Post Courier, Wednesday March 4, 2015

K 1 million K1 stink

K1.2M STOLEN IN CON HOSPITAL TOILET DEAL

BY ISAAC NICHOLAS

A TOTAL of K1.2 million has been literally flushed down the toilet in the East Sepik capital of Wewak.

It is part of K2 million which Prime Minister Peter O’Neill gave recently to the East Sepik Government to maintain Wewak General Hospital at Boram but has gone missing, down the drain it seems.

Sepik politician Richard Maru is kicking up the stink, saying yesterday he was calling a media conference today to announce the formation of a fraud squad team to investigate “the stealing that’s going on there everyday in the provincial administration.”

Mr Maru, who is Yangoru-Saussia MP and Minister for Commerce, Trade and Industry, revealed the K1.2 million theft when he and Health Minister Michael Malabag visited Boram last week.

“We were there in Boram last week with the Health Minister and they were telling us, one man went in and put a claim for K1.2 million for fixing a toi-

let at the hospital and walked away with the K1.2 million,” he said.

“So much stealing is happening at the administration of East Sepik.

“Prime Minister went and gave K2 million and they arrange it in a way that they put the money into the provincial government account because the hospital board was not functioning so they left it there.

“So when the new hospital board went in someone came and put in a claim that he fixed the toilet so they paid him but the hospital board and management did not know the maintenance was done in Boram.

“They were shocked that the money was gone. This is one of the many millions that are being stolen in East Sepik everyday.”

CONTINUED PAGE 2

Missing K2 million tragic for East Sepik

ITIS one reason why going through Papua New Guinea’s track record in tackling corruption does not make good reading.

Stealing from the public purse has become normal and accepted in this nation of 7.8 million people.

And when you have ordinary Papua New Guineans “mourning” the imprisonment of a politician over the theft of “a lousy” (as some in PNG’s social media put it) K60,000 then something is seriously wrong with our society.

It is for this reason that the alleged disappearance of K2 million earmarked for maintenance work at the Boram General Hospital is like a bad nightmare for the people of the East Sepik Province. It would translate to them missing out on a hospital upgrade that would save lives and in the long-term be an investment in the health and prosperity of the people.

Our story today on the disappearance of K2 million that the Prime Minister had committed for maintenance work at the Boram General Hospital is tragic for the people of the East Sepik Province and highlights the terrible consequences of corruption. Who in their right mind would misuse funding that is meant to save the lives of the ordinary people?

The Health and HIV/AIDS Minister Micheal Malabag has revealed that the matter will be referred to the police fraud squad for investigation after the Boram hospital board raised its concerns. The referral to the police is the right thing to do and we commend the Minister for taking that course of action. The hospital board should also be commended for raising concerns

PNG last year was ranked 145 out of 175 on Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index (CPI), confirming that the country continues to struggle to contain corruption in both government and private sectors. In fact PNG was ranked 144 in the 2013 CPI alongside the Central African Republic, Iran and Nigeria and disappointingly dropped by another point last year, making us the region’s most corrupt nation.

The disappearance of the K2 million earmarked for the Boram General Hospital raises questions about the accountability mechanisms that the hospital – if not the provincial government – currently has in place. Are the systems and processes adequate enough to guard against the misapplication and theft of public money? And what guarantee is there that current funding will not be at risk of being misappropriated?

It is our hope that the police get to the bottom of the case and prosecute those responsible before they strike action. Our biggest worry is the police fraud squad lacking the resources and the capacity to begin their investigations in earnest. Those in authority including the Royal PNG Constabulary (RPNGC) top brass should allocate more resources to the fraud squad.

But fighting corruption should not just be the responsibility of agencies such as the police or even the Ombudsman Commission. We as Papua New Guineans can do our bit in the fight against the scourge if and when we condemn it and tell others (including family, friends and wantoks) that it is the wrong thing to do and in the end it is the ordinary people who suffer.

Index

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O’Neill to inspect damage to roads

PRIME Minister Peter O’Neill will inspect damage caused to roads in the Highlands by recent rain, floods and landslides when he visits Mendi, Nipa and Kagua-Erave today.

The inspection will be part of an earlier planned visit by the Prime Minister, accompanied by Southern Highlands Governor William Powi to review work underway on a series of roads in the province.

PM O’Neill will further have the opportunity to

see first-hand the delivery of projects that have been undertaken through DSIP and PSIP (district and provincial service improvement program) funding.

“There has been a significant amount of damage along the Highlands Highway and other roads throughout the highlands region,” Mr O’Neill said yesterday.

“I have been saddened by the loss of several lives and extend my sincere condolences to the fami-

lies of the deceased. “We have mobilised assessment teams through the National Disaster Office and funding is being released by Treasury to provide immediate relief to people affected by this natural disaster.

“The Government is moving to have damaged road sections repaired as soon as is possible and I will inspect some of these when I arrive in the affected areas.”

Mr O’Neill said the original intention of his visit was to inspect a series of roads

and other projects and this would proceed.

“We will have the opportunity to inspect preparations and work on a series of roads. This includes the Tari to Mendi road, Poroma to Nipa road and Ialibu to Kagua road.

“I am also very interested to see action underway to build the Semberigi to Erave to Kikori ‘missing link’ road. This 35km stretch of road is an important part of our infrastructure that must be undertaken.”

Auditors to investigate fraud, says Maru

FROM PAGE 1

“THE auditors of Finance Department are already there to investigate all the stealing and fraud going on in East Sepik,” Mr Maru said. “The province needs a major clean up.”

Prime Minister O’Neill on a recent visit to East Sepik Province to open up a number of projects also made

some funding commitments, including K2 million for Boram hospital and K1 million for Moem Barracks.

The K2 million was then parked with the East Sepik provincial administration because the hospital board was still not in existence at that time, but the new board who went in found that the money had disappeared without any

work done.

Mr Malabag confirmed yesterday that K2 million was given and parked at provincial administration.

“I also have a complaint from the hospital board and will refer it to the police fraud squad. Some of the money was used to build a so-called toilet at the hospital with nothing to show,” Mr Malabag said.

MR Maru, Mr Malabag and Boram hospital board chairman Allan Bird in Wewak.

Four women die in tragic h’way accident

By JOHNNY POIYA

FOUR women were killed in a four-vehicle accident yesterday afternoon on the Highlands Highway in Jiwaka Province.

The accident at Kuli Gap has left more than 20 people injured, some maimed while others are fighting for their lives at Mt Hagen General Hospital.

Medical staff said some of those admitted may not survive overnight.

The fate of the driver of a 15-seater PMV bus in which the women were killed was still unknown yesterday afternoon.

The Highlands Highway was blocked by police, PNG Fire Service officers and medical staff as those

The bottom line

trapped inside the bus were difficult to remove, forcing rescuers to use electrical drills and grinders to cut into the vehicle’s body.

According to eyewitnesses, there were two accidents – a LandCruiser heading downhill and a dump truck had collided and fell into a

nearby ditch minutes before the mini-bus and a truck collided at the accident scene in Anglimp district.

They said the passengers and drivers of the first accident escaped lightly with injuries however, those in the bus were crushed when it rolled several times along the highway and came to a stop 10m away from the site of the first crash. Circumstances surrounding the two collisions were sketchy but police said the bus was travelling uphill at high speed and tried to squeeze through a small gap at the scene of the first accident when the truck, travelling downhill at high speed, crashed into it.

On the other side of the same mountain three years

ago, 21 people were killed in a PMV bus when it smashed into a tree. The Mt Hagen General Hospital was packed as a large crowd of curious onlookers who heard of the incident waited to see the bodies arrive by ambulance.

Last month ago, seven women, including a mother and daughter, were run down by a PMV bus in Togoba outside Mt Hagen.

Highlands divisional police commander Teddy Tei yesterday reiterated his warning against speeding on the highway.

“Drivers should not be careless and drive as if they are on a racing course, human lives are more important than time and money,” he said.

SKY HIGH

ROOM rates in Port Moresby hotels have gone through the roof in the last 3 years. The city has more hotels and guest houses today but that hasn’t had an impact on overall prices, they still remain high.

ANTI-TOURISM

A HOTEL that recently commissioned adjoining block of rooms and suites is charging close to K800 a night – ironically for rooms in its old wing. It is little wonder PNG is considered costly by tourists.

BATTLEGROUND

THE Kone-based CAA compound has become a battleground for two government agencies. One agency has been sending security guards escorted by policemen to evict tenants.

BE CAREFUL

BUT yesterday the eviction team ran into a lawyer who is acting for the other agency. The team were bluntly told that they could be cited for contempt as the matter is currently in court!

DIPLOMATS

OUR spy in Waigani says cabinet will be meeting soon. On the agenda are

BALANCE

candidates for heads of PNG diplomatic missions abroad. Hope experienced Foreign Service officers get the nod.

DIVIDE EM

ONE politician is playing with fire, promoting one clan over the other in relation to land ownership issues. Not a good idea MP. You should be uniting your people, not dividing them.

TWO TERMS

BOUGAINVILLE politics is becoming clearer in the lead-up to the ABG election. Former president Tanis says he isn’t running as constitution doesn’t allow two terms. Is it two terms or consecutive terms?

DAY WALK

DOING anything this Sunday? March 8 is International Women’s Day and Soroptimist International will mark the occasion in Port Moresby with a 5 km walk. For more details email SIPortMoresby@SISWP.org

TUCK AWAY

ONE disadvantage of passing billion kina budgets: the tucking away of thousands or a million kina in public monies. No one notices until the constituency realises the cash is gone!

PENGEE: thedrum@spp.com.pg

For every one kilometre per hour reduction in average speed, there is a two per cent reduction in the number of crashes.

IT WAS a balancing act alright! Seen in town in the NCD yesterday was this truck with a large water tank sitting rather uncomfortably in the back. Even the workers were holding onto the trailer tightly!

HIGHLANDS Highway blocked by police, PNG Fire Service officers and medical staff as those trapped inside the bus were difficult to remove, forcing rescuers to use electrical drills and grinders to cut into the vehicle’s body. Picture: JOHNNY POIYA

“Drivers should not be careless and drive as if they are on a racing course, human lives are more important...

TEDDY TEI Mt Hagen

Andrews condemns attack on policemen

ACTING Police Commissioner Jim Andrews has condemned the attack on the Highlands police chiefs and demanded village leaders to immediately surrender the attackers.

“This is totally unacceptable,” Acting Commissioner Andrews said, adding that the villagers have until Wednesday March 3, to hand in the trouble makers.

He said the attack was uncalled for since Mr Onopia and Superpintendent Tondop went in good faith to meet the people to hear their petitions.

“For the information of the public, especially the people of Jiwaka, we sent three police investigators from Port Moresby to Jiwaka and since then we have arrested and charged four policemen and one civilian for the death of the man in police custody,” Mr Andrews said.

“Contrary to what the people are saying we have been taking, we are taking and we will be taking action against policemen who take the law into their own hands. This is the people’s police force.

Anglicare literacy program attracts people of all ages

THE high illiteracy rate in the country is no secret, but to see more than 100 people, aged between nine and 60 years old, huddled in one corner and learning to read and write will warm most people’s hearts.

Anglicare Stop AIDS, a non-governmental organisation, begun a literacy program for people living with HIV/AIDS in early 2000, but today the program has changed its name to literacy for all because the people attending it come from varied backgrounds.

They include successful businessmen and women who want to be able to write

to the growing HIV crisis and currently one of the main service providers in PNG.

LITERACY PROGRAM: The literacy program has four levels –one to four and the 105 people are one of two classes of Level 1A comprises people who had never been to school. There Is also a class of level 3. Every day, these people have classes from 8am to midday while levels 2 to 4 come for afternoon classes.

their own letters and sign signatures on cheque books rather than rely on someone else to do it for them.

There were also parents pulling out their children from primary schools and

taking them to these classes where they believed the children would learn better.

The literacy program has four levels – one to four and the 105 people are one of two classes of level 1A which

comprises people who had never been to school.

There was also a class of level three that was in a building. Every day, these people have classes from 8am to midday and leave for others in levels two to four to come for classes in the afternoon. The latter include people who have not completed their schooling for various reasons.

Eighteen-year-old girls

Inau Ben and Augusta Mara from Eastern Highlands and Morobe provinces respectively said they had never been to school because of school fee problems but since they started coming for lit-

eracy classes, their parents, who were not keen in sending them to school before, were supportive, especially after seeing how much they have progressed in reading and writing.

“I’m happy. I’m learning so many things here. I’m now able to read and write. Everything these days requires reading and writing so we have to learn these things,’’ said Ms Ben.

Anglicare Port Moresby program manager Bernard Paru said Anglicare is helping complement the government because those who fall out of the formal system seek help there.

Locals exchange fire with police, block highway

BY JOHNNY POIYA

ASSISTANT Highlands divisional police commander Jimi Onopia and Jiwaka police commander Joseph Tondop and their men were attacked by locals in Kurumul yesterday.

Three police vehicles belonging to Mr Onopia, Superintendent Tondop and Minj police were damaged by heavily armed men from the Wulumbka tribe in front of the new provincial headquarters.

Police retaliated and gun-

shots were exchanged but no one was hurt in the gunfire.

The armed men were relatives of the late Cedric Andrew who was reportedly killed by policemen based in Kudjip three weeks ago.

Police say the two police commanders and their men, together with deputy provincial administrator Joseph Karap, were there to receive a petition from Andrew’s grieving relatives.

Supt Tondop gave the villagers until today to hand over those responsible for the attack.

Following the attack, the armed men returned and reportedly blocked the section of the Highlands Highway between Minj and Kurumul.

The highway was reopened last week following a week-long closure after a police investigation team from Port Moresby was dispatched to Jiwaka to investigate Andrew’s death in the police cells.

Supt Tondop said: “We were all waiting for their petition and when they came, they came in war dances and

cries, heavily armed and started attacking us.

“The vehicles were damaged and we had to escape incase we could be injured.”

He said had his men who sat inside the vehicle stood outside, they would have been shot and killed by those who hurled rocks and projectiles at the vehicles.

He said three of his men were injured while the number of those injured from the Wulumbka tribe was yet to be established.

“We played our part in bringing in outside detec-

tives and those responsible were arrested and are now in the hands of the law.

“These people don’t respect the law and now want to fight with us after we did everything to have those responsible brought to the law.”

Meanwhile, the five officers arrested for the murder appeared in court in Mt Hagen on Monday.

Magistrate Betty Jacobs said their files were not yet ready so the matter was deferred to April 15.

“The RPNGC exists to protect and serve the people of Papua New Guinea and we will swiftly remove any member of the force who is a threat to the public. They will be dealt with through the administrative discipline process and they will be charged criminally as well if needed.

Landowners: Dogura land not for sale

THE CUSTOMARY landowners of Dogura area near SixMile in Moresby Northeast said yesterday their land was not for sale.

According to Miki Kaeok, the attorney for Uhadi-Iaroga incorporated land group (ILG), the Six-Mile area is not for sale unless legal process or negotiations are carried out between the rightful Landowners and the buyers.

“The Dogura area which falls within a big parcel of land referred to by the Land Titles Commission as ‘Central Claim 79’ is a customary land and buyers should be mindful before giving money to the people who claim the land as theirs,” he said.

He said those buyers who have tried their best to purchase the land must know that their purported purchase will not be valid although it may appear attractive and promising. “It is the law of the country that states, landownership over customary land rests with the clan or the tribe and not with individuals, and any customary land deals must be done legally through the right ILG who represent the views of the entire clan.

A CROWD of people learning to read and write at Anglicare Stop AIDS headquarters in Waigani, Port Moresby.

Picture: MAUREEN GERAWA

Tongamp sends team to assess damage

BY SHIRLYN BELDEN

GOVERNOR

for Jiwaka

William Tongamp has sent a team to his province to assess flooding which occurred last week as a result of continuous heavy rain.

Mr Tongamp said he was aware of the current situation there and dispatched the team early this week to report on the situation.

Mr Tongamp told PostCourier that he was yet to get a standardised report before he could allocate specific assistance to people in the areas affected by flooding and continuous heavy rain. He was not able to give an update yesterday. However, Mr Tongamp expressed sadness that his people had to endure the deluge where food gardens, live stock, homes and lives were lost.

A woman and six children including four of her own were washed away by floodwaters as the Lel river in Polga village, Jiwaka, suddenly burst its banks last Friday afternoon.

The province has been experiencing heavy rains since last month as the country is experiencing the peak of the monsoon season.

Prime Minister Peter O’Neill will also visit the flood-ravaged villages in Western Highlands and Jiwaka provinces this week.

National Disaster Centre has said to make a submission of K8 million to the Government for relief assistance in both provinces.

The assistance could provide for relief and recuperation under the coordination of the centre, acting director national disaster centre Martin Mose has said.

Centre lacks capacity to address disasters

THE NATIONAL Disaster Centre will continue to execute its role to coordinate relief assistance to disaster affected areas despite the low capacity it continuously face.

Acting director Martin Mose said this week that most of the provincial disaster centres were operating from less capacity in terms of funds and resources like vehicles and staff. However, he said despite that. the head office in Port Moresby is determined to continue providing much needed assistance to the country through provincial centres.

Mr Mose made this remark in the light of his office making a submission to the government for K8 million to assist Western Highlands and Jiwaka provinces that were badly affected by flooding and landslides recently.

More rains ahead for H’lands region

BY SHIRLYN BELDEN

PEOPLE in the Highlands region have been warned to expect more rain this month as the monsoon season peaks.

The National Weather Office has indicated March as one of the two wet months of the year when there would be more rain or widespread showers and thunderstorms, which could cause severe flooding and landslips in the region.

This also goes for the

At a glance

MONSOON: Usually, the term monsoon is used to refer to the rainy phase of a seasonally changing pattern, although technically there is also a dry phase.

WEATHER NATIONALLY: With the wet season peaking and moderate to fresh northwest winds prevailing over the country, Highlands and Southern regions will experience more rain. Momase and New Guinea Islands region would expect more rains in April and May.

Southern region which, according to a weather forecast provided by the office, could expect rain accom-

panied by northwest wind surges. The wet season occurs annually between November and May of the

following year. According to the weather office, the wet season is peaking and moderate to fresh northwest winds would prevail over the country with Highlands and Southern regions to experience more rain.

The Momase and New Guinea Islands regions would expect more rains in April and May, it said.

The Weather Office had been adamant in notifying communities nationwide to take heed of its weather notices.

“Some provinces do not have the capacity by way of resources to respond to disasters, like Western Highlands who rely entirely on us the national disaster centre. A similar story would apply to Jiwaka and other provinces that lack those capacities by way of resources and logistics.

“Logistics seem to be the biggest challenge the provinces face; the provincial coordinators are unde r resourced to move quickly to carry out needs assessment and all that. And of course funding is the major need the centres face,” he said.

Mr Mose said despite all these, the National Disaster Office and its provincial centres were determined to implement their duties to the country, especially to those affected by natural or man-made disasters.

He said PNG was a critical country in terms of disaster as more needs to be done to counter disaster challenges.

He also emphasized the need for provincial leaders and government departments to assist the disaster offices in bringing adequate support to disaster affected areas.

He said they are aware of the policies and processes in accessing funds.

According to the weather office, more rain is expected in the Highlands region as the monsoon season peaks.

The bottom line

CULVERTS in some parts of the road in the Imbonggu section of Highlands Highway damaged due to heavy fl ooding.

I am aware of the situation and have sent in a team to report on it ...

WILLIAM TONGAMP Jiwaka

neglects properties

BY DIANNE WAKETSI

THE National Housing Estate Limited after taking ownership of the National Housing Commission properties in 2010 has failed to renovate and refurbish these flats, bedsitters and units.

The tenants committee leaders said for the past 20 years tenants had been dipping into their pockets to keep the properties fit for human habitation.

The leaders, who requested not to be named for security reasons, said NHEL had failed to maintain the run down properties and continue to accuse and pass the bug to the tenants for the decaying properties.

Most of the houses had no fly wires, falling bathrooms and toilet walls, ceilings, rotting floors, leaking taps, broken windows, broken steps and verendahs and faulty electrical wiring.

The leaders added that before NHEL decided to change the rates of their rentals, they should come around to inspect the properties and renovate them first.

Businessman denies abuse of Fijian women

A PAPUA New Guinean businessman caught in the middle of the Fijian women controversy has denied knowledge of any physical abuse.

The Post-Courier tracked down the businessman yesterday and he said part of the story published in the Fiji media and spread in PNG was not true.

Wishing to remain anonymous, he denied that the two women, aged 14 and 21, were held in a Port Moresby residence against their will.

He said that officials in Fiji never consulted him because his son, who was on school holidays, had brought the two women to PNG on December

Arrears pay-off turnout positive

THE National Housing Estates Limited has seen a positive turnout of its tenants willing to settle their outstanding tenancy issues. This follows recent notices placed in the newspaper for a seven day grace period for all defaulting tenants residing in its properties at Saraga, Henao Drive, Korobosea, Manu Auto Port and Three-Mile to come forward and settle their arrears or face severe actions, including evictions as a last resort.

Executive chairman of the National Housing Estates Limited, Kevin Ahipum, in his response regarding a media report of the disgruntled tenants opting to see the Prime Minister on their possible evictions, yesterday reaffirmed the commitment of the Prime Minister not to throw any Papua New Guinean on the streets.

Ahipum said the commitment of the Prime Minister had been fully supported by Housing Minister Paul Isikiel and Finance Minister James Marape, who are both shareholders and trustees of NHEL.

At a glance

ASSETS: The businessman owns lodges in Lae, Port Moresby and properties in Australia.

APPEAL FOR TRUTH: “I have to protect my businesses and they must not lie and say that I held them against their will, that is a lie,” the businessman said.

TREATMENT: “I put them up in my lodge and told them to work and help so when they return after three months, which is this month, I will pay them their money to take back to Fiji,” he said.

3, 2014. The businessman said that the women had return tickets booked for March 24 as per their agreements in Fiji with their parents.

“I bought tickets for them because they are my son’s friends,” he said.

“They wanted to come to PNG for holidays so I bought their tickets.” The businessman, whose four wives included a Fijian woman, has 13 children, including three from the Fijian woman.

Most of the children go to schools in Fiji.

He was a former executive of a PNG political party and to date owns lodges in Lae, Port Moresby and Fiji and properties in Australia.

He said yesterday: “I have to protect my businesses and they must not lie and say that I held them against their will, that is a lie.

“Also, to say that they were slaves here ... my gosh! I put them up in my lodge and told them to work and help so when they return after three months, which is this month, I will pay them their money to take back to Fiji,” he said, adding they were given K200 a

fortnight and fed and accommodated by his family.

Fiji authorities said in the Fiji media that the two women ended up in PNG under dubious circumstances and were allegedly physically abused after being kept in Port Moresby against their will.

It was reported that the two had visible bruises on their body which was noted by the Fiji Minister for Women, Rosy Akbar, when she visited them.

The two were flown back to Fiji last week Friday after Fijian High Commission in PNG were alerted that the two women could not be traced by their relatives in Fiji.

“We have taken heed and want to treat all our tenants humanely. We won’t throw them out on the streets. This is an ongoing exercise and has been long overdue. We purposely want to invite them to come forward to let us know who is paying and who is not, and if they are not paying we want to know the reasons and we may be able to assist where possible,” Ahipum said.

“Some of them are illegal tenants and we want to know how or why they happen to occupy our properties in the first place. These are basic information we want to know from them and their refusal to come forward may attract tough actions and confrontations.

“Every tenant must take occupancy on merit. Some unemployed people are still living in our properties while serving public servants are forced to live in settlements,” Mr Ahipum added.

SOME of the run down properties.

CSTB explains contracts

PNG may

become ‘waste basket economy’

PAPUA New Guinea is fast moving into becoming a ‘waste basket economy’ if it continues to rely on foreign investors and not utilise the natural resources and the potential it has.

The University of Natural Resources and Environment vice-chancellor Philip Siaguru said this in his address to students at the university campus in East New Britain, during the official opening of the 2015 academic year, on Monday.

Professor Siaguru told the students to receive the training they need and venture into creating their own businesses and employment for fellow Papua New Guineans.

He said the step taken by students to study at UNRE was noble, and it was important that they gain experience for two to three years of employment, and take the risk of starting their own businesses.

BY GORETHY KENNETH

THE Central Supply and Tenders Board yesterday revealed that the board had to spread contracts to different companies so that the 2015 South Pacific Games facilities could be delivered on time.

And CSTB defended the government’s reports that 99 per cent of the facilities will be ready by the 31st of May or first week of June and in time for the SP Games. Further, CSTB released yesterday that they were definite the facilities will be ready before the Games as the contracts were

Race on to complete facilities

awarded to companies that had the best equipment and capacity.

CSTB Chairman Phillip Eludume and his executives yesterday in an interview said the Board had to deviate from a recommendation for only one major contractor to build all facilities for the 2015 SP Games to deliver in time.

Eludume said that the CSTB Technical Evaluation Committee (TEC) recommended for one of the major companies to build all facilities at the Games village, Aquatic Centre,

Sir John Guise Stadium, Indoor Stadium and the Bisini Sporting area two years ago.

But he however revealed the CSTB, which is made up of specific Departmental Heads met and decided against the recommendations because they wanted the venues to be completed on time and for use in July this year.

“This board does not necessary have to go with them. “It does not necessary have to go with their recommendations,” Mr Eludume said.

The Board made a decision to award these multimillion kina contract to different companies who had the capacity to complete the South Pacific Games facilities on time and for use in July,” he said.

“For the SP Games contracts and the (TEC) were recommending the same company to do all SP Games facilities.

“But we said no, we will spread out all the contracts so that they complete all facilities on time,” he said.

They said the contrac-

Board awaits Ombudsman’s response

BY GORETHY KENNETH

THE Central Supply and Tenders Board is still waiting for a response from the Ombudsman Commission on complaints over the awarding of the K9 million integrated government information system (IGIS).

CSTB chairman Phillip Eludume said yesterday that he had written to the Ombudsman Commission after a report was filed and brought to the attention of the OC that was not recommended to carry out Phase II of the (IGIS).

Secretary for Communication and Information Paulias Kornie questioned the CSTB’s awarding of this contract against his recommended list which

was provided to the Board last year.

Korni said the manner in which the contract was awarded, signed and its operations to this date was suspicious and called for immediate investigations on the matter.

But yesterday, Eludume and his team while responding to questions raised said that there were legal issues surrounding the contract.

He said that the CSTB, departmental heads in its entirety made a decision against the recommendations because it was illegal and a conflict of interest to award phase II to the company that did Phase I of the audit contract.

“The TEC recommended bidder was the initial auditor who

came up with the audit recommendation,” said Eludume yesterday.

“How can this board award this contract to this bidder who already had dealings earlier as the auditor?

“In the initial bidding documents prepared by the Communications Department and approved by the Secretary himself in 1.8 states, “the consultant who has taken part in the development of the Terms of Reference or in any other technical studies, relating to the assignment covered by this proposal, or a consultant who has participated in the preparation of any pre proposal activities shall not be permitted to participate in this proposal,” Mr Eludume said.

Zurenuoc: Time for bring services

NOW is the time to bring services back to the districts to revive the districts – that is what the District Development Authority is all about,” says Chief Secretary to Government Sir Manasupe Zurenuoc.

He said this when addressing the biggest consultative workshop in PNG on the district

development authority (DDA) yesterday in Lae.

Sir Manusupe said this was the first and biggest consultative workshop on DDA comprising of 22 districts; nine districts of Morobe, eight from Eastern Highlands and six from Madang.

He said the government is giv-

ing the target to finish consultations by end of March to get the DDAs into operation and working according to the new laws thereafter.

He said the DDA is a homegrown concept based on 40 years of trial and error experience in delivery of basic services and we must makek it work.

tors, Fletcher Morobe, Global Construction, China Railway Engineering Company, Pheonix and others were chosen to spread the work so that they could complete all facilities on time.

These contractors were working between Sir John Guise Stadium, Indoor Stadium, Aquatic Centre and the Games village.

“These facilities will be complete as per the assurance last week by the contractors,” he said.

Eludume said that he had visited the sites and seen for himself even spoken to the management of the contractors on the latter.

He said students should grasp the mentality of creating jobs and not choose the comforts of employment and good jobs.

“PNG is rich in natural resources, but yet we crawl to multi-national companies from overseas for jobs and become slaves to international investors and work seven days a week nonstop,” he said. He said the country was investing heavily on imported food items while the local organically fresh grown food are being pushed aside and ignored.

He challenged the students to do away with their parents’ expectations of getting good jobs, but rather receive training in agriculture, fisheries and logging.

THE Sir John Guise Stadium about to be completed

Registrar told to file proceedings

THE NATIONAL Court has allowed the registrar of the National and Supreme Court to file contempt proceedings against a man who allegedly assaulted a lawyer at the court premises last month.

Judge Bernard Sakora during the directions hearing yesterday told Registrar Ian Augerea to file the proceeding.

The registrar has been given three weeks to prepare documents for the contempt proceeding.

The matter stemmed from a court case where one party disagreed with the court room arguments by the lawyer of

At a glance

ISSUE: The assault of a lawyer by supporters of a disputing party outside the court house premises after they disagreed with his arguments in the court room.

RULING: Judge Bernard Sakora during the directions hearing yesterday told Registrar Ian Augerea to file contempt proceedings with regards to the matter.

WARNING: Those attending court have been warned by guards at the Waigani National and Supreme Court premises not to start fights in the court area as they would have to deal with the law.

another party, resulting in the lawyer’s assault outside the court house premises.

Meanwhile, those attending court have been warned by the guards at the Waigani

Court refuses Paraka request

BY SAMUEL RAITANO

THE COMMITTAL Court in Waigani has refused to allow lawyer Paul Paraka to stop proceedings relating to numerous charges against him.

National and Supreme Court premises not to start fights or arguments in the court house area as the law would be tough on them.

Lawyer battles reinstatement

BY SAMUEL RAITANO

SENIOR lawyer John Napu has gone to court seeking the enforcement of a decision by the Public Service Commission that reinstated him as the registrar for Co-operative Societies on January 2014.

The office of the registrar of Co-operative Societies comes under the Department of Trade, Commerce and Industry.

According to reports from the court file, Mr Napu alleged that the secretary and minister had 30 days to review the Public Service Commission’s decision but instead had him waiting until five months later, when they took the com-

mission’s decision to court to have it reviewed.

Mr Napu then filed a separate application a few days later seeking enforcement of the commission’s decision. While both matters were pending in court, a leave application by the Secretary for Commerce John Andrias to review the commission’s decision was made by lawyer Laias Kandi who informed the court that the delay of five months in going to court was because Mr Andrias could not comprehend the commission’s decision.

However, Mr Napu argued that a provision of the Public Service Management Act required Mr Andrias to file

the review application within 30 days and failing that, he lost his right to have the review by law.

On December 16, 2014, acting Judge Leka Nablu ruled that Mr Andrias would have needed the five months to produce necessary documents, and that could have been the reason for going to court out of time.

Mr Napu submitted that the court’s discretion was available under that provision only if no other law addressed the right or interest of the parties.

It is understood that the ruling on the leave by Ms Nablu is now subject of a Supreme Court appeal.

The submission had been on the grounds that the National Court had a ruling to make regarding his request that all his matters be heard by one magistrate rather than being split up.

However, the prosecutor said the matters, though stemming from the same issue, differed individually from one another and thus there was no need to stay the proceedings in the district court even if matters are split and heard by different magistrates.

It is understood that other senior lawyers implicated also have their matters in court separately and jointly in some instances.

The case relating to the Paraka issue has seen numerous charges and allegations involving senior lawyers and principals of other law firms.

Magistrate Mekeo Gauli yesterday said that the submission by Paraka was refused, but before continuing with hearing the matters, the committal court would have to wait for the ruling of the National Court.

The National Court will give its thoughts on March 17 and then parties will appear at the committal court on March 31 for further directions.

Customs: Sale of counterfeit products rife

BY ABRAHAM AVEDIBA

COUNTERFEIT goods are often seen on the shelves of many shops because many companies have broken the law by not registering with the PNG Customs Service, customs officers say.

Customs Service northern regional director Francis Nipuru told the Post-Courier his office would confiscate these counterfeit products if concerns were raised by companies who had registered with them.

“We cannot just impound any foreign imported goods on our own because there are

laws in place that protect the rights of individual distributors,” Mr Nipuru said.

“We have certain limitations when it comes to dealing with such products because many

distributors of various household items have turned a blind eye to the situation.”

He said only four distributors in the Northern region have registered with Customs Service office in Lae.

“We are currently dealing with counterfeit goods that these four distributors have raised concerns about, otherwise many companies in the city do not really bother about products that are similar to theirs being sold on the shelves,” Mr Nipuru said.

He described the matter as a serious one, as it poses serious implications to a business’ products and risks

to the livelihood of consumers. Customs Service border security manager Ian Hering shared similar sentiments, saying that many distributors had ignored notices issued to them requesting for them to register with PNG Customs Service.

“Sole distributors in the country have to understand that these goods are a mimic of the genuine products they sell and they need to be stopped.

“So if someone else is distributing a counterfeit product, the one who sells the genuine ones loses revenue, and customers also lose faith in purchasing the real thing.”

Man nursing wounds after beating by soldiers

A MAN is nursing wounds after being severely beaten up by soldiers believed to be from the Goldie River training depot in Port Moresby.

Mex Unda from Pangia, Southern Highlands Province, was beaten for removing his neighbour’s market stall on his front yard in order to erect a fence surrounding his home.

He sustained injuries to his face and body from punches and kicks he received while

lying helpless on the ground from the attack by around eight soldiers on Saturday evening at Nine Mile outside Port Moresby.

According to eye witnesses, the neighbour had called for his soldier relatives who filled a white Toyota LandCruiser with the plate number ZDP 233 and arrived at the block, beating up Unda in front of his house and before the public. A gunshot was also fired during the attack. Unda has filed

a complaint with the police as well as senior military officers at the barracks over the incident.

Unda said he had informed his neighbour who resided on the opposite side of the road between their homes to relocate the stall to his own side so that he could fence his area.

However the neighbour had disagreed and went to seek assistance from the soldiers who beat him up without asking questions.

Many distributors of various household items have turned a blind eye ...

FRANCIS NIPURU Lae

Disabled welcome govt plans

BY DENYSE KALAU

ABOUT 100 members of the PNG Rehabilitation Centre representing people with disabilities gathered last week to respond to the Government’s ambitious plan to include them in the pension scheme. The members said although they welcomed the government’s initiative to assist old people and people with special needs to have access to free education, free health care and other infrastructural services, they wanted an assurance from the national government that the scheme is here to stay and a backup plan was also in place to support them if the scheme does not work well.

“We do not know if the government will continue the pension scheme in the future,” says a member from the Rehabilitation Centre. This is the reason why we are calling on the government to come up with backup plans such as creating a special school for people with

special needs to attend in the event if the scheme does come to an end, then there’s another way that people with disabilities can sustain their lives through education to become productive members of the society who can also contribute meaningfully to the development of the country.

PNG Rehabilitation Centre chairman Brown Kapi told the Post-Courier that despite the good initiative undertaken by the government to support elders and PWD with financial assistance, they did not want to be seen as liabilities because of the support they will be receiving from the scheme.

“What the members want is an assurance from the government that they will honour their commitment to ensure old people and people with disabilities benefit from the pension scheme and in the event if the scheme fades away, then there’s already a plan in place to assist them,”

Mr Kapi said.

KEEPING THE CITY CLEAN

Company gives to rehab centre

BY DENYSE KALAU

MORE than 40 members of the PNG Rehabilitation in NCD have received a special donation from the Rimbunan Hijau Trading Limited.

The company yesterday visited the centre with truck bales of second hand clothes and food stuff to donate to people with disabilities and their carers in the Moresby South and North West electorates. Representatives from RH Limited including the general manager Ang Cheng Chooi were there in person to deliver the gifts to the members of the PNG Rehabilitation Centre in a small but significant ceremony held at the Hohola Rehabilitation Centre.

“The presentation is the first of its kind to be delivered by RH to the Rehabilitation Centre which coincides with the Chinese New year and we are pleased to give something back to the community through this donation of 88 bags of food stuff and clothing which we hope will assist people with disabilities in the city,” Mr Chooi said.

The centre chairman Brown Kapi thanked the company for its donation.

DUE to the rainy season the city is looking nice and green. The flowers start to bloom and the grass grows taller everyday. A contractor is seen here whipping the lawn on the roundabout at Gordon. Picture: KENNEDY BANI

Quick thoughts

IS THIS THE YEAR?

New Ireland Governor Sir Julius Chan is notorious for his frugal ways (he slimmed down to one helicopter last year!) But 2015 may be the year in which he finds the perfect strategy to help reduce the budget deficit... don’t pay any provincial staff appointed since October last year (because after all – if they are suffering they can just sell a helicopter too!) Is this the year that the good Governor will finally be able to afford to finish his two government mansions? Sue

INHUMANE DECISION

This government has made a very big mistake in passing the death penalty bill. Whatever good reasons they think they have in implementing the death penalty, the final truth will invalidate their reasons. Be warned, if you take judgment to this extreme, you have overstepped into God’s boundaries.

In the name of humanity, I strongly condemn this unwise decision. This is inhumane and barbaric. To put out fire with fire is foolishness. Sure, everyone is fed up with the ever-increasing crime rate. However, turning to death penalty is a short-cut decision which was proven to be a failed strategy in other countries. Is the government running out of ideas (strategies) to address law and order problems?

I’m afraid the bill was passed upon frustration.

Observing Youth

BE FOCUSED

I am concerned with what my MP, Komun Joe Koim of ASW, is doing to my electorate. I applaud you for allocating money to the grassroots people to get loans to do small business. However, may I remind you to stick within your boundary? Last week K2000,000 was given to build a church in Hagen Central electorate. Some parts of your electorate need money more than others. Please don’t lose focus.

Nickson Kondi

Looking for someone?

I AM looking for Anne Morris. I believe she is somewhere in ENB or Lae. Please call me on Digicel 7998 2046.

Nelson Malaga Port Moresby

Control porn obsession

PORN obsession is just like a new born puppy. With its eyes closed during the first few days, it relies only on sound and smell. The moment it can see, all hell breaks loose. The pup wanders around, discovering its environment with its new-found sight.

So it’s the same situation with porn. Once you experience it, you will want more. It all boils down to the government censuring and setting restrictions to porn material or general sex shows and prostitution. Societies with liberal laws tend to have less obsessions across the populace as compared with those who prohibit such.

In PNG, magazines like Playboy were last seen on the shelves in early

1980. The last foreign woman seen in a bikini at Ela beach was in 1984. The level of sexual violence and crime was low back then.

So I support the argument that conservative values are more destructive to the minds of the masses. It coerces them to waste money to view porn almost everyday.

I therefore back the call to allow porn materials to be sold in adult shops and also allow the sex industry to be legalised.

Countries like China have given up their fight against web porn. Singapore allows prostitution in designated areas and sets rules for those who participate. In Israel, there are many legalised brothels even to the time when Jesus walked

on the earth. So PNG cannot hide in the name of Christianity when the rest of the world has woken up to set rules and regulations.

It’s time to allow sex material to be sold in licensed stores for adults aged 21 and above, while prostitution be regulated by registration processes to control the spread of AIDS and other diseases.

Most clergymen have no answers to all these issues as they are hypocrites while some are big time offenders. I support the call of NCD Governor Powes Parkop to regulate sex in the city so the situation is manageable.

Mista Spencer Boroko

views expressed on these pages are the opinions of our readers. They do not necessarily represent the views of the Post-Courier – Editor

Protect PNG’s integrity

Letter of the day

LEGALISING prostitution in this Christian nation will be a big mistake.

The fabrics of this young nation are rooted in Christian principles of which our Constitution was derived from. It is immoral and a crime against this sovereign Christian nation if we are to let prostitution invade us.

It is an infidel principle which will cause moral disorder in our societies. The 7th Law of the Ten Commandments says: “Thou shall not commit adultery”. It is fornication. We should not dictate God’s Law. His law is supreme amongst the land. There would be disrespect, unfaithfulness among the family, underage pregnancy would be prevalent, social problems would increase dramatically and innocent children will suffer.

The vision and goal for PNGDSP 2010-2030 states that “PNG will be a prosperous middle-income country by 2030” and “A high quality of life

for all Papua New Guineans”. Will legalising prostitution suit the government’s development strategic plan? Is income driven from prostitution honest and transparent? Would prostitution produce a quality of life?

In Papua New Guinea, marriage is an honourable thing which our forefathers practised and even today is sacred. Through our diverse cultures marriage is supreme and is well respected. Prostitution is not part of our culture.

In the western world, marriage is not that honourable. Thus they legalised prostitution and therefore there is no respect and honour in their marriages. If for instance one is not satisfied in a marriage, he or she is gone within a matter of months just for his/her own pleasure. Divorce rate is very high. The Australian Bureau of Statics proved that in June 2012 there were 962,000 single parent families and there were 876,000 single mothers.

However, they are a developed country and therefore their government does care for them and puts

We provide around 500 scholarships for We around 500 for

Australian High Commissioner Deborah Stokes Australian Commissioner Deborah Stokes

Text us on 208

them under payroll, including every other citizen.

We are no way near to them. We are a developing nation and if we legalise prostitution, it would spell disaster for us and it would jeopardise our future generation.

My recommendations to the government of the day are as follows;

Our government must make tougher laws against illegal prostitution in brothels, instead of legalising prostitution;

Create more employment opportunities for every citizen; and,

For those citizens above 18 years old, including those whose salary are below K500, put them under the government’s payroll. Since we are so blessed with natural resources like timber, gold, copper, oil and gas, coffee, cocoa, oil palm and vast fertile lands, I don’t see why that would be a problem. Prostitution must not be legalised. We need to protect the integrity of this wonderful Christian nation.

Jonah Dom Port Moresby

Effect Vagrancy Act for the better

IN LIGHT of the debate on the Vagrancy Act amidst some of the social problems created by the influx of people into major urban centres, the excuse of constitutional right and freedom of movement should be reviewed.

In cities like Port Moresby and Lae, some of these issues at hand include illegal settlers and land grabbing, ethnic clashes including illegal buai trading that has already created problems for NCDC, the police and innocent people.

It’s about time authorities look at the root cause of these problems. One of the main causes associated with this is the uncontrolled movement of people from other prov-

10 years ago

SOME of our social problems can be avoided if the Vagrancy Act is effected.

inces into the cities.

We often like to argue that individuals are free to go wherever they wish as guaranteed by the Constitution. However, for PNG, this particular right seems to be

LEGALISE IT

abused under the guise of free will and free choice.

When you are in the streets of Port Moresby, just take a good look around you and you will see for yourself what kind of people and activities we are talking about here.

There should be some form of control to ensure order in the movement of people who flock into the urban areas.

The problems that are currently being faced can be reduced if proper control measures are in place. This warrants the effecting of the Vagrancy Act for the better.

Stingray Konedobu

While many will disagree with my opinion, I see the legalising of prostitution as another normal income earning industry for those unfortunates ones who are unable to find formal employment or have nowhere to go. Like all other normal industries which have their own rules and regulations to safeguard their operations, prostitution, if legalised, will also have its own set of rules and regulations as well as proper venues to practice it. People willing to venture into that industry will also need to meet certain criteria and standards before they are being allowed into practicing it, same as any other industry. But if we say prostitution is illegal and will harm our Christian values as a Christian nation then why are we allowing underage smoking, underage drinking, underage marriages and then to big issues like white collar crimes, where bureaucrats swindle millions without being punished while people are being senselessly killed everywhere everyday. All these are just as illegal as prostitution. So what’s the difference here between prostitution and all these mentioned illegal activities which are being practised everyday right under our noses? It has already been said in the Bible and I will stand by that, unless any of those who oppose this idea have not sinned and are speaking against it then I would agree to have it banned. Otherwise, there are people on the street who rely on it as their only means of income.

Wanbel Niape

EYES ON KUMARASIRI

IPBC managing director Wasantha Kumarasiri must come good with his public commitment in the media. He was authorised by the IPBC board to assist police with information needed to arrest the individuals involved in the transfer of K100 million of MVIL money to Australia under fraudulent

investment scheme. PNG is watching if Kumarasiri will follow up with his words. Former MVIL chairman Bonny Igime and his board members have successfully brought back K52 million. The balance of the money is considered stolen. All the evidence of the illegal transfer of money is here at MVIL as well as at IPBC. The people involved in the transfer of money are currently residing in Port Moresby, except for one who died some months ago. The main culprit is now a consultant at the office of the Minister for Education at Fincorp House at Waigani. The second culprit is running a housing scheme in the city. Ironically the third culprit is currently renting a room in the MVIL building at Kunai St and has been operating a business there for some years. I urge the police, IPBC and MVIL to promptly arrest and prosecute these people for their crimes against the people of this country.

MVIL Insider

ROAD BLOCK ISSUES

Road blocks are becoming a real problem. I thought it was made law not so long ago that anyone found to obstruct the travelling public on a public road is liable for a K50,000 fine or five years imprisonment. What’s happened to this law? We see photos of the perpetrators on the newspapers, yet nothing is done to curb these criminal activities. Who is supposed to police this? The police, NRA or the public? It should be the police. The police should start charging people who put up road blocks. Kaikai blong tingting Santos

PROBE NHC

Why is the National Housing Corporation putting up other people’s property for sale? Yupla sa sem tu? I urge the OC to investigate the NHC management. Faul olgeta

Morata 4 women established a “safe house” where women in the community who are victims of violence seek refuge. Feb 9, 2005

Papua New Guineans to study at health and New Guineans to at health and education institutions across PNG, helping education institutions across PNG, helping to meet the country’s essential services’ to meet the essential services’ workforce gaps. workforce gaps.

Clan slams Kouza’s boycott plan

BY FRANCO NEBAS

THE Nabak clan, part of the Kawa tribe of Lae, has opposed an illegitimate move made by Lae MP Loujaya Kouza’s call to boycott the Morobe provincial assembly session.

Chairman of Bosolum and Sankwep Kawa clan Pongi Karok told the Post-Courier that the move by Ms Kouza was childish and insanity of a political leadership tussle in Lae.

Mr Karok slammed the comments made by Kouza that the people opposing the City Authority were not true landowners of Lae.

He said Ms Kouza had called for the Kawac speaking people to stand up and support her, which she said make up the six clans of Butibam and Kamkumung villages.

“I must warn MP Kouza not to ask the Kawa speaking people to stand up and support her and the Ahis,”Mr Karok said.

“The Kawa speakers are indigenous Nabak Kawa tribe native speakers.”

Mr Karok said the Nabak Kawa native speakers do not relate to the people of Butibam, Kamkumung and the Labuta.

“These villages inherited from the Ahi origin,” he said.

Mr Karok said the Kawa people of the Nabak local level government are behind the Morobe Provincial Government and the provincial executive council to discuss imminent issues relating to the setting of the proposed Lae City Authority.

“We want Morobe Governor Kelly Naru to appoint the representatives from the five LLG s and the landowners representing each LLG to represent the people of Nabak, Labuta, Wain/Erap, Huon and Ahi LLG to partake in the Lae City Authority Board,” said Mr Karok.

He said the provincial government must draw a workable framework and restructure the existing mechanism for service delivery in line with the provincial government plan for development of Lae city.

EVEN IN THE RAIN

TWO friends having a converstation in the rain in Port Moresby. The weather service has warned that the rains will continue for some more months in the nation’s capital.

Highway areas tense following ethnic clash

TENSION is high along the LaeNadzab section of the Highlands Highway following an ethnic clash yesterday which has landed one man in hospital and nine houses destroyed by fire.

A man from Simbai, Madang Province, as wounded while the houses belonged to Southern Highlands settlers were razed to the ground.

The Nine Mile market was closed indefinitely in fear of more fights.

Local councillor Philip Taminza said more houses belonging to Southern Highlanders were likely to be torched and had requested more police presence.

“The community leaders are trying our best to quell the situation by stopping the torching of houses and looting but were overpowered,” he said. He said Southern Highlan-ders residing at Nine Mile had deserted their homes and opportunists had moved in to loot and destroy properties.

Several suspects who instigated the fight had been apprehended by police for questioning.

Mr Taminza said the fight started after a drunken youth took second-hand clothes from a Southern Highlands vendor without paying for them.

Southern Highlanders attacked an innocent Simbai man who was selling mustard at the market, wounding him and resulting in Simbais, other settlers and opportunists retaliating, causing general pandemonium and forcing traffic between Nadzab and Lae to a standstill for about an hour yesterday morning.

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Congregations cause rift in village Kiunga invests in development

BY MIRIAM ZARRIGA

ISSUES have risen on the legality of four congregations of the United Church in Porebada outside of Port Moresby.

Chairman of the Emmanuel Porebada United Church, Gau Vaigi, said the establishment of Aru-utu, Dogu one and two and Poini congregations had caused a rift in the village.

The rift was a cause of embarrassment when the west central Papua region (WCPR) was invited to the village for the celebration of the 10th anniversary of the region.

“The four congregations cohosted the event where Moderator of the United Church Reverend Bernard Siai and Bishop Hitolo Kerry Arua were invited. But upon their arrival, they were disregarded and were not properly welcomed into the village,” Vagi claimed.

“It is a mockery to the village as we are known to be

a welcoming village to any visitor,” Vagi said. The rift has long been a concern for the church going residents of Porebada, dating back to 2010 when the congregations were established.

“We had asked for four pastors’ to assist with a backlog of pastoral duties at the Emmanuel Porebada church, instead we were told that four congregations were formed and the issue has not been resolved even though we have asked the Moderator Siai to sit with us,” Vagi said.

“After the events, Bishop Arua returned and decommissioned two pastor’s house which does not sit well with us.

“The decommissioning of the houses was an ill advised and ill informed move that has only added to the issues of the four congregations and has now seen a drop in church attendance.

“We call on the Moderator to sit with us and resolve this issue once and for all.”

PLACE TO BE AT WEEKENDS

A definite highlight in this place is the animal attractions.

THE Kiunga urban local level government in North Fly district continues to invest in the development to take place within its boundary.

This time, Kiunga town mayor Whaan presented K100,000 to different development partners.

Of this amount, K40,000 was given to Kiunga police to renovate the police station, whose work is currently underway.

A sum of K30,000 was given to Catholic Health Services for the purchase of scanning machine from Canada which, upon arrival, will be used in the Catholic mission urban clinic in Kiunga.

The other K30,000 was given to Kiunga rural hospital for the building of a new public toilet.

Mr Whaan said the money was drawn from the LLG funds to help boost health and police services in Kiunga.

He said his first priority was to improve health, education and eradicate law and order problem in Kiunga.

Church launches TB program

THE Catholic Health Services continues to provide basic health services to the people of Kiunga Daru Diocese.

This time the Kiunga Catholic mission urban clinic and community health workers with Bishop Giles Cote of Kiunga Daru Diocese, North Fly health director John Larry, Catholic Health Service secretary Sister Anna Sangimawa and acting health secretary of the Evangelical Churches of PNG Max Ako launched a health program to fight TB in Kiunga.

The program, themed “a way forward in reducing TB in Western Province through advocacy on behavioural change back to the basic,” brings to light many important preventive measures and educational awareness that can be harnessed to fight the deadly disease.

People from all settlements in St Gerard Parish came to listen to what the health professionals were presenting about TB.

Sr Sangimawa said the aim of the awareness was to educate, advocate and show the people basic preventive measures that can be taken to avoid contracting TB and the way forward to getting treatment in hospital and clinic, if infected.

Sr Anna said multiple drug-resistant TB was their target within these two weeks to make it known to the people that Kiunga had no place for

At a glance

TB REPORT: As of December 2014, Western Province reported 153 drugresistant TB cases which were on second line treatment.

DRUG-RESISTANT: Drug won’t have any effect when taken.

this type of TB.

“Let’s take the basic steps to fight TB simply by taking preventive measures and quit the atitude of being ignorant,” Sr Anna said.

She said the treatment for TB in hospitals and clinics were already paid for by the government and it was up to them to come for treatment, if they were infected with TB.

However, Sr Anna stressed that it was the responsibility of everyone to make healthy lifestyle their business and always take precautionary measures to avoid contracting any deadly disesse, including TB.

Mr Larry says TB was a big problem in Western Province, which ranked third nationally for most cases reported.

It cost K8,400 to treat a drug-resistant TB patient and this goes up to K38,000 a patient for extensive drug-resistant TB. PNG reports 15,000 cases of TB annually.

LOCAL residents of Port Moresby say the Nature Park is such a great place to be at when one decides to escape from the city, either with friends or kids.

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District sees development

WAPENAMANDA district in Enga Province is prospering under the leadership of Foreign Affairs and Immigration Minister and local MP Rimbink Pato.

This was revealed by Itokon Shadrach Buison, who is working in North Fly district as district AIDS coordinator.

Mr Buison said on his recent visit to Wapamenda he has seen a lot of change in infrastructure, health, education and other sectors of development.

He said many projects are currently going whereas in the past we haven’t seen any development as what is happening now.

CLOTHING TIME

THESE youngsters, of Enga and East Sepik parentage, namely Jubi, Nick, Phrasie and Kepa were visiting a secondhand clothes shop in Mt Hagen when the Post-Courier caught up with them. They said they will be busy with studies throughout the school year and this was one of the few opportunities they had to visit the second hand shop. Picture: SIBA MESA

Leader backs change in power distribution

BY ANDERSON KOPONO

A COMMUNITY leader and the president of a disability association in Western Highlands John Kup has thrown his support behind calls for provinces to run their own electricity supplies.

“There are discrepancies in the institution (PNG Power) and also no quality services and the state of emergency would not have occurred if the electricity industry is owned by people in their respective provinces because when workers and the people take ownership then there would be honesty and proper service delivery,” said community leader Willie Noki

His call follows the current state of emergency being imposed by the national government to collect debts public owed to PNG Power. He supported calls a PNG Power union represenatitive, William Wandaki, who called for PNG Power operations in all provinces

to be owned by the respective provincial governments.

Mr Wandaki had said that employees and ex-employees of PNG Power in Western Highlands have given their undertaking that they would take ownership of the industry if that happened.

Their call came after aIndependent Consumer and Competition Commission public notice published on October 11, 2013, seeking interested electricity undertakers to apply for power generation, transmission, distribution, and retailing licences.

Mr Noki supported the proposed idea by Mr Wandaki who had called for the provincial government and the nine local level governments to offer counterpart funding and the management and skilled staff offer expertise, experience and professionalism for a commercial loan to purchase the current operating assets for PNG Power in the areas of the distribution and retailing.

Fish farming spreads

BY MEROLYN TEN

FISH farming has become an attractive income generator in Nipa district, Southern Highlands Province, where seven villages are seriously venturing into the industry.

Moses Weso, a farmer and founder to the Hinjip mini fish farming project, said inland fishery came to Minj in 2013 when villagers got together and dug more than 300 large fish ponds.

He said Hinjip mini fish farm has provided jobs for villagers and was

popular among youths.

Their fish are sold to supermarkets, small stores and at local markets. The price ranges from K5 to K20 depending on size.

“We have seen greater changes in our communities because of the project and would like to extend the farm from fish to other livestock as well,” he said.

Mr Weso said the industry still needed more extension work by the National Fisheries Authority and the Agriculture and Llivestock Department.

He added that apart from the MP District Services Improvement Funds (DSIP) Minister Pato are also fortunate to get donor funding to develop the district. He urged the pro candidate that are trying to come into 2017 and are now campaigning to stop. “If they think they are better than come

At a glance

WAPAMANDA: District in Enga Province is prospering and developing under the leadership of Foreign Affairs and Immigration Minister and local MP Rimbink Pato.

in election 2017, and stop petty politics,” Mr Buison said. “People of Wapemanda can now see the light in terms of development which the past MPs haven’t done much,” he added.

He urged every LLG presidents, councillors, and leaders to help Mr Pato and contribute what they can to develop Wapamanda and do not start campaigning for 2017 election. He stated also that the bench mark set by leaders will speak for itself “We should appreciate what he is doing now and stop petty politics wait until 2017,” Mr Buison said.

Minister commends locals

YANGORU-SAUSSIA MP and Minister for Trade, Commerce and Industry

Richard Maru has commended the people of the Handra community for taking the initiative to build six new classrooms for Handra Community School.

Mr Maru last Thursday opened the new classrooms at the school in Numbo local level government area in his electorate.

“You should be proud of yourselves,” Mr Maru said and commended the school’s administration and parents for using the funds to pursue the purpose it was given for- to build new classrooms.

The classrooms were built at the cost of K130,000.

The money was allocated for the building of these classrooms by the Yangoru-Sausia district last year.

It was drawn from its District Services Improvement Program (DSIP) funds under

At a glance

FINANCIER: Yangoru-Sausia district funds classrooms.

OTHER SERVICES: “While we are concentrating on building a new high school, we will also bring power supply from the Sassoya Catholic Mission to Sembo Primary School. The surrounding communities can also benefit from using this power supply service,” Mr Maru said

Educational Grants.

“You have constructed outstanding classrooms and I am very impressed. I will therefore give you another K100,000 from this year’s DSIP funding,” Mr Maru said, adding that the additional funding was to build one more four-in-one classroom this year.

Mr Maru encouraged the administrations of all the schools in YangoruSaussia electorate to use

such funds for the purposes they were given for by the district.

Minister Maru also urged the local people to take ownership of the government services and look after them.

Meanwhile, he announced that YangoruSaussia District Development Authority had already recommended and approved the establishment of a new Numbo High School to be built at Handra.

He said engineers and other technical people would be arriving this week to do design work and the actual construction of the scholl would begin next year.

“While we are concentrating on building a new high school, we will also bring power supply from the Sassoya Catholic Mission to Sembo Primary School. The surrounding communities can also benefit from using this power supply service,” Mr Maru said.

Mining company promotes landowner employee

MOROBE Mining’s training depart-

ment at Hidden Valley mine recently promoted a local landowner, Waekisa Kausa (pictured), to production trainer/supervisor.

After serving the Hidden Valley mine for seven years, Waekisa was given the position.

The position is attached with the operations training department as a crew trainer.

This is a significant move for the local man from Kwembu village in Wau, Morobe Province.

“When I was given my new post, I told myself that this is the new chapter of my life and I will continue to work hard to reach the next level,” Waekisa said.

Waekisa is the second in a family of four and spent most of his childhood away from home. He completed most of his education in West New Britain Province, where his father worked.

“In 2007, I joined Morobe Mining as a heavy equipment operator trainee.

This is my first big break with the company after seven years,” he said. Prior to his new role, Waekisa was operating a PC2000 excavator. He has operated dozers, Komatsu 785 haul trucks, wheel loaders and even the water truck. The knowledge and skill he has acquired will complement his new role as trainer supervisor.

“I believe that all things are possible through God. I’m grateful for the opportunity to further develop my skills and look forward to contributing positively to the department and the business,” he said.

Waekisa is employed under the Tier 1 Category; he is one of many locals from the three landowner villages. Currently Morobe Mining employs over 180 Tier 1 employees at Hidden Valley mine.

East Sepik schools use new system

BY MELISHA YAFOI

ELEMENTARY schools in East Sepik

Province wasted no time in teaching the standard-base education curriculum after the training of trainers workshop held in January.

East Sepik elementary school adviser Philip Inabari proudly disclosed this yesterday.

Mr Inabari said the new curriculum was the best way to catch students’ attention and sharpen their minds to learn many new things in a small space of time.

He said with the introduction of this new curriculum, the students in East Sepik were enjoying the new learning materials.

He pointed out that lessons compacted in micro SD cards that were presented to the students were an effective way for the children to learn proper English in school.

“Enga and East Sepik were the first provinces where the trial of the new curriculum is conducted, starting from September last year,” he said. He said the Education Department would then decide whether or not to run the program nationwide.

“As for East Sepik, the workshop was conducted early this year and was attened by 50 teachers each from Wewak, Maprik and Wosera-Gawi districts and they are now implementing this new curriculum in their respective schools,” Mr Inabari said.

YANGORU-SAUSSIA MP and Minister for Trade, Commerce and Industry Richard Maru opening a classroom door to the new four- in-one building at Handra Primary School.

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College faces nepotism claims

THE Gaulim Teachers College in East New Britain is facing allegations of discrimination against New Guinea Islands students. East New Britain, New Ireland, Bougainville, West New Britain and other students numbering more than a hundred were affected from a list approved and signed by United Church regional Bishop Reverend Nathaniel Pairuia.

Two affected grade 12 school leavers, a male and a female, said about 14 students out of the confirmed list of more than 30 and more than 100 in a reserved list were registered.

The group had all their names submitted on February 24 to the principal who advised that the group return on February 26 to register.

Over the next two days all the spaces were filled and

Sewerage project gets K7.5m backing

THE Kokopo/Tokua sewerage project management which has been approved by the East New Britain Provincial Executive Council and the national Government will receive a total of K7.5 million under the K58 million Kokopo tourism infrastructure funding.

This is one of the ten projects that will be implemented under the K58 million funding over a three-year period. A total of K20 million has been given to the ENB Provincial Government.

ENB Deputy Provincial Administrator Policy Planning and Evaluation Edward Lamur said the K7.5 million funding will be mainly for the project manager. Mr Lamur said it was major project for ENB and that scope design works should begin this month.

As for the other projects, K5 million under the 2014 funding has

been allocated for the Kokopo/ Tokua Land Mobilization project and an additional K15 million will be will be released under the 2015 and 2016 funding for this project.

The Kokopo/Tokua Water Supply Extension/Reticulation and Monitoring of Standards, ENB Tourism Master Plan, Kokopo Town Solar Power Street Lighting and Tokua/Kokopo/Vulcan/ Rabaul Road Upgrade are also some of the projects that will be implemented under the Kokopo Tourism Infrastructure Funding. These four projects will be allocated K11.48 million under the 2014 and 2015 funding.

Mr Lamur said they have completed the terms of reference for the tourism master plan project and that the plan will entail tourism products in all districts of the province.

Nursing college to save costs

BY DAPHNIE KAUKIA

ESTABLISHING a new nursing college in West New Britain Province will now save people the cost and trouble of travelling far to obtain such services.

Acting chief executive officer for West New Britain Provincial Health Authority (WNBPHA) Dr Joseph Nale said travelling outside the province in search for such services always comes with risks.

Dr Nale said some of these risks were loss of lives, travelling costs and other safety risks. One example he gave for loss of lives in such quest was the tragic incident of the sinking of Rabaul Queen in 2012. He said in order to avoid such

troubles such services should be brought closer to the people. He added that with the new Nursing College, West New Britain people could avoid such risks.

In addition to that, Minister for Health and HIV/Aids, Michael Malabag who was in the province recently said during the ground breaking ceremony for the WNBPHA Nursing College that he will make sure constructions of buildings commence next month.

Minister Malabag said West New Britain Province should have this service as early as possible as it will give the same contribution to the development of this country as all other provinces in Papua New Guinea.

when they returned, they were told that registration was closed.

The affected students also claimed that many Southern region students were registering before their eyes three weeks into registrations. There were also allegations of priority being given to children of church workers.

Even after last Thursday, a senior staff member confirmed that six students from the Southern region were registered on Saturday and began classes on Monday this week.

The affected students confirmed they were staying with villagers and trying to sort themselves out.

“We sleep each night with different families willing to accommodate us,” one said.

The three did not want to be identified in fear of further discrimination against

them by the institution.

The school leavers also claimed that they had witnessed boarding passes being used to register students from the Southern region during one registration day and that grades 8 and 10 school leavers were being accepted.

The affected students had sought the United Church regional secretariat education office to help them.

Gaulim Teachers College principal Siegeru Woda said preference to Southern region students was based on their political leader’s commitment to sponsor each student with K6000 per year to study under the three year diploma program. He could not confirm the students’ claims that grade 8s and 10s were being given preferrence over Gr 12 leavers.

WEST New Britain Governor Sasindran Muthuvel has assured the PNG Games Council and the Sports Foundation that the province will deliver the 2016 PNG Games. He gave the assurance during the PNG Games Council meeting held in Kimbe over the weekend. Mr Muthuvel and HOC members are pictured here signing the PNG Games contract with chief executive officer of the Sports Foundation Peter Tsiamalili Jr.

WEST NEW BRITAIN TO DELIVER

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More tourists head to Bougainville islands

BY SEBASTIAN HAKALITS

TOURIST ship MV Oceanic Discoverer will be sailing into Queen Caroola Bay in Bougainville from the Solomon Islands this Saturday and will be anchoring off the sandy Malilu Island on the west coast of Buka.

Once customs and quarantine officers clear the ship the 55 plus tourists from all over the world and the expedition staff will go ashore on their inflatable zodiacs to Paroran island and visit the islanders and the old jetty that has been rebuilt.

The state-of-the-art luxury ship was launched in 2005 and purposely built for cruising in the tropical regions in the South Pacific and Australia and can accommodate 72 guests in 36 spacious bedrooms. It has a cruising speed of 14 knots. Acting director of tourism

THE MV Oceanic Discoverer, which will sail into Bougainville on Saturday

Lawrence Belleh said cultural activities and artefacts have been prepared by the locals to showcase to the visitors while on the brief stopover before sailing on to Rabaul.

“This will be a great moment as locals will economically benefit and it is seen as a way forward for more of this kind of visits in the future and groups or individuals

must focus on building and developing tourism sites that can be an attraction for more tourists to come and visit our beautiful smiling people and region,” said Mr Belleh.

Former president rules out 2015 race

BY ROMULUS MASIU FOMER Autonomous

Bougainville Government president James Tanis has decided not to run for the coming ABG presidential elections in June.

Mr Tanis fronted up at the Post-Courier Arawa office to publicly announce to his supporters and followers that he will not be contesting the elections due to a number of reasons.

However, he promised that he will contest in either the 2017 National Elections or 2020 ABG Presidential Elections.

Mr Tanis, who won the 2010 by-elections after the passing away of president Joseph Kabui, said according to the Bougainville Constitution he has already used up one of his two terms as an MP. It is stipulated in the Bougainville Constitution that a president is only allowed in the office for two terms.

“If I run for this election, I will not be able to run again in 2020,” he said.

“Therefore I am preserving my one more term for contesting the elections in 2020 as I really wanted to work in the post referendum period.

“Either way Bougainville will be still be split in the vote for referendum.

“There is no need for me to run against President Momis as he has his last term this election.

“He will not run again after this election according to the Bougainville Constitution,”

Mr Tanis said of President Momis’ potential second term in office.

Mr Tanis also did not rule out running for the National General Elections in 2017 contesting the South Bougainville seat. He said if he does that it would be to defend

Bougainville’s position in the national Government as there will still be a split comes the vote for referendum.

Meanwhile, Mr Tanis urged Bougainvilleans to choose their leaders carefully this election, adding that everyone must be matured.

He called on all Bougainvilleans, including ex-combatants and educated people, to produce good candidates in their respective constituencies. “Those candidates challenging President Momis must be matured, meaning when they lose there must be peace and harmony,” Mr Tanis said.

Momis clarifies ‘misquote’ on website

A STATEMENT in the blogs site Papua New Guinea Mine Watch has come under fire for misquoting Autonomous Bougainville Government President John Momis.

The scathing report gives a tainted view of the president’s outlook on the sensitive Panguna mine issue.

The report implyed that the president was hellbent on reopening the mine by force and also expressing his dissatisfaction of the Panguna Landowners Association.

The actual speech given by President Momis during the

From the Presidents desk

Let’s examine ourselves at this juncture

AT this juncture in Bougainville’s journey to freedom we as Bougainvilleans must exercise selfreflection on current situation and examine our strengths and weaknesses.

This self-reflection enables us to secure our ultimate political future so we need to exercise a certain measure of self-reflection in the situation which we find ourselves in.

We have to look at our strengths as well as our weaknesses and have and appreciation of the inherent potentiality that we have as a people.

We know for a fact for example that the people of Bougainville for a long time have always seen themselves as a people set apart from the rest of PNG.

It was a colonial accident that placed the p00eople with PNG and the people going back as far as 1946 expressed to the colonial government at the time that they wanted to be different.

Consistently over a period of time the people have always demanded to have a referendum to determine whether Bougainville was to remain a part of PNG, join with the Solomon Islands or become an entirely Independent nation on its own.

This is because the people saw themselves as not being a part of PNG. This inspired the nationalist movements on Bougainville such as the Napidakoe Navitu in Central Bougainville and the movement led by the late John Teosin in North Bougainville and numerous others that rejected the imposition of the colonial regime. This should the resilience of the people of Bougainville to reject the imposition of colonial rule on their land.

The least that they wanted was to be listened to and to be consulted on processes that determined their livelihood and this was the same case with Bougainville Copper when the Australian Colonial Government imposed their will and extracted the mineral in the land without consulting the people.

The people reject the move by the colonial government even though the Australians resolved that this was in the best economic interest of our people. So when you look at the history of Bougainvilleans, Bougainvilleans definitely had a history, we have a history of rejecting outside imposition, a history of being proud of our heritage and a history of self-determination.

This is in line with the fact that Man is by nature a self-determining animal, man being a rational is endowed with the intellect and the will that enables him to asses, analyze and make informed decisions his future.

So self-determination is not a dirty word for the people of Bougainville, self-determination is peoples claim that they must be the major stakeholders in deciding their fate and to be engaged in socio-economic, political and spiritual liberation.

first mass by newly ordained priest Fr Ambrose Kakatai at the Tabago parish in Buin on February 15 contradicts the report at so many levels.

Mr Momis’ speech was simply about the responsibility that Bougainvilleans must now undertake to prepare themselves for the coming referendum and their responsibility to honor the Bougainville Peace Agreement.

Parts of the president’s speech were made in the Telei (Buin) dialect as the majority of the people at the event were from the Buin district. The

part of the President’s speech that was misconstrued may have been when he explained the ABG’s continued consultative approach to resolving the Panguna issue.

“The ABG continues to consult our people on the Panguna mine’s reopening, because of the respect for our people the mine will not be reopened by force,” Mr Momis’ stated in the Telei dialect.

This quote is the only one in which President Momis mentioned anything about the use of force to reopen the mine.

The other allegation raised in

the report on President Momis’ speech was his “criticism” of the Panguana Landowners Association which again contradicts the actual speech.

Mr Momis said on the same speech that the ABG was working closely with important stakeholders such as the Panguna Landowners to resolve the issue and that the government had already created a channel of communication with the Mekamui Traibal Government of Unity who at first were suspicious of the ABG’s interest in the Panguna Mine.

Bougainville has a definitive history and that history now determines how we should proceed from here onwards, because of that history we believe that we have a future that will be determined by the same principle that drove our forefathers to stand up against foreign exploitation and manipulation and all forms of injustices.

We have now reached a critical juncture on our journey to freedom where we stand at the threshold of a new socio-economic, political and spiritual order. This new future means we will want to be liberated from structural impediments, from institutional impediments and become agents of change and development and also become the subjects and objects of these changes.

That is why the people of Bougainville want to drive development and at the same time want to be on the receiving end of development.

Petromin to determine future of Tolukuma mine

BY GLORIA BAUAI

TOLUKUMA gold mine’s (TGM) future will be discussed by the board of Petromin this Friday, managing director of Petromin PNG Holdings Limited (Petromin) Thomas Abe said.

Mr Abe said this following reports on social media stating that Petromin was in the process of closing the mine over the weekend. Information on social media (Facebook) stated that this announcement was made known to staff by the management and all critical services at the mine have been placed under care maintenance since.

“Petromin has been funding Tolukuma for sometime now and its future will be discussed by the

At a glance

PETROMIN: Petromin PNG Holdings Limited is an independent company created by the State of Papua New Guinea to hold the State’s assets and to maximise indigenious ownership and revenue gains in the mineral and petroleum sectors.

TOLUKUMA GOLD MINE: Is located 100km north of Port Moresby, on the Owen Stanley Range. It comprises of a small open pit, but largely undergrounds mine, containing high grade, narrow epithermal veins. It has been operating since 1995 with a history of successful reserve extensions.

board of Petromin on Friday,” Mr Abe told the Post-Courier George Gusi, chairman of the Yulai Landowner Association (YLA) from the mine impacted area said he was not aware of any plans to close Tolukuma.

Mr Gusi explained that in the case where the mine is to be close,

for the satisfaction of all parties; the government, stakeholders and relevant landowners are to meet and be formally informed of the closure where necessary arrangements will be made.

“There is something called the mine closure plan and we never had this,” he said.

Market Snapshot

But sources from the mine have confirmed that there has been talk by management at Tolukuma on the closing of the gold mine. The sources also claim there has been no work for almost a month now and are awaiting final words from the board meeting to be held this Friday.

In a related case, YLA chairman George Gusi said their petition to Petromin PNG presented last month has not been addressed yet.

According to Gusi, among points mentioned in the petition, YLA had asked Petromin to sell the mine if they were not capable of handling Tolukuma.

He said this petition still stands and is calling on Petromin to address it.

PNG not impacted by investment from resource sector

BY PATRICK T. WUNDAI

THERE seems to be literally nothing to show on the ground from huge commercial investments in the country, despite reports of billions of kina being invested from the entire resources sector, a resource advocate said.

Reacting to Oil Search Limited’s reports on investing more than K25 billion in the last 10 years as reported in various media and financial results, President of Mama-Papa Graun Association Simon Ekanda said, “there is literally nothing, especially on the socioeconomic lives on the communities impacted by the operations of various commercial activities.”

“Let me tell you some classic examples of this. Oil Search operates a gas plant at Hides that has been supplying electricity to Poregera gold mine for over 25 years. Very interestingly the communities living at Kulu villages; few metres away from the plant site has no electricity connected to their homes,” the PNG LNG Project challenger

The bottom line

in various court proceedings told Post-Courier yesterday.

“If large corporate entities tell us that they have pumped billions of kina into the economy of this country, where is the evidence? Such investments by large corporate giant could be true but it’s not reflected

on the ground.

“The impacts of such billion kina investments are not being felt by the communities around the country let alone the various tax credit schemes where only a few benefit from in the name of resource development. How many of these

investments are being felt by communities where major foreign corporations operate? And how much of the country’s natural resource extracted is yet to be measured,” the collective indigenous ownership advocate said.

Mr Ekanda stressed that the country is host to many world class resource developments like PNG LNG Project, Ok Tedi Mine, Lihir Gold Mine, Porgera Gold Mine, Misima Gold Mine, Bougainville Copper Mine, and those under development stages, but the returns that all these resources extracted cannot be measured by the impacts felt and seen on the ground by communities and general Papua New Guineans at large.

The outspoken Tuguba chairman from Hides LNG project area also called on the Government to account for and do a resource audit and revenue audits on all resource projects for the last 40 years and so forth, to ensure transparency as well as to correlate that figures released by various corporations is real.

Sony researchers have developed a refrigerator that only opens when you smile.

$A higher as RBA holds fire

SYDNEY: The Australian dollar surged after the Reserve Bank surprised the market by not cutting the cash rate for a second straight month. At 1700 AEDT on Tuesday, the local unit was trading at 78.35 US cents, up from 77.76 cents on Monday. RBA governor Glenn Stevens said it was appropriate to hold the rate unchanged after cutting it to 2.25 per cent in February, but indicated another cut was being considered.

THE GAS plant owned and operated by OIL Search at Kulu village, Hides PDL1.

DataCo to run cable project

PNG DATACO Limited is moving to connect Papua New Guinea to the world through its Melanesia cable project due to kick start this month.

ROAD WORK AHEAD

Pacific business registries workshop underway

SENIOR government offi-

cials from ten Pacific island nations have gathered with development partners and experts in private sector development for the 4th Pacific Business Registries Workshop.

The two-day event co-hosted by Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the New Zealand Companies Office (NZCO) was held yesterday at the Asian Development Bank (ADB)’s office in Sydney, where all parties met to share their knowledge and report on progress made in the region’s expanding business registration sector.

Regional director of ADB’s

Pacific Liaison and Coordination Office in Sydney, Andrea Iffland revealed during the workshop yesterday that Pacific is leading the world in the adoption of state-of-theart business registries.

“Our partnership with the New Zealand Companies Office continues to result in favourable outcomes for the Pacific, and this fourth biennial workshop allows Pacific island governments to take stock of the advances that are being made,” he said.

This year’s workshop will again be moderated by advisors from the Pacific Private Sector Development Initiative (PSDI), a company that has

been helping Pacific island governments improve their business climates through company law reforms and online business registries, in partnership with NZCO, a recognised world leader in the use of information technology to enable online registries.

NZCO’s deputy registrar of Companies, Michael Brosnahan, said he was delighted that the ADB partnership was demonstrating benefits for the region. “Small Island states that have embraced online registries are seeing a great transformation in the way business is being done in the region,” said Brosnahan.

Participants were exposed to first-hand updates from individual countries, complemented by technical presentations covering the latest international trends in electronic payments systems, egovernment, and implementation options, and PSDI will address the economic benefits of registry reform and the role of registries in private sector development.

PSDI works with ADB’s 14 Pacific developing member countries to improve the enabling environment for business and to support inclusive, private sector-led economic growth.

Chairman Mr Reuben Kautu announced this today following his return from the Solomon Islands where a Joint Communique was signed between the Governments of Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands.

“PNG DataCo has already signed a business partnership with Inter Change of Vanuatu on this project and my Board will approve investment into this viable project which will get IPBC approval before we begin this major communications infrastructure project linking Vanuatu to PNG, and a cable into the Solomon Islands.

“We are hopeful all will go according to plan and we launch the beginning of the undersea cable this month and work towards the launch of this service in June next year which will then be ready for the all-important APEC meeting in 2018 and other international meets and activities in the country.”

Mr Kautu said PNG DataCo have begun initial discussions with the Solomon Oceanic Cable Company (SOCC) on the

link into the Solomon Islands. “PNG DataCo Limited is happy to inform the people of Papua New Guinea that our calculations show that once we complete this project we will bring down significantly the costs of Internet and Data transmission and enable super speed data connectivity from the world into PNG and from PNG out.”

He said PNG DataCo is happy with the outcome of discussions between the Government of Solomon Islands and PNG, adding PNG DataCo is committed to assisting SOCC also connect in the domestic market in the Solomon Islands.

Meanwhile Mr Kautu said DataCo Limited is working with PNG Power and Post PNG Limited on the domestic Fibre optics connection.

“We are connecting Fibre Optics from Madang through the Highlands region and will loop down to the Southern region through the LNG network and back into Port Moresby. We will connect all of PNG in due time and retailers such as Bmobile, Digicel, Telekom PNG and other telecommunications retailers will greatly benefit and thus bring down costs to the customers.”

Fiji, PNG govt’s to implement priorities

FIJI and Papua New Guinea have set priorities for urgent implementation.

This follows last week’s first ever high level meeting between the two countries in Suva.

Senior officials from Fiji and Papua New Guinea reached agreements on reciprocal arrangements agreed between the Prime Ministers of both countries.

For PNG, high on its list of priorities are the Investment,

Promotion and Protection Agreement and a Defence Cooperation Agreement with Fiji.

“We will follow it up. We have other line Ministries in the implementation process so we’ll take it up in PNG with appropriate authorities so they can work closely with their counterparts in Fiji,” said Ambassador Alexis Maino, Head of PNG Delegation. For Fiji, the payment of the balance of the K50 million

(US$18 million) support towards Parliamentary democracy in Fiji is top on its list.

“The submission on the report of the elections and acquittal of the funds were provided after which they will consider disbursement of the second tranche,” said Esala Nayasi, Fiji’s Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs.

The provision of land for a Chancery in PNG is also paramount.

“For Fiji we have vacated a piece of land and work is ongoing in preparing the land so that the Papua New Guinean government can build their chancery. We are also looking forward to an allocated piece of land in PNG to build a Chancery as well,” said Nayasi. Senior officials also endorsed other commitments including labour mobility under the MSG Skills Movement Scheme. -

CONSTRUCTION works currently underway for a four lane road from Lae City to Nadzab airport in Morobe Province.

SENIOR Government officials from Fiji and PNG at the meeting in Suva, Fiji.

Sime unit ends NBPOL purchase

SIME Darby Plantation Sdn

Bhd (SDP), a subsidiary of Sime Darby Bhd, has completed the acquisition of New Britain Palm Oil Ltd (NBPOL) and appointed five representatives to the board of NBPOL.

The purchase of NBPOL added 135,000 ha of land in PNG, bringing SDP’s total land bank to almost one million ha in five countries.

“This is a historic day for Sime. NBPOL was founded by Harrisons & Crosfield, the company that was part of a merger exercise that created the Sime of today, the world’s biggest producer of certified sustainable palm oil. It is a family reunion of sorts,” Sime president and group chief executive Tan Sri Mohd Bakke Salleh said in a statement.

SDP had appointed Datuk Henry Sackville Barlow, Datuk Rashidi Che Omar, Rosely Kusip, Mohd

Bakke and Datuk Franki Anthony Dass to the board of NBPOL. Barlow is set to be appointed chairman of the board.

They replaced outgoing directors Antonio Monteiro de Castro, Datuk Kamaruzzaman Abu Kassim and Ahamad Mohamad.

SDP will focus on integrating operations of both companies over the next few months.

NBPOL provides a strategic fit to SDP with its track record in sustainability as all of its production are certified sustainable.

SDP is a founder member of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil and together with NBPOL’s capacity; it can produce almost 26% of the global CSPO (certified sustainable palm oil) output.

“As a well-managed company with an experienced management team, NBPOL will immediately contribute to the bottom-line of SDP. We have been working on identifying the synergies and our immediate priority will be to unlock value from these synergies,” SDP managing director Anthony Dass said.

Apart from the expansion of its upstream business in Papua New Guinea, NBPOL provides the opportunity for SDP to grow its downstream operations in Europe.

NBPOL’s Liverpool refinery will complement SDP’s refinery in the Netherlands.

Westpac donates dictionaries to school

MEMBERS of the Westpac Retail Banking and Marketing team paid the Salvation Army School in Boroko a surprise visit last Friday; delivering eight boxes of dictionaries to students at the institution.

Westpac’s Everywhere Banking

Team Leader Raphael Waiyalaka and Marketing manager, Alisa Raka, visited students attending their weekly assembly and pre-

sented them with eight gift boxes containing 400 dictionaries.

According to Geoff Toone, general manager, Westpac PNG, ‘empowering through education’ is at the heart of Westpac’s sustainability strategy.

“We believe in the merit of education and are thrilled to help ensure the students at the Salvation Army school have a full stock of dictionaries to ensure they have

the best start on their learning journey,” said Mr Toone.

Mr Waiyalaka also took the opportunity to provide some background on the merit of saving to the school’s students, advising that if each student saved K2 every day from their lunch money, they would end up with K500 at the end of the year.

EVERYWHERE Banking Team Leader, Raphael Waiyalaka with Salvation Army students and their dictionaries. Picture courtesy of Westpac

This is a historic day for Sime ...

TAN SRI MOHD BAKKE Sime President

Perfect vehicle to do business

THE Hyundai HD series bring a new dynamism and capability to the light and medium duty trucks. Tough but stylish, comfortable and dependable, the HD series offer the perfect vehicle for the demand of the trucking business.

The extra spacious Super Cab300 mm of extra carrying space adds a new dimension of flexibility to this class. Whether for stowage, or as rest area, it adds extra operating potential, especially for long distance operations.

Tilting CabServicing and regular checks are easier than ever thanks to the 50-degree tilting cab which provides quick and easy access to the engine compartment.

Semi-Floating-Type Cab Suspension

The cab rides on two oil cushioned rubber mounts. This design innovation is one of the keys to the soft, gentle ride.

Designed to Maximize

Capability and Convenience

The Hyundai HD series offer one of the safest and most ergonomic cabs available. It is not just comfortable, it works with the driver. For example, the curved instrument and switch panel layout means less reaching and more instinctive control. Minor controls, cab access, door and grab handles are optimally positioned, and there are ample interior illumination and stowage space. When it comes to driver comfort and convenience Hyundai is always right out there at the forefront.

Air Control System Dial controls make setting the optimum heating and ventilation levels effortlessly simple. A powerful fan and multiple outlets mean that all round freshness is guaranteed. Air conditioning is also optionally available.

Overhead Storage

The overhead console provides deep, secure and capacious stowage for sunglasses, papers, maps etc., without impeding free movement in the cab.

Instrument PanelBacklit, clear, and easy to read instruments, in the direct sightline of the driver, make day or night driving more relaxing.

Power and Reliability

The Hyundai D4GA diesel engine delivers the powerful performance, combined with exceptional reliability and durability, which makes Hyundai trucks so appealing.

IT’S essential to ensure your vehicle is in good working condition before you go on the road to avoid engine cuts or tyre problem during bad weather.

Safe driving in wet condition

WET pavement contributes to millions of traffic accidents each year.

Here are some tips you’ll want to follow the next time you’re caught driving in the rain. Safety starts before you drive, and your goal should be to see and be seen. Replace windshield wiper inserts that leave streaks or don’t clear the glass in a single swipe. Make sure all headlights, taillights, brake lights and turn signals are properly functioning so other drivers will see you during downpours. Turn on your headlights whenever you drive.

Proper tyre tread depth and inflation are imperative to maintaining good traction on wet roadways. Check tread depth with a quarter inserted upside down into the tire groove. If you can see above Washington’s head, start shopping for new tires. Check each tire’s pressure, including the spare, at least once a month and be sure to check the pressure when the tyres are cold.

Avoid

Cruise Control

Most modern cars feature cruise control. This feature works great in dry conditions, but when used in wet conditions, the chance of losing control of the vehicle can increase. To prevent loss of traction, the driver may need to reduce the car’s speed by lifting off the accelerator, which cannot be accomplished when cruise control is engaged.

When driving in wet-weather conditions, it is important to concentrate fully on every aspect of driving. Avoiding cruise control will allow the driver more options to choose from when responding to a potential loss-of-traction situation, thus maximizing your safety.

Slow Down and Leave Room

Slowing down during wet weather driving can be critical to reducing a car’s chance of hydroplaning, when the tires rise up on a fi lm of water. With as little as 1/12 inch of water on the road, tires have to displace a gallon of water per second to keep the rubber meeting the road. Drivers should reduce their speed to correspond to the amount of water on the roadway. At speeds as low as 35 mph, new tires can still lose some contact with the roadway.

To reduce chances of hydroplaning, drivers should slow down, avoid hard braking or turning sharply and drive in the tracks of the vehicle ahead of you. Also, it’s important for motorists to allow ample stopping distance between cars by increasing the following distance of the vehicle in front of them and beginning to slow down to stop for intersections, turns and other traffic early.

Responding to a Skid

Even careful drivers can experience skids. If a driver feels their car begin to skid, it’s important to not panic.

Picture: DIANNE WAKETSI

CAR CAUGHT OUT

Sepik plains road link begins

A THIRTY-five kilometre road works development project from Tounumbu Junction to Kuaringua in the Sepik Plains area of the Sausso Local Level Government in Yangoru-Saussia, East Sepik is well underway.

Equip Plant Ltd has already started the work on the road a fortnight ago with the road clearance, grapping and the formation of the road itself. This has been made possible by support from Yangoru-Saussia MP and Minister for Trade, Commerce and Industry Richard Maru who made the funds available for the road development project from district development grants.

K4mllion was allocated by the National Government to with 5km of the road works construction being covered.

After the completion of the road development, more than 10 villages in the Sepik Plains area would fi nally benefit from this road service after having been living without this service for the past 30 years.

Other feeder roads linking to various communities throughout the Sepik Plains will be also upgraded.

The Tounumbu-Kuaringua road is likely to be a major economic boost once the multibillion kina Sepik Plains Oil Palm Project gets into full operation

Be a defensive driver to avoid accidents

LEARNING how to drive is a lot easier than it looks. It looks intimidating from the passenger’s seat, or in the movies, but once you get behind the wheel and gently put your foot on the pedal, the process becomes very intuitive. If you’re a defensive driver and learn to take things slow in the beginning, you’ll be well on your way to mastering the basics. This article assumes you’ll be driving an automatic transmission vehicle. If you’re not driving an automatic, click here to learn the basics of driving stick-shift (manual transmission), although the general process will still be the same.

Many accidents happen when vehicles unexpectedly fail while driving, putting you seriously at risk. The easiest way to prevent this is by practicing good vehicle maintenance tips every time you drive. Make sure your vehicle is fully operational? Check for any warning lights or irregular smells, inspect the tread and inflation of your tires, and be sure your mirrors and windows are clean and positioned properly. Maintaining your vehicle this way can also cut down on expensive, larger repairs later. But keeping your car in good condition isn’t just about saving you money? it could save your life.

The most important safety feature in any car is the driver. Always make sure the person getting behind the wheel is fit to operate a vehicle. Don’t drive if you are sleepy, emotional, angry or anxious, as all of these can affect your judgment and decision-making skills. Be sure you’re fully aware of your surroundings and give yourself plenty of time to get where you need to go in order to cut down on tense or stressful situations. And of course? Never, ever drive while under the influence of drugs or alcohol!

Even perfect drivers are unable to control every aspect of the open road? Especially when confronted with unexpected hazards or unpredictable or aggressive motorists.

THIS is part of the section of the road from Tounumbu to Kuaringua in Yangoru-Saussia at which road works have begun.

money matters

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Gabadi hosts rice harvest

THE National Development Bank has been a close follower of the progress of the Gabadi Hybrid Rice Project in Gabadi, Central Province and is overwhelmed by the its outcome so far.

NDB has invested almost K2.6 million to the company behind this project, Gabadi Agriculture Limited (GAL), which was used as start up capital to get the project off the ground.

On Monday GAL, in the presence of invited guests officially launched the Harvest Festival to mark the harvesting phase of the project and to show those present, the performance of the variety rice planted in Gabadi.

Three varieties of rice were brought in from the Philippines and have been tested in Gabadi after a soil analysis was done by the National Agriculture and Research Institute (NARI) granting permission to carry out the project.

These rice varieties; SL8, SL12 and SL14 from SL Agritech in the Philippines have to date proven to be conducive to PNG’s tropical conditions with the fi rst harvest expected to take place within this month upon favourable weather conditions.

Present to witness the occasion was the Philippines Ambassador to Papua New Guinea Dr. Bien Tejano who has been very supportive and instrumental throughout the course of the project, Hybrid Rice expect Dr. Frisco Malabanan, Vice Chancellor

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editorial, call 309 1184 or email

of the Pacific Adventist University, Professor Ben Thomas; Acting Secretary for Agriculture and Livestock Steven Mombi, and officials from NDB among others.

Dr. Frisco Malabanan of SL Agritech, the company responsible for the hybrid seedlings said that indeed rice can be grown and can be profitable and sustainable in PNG and this is evident by the rice plants.

Acting Secretary for Agriculture and Livestock, Steven Mombi said that the agriculture sector has three objectives and that is to 1. Increase production and the export of commodity crops in the country, 2. Increase investment opportunities and 3. Increase the number of small to medium enterprises in the country.

“By 2050, we need farmers to become millionaires and billionaires in the country and that is what we are looking at. It may be ambitious but at least we set goals and try to work towards it,” Mr. Mombi said.

He added that Parliament has endorsed a rice policy that basically talks about three morals; food development, food security and commercializing the rice industry.

“The rice industry is in its infant stages in the country and we need to go big; massive commercial production of rice and with that, the policy has been launched and we hope it will address the concerns of everybody from the people, private sector, and the government and development partners” Mr. Mombi said.

Need to nurture SWF

PAPUA New Guinea’s Parliament is likely to approve establishing the long-awaited Sovereign Wealth Fund by June, after unanimously voting for its enactment at its first reading a fortnight.

The Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF) is critical for the country’s future, says Paul Barker, Executive Director of the Institute of National Affairs, an industryfunded PNG think-tank, but says it is crucial that the standard of accountability is high.

Globally, there are about 78 SWFs, with a combined value of more than US$7 trillion in 2013.

Norway has the wealthiest fund, valued at A$931.87 billion, making every Norwegian a millionaire, in theory.

The PNG SWF will be used to house and invest government income from major projects such as the PNG LNG project, and new ones yet to come on stream, such as the Elk-Antelope LNG field and other nickel, gold and copper revenues.

Accountability

‘But for the whole thing to work it requires wide public awareness and knowledge of the SWF, with a strong sense of public ownership, to ensure that there is accountability and that it isn’t just used as a political football or subject to patronage and abuse, by any leader,’ Barker told Business Advantage PNG.

‘The funds are taken offshore and invested in a wide range of secure international invest-

ments, particularly government bonds, but also other secure, triple-A securities.’

‘An area of concern is that the guidelines for managing the Savings Fund given to the Board will be set by the Treasurer, and at this stage we don’t know what those guidelines will entail; we have yet to see, but it is important that the process is transparent and not discretionary by the Minister.

‘The board appointment process in the legislation is relatively sound, so long as it is adhered to properly, specifying the composition, and entailing an appointment committee, comprising government, but also outside parties, include the Chamber of Commerce and civil society.

Barker says he hopes Papua New Guinea’s SWF will meet the (higher grade of) internationally recommended Santiago Principles of governance and public accountability. Otherwise, he says, there would be no point in creating a SWF.

Structure

The original concept, contained in the organic Sovereign Wealth Fund bill of 2012, proposed three funds but in the 2015 legislation, a proposed Development Fund has been dropped. Instead there will be two elements, a Futures Fund and a Stabilisation Fund. Prime Minister Peter O’Neill admitted its introduction was prompted by the imminent payment of the first revenues for the LNG project on Friday, February 20, although

receipts aren’t expected to go into the fund until 2016. ‘It’s one of the most effective mechanisms being used in a lot of countries for trying to sanitise the Budget from cyclical trends and inflationary and Dutch Disease implications from major export earnings.. ‘

‘Because of that, we see some urgency in the establishment of this particular Sovereign Wealth Fund,’ he told Parliament.

‘It’s one of the most effective mechanisms being used in a lot of countries for trying to sanitise the Budget from cyclical trends and inflationary and Dutch Disease implications from major export earnings (into local currency) during times of very high commodity prices or the commencement of major new extractive industry projects,’ says Barker.

‘These projects can really substantially increase the flow of foreign currency into the domestic economy, causing a major appreciation of the local currency and undermine the competitiveness of the whole economy and particularly the non-extractive industries, which are so crucial for generating jobs and economic opportunities for the wider community.

‘With the SWF, the payments to the State are retained offshore and invested in a wide range of secure international investments, particularly government bonds, but also other secure, triple-A securities.’

www.bapng.com

NDB staff Loraine Rongap and Kelly Oge with samples of the rice grains from the first harvest.

Aust govt scraps GP fee scheme

AUSTRALIA’S government has scrapped plans for a widely criticised medical payment scheme.

The co-payment scheme would have required doctors to decide whether or not to charge patients an extra A$5 ($4.1, £2.6) for a visit.

Health Minister Susan

Ley said on Tuesday that the idea had been dropped because of a lack of support.

Critics of the policy said it shifted the burden of financing healthcare to doctors and patients.

The proposed scheme had been heavily criticised by medical professionals.

It replaced a previous and equally unpopular plan in December to charge patients a A$7 fee to see a GP.

Healthcare is provided by both private and government institutions.

The government funds its Medicare system via a 1.5% levy on everyone except low-income earners, with the balance being provided by the government from general revenue.

An additional levy of 1% is imposed on high-income earners if they do not have private health insurance.

As well as Medicare, the government funds a separate Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme that subsidises a range of prescription medications.

Under the updated version of the scheme, doctors would have seen their Medicare rebates for some patients

Expert: Bodies will surface in melting ice

AUCKLAND: More bodies of lost climbers will surface at the foot of New Zealand’s Tasman Glacier as the ice retreats and the lake expands, an alpine expert says.

The remains of a climber, believed to be a teenager killed in a slab avalanche in September 1973, were found near the bottom of the glacier in late January.

At a glance

PLAN: Australia’s government has scrapped plans for a widely criticised medical payment scheme.

SCHEME: The co-payment scheme would have required doctors to decide whether or not to charge patients an extra A$5 ($4.1, £2.6) for a visit.

cut by A$5, with doctors given the option to pass that cost on to the patient.

The government claimed the scheme would save A$3.5bn over five years but critics said the cost to patients would rise.

Professor Heather Yeatman, president of the Public Health Association of Australia, said in December that GPs were “being forced to do the dirty work of the government”.

Ms Leys said it was clear the proposal for a co-payment did “not have broad support and will not proceed”.

“We recognise that we cannot introduce reforms to build a strong, sustainable Medicare without the support from the public and the parliament.”

She said she would be consulting on short, medium and long-term policy options to ensure the government could continue to support high quality care and treatment. Australian Medical Association President Dr Brian Owler welcomed the move. – BBC

Journos make a splash

THEY are not usually known for their athletic prowess, and yesterday federal politicians and press gallery journalists reminded everyone why it is best they are not often seen in their Speedos. This year’s renewal of the annual parliamentary swimming contest was marred by a series of ugly bellyflops, but in the end the journalists comfort-

ably prevailed. The team of Government MPs finished second, while Opposition competitors finished last.

ABC political editor Chris Uhlmann came out of 40 years of retirement to take part in the spectacle.

“1976 was my last competitive swim,” Uhlmann said.

“In fact, when I joined the swimming team at Marist

in 1972, Billy McMahon used to swim up and down the outside lanes.”

Stand-in press gallery swimming team captain and ABC reporter Jane Norman accepted the winners’ trophy on behalf of her team-mates.

“I’m very pleased that we’ve been able to defend the title today it’s been a fantastic competition,” she said. -ABC news

The remains, potentially 42 years old, were recovered on February 11 by a police disaster victim identification team.

Police are awaiting DNA results before releasing the man’s name. He was one of up to 60 people whose bodies have not been recovered after dying in Aoraki-Mt Cook National Park.

But Andrew Hobman, an avalanche and alpine safety expert with Mountain Safety Council, says the number of bodies found will start to rise now the glacier is receding and the lake it feeds into, Lake Tasman, gets larger.

“We’ll see this more and more I think, more people showing up years, decades after they disappeared, as the lake grows and speeds up the melting,” he told AAP.

“It happens from time to time (that bodies are found) but with temperatures rising, we’ll find more.”

Body recovery would bring relief to families of missing climbers, many who struggle to accept that their loved one cannot be recovered at the time of the incident, he said.

The death toll at AorakiMount Cook National Park now stands at 238.

In the most recent incident in late December, three men – Sydney doctor Mike Bishop, 53, and German father and son Raphael Viellehner, 58, and Johann, 27 – disappeared on the Linda Glacier.

Their bodies have not been recovered.

Govt appeals sexting mum’s sentence

AN Australian mother who avoided jail time for sending graphic nude photos of her daughter to her lover should have received a harsher punishment, a court has heard.

The Queensland government has appealed the non-custodial sentence handed to the woman, a childcare worker, last September.

The then married woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, sent between 17 and 19 photos of her 12-year-old daughter to a man with whom she was having an affair.

The explicit pictures were sent over several months in 2010 and 2011.

The 41-year-old woman was sentenced in the Brisbane District Court to a suspended two-year jail term and three years’

probation for making and distributing child exploitation material.

On Tuesday, Director of Public Prosecutions

Tony Moynihan QC told the Court of Appeal the sentence was unreasonable and manifestly inadequate.

Prior to being sentenced, the woman had served 12 months in custody for stealing more than $63,000 from a childcare centre she worked at between 2008 and 2010.

Mr Moynihan said the punishment for sending the explicit photos didn’t reflect her increase in criminality.

However Public Defender John Allen QC noted the judge had

not wanted to interfere with the woman’s rehabilitation by jailing her again.

He said the sentence was within the judge’s discretion, and balanced by the woman’s remorse and insight into her crime.

Comparing the case with other child exploitation offences, Justice Catherine Holmes suggested the woman was in “a class of her own”.

“You’ve got her willing to sell her daughter to keep a man,” the judge observed.

Justice Holmes and fellow Court of Appeal Justices Anthe Philippides and Robert Gotterson reserved their decision. -Stuff

WINNING press gallery swimming team. Picture: ABC

NO JAIL: A non-custodial sentence for woman

Korea

established

North Korea lifts Ebola ban to attract tourists

NORTH KOREA will once again allow tourists into the country after imposing severe restrictions to prevent the spread of Ebola, travel agencies say.

The country closed its borders to all non-essential travel in October.

North Korea is thousands of miles from the Ebola outbreak in West Africa that has killed more than 9,000 people. No Ebola cases have been reported in Asia.

Tourism is a vital source of currency for the cashstrapped country.

Those that were allowed in were placed under quarantine for 21 days. These

Parents arrested for vaccine refusal

PESHAWAR: Police in northwest Pakistan have arrested more than 450 parents for refusing to vaccinate their children against polio.

Riaz Khan Mehsud, deputy commissioner of Peshawar, the main town of northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, says that 471 parents were detained and sent to jail for refusing the vaccine. Pakistan is one of only three countries in the world where polio remains endemic but years of efforts to stamp it out have been badly hit by reluctance from parents, opposition from militants and attacks on immunisation teams.

The virus is most prevalent in the country’s restive northwest and a fresh immunisation drive began on Monday aimed at vaccinating more than 2.7 million children in KhyberPakhtunkhwa.

The government declared “war” on polio last year and Mehsud said officials would brook no refusal from parents.

“There is no mercy, we have decided to deal with the refusal cases with iron hands. Anyone who refuses (the vaccine) will be sent to jail,” Mehsud said.

PREVENTION: North Korea will once again allow tourists into the country after imposing severe restrictions to prevent the spread of Ebola, travel agencies say.

EBOLA OUTBREAK: North Korea is thousands of miles from the Ebola outbreak in West Africa that has killed more than 9,000 people. No Ebola cases have been reported in Asia.

TOURISM: Tourism is a vital source of currency for the cash-strapped country.

NORTH KOREA: Closed it’s borders to all non-essential travels.

restrictions applied to diplomats, NGO workers and North Korean officials returning from overseas trips.

Uri Tours, which takes tourists into North Korea, said the national airline

had said the ban was now lifted.

“We have been informed by Air Koryo that North Korea’s borders are now open for travel and the fourmonth long Ebola travel ban was lifted as of Monday,”

Uri Tours said on its website according to local media.

The manager of Chinabased Young Pioneer Tours, Troy Collings, told Reuters: “We’ve had it confirmed officially that the border is now open”.

However, travellers from Ebola-affected countries would still be quarantined, the Associated Press reported, citing officials in Pyongyang.

Pyongyang’s anti-Ebola measures highlight concerns that an outbreak could pose a direct threat to the regime’s survival, South Korea’s spy agency reportedly told lawmakers

China media praises two sessions

DUBBED the two sessions, the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), which is the country’s top national advisory body, opened on Tuesday, and the meeting of the National People’s Congress (NPC), the top legislative body, will begin on Thursday.

The sessions, attended by thousands of officials and business leaders, will discuss various issues, including the economic reforms process and this year’s targets.

“It is also an opportunity for the world to watch the oriental country,” says the Xinhua News Agency.

The agency points out that top officials will unveil the country’s 2015 GDP growth target and the defence budget. It adds that the sessions will also shed

light on how Chinese lawmakers respond to regional territorial disputes and other global issues, including the Ukraine crisis and Korean peninsula issue.

The People’s Daily says the Tuesday meeting is an important platform for “democratic expressions” as “representatives of the people” come together to provide suggestions to issues concerning the people.

“Democracy is not an ornament, it is not used for display... we must insist that we remain united. This is the most important essence of political consultative democracy,” says the front-page editorial. Another commentary in the daily adds that the “two sessions” will “fully exhibit to the world a form of democracy with ‘Chinese characteristics’. – BBC

last month.

Much of North Korea’s population lives in extreme poverty and the healthcare system would be illequipped to handle an Ebola epidemic.

Pyongyang has aggressively promoted tourism in the last few years in an effort to draw in much needed foreign currency. The country is facing international sanctions and widespread poverty.

It has opened a luxury ski resort and established special tourism zones around the country in a bid to attract tourists mainly from China. -BBC news

Those arrested on Monday were from suburban areas of Peshawar where militant groups regularly attack police and polio workers and where opposition to vaccination is relatively strong. Mehsud said authorities have issued 1000 blank arrest warrants so refuseniks could be dealt with swiftly.

Muhammad Mumtaz, another senior official, confirmed the arrests and told AFP that the detainees would “be freed only after a written assurance and providing two guarantors” to ensure their children get the drops. Taliban militants claim that the polio vaccination drive is a front for espionage or a conspiracy to sterilise Muslims.

NORTH

has

special tourism zones around the country. Picture: BBC

PAPERS praise China’s democratic structures.

Namibia President Pohamba gets $5m award

THE outgoing Namibian President Hifikepunye

Pohamba has won the world’s most valuable individual award, the Mo Ibrahim prize for African leadership.

The $5m (£3.2m) award is given each year to an elected leader who governed well, raised living standards and then left office.

But the previous award was the fourth in five years to have gone unclaimed.

Mr Pohamba, a former rebel who fought for his country’s independence, has served two terms as Namibian president.

He was first elected in 2004, and again in 2009. He is due to be succeeded by Presidentelect, Hage Geingob.

Salim Ahmed Salim, the chairman of the committee that awarded the prize, said that under Mr Pohamba, Namibia had cemented its reputation as “a well-governed, stable and inclusive democracy with strong media freedom and respect

Fatal bomb blast near supreme court: Egypt

CAIRO,: A bomb blast in a crowded district near the Egyptian supreme court in downtown Cairo has killed one person and wounded four, including a policeman.

It was not immediately clear whether a police checkpoint near the court and a metro station had been the target.

The attack comes a day after two civilians died in a bombing outside a police station in southern Egypt.

Militants have regularly set off bombs in the capital, mostly targeting police, after the 2013 military overthrow of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi unleashed a deadly crackdown on his supporters.

It was the second time a bomb has gone off near the supreme court following an explosion that wounded 12 people last October. -APP

US told to cut 80 diplomats

THE Venezuelan government says the United States has two weeks to dramatically reduce the number of diplomats it has in the country.

Foreign Minister Delcy Rodriguez said the US could decide which of its 100 diplomats should be sent home.

IBRAHIM PRIZE: THE outgoing Namibian President Hifikepunye Pohamba has won the world’s most valuable individual award, the Mo Ibrahim prize for African leadership. PURPOSE OF AWARED : The $5m (£3.2m) award is given each year to an elected leader who governed well, raised living standards and then left office.

MR POHAMBA:a former rebel who fought for his country’s independence, has served two terms as Namibian president. He was first elected in 2004, and again in 2009. He is due to be succeeded by President-elect, Hage Geingob.

MR AHMED: I chairman of the committee that awarded the prize, said that under Mr Pohamba, Namibia had cemented its reputation as “a well-governed, stable and inclusive democracy with strong media freedom and respect for human rights”.

for human rights”.

Born in 1935 in northern Namibia - a region that would become a base for the Swapo liberation movement.

Educated by missionaries and employed in a copper mine as a young man.

Co-founder of Swapo and close ally of Namibia’s first President, Sam Nujoma.

Jailed for political activ-

ism by South Africanbacked authorities, later left to study in the Soviet Union Worked on land reform as minister in post-independence Namibia. Was chosen by Mr Nujoma to succeed him as president in 2004.

Gradually emerged from Mr Nujoma’s shadow as a soft-spoken consensus builder

A statement from the Namibian presidency said Mr Pohamba was “humbled by this gesture”.

According to the statement, the president hoped to use the prize to advance the objectives of the Hifikepunye Pohamba foundation, which helps students from disadvantaged backgrounds to pursue higher education.

Mr Pohamba was a founding member of the South West Africa People’s Organisation (Swapo), an armed movement that waged a decades-long campaign against South African rule.

Since the country won independence in 1990, Swapo has dominated politics, usually winning huge majorities in elections.

Before becoming president, Mr Pohamba served as a minister for land affairs. He oversaw a scheme under which some land that had been owned by white farmers since the colonial era

was bought by the government, for redistribution to black farmers.

Mr Pohamba, 79, was named recipient of the 2014 Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African Leadership at a ceremony in Nairobi, Kenya.

Mo Ibrahim is a BritishSudanese mobile communications entrepreneur and philanthropist who made billions from investing in Africa.

He launched the prize to encourage African leaders to leave power peacefully.

The prize was meant to be awarded annually but only three leaders have been deemed worthy of it since it was instituted, in 2007.

The inaugural prize was given to Joaquim Chissano, Mozambique’s former president, who has since acted as a mediator in several African disputes.

The $5m prize is spread over 10 years and is followed by $200,000 a year for life.

-BBC news

Murder witness leaves Russia for Ukraine

THE Ukrainian model girlfriend of slain Russian opposition leader Boris Nemtsov has left Russia and is now on her way to Kiev, Ukraine’s foreign ministry spokesman says. “Ganna Duritska has just left for Kiev.

Ukrainian diplomats in Moscow provided all the necessary assistance for her return home,” Yevhen Perebyinis wrote on his Twitter feed.

The 23-year-old was at Mr Nemtsov’s side when he was gunned down on Friday and

she had complained of being kept under guard in Moscow in the days since the assassination, which sent shockwaves through the country.

The chief witness of the killing said earlier on Monday she had given all the infor-

mation she could to Russian investigators but they were preventing her from leaving the country, citing concerns for her security.

“For three days they have escorted me in police cars to the Investigative

Committee,” Ms Duritska told the independent Dozhd television channel, referring to the agency in charge of the probe.

“They don’t explain when I will be let go or for what reason I am kept here.”

Ms Duritska’s mother Inna, who lives in Kiev, said she feared her daughter’s de facto house arrest meant investigators might be preparing to make her a pawn in the deepening RussiaUkraine crisis. -ABC news

She said the goal was to bring the balance down to 17 - the number of Venezuelan diplomats in the US.

On Saturday, President Nicolas Maduro said the US had been meddling in Venezuela’s affairs.

He said US citizens visiting the country would now be required to apply for visas charged at the same rates levied on Venezuelans wishing to visit the US.

Mr Maduro said Venezuela would also issue a list of banned politicians who it considered to have promoted human rights abuses.

Earlier this month the US imposed visa restrictions on unnamed Venezuelan officials it accused of human rights violations and corruption.

The move builds on sanctions imposed last year on Venezuelan officials alleged to have violated the rights of protesters during demonstrations that shook the country in the first six months of 2014.

Mr Maduro has frequently accused the US of working with opposition groups against his government.

HIFIKEPUNYE Pohamba was a founding member of Namibia’s Swapo liberation movement. Picture: BBC

MODEL, Ganna Duritska

Solution to puzzle SL0864

stars

ARIES

March 20 - April 19

You don’t generally mind making changes in plans, even if in the short term they’re a nuisance. That’s fortunate, since this is exactly what you’ll be facing, and in a number of situations. If others grumble, waste no time on explanations. Rather, employ your Aries zest for life to restore their enthusiasm.

TAURUS

April 20 - May 19

There’s a difference between hearing about intriguing ideas, of which there are many, and those that make sense in terms of your own life and circumstances. Be patient. With both Mars and your ruler Venus in the most strategic portion of your chart, you’ve little choice. Soon that will change.

GEMINI

May 21 - June 20

Not everybody welcomes new ideas or, indeed, changes with the enthusiasm you do. In fact, it seems somebody is unhappy, if not threatened, by what you’re currently undertaking. Explain what you’re doing and, as important, that you still care. Stop there. Say more, and you’re in for a lengthy discussion.

CANCER

LEO

June 21 - July 21

When things are moving swiftly, as will be the case for the first half of March, planning ahead can be tricky. What seems your best option one day is likely to change the next. Knowing that, organise things in such a way you can easily rethink arrangements when the need arises.

July 22 - August 22

Welcome as progress dealing with certain persistent problems will be, you fear what you’ll discover in the process. You’re already anxious about longstanding but increasingly unstable arrangements. You’re worried that what surfaces means they’ll have to go. They might. If so, this will clear the way for something far better.

August 23 - September 22

Long ago you learned that doing what’s best won’t always be welcomed by others. While you’re usually able to explain the circumstances involved, there’s little time. This means you must ask those closest, at work or at home, to trust your judgement. To your surprise, they will, and without asking many questions.

September 23 - October 22

Few things are worse for you, as a fair-minded Libra, than dealing with somebody who is both secretive and, by nature, underhand. Yet that’s exactly what you’re facing. Acknowledging this is the first step. Once you have, this frees you to employ your renowned Libra tact to sidestep their manoeuvres.

October 23 - November 22

Although you rarely think about it, you have a powerful intuitive streak. And at the moment, it’s telling you to ensure plans are flexible. While recent changes were unsettling, you’re hoping things will be calmer. Trust instincts that say the coming week will remain unsettling but be surprisingly rewarding, as well.

November 23 - December 22

Exciting as periods of rapid change, such as this is, may be, they’re also untidy. Keeping track of details can be very challenging. Still, do your best. These changes influence others, and certain individuals will want the details of what was discussed and decided. The more you’ve noted, the better.

December 21 - January 19

You’re being encouraged to do something that runs counter to your character. And that is, make halfway decisions. And to let everybody know it. This may seem a compromise. But during such an unsettled period, it allows you to make plans that are flexible enough to ride out the inevitable changes.

January 20 - February 17

Note that there’s a fine line between mere disruption and the chaos that comes with timely and, at least currently, worthwhile change. Once you’re aware of that, rather than battle the unexpected events promised by powerful planetary aspects involving your ruler Uranus, you’ll go with the flow, and enjoy the resulting benefits.

February 18 - March 19

The advice given by certain individuals is well-meaning. But, obviously, they’re unable to sense the promise in recent amazing developments. That’s because these are as much about what your instincts say as about hard facts. Waste no time justifying your decisions to others. Do what you think is right.

Wewak has potential

PNGDF ON BOARD

A memorandum of agreement (MOA) has been signed between the Games Organising Committee (GOC) and the Papua New Guinea Defence Force (PNGDF). Present at the signing was GOC chairperson Emma Waiwai and PNGDF Brigadier General Gilbert Toropo.

The signing will allow for Team PNG athletes the use of the Basilisk Naval Base as a training facility particularly for Va’a and triathlon athletes.

FC POM HOPE

FC Pom coach Robert Popat was a relieved person on Saturday. The city slickers finally scored a convincing victory when they blasted the inform Besta United 3-0 in the Telikom National Soccer League (NSL) at the Correctional Services Training oval at Bomana.

The win was an effort deserved for the side, said Popat after the match.

“We finally broke the hoodoo after three successive drawn matches. I thanked the boys for sticking to the game plan to ensure we match winning points,” Popat added.

BAU RETURNS

Water PNG Cricket Umpire, Fred Bau, returned back to Port Moresby after officiating in Cricket Australia’s Imparja Cup in Alice Springs from 9-14th February, 2015.

It was the first time that Bau had officiated in a tournament outside of Papua New Guinea. Prior to this tournament, Bau’s only international exposure was officiating in the International Cricket Council (ICC) East Asia Pacific (EAP) Men’s Trophy in Port Moresby in 2012. “This was an unbelievable experience for me,” said Water PNG Umpire, Fred Bau.

FUN RUN

BY KILA NAO RUGBY LEAGUE

THE little known Wewak rugby league nines side showed some class as a team with big potential.

This follows their spurring performances during the Digicel RFL 9’s Northern Confederate leg at the Ron Albert Oval in Madang on the weekend.

The Wewak contingent were challenged from the start travelling to Angoram

by road on Friday morning and then getting on a dingy to travel by sea to Madang.

They arrived at Boroi, in the Bogia District in the evening on the same day and travelled on a PMV to town with only one aim and that is to make their presence felt in this regional tournament.

Wewak RFL president and coach Alex Annis said the players showed a lot of enthusiasm to be part of the challenge. Annis said: “We have been missing in action

for almost 14 years until we got re-admitted and affiliated to the PNGRFL last year.

“The Digicel RFL Super 9’s tournament for the Northern Confederate held in Madang is the first time for us to participate at this level, apart from the small competitions we stage back in Wewak,”

“It is also an opportunity for us to expose our players,” he added.

“Our aim is to engage young players who have a lot potential to participate in big tour-

naments, so that it will help them develop their skills and adapt to new tactics in the rugby league world,”

“I also want to express gratitude to the PNGRFL for initiating the nines concept which has enable us to participate and enjoy the escalating blend of football that we have missed out for a very long time,”

“We want to turn a new chapter and strengthen our competition so that we can be able to take part in the

Digicel Cup in the future,” said Annis.

Wewak has produced a lot of past players who have formerly represented Northern Zone in the early 1980’s and have gone on to play for the PNG Kumuls.

Notable players like Roy Heni, Bob Tolick, Robert Jakis, James Miviri and Jack Uradok are a few players who have worked and lived in Wewak and rose to prominence from the mighty Sepik River.

The 2015 Trukai Fun Run will help to raise awareness about the importance of Vitamin Enrichment.As per the Health Department’s requirements, all rice products must be vitamin enriched.

One of Trukai’s focus is also on health and nutrition and the company does that through sports.The new shirt design will feature a key message to promote and encourage a healthy lifestyle.Due to the run being held a day after the Pacific Games opening ceremony, in every Fun Run memorabilia a gold medallion will be found in every pack.

Cricket announces new selection panel

CRICKET

CRICKET PNG (CPNG) announced the new selection panel for 2015.

The panel is headed by former international Api Leka.

The 2015 four man independent selection panel consists of Leka (Chairman of Selectors), Daniel Faunt, Taunao Vai, and current CPNG Head Coach Dipak Patel.

The appointed Leka who captained PNG from 1982-86 and again from 1994-95 was very excited about this new selection panel and the year ahead.

“I am confident that the new selection panel will meet the demands of selections at this stage of Cricket PNG’s development,” said Leka. Daniel Faunt, currently a manager at ANZ in PNG is the newest member and is also energised about the future of cricket in PNG and the year ahead for the national teams.

“Cricket PNG is on the brink of Test status and with continued hard work and focus from players through to coaching staff to selectors and the management and board, I have no doubt that we can achieve this in the coming years. It is a team

effort and I am looking forward to continuing the tremendous work that the team have done to date,” said Faunt.

Dipak Patel, current CPNG Head Coach and former New Zealand Test cricketer is focused on the job at hand.

“I am pleased to be included on the selection panel and looking forward to working closely with the new selection panel, Api, Daniel and Taunao. We have a very busy year ahead and we need to get our processes and time frames for selection to match the demands,” said Patel.

Taunao Vai, also captained PNG

from 1991-93. “I feel honoured to be selected in the selection panel,” he said. “Cricket has always been good for me and it is timely that I am able to give something back to the sport. I have a huge regard for our junior development players that have made it into the national teams playing wonderful cricket thus I am excited to be part of the process to identify other raw young talents out there to make it into the National Teams in the future,” Vai said.

The CPNG selection panel has been appointed for a 12 months period.

Cricketers sometimes will wear baseball caps, but baseball players never wear cricket caps.

API Leka

WEWAK coach, Alex Annis and players at the Digicel RFL Super 9’s tournament in Madang on Sunday. Picture: KILA NAO

Booth a gold medal prospect

BY JOE GURINA POWERLIFTING

PAPUA New Guinea powerlifting has a potential Pacific Games gold medal find Tahina Booth.

The 30 years old from Gulf Province in (Iokea) and Warwick (Queensland) proved her worth during the national selection trial staged in Port Moresby over the weekend.

Booth raised the eye-brows of powerlifting executives headed by interim president, Raymond Haoda when she set a new national record of 196kg in the 84kg dead-lift category.

Haoda said Sydney-based Booth is a strong gold medal prospect for the country at the moment.

Booth is not new to the sport, she represented Australia during Pacific International tournament last year and set the new Australian deadlift record of 200kg in the same weight division.

She said her performance so far is the result of 10 months of committed training at Sydney’s Clean Health Gym.

Due to her commitment, Booth has forgone her degree program in Marketing and Business Management at the James Cook University in Townville this year, so that she could represent PNG.

She told Post Courier that she had to overcome challenges to concentrate on her training.

“I had to schedule time between my work and training. And that really convinced me to quit my degree program. It’s challenging but it is the commitment and dedication that will count at the end of the day,” Booth said.

Booth loves sports and gets involved in rugby league, American football (gridiron), athletics, tennis and golf.

Asked if she would be aiming to better her record lift during the Games, she said it is definitely one of her goals.

“I will work on that but ultimately I want to win a gold medal for my country,” she added.

She said that it’s an honour and privilege to be considered to represent PNG during the Games. “I feel proud to be a Papua New Guinean representing my country,” she said.

“It will be a proud moment and the onus is on every athlete taking part to win medals on home soil,” Booth said while challenging other athletes.

She further added that she would be training alongside her coach back in Sydney over the next couple of months to strengthen her form.

PLAYER PROFILE

Name: Tahina Booth

Age: 30 years old

Origin: Mother is from Iokea, Gulf Province and Queensland, Australia

Education: St Peters Lutheran College, Indooroopilly, Brisbane

Lives: Sydney, New South Wales

Occupation: Executive Assistant & technical assistant to CEO of Kina Petroleum (Sydney)

Rep career: Represented Australia in power-lifting at the Pacific International

Who influenced you in the sport: My sisters, Aleta and Keesha Booth

What does it feel like to represent PNG: An absolute great honour.

Marital Status: I’m married to weightlifting and power-lifting. Not married and single.

Powerlifting squad named for Games

BY JOE GURNA POWERLIFTING

PNG Powerlifting has named its national team following a successful national trials held in Port Moresby on the weekend.

PNG Powerlifting interim president Raymond Haoda confirmed that 28 member team was selected to prepare for the July Pacific Games.

The bottom line

Haoda said the trials brought out the best with several setting new PNG national records.

Champion lifter Linda Pulsen smashed her own PNG, Oceania and the Commonwealth record in the squat, bench press and dead lift in the 84kg.

Pulsen recorded 102 kg in the bench-press, 190kg in the squat and 195kg in the dead-

lift. Tahina Booth has set new record in the dead lift and newcomer to the sport Henry Kila has set records in the squat and dead lift and Dobbie Mea in the squat. Haoda said Kila was influenced to the sport only five months ago and made a big impression in the super heavyweight category (120kg+) with a 280kg squat and 290kg dead lift.

Haoda also applauded other top performers including Meteng Wak, Sandy David (women), Kalau Andrew, Ruben Andrew, Henry Kelo, Anderson Mangela, Alfred Mel, Gabe Loa, Jack Frank and Henry David.

“After witnessing the trials, the athletes have shown realistic results which I am proud of considering for the goal medal prospects,” Haoda

added. “As the interim president, I am pleased to say that power-lifting is on the right track,” Haoda said The team selected comprises of 15 males and 13 females.

Men - Henry Kelo, Kalau Andrew, Ruben John (59kg), Brown Bolong (66kg), Anderson Mangela, Kenny Naime (74kg), Livingstone Sokoli, Nelson Maldu (83kg), Jack Frank, Simpson Orei

About Powerlifting every athlete aims in lifting more weights than the opponent using specific moves.

(93kg), Alfred Mel, Kevin Kombra (105kg), Gabe Loan, Joe Mea (120kg), Henry Vagi (120kg+)

Women - Hitolo Kevau, Navillie Benson (47kg), Dobi Mea (52kg), Mary Peto, Belinda Umang (57kg), Stella Luke, Ranu Boe (63kg), Linda Pulsan (72kg), Meteng Walk, Margaret Benny (84kg), Tahina Booth, Sandy David, Tibu Marick (84kg+).

TAHINA Booth certificate of particapation at the presentation

Junior hockey popular in Lae

BY FRANKIY KAPIN HOCKEY

HOCKEY can grow, but the same old problem of adequate equipment has not been conducive to the growth of the game in Papua New Guinea.

“Even though the interest to play hockey is there, it’s more of a question of applying the knowledge to play the game that is lacking,”

SHP wins 2018 PNG Games bid

PNG GAMES

SOUTHERN Highlands had overcome stiff opposition from Eastern Highlands and NCD during the bid presentations to come out winners.

Eastern Highlands had Governor Julie Soso as one of the two bid presenters.

Both have hosted the PNG Games before and that information while it gave them a head-start was strategically used by Southern Highlands to strengthened its bid.

Southern Highlands argued that the PNG Games hosts should not just be restricted to the big cities - but if smaller centres put their hand up to take out the challenge and demonstrated the political will, and the commitment and desire - they be allowed to test their resolve. SHP argued that by delivering a successful 2018 PNG Games, - it would provide the encouragement for other smaller centres to put their hand up to take on the challenge.

SHP is moving fast with its road infrastructure and that will be what will be used to ensure the games are staged successfully with sports spread around the five districts of the province.

By being given the games, it now becomes the catalyst to get the province to divert some of its resources and focus to developing sports infrastructure. However, SHP will maintain content consultation with the PNG Games Council and other stakeholders like PNG Sports Foundation and PNG Olympic Committee and draw on their expertise to help deliver the 2018 PNG Games.

SHP Bid Committee chairman Sape Molumi thanked the PNG Games Council for giving the opportunity to host to the province.

said Minkey Hockey Development Program

Fiona Silikara.

Silikara heads the Minkey Hockey Junior Development Program in Lae city that is sponsored by Lae Biscuit Company through its brand name Toti Snax biscuit.

Silikara, a former Papua New Guinea hockey representative said she strongly supports the

up-skilling of junior hockey players in Lae.

She said the program primarily takes into consideration two important aspects of the game.

“That is the basic upskilling and right techniques as well the proper usage of equipment and padding of players, said Silikara.

“We teach them techniques on how to drib-

ble, tackle, and trap and special techniques like how to lift the ball and basically the correct way to play the game,” she added.

“The other area we emphasize on is the importance of safety and the use of shin guards, mouth guards, shoes and proper hockey sticks,” she said.

In terms of health, she said they educate play-

WNB will deliver 2016 PNG Games

PNG GAMES

WEST NEW BRITAIN Governor Sasindran Muthuvel has assured the PNG Games Council and the Sports Foundation that the Province will deliver the 2016 PNG Games.

He gave the assurance during the PNG Games Council meeting held in Kimbe on Saturday.

Governor Muthuvel, host Organising Committee chairman Dominic Kaumu and Provincial Administrator Williamson Hosea signed the PNG Games contract with the PNG Games Council to

host the 2016 games. He said the Province will host the nine compulsory sports including others that they are capable of running. Muthuvel said as Kimbe is a small town, WNB will take the games to the people by having the games played in Mosa and Hoskins Local Level Government areas apart from Kimbe Urban. He said the Games are for the grassroots so they must go to the grassroots level.

After the signing, he presented the first K200, 000 to Kaumu for the administrative functions of the office. Another K300, 000 is

expected to be paid soon. Kaumu thanked Governor Muthuvel for his leadership and commitment. He said the HOC will now move quickly to get things of the ground towards November 2016.

Kaumu also announced that the games logo was selected for the 2016 Games. An official announcement would be made later.

“I want to thank everyone who submitted their proposed logo for consideration. The standard was very high which made it difficult to choose the winner. At the end, we had to settle on one after much discussion,” Kaumu added.

ers on health issues, hydration, nutrition and doing away with bad habits including smoking and chewing betelnut,” she added.

After four weeks, the participation numbers have increased...which is good for the game.

“We encourage playing safe hockey provided you have the right equipment,” she said.

Lae is the first centre

in the country to run a junior hockey competition. This will be the second season.

Silikara said the biggest challenge just like most sports in PNG is the lack of equipment support.

“Lack of equipment usually forces those interested to take up other sports that don’t have these issues,” she added.

PARTICIPANTS of the program from ages 6-10 playing hockey. INSET: Lae Minkey Hockey Junior Development Program coordinator and former representative player Fiona Silikara demonstrating hockey techniques. PICTURE: FRANKIY KAPIN

SHP bid committee chairman Sape Molumi gives the thumbs up.

POW ER POWER L IF T ING LIFTING MED A L MEDAL HOPE

HUNTER DUO RETURN

BY PETER SEVARA JR

HUNTERS CEO Brad Tassell is expecting big things from Hunters duo Thompson Tete and Wartovo Puara Jr who have joined the Hunters camp after returning from a six week trial with the South Sydney Rabbitohs.

Tassell said he had a talk with Rabbitohs coach Michael Maguire who said the boys needed more game time in the Queensland cup level.

“I spoke to Rabbitohs coach Michael McGuire, and he was certainly happy

SHP W IN WIN PNG

G A ME S GAMES 20 18 2018 BID

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with their progress but felt they just needed more time in the Queensland Cup.” Tassel said.

“They (Rabbitohs) are a champion team and a lot is expected at their level. The boys had a massive six weeks to get on top of where they are now and I see no reason why they might get a tap on the shoulder this year or on the back of another year.

It’s part of the process because the NRL is very difficult crack but we just got to keep on knocking and saying that our players deserve a spot and hopeful-

ly that door will open wider and wider every year. Both are back in camp and have proven to mature and hungry for more. They only need to keep performing well at this level. I’m expecting both to be leaders on the field this season and perform well for the team but it is fantastic having them back in the team.” Tassell said.

Tassell also said that the management was good with clubs approaching Hunters players but said the players are required by their playing contracts

to notify the club. “We certainly don’t want to hold any players back. If fact we encourage players but at the same time they must make sure that the players make the most of it, because these days in the NRL it doesn’t matter how good you are. You do something wrong and you’re out the back door.”Tassell said.

Tassel said the same level of discipline required at the NRL level is also policed by coach Michael Marum as he prepares the players for a possible career not only in the NRL but other various competitions around the world.

The SP Hunters team to play the South Logan Magpies on Sunday

Stargroth Amean

David Lapua

Thompson Teteh

Kato Ottio

Edward Goma

6. Israel Eliab ©

Roger Laka

Enoch Maki

Wartovo Puara Jr

Henry Noki

Willie Minoga

Brandy Peter

Adam Korave Interchange:

Ase Boas

Esau Siune

Atte Bina

Bland Abavu

Warren Glare (One to be omitted)

Coach: Michael Marum