to construct and use a make shift sound booth.

All hands on deck ready to shoot the first Digicel Play advertisement

Dominic Jr Kalua refining his story board

Four of the eager participants, L-R Kenneth Ketsian, Peter Kunauna, Milka Akane, Dominic Jr Kalua

Students with the staff from the Centre for Social and Creative Media

Executions ‘not in Bali please’

JAKARTA: Bali’s prodeath penalty governor doesn’t want Australians Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran executed on his island, believing it may spoil the harmonious climate.

Made Mangku Pastika, a former head of Indonesia’s national narcotics agency, testified against members of the Bali Nine in a 2007 challenge of their death sentences. Then, he described drug traffickers as “mass murderers” who were deserving of death.

Sukumaran and Chan have now been denied presidential clemency and only a last-ditch legal bid stands between them and the firing squad. Indonesia has yet to set a time and place for the executions. But General Pastika says they shouldn’t be carried out in Bali.

“If it’s possible, please not in Bali, just somewhere else,” he told reporters, without giving his reasons.

Japan, US condemn ‘IS hostage murder’

TOKYO: Prime Minister

Shinzo Abe has angrily demanded that the Islamic State group release a Japanese journalist it is holding hostage after a new online video purported to show that another hostage had been killed.

While the Japanese government and others cast doubt on the authenticity of the video, US President Barack Obama issued a statement condemning what he called “the brutal murder” of one of the hostages.

His statement did not say how the United States knows that Haruna Yukawa, a 42-year-old adventurer, is dead, and the Japanese government was still was trying to verify the video.

Obama said in his statement that the US will stand “shoulder to shoulder” with Japan and called for the immediate release of the second Japanese hostage, journalist Kenji Goto.

The Japanese government had no immediate comment on Obama’s statement.

However, a statement issued by Abe in English and Arabic demanded the safe release only of Goto.

The message in the video seen on Saturday demanded a prisoner exchange for the 47-year-old Goto.

But the post was deleted quickly on Saturday, and militants on a website affiliated with the IS group questioned its veracity.

Still, Abe said after a

late-night cabinet meeting: “Such an act of terrorism is outrageous and impermissible and causes me nothing but strong indignation. I resolutely condemn this act.”

The most recent message varied greatly from previous videos released by IS, which now holds a third of both Syria and Iraq.

IS had threatened on Tuesday to behead the men within 72 hours unless it received a $US200 million ($A248.23 million) ransom.

Kyodo News agency reported that Saturday’s video was emailed to Goto’s wife.

Abe said the government of Japan will not succumb to terrorism and will continue to co-operate with the

international community in the fight against terrorism.

“I strongly demand that Mr Kenji Goto not be harmed and be immediately released,” he said.

Goto’s mother, Junko Ishido, told Japanese public broadcaster NHK that in the purported message her son, “seemed to be taking seriously what may be happening to him as well”.

“I’m petrified,” Ishido said. “He has children. I’m praying he will return soon, and that’s all I want.”

But Ishido also was sceptical about the voice claiming to be Goto. “Kenji’s English is very good. He should sound more fluent,” she said. One militant on the IS-affiliated website warned

that Saturday’s new message was fake, while another said that the message was intended only to go to the Japanese journalist’s family.

A third militant on the website noted that the video was not issued by al-Furqan, which is one of the media arms of IS and has issued past videos involving hostages and beheadings.

The latest message did not bear al-Furqan’s logo.

The militants on the website post comments using pseudonyms, so their identities could not be independently confirmed.

However, their confusion over the video matched that of Japanese officials and outside observers.

Asked if it was for the sake of Bali’s people, he said: “I think they want Bali to keep in harmony, remain safe, remain peaceful. So if possible, not in Bali, please.” Aussies still make up the bulk of tourists to the socalled Island of the Gods.

Indonesia is awaiting data to confirm it had a record one million visits from Australians in 2014, the vast majority of them to Bali.

The Australian families of Chan, 31, and Sukumaran, 33, will also arrive in Bali this week. Both families spoke on Saturday about their anguish for the Sydney men, who they believe have reformed and deserved to have their sentences commuted to life.

“I’ve been told my son will be taken out and shot at any time,” Raji Sukumaran, mother of Myuran, told reporters. “I don’t know what to do.” Both families said they trusted Prime Minister Tony Abbott and the Australian government would do all they could to stop the executions.

However, diplomatic efforts failed to save citizens of The Netherlands and Brazil, who were among six drug offenders executed last week.

Indonesian search team fails to float plane’s fuselage

INDONESIAN salvage teams have failed to raise the fuselage of AirAsia flight QZ8501 from the sea bed, but recovered four more bodies from the wreckage of the crashed jet.

The bid to raise the fuselage came a day after divers were able to enter the main section of the plane, which crashed in the Java Sea last month.

Difficult weather conditions during the past week had stopped rescuers reaching the main part of the Airbus A320-200 since it was spotted on the seabed by a military vessel earlier this month.

“We were not successful today,” rescue agency official

SB Supriyadi said. “The sling snapped off so the main body fell back to the sea floor.”

He also said several bodies fell from the fuselage when the piece of wreckage sank.

The operation to lift the main body will resume on Sunday.

The rescue agency official also said a sonar scan had detected an object “suspected to be the cockpit” of the plane about 500 metres away from the fuselage.

But the search teams will prioritise floating the main body of the plane before verifying the object suspected to be the cockpit, Mr Supriyadi said.

Just after dawn on Saturday,

divers descended to the sea floor to tie floatation bags to the fuselage, navy officials said.

Four bodies believed to have come from inside the fuselage were retrieved as the team tried to lift the main section, bringing the total number of bodies recovered to 69, officials said.

The previous day, a jumble of wires and seats floating inside the fuselage prevented the divers from entering further to find more bodies.

“The divers said it was dark inside, the seats were floating about and the wires were like a tangled yarn,” Mr Supriyadi said.–AFP/ABC

JAPANESE journalists Kenji Goto (left) and Haruna Yukawa. Picture: ABC

An American Airlines plane was stolen off a runway in Luanda, Angola, in 2003 and has never been found since. It was a Boeing

The bottom line

INDONESIAN rescue personnel recover more bodies from the wreckage of AirAsia flight QZ8501. Picture:AFP/ABC

Inquiry call over Papal visit

THE government in the Philippines is facing calls for an inquiry after it admitted relocating homeless people temporarily during Pope Francis’ visit.

Social welfare secretary Corazon Soliman said that nearly 500 people were taken from the streets of Manila to an upscale resort in the outskirts. House of Representatives member Terry Ridon called for an inquiry, saying the move was a “clearing operation”.

Pope Francis arrived in the Philippines two weeks ago and left last Monday.

Mr Ridon said the government relocation scheme was “truly horrendous, given the fact that Pope Francis visited our country to - first and foremost - see and talk to the poor.”

The Philippine Star said he plans to summon Ms Soliman to explain her agency’s actions before lawmakers.

Ms Soliman said in interviews this week that the homeless families were removed shortly before the pontiff arrived on 15 January.

Many of them lived along the Manila Bay seafront, the venue for Sunday’s mass which drew a record crowd of six million.

On 14 January they were taken to the Chateau Royale resort, which charges hundreds of dollars for a room per night, and returned to the capital on Monday after Pope Francis had left.

The families are now temporarily residing at government facilities in Manila, Ms Soliman said.

She defended the move as an effort to protect them from large crowds and crime syndicates during the Pope’s visit, adding that it was part of a scheme to eventually move them to rent-free temporary accommodation.

“Part of the orientation is to familiarise themselves with a room with a door and toilets,” Soliman told the AFP news agency.

She insisted it was “not for keeping them out of sight”, and said the Pope saw shanties and homeless people during his trip.

The controversy comes after reports that street children had been rounded up and put into cages in detention centres, which the government has denied.

Pope Francis had made poverty one of the central themes to his visit, calling for mercy and compassion for the poor and meeting and hugging street children. –BBC

Girl hunted over $6m necklace heist

HONG Kong police say they are hunting a girl aged between 12 and 14 years over the theft of a diamond necklace worth almost $6 million from a luxury jewellery store.

Police say she helped carry out the theft with two women and a man, all aged between 30 and 40 years. The adults “pretended to be customers choosing items from the shop” police said, while the girl stole the necklace. The gang of four then left the store before a staff member realised it was missing.

The necklace was 100-carat gold embedded with more than 30 diamonds, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported. The young girl managed to steal a key from a drawer to open a cabinet while staff were distracted, the SCMP said, citing an unnamed police source.

“The three adults posed as big spenders and demanded employees show them jewellery in an apparent move to divert staff attention,” the source said.

The girl was caught on CCTV as she left the mall, the SCMP said, showing a girl dressed in black trousers, a blue shirt and a grey hooded top.

Police described her as “slimly built”. The gang spent around half an hour in the shop and staff did not notice the necklace was missing until later in the day, the SCMP said.

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POPE Francis met with street children during his recent visit to the Philippines.

Picture: Reuters/BBC

Pakistan in darkness after rebel attack

KARACHI: Pakistan was plunged into darkness after a key power transmission line broke down in an incident blamed on a rebel attack, the latest reminder of the country’s crippling energy crisis.

The power failure, one of the worst Pakistan has experienced, caused electricity to be cut early on Sunday in major cities throughout the country, including the capital Islamabad.

It was later restored in much of the country, with the national power company saying normal distribution would resume within hours.

TENSION HIGH OVER DEATHS

SEVERAL thousand people gathered in northern Myanmar (also known as Burma) for the funerals of two teachers who activists allege were raped and killed by soldiers. The bodies of the women, who are from the Kachin ethnic minority, were found on Tuesday in a remote village in Shan state. Officials have launched an investigation into the killings. Picture: BBC

Thailand’s authorities impeach former leader

THAI authorities have banned former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra from office for five years and launched a legal case that could see her jailed.

An army-appointed legislature impeached her over corruption in a scheme she oversaw to subsidise rice farmers.

The criminal charges, which also relate to the rice scheme, could result in a 10-year jail term.

The military has ruled Thailand since May 2014, when they overthrew Ms Yingluck’s government in a coup.

The BBC’s Jonathan Head in Bangkok says the impeachment sends a strong signal that there will be no compro-

mise and her family will be removed from politics.

Ms Yingluck and her brother, tycoon and former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, remain hugely popular among Thailand’s rural poor, but are hated by an urban and middle-class elite who accuse them of corruption and abuse of power.

Their party is the most popular in Thailand and has - under various different names - won every election since 2001.

Shortly after her impeachment, Ms Yingluck was due to hold a news conference at a Bangkok hotel.

But troops arrived and prevented her from speaking.

Thailand is still under mar-

tial law and unauthorised political meetings are banned.

Ms Yingluck has since posted a statement (in Thai) on her Facebook page accusing the authorities of trying to destroy her.

“Democracy has died in Thailand today, along with the rule of law,” she said.

As they prepared for this vote, those advocating impeachment argued that it had nothing to do with politics or reconciliation, that it should be understood purely as a response to corruption in the Yingluck government’s rice support scheme.

That there was corruption is undeniable; there is plenty of evidence. The generous subsidy was also financially

unsustainable. But no-one has yet been tried or convicted. Nor were Ms Yingluck’s opponents able to explain how impeachment was possible against a politician who has already been removed from office, and by an assembly entirely appointed by the military.

So this was not about corruption, or the rule of law. It was the culmination of eight months of lobbying by hardline opponents of the Shinawatra family, who want them purged from politics, and eight months of hesitation by military rulers who had some hopes of being seen as saviours, delivering the nation from political turmoil. That calculation has now

changed decisively. With a five-year ban from politics and a criminal charge hanging over her, Ms Yingluck faces the same fate as her brother - jail or exile. Her party and supporters, who have relied on her family’s funds, must decide whether they will seek new leadership or start resisting the military.

The allegations against Ms Yingluck centre on a scheme in which her Pheu Thai-led government bought rice from Thai farmers at a much higher price than on the global market.

It resulted in the accumulation of huge stockpiles of rice and hit Thailand’s rice exports hard. -BBC news

Officials said the blackout began after midnight when a transmission line connecting a privately-run power plant to the national grid was damaged. A senior official at the National Grid station in Islamabad said around 80 per cent of the country was hit by power breakdown.

A reporter in the eastern city of Lahore said the airport was also affected by the breakdown.

Minister of State for Water and Power Abid Sher Ali later issued an apology and said electricity had been restored in most of the country, blaming the breakdown on rebels blowing up the line in Naseerabad district, which lies in southwestern Baluchistan province.

A spokesman for the national power company said that “electricity has been restored in all parts of the country.”

“Some 6000 megawatts of electricity has been added to the national system and within a couple of hours distribution will be normal,” the spokesman said.

Pakistan’s electricity distribution system is a complexand delicate - web and a major fault at one section often leads to chain reactions and breakdowns of power generation and transmission.

In addition to chronic infrastructure problems, the energy sector is also trapped into a vicious “circular debt” brought on by the dual effect of the government setting low electricity prices and customers failing to pay for it.

-AAP news

Outgoing UN envoy laments scant human rights gains in Cambodia

UNITED Nations envoy Surya Subedi paid a final official visit to Cambodia on Friday and noted scant progress during his six-year mandate, warning the government its people were no longer afraid to defend their human rights.

UN Special Rapporteur Mr Subedi said the government of prime minister Hun Sen, who has ruled Cambodia for 30 years, should reconsider its aversion to independent institutions.

“Many of the state institutions responsible for up-

holding people’s rights are unfortunately still lacking accountability and transparency needed to command the trust and confidence of the people,” Professor Subedi told a news conference.

The Australian Government has signed a $40 million deal with Hun Sen’s government to voluntarily resettle refugees from Nauru in Cambodia, but human rights groups have warned the country is not safe for refugees.

Despite success in boosting a tiny economy, slashing poverty and creating jobs, the

Cambodian government has been accused of abusing its power and leaning on the judiciary to crush its detractors or scare them into silence.

It has been dogged by accusations of bowing to vested interests and failing to curb spiralling forced evictions or to allow critics to speak out freely.

Professor Subedi, a lawyer and academic, said that he had recognised some signs of progress, but reforms were too slow.

“The culture of impunity in this country has been a trou-

bling issue for me, which I have repeatedly raised to the government,” he said.

Courts, anti-graft units and human rights mechanisms were not allowed to work freely, he said, adding that public calls for accountability were stronger now than ever.

“People have woken up ... and they are ready to fight for their rights,” Professor Subedi said.

“So far, the courts of Cambodia have not delivered justice in the way demanded by all Cambodians.

Obama visits India

NEW DELHI: Barack Obama began an unprecedented second visit to India by a serving US president, aiming to consolidate what he has called one of the “defining partnerships of the 21st century”.

Obama will be the first US president to be chief guest at India’s Republic Day parade, a colourful celebration of the country’s military might and cultural diversity, signalling a growing closeness between the world’s two largest democracies.

He received a hug from Prime Minister Narendra Modi as he disembarked from Air Force One in New Delhi on Sunday at the start of a visit, which is seen as symbolising a new warmth in sometimes strained bilateral ties.

Modi has invited Obama to co-host a radio phonein show and is reportedly planning to host a private dinner at his Delhi home for the president, who will be accompanied by First Lady Michelle Obama.

The couple was scheduled to visited the Taj Mahal, India’s famed monument to love, but their trip has been cut short to allow Obama to travel on to Saudi Arabia and pay respects to new King Salman.

Modi was a Washington outcast only a year ago, and Obama’s three-day visit caps a remarkable turnaround in relations between the two countries after a diplomatic row in late 2013 that saw the Stars and Stripes torched on the streets of Delhi.

In an interview with the India Today magazine ahead of his arrival, Obama said the two countries were “natural partners”.

“When I addressed the Indian parliament on my last visit (in 2010), I outlined my vision for how we could become global partners meeting global challenges,” he said.

“I’d like to think that the stars are aligned to finally realise the vision I outlined.”

Both sides share a common goal in wanting a counter-balance to China, with Modi seen as taking a more assertive line on India’s powerful neighbour than the previous regime.

Obama’s trip comes just months after Modi’s first official visit to the US, and with so little time to lay the groundwork it is expected to be stronger on symbolism than on content.

Nonetheless, a deal on intelligence sharing is on the cards and decade-old defence co-operation pact is expected to be upgraded. -AAP news

Sri Lanka seizes state vehicle fleet

SRI Lankan police say they have seized more than 50 state-owned vehicles not returned after former President Mahinda Rajapaksa was toppled in elections.

The 53 vehicles, said to include bullet-proof limousines, are thought to be among 128 missing vehicles.

Mr Rajapaksa’s decade in power came to an abrupt end in polls on 8 January.

On Thursday, the new government pledged to trace billions of dollars allegedly siphoned off by Mr Rajapaksa and his powerful family.

Various figures in his former ruling clan face accu-

sations ranging from corruption to murder.

The vehicles, which belong to the presidential secretariat, were found on land in the capital Colombo, a police spokesman said.

“We are conducting investigations on how these 53 vehicles ended up at this yard,”

Ajith Rohana told the AFP news agency.

Among the vehicles was an armour-plated BMW destroyed in a mine attack in Colombo in 2006. Inside was the then defence secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, the president’s younger brother, but he escaped without injury.

The discovery was announced a day after the new government of President Maithripala Sirisena said it would investigate all financial deals struck by Mr Rajapaksa and his brothers during his time in office.

“Black money invested in various foreign countries is going to be investigated,” said cabinet spokesman Rajitha Senarathne, referring to illegal capital flight, according to the Reuters news agency.

Mr Sirisena delivered his shock defeat of Mr Rajapaksa in part on pledges to root out abuses of public money and power by the Rajapaksas.

INDEPENDENT CONSUMER AND COMPETITON COMMISSION

PUBLIC NOTICE

PMV & TAXI FARE REVIEW – RELEASE OF FINAL REPORT

The Independent Consumer & Competition Commission (Commission) has released its Final Report into the current price setting arrangement for PMV and taxi services in Papua New Guinea.

The Final Report follows extensive consultation with the PMV and taxi industry, relevant government agencies, commuters and the general public.

The Commission will continue to set maximum fares for PMV and taxi services for another period of five years commencing on 31st December, 2014.

The maximum urban fares for each provincial town will be adjusted annually for movements in the consumer price index (CPI) and the retail price of diesel in each of those towns.

The maximum fare for urban PMV service in Port Moresby is 90 toea for all urban routes. For Lae, the maximum fare for urban PMV service is 80 toea for all urban routes. Maximum fares for all other urban routes in other provincial towns increased based on CPI movement and changes in the retail price of diesel in each of those towns.

The maximum fares for non-urban routes have increased based on movements in the CPI and the retail price of diesel for each provincial town. The fares include turn-offs along the main highway into the villages. For other turn off routes that the Commission has not been made aware of, operators, commuters or any relevant stakeholders are advised to bring it to the attention of the Commission to consider and to set the fares respectively. These fares when incorporated into the existing schedule of fares will be adjusted and announced annually.

For taxi services, the fare adjustment is applied to flag fall and distance rates. Taxi fares set are based on movements in the CPI and the retail price of petrol for all provincial towns where taxi services operate. The Commission applies a regional average to the change in the retail price of petrol to cover the four main regions in the country.

The Commission has determined to apply a maximum of K1.70 as flag fall rate and a maximum of K2.30 per kilometre as distance rate to taxi services currently operating in all major towns. Similar to urban and nonurban PMV fares, the taxi rates will be subject to annual adjustments.

For taxis that have recently begun operating in towns not previously serviced, the Commission will use the current flag fall and distance rate (kina/kilometre) for taxis in Port Moresby as the starting fare.

Since PMV and taxi industry is one of the important industries in PNG’s economy, the Commission encourages service providers, commuters and any interested persons to peruse the Final Report . The National Gazette sets out details of all maximum fares approved by the Commission.

Once again PMVs and taxis are put on notice that charging in excess of the maximum charge (even with agreement of passengers) is likely to contravene the law and the Commission will, where appropriate take prosecution action against owners, drivers and crew.

Passengers are urged to contact the Commission with details of possible contraventions. Hard Copies of the Final Report can be obtained from the Commission’s head office in Port Moresby and its regional offices in Goroka, Lae and Kokopo. You can also download copies of the Final Report through the Commission’s website at www.iccc.gov.pg

Authorised by

Dr. Billy Manoka, PhD Commissioner and CEO

AMONG the 53 vehicles found were several bullet-proof limousines. Picture: BBC

Narendra Modi broke with protocol to personally meet President Obama at the airport in Delhi. Picture: BBC

Leaders honour Saudi King

WORLD leaders are converging on Saudi Arabia to offer condolences following the death of King Abdullah, including US president Barack Obama who is cutting short a trip to India to pay his respects.

Foreign aircraft landed at a Riyadh military base on Saturday where leaders from Africa, Europe and Asia were welcomed by officials and served a traditional tiny cup of Arabic coffee.

Since Abdullah ascended the throne in 2005, Saudi Arabia has been a prime Arab ally of Washington, and last year joined the coalition carrying out air strikes against the Islamic State jihadist group.

The White House said Mr Obama “called King Salman bin Abdulaziz from Air Force One today to personally express his sympathies” ahead of his trip to Riyadh on Tuesday to meet the new king, the White House said.

Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif also made a rare visit to the regional rival to offer condolences.

Both Russian prime minister Dmitry Medvedev and Ukraine’s president Petro Poroshenko were among the wellwishers, even as proKremlin rebels announced a major new offensive on a strategic government-held port in Ukraine’s south-east.

Mr Poroshenko had to interrupt his visit to chair an emergency meeting about the violence.

Others guests included

PM leads Senegal march against Charlie

DAKAR: About 1500 people including the prime minister have marched in Senegal against caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed in the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo.

French president Francois Hollande, Afghanistan’s president Ashraf Ghani, Indonesian vice-president Jusuf Kalla, European royalty and Jordan’s King Abdullah II. Prince Charles and prime minister David Cameron came from Britain.

They gathered at the AlYamamah Palace, the royal court, to greet King Salman, who took the throne after the death of his half-brother on Friday, and his heir, Crown Prince Muqrin.

The government declared Sunday as a holiday so citizens throughout the country could mourn and pledge symbolic allegiance to their new monarch.

Abdullah, who died aged about 90 after being hospitalised with pneumonia, was a cautious reformer who led the Gulf state through a turbulent decade in a region shaken by the Arab Spring uprisings and Islamic extremism.

World leaders praised him as a key mediator between Muslims and the West, but activists criticised his rights record and urged Salman to do more to protect free speech and freedoms for women.

“Saudi Arabia is a partner, both economic and political,” Mr Hollande said before his arrival in Riyadh with French defence minister Jean-Yves Le Drian.

Other presidents and prime ministers attended Abdullah’s traditionally simple funeral and burial on Friday.

-ABC news

SOME clashes broke out between supporters and opponents of the Houthis.

Picture: BBC

Thousands in anti-rebel in march

THOUSANDS of Yemenis have taken to the streets in the capital Sanaa to protest against Shia Houthi rebels who have tightened their grip on the city.

Friday saw marches for and against the rebels, in the wake of the resignation of the Western-backed president and PM.

President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi had said he could not continue after the Houthis failed to honour a peace deal.

Protests against the rebels were also reported in a number of other cities on Saturday.

Parliament is due to meet on Sunday to discuss whether to accept President Hadi’s resignation.

Security sources have told the BBC that Yemen’s intelligence chief, Ali Hassan al-Ahmedi, has also stepped down. BBC regional analyst Alan Johnston says that in

the aftermath of President Hadi’s resignation there’s a sense that Yemen is leaderless and drifting through a dangerously uncertain political moment.

Demonstrators chanted “No to Houthis” as they headed towards President Hadi’s home.

They demanded that he stay in power and impose the authority of the state despite the pressure from the rebels.

Houthi militiamen did not attempt to stop them.

Some reports said up to 10,000 people were taking part.

On Wednesday the president’s home was shelled, shattering a ceasefire that had been agreed only hours earlier.

The ceasefire deal had met a series of rebel demands, including the expansion of Houthi representation in parliament and key state

institutions. In return, the rebels said they would pull back from their positions and free the president’s chief-of-staff, who they have held for a week. But so far they have not done so.

Houthi gunmen also fired on Prime Minister Khaled Bahah’s convoy earlier in the week and then laid siege to the palace where he was staying.

The Houthis, who follow a branch of Shia Islam known as Zaidism, have staged periodic uprisings since 2004 in an effort to win greater autonomy for their northern heartland of Saada province.

Since July the rebels have inflicted defeats on tribal and militia groups backed by the leading Sunni Islamist party, Islah, and battled al-Qaeda as they have pushed into central and western provinces.

-BBC news

Prime Minister Mohammed Dionne was joined at the demonstration in Dakar by cabinet colleagues, civil society activists, lawmakers, religious leaders and hundreds of members of the public.

“I’m not Charlie - I am a Muslim”, “Freedom of expression is not the freedom to insult”, “Do not touch my prophet” read placards brandished by demonstrators.

The event, during which a French flag was burned, used the slogan “I am Nigerian, I am African” to denounce the silence of African leaders and the world over massacres on the continent, in contrast with the emphatic response to the Paris attacks.

Nigeria’s volatile northeast has repeatedly come under attack from Boko Haram extremists who began their deadly insurgency to impose Sharia in the mainly-Muslim north in 2009 and have killed thousands.

“Islam is a religion of peace,” said Abdoulaye Mactar Diop, the Islamic leader of Senegal’s ethnic Lebou community, accusing France of having “encouraged the publication of the latest issue of Charlie Hebdo to laugh at us”.

“Charlie replied with provocation, we will respond with peace,” organiser Sambou Biagui, of the the African Platform for Development and Human Rights, said.

“Charlie has accomplices that must be denounced. France needs to stop,” he said.

-AAP news

Iran drafts nuclear enrichment law

TEHRAN: Iran’s parliament has started to draft a law that would allow the country’s nuclear scientists to intensify their uranium enrichment, a step that could complicate ongoing talks with world powers.

The move, announced on Saturday by parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, comes after US lawmakers said they were planning legislation that could place new sanctions on Iran.

The negotiations between Iran and the permanent members of the UN Security Council - Britain, China, France, Russia and the US - plus Germany, face a June 30 deadline for a final deal.

But both sides admit big differences remain on the hard detail of what a comprehensive agreement would look like.

Hossein Naghavi Hosseini, committee spokesman in Tehran, told the ISNA news agency that draft legislation was underway.

“This bill will allow the government to continue enrichment, using new generation centrifuges,” he said, referring to more modern machines that would speed up production.

A key stumbling block in any final deal is thought to be the amount of uranium Iran would be allowed to enrich and the number and type of centrifuges

Tehran can retain.

Under an interim deal, Iran’s stock of fissile material has been diluted from 20 per cent enriched uranium to five per cent in exchange for limited sanctions relief.

Experts say such measures pushed back the “breakout capac-

ity” to make an atomic weapon, which Iran denies pursuing.

Tehran insists its nuclear program is for domestic energy production and that more modern centrifuges are necessary to make fuel for a fleet of power reactors that it is yet to build.

World powers, however, are sceptical about why Iran needs such a large enrichment capability.

With the talks seemingly deadlocked, the new Republican-controlled US Congress is considering fresh legislation that could level new sanctions on Iran if talks fail.

US President Barack Obama has said he will veto any move to adopt new sanctions but a White House spokesman said Friday the “likelihood of success” in the nuclear talks is “at best 50/50.”

Greeks vote in historic poll

GREEKS are voting in a general election which could result in Greece trying to renegotiate the terms of its bailout with international lenders.

The leftwing Syriza party, which has been leading in opinion polls, wants part of Greece’s huge debt written off and austerity measures revoked.

This has spooked money markets and raised fears of a Greek exit from the euro.

But the governing New Democracy party says the economy is recovering.

Greece has endured tough budget cuts in return for the bailout negotiated with the so-called troika of lendersthe European Union, International Monetary Fund (IMF) and European Central Bank (ECB).

The economy has shrunk drastically since the 2008 global financial crisis, increasing unemployment and throwing many Greeks into poverty.

Polls across Greece opened at 07:00 local time (05:00 GMT) and will close at 19:00.

There are nearly 10 million eligible voters, who are electing the country’s 300-member parliament.

First exit polls are expected immediately after the voting ends.

Syriza leader Alexis Tsipras

Pro-Russian rebels stage deadly attacks

A SERIES of rocket attacks has left 30 people dead and many more injured in the city of Mariupol in east Ukraine.

Ukraine blamed pro-Russia rebels, but the separatists said Ukrainian forces were behind the attacks.

East Ukraine’s main rebel leader claimed he had begun an offensive against Mariupol, but later said he “will not storm the city”.

The Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) said the rockets came from rebel-held areas. But Alexander Zakharchenko, head of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic, said his forces had not carried out “active operations” near Mariupol until Saturday, Russian news agencies report.

However, he added that after Kiev blamed the rebels for the attack, he ordered his troops to “neutralise” the positions of Ukrainian troops east of the port city.

Meanwhile, Ukraine’s security service has published what it claims are intercepted audio messages between

separatist rebels speaking about the Mariupol attack. The authenticity of the messages has not been independently verified.

International organisations, including the European Union, condemned the attacks.

The OSCE called the incident “reckless, indiscriminate and disgraceful” and demanded a full investigation.

Nato also criticised the attacks, adding that “Russian troops in eastern Ukraine are supporting these offensive operations” by supplying weapons.

Ukraine’s Defence Minister Stepan Poltorak said military positions in Mariupol were being strengthened.

His ministry said the city had been hit by three separate strikes by Grad rockets.

Ukraine’s Prime Minister Arseniy Yatseniuk has called for a special meeting of the United Nations Security Council to discuss what he says is Russia’s role in the conflict in eastern Ukraine.

-BBC news

Spain arrests jihadist suspects

FOUR suspected members of an Islamist militant network have been arrested in the Spanish territory of Ceuta, which borders Morocco.

Two Moroccans and two Spaniards were arrested in raids on two properties by Moroccan and Spanish police.

Spanish police said the men were “prepared and willing” to carry out a terror attack in Spain.

Some 50 suspected jihadists have been arrested by Spanish police over

the past year, the ministry has said.

Spanish Interior Minister Jorge Fernandez Diaz said the men arrested on Saturday were two pairs of brothers who were “highly radicalised and highly trained”, Reuters news agency reported.

A pistol, combat uniforms, machetes, number plates, documents and computer equipment were seized in the dawn raids, the interior ministry said.

-BBC news

says his party will restore “dignity” to Greece by rolling back on cuts to jobs, pay and pensions which have hurt millions of people across the country.

The possibility of a Syriza victory has sparked fears that Greece could default on its debt and leave the eurothe single currency of 19 EU members.

This is despite the fact that Syriza has moderated its stance since the peak of the eurozone crisis, and says it wants Greece to stay a member of the currency.

Meanwhile, the leader of centre-right New Democracy and PM Antonis Samaras has promised to work “day and night” to keep the country standing.

Syriza, he argues, could force the country from the euro by its policies, serving what he called the “drachma lobby”, a reference to the former Greek currency.

He also warns that Greece could miss out on a massive programme of quantitative easing unveiled by the ECB last week to help stimulate the eurozone economy.

The centrist To Potami and the right-wing Golden Dawn party are expected to fight for third place in the elections.

SYRIZA, led by Alexis Tsipras, PM Antonis Samaras’ New Democracy are seen as favourites in the race.

Picture: BBC

No bombs on planes after threat

ATLANTA: - US police who searched two planes in Atlanta found no bombs after online threats were made against the aircraft.

FBI spokesman Stephen Emmett said law enforcement officials finished their search on Saturday night at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

The threats targeted Southwest Airlines Flight 2492, which arrived from Milwaukee, and Delta Air Lines Flight 1156, which arrived from Portland, Oregon.

Both flights arrived safely.

NORAD spokesman Preston Schlachter said the threats were made through Twitter.

The military dispatched two F-16 fighter jets to shadow the planes until they reached the airport.

-AAP news

Thousands march against Venezulean leader

CARACAS: Demonstrators against Venezuela’s economic crisis have taken to the streets in their thousands, banging pots and demanding an end to President Nicolas Maduro’s term.

Opposition leaders, fed up with shortages of milk, coffee, sugar, meat, toilet paper, nappies, deodorant and corn meal, and with Maduro’s refusal to overhaul the increasingly state-managed economy, say the elected socialist should go.

Ex-lawmaker Maria Corina Machado - who was jailed af-

ter deadly riots last year for inciting violence - said Maduro “must step aside now, so the Venezuelan people can stand united again.”

“The government needs to be changed urgently,”

Machado argued, at what opposition activists called the “march of empty pots”.

She insisted that constitutional order - waiting for Maduro to be voted out - “cannot wait,” as some marchers chanted, and others wore tape over their mouths saying “we want to eat”.

Many Maduro foes argue

that the government has coopted so many sectors of society that they have no real chance at the polls against the political heir of longtime leader Hugo Chavez.

Jesus Torrealba, leader of the activist coalition, said organisers want those who oppose the government to express themselves both at the polls and demonstrating on Venezuela’s streets.

“I am here because of all the suffering we are going through,” said architect Jose Salinas, 46.

“There are food shortages,

shortages even in drugstores, prices have gone up across the board, meat costs twice what it did recently.”

Maduro is facing a dismal 22-per-cent approval rating, and three quarters of the population oppose his government, recent polls suggest.

Venezuela was already mired in economic woes before oil prices began their recent slide, but the sharp downturn in crude prices has been especially punishing for a country that relies on oil for 96 per cent of its foreign currency.

Plotter for IS help in jail

A YOUNG Colorado woman has been sentenced to four years in jail after she pleaded guilty to trying to help the militant group Islamic State (IS).

With the precipitous drop of oil, Maduro has travelled in recent days to Algeria, China, Iran, Qatar, Russia and Saudi Arabia as he makes an urgent appeal for cash.

This week Maduro floated the idea of discussing raising the local price of petrol. The price has not been raised since 1989.

Back then, a hike in petrol and transport costs helped trigger a deadly wave of protests, rioting and looting - remembered in the country as the Caracazo - in which hundreds were killed. -AAP

Shannon Conley, a 19-yearold Muslim convert, was arrested in April while trying to board a flight to Turkey en route to Syria to marry an IS fighter.

Prosecutors offered a reduced term if she helped share information about other Americans looking to join IS.

Conley, who now calls herself Halima, said she deeply regrets her actions.

Handing down the verdict at a court in Denver, Judge Raymond Moore said the sentence was meant to deter others who wanted to join Islamic militants.

-BBC news

UN chief condemns Ukraine attack

UNITED NATIONS: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has condemned a deadly rocket attack in Ukraine’s government-held port of Mariupol and denounced “provocative statements” made by pro-Russian separatist fighters.

Ban’s remarks came on Saturday after pro-Kremlin rebels announced a major new offensive and heavy rocket fire killed at least 30 people and wounded around 100 in Mariupol, a strategic port linking separatist territory with Russian-occupied Crimea.

Ban “strongly condemns today’s rocket attack on the city of Mariupol,” a statement from his spokesman read.

“He notes that rockets appear to have been launched indiscriminately into civilian areas, which would constitute a violation of international humani-

tarian law.” The United Nations chief also condemned Friday’s “unilateral withdrawal from the ceasefire by rebel leadership, and particularly their provocative statements about claiming further territory”.

He said the withdrawal constituted a violation of commitments under September’s Minsk accords, which ordered the removal of heavy weapons and a truce in a bid to end the nine-month conflict that has cost more than 5,000 lives.

“Ukraine’s peace, territorial integrity and stability, intrinsically linked to that of the broader region, must be urgently restored,” the statement added.

Alexandre Zakharchenko, leader of the self-declared Donetsk People’s Republic, earlier announced that the rebels were launching an offensive on Kievcontrolled Mariupol.

The Ban statement did not say who was responsible for the rocket fire.

Meanwhile, the UN’s Security Council (UNSC) tried to put together a statement on Mariupol, at Britain’s urging. But Russia, which is accused by the West of aiding separatists, blocked the effort, according to Western diplomats.

Ban “issues a strong statement on Mariupol attack but Russia blocks similar statement by the UN Security Council,” British Ambassador Mark Lyall Grant tweeted.

Lithuanian Ambassador Raimonda Murmokaite also took to Twitter to criticise Russia, saying: “’DPR’ chief Zakharchenko admits onslaught on Mariupol but Russia continues to shield its proxy, so no Security Council statement.”

-AAP news

THE two planes are now sitting on the tarmac at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. Picture: BBC

Solution to puzzle SL0837

stars

ARIES

March 20 - April 19

In mid-January your ruler Mars moved into the most strategic portion of your chart. It remains there until nearly the end of February. Unlikely as it seems now, by then you’ll have dealt with several issues that require a combination of patience and strategy, neither of which is your strength.

TAURUS

April 20 - May 19

An intriguing idea is one thing. Actually deciding to turn that idea into action or incorporating it into existing plans is another matter. Yet certain individuals seem to think that’s what you’re doing. Perhaps you should. Their judgement is good and you’d avoid wasting time on unrewarding discussions.

GEMINI

May 21 - June 20

As much as you enjoy a lively exchange of ideas, you’d rather avoid the variety of overly intense disputes the fiery Aries, Leos and Sagittarians feel help clear the air. If you’re dealing with somebody born under one of those signs, don’t be surprised if discussions suddenly become heated.

June 21 - July 21

When someone you care about needs your support, you’ll be there, no matter what. Alas, not everybody lives by the same principles. This could mean you must explain why you’re asking for the assistance of one particular individual. Still, once they understand, they’ll be as attentive as you would.

July 22 - August 22

Although the Leo Full Moon is still a week away, it would be no surprise if you weren’t already experiencing the heightened feelings it will trigger. While some may be unsettling, others will remind you just how much you enjoy certain activities and, equally, how much you care about certain individuals.

August 23 - September 22

Every Virgo would agree that planning ahead is wise. It’s just that you sometimes wish you’d done more of it. However, your ruler Mercury is retrograde and triggering last minute changes. For once, the less organised you are, the better, as you’ll need to make fewer changes to existing plans.

September 23 - October 22

Because close relationship take priority, you’re both conscious of any tensions but also careful about maintaining an even keel emotionally. That can mean you sidestep matters that really need to be discussed until it’s too late, as you fear is the case now. Still, the sooner you bring this up, the better.

October 23 - November 22

Last week’s New Moon kick-started a cycle of questioning, exploration and, ultimately, growth that will extend into late February. Knowing that, you’ve plenty of time to explore your options. Still, bear in mind that while there’s no rush, there’s also no choice about those changes; they’re both necessary and inevitable.

November 23 - December 22

The planet Saturn may have a reputation for bringing challenges. Yet, its presence in your sign means you’ll work harder and have to be more disciplined. Still, it’s a fair planet, which means that those efforts will come back to you in the form of achievement and, probably, cash as well.

December 21 - January 19

Being an earth sign, you’ve a strong instinct for life’s practicalities. Yet judging by the current concentration of planets in the part of your chart that accents such matters, it’s time for a review or, perhaps, you’ve new interests to assess. Or both. Whatever the case, it’s time to do your sums.

January 20 - February 17

Having already discussed certain complex issues several times without achieving an accord, you’re beginning to wonder whether it’s worth the bother. Actually, these can’t be ignored, so you’ve no choice. Knowing that, invest time in gathering facts and thinking about your strategy before you even consider raising these again.

February 18 - March 19

While many regards the changes triggered by the retrograde Mercury as nothing more than a nuisance, you’re likely to be thankful for them. These give you a chance to review and, crucially, discuss already questionable arrangements. If ever there were a time to make changes, even unwelcome ones. it’s now.

Papua New Guinea Taxation Review (2013 – 2015)

UPDATE No: 3 as at 17 DECEMBER 2014

This is the third update of the work of the Taxa on Review Commi ee. The Update covers both stakeholder engagement and research and policy development, focusing on key developments since the last Update (31 July 2014). It also includes an outline of next steps for the Review.

The Commi ee would like to acknowledge the Government’s ongoing support for the work of the Review, most recently reflected in the Treasurer’s 2015 Budget speech in November.

STAKEHOLDER CONSULTATION

The Tax Review Commi ee and the Secretariat remain commi ed to undertaking the work of the Review in an open and consulta ve manner. The most recent update of the Review in July highlighted some of the significant consulta on undertaken by the Review up un l then – this included (i) the co-hos ng of a Tax Policy Symposium with the Na onal Research Ins tute (NRI), (ii) comple on of the “blue-sky” consulta on process and (iii) the holding of a number of open consulta ve forums in the Provinces.

Since then stakeholder consulta on has been maintained. The Review team has con nued to meet with interested stakeholders, and to date has undertaken over 80 individual consulta ons.

In addi on, the Review has con nued to engage with and seek feedback from the wider community through the regular publica on of taxa on ar cles in the Post Courier, Talkback Radio etc. The use of social media, in par cular the Review’s Facebook page, is a valuable source of feedback from Papua New Guineans interested in the future of their tax system.

The Tax Review Commi ee has also par cipated in relevant forums. For example a presenta on for a tax agent liaison mee ng (held by the IRC Offices) in September in Port Moresby.

RESEARCH AND POLICY DEVELOPMENT

The Tax Review Commi ee is commi ed to ensuring that its Terms of Reference are achieved in a mely manner with quality output.

At the me of the last update, the Review had commissioned a number of policy and administra ve diagnos cs and had released the first two of a series of Issues Papers that seek to promote discussion and obtain feedback on par cular areas of taxa on- these were papers on Mining and Petroleum Taxa on (1) and Corporate and Interna onal Tax (2). Submissions to these Issues Papers have been published on the Review’s website (www.taxreview.gov.pg) and the Review team has been analysing the issues raised in both these submissions.

Since 31 July 2014, the Tax Review Commi ee has also released three more issues papers – these are The Case for Tax Reform and Broad Direc ons (3), Taxing Capital Gains? (4) and The Advantages and Disadvantages of Tax Incen ves (5). Due date for Submissions for the la er two papers is 13 February 2015 and the Commi ee is encouraging all interested stakeholders to provide submissions to Issues Paper 3, even though the formal date for submissions has lapsed.

In addi on, the Commi ee has received a dra report from PricewaterhouseCoopers on its Diagnos c Review of the PNG Customs Service. The Commi ee has also received an interim report from Deloi e who is undertaking a Diagnos c Review of the IRC. These reports will assist the Commi ee, in close consulta on with PNGCS and the IRC as PNG’s revenue agencies, to iden fy opportuni es for administra ve reform; which is an area that the work of the Review has iden fied as a key priority.

As part of the Review, the Tax Review Commi ee also recognises the importance of the unique issues and challenges facing the Autonomous Bougainville Government. Following on from a preliminary visit to Buka by members of the Secretariat earlier this year, the Review has maintained regular contact with ABG’s Tax Advisor, Mr Mark Bell, who has been engaged to examine Bougainville’s tax arrangements under the Governance Implementa on Fund.

The Review Commi ee also wishes to acknowledge the ongoing support of the Australian Government, the Interna onal Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Interna onal Finance Corpora on (IFC) in the work of the Tax Review.

NEXT STEPS

In the 2015 Budget the Government agreed to extend the Review’s repor ng meline to 31 July 2015.

The process for the Review remains the same with the present focus on releasing Issues Papers as a means of promo ng targeted discussion on key areas of taxa on. Progress has already been made on a number of key outstanding issues papers which the Commi ee aims to release for discussion in the first quarter of 2015. These include:

• Small Business Taxa on

• Personal and Re rement Income taxa on

• Excise

• GST

• Tax Administra on

Work is also progressing on the other areas of the Review including Non-Tax Revenues, Tariffs, Other Indirect Taxes and Property Taxa on. Having regard to its ambi ous meframe, Commi ee will consider in the New Year whether to release its discussion on these topics individually, as a combined paper, or as part of its final dra Report.

The Commi ee remains commi ed to undertaking the Review on a consulta ve basis.

The feedback from the various issues papers will culminate in the release of a final dra Report towards the middle of 2015. This will provide stakeholders with an opportunity to see and provide comment on the Commi ee’s proposed recommenda ons to the Government.

The Commi ee will con nue to make use of every opportunity to engage in stakeholder and public consulta on, including in the Provinces/Regions. In par cular, the Commi ee intends to hold open forums in Mt Hagen and Goroka in the first quarter of 2015.

Finally, recognising the benefits of the workshops that it has held to date, the Commi ee and Secretariat is planning a series of issue-specific workshop to assist in the development of the work of the Review. Considera on is currently being given to holding or co-hos ng workshops on the following topics:

• Small Business Taxa on

• Tax and Transparency

• The linkages between the Taxa on and Mining Act Reviews

• Taxa on and Sustainable Development

Further details on these events will be provided in the New Year. Any person/s or groups party interested in any of the above topics, is encouraged to contact the Review team.

The Review will also remain engaged with the work currently being undertaken on taxa on issues impac ng Bougainville. Members of the Tax Review will be a ending a Bougainville Tax Summit planned for the first half of next year.

Any enquiries on Tax Review should be directed to the Head of Secretariat, PNG Tax Review Secretariat via this email address: info@taxreview.gov.pg or by telephone (+675 3255977). Alterna vely, please visit the Tax Review website (www.taxreview. gov.pg) for further informa on.

Authorised by:

Sir Nagora Bogan, KBE Chairman Tax Review Commi ee.

POSITION VACANTS

CAR FOR SALE

bringing

BIRTHDAY GREETINGS

KOKODA TRAIL HOTEL

Hotel Barman Wanted

SALES SPECIALIST NEEDED

IF YOU ARE:

ENTHUSIASTIC HAVE EXCELLENT COMMUNICATION SKILLS

HAVE A MINIMUM GRADE 12 EDUCATION

A TEAM PLAYER THAT CAN WORK UNDER MINIMAL SUPERVISION

COMPUTER LITERATE HAS HAD VALUABLE EXPERIENCE IN THE FIELD OF SALES AND MARKETING

MALE/ FEMALE

Knowledge in basic electrical is a big plus

Hotel Chef Wanted

Fully

Fax

Condolence Message

POSITION VACANTS

COUNSELLORS

PNG Counselling and Care is a private professional counselling practice mainly providing employee counselling services to corporate clients including banks, airlines, hotels, mining companies etc.

We currently require two CASUAL or PART TIME counsellors to conduct loose counselling sessions at our office a 3 Mile Port Moresby (on average 4 or 5 hours a week), conduct phone counselling from home in the evenings (flex units provided), and occasionally travel to other provinces for 2-3 days to provide on site counselling support for employees after accidents and disasters.

We encourage applications from mature, experienced counsellors who may be working full time elsewhere but can arrange flexi time off from their current job from time to time to provide services for us when needed.

YOU’RE THE ONE WE ARE LOOKING FOR!!!

Forward your applications to:

EMJ ENTERPRISES LIMITED

Level 2A, Suite 5, Garden City Shopping Centre, Boroko, NCD

Phone: +675 323 6333

Late Janice Weiba

Air Niugini Board, Management and Staff wish to convey their sincere and deepest condolences to the children Fiona, Kim, Neil, Tracey, Jason and Jonathan Weiba and the family and relatives of the untimely passing of Late Janice Weiba at 2:15am on the 22nd January, 2015.

Late Janice Weiba commenced employment with Air Niugini on 01st July 2006 and served Air Niugini with dedication and commitment for the last 8 years. Before her passing Janice served as a Domestic Ticketing Officer at our Air Niugini Popondetta Sales Office. She was a dear colleague and friend to many employees of Air Niugini.

Although no words can really help to ease the loss you bear, just know that you are very close in every thought and prayer.

May the Lord grant you peace and comfort during this time of loss of your mother, daughter, sister, niece, cousin and aunty.

Psalms 9:9 “The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.”

SERIES

Applicants must be at least 30 years of age and preferably have a tertiary qualification in counselling, psychology, social work or similar plus at least three years experience in a helping profession. Experience in trauma counselling and/or relationship counselling will be an advantage. Occasional travel to remote mining sites may be required (eg two or three times a year) including flying in helicopters and driving over rough roads. An attractive casual hourly rate is offered. All enquiries and applications should be emailed to:

The Director PNG Counselling and Care png.counselling@gmail.com

POSITION VACANTS

Swire Shipping is looking for a suitable candidate to manage the Collections team of 6 staff with the role based in Port Moresby or Lae.

Applicants are sought for the role of:

COLLECTIONS MANAGER

PNG

Applicants should have management experience over 5 years

Shipping experience preferred

Accounting experience and credit control a must

Strong verbal and communication skills

Ability to deal with customer at all levels

Must be able to confidently communicate with the senior management team in PNG and Singapore

The role will be reporting to the PNG Finance Manager and remuneration package will include medical, housing and company car depending on skills and experience.

Interested applicants can submit your applications via email to sheena.orari@ swirecnco.com or hand deliver to our office:

Swire Shipping PO Box 492

Port Moresby Attn: Sheena Orari

Level 1 ENB Haus Harbour City

Applications close on Friday 6th February 2015

Ok Tedi is a world class mine located at the head waters of the Fly River system in the Western Province of PNG with more than 30 years operational history and over 2000 employees. We offer excellent conditions and career development opportunities.

We are now seeking suitably qualified and experienced persons for the following roles:

MANAGER OPEN PIT MINING

Reference: 20150120-1

Reporting to the General Manager Mining, you will be responsible for management and improvement of the Open Pit Mining Department. This will incorporate drill and blasting, mining, delivery of ore to concentrator operations and delivering cost effective short and long term Mine Continuation Plans designed to ensure consistent delivery of planned waste tonnage.

You will be accountable for maintaining approved production levels, ensuring all planning, production and supporting activities are in compliance to the PNG Mining Act and special rules whilst adhering to mine production environmental guidelines. You will also be responsible for development of department Capex and Opex budget, maintaining communication with all stakeholders and ensuring direct visible safety leadership across the Mining Department.

It is envisaged that the successful candidate should possess a Bachelor’s Degree in Mining Engineering from a recognised institution. You must have 10 years’ experience in large scale hard rock surface mining production with at least 5 years in a management role. The incumbent should have global trend understanding focusing on best practise holistic approach with substantial experience and knowledge in development of mine production development programs, planning models and systems. You must be able to obtain a mines ticket within a period of 12-18 months upon employment.

SUPERINTENDENT FABRICATION

Reference: 20150120-2

Reporting to the Manager Mine Maintenance, you will be based at the Central Engineering Workshop and be responsible for coordinating and motivating the fabrication and engineering team and incorporating all functions undertaken in providing a high quality heavy fabrication workshop. The fabrication workshop primarily supports the Mine Maintenance Department and Mill Processing Plant in carrying out repair and refurbishment work on mining equipment and your focus will be to provide senior leadership on all safety and reactive maintenance requirements.

You will oversee the Central Engineering Workshop operations by directing your supervisors with respect to maintenance requirements, stock, quality, cost and meeting schedules and delivery dates. You will monitor machinery, equipment and facilities and ensure these are properly maintained; ensure good employee relations and adherence to labour contract provisions; train and develop line personnel and support health and safety management of your team amongst others.

It is envisaged that the successful incumbent will possess a trade qualification in Heavy Metal Fabrication or related field and possess certifications in Welding Supervisor AS 1796, NDT and be a Member of the Welding Technology Institute if Australia. You will have over 10 years’ experience in a similar role in heavy G.E.T maintenance, wear packages, OEM supplier products, usage and applications. You will also have experience in mobile fleet maintenance, micro alloy casting and structural steel welding to AS 1998 and AS 3978, writing welding procedures and reading and interpreting technical drawings. Excellent planning, communication, organisational, leadership skills and interpersonal effectiveness across cultures and at all levels are highly desirable.

ELECTRICAL MAINTENANCE TRAINER

Reference: 20150120-3

Reporting to the Superintendent Mill Operations & Maintenance Training, you will be responsible for all electrical maintenance training activities in the Processing Unit.

Career Opportunities

Technical Service Representative

Our Client is one of the world’s leading providers of water treatment and process improvements. In partnership with an Oil and Gas Company, the company is involved in water management, water solutions and gas production optimising.

The company seeks to engage suitably qualified and experienced Technical Service Representatives, working either at the PNG LNG plant or the Highlands gas plant. This role will report to the client’s Engineers and Account Manager. The preferred candidates must have the following:

Essential Skills and Qualifications:

Science from a recognized tertiary institution

Our client offers an excellent remuneration as well as significant career opportunities.

To apply, forward your written application with resume quoting reference number NLC001 to the Recruitment Manager:

You will work closely with the Processing Unit’s lead team and trainers to achieve the required training goals and localization targets. You will also maintain training strategies, directions, job training, competency based learning and embedding competency processes into existing training packages.

To be considered, you must have a Cert IV Training & Assessment TAE40110 or equivalent with 3-5 years proven training experience in the areas of electrical maintenance operations. You will have an Electrical Trade Certificate and experience as a qualified electrical tradesman. Experience in high voltage plant equipment, SAG & Ball mill motors and understanding of instrumentation and PLC would be an added bonus. You should have high level competency in computer applications and demonstrated well-developed communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to interact with team members and course participants at all levels.

SUPERVISOR MINE PRODUCTION

Reference: 20150120-4

Reporting to the Superintendent - Mine Production, you will supervise teams that will be responsible for the Waste Dumps, Hauling and Loading sections of the Mine Production Department. You will lead and motivate teams responsible for carrying out waste dumps remote and manual dozing and ensure that all activities at the waste dump complies with the “Waste Dump Special Rules” as approved by the Chief Inspector of Mines. You will implement best practice in hauling of ore to the crusher and waste to the dumps. You will also ensure that loading is carried out efficiently and production is on budget by ensuring work areas are safe and ready for work, and that the equipment are effectively allocated and schedules are progressively updated as condition changes.

To be considered for these roles, you must have a minimum of Grade 10/12 Qualification, with Basic Operator Training and as well as formal supervisory training. Incumbent must have 5 years supervisory and heavy equipment operational experience in a similar role preferable in a mining industry. You will have demonstrated in-depth technical knowledge in open-cut mining operations, waste dumps dozing, hauling and loading operations. Personal attributes of honest, trustworthy, respectful, possess cultural awareness and sensitivity with demonstrated sound work ethics is highly desirable. Current valid Class 6 driver’s licence is compulsory.

These are challenging roles requiring enthusiasm, a commitment to safety in the workplace and a high degree of self-direction.

If these roles appeal to you, please express your interest by sending your résumé to the Recruitment Advisor, Human Resources, Ok Tedi Mining Limited, P. O. Box 1, Tabubil Western Province, PNG or on e-mail: JoinUs@oktedi.com or fax it to +675 649 9199 by 4th February, 2015

POSITION VACANTS

PNG Ports Corporation Limited (PNGPCL) is the premier maritime service company in Papua New Guinea. It is the largest port operator in the South West Pacific, outside Australia and New Zealand. PNGPCL continues to develop the capacity of its workforce to deliver high quality service to all stakeholders and is committed to attracting the highest calibre of professionals who can make a difference to the organisation. PNGPCL provides a positive work environment and rewards employees who contribute to business success.

PNGPCL is currently undertaking significant changes and improvement initiatives port wide and is therefore looking for innovative and suitably qualified persons to take up these key positions:

BUILDING PROJECT OFFICER

Reporting to the Team Leader Building, you will be responsible for various building projects and ensure work activities are successfully delivered against the Corporate Services Strategic Plans and Business Action Plans. You will be expected to coordinate and facilitate property maintenance and repairs to PNGPCL properties which are to be carried out expeditiously, economically, and to an acceptable standard.

To be considered for this role, you must meet the following minimum requirements:

• Minimum University Degree preferably in Building, Architecture or a relevant field.

• Minimum of 3-5 years experience in similar role

• Possess competent Project Management Skills

• Computer literate (MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, etc)

• Must have excellent communication, interpersonal and analytical skills

• Excellent leadership, organization and communication skills

• Effective business management and administration skills

• Results driven, flexible and open-minded with good written and oral communication.

GRADUATE ARCHITECT

Reporting to the Team Leader Building, you will be responsible to undertake scoping, design, costing, documentations, tender preparation and evaluation of all building projects for PNGPCL. You will also assist and provide project management in all building construction, repairs and maintenance, and ensure they are completed with specification, budgets, and on time.

To be considered for this role, you must meet the following minimum requirements:

• Minimum University Degree preferably in Building Architecture.

• Minimum of 2 years experience

• Proficient use of Auto-Cad and Archi-Cad software

• Computer literate (MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, etc)

• Possess knowledge of Architectural Design & Building Construction

• Has an understanding of Project Management

• Very good Report Writing and Presentation Skills

• Excellent computer software application skills

PNGPCL offers genuine career opportunities with excellent competitive salary and employment conditions for this challenging role. If you have the relevant qualification and experience and are looking for a challenging career, then PNGPCL is the organization for you.

To apply, please visit PNGPCL website: http://www.pngports.com.pg and complete the application form. Completed application forms including CV and names of three referees to be faxed, e-mailed or hand-delivered to:

Manager Human Capital

PNG Ports Corporation Limited

Head Office: Stanley Esplanade, Port Moresby.

P.O. Box 671, PORT MORESBY, NCD

Fax: 321 1546

E-mail address: careers@pngports.com.pg

Applications close on 30 January 2015.

Authorised by:

Mr. STANLEY ALPHONSE Chief Executive Officer PNG Ports Corporation Limited

Join the Leading Bank in the South Pacific

with branches throughout Papua New Guinea, Fiji and Solomon Islands. BSP Solomon Islands has a rare opportunity available for a suitably qualified person to lead our strong retail division and to coach and lead our staff to reach their full potential.

EXECUTIVE SECRETARY

Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), you will be responsible for providing executive support to the Chief Executive Officer. You will also be working closely with the CEO and the Executive Management by contributing to the efficient and effective running of the Office of Chief Executive Officer.

The ideal candidate should be able to:

• Coordinate the collection and analysis of business information from respective departments reporting to Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

• Prepare reports, briefing notes and other departmental submissions to meet internal and external requirements.

• Consistently follow-up on outstanding and or delegated tasks and provide update to the CEO.

• Ensure the development and implementation of Strategic Plans, operational plans, projects and budgets are in line with the business objectives of the organization.

• Undertake projects and researching complex matters to ensure the Chief Executive Officer is fully informed on issues affecting the organization.

• Identify, develop and execute plans that take into account the needs of employees, management and the organization.

• Coordinate, facilitate and manage business activities and events with the focus in providing excellent customer service for all internal and external stakeholders.

• Ensure and demonstrate very strong professional and ethical values in dealing with both internal and external stakeholder.

• Ensure that established relationships/contacts with essential stakeholders are maintained.

• Establish and/or maintain consultative networks within key industry stakeholders and groups

• Ensure the organization (objectives, Mission, Projects, etc) are consistently presented in a strong & positive manner, to all stakeholders.

• Ensure appropriate communication systems are in place, for all staff (e.g. staff meetings, Project reporting, etc)

• Provide updated reports to the Chief Executive Officer on all projects in progress or to be under taken.

• Establish & or maintain appropriate human resource management policy & practice

• Maintain and protect confidential documents and issues.

To be considered for this role, you must meet the following minimum requirements:

• Minimum Grade 12 or Diploma in Office Procedure.

• At least 3-5years in a similar role.

• Effective communication at all levels of the workforce with inter-personal and influencing skills..

• Effective time management.

• Highly skilled in using MS Word, MS Excel, MS Access and MS PowerPoint.

• Be able to understand and use contact management software.

• Mature and reliable in maintaining confidentiality of company information.

• Ability to balance the development and support needs of employees with an outcome-focused business emphasis.

• Work with a diverse team and employee group.

• Tolerant of other cultural norms, beliefs and practices.

• Strong analytical skills.

• Self-starter and proactive in driving results.

PNGPCL offers genuine career opportunities with excellent competitive salary and employment conditions for this challenging role. If you have the relevant qualification and experience and are looking for a challenging career, then PNGPCL is the organisation for you

To apply, please visit PNGPCL website: http://www.pngports.com.pg and complete the application form. Completed application forms including CV and names of three (3) referees to be faxed, e-mailed or hand-delivered to:

Manager Human Capital

PNG Ports Corporation Limited

Head Office: Stanley Esplanade, Port Moresby.

P.O. Box 671, PORT MORESBY, NCD

PNG Ports Corporation Limited (PNGPCL) is the premier maritime service company in Papua New Guinea. It is the largest port operator in the South West Pacific, outside Australia and New Zealand. PNGPCL continues to develop the capacity of its workforce to deliver high quality service to all stakeholders, and is committed to attracting the highest calibre of professionals who can make a difference to the organisation, and in the country. PNGPCL provides a positive work environment, and rewards employees who contribute to business success. Authorised

Fax: 321 1546

E-mail address: careers@pngports.com.pg

Applications close on 30 January 2015.

This is a key leadership role in BSP SI and the successful applicant will need to be a highly visible, effective and influential individual in developing consumer business with a view to strengthen and build on the BSP branches. The position will be based in Honiara.

MANAGER RETAIL BANKING SERVICES – SOLOMON ISLANDS

If you are an inspiring sales and service leader with a flair for customer service, coaching sales teams and driving individuals to achieve great results, we’d love to hear from you. This multi-faceted and versatile role covers a broad range of responsibilities including:

• Management of 7 branches in Honiara & Provincial Islands.

• Driving a responsive, cohesive performance based sales & service culture.

• Driving excellent customer service throughout our network.

• Developing effective localised marketing campaigns and business development programs.

• Coaching and developing branch sales teams to achieve targets in sales and service.

• Building mutually beneficial internal and external customer relationships.

• Overseeing the effective operational aspects of a retail banking branch structure.

• Overall management of approx. 93 staff.

Ideally you will need to have:

• Sales management experience within financial services.

• Demonstrated ability in driving a responsive, cohesive and performance based culture.

• Knowledge and experience in managing multiple branches/sites.

• Coaching and leading teams to success.

• A sound understanding of residential and personal lending knowledge.

• Excellent time management and organisational skills.

• Experience in budget preparation.

So if the above sounds like you and you are ready to take the next step in your career and manage the Retail Division of BSP Solomon Islands we look forward to receiving your application.

An attractive remuneration package will be offered to the right applicant.

Please supplement your CV with a cover letter, certified copies of your qualifications, names and contact details of at least two referees can be emailed to the Country Manager at danderson@bsp.com.sb or on phone: 677 23022 or send written applications to:

POSITION VACANTS

PNG CHIROPRACTIC

Spinal adjustments by Australian registered Chiropractor Dr O’Brien. Enhancing nervous system func on through spinal adjustments promo ng overall health.

For appointments call 325 8466. Located in Gordons Port Moresby

Immediate Job Vacancies in PNG

Hardware Haus Limited is a joint venture subsidiary of CPL Group (PNG) and Vinod Patel & Co Limited (Fiji), and is the largest hardware retailer in Papua New Guinea. Hardware Haus currently operates twelve (12) retail outlets in ten (10) major cities and towns throughout Papua New Guinea.

Hardware Haus Ltd is heading for a major expansion plan to bring a new era in hardware retailing in Papua New Guinea. With this radical initiative, the company is looking for suitable candidates to suit the position stated below to be based in Lae (PNG).

Job Summary

The Category Manager - Plumbing is responsible for the efficient management and supplies of PLUMBING PRODUCTS and accessories while the Category Manager – Electrical is responsible for all ELECTRICAL PRODUCTS and accessories; sourcing; merchandising; product ranging; sales analysis and clearance of slow moving/dead stock line under the supervision of the Manager Supply Chain & Inventory

Job Responsibilities:

Identify the category strategy, weakness and opportunities to grow the business. Deliver the procurement category strategy including sourcing activities, technical support which generate benefits and achieve financial savings targets through insight and analysis of category and sub categories areas, including:

o Analysis of procurement spend and supply base to establish suppliers per procurement category and sub category

o Analysis of supply markets to identify potential suppliers, sales demand and market trends.

o Identification of internal and external cost drivers in the categories. Development of savings opportunities and benchmarking of industry standards and practices to identify quick win opportunities.

Preparation of pre tender and tender documents in conjunction with key user departments Be the formal relationship manager between departmental and regional managers, buyers and supplier(s).

Provide monthly reports to supply chain & inventory manager and strategic sourcing with details of benefits obtained, opportunities to be actioned, and issues arising.

Eligibility Criteria:

Proven buying skills and capability in the hardware industry with hands on experience in plumbing products or electrical wiring and associated products. retail industry is also desirable;

products at competitive price which can deliver high GP; Experience in material requirement planning (MRP) and reorder cycle process. and Purchasing.

Proven ability to deal with large institutions and building contractors officials;

Excellent

package available!

Please

HR BUSINESS PARTNER – NORTHERN REGION

Ela Motors is the leading Automotive Company in PNG with over 1000 staff in 16 dealerships. We are committed to developing a quality-focused organization and team culture that provides our employees the opportunity to learn & develop to the highest standards whilst enjoying a professional and enthusiastic work environment.

THE POSITION

his e citing new position will e ased in the ae of ce and is responsi le for maintaining and improving activity in the region. he successful candidate will represent the epartment and partner with the regional managers to facilitate outcomes that take into account corporate policy consider the country-wide interests of development and maintain set standards and integrity in the function. Projects will e a responsi ility including local and centre-led initiatives. his position will report on a daily asis to the General Manager Northern egion and will e in constant contact with the Employee elations Manager in the Port Mores y ead f ce.

Main responsibilities will include:

Managing the function as the regional contact point for Employee elations matters and enquiries arising from line managers and employees ensuring ead f ce is informed and included in discussion when required.

Providing appropriate recommendations to ead f ce for endorsement discussion.

Managing forms for the region ensuring accuracy and timely completion and submission.

iaising with the Advisor ecruitment and iring Managers to ensure recruitment process (particularly for internal recruitment in ealerships is completed with integrity and on schedule.

Ensuring all planned training attendees are made available and actually attend set training sessions.

Providing regular updates and reports on Employee elations ecruitment Activity and regional metrics.

upporting ead f ce with various initiatives and projects as part of annual cycles and improvement projects.

Attending egional Management meetings when requested and providing appropriate presentations and data for regional analysis purposes.

The ideal candidate will have:

At least years work e perience as a senior professional within a corporate team.

E perience managing functions for a region or nationally and willingness to partner with the business to improve quality solutions in the region.

Completed studies in uman esources Psychology or Management ( achelor egree quali cation would be preferred but not essential).

emonstrated capacity for conducting interviews at all levels ideally with experience in behavioural style interview techniques.

Pro ciency with the use of the Microsoft f ce suite of applications as well as experience operating systems.

A sense of ownership and urgency in completion of tasks without reducing quality or accuracy of work.

THE PACKAGE

We offer an excellent salary housing assistance family medical insurance cover and school fee assistance.

APPLY NOW

Applications close on riday 1 th ebruary 01 nterested applicants should send their application with C to the address below

ELA MOTORS PO BOX 74, Port Moresby, NCD or email: careers@elamotors.com.pg

16 ealerships nationwide

www.elamotors.com.pg

Company Accountant

International SOS is the world’s leading provider of medical assistance, international healthcare, security services and outsourced customer care. The company has had a presence in PNG for the last 15 years focusing primarily on the delivery of world class medical assistance and healthcare. Our resources in Port Moresby include a medical response and evacuation team comprising expatriate and local staff, an emergency medical facility for stabilizing patients, and international standard clinics at Airways Hotel, Lawes Road, Lihir Mine, and various PNG LNG Plant Sites.

We seek a Company Accountant to join our Finance team in Port Moresby. This team provides functions which ensure the smooth running of the company’s; financial and management accounting and premises management. As a member of this team, the Company Accountant is required to provide backup for the other members of the team where appropriate.

Key Responsibilities

The Company Accountant is responsible for the overall financial management and the day to day book keeping of the company. The specific tasks of the position include; accounts in liaison with the company's auditors. company's taxation and training levy returns. , BWT, GST and Group Tax) obligations. and other “intercompany” transactions.

Annual Management Accounts in accordance with corporate guidelines.

where appropriate making recommendations to management and those responsible for budgets.

up new accounts and cost centres when required; ensuring overall accuracy and reconciliation of control accounts.

Accounts Receivable functions.

Responsible for managing of all company bank accounts ensuring adequate funds are available to meet expenditure requirements; ensuring excess funds are earning a reasonable rate of return; liaising on a regular basis with the company's bankers. the accurate maintenance of employee entitlements records.

existing internal accounting systems and introducing new systems and controls where appropriate.

administering the company's insurance policies and making claims where necessary.

financial management role. end of year financial accounts. and strong spreadsheet skills. within a team environment. attention to detail. considered.

If you are looking for a challenging yet exciting and rewarding opportunity to advance your career, apply now to; The Human Resources Manager, International SOS

To apply via email, state the position title in the email subject and send to and attach your cover letter together with an updated CV.

HBS (PNG) Limited is a Company in support of the Heavy Equipment, Mining and Construction Industries based in Papua New Guinea.

We have a position available for suitable applicants;

CIVILS ADMINISTRATION OFFICER

Requirements for the role; Degree or Diploma in Business Management

Must have a minimum of 4 years’ experience in Civils Office Administration

Knowledge and understanding of construction management

Excellent computer skills Motivated and able to work with minimum supervision Able to communicate efficiently with all levels of staff Able to motivate sub-ordinates PNG driver’s license is an advantage

Key Responsibilities are; Assumes responsibility for performing assigned administration and related clerical support functions – maintain all Department documents and manage filing system.

Assumes responsibility for effectively researching, tracking and resolving civil or documentation problems and discrepancies.

Assumes responsibility for establishing and maintaining effective communication and coordination with project personnel and with management:

Assumes responsibility for related duties as required or assigned Manage Time Sheet for Civils Department personnel Carrying out any other duty as directed by Civils Manager

If you have what we are looking for, please send in your application with your CV and all relevant documents to;

The Recruitment Team HBS (PNG) Ltd P O Box 958 LAE 411 Fax: 475 8348 HRManager@hbsmachinery.com

Closing Date for all applications is Friday 30th January 2015 * ONLY SHORT LISTED

Position Vacant

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority of Papua New Guinea (CASA PNG) was established in 2009 under the Civil Aviation (Amendment) Act 2000 as a Government owned safety regulatory authority with the responsibility of:

• Developing, establishing and promulgating safety and security standards in the civil aviation systems and monitoring of the aviation industry’s adherence to these standards. CASA PNG operates as an independent safety regulatory entity, and is funded by the Government to meet its International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) obligations.

Manager Safety and Future Directions

CASA is seeking to appoint a qualified, highly skilled and experienced, dynamic and motivated candidate to immediately fill the position of Manager Safety and Future Directions. The Manager Safety and Future Directions must be someone who is a strategic thinker and must have proven record of implementing sustainable change at an operational level.

Applicants for the position must be able to demonstrate their credentials against the following core competencies:

1. Knowledge of and commitment to the promotion of aviation safety and security with an understanding of international and domestic aviation safety and security issues which has been gained through experience in an aviation environment (highly desired).

2. Proven skills as a manager particularly in the areas of operational safety strategic planning and strategic inputs, organisational change and good governance (highly desired)

3. Exemplify personal drive and integrity;

4. Cultivate productive working relationships;

5. Communicate with influence

Qualifications

• Possess a minimum tertiary qualification, a Degree from a recognised university preferably in strategic planning together with post graduate management training relevant to the technical requirements of the position.

• Holder or previous holder of Airline Transport Pilot Licence or Aircraft Maintenance Engineer Licence with 5 years industry experience.

Two copies of written applications together with the most recent Curriculum Vitae are to be addressed and delivered to the Manager, Human Resource, Civil Aviation Safety Authority of Papua New Guinea, PO. Box 1941, BOROKO, NCD, at the CASA Headquarters Building, Morea Tobo Road, 6 Mile, or email to: recruitment@casapng.gov.pg. not later than close of business on Friday 10th February 2015. Applicants can obtain more detailed particulars of the job from the Corporate Services Division (Human Resource Unit) on telephone 3257320

Please note that only Short Listed candidates will be contacted for an interview. If you do not hear from us within 2 weeks from closing date of application, then you may consider your application unsuccessful.

Authorized by: Mr. Wilson Sagati, OBE Chief Executive Officer & Director

POSITION VACANCIES

Save the Children is one of the leading organisations working to improve the lives of children living in poverty in the world. We are seeking dynamic and qualified candidates to join our organisation in Port Moresby in the following position.

This position reports to the Support Services Director and will be responsible for planning, implementing and managing operational aspects of Information Technology (IT); provide management and guidance across IT functions to ensure Save the Children operational locations are supported by up to date technology, processes and resources. This role will provide technical support at a frontline level and overseeing and managing Windows based network functionality.

Selection Criteria:

• Degree or diploma in Information Technology or related discipline;

• 3+ years’ experience in a similar role;

• Good working experience in trouble shooting, networking, configuring PCs and laptops, installing software/hardware, setting up emails, and anti-virus updating;

• Knowledge and experience in repairing and maintaining server, PCs, laptops and printers;

• High levels of attention to detail and quality

• Good organisational, planning and prioritising skills, and able to meet deadlines and can work in a team;

• Training and capacity building of IT staff and end-users

• Good working relations with IT service providers;

• Good English communication skills (written & verbal)

• Oral and written communication skills

• Good customer service and problem solving skills

POSITION VACANTS

OMBUDSMAN COMMISSION OF PAPUA NEW GUINEA

The Ombudsman Commission of Papua New Guinea is an independent constitutional institution established by the Constitution to protect and promote good leadership and governance in Papua New Guinea.

The Commission operates under two (2) important Organic Laws and these are the Organic Law on the Ombudsman Commission (OLOC) and Organic Law on the Duties and Responsibilities of Leadership (OLDRL).

The OLOC deals with the normal traditional Ombudsman role of ensuring the Government Bodies are responsive to the needs and aspirations of the people. The OLDRL enforces the Leadership Code to ensure that all leaders’ conducts and operations are within the precincts of the Code.

The Commission has immediate vacancies for appropriately qualified, experienced and highly motivated people with the personal drive to produce real results. Applicants must be able to demonstrate that they are of sound reputation and character.

BARRICK (NIUGINI) LIMITED

Barrick Gold Corporation is an international company with a portfolio of 19 operating mines and 7 exploration projects located across 5 continents offering global and equal opportunities with a vision to be the world’s best gold mining company by finding, acquiring and producing quality reserves in a safe, profitable and socially responsible manner.

Barrick (Niugini) Limited, the Manager of the Porgera Joint Venture now have vacancies for qualified and enthusiastic individuals for the following position:

ACCOUNTANT, SENIOR

Reporting to the Superintendent, Accounting, the incumbent will join a dynamic Finance team and applies and monitors systems to provide financial reports and financial statements compliant with corporate and statutory requirements and ensures creditors are paid within agreed timeframes.

Key Responsibilities:

financial information (including Joint Venture and Corporate Financial Statements) and staff to ensure timely and accurate reporting and compliance with Group and statutory deadlines authorities to ensure compliance with applicable legislation of mine” data and translate information into financial projections and forecasts of mine performance and related issues and document and improve accounting systems accounting activities and problem solving staff training & personnel related matters, systems development and documentation

possible in the field procedures

The ideal candidate must have: programs ecology

SUPERVISOR – AVIATION OPERATION –TRANSPORTATION

will be responsible for the supervision and training of traffic Aircraft Safety.

The ideal candidate must have:

The Commission provides exciting and challenging career opportunities rewarded with competitive remuneration and an environment that acknowledges progression based on good performance.

Full details of salary, conditions of employment and job descriptions outlining the selection criteria for all the positions can be obtained by contacting the Human Resource Unit on: 308 2697, 308 2695, 308 2667 or 308 2678.

To apply, forward your application addressing the selection criteria, including current curriculum vitae, copies of qualifications, the names and contact number of three referees to:

THE SECRETARY TO THE COMMISSION OMBUDSMAN COMMISSION OF PAPUA NEW GUINEA

GROUND FLOOR, DELOITTE TOWER, DOUGLAS STREET, PORT MORESBY P O BOX 1831 PORT MORESBY 121, NCD

Attention: Acting Human Resources Manager

Applications close at COB Friday 30th January 2015

South Pacific Post Limited is seeking to recruit suitably qualified and highly motivated individuals who would be interested in the following positions:

Senior Reporters - (POM Based) Reporters-(POM Based)

To be successful, you should meet the specifications set below: Education Qualifications

Desired Attributes

Benefits

Please come for a walk – in interview on Monday 26th January and Tuesday 27th January from 10:00 am – 12:00 noon at our Head Office at Konedobu. .

The ideal candidate must have: institution

qualification with commitment to training

SUPERVISOR, ACCOUNTS PAYABLE

Reporting to the Accountant, Senior – Finance, the incumbent

Key Responsibilities: setting, measuring performance and encouraging high performance. accounts payable and supply systems. with the agreed timetable. reconciliations and ensure vendor invoice payment are done in a timely and accurate manner in accordance with investigated and cleared opportunity to deliver superior performance. the Financial Controller in accordance with the agreed timetable

The ideal candidate must have: qualification accounts payable with commitment to training

business with strong report writing and presentation

SENIOR OFFICER, BIOLOGY

Will assist with managing the systems for biological monitoring,

Key Responsibilities: samples and interpreting biological data the biology database monitoring is carried out to ensure good relations are continued

Key Responsibilities: operations staff effectively operators and crews radios operating cost reductions required MINE SURVEYOR – OPEN PIT open pit production, technical services and project activities. Key responsibilities: survey operations. database. purposes. peers, contractors and suppliers.

The ideal candidate must: environments. Scanners) advantageous.

If you possess the ambition and drive to build a career with Barrick Gold Corporation, forward your application and resume before the 30th January, 2015 to: The Human Resources Superintendent Porgera Joint Venture, P.O Box 484, Mt. Hagen, WHP or Email: PHRCoordinator@barrick.com or Fax: 547 8102; Phone: 547 8912 or 545 3056.

That’s what you want!

POSITION VACANTS

PAPUA NEW GUINEA TAXATION REVIEW (2013 – 2015) RELEASE OF TAX INCENTIVES AND TAXING CAPITAL GAINS ISSUES PAPERS

On Friday 12 December 2014, The Tax Review Committee released the fourth and fifth of its issues papers as part of the Fiscal Regime (Taxation and Non-Taxation) Review.

Unlike other tax systems in the world, PNG does not currently have a comprehensive system for taxing capital gains. Issues Paper 4 explores the case for taxing capital gains in PNG, discusses a number of design issues and seeks feedback from stakeholders as to whether PNG should consider taxing capital gains as part of any future tax reform process.

Issues Paper 5 looks at the advantages and disadvantages of tax incentives, as well as the use of tax incentives in PNG today and historically. It sets out, for discussion, a possible approach for PNG to take on tax incentives including the development of a framework for the awarding and management of tax incentives going forward.

Introducing a system for taxing capital gains and rationalising tax incentives would be two means of broadening PNG’s tax base, allowing taxes on other sources of income (such as salary and wages and companies) to be reduced.

As with other Issues Papers released by the Committee, these papers are intended to promote discussions. The Committee will consider any submissions and develop draft recommendations which will be subject to a further round of consultation.

A copy of the papers, information on how to make submissions and further background on the Review can be found at the tax review website (www.taxreview.gov.pg).

In recognition that these papers are being released just prior to Christmas, the papers will be open for an extended period of public consultation. The closing date for submissions is Friday 13th February 2015.

To obtain a hard copy of the paper or for any other enquiries, please contact the Secretariat via email info@taxreview.gov.pg or by phone (325 5977).

Authorised by:

Sir. Nagora Bogan, KBE Chairman Tax Review Committee

MULTI SKILLS TRAINING SCHOOL

National Training Council Registration No. 055

FROM INDUSTRY… CROSS-TRAINING FOR INDUSTRY. TRADES LEVEL 1 – 3 COURSES START 2 FEBRUARY 2015 LAE

Diesel/Heavy Equipment Fitting (DHEF), Motor Vehicle Mechanic, Auto Electrical, Carpentry/Construction, Electrical Fitting, Electronics Technician, Maintenance Fitting & Machining, Metal Fabrication & Welding. 20 weeks per Level.

Course Fee/person: Level 1 – 3 K2450/Level.

TWO-YEAR DIPLOMA COURSES START 2 FEBRUARY 2015 LAE Building/Architecture, Civil, CADD, Electrical, Mechanical, Mining, Petroleum Engineering, Business Management and IT/Computing (4 Stages).

Course Fee/person: K2700/Stage K5400 per year (Stages 1 & 2).

Cross-training, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and other necessary training aids supplied to students. Industrial Attachment/OJT arranged for Level 3 Trades and Stage 4 Diploma students.

INDUSTRY TRAINING COURSES ALSO AVAILABLE – LAE/PORT MORESBY

Dogger/Load Master, Rigging, Scaffolding, Forklifts, Cranes Operator, Heavy Vehicle Driver Class 3 & 4 Licence, LV/4WD Driver Class 1 Licence, OHS Officers, First Aid, etc. For registration to do course or courses information contact us on: Telephone: 4727708, 4724939 Fax 4727450 Email: multiskillscourses@gmail.com or Write to P.O. Box 2354 Lae, Morobe Province, PNG or call in and see us at our Office in Pacific Palms Property on Sletjford Street, near Lae Port, Lae CBD. For direct Course Fee Deposit, our Bank details are as follows:

Account Name: Multi Skills Services

ANZ Bank, Lae Branch Account Number: 12401294 or BSP Lae Markets Branch Account Number: 1013239999

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

WORLD LEPROSY DAY

The last Sunday of January is World Leprosy Day. Worldwide attention is given to people suffering from Leprosy.

In PNG Leprosy is under the elimination level of less than 1 affected person in 10.000 population but in some areas there are pockets where Leprosy is still a problem.

Leprosy does not kill like TB or Malaria. Numbness, weakness or loss of feeling in hands or feet, or skin patches without feeling are the signs of Leprosy. Leprosy is a curable disease and can be easily treated with a course of multidrug therapy (MDT).

The treatment is available free of charge in your Health facility and is highly effective. It has few side effects, once treated it hardly comes back and there is no known drug resistance.

Since the introduction of MDT in 1980s, over sixteen million leprosy patients have been cured worldwide.

To prevent disability it is important to finish the whole course of the treatment! Stop Leprosy now!! Let’s work together towards a world without Leprosy. (Advertisement by The Leprosy Mission Papua New Guinea, Madang in partnership with The Department of Health)

Senior Credit Controller

Reporting to the Credit Manager/Company Secretary, this position will be of supervisory of the team responsible for credit control and debt management functions

Person Specification

Education Qualification

Minimum year 12 Education

Minimum Diploma in Accounting Discipline

Experience & Knowledge

Minimum 5 years experience of credit controlling and debt management in a medium to large commercial organization

Experience of software computerized application/office procedures preferably Accpac Accounting software, MS Excel and MS Word

Competencies/Essential Skills/Attributes/Abilities

Demonstrate high level of numerical accuracy, analytical reconciliation skills, deliver results timely and communicates clearly and assertively

Clarity of accounting concepts, AP, AR and General Ledgers

Reliable, Industrious and ability to work under pressure in meeting accounting period deadlines

Organise and ability to prioritize to meet targets

Excellent interpersonal skills

Ability to work effectively with people at various level

Ability to work on own initiative as well as team player

Flexibility, composure and adaptation to changes, company procedures and policies

Maintain highest level of confidentiality

Matured, good attitude, friendly personality

Ethical, display honesty and integrity, determine and persistent to tasks

Discipline and sense of responsibility

Excellent record of attendance and punctual at work

· Excellent personal appearance and grooming preferred

“If you experiences, qualification, skills and attribution fall within the above specification, immediately forward your application with full resume to the:

TENDER

For sale by written tender on “As is where is basis”

1. Blasting & Painting Equipment

2 x FS Curtis diesel screw compressors 180 CFM

3 x FS Curtis diesel screw compressors 390 CFM

2 x DPR 20KVA diesel generators

4 x Xtreme X60 airless sprayers

1 x Air prep system Schmidt 750 CFM 150 PSI

1 x Blast package (2x blasting pots)

Condition : Good Location : Port Moresby

2. 1994 Mitsubishi 4D56 Delica Bus

Registration : BDQ-521

Condition : Running Location : Port Moresby

3. 1996 Toyota Dyna Truck

Registration : LAI-617

Condition : Running

Location : Port Moresby

All tenders must be in writing and on the correct form supplied. Only CASH and BANK CHEQUE offers will be considered.

Tenders close on: 31/01/2015 @ 4:30pm

Credit Corporation Finance Limited advises that it will not necessarily accept the highest or any tender received.

Business Development Manager

Credit Corporation Finance Limited P.O.Box 1787, Port Moresby Fax: 3217767

Contact Adrian or Clement on 321-7066 in Port Moresby to arrange for an inspection.

MORTGAGEE SALE

SECTION 91, ALLOTMENT 23

GORDONS - CITY OF PORT MORESBY

Bidders are invited for the purchase of the above property in the city of Port Moresby. Subject property is situated along Avaka Street, Gordons in an established high cost residential area. The land area is regular shaped with an area of 1,028 square meters & on hill side over looking Boroko/Gordons area.

Established on the block of land is a 2 bed room house. Constructed on reinforced concrete slab floor, steel & timber frame structures, handiplank & masonry block walls, hardboard lined & ceiled, adjustable glass louver windows, screened with flywire & security iron grilles & corrugated galvanized iron roof to gutters & down pipes.

Other Minor Improvements

1. Concrete footpaths at various location of the property.

2. Concrete driveway from gate to car parking area

3. Fence approximately 1.8m high chainmesh wire security fence with 1x double manual leaf gate.

Bidders are advised to inspect the property prior to submitting their bids.

The successful bidder must be able to provide evidence of finance available and will be required to:

1. Pay a deposit of 10% by cash or Bank Cheque within 14 days of notification by ANZ Banking Group Ltd (the bank) of acceptance of the tender.

2. To enter into a contract (the contract) on the Bank’s usual terms and conditions within fourteen (14) days of the contract being delivered to the successful tenderer or its lawyers, failing which the deposit may be forfeited.

3. The Balance of the purchase price will be payable upon completion in accordance with the contract in cash or Bank Cheque

4. Bids should be forwarded in a sealed envelope to the address shown below.

5. Tenders close- close of business 30th January 2015.

The Manager Asset Management Asset Management Unit ANZ Banking Group (PNG) Limited

P O Box 1152 PORT MORESBY National Capital District.

The Bank is not obliged to accept the highest or any other tender. For any enquires please contact the Manager Asset Management, on phone 322 3384 or 3223381

TENDER NOTICE

DESIGN AND BUILD OF RAINBOW HOUSING PROJECT - PORT MORESBY

PNG Ports Corporation Limited invites eligible Contractors/Builders in the Design and Build of Rainbow Housing Project, Port Moresby.

Tender documents will only be provided after paying a non-refundable fee of K1,000.00 in the form of a bank cheque to PNGPCL.

For all enquiries, please contact Mr. William Luke on Telephone No. (675) 3084 386 or email: William.Luke@pngports.com.pg

The closing time and date for submission of Tenders is at 1500hrs on Monday 16th February, 2015. The submissions shall be dropped off at the PNGPCL Head Office Tender Box and clearly labeled:-

Tender for DESIGN AND BUILD OF RAINBOW HOUSING PROJECT - PORT MORESBY

The Chief Infrastructure Officer PNG Ports Corporation Limited PO Box 671

PORT MORESBY National Capital District

Authorised by: Mr. Nathaniel Poya, OBE Board Chairman PNG Ports Corporation Limited

Advertising Advertising IN KOKOPO CALL

WAIGANI

CHRISTIAN (SCHOOL) COLLEGE

“Train

2015 ENROLMENT OPENS

Department of Education Registered Permitted Christian College (STANDARD BASED EDUCATION TRIAL RUN CONCEPT)

FEES STRUCTURE

Ph: 982 9147

Fax: 982 9147

Grace Tiden or gracetiden@gmail.com g@g

Drop outs grade 8 & grade 10 are accepted

Extra coaching classes to bridge gaps

Transferred students accepted

Students eligible to sit for National Exams with main stream schools

Two School Campuses ( Waigani main road & Waigani Heights)

School buses provided door to door services

Qualified and experienced teachers

Christian Oriented College with Strong Discipline

TEACHING VACANCIES

Applications invited from new graduates and teachers with appropriate teaching qualifications in primary and secondary levels. Completed applications with CV be addressed to:

The Chairman Selection Committee P O Box 1324 Vision City, Waigani, NCD Call: 72086344, 76281484, 3436205/ Email: waiganichristianschool@hotmail.com

NOTIFICATION OF ZONING OF PHYSICAL PLANNING AREAS

The Morobe Provincial Fisikel Plennin Bod, by virtue of the powers conferred by Section 71 of the Physical Planning Act, 1989 hereby gives notice of the zoning of the physical planning areas specified in the Schedule here to:

The Zoning is specified in Column 2 of the Schedule, within the physical planning specified in Column 1, as depicted in the plans specified in Column 3. Plans specified in this notice are available for inspection at the Office of the Provincial Physical Planner, Division Lae.

SCHEDULE

Column 1 Column 2 Column 3 Column 4 Column 5

Physical are available Zoning Plan Index No.

Zones Plans Offices Where Plans Gazetted Planning Area

Lae –Nazab Subdivision TRP 2/244 Sub Division of Lands GZP 12-01 (8)

Urban Development and Zoning division of Portion Post Office Plan from nil to 78C Nadzab and Building, Various Rezoning to various 1st Floor, CBD Zonings zoning.

Dated this 23rd September, 2010 at Meeting No. 08b/2010 of the Morobe Provincial Fisikel Plennin Bod.

N.GIALI, Acting Chairman

MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS

Office of Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Tribunal and Minimum Wages Board

PUBLIC NOTICE

This serves to advise the General Public that The Office of Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Tribunal & Minimum Wages Board is specifically designated to:

(1) Prevent and settle Private Sector Disputes (Adhoc) through Arbitration;

(2) Prevent and Settle Public Service and Teacher Service disputes over terms and conditions of Employment through conciliation and Arbitration; and

(3) Determine Minimum Wages and other employment terms and conditions.

All outstanding 21 cases before the Office are cases that were affected by the 2009 Office Lockout situation. In November 2011, a National Court Order was granted to access the locked Office and the removal of all files and office equipment. This process took almost 3 months due to the continued disagreement by the landlord. Renovations to the current office were then done to ensure that a suitable tribunal room was built. By May of 2013, after Legal advice was sought from the Office of the State Solicitor with regards to all outstanding Tribunal matters, Directional Hearings and formal Tribunal proceedings commenced and simultaneously preparations for the conduct of the National Minimum Wages begun. The Minimum Wages Board commenced hearings in October of 2013, and all Tribunals were put on hold allowing for the hearings. The new Minimum Wage Determination 2014 was endorsed, registered and came into effect in July 2014.

Directional Hearings for all 21 outstanding cases recommenced in September 2014 with Public Notices advising all parties to immediately complete and file their submissions for determination. The Public Notice of

December 2014 instructs all disputing parties to file and or Re-submit all their submissions to this Office no later than February 2015. Of these 21 pending cases, three (3) are before the courts until at such time a decision is made by the courts, one of these pending a National Court decision is the IPI Mountain Transport Matter.

The Office of the Industrial Conciliation, Arbitration Tribunals and Minimum Wages Board, does not at any given time register and process new claims and Industrial Disputes nor does it conduct mediation. It is an independent office that deals primarily with resolving industrial issues by arbitration and at all times must maintain the integrity of this office. Industrial matters requiring arbitration are referred to this office by the Secretary for the Department of Labour acting on advice of the Governor General whilst matters involving the Public Service and Teaching Service are reported to the office of the Chairman by the Industrial Registrar.

Authorized by:

Beverley Doiwa (Ms) Chairperson Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Tribunal

up a child in a way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it”. Proverbs 22:6

PUBLIC NOTICE

The Konebada Petroleum Park Authority, in conjunction with the Minister for Petroleum & Energy, Hon. Nixon Duban, MP, and the Ministry of Petroleum & Energy hereby gives notice of the Government’s intention to introduce a policy aimed at securing a portion of gas produced, for local/domestic consumption, and use by local industry.

The policy - to be known as the PNG Domestic Gas Reservation Policy – introduces the concept of a domestic gas supply commitment. The Government’s objective behind this initiative is to secure gas commitments up to the equivalent of 15% of LNG production from each LNG project. This target is derived from projected future domestic gas requirements as well as current gas reserves and estimated LNG production.

World demand for natural gas is increasing rapidly. PNG already supplies natural gas to the global market. A number of new LNG projects (including Elk Antelope and Stanley Gas), are poised to take advantage of increased global demand and prices. The Government is concerned that if the majority of the State’s gas resources are committed to long term contracts for overseas buyers in the next few years, insufficient gas will be available for domestic use.

Although currently in use in many LNG producing nations, this concept is relatively novel to the PNG circumstance. Given this scenario, it is the intention of the Government to ensure that the views of all stakeholders, and other industry participants, on this concept are widely received and taken into consideration.

It is the intention of the Government to ensure that the PNG Domestic Gas Reservation policy ultimately has legislative and statutory effect. This will necessitate necessary amendments to the Oil and Gas Act and the Konebada Petroleum Park Authority Act. Such primary and subordinate legislative changes are necessary to give effect to the Government’s intentions.

The Government gives its assurance that in developing this policy it will aim to achieve a balance between the interests of the gas producers, gas consumers and the country as a whole.

All stakeholders, participants in the Oil and Gas industry, business houses, and private citizens are invited to comment on this Government initiative, by sending your comments through to dvalu.dv@gmail.com. For further inquiries please call Konebada Petroleum Park Authority on 76270360.

AUTHORISED BY: DONALD VALU ACTING CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

SOCCER

ASIAN CUP – PLAY-OFFS QUARTERFINALS

Australia 2 d China 0

South Korea 2 d Uzbekistan 0

United Arab Emirates 2 d Japan 1

Iraq 4 d Iran 3

SPANISH PREMIER LEAGUE

Elche 1 d Levente 0

SEvilla 2 d Malaga 0 Barcelona 4 d Dep Le Coruna 0

ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE

AUSTRALIAN OPEN

DAY 5 RESULTS

Tomas Berdych (Cze) def Viktor Troicki (Ser) 6-4 6-3, 6-4 Eugenie Bouchard (Can) def Caroline Garcia (Fra) 7-5,

6-0

Grigor Dimitrov (Bul) def Marcos Baghdatis (Cyp) 4-6

6-3 3-6 6-3, 6-3

Ekaterina Makarova (Rus) def 22-Karolina Pliakova (Cze)

6-4 6-4

Shuai Peng (Chn) def Yaroslava Shvedova (Kaz) 7-6 6-3

Yanina Wickmayer (Bel) def 14-Sara Errani (Ita) 4-6 6-4

BASKETBALL

CRICKET

ONE DAY INTERNATIONAL University Oval, Dunedin

South Africa 1/124 (24.4overs) d West Indies 122 all out by 9 wickets

Gabba, Brisbane

England 1/156 (27.3 overs) d India 153 (39.3 overs) by 9 wickets

Saxton Oval, Nelson

New Zealand 6/280 (48.1overs) d Sri Lanka 276 (49.3overs) by 4 wickets

TENNIS

Crooked Blaze to turn up the heat

HORSE RACE

TAMWORTH galloper Crooked Blaze is in line for a $90,000 windfall if he can take out the ATC Inglis Bonus Handicap (1250m) at Canterbury Park today.

The Leon Davies-trained threeyear-old is eligible for a $50,000 topup as part of the $5 million Inglis Race Series, as well as the usual $10,000 BOBS add-on to the $30,000 first prizemoney.

Crooked Blaze has been aimed at Monday’s feature for some time and

everything has gone to plan, including a comfortable win at Tamworth on December 22.

“It was a Class 3 on his home track and he won it well,’’ Davies said. “And the horse that ran second to him came out and won at the provincials during the week, so the form around him is good.”

While Crooked Blaze won’t have raced in more than a month, a recent 6.5-length trial win at Tamworth has the son of Ad Valorem primed for the occasion.

“With the five weeks between runs,

I thought I’d just take him back to the trials and give him a nice hit-out and then two or three weeks into Sydney,’’ Davies said.

“He has been to Canterbury before, he ran second behind Scissor Kick, so he seems to handle the track.

“He’ll put himself on pace, we don’t want to lead, but he’ll take a sit somewhere just in ¬behind them and have the last crack at them.’’

Meanwhile, Warwick Farm trainer Matt Smith hopes a few overnight showers, if not more, will seal the deal for his Canterbury entrants,

ROAD RUNNING

Hot Pistol and the problematic Happy Valley.

Smith is attending the Karaka Yearling Sales in New Zealand, where he took time out from inspections to cheer Zin Zan Eddie to victory in the final event at Randwick on Saturday. “Hot Pistol is a progressive horse and is always very competitive,’’ Smith said.

“He has taken the next step this time in to go to town. He’s a real racehorse and has a go every time he goes around.’’

Stablemate Happy Valley has all

the attributes of a stakes-class horse but the seven-year-old has been plagued by soundness issues. The hulking son of Dubleo has raced just six times, winning half of them.

“He is much better in the wet,’’ Smith said. “Hughie (Bowman) said the last day he raced he just felt the track a ¬little bit at Warwick Farm.

“I’ve got him entered at Warwick Farm for Wednesday, so if Canterbury is really firm I’ll just take the punt on some showers and wait until then.’’

Swimmer Tarloshan expected to revel in wet conditions

HORSE RACE

GLOBETROTTING jockey

Robbie Fradd is set to tick off Corbould Park as another track he’s landed a feature winner at when he partners Tarloshan in Monday’s Sunshine Coast Cup.

Fradd has built a good association with the Graeme Boyd-trained Tarloshan, winning at Listed level two starts back before a solid last-start second to Tinto in the Bernborough Handicap at Toowoomba.

While many others are big

queries on the wet track, Tarloshan revels and Fradd insists she will be a tougher nut to crack than she was at Toowoomba.

“The wet track is definitely going to be an advantage for her. She loves it,” he said.

“Unless the track dries out significantly, this is going to be more like a 1500m race. Obviously the form worked out well with Tinto winning under the big weight on Magic Millions day.”

Fradd said Tarloshan is a lazy track worker and that may have told on her in the

latter stages at Toowoomba.

“She worked on her own leading up to that race and she just doesn’t put in. I think that told on her at Toowoomba where she peaked on her run late,” Fradd said.

“I felt the lack of a hard gallop might have told against my filly when she raced Tinto. Tarloshan is a very lazy worker when she’s on her own and I told Graeme that told against her at Toowoomba.

“Since then, I worked outside her on another horse and she did a bit more work.

Fradd, a former Premier-

ship winner in Hong Kong, says there is one last ambition he would love to achieve.

“I haven’t ruled out going to Melbourne for a few months before I finish my career,” he said. “I’ve always wanted to do it, but never had the opportunity.

“I’d love to ride on one of the big days of the carnival down there. I think it’s something every jockey dreams of doing.”

Fradd, who recently turned 50, said his career is likely to continue for at least another two years.

Collingwood working hard to fix kicking woes

COLLINGWOOD recruit Travis Varcoe says his new side is working hard to improve the bad kicking that plagued the Pies last year.

The Magpies were the second-worst kicking side in the competition in 2014, according to Champion Data — a season in which Collingwood slumped to 11th on the ladder and miss the finals for the first time since 2005.

Varcoe said Pies coach Nathan Buckley and his coaching staff had placed an emphasis on improving the club’s kicking skills over summer.

“We’ve just got to keep working at it. It’s not just going to happen, so we’ve got put the work in,” he said.

Cahill scores twice as Australia beat China

SOCCER

A MOMENT of pure football magic sent Australia through to the semi-finals of the Asian Cup, with an unforgettable Tim Cahill bicycle kick helping the Socceroos defeat China 2-0 in Brisbane.

The Socceroos forward can already lay claim to a goal seen around the world, with his spectacular finish in the World Cup against The Netherlands one of the best on last year’s international stage.

Now he has another. In the 49th minute, with the scores locked at 0-0, Cahill set the game alight as he shed his defender, rocked back and sliced the overhead strike, off the outside of his boot no less, on the finest of angles past stunned

Chinese keeper Wang Dalei. It might well be one of the great Socceroo goals, or at least it’s bound to be one of the most replayed. Cahill wouldn’t stop there, adding a second in the 65th minute as he headed home a Jason Davidson cross to seal the win.

The result puts Ange Postecoglou’s side on course to face Japan in a semi-final in Newcastle, providing the Asian Cup champions see off the tricky United Arab Emirates in their quarterfinal on Friday.

Cahill said his goal was a product of instinct as the ball floated into the box. He also said he was left slightly dazed after a head-clash with Chinese captain Zheng Zhi as they both went for the ball.

Chinese coach Alain

Perrin said there may have been a cause for a foul as Zheng fell to the ground but Cahill said he just played to the whistle, even if the spectacular result remained a little fuzzy.

“I went to head the ball, I don’t know what happened. I just flipped in the air and I hit it instinctively. You play [to] the whistle and finish off the play. I think we were both in a little bit of a daze at the time,” Cahill said.

Postecoglou said the team worked hard to give Cahill quality service in the box and there was no reason he couldn’t rise to the challenge through the semis and beyond.

“He’s still very dangerous. We use his strengths and I’m sure Timmy would be the first to admit that there’s a lot of hard-work to

ensure he gets the delivery he needs. Who knows, the best may be ahead of him.”

Captain Mile Jedinak was the biggest inclusion for the Socceroos as part of seven changes, returning from an ankle injury to take his place in the midfield in front of the new-look defensive quartet of Jason Davidson, Alex Wilkinson, Trent Sainsbury and Ivan Franjic.

Mark Bresciano joined Massimo Luongo in midfield in an attacking move from Postecoglou, who also recalled Mathew Leckie, Robbie Kruse and Cahill to the side.

Every man from the Socceroos camp said confidence remained high after the 1-0 defeat at the hands Korea, but the start reflected nerves from the edgy

Australians. China found space on the right all too easily, with Leckie forced to embark on a sprint to shut down an early raid, before Wu Lei opened them up down the middle, winning a free-kick outside the box to provide an early set piece chance.

Wu Lei was the constant danger. He found himself in clear room again after 14 minutes, putting Australian goalkeeper Mat Ryan in a potential one-on-one, before Wilkinson chopped down the attacker with a brave sliding tackle.

With more turnovers from the Socceroos midfield, Wu Lei was off and running, his shot forcing a corner and a subsequent save from Ryan, who met Ji Xiang’s header to calm the storm for a fleeting moment.

“Just from being out here on the track, it’s increased significantly, judging on the numbers we’ve pulled out of here from training.

“We record a lot of our data and get a lot of those statistics on the board so we can hold ourselves accountable to what we’re trying to achieve.”

Varcoe and his new Collingwood teammates took part in a near threehour open training session in front of their fans at Olympic Park on Friday.

The senior squad was put through its paces in a practice match, with a fit Brodie Grundy covering the ground superbly and Varcoe himself finding plenty of the footy through the midfield.

The 26-year-old said it was Collingwood’s longest and one of the most intense training sessions of the preseason so far.

“I’m really rapt with how we’re going, all the boys are chipping in, so it makes it a lot more enjoyable,” he said.

“The running sessions have been great, the footy sessions have been awesome. We’re just building.”

Varcoe said young midfielder Taylor Adams impressed him the most during Friday’s gruelling session.

Punt to save NRL Fijian star starting over

THE last place you would expect to find a Fijian cult-figure, a devout Christian and hugely talented NRL star.

But for two years, every Monday night, Sisa Waqa would take a 45-minute train ride to the city from his rental home on the outskirts of Melbourne.

When he arrived in Australia as a 19-year-old, Waqa spoke little English. Life in a big city, with all the hustle and bustle and busy traffic, was a culture shock. He never got a driver’s licence.

Against this, there were the temp-

tations. Which leads Sisa Waqa into this tiny room at Gambler’s Anonymous.

The former Melbourne Storm premiership winner and new Canberra Raider can count on one hand is how many meetings he missed over the past two years. He was determined to grab hold of something which had “got out of control”.

At the meetings, Waqa would take his seat inside the small circle of men and women who told stories similar to his, he would often sit nodding knowingly.

“It was like putting a mirror in front of you,’’ he said. “I was looking forward to going to the meet-

ings every week. Because, for me, it wasn’t so much about gambling, as it was learning more about life.’’

When it was Waqa’s time to speak, he told his story.

How as a teenager in Fiji with nothing more than 30 cents to gamble with, a deck of playing cards and a group of mates, he got his first taste of the punt.

“In Fiji, gambling is a massive thing,’’ Waqa said.

“Back home we used to play cards. That’s where I learned how to gamble. And 10, 20, 30 cents, that’s like $30.’’

A talented rugby union player who represented his country at under-19

and under-21 level, Waqa’s athletic physique ensured he would dodge the life of crime already being led by not only his mates, but his brothers.

“I grew up in one of the bad areas in Fiji. Most of the boys I played cards with and grew up with all ended up in jail,’’ Waqa said.

“My older brother is still in there. He has served eight years in maximum security for armed robbery, so hopefully he will be out soon. My younger brother got out a couple of months ago. I was just blessed and lucky to come over here and get an opportunity.”

CAHILL in air for that unforgettable bicycle kick that helped the socceroos to beat China 2-0.

SISA Waqa

Table tennis was developed as an after-dinner game played by upper class English families in the late nineteenth century.

The bottom line

RUGBY

King named in Rabbitohs nines squad

THE South Sydney Rabbitohs have selected former Australian and New South Wales outside back Matt King in their squad for the Dick Smith NRL Auckland Nines next weekend.

Included in the strong Rabbitohs Nines outfit that includes Adam Reynolds, George Burgess and captain for the tournament Issac Luke, King will throw on South Sydney’s jumper for the first time since 2013, joining Canberra’s Ken Nagas as two retired legends who will be taking part at Eden Park.

Watmough to bring Eels strong mental edge

entire off season and get his busted knee fixed.

THE divot where the left bicep tore off the bone during last year’s State of Origin series and has now completely vanished.

“About three inches missing,” Watmough explained.

And therein sits the primary reason why Brad Arthur fought tooth and nail to get this Manly Sea Eagles life member to switch clubs and spearhead a cultural change at Parramatta.

When it comes to sacrifice, energy, effort and experience, Watmough is the hard edge the Eels were missing come the final rounds of last season.

Officially signed to a fouryear contract on October 30 last year, the first thing Arthur and the Eels medical staff instructed ‘Choc’ was to cease running for the

“I probably haven’t been able to run at my best for two, going on three years,” Watmough said.

“I had a niggling knee injury I couldn’t get right so when I got to the Eels they said ‘right, no running, we’ve got to get this fixed.

“But I said no. I knew Brad had brought me out here for a reason and I wanted to show the young guys that I was prepared to practice what I preach.

“If I’m going to be hard on them I needed to be hard on myself.

“I said why don’t we leave it until next year and then try and sort it out then.”

So Watmough and the Eels devised a daily ‘prehab’ routine that sees him leaving the northern beaches at 6am every morning before check-

ing in for an hour on the physio table at Parramatta prior to training.

He even wore a wedge in one of his boots for a while.

“I gave him the option to have a rest and get himself right but I knew what path he’d go down,” Arthur said.

“I knew he’d want to lead. He’s the first one out here every day getting his treatment and he has not missed a session.

The NRL recognised the value in Watmough’s signature at the Eels, scheduling the Sea Eagles in for what is guaranteed to be a sold-out Pirtek Stadium come round one.

When it comes to bitter splits, Watmough’s departure from Manly got ugly as the internal divide between senior players and others at the club was laid bare.

“It will be mixed emotions

I suppose. It’s tough the way some of us had to leave but good to get a crack at getting it out of the way early,” Watmough said.

“It will be weird at the same time. Manly just wasn’t home for me anymore, a lot of things had changed and it was time for me to move on.

“To have the role that I have at the Eels where I’m trying to set an example, it’s given me a whole new lease on life.

“I don’t believe I’m a tough footballer in any way but Brad told me he wanted me at Parramatta to help toughen the boys up mentally.

“To have someone believe in you that much was a pretty easy decision in the end.

“Do I stay and be miserable or do I go and play for someone who I really respect and admire.

“It’s very early days, but we want to try and help build on the Eels culture and try and build a bit of a dynasty.”

The million-dollar question Eels fans want answered is can Choc convince his great mate Kieran Foran to follow him to playing in western Sydney?

“Fozza keeps his cards pretty close to his chest, I haven’t been able to get anything out of him,” Watmough joked.

“I think he’s told four of the boys four different stories.”

And there it is again.

The quick one-line banter that can help bring a team closer together.

Make no mistake, Anthony Watmough can do for Parramatta what Ben Kennedy did for Manly in 2005.

King played ten Tests for Australia, nine State of Origin matches for New South Wales and three matches for Country Origin on top of his 220 appearances in the NRL and English Super League for the Rabbitohs, Storm and Warrington between 2003 and 2013.

South Sydney coach Michael Maguire said King was definitely excited about his return.

“It’s going to test him a bit, it’s a pretty quick game the Nines but ‘Kingy’ has been doing a bit of training with the boys and staying in touch,” Maguire told Rabbitohs TV.

“I’m sure the lungs are going to open up once he gets out there.”

The return of Brad Fittler and Steve Menzies at last year’s inaugural tournament was one of the highlights in 2014 with Fittler’s 70-metre intercept try the most replayed piece of action from day one of the tournament.

Zane Tetevano’s playing future uncertain

CONTROVERSIAL Manly

discard Zane Tetevano’s immediate playing future will hinge on a meeting of the Country Rugby League executive later next month.

The former Newcastle Knights prop was cut by the Sea Eagles late last year after pleaded guilty in court to bashing his partner. After learning of the guilty plea, he was immediately deregistered by the NRL. But that hasn’t stopped some bush clubs, including

The bottom line

Berkeley Vale on the Central Coast, making inquiries about his availability.

Berkeley Vale has since terminated negotiations but according to sources, a number of other clubs remain interested pending the outcome of the CRL meeting.

Asked if the NRL’s decision to deregister Tetevano automatically ruled him ineligible to play bush footy, CRL CEO Terry Quinn was guarded.

Zane Tetevano has been a hit for the Razorbacks.

“That’s something for our board to consider,” he said.

“There have been some inquiries in relation to the player and I’ll take it to the board at a meeting on February 23.”

It was only last season that Quinn was in favour of allowing Danny Wicks to return to bush footy after he was released from jail following a drugs conviction.

But he was hamstrung by the NRL’s Integrity Unit at the time which refused to endorse Wick’s return.

Tetevano’s situation is un-

likely to be any different, particularly as the outcome of his court case is still pending.

LAURIE Daley’s NSW Origin assistant coach Matt Parish has taken on a parttime high performance role with the CRL.

Parish, who is splitting his time between the NSWRL and the CRL, has already started working with coaches at bush academies and will also play a significant role in the CRL’s new Under 16’s and Under 18’s junior representative programs.

ANTHONY Watmough at Eels training

ZANE Tetevano

RUGBY LEAGUE

RUGBY LEAGUE

RUGBY LEAGUE

Dwellers draw

TELIKOM National Soccer League (NSL) newcomers Lae City Dwellers had every chance to cause a major upset of the opening round to the 2015 season.

The Dwellers had the highly fancied FC Pom reeling under pressure but had to settle for a 2-2 draw at the Sir Ignatius Kilage Stadium in Lae on Saturday. The Dwellers sponsored

by China Harbors Investment had an opening win in the bag and can only blame themselves for allowing the Port Moresby franchise to hitback. But credit must go to FC POM goalkeeper Charles Lepani who made several brilliant saves to keep them in the game as well, with the Dwellers pressing at every opportunity.

Dwellers striker Nigel Dabinyaba opened the scoring in the second minute.

However, that lead was short-lived with FC Pom hitting back almost immediately through

Andrew Marampau. Then at the fifth minute Raymond Gunemba scored to put the Morobeans in front again with a handy 2-1 lead. The Dwellers were heading to certain victory until Papua New Guinea international Neil Hans was given room outside the penalty box to slam home the ball with his trade-mark left boot that deflected off goalkeeper Ronald Warisan into the net. The score remained unchanged despite several strong opportunities from the Dwellers.After the match Dwellers

coach Peter Gunemba commended the players despite the draw adding that the boys put out an outstanding performance despite their lack of NSL experience.

He commended City Dwellers for putting up a strong challenge against his boys admitting that the match should have gone in the Dwellers favour if they had scored goals that went begging.

Lepani’s performance in the goal-mouth saw him earn the man-of-the match award.

LAE City Dwellers goalkeeper Ronald Warisan reaches for the ball to make a save during the opening match of the 2015 Telikom National Soccer League in Lae on Saturday. The match was drawn 2-2. Picture :FRANCO NEBAS INSET- FC Pom Andrew Marampau challenges for the ball with Lae City Dwellers Jeremiah Norman.

SOCCER BY FRANCO NEBAS