Post Courier, Friday March 6, 2015

WATCHDOG

LENS ON EAST SEPIK

Land rate hike looms

NATIONAL Capital District Governor Powes Parkop has hinted that Port Moresby land tax tariffs may increase next year following an update of the value of all the land in the city.

But he assured property owners yesterday not to panic about possible exorbitant hikes.

NCDC’s current rating is based on the outdated 1992 valuation roll which showed a total of K681 million

in unimproved capital value. This equates to the average unimproved value of each property in NCD at K37,865.

Also, high-rise construction and value of properties, especially in downtown central business districts and Port Moresby harbourside, had increased substantially since 1992.

CONTINUED PAGE 2

FRIDAY, MARCH

Samaritan Aviation: People’s champions

THEYcould very well be our version of the Flying Doctors, saving the lives of ordinary Papua New Guineans along the mighty Sepik River in the East Sepik Province.

American Mark Palm is the co-founder and president of the Wewak-based Samaritan Aviation, a not-for-profit organisation which has been using a seaplane over the last five years to fly the sick to the East Sepik capital for emergency medical treatment. From patients with broken limbs to mothers with birth complications, Samaritan Aviation has saved 363 lives (and counting), who would not have survived if it was not for the medical evacuations.

Mr Palm and Samaritan Aviation is bringing smiles to the faces of rural communities who live along the Sepik River, who now know that the Saman balus (which in Tok Pisin translates to outrigger plane), would not be far away when there is a medical emergency. It is the best outcome for rural Papua New Guineans, the reassurance that there is a service ready to attend to life and death situations when it comes to the health of a person.

We take off our hats to the Samaritan Aviation and congratulate them for an excellent life-saving service that they continue to offer to the East Sepik people over the last five years. Special thanks should also go to their donors as well as the East Sepik Province Government for recognising the significance of such a service and its impact on their estuarine communities. Samaritan Aviation is also flying essential medical supplies to health centres and aid posts in some of the country’s most isolated communities along the Sepik River.

Other provinces will be envious of the services that Mr Palm and his organisation are providing in the East Sepik Province. Those with similar geographical features, such as the Western Province in the south, would wish that they had access to similar services. The success that the non-for-profit organisation has had in the East Sepik in saving lives could become a model that the other provinces could consider.

The partnership with the East Sepik Provincial Government should also be an eye opener for tother governments or politicians that want to invest in the health of their people. With each national parliamentarian allocated K15 million each this year to fund projects in their electorates, investing in health infrastructure including medical emergency and evacuation programs would be a step in the right direction.

It is time for us to start recognising and giving credit to individuals and organisations that are saving lives and making a difference in the lives of our ordinary people. They are giving Papua New Guineans hope and the reassurance that all be okay despite the deteriorating state of our public infrastructure and the absence of government in our rural communities. It is a shame that we continue to give awards in our PNG Awards and Honours system to political cronies and others who are undeserving of such recognition, it is time for us to start recognising our true champions like Mr Palm and his staff at the Samaritan Aviation who go out of their save lives in rural communities.

Index

Asia news .............................81

Business ..........................23-26

Classifieds .37-42, 55-60, 87-91

Comics..................................86

Highlands Post.....................20

Home news...............4-9, 12-18

Islands Post .........................22

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Watchdog in Wewak as Sepik politics heat up

BY GORETHY KENNETH

THE East Sepik provincial administration says that Trade, Commerce and Industry Minister Richard Maru was being investigated by the Ombudsman Commission over alleged misappropriation of K150 million for the Sepik Plain Oil Palm project. But Mr Maru countered that he had no direct link with the project.

When the Post-Courier called to speak to acting administrator Otto Ganaii, the newspaper was told that he was out of the province and was in Port Moresby to

meet with the Ombudsman Commission officials.

They could only say that reports yesterday on East Sepik Governor Sir Michael Somare as the financial delegate were incorrect.

“On the issue of authority to release funds in provincial government, the financial delegate is the provincial administrator who is a Section 32 officer vested with all financial delegation under the Public Finance Management Act,” the officials said.

“The Governor (as per your report) has zero financial powers or delegation under the financial delegation.”

The Post-Courier could not contact Mr Ganaii yesterday for comments on all the issues pertaining to the Boram Hospital funds and all other issues but confirmed he was here in Port Moresby for several meetings.

Former East Sepik Governor Peter Wararu, when contacted, confirmed that complaints were already filed with the Ombudsman Commission over fraud allegations by Mr Maru over the K150 million Sepik Plains project and other issues.

He said the investigation officers of the Ombudsman Commission were in Wewak to carry out investigations

and confirmed Mr Ganaii was in Port Moresby.

The Ombudsman Commission office was contacted yesterday but could not speak on the matter as they clarified that they do not speak publicly about issues that are under investigations.

Mr Maru said yesterday that the project in questions was not directly linked to him, but the National Government, just like the Pacific Marine Industrial Zone (PMIZ), which is being led by the Department of Trade and Commerce and that it had nothing to do with him directly.

City land rates to increase next year

FROM PAGE 1

THE current NCDC land tax tariffs are 3.5 per cent and 2.3 per cent of the improved capital value for commercial and residential properties respectively.

“We are yet to see the current value but with the current market value of NCD properties, the increase is estimated to be significant,” Mr Parkop said.

The Governor said that NCDC would be reviewing its current tax tariffs against the new valuation roll to ensure that the land tax was affordable for everyone.

“This review will be captured in our amendments in 2015 and will come into effect in 2016,” he said in a statement.

According to city hall database, Port Moresby has a

total of 18,000 registered land parcels. “Our next step is to synchronise the records held at the Department of Lands and Physical Planning with ours,” Mr Parkop added.

He said that NCDC had been using the outdated 1992 valuation roll for its land rate purposes and thus losing significant revenue.

Capacity issues had prevented the Valuer General from attempts to update the

roll in the past, he added. NCDC had offset the loss of low values with higher tariffs, drawing bitter objections from the landowners who claimed the use of higher tariff was inconsistent with worldwide trade practices.

As a result of this, NCDC attempted to get private valuations on arm’s length basis for endorsement by the Valuer General.

Teen’s dream to help is saving lives

By MAUREEN GERAWA

AN American teenager’s dream to bring help to Papua New Guinea has materialised and is today seeing lives saved in East Sepik Province .

President and co-founder of Samaritan Aviation Mark Palm said yesterday that he first saw the need to work in PNG when he visited in 1994 as a 19-year-old.

Samaritan Aviation, a not-for-profit organisation, is based in Colorado, USA, and through an exploratory work in early 2010, Mr Palm’s team decided to begin in East Sepik because of the great need.

Since then they have saved 363 lives who would not have survived without

The bottom line

the drum

SEWERAGE

At a glance

DREAM MATERIALISED: An American teenager’s dream to bring help to Papua New Guinea has materialised and is today seeing lives saved in East Sepik Province .

GREAT NEED: Samaritan Aviation, a not-for-profit organisation, is based in Colorado, USA, and through an exploratory work in early 2010, Mr Palm’s team decided to begin in East Sepik because of the great need.

these emergency evacuations. More than half of these life flights on its float plane were mothers and babies.

Recently, he said they bought a second float plane with the help of US donors and Angoram MP Salio Walpio.

The organisation is helping reduce the country’s high maternal and child

mortality rates. They do not charge for any of the flights which are being funded by individuals and sponsors in the US as well as the East Sepik Provincial Government.

Next week, Tuesday, March 10, will be five years since the organisation made its first evacuation of a mother on Good Friday on the Sepik River with a

pregnancy complication who was unconscious and in critical condition.

The 45 minute flight to and from the village resulted in an emergency surgery. Both she and her baby lived. She named him Mark.

The quick flights are not only bringing critically-ill patients to the major hospital at Boram, but are flying medical supplies safely to the health centres and aid posts on timely basis.

As the organisation celebrates its five years of operation, Mr Palm has used this occasion to thank the Government and non-government organisations and churches that have been its partners in the delivery of health services in East Sepik Province.

CALLING

Eda Ranu and City Hall. Businesses in Varahe and Ume Street are literally drowning in sewerage. It’s overflowing after major road works. The SOS fell on deaf ears last year.

HIGH RISK

FAILURE to fix the broken sewerage pipes won’t help attempts by health authorities to keep diseases such as cholera at bay. This needs to be given some urgency, City Hall.

TB CALLS

ON the bright side, top marks to the NCDC for partnering with Digicel to make random calls to city residents warning of the dangers of TB. If you get a call you will be given basic details on the disease.

TOILET

THE stench from our story on Boram hospital’s stinky K1.2 million toilet deal is spreading far and wide. Even former politicians can’t stand it, they’ve come out of the woodwork to comment.

PHONE

VISITING veteran Aussie journo pops into the newsroom to see a colleague. He leaves for his

HI QATAR

next appointment without his mobile phone, which he forgot and left in his colleague’s office.

COMFORT

STRANGELY the same thing happened when the two met in Sydney last December. “Maybe Sean feels comfortable leaving his phone with me,” said the colleague. Welcome to PNG Mr Dorney.

MY BAG

BAD start young man! That’s what the parents of a fiveyear-old boy told their son after they learnt he left his bag with a female classmate to look after so he could go out and play!

I SPY

OKAY so the Kiwis have been spying on their Pacific Island neighbours, reports the NZ Herald. Is PNG on the list? Well if their TransTasman wantoks were doing so it wouldn’t be a surprise.

HIS AMO

THE revelations could be ammunition, the Fiji PM Frank Bainimarama needs to push for Australia and NZ to be kicked out of the PIF. Kiwi diplomats probably keeping their fingers crossed.

THEY are coming back! Qatar Airways is returning March 28 but to recruit PNG female cabin crew. But hang on? What happened to the last lot who did the walk-in interview? We hear only five were recruited.

PENGEE: thedrum@spp.com.pg

Good Samaritan laws offer legal protection to people who give reasonable assistance to those who are ill or otherwise incapacitated.

SAMARITAN Aviation president and pilot Mark Palm unloading medicine for the Biwat Health Centre. Pictures Courtesy of Samaritan Aviation.

Winds of change in remote districts

BY ISAAC NICHOLAS IN MENDI

WINDS of change are now blowing into some of the most remote districts, says Prime Minister Peter O’Neill.

The Prime Minister, who led a high-level government team, said this when launching a number of multi-million kina projects in Nipa and Kagua in Southern Highlands Province.

Mr O’Neill said K3 billion had been year to all districts and provinces each year and there was no reason why districts and provinces could not change.

“For the last 40 years, we have been looking for money everywhere like we are poor.

“We go to International Monetary Fund, World Bank and Australia and beg. Now, we don’t have to beg.

“We have got enough revenue but we are not managing it properly,” he said.

“Billions of kina, not millions but billions parked in trust accounts, all have been lost or mismanaged, there have been a lot of con projects.”

The Prime Minister said today money was put to districts and provinces.

“Today the projects are in your face, you can see it,” he told thousands of people in Nipa and Kagua.

Former ESP leader claims K5m debt

BY GORETHY KENNETH

FORMER East Sepik Gover-

nor Peter Wararu said yesterday that the National Government still owes the East Sepik Government K15 million.

He said Waigani had only refunded K1.5 million to the East Sepik provincial government funds for its court challenge during the political impasse but not more than K15 million as per a court order.

O’NEILL

“If an MP, Governor and even Government does not deliver, you can change that in 2017 election. If I don’t work, you can change me.”

Mr O’Neill said this government will continue to do its best to develop the districts, provinces and country in during its term.

“Our Government should continue to work hard every day. We have determination to change the country.”

In Nipa, Mr O’Neill launched the Nipa-Kutubu five-year development plan, road sealing from Lai bridge to Poroma turn-off, Poroma to Werin to Tindom Hill.

He also allocated K 10 million for power from Hela border to Mendi.

In Kagua yesterday he launched the sealing of Ialibu to Kagua and Erave road to connect to Kikori in Gulf Province. Mr O”Neill was accompanied by Ministers James Marape, Francis Awesa, vice-minister Labi Amaiu and Governor William Powi.

LEAD DANCER ON STAGE

He was clarifying suggestions from Yangoru-Saussia MP Richard Maru, who is Trade, Commerce and Industry Minister, that the East Sepik government had expended K5 million in legal expenses during the crisis.

Mr Wararu said that in October 2011, he had tabled a special submission to the Supreme Court challenging the legitimacy of Prime Minister Peter O’Neill’s administration, which was formed on August 2, 2011. This is when Sir Michael Somare was removed as the Prime Minister. The court dismissed the submission in October 2011.

He said the money owed emanated from this case and was still outstanding.

He warned yesterday that he would go back and seek legal advice on the Supreme Court reference against Mr O’Neill and the Government.

“It’s been three years ago and we are still waiting. If Maru is talking about K5 m I as the referer will reactivate the Supreme Court reference against O’Neill and I will be seeking legal advice again,” Mr Wararu said.

“I am the referer of the Supreme Court reference, not Sir Michael (Somare). He was the intervener.”

New law to confine ownership of land to citizens

BY SHARON LOWA

FOREIGNERS and foreign investors entering the country to obtain land will no longer be entertained once changes are made to the Land Act and after it goes through the proc-

The bottom line

ess before being passed into a law by the National Parliament.

Lands and Physical Planning Minister Benny Allen revealed this when presenting land titles to the Tabaule Enterprise in Toma Vunadidir

local level government, East New Britain Province.

He said the changes they were making to the Land Act would restrict ownership of land to nationals only.

He said changes in the Land Act would not allow any for-

eigner or foreign investor to own land in PNG or even to apply for land, unless they were citizens and would die in the country. All land titles would be awarded to Papua New Guineans however, land could only

be sub-leased to foreigners or on joint venture basis.

Almost 97 per cent of the total land mass of Papua New Guinea is still owned by traditional landowners leaving the State to own only three per cent. Mr Allen said that State

land would never be returned or taken back by customary landowners.

Land issues and disputes has become a major issue in the country causing fights between clans, disagreements and death.

A TANGA Island dancer in action. He was part of a big group that entertained the crowd during the official commissioning of PNG Ports’ new storage facility in Kavieng.

We have enough revenue but we do not manage it well ...

PETER

Southern Highlands Province

Hundreds displaced in Lae ethnic clash

BY FRANKIY KAPIN

MORE than 500 Southern Highlanders are seeking refuge on the empty grounds of a private compound following an ethnic clash since Tuesday this week.

Spokesman Michael Taliba, from Erave, said yesterday that 11 of their homes had been destroyed by fire while properties and food gardens were either destroyed or looted.

He estimated the loss at K1.1 million following fighting

not aware of power deal

BY MEROLYN TEN

LANDOWNERS of PRL21

Ketu-Elevala LNG project site have complained about an agreement signed between the Government and ExxonMobil in January.

Welewi Resource Owners Association chairman Richard Polodi said yesterday that the memorandum of understanding about the domestic gas for electricity generation was never made known to the resource owners until they learnt about it in the media.

“We are the resource owners and we should be aware of what is happening in and around the project sites. Such agreement without Landowner’s view was not a good act,” Mr Polodi said.

“There is supposed to be proper consultations done between the Government, ExxonMobil PNG limited and the landowners to clear every side before decisions are reached or any agreement is made.”

At a glance

ETHNIC CLASH: Between the Southern Highlanders and Simbais of Madang aided by their allies from Chimbu and Sepik in Lae, Morobe Province.

DAMAGES: 11 homes burnt down, properties and food gardens destroyed or looted. Several people are in hospital but there are no reports of fatalities.

CALL: For Southern Highlanders in Lae to help provide those affected with tents.

with the Simbais of Madang, aided by their Chimbu and Sepik allies, on Tuesday.

The fight had landed sev-

eral fighters in hospital with battle wounds but no reports of fatalities.

Mr Taliba said the dis-

placed Southern Highlanders had lost everything but the clothes they wore and were living in tents along the swampy vacant land.

He said a formal complaint had been lodged with Lae police who will mediate a gathering of both factions today at Nine Mile market to iron out the issue.

Mr Taliba said his people wanted peace and to continue about their normal lives despite the massive losses they had suffered.

He called on Southern

Highlanders in Morobe province to give a hand to the situation and at least provide tents to keep out the continuous rain affecting their people.

He said since the clash started, they had been displaced, threatened and living with hunger. Those who are formally employed have also been affected.

Nine Mile councillor Philip Taminza has called for both factions to identify the instigators before bringing them to police.

LOs condemn unauthorised customary land grabbing

THE EAST Motu-Koita women’s representative in the Motu-Koitabu Assembly, Mary Kidu, has lashed out against unauthorised commercial developments currently occurring on Portion 675, the land bordering PNGDF Taurama Barracks.

“I object to the landgrabbing going on within the neighbourhood of the

The bottom line

PNGDF Taurama Barracks because it is customary land.

The customary landowners have not given free and prior informed consent,” she added.

Portion 675 covers land locally known as Ranubada, Masto, Tanokaka, Sikere, Gisigisi, and Koibo.

Mrs Kidu said that customary landowners of

Portion 675 from Pari village in Moresby South had come across a Notice Under Section 4 placed by the Land Titles Commission registrar Agi Ila in the newspapers and were objecting to an application by a person known as Peter Suam of Kimkim Studio Ltd for the land named Ranubada. “My voters are unhappy because

Ranubada is customary land covered by decision of the Land Title Commission No.11 and dated September 30, 1965.”

She said that the Peter Suam application was questionable as the application was for a piece of land covered by Portion 675. “I have read the LTC decision dated September 30, 1965, and I am

In 2011, a woman bought a non-visible piece of art for $10,000, titled ‘Fresh Air’.

shocked that Ranubada has been re-portioned as Portion No 3205c.”

Mrs Kidu would be seeking legal clarification because she wanted to know whether the Motu-Koitabu Assembly could exercise its powers under sections 49 and 50 of the Motu-Koitabu Assembly Act 2007 in relation to access to customary land.

Mr Polodi said what ExxonMobil PNG Ltd (operator of the PNG LNG Project), and the Government of Papua New Guinea agreed to was good, but they should have involved the resource owners as well.

“For ExxonMobil PNG Ltd to supply up to 20 million cubic feet a day of domestic natural gas for 20 years to support Government plans of improving capacity and reliability of the country’s power supply is a very big activity,” he said.

PRL21 Ketu-Elevala project site is situated in Kowe clan in north Fly district, Western Province.

RICHARD POLODI Chairman

Homes of the Southern Highlands community in Lae destroyed by fire during the clash.

There is supposed to be proper consultation between all parties ...

take on executive roles at ANZ

BY LEONNIE WAYANG

INTERNATIONAL Women’s Day (IWD) is an occasion that provides a chance for women’s achievements to be celebrated and advocate gender equality.

International Women’s Day falls on Sunday and this year’s theme, ‘Make it Happen’, aims to encourage effective action for advancing and recognising women.

One organisation in Port Moresby that has been recognising the achievements of its women employees, celebrating their achievements and working towards giving them a greater visibility, is ANZ (PNG) Bank.

Chief executive officer, Mark Baker, said the bank had done a lot for their women employees, particularly in PNG.

“In our ANZ PNG management team, we have 11 employees, five of them are women; two are from PNG, one from Samoa, Fiji and another from Australia.

“Not only do we have a good representation of women at the management table but also from a number of countries, as diversity of conversation and decisionmaking are to the way we do our business.

“Even better, we have fifteen branches and twelve out of the fifteen branch managers are women, Papua New Guinean women,” Mr Baker said.

Anitua showcases Pawa Meri series

ANITUA Corporate Services team on Lihir Island, New Ireland Province, are showcasing the achievements of six amazing Papua New Guinea women by watching the Pawa Meri DVD series with colleagues from other local businesses.

Pawa Meri’ is a series of short films, celebrating the unique roles and contributions of PNG women.

The women featured are from all over PNG, including Susil Nelson (Port Moresby), Gina Baidam (Daru), Sister Lorraine Garasu (Bougainville),

Advances needed for women equality

INTERNATIONAL

Women’s day is celebrated on Sunday. There will be many different occasions throughout Papua New Guinea to celebrate this big day for women and girls.

United Nations Women in PNG representative, Dr Jeffrey Buchanan, said women had achieved a lot of progress in the past decade, especially in education and economic income.

“More girls go to school, women are earning more income than before and have attained higher positions.”

However, Dr Buchanan said there was room for improvement to provide women with more opportunities to reach equality with men.

Miriam Potopi (Manus), Jennifer Baing Waiko (Markham), and Rita Kare (Goroka).

Irrespective of the differences in education, age, and opportunity, these women are all equally inspiring

– hard working, passionate, persistent, and spirit of community service – are common to them all.

Executive director of Anitua Group, Colin Vale, encouraged his female staff to attend the viewing to complement the Group’s priority of recruiting, developing, empowering and looking after female employees.

“Being aware of the achievements of other women is a great way of making our staff realise their own potential,” Mr Vale said.

He added: “We thought the Pawa Meri series would be a good way to mark International Women’s Day, which also serves to remind us of the many inequities that are yet to be addressed, such as maleperpetrated violence that holds back so many women in PNG.

“The country would be much more prosperous if more women were able to participate in employment opportunities and if gender violence wasn’t as rife as it is today compared to other countries,” Mr Vale said.

“Some women and girls may have more power than they did a decade ago, but the majority of women and girls still lag far behind men in all areas, especially in leadership.”

He said the important and well attended PNG Women’s Forum hosted by USAID on March 9, 10 and 11 would highlight the many achievements made by women and girls in PNG.

“This is an exciting venue to celebrate International Women’s Day. Let’s see what areas of improvement men and women can make in the coming year to really mark progress for equality and empowerment of women,’’ Dr Buchanan said.

FROM right: ANZ (PNG) CEO Mark Baker and female staff who play leading roles in the company. Deidre Simpson, Melissa Jojoga, Carolyn Ive, Ann Steele and Taumaia Kramer.

PNG would be more prosperous if gender violence wasn’t rife.

COLLIN VALE

Lihir Island, New Ireland Province

BY NELLIE SETEPANO

WHOOPING cough has hit villages along Lake Murray in Western Province but it has been brought under control, according to Middle Fly health services.

More than 200 people had been treated for the disease at Aimabak and Boboa clinics while about 1000 people had come forward with complaints such as cold, flu and measles.

Following reports of the outbreak, a health patrol team was deployed to Aimabak and then to Lake Murray.

At a glance

OUTBREAK: WHOOPING cough has hit villages along Lake Murray in Western Province but it has been brought under control, according to Middle Fly health services.

STATISTICS: More than 200 people had been treated for the disease at Aimabak and Boboa clinics while about 1,000 people had come forward with complaints such as cold, flu and measles.

It brought medical supplies and awareness materials for whooping cough and other related diseases and then travelled further down to Obo (lower Middle Fly) and Boboa (Lake Murray station) health

facilities to treat the sick.

Patrol team leader Nelson Witi said all these cases were diagnosed clinically, and out of the 201 whooping cough cases 149 were new cases.

Mr Witi also explained that

Whooping cough scare in Western District to support technical institute

531 children were seen and immunised for measles, polio and pneumonia.

“There is still a window for cross infection of children in the villages of Wangawanga, Aimabak, Bosset, Kasa, Lewame, Obo, Kavinanga and Komovai because of the new road link and common sharing of traditional land and fishing boundaries and the movement of people,” he said. He further explained that there is only one operational health facility in Lake Murray which catered for 16 villages.

THE Tari Pori district administration in Hela Province will support a private school and construct five new buildings and put the teachers on their payroll.

This was announced by Tari Pori MP and Finance Minister James Marape in Tebi LLG in the Hela Province during the launching of the Tari Multi Skills Training Institute.

Mr Marape, who was the guest of honor during the launching said the training institution did not get any support from them or Hela provincial administration or any other support for that matter during its establishment.

“And we are all surprised that the school has now become a reality and is training youths, school drop outs and even adultskills training and that is a very important thing the school is doing in the rural setting,” Mr Marape said.

“This is what private institutions must do because they contribute to the development of this country.”

Institute principal David Angobe said the school has have contributed to development in the area.

MP: EHP health authority inquiry

MINISTER for Health Michael Malabag has written to Eastern Highlands Provincial Health Authority Chairman to reinstate five terminated officers including the acting hospital manager Dr Francis Wandi.

Dr Francis and four officers – Mererime Forereme, John Kale, Nelson Abu and Barnabas Pipike – were purportedly terminated by the CEO, under section 55 of the public management act but without investigations and have since conducted illegal strike action.

The minister has also instructed that the authority settle outstanding payments in

relation to the doctors’ domestic market allowances.

Other directions include the review of job descriptions for the director for curative health services and hospital manager to ensure alignment of these roles.

Mr Malabag also directed the board to review the top management structure of the authority in relation to the position of hospital manager.

The minister has also directed the board to commission an audit into the Goroka Provincial Hospital.

Mr Malabag’s directive comes as a result of a committee inquiry into the matters of

the provincial health authority. A letter dated March 3, to chairman David Wong included findings of that committee inquiry.

Key findings from a committee enquiry conducted on January 22-24 discovered no gross break down in its administration of the authority.

The board has been properly performing its functions accordance with its mandate under the provincial health authority act 2007.

The findings, state authority’s senior executive management is subsequently appointed and has been performing their duties.

MICHAEL Malabag

TARI Pori MP and Finance Minister James Marabe opening the Tari Multi Skills Training Institute in Tebi LLG Tari last weekend

COMPANY SURPRISE KIDS WITH GIFT

State needs to show interest in Copio case

BY SAMUEL RAITANO

PEOPLE should not pay for services which have not been rendered, a National Court hearing in Port Moresby has been told.

Husband, wife guilty of stealing from relative

BY SAMUEL RAITANO

A WOMAN who showed kindness by accommodating her relatives has found out to her disappointment that they had robbed her of her life’s savings.

Yesterday the relatives, a husband and wife, appeared at the Waigani District Court for allegedly stealing K9600 belonging to their host.

According to court documents, Victor Michael from Par village in Kompiam, Enga Province, conspired with wife Melinda Koi and stole a bank card belonging to the wife’s cousin.

The theft happened on October 14 last year.

The couple were living with the wife’s cousin when they committed the offence.

The card owner, who is the complainant in the case, was suspicious when she saw that the couple always returned home with heavy shopping. So she checked her account balance through mobile banking to find that all her savings were gone.

She then went to the bank to verify and found that there were numerous withdrawals done in several automatic teller machines (ATMs) in Port Moresby.

At a glance

MATTER: Case of former PNG High Commissioner to Solomon Islands Brian Yombon Copio against the state for a claim of more than K1.2 million for alleged unlawful termination of his contract. Lawyer representing Mr Copio told the Judge that the amount was for the balance of his clients, contract term as envoy in Honiara. RULING: For the lawyer to submit a revised claim to the State by March 12 and also for the State to show interest in the case or the court would order payment according to evidence.

This was Judge Ambeng Kandakasi’s response yesterday, when a lawyer representing former PNG High Commissioner to Solomon Islands, Brian Yombon Copio, raised the issue on a claim of more than K1.2 million to the State for alleged unlawful termina-

tion of his client’s contract. He also wanted the State to

show more interest in the case or face the consequences. Justice Kandakasi was told that the amount was for the balance of Mr Copio’s contract term as envoy in Honiara. However, he said the amount was too much and the State should not be paying such amounts for nowork being done. He asked the lawyer if he could substantiate the balance and was told that the amount

claimed for included damages suffered as well.

However, Justice Kandakasi told the lawyer to submit a revised claim to the State by March 12. He ordered that if the State continued to show lack of interest in the matter, the court would order for the payment of damages and other necessary payments in accordance to the evidence by the plaintiff. The matter returns to court on April 1.

Footage from CCTV cameras then showed the accused couple making the transactions. The couple are out on K500 bail each and will return to court on March 19.

At a glance

MATTER: A husband and wife who were leaving with a relative (wife’s cousin), allegedly stole her entire life savings of K9600 and are in court for it

Man found guilty of sexual penetration of minor

BY SHARON LOWA

THE KOKOPO National Court is yet to decide on the sentence of accused Peter Yomol who was found guilty of sexual penetration of an underaged girl. The 34-year-old man from Tegipo ward of Nipa district, Southern Highlands Province, was found guilty of sexual penetration of an underaged girl by the National Court in Kokopo, East New Britain Province, yesterday.

Peter Yomol was residing at Gunanur plantation, Kokopo district, when he committed the offence in 2013.

Presiding Judge Salatiel Lenalia said the incident occurred on July 15, 2013, at Gunanur between 11am and 3pm when the victim was with friends at a nearby creek playing. She was lured by Yomol to get guava fruits at his residence.

The victim, who was aged six at the time, willingly followed the accused to his premises to get the promised guava fruit. She was then asked to

Victim was playing with friends when she was lured by the man to pick guava ...

JUSTICE SALATIEL LENALIA Kokopo

enter the house and while looking around, the accused made the bed and asked the victim to remove her clothes while he did the same and forcefully penetrated her.

She reported the incident to her mother when she was questioned of her lateness later that afternoon.

According to medical reports, there was evidence of force used during sexual penetration and tests showed results of venereal disease yaws. She was given a dose of STI treatment.

The case was adjourned to March 11, for the lawyer representing the accused to make a submission on the penalty, as he was absent from court.

AGMARK Hardware paid a surprise visit to the students of Twinky Winky International School and presented to them a kids play differ set. The principal director of the school Mrs Naomi Kowas thanked Agmark Hardware for their surprise visit and support towards their early learning centre. Since here with the children are Agmark and school representatives.

Call for association election

BY JOHNNY POIYA

MEMBERS of the PNG Teachers Association in Highlands region are calling on the national general secretariat to set a date for a general election.

The teachers said Industrial Registrar Helen Saleu had instructed the general secretary, Ugwalubu Mowana, in December last year to advise all members of PNGTA that the 2014 nominations were invalid and the election was deferred to this month.

Spokesman and member association branch in Western Highands and Jiwaka provinces, David Numbaming, said yesterday that elections were delayed for five years and there was no reason it should be deferred again.

“The elections should be conducted this year as directed by the office of Industrial Registrar. Teachers can’t be forever kept at suspension with the current PNGTA management running the organisation like their private business,” Mr Numbaming said.

He called on the office of the Industrial Registrar to give clear instructions to PNGTA on how to conduct a just and fair election using the closed nominations of 2013.

He said: “All teachers must elect their legal agents to represent them on various committees within the public sector organisation in the country.”

Mr Numbaming called on all teachers to unite and stand together to check the operations of the PNGTA.

“We should check and see where all our welfare funds are going to.Why are there no new vehicles for the four regions since 2004 and how is PNGTA Highlands office lacking equipment to serve its members? Why are there no reports of any PNGTA’s asset like houses, vehicles or other properties? Mr Numbaming queried. He said if there were further delays, the teachers would request courts and Education Department to put on hold membership subscriptions from going into the PNGTA’s account.

Celebration

STUDENTS, teachers and parents of Kukawi Primary School in West Yangoru local level government of Yangoru-Saussia district in East Sepik Province have expressed joy and satisfaction following the opening of a new double classroom for their school. The school and the community in that area thanked their local MP and Minister for Trade, Commerce and Industry, Richard Maru, for

over new classroom

making funds available for their new double classroom building.

A total of K100,000 from the 2014 District Services Improvement Program (DSIP) funds was allocated to the school administration for this building.

Last Tuesday, students, teachers, school administration and parents celebrated the opening of this building where Minister Maru officially opened it.

School children need escort

EAST New Britain police boss Superintendent Anthony Wagambie Jr has called on parents and guardians to always escort their elementary school children to and from schools.

He made the call following a vehicle incident last week where a six-year old elementary school girl was hit by a public motor vehicle. The vehicle transporting the tourists who arrived in Rabaul on board Sun Princess was on its way back to Rabaul from Kokopo when it hit the girl.

The incident occurred at around 3 pm at Butuwin when the young girl was trying to cross the road.

He told the people at the gathering that education was one of the priority policies his office and the district administration would be focusing on.

The new building has two classrooms with an office space between them for the head teacher.

Minister Maru said it was very important that infrastructures for all schools in Yangoru-Saussia electorate be upgraded.

Supt Wagambie said it was fortunate that the bus stopped intantly when it hit the girl which saved the girl from further injuries or even death.

He added that no tourists on the vehicle were injured during the accident.

The girl was immediately rushed to Saint Mary’s Vunapope hospital.

According to the proivncial police chief, the bus has since been impounded at Kokopo police station and the driver charged.

He added that there were many elementary school children making their way to and from schools alone.

MR Maru cutting the ribbon to mark the opening of a new classroom in Kukawi Primary School.

Quick thoughts KUMARASIRI’S REPLY

In response to the letter published by “MVIL Insider” in the March 4, 2015, edition of Post-Courier, I wish to reiterate the position of the IPBC. On February 17, IPBC released a media statement with details of the MVIL v Woodlawn case. In the statement it was made clear that the “case has been pursued by the Independent Public Business Corporation (IPBC) on behalf of MVIL since July 2011”.

The statement is available on our website www.ipbc.com.pg. The statement also makes clear that there remain outstanding matters in the Australian court. IPBC has also engaged lawyers to pursue all facets of the case in the courts of Papua New Guinea. Our objective is to recover maximum damages due to the MVIL in this matter, and then to pursue issues such as alleged criminality as alluded to in “MVIL Insider’s” letter. This is following the natural course of justice and the law.

IPBC has displayed tenacity and capability in pursuing the matter over a long period of time and will continue to do so to the full extent of the law. We do so not in the interests of any particular individual or individuals, but purely in the public interest. IPBC appeals to “insiders” who appear to have some level of interest in the matter to be patient and have faith in the process.

Wasantha Kumarasiri Managing Director, IPBC

LEGALISE IT

We say Papua New Guinea is a Christian country but what are we doing to stop the moral decay that is eating away at the very fabric of our societies? Why so much fuss about some Asian prostitutes when we have Papua New Guinean prostitutes everywhere? The Government should legalise prostitution so there will be proper brothels and no one has to hide anymore. I believe this will also decrease the high rate of HIV/AIDS in our country.

Concerned Citizen

Looking for someone?

I AM looking for Julie P from Wabag. She last lived at Burns Peak, Port Moresby. Please call me on 7143 7068.

Helen I Port Moresby

That is a lot of toilet bowls

THE news about the alleged abuse of power in the East Sepik provincial administration is good news for Boram General Hospital. During the past years it was the pride of East Sepik. Now it lies in a dilapidated state. It needs a face lift.

How did the East Sepik administration award a contract for a toilet for K1.2 million? I am no construction specialist but a toilet bowl in a hardware store in Port Moresby costs less than K130. If we divide K1.2 million by K130, we will get 9230 toilet bowls. That would be more than enough for Boram General Hospital and all health centres in East Sepik Province.

It is probably the tip-of-an-iceberg, as Member for Yangoru-Saussia and

Minister for Commerce and Industry Richard Maru puts it. Law will take its course so we must say no more as legally, no one has been charged yet because investigation has only started.

Provincial health authorities in East Sepik Province have another big mess. It is to do with health service in Wosera of Wosera Gawi district. Since about 1997, Wambisa Health Centre has been neglected by the health authorities.

The health centre was a main referral centre for Wosera. Now services have collapsed. There has been no proper appointment of an health extension officer since 1997 or so.

The district health adviser has virtually done nothing about the bad

health service situation in Wosera. He is down at Burui Health Centre in Gawi. Is he aware of Wosera’s situation?

People of Wosera have petitioned provincial health authorities but I am not sure whether they have actually communicated their concerns. Could the police investigators currently in East Sepik Province also look into the use of funds for Wambisa Health Centre?

I am available to assist by calling up villages and other community leaders at Wambisa and Wosera to assist with any information, including sharing their experiences.

James Wanjik Port Moresby

WRITE TO US Text us on 208

LNG clean source of energy

Letter of the day

LNG is a very important and versatile source of energy, and it is also a very clean source of energy that the world desperately needs.

PNG is supplying clean energy through LNG to some of the biggest energy consumers in the region such as China, Japan, Taiwan and Korea.

The increased use of LNG in power generation by moving away from heavy pollutant fuels, like coal and heavy diesel, would apparently lead to greater health and environmental benefits for those LNG importing nations and their citizens as well as for the world in general.

Apart from securing long-term energy security, the countries importing LNG from PNG are giving more environmental, health and socioeconomic benefits to their citizens.

China and the USA declared during the US-China joint announcement on climate change in Beijing, on November 12, 2014, their commitment to reducing greenhouse gases.

GOVERNMENTS are now trying to reduce, as much as they

China is a major energy consumer and is responsible for emitting significant amounts of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. The world is currently putting pressure on major energy consuming countries to cut down on the use of pollutant energy sources – like coal and oil/diesel – as part of the global campaign to address climate change issues.

The benefits associated with the PNG LNG Project are far more significant than money. PNG is giving the world renewed hope in many

Text us on 208

fronts of life. It is contributing significantly towards addressing global climate change issues through its LNG exports. It is indirectly offering help to the importing countries through improved health and longevity to people in highly polluted cities in China and Japan.

In terms of national energy security, Japan is a vulnerable country it is smart in its strategy relating to diversifying its energy sources as well as its supply sources. In this context, Japan recognises PNG as an important energy supply source.

Because we are a small developing nation, apparently these benefits we contribute to the global communities would not be acknowledged. Perhaps at the bilateral level, our political leadership should consider these facts when dealing with leaders of nations importing PNG LNG when negotiating aid and trade.

Importantly, the above facts should give PNG a very strong bargaining position when negotiating deals in future LNG projects.

K Koya Ialibu

NCDC needs police support unit

THE National Capital District Commission is the regulatory arm of the National Government within NCD and is responsible for NCD’s administrative affairs.

Its primary interest is in ensuring the nation’s capital is well maintained and properly managed.

The commission, under the stewardship of our Governor Powes Parkop and City Manager Leslie Alu, together with their four deputy city managers, have done a lot of good. This management has made tough decisions for the benefit of the mass and one crucial one is betelnut ban.

The betelnut ban was not thought overnight. It took considerable

10 years ago

planning prior to its implementation, and that has brought about considerable change.

The Acting Police Commissioner Geoffrey Vaki’s decision to disband the NCDC police support unit is unwise. He should’ve at least allowed for proper and thorough investigations as protocol under the constabulary standing orders, to prove the unit’s involvement in the alleged discharge of fire arms in relation to the alleged shooting of residents.

The NCDC unit is still in its infancy phase but has proven reliable and taken its place in the RPNGC family hall. We urge you Mr Vaki to think out

BEWARE PNGEANS

As if running a normal business was not enough for some Asians in Hides, Southern Highlands, they have decided to venture into the green gold business. A photo currently circulated on Facebook shows an Asian male selling betelnut somewhere in the Hides area. Papua New Guineans be mindful, it won’t be long before they go into gardening, raising pigs and taking over other agriculture activities like coffee and cocoa farming, before claiming landownership of customary land and becoming another land owner in PNG once they get married in villages.

DG

RIGHT MOVE, PM

of the box as a senior resident of this city. NCDC’s municipal obligation is humongous. The city authority needs an enforcement division to ensure urban safety and make sure the smooth transition of its by-laws is effectively policed. This unit is here to stay and we remain intact. We welcome your office to prove us guilty but nonetheless we hope you have empathy not as an individual but as an important stakeholder and partner in contributing to the expectations of NCDC.

Charlie NCD

Prime Minister Peter O’Neill’s announcement of awarding settlers land titles to build decent homes is a move in the right direction. Most of these settlers have been there over the years and have raised school kids, worked in Government and private sectors, paid taxes to the government and have been living honest lives. Money that they have earned have been used to improve the land for years and they have been looking after this land as they would their child. Since independence, successive governments have taken over and given to foreigners or to their political cronies land after chasing the settlers away. Such actions are pure inhuman. For example, 90 per cent of Morata settlement’s residents are middle class people. This government has done wonders for the people for the last three years and if the Prime Minister’s plan to improve living standards for settlement people becomes reality, than this government is truly for the people.

Yamo Pita

LET’S FREE OURSELVES

Lately the report about PNG being one of the top pornography viewing

countries in the world has really depressed a lot of Papua New Guineans and have made us question our stand on moral issues. But we don’t have to believe all the rubbish these Westerners are throwing at us. They are always classifying us by their standards, their measurements, their perceptions. Be it a technological fact, scientific, or whatever rubbish they come up with, we don’t always have to believe them. These Western countries know that we have been battling some moral issues among ourselves in this country. Who knows, this could be a cooked up lie they came up with just to make us bend our views on how we value God and His Word in our country. We have a slave mentality. A kanaka mindset, a colonial mindset that we must be freed from. It is an oppressed mindset. They want us to always dance to their tunes and their music. They want us to be always at the bottom of the rank. They set up our education system in such a way that we will always look up to them. Graduate, get a degree and wait for them, they will come and employ us... such rubbish. But sadly, they have successfully conditioned us to think that we are inferior to them. And so now we can easily believe whatever lie they tell us. It’s easy. They will throw in a little line like “Google engineers” and we are already fighting among ourselves whether to legalise porn shops, brothels, and so on. Let us not dance to their tune. We must free ourselves from this slave, kanaka, oppressed mindset. It is time we own our gold mines, our oil refinery and our fish factories. Yes we can. God bless PNG.

Scott Bilau Amira

OVAL LIKE PIG STY

Unagi Oval at Gordon, NCD, is beginning to look like a pig sty. What is going to happen to it come the Pacific Games in July? Proud resident

It will not surprise me that a fraud squad It will not me that a fraud investigation would reveal the presence would reveal the presence of a well-organised crime syndicate that of a crime that knowingly initiates bogus claims... initiates claims...

Yangoru-Saussia MP and Commerce Trade and Industry Minister MP and Commerce, Trade and Minister Richard Maru on the misuse of K1 2m Boram Hospital funds Richard Maru on the misuse of K1.2m Boram funds.

Former Attorney-General Francis Damem is taking legal action against State Solicitor Ezekiel Mesulam for defamation. Feb 7, 2005

can, the consequences of climate change.

Rabaul sets sights on change

THE Rabaul town administration has changed its focus to move developments to the old Rabaul town area and revive business activities in the ash covered town.

The focus is to develop the old market area and use it as a pull factor to move developments into the once devastated town.

Under the management of the new town manager, Ekonia Walom, the Rabaul town administration has target plans in place to bring abrupt changes to the town.

He said the developments were confined to only one part of the

town and nothing much had changed, thus bringing about the planned movement of development throughout the whole town area.

He plans that after 10 to 15 years the old Rabaul town would be revived, with the first step to develop the old market.

He said under the town administration, he plans to open a new ward cheque account within the LLGs and also to introduce a new ward manual accounting system.

He said this was to strengthen the administration and to promote governance and account-

ability at the ward levels.

Walom said there were many target areas that need to be addressed, but the administration was taking it one step at a time to adopt each plan.

Funding is now trickling down to the ward levels and the administration is hopeful that these would enable projects to move forward and bring forth changes and more developments at the ward level. Meanwhile, town mayor, Changol Manuai commended the Government for funding that is now trickling down to the ward level, empowering the people.

Office warns of highway damage

MOROBE provincial emergency and disaster services director Charles Masange has warned that continuous heavy rain will damage a vulnerable section of the Highlands Highway in the Markham Plains.

Mr Masange said there was an urgent need to remove the silt build up on the waterways of the plains before anything worse happens.

He said this work would cost more than K1.2 million to clear

the silt which had affected the low level plains of Markham in the past five years.

“The annual floods of Markham Plains have moved closer to the Highlands Highway and will definitely result in a break-up of the national highway,” Mr Masange said.

The Tararan and Chivasing villages, about 54 miles out of Lae city, have been worst affected by recent rain.

He said the floods are a result

of the silt spread along the low level Plains which had continued to build up towards the highway.

He said it was unfortunate that the villagers were digging drains across the main highway without much consideration of tampering with the highway.

Mr Masange said the Department of Works has dispatched officers to the area to deal with the road tampering.

WNB sets EquiTV program

BY NICOLE JOANNES

THE EQUITV program is being rolled out in West New Britain Province following its launch at Sir Lucas Waka Primary School by Governor Sasindran Muthuvel.

He said the provincial Government will spend K1.5 million to roll out the EQUITV program to 176 primary schools throughout the Province.

Equipment to be supplied and installed in all primary schools include 180 by 40 inch television sets, 180 DVD sets, 145 satellite equipment for remote schools, 114 solar kits for all remote schools, 43 diesel generators for remote schools which can easily access fuel.

As well as 60 pipes for satellite dishes, 150 EMTV decoders for schools in very remote locations in the Province and 40 VHF antennas for schools that can easily access EMTV signals.

New tenants refuse to move out of govt flat

BY DONALD WILLIE

THE reversed decision by National Housing Corporation John Dege to reinstate evicted tenants from a flat at Tokarara by moving out the new tenants, has caused a family feud between the old and new tenants.

The new tenants say they are the legal tenants as they have gone through and completed, correct procedures after three long years with legal documents, for this reason, they refuse to move out.

Married couple Thomas

and Philomena Marinae were responding to a newspaper article, dated Wednesday March 4.

The article stated that Lucy Aia, a single mother, had been locked out by new tenants after an eviction decision was reversed on

tenants that had debts to NHC.

Ms Aia was quoted in the article as saying that the family who had moved in since the eviction were refusing to leave the flats despite new instructions from Mr Dege, who had ear-

lier on signed the eviction notice to remove the old tenants.

The couple is alleging that the woman and her family were living in the house under the ex-husband’s name and because they could not pay the rental, decided to call the brother to live with her to assist in paying the rent.

They further alleged that the brother had kicked her out of the house after a couple of months so she built a small permanent house at the back of the flats, where she had been living since.

Mr and Mrs Marinae are

disputing the previous newspaper report which stated that she has been living outside the flat.

They said she had a permanent house built before the feud. The couple further questioned the actions of NHC managing director for the decision to reverse an earlier decision, describing it as immature.

“What law is he using?” they asked. They also refused to move out as the reversed decision has no written approval or direction to make them move out. The NHC could not be reached for comment

Lae housing executives demand apology

BY ABRAHAM AVEDIBA

EXECUTIVES of the National Housing Corporation (NHC) office have demanded an apology from disgruntled tenants in Lae who had raised allegations against them.

NHC Momase regional acting manager David Kaupa told the Post-Courier that the tenants, in a petition

to the prime minister and other authorities, listed 13 alleged wrongdoings that he and chief exectuive officer John Dege were allegedly involved in.

“These people didn’t follow the right channels to air their concerns. This has resulted in NHC being viewed as a corrupt office and we senior officers losing our reputation,” he

said. According to Mr Kaupa, many tenants had approached the courts to restrain NHC from evicting them despite several notices issued months earlier to have them pay their dues.

“These people have talked to government officials and the media but they forgot to talk to NHC, the right authority they have issues with.

“The main reason why they have not is because they’re hiding from the fact that they’ve got huge amounts of outstanding rental bills to pay,” Mr Kaupa said. He said the bills listed in NHC database in Port Moresby was accurate and notices were given to each tenant to prevent an accumulation of debts in their

records. Mr Kaupa said further legal actions would be taken against those tenants if a formal letter of apology was not given this month to NHC executives in Lae, Morobe Province.

Meanwhile, NHC Morobe office is currently facing court hearings over various issues relating to tenants not being faithful in paying their bills.

THE National Housing Estate Limited in partnership with Berkeley Capital have invited interested individuals and corporate clients to purchase land and housing packages on a new estate being developed in Port Moresby.

The new Gobuta Street Estate at Tokarara has 48 blocks, which was developed and subdivided by Berkeley Capital, a leading international company specialised in sub-dividing land and constructing houses. The company brings a wealth of experience to Papua New Guinea to deliver Australian standard land states and construct Australian standard homes for those who want quality homes.

According to Berkeley, the estate is likely to set a new benchmark in house and land subdivisions in the nation’s capital and hopefully extend to other centres in the near future.

This boutique estate at Tokarara will be regarded as one a premier place of residence in Port Moresby.

It will feature on-site security, building covenants, Australian standard roads, power and sewerage to each allotment and landscaped surrounding gardens. Prices start from K500,000 for a full turn key house and land package. Clients will need a K150,000 deposit and the balance will be raised through a bank on the clients behalf through Berkeley’s in-house finance brokers.

Australian standard estates to be erected Blackouts distress residents

BY ABRAHAM AVEDIBA

RESIDENTS in Lae are raising concerns over continuous blackouts despite gas turbines being introduced in Morobe Province.

Jenny Genesis, a resident of Department of Works compound in Ward-Three, said the introduction of gas turbines had brought hope to many communities around the city.

“I’ve been experiencing problems with my electrical appliances and I thought this issue would be resolved once we have the gas turbines running. But I’m surprised that we’re still having blackouts,” Ms Genesis said.

Anne Sombo, a resident of Seventh Street in Ward-Two, said it is during blackouts that opportunists attack their victims in her area.

“It’s not safe during power outages and many residents have gone to the extent of employing guards to watch over their homes.

THE EQUITV program is being rolled out in West New Britain Province following its launch at Sir Lucas Waka Primary School by Governor Sasindran Muthuvel.

Parkop presents funds for school project

BY DENYSE KALAU

A CHEQUE for K250,000 was presented by Governor for NCD Powes Parkop to St Charles Lwanga High School, to upgrade its status from high school to secondary school.

Mr Parkop made the presentation recently to school principal Br Joseph Thomas on behalf of the Government, in a small but significant ceremony witnessed by students and Government representatives.

Mr Parkop when presenting the cheque said the Government was serious about developing human resources in the country by making education a top priority area through its tuition fee free policy which has resulted in a high influx of students enrolling in schools.

The high influx of students means more classrooms must be built to cater for the student population.

Currently, the TFF policy focuses on students and not the areas of infrastructure and so through this donation of K250,000, the money would be used by the school to build ten new classrooms to cater for more students once the status of the school is upgraded to secondary level.

At a glance

OCCASION: The presentation of a cheque for K250,000 by NCD Governor Powes Parkop to St Charles High School.

FUNDING TO: Assist the school in its bid to upgrade its status from high school to secondary status by building more infrastructure to cater for the increase in student population.

SCHOOL PROJECT:

According to school principal Br Joseph Thomas the school needs to raise a total of K1.9m to complete the project by the end of this year and the donations are timely.

Mr Parkop told students that once the classrooms are completed and the school upgraded, there would be no reason for students to drop out of school.

Deputy Governor for Oro Evartius Bori was also present for the occasion and donated K2000 to assist the school with its project.

Br Thomas upon receiving the two cheques said the school needs to raise about K1.9 million to complete the project by the end of the year, and the donations takes them a step closer to completing the project.

Locals to get new health facility

BY PEARSON KOLO

A RURAL district in Western Highlands Province will have a new community health post with funding from the Australian Government and the Asian Development Bank.

This is after Australian and ADB officers went to the rural district last Sunday and officiated at the ground

breaking ceremony. During the groundbreaking ceremony in Alkena Tambul district, the minister and counsellor for the Development Corporation of the Australian High Commission to PNG, James Hall, and ADB vice president administration and corporate management Bruce Davis told more than 2000 people that their organisa-

tions are there to help support the livelihood of people through such projects. “Our organisations exist to support people around the world to provide basic services and needs in their areas,” Mr Davis and Mr Hall said during their speeches.

“This Community Health Post project in Alkena will provide all the basic health services to the people.”

Western Highlands Provincial Health Authority chief executive officer Dr James Kintwa who was also present during the ceremony thanked AusAid and ADB for jointly funding the Community Health Post project in Tambul. A water project, also part of the community health post project, was officially opened by Mr Hall.

MV Rabaul Queen case deferred

THE CASE against Rabaul Shipping managing director Peter Sharp and four others in relation to the sinking of MV Rabaul Queen in February 2012, is still before the Kokopo Committal Court and was further adjourned yesterday to March 19 this year.

According to police prosecutions, the case was further adjourned for submissions by both prosecution and defence counsels to be presented before the court.

The case was adjourned in November last year to yesterday after the defence counsel promised to make their submission. This did not eventuate.

The defence counsel instead told the court they required particulars on the unseaworthiness of the vessel from police prosecutions.

Police Prosecutor Benson Pae objected and told the court they could not give the particulars as all the information were now state evidence contained in the files given to the defense counsel.

Magistrate Oakaiva Oiveka overruled the defence counsel application. The defence counsel further requested for an adjournment with the reason being that Sharp’s principal lawyer did not have a current practicing certificate.

Police prosecutor Pae told the

At a glance

RABAUL QUEEN DISASTER: 171

people including students and children perished in waters off the coast off Finschaffen in 2012 when MV Rabaul Queen travelling from Rabaul to Lae sunk.

court that the submission can be made without the principal lawyer’s practicing certificate.

Magistrate Oiveka deferred the matter to March 19.

The decision on whether there is a criminal case against Sharp, MV Rabaul Queen Captain Anthony Tsiau, chief mate to Tsiau Michael Zirau, former Kimbe Branch port manager Grace Amen and NMSA Rabaul manager Joseph Kabiu is expected to be decided soon.

Sharp was charged with manslaughter (171 counts) and for sending an unseaworthy vessel out to sea. The others were also charged with similar offences.

On the same police file, two have already been committed for trial in the National Court in Madang and Kimbe respectively.

It is now three years since the sinking of the passenger vessel off the Finschaffen Coast in Morobe.

A SMALL boy from Tambul district WHP enjoys fresh water from a tap after the community water supply project was officially opened by James Hall from the Australian High Commission.

Digicel offers insurance

BY GRACE SALMANG

PAPUA New Guineans who cannot access insurance because of not having proper documents for identity, bank account to make payments, and those living in rural areas where they cannot access the officers of the insurance companies, can now have easy and reliable access to insurance.

Following the success of family life launched in July last year, Digicel, Bima and Capital Life Insurance company yesterday launched a new product called hausik insurance.

This insurance cover utilises mobile phone technology to break these barriers for the unprivileged Papua New Guineans to have access to insurance services.

According to Bima’s country manager Simon Schwall, hausik insurance is a simple and affordable hospitalisation insurance, customers can purchase using their Digicel credits.

“It provides up to K96 per night in financial support to registered members when hospitalised.

Mr Schwall said money would be paid to the members for each night spent in a hospital, effective from the second night up to 30 nights.

He said members only needed to provide their hospital release form to receive this financial aid for this insurance service.

“The financial support will provide great relief for families when they need it the most and it makes

Kidu supports program to stop maternal mortality rate

A STRONG advocate on maternal mortality says the issue of maternal mortality, maternal health and child health is not a health issue, it’s a social issue and a development issue.

As the new patron of the new $10 million, five-year research program, Dame Carol Kidu is believed to be a new and influential supporter for Burnet Institute’s healthy mothers, healthy babies (HMHB) program, designed to address the appalling rate of death and disease among women and children in Papua New Guinea.

“I’ve been a strong advocate on maternal mortality, not just in PNG but regionally, and I recognise that we are nowhere near reaching any of the targets that we are supposed to meet.

“The need for evidence-based approaches is critical, and I’m confident that Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies will inspire and assist enor-

mously,” Dame Carol said. Dame Carol becomes the Patron of the new, $10 million, five-year research program, which aims to arrest a maternal mortality rate in PNG that’s one of the highest in the world and 80 times worse than Australia’s.

She said but we need to remember that Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies is only the beginning of a long road. Communities need to take responsibility for the safety of mothers, and that includes men.”

The only female member for the majority of her 15 years in the PNG Parliament, Dame Carol served as Minister for Community Development in the Government of Sir Michael Somare from 2002-2011. She also founded the Safe Motherhood Alliance of PNG with the aim to build sustainable solutions to the problems of child and maternal health.

Men’s health program underway

BY HAIVETA KIVIA

CUTTING off the foreskin of penis, insertion of foreign bodies and penis enlargements boils down to lack of men’s health programs right throughout Papua New Guinea.

The PNG Sexual Health Society based in Port Moresby and its partners are trying their very best to promote Men’s Health Issues in PNG. It is one aspect of health issue not taken very seriously for a long time by the Department of Health, health care facilities and providers.

The cross cutting issue, in regards to the foreskin cutting and ‘do it yourself’ penis enlargement practices, is that Man’s Health Issues, a health program specifically target-

ted for man and boys is non-existent. Lack of knowledge is playing a big part in the abuse and harm caused to many men and boys.

Sebastian Robert, the Technical Advisor for Gender and Men’s Health at the National Department of Health, stated that an officer to deal directly with men’s health office was recruited three months ago.

Mr Robert said the program is new in Papua New Guinea and his office was still drawing up guidelines, policies and recruiting personnel to roll out the program country wide.

“It’s not easy as it may seem, trying to establish the program,” he said. He said the program will be holding its second consultative meeting next Wednesday.

At a glance

SUCCESS: Following the success of ‘Family Life’ launched in July of 2014, Digicel, Bima and Capital Life Insurance company yesterday launched a new product called ‘Hausik Insurance’. INSURANCE COVER: This insurance cover utilises mobile phone technology to break these barriers for the unprivileged Papua New Guineans to have access to insurance services.

MR SCHWALL: Hausik Insurance is simple.

it possible for the members to go to any hospital and not worry about the expenses or docked salaries,” Mr Schwall said.

“It is a great step towards financial inclusion,” said Philip Tolley, the director of Capital Life Insurance company Digicel’s head of marketing Peggy Maha said hausik insurance was yet another innovative available to customers.

“This is all about giving access to insurance, and adding value to all Digicel customers, as we continue to invest in the country in terms of network,” she said.

Customers can choose between three different hospitalisation covers, also called Cash in hospital covers. The covers include K96 per night, K64 per night or K32 per night and customers can call 70908100 to register.

FROM left: Country manager Simon Schwall, head of marketing Peggy Maha and staff.

Vocational centres excel

BY MEROLYN TEN

THE Badili Vocational Training Centre held its fifth graduation yesterday, passing out a total of 194 students with different vocational skills and knowledge courses.

Speaking during the ceremony, Education Department’s TVET assistant secretary for operations, Asseneth Tugiau, said vocational centres in the country are doing great.

“Students in 10 Parallel stream vocational training centres in Papua New Guinea, which include Badili and Limana vocational centres in Port Moresby, have improved exceedingly well in programs offered as well as securing jobs through partnerships,” Ms Tugiau said.

She said since 2010, out of a total enrolment figure of 3006, 2555 (85 per cent) students have secured jobs successfully without much struggle and 451 have gained access to further studies.

Ms Tugiau said parallel stream vocational training centres run programs for community college in ten selected vocational centres and complimented with great knowledge and concepts gained by teachers who have been trained at the India centre for research and development for community education (ICRDCE).

“A review was called by the Department of Education into the community college concept early this year for a PNG model to be in

At a glance

AIMS: Change the mind-set and attitude of students, to have them achieve life coping skills and to include those who have dropped out of the education system.

ELEVATE: TSC submission to elevate the vocational training based level of two to four and the highest proposed at level 10.

PARALLEL STREAM: Parallel stream vocational training centres run programs for community college in ten selected vocational centres.

CREDIBLE: Complimented with knowledge and concepts gained by trained teachers from the India centre for research and development for community education.

RECORD: Since 2010, 85 per cent of students have secured jobs

place to address community needs within vocational education and training.

“A draft was sent to the top management team of the Education Department for a TSC submission to elevate the vocational training based level of two to four and the highest proposed at level 10,” she said.

Ms Tugiau said the aim of the community college was to change the mind-set and attitude of students, to have them achieve life coping skills, and include those who have dropped out of the education system.

Teacher casts doubt on new restructure

BY SAMUEL RAITANO

A TEACHER has called on the National Executive Council to be well-informed before endorsing a restructure of the current education system from the 3-6-4 model to 2-6-6 model.

Francis Kaju, deputy principal at Kilakila Secondary School in Port Moresby, has sought to hand in a submission to NEC regarding his concern but has been unsuccessful due to the processes and protocols in place.

According to his submission as viewed by Post-Courier, one point elaborated was that the NEC should check whether the new model will go well with vision 2050.

He also added that the pros and cons of the system model be analysed

before endorsement. Mr Kaju’s submission also contains the practical difficulties of implementing the 2-6-6 education structure.

He also called on members of the council to verify if any research has been done and how many countries across the world have successfully implemented the structure.

This, Mr Kaju said, was to avoid another flop like the scrapped outcome-based education system.

The submission also included his suggestion that the NEC look at education standards of other successful third world countries rather than trying to copy education structures of developed countries.

Mr Kaju argues that NEC withhold its decision as the time frame of the structure’s approval to implementation was very short.

Tabar urges human capital growth

BY GRACE SALMANG

IN order to achieve our country’s vision, we need to improve our position on the human development index (HDI) in terms of life span, literacy rate and per capita, says Minister for Higher Education Research Science and Technology, Malakai Tabar.

Mr Tabar revealed that out of the total college age population of Papua New Guinea, only 2-3 per cent have access to tertiary education annually.

“And to reach a middle income country status, we need about 15 per cent of our college age population to have access to tertiary education annually,” he said.

The first pillar of Vision 2050 acknowledges our country’s critical

need for sufficient quality human capital development, to ensure we are able to achieve future economic and social prosperity and environmental security.

“You must always remember in the back of your mind, that the significant role that our university graduates need to play with regard to achieving our country’s Vision 2050, is to become ‘smart, wise, fair, healthy and happy society by 2050,” Minister Tabar said.

He told the new intakes of University of PNG during orientation, that each of them is able to contribute to the attainment of this pillar through dedication and commitment with their studies and through final application of their gained knowledge and skills when they enter professional workforce.

GRADUANDS at the vocational centre yesterday.

Tutumang vote to amend authority bill

BY HAIVETA KIVIA

THE Tutumang yesterday voted unanimously for an amendment to the draft Lae City Authority Bill.

President of Umi-Atzera local level government Daki Mao moved and presented a motion on the floor of Tutumang and it was passed 34 votes to nil.

The Tutumang also endorsed that a province wide consultation is to be conducted immediately in all the nine districts and a report presented to Tutumang together with a draft bill on the proposed Lae City Authority by next month.

The motion paper stated that the draft bill was flawed in many aspects and poses danger to accountability and transparency, legal and constitutional issues.

Mr Mao told the Tutumang that section 31 of the draft Bill on Regulations states that the Head of State, acting on advice, may make regulations not consistent with this Act prescribing all matters that are required or permitted that are necessary or convenient to be prescribed for carrying out and giving effect to this Act.

He told the Tutumang that these omissions and flaws constitute bad drafting because it will create conducive grounds for the board to do

anything at will to the detrimental of the Lae and Morobe people.

He told the house that section 4 of the draft bill is unconstitutional because national parliament and the authority can’t remove the legitimate third tier governments of Lae and Ahi.

Section 4 of the Bill says Lae and the Ahi local level governments will sign over their responsibilities of providing municipal services through a memorandum of understanding.

He also stated that under section 8 of the draft bill, the powers and functions of the board of authority is not spelt out precisely under their own separate headings.

He said the composition of the board is made up mostly of politicians and it is politicised as opposed to Morobe Provincial Government wanting professional people to be on the board.

Mr Mao said it is already politicised and not impartial in commanding an effective delivery of municipal services in Lae City. His motion stated that the duties and responsibilities of the politicians are already governed by the District Authorities Act and the Organic Law of Provincial and Local Level Governments, and their involvement in Lae City Authority will raise legal, jurisdiction and constitutional issues.

Naru question’s National Govt

MOROBE Governor Kelly Naru questioned the National Government about the real issues relating to the proposed Lae City Commission and proposed city authority.

Mr Naru also questioned the legality of the bill and its constitutionality.

He said the bill was already infringing on the liberty and duties of two elected third tier governments enshrined by the Constitution and the Organic Law on Provincial and Local Level Government.

Mr Naru said if it is about provid-

ing better municipal services to Lae city residents then why politicise it by appointing politicians on its board.

He said the politicians already have more on their plate with their elected duties to their constituents and it would be better to appoint professional people to be on the board of the authority.

“They are already on District Authority, National Parliament and LLGs. What are demarcations and boundaries physically and administratively,” he asked.

LAE MP Loujaya Kouza’s boycotting of the Morobe Tutumang was described as childish and the people of Lae did not deserve such leadership.

Umi-Atzera local level government president Daki Mao said Ms Kouza has failed the people of Lae by not attending Tutumang and presenting her views on the Lae City Authority. Morobe Governor

Kelly Naru said the Lae people deserved better from Ms Kouza and boycotting Tutumang was a poor decision by the MP.

Mr Naru said she failed by not representing the people on the floor of the National Parliament and in the Tutumang.

“The people of Lae must logically and reasonably digest whether her actions truly reflect a fair repre-

sentation on their behalf,” he said. Bulolo MP and Deputy Opposition Leader Sam Basil said it was regrettable that she was not in the Tutumang. “She would have given her insights and suggestions on the bill but she failed to turn up,” Mr Basil. Mao Zeming, Ross Seymour, Bejamin Philip and Bob Dadae were other MPs who turned up.

Lae people deserve better, says Governor

Crucial year for Bougainville

THIS year is a very crucial year for Bougainville as it heads into the its third Autonomous Bougainville Government elections and the beginning of the window period to determine Bougainville’s political future.

The people’s determination in deciding their fate will be seen through them engaging in political, socio-economic, and spiritual development and by working in unity, only will Bougainville achieve referendum for independence.

And this week Bougainville has been receiving foreign envoys that are also working in partnership with the region

as this is the critical juncture on the path to achieve freedom.

The US Ambassador to PNG, Walter North, British High Commissioner to PNG, Simon Tonge and New Zealand High Commissioner, Tony Fautua were in the region this week and visited areas that they have helped develop with their foreign aid.

Mr Fautua, who is not new to Bougainville, said Bougainville is a second home for him as he and his wife have been in the region for some time and departed the island 15 years ago.

He is here to see the process of development and also meet with the New Zealand community in the region to find stability and security as it is important in the partnership arrangements.

ABG Chief Secretary Monovi Amani stressed that Bougainville is going through the high tender trial process were the people will make a decision within the next five years and thanked the governments of Australia, New Zealand, United States and other countries who are involved with Bougainville.

THE Republic of China Taiwan agricultural technical mission is working in partnership with the Department of Agriculture and Livestock to improve some of the facilities at the Erap agriculture resources development centre near Lae.

The Lae-based mission is helping with the refurbishment of a 14-man dormitory, dining hall and clinic.

And the workmen there are using sawn timber processed from some of the teak and rain trees that were planted at the station many years ago.

Officer-in-charge at Erap, Ralph Yamb, said the department appreciated the assistance provided by the ROC Taiwan mission in renovating some of the rundown facilities that will restore the station to its former glory.

The department had limited funding and welcomed the funding support by the Taiwanese team, he added.

Mr Yamb said the improved facilities will enable DAL with assistance from the Taiwanese team to organise and conduct a farmer training program probably in June or July.

Elite and commited farmers will be brought in from all over the country to participate in basic and advanced farming technology, seed technology, basic bookkeeping and farm management training.

The courses will last between three to six weeks at the most.

The Erap station, one of DAL’s key agriculture facilities, in the breeding, production and distribution of livestock and arable crops, has the potential to be fully developed and generate more income through a range of farming activities including production and distribution of planting materials, livestock breeding and others.

However, more money and resources are needed to upgrade the facilities including renovation to buildings, maintenance on farming machinery, improvements to paddocks, and other necessary assistance.

During the past five months the station had collected more than K50,000 through the sale of farm produce including hybrid corn, watermelon, livestock including ducks, goat, sheep and cattle. A new vehicle was also presented to the station late last year.

Taiwan backs Erap Tambul gets health post

A RURAL district in the Western Highlands Province will have a new community health post with funding from the Australian government and the Asian Development Bank.

This is after Australian and ADB officials went to the rural district last Sunday and officiated at the ground breaking ceremony. More than 10,000 people from the Alkena area of Tambul district will benefit from the health facility.

A community water project, which will supply the health facility, was also opened.

CHIEF Secretary Monovi Amani left, New Zealand High Commissioner to PNG Tony Fautua and US Ambassador to PNG Walter North, back to camera.

If you have a story to tell, call us on 309 1042, or email bwaluka@spp.com.pg

KK Kingston donates to city police

BY DENYSE KALAU

IN its efforts to maintain the cleanliness and hygiene of the police station, Hohola police has received a donation of cleaning equipment from KK Kingston Limited. Marketing manager for KK Kingston, Christopher Elphick, on behalf of the management said they are proud to donate PNG made chemicals and cleaning equipment to the Hohola police station to assist the policemen and women with their initiative to maintain the cleanliness and hygiene of the station.

Mr Elphick said the presentation is the first of its kind by KK Kingston, the manufacturer of cleaning chemicals and equipment to the police in the city. It

is an opportunity for police to make use of some of the items and since some of the chemicals are hazards, some of the policemen and women will be trained by the officers from KK Kingston on how to use the chemicals and equipment.

Mr Elphick when presenting the equipment said the donation cost K4000 and hopes that this little bit of help will go a long way in terms of helping the officers maintain what they want to do with their initiative to maintain the cleanliness of the station.

Police station commander Benjamin Kua said police station is a place where we deal with people problems everyday and we want to ensure the environment is conducive for us to serve

Students urged to reflect on future role

BY GRACE SALMANG

NEW student intakes at the University of Papua New Guinea have been urged to reflect on the role that they are likely to play in their country’s future.

Minister for Higher Education Research Science and Technology Malakai Tabar offered the challenge when officially opening the university’s academic year.

Mr Tabar said given the wonderful study opportunity, the new intake must diligently apply themselves to their studies throughout the year.

“Of course, your studies will also bring many rewards to you more directly but you must assist each other to learn as much as you can from your lectures and to muster the determination necessary when you feel overloaded with exams and assignments.

HOHOLA police station commander Benjamin Kua receives the equipment from with marketing manager for KK Kingston Christopher Elphick.

Roadworks underway

BY ANDREW ALPHONSE

WORK on the Warakum to the world class Rondon Ridge Lodge on the southern foothills of Mt Hagen city has recommenced after being shelved for nearly six months.

The 8km road that would benefit more than 10,000 people in the area was one of the first projects initiated by Western Highlands Governor Paias Wingti soon after his 2012 national elections victory.

The scope of work include rehabilitation and sealing.

The contract was awarded to local Mt Hagen based contractor Niugini Star Transport Limited (NSTL).

NSTL project manager Bonney Paiakan said work started in November 2013 and should have been completed in November 2014. However, it was one of the

many other road projects affected and shelved when Mt Hagen MP and Transport Minister William Duma took a court order against the Western Highlands Provincial Government in disputing funding for the Mt Hagen city roads.

Mr Wingti won the court challenge which enabled NSTL to resume work as of February 1.

Mr Paiakan said with the conclusion of the court battles, NSTL would spend six months to complete the earthwork, drainage, pavement and sealing of the road .

NSTL said people were not happy when machines and workmen were prematurely out of the project when Mr Duma took the matter to court against Wingti for the funding of the road and other roads in Mt Hagen city.

Geologists explore new mine

MT Tundaka which is located between Kandep, Southern Highlands and Hela provinces is set for mining and exploration by an investor company, the Pacific Petroleum Mineral Resource Limited, from Israel.

According to geologist the mining at Mt Tundaka would have a lifespan of 200 years of gold, oil and gas explorations that would commence in June.

Peter Mondol, chairman of Somaip Pii Isi the clan in which Mt Tundaka is located, wants to make it clear to the public that Mt Tundaka shares borders between the three provinces of Enga, Southern Highlands and Hela and not Enga Province alone.

He says from historical background Somaip Pii Isi is the first born in the family of the landowner, which are made up of 15 tribes o fthe Mt Tunduka area.

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WORKMEN and machines from Hagen-based contractor Niugini Star Transport Limited setting up the culvert and drainage at Kuiwa mountain along the Warakum to Rondon Ridge Road last Saturday. Picture: ANDREW ALPHONSE

MINISTRY CELEBRATES MILESTONE

RESTORATION Revival Ministries (RRM) founder Pastor Kebei Sesere with wife Nancy Kebei cutting the cake to mark the RRM’s 17th anniversary last Sunday. The RRM is a group of graced workers in the apostolic faith with the duties to see Christ manifested in human lives and all of men’s endeavour.

Poor road networks hit coffee farmers

BY MELISHA YAFOI

POOR road networks in Morobe Province have affected thousands of rural coffee farmers travelling to sell their produces at markets in Lae.

Chairman of the Mogu Coffee Farmers Association Solomon Kavo raised the farmers’ concerns with the Post- Courier yesterday.

Mr Kavo said already farmers are giving up hope because of tonnes of home grown coffee being left wasted in their villages.

Mr Kavo said due to poor road net work, local farmers were not able to sell their coffee produces as well as other cash crops.

“We have been hearing good comments from the local members of the parliament to support the Coffee Industry in terms of the country’s economic growth but there has been nothing done so far,” he said.

Mr Kavo said we grow more quality coffee than those that are residing in the by ways of Menyamya district however tons of our home grown coffee have been wasted and we have lost thousands of kina over the years.

He said the people heavily depend on coffee as the main source of income to support them in terms of essential needs.

However, we are being isolated from the government’s services which are very difficult when

New education structure to take complete effect in 2017

BY MELISHA YAFOI

THERE will be a complete change in the structure of the education system by 2017 with the introduction of the 2-6-6 education structure.

This was made known during the two weeks elementary school teacher’s education workshop held in Lae recently.

The new structure is known as the 2-6-6 structure and it will compliment the new standardbased education (SBE) curriculum and will be implemented nationwide by 2017.

The structure (2-6-6) means there will be two years of elementary education, six years of primary education and six years of high school or secondary education.

Morobe provincial elementary training coordinator Haring Qoreka said the 2-6-6 structures will be different from the current 3-6-4 structure.

He said this is a directive from the national Government to see that all Papua New Guinean children achieve quality education.

He explained that the numbers 2-6-6 in the structure means that children between

the ages of 5 and 6 will be in the early childhood elementary and the name primary school will change to junior community school with grades 1 to 3 and after the completion of junior year they proceed to senior year that is grades 4-6. Meanwhile, there will no longer be grades 7 and 8 as these two levels will be pushed into high school where we will see that high school starts from years 7 to 12.

“The government will then design a structure that will cater for the junior and senior grades in high schools and school based examinations will be maintained to qualify students to continue to the grade next level”.

He said all of these changes are policy matters and if the structure changes the whole education system changes meaning that teachers will be trained and will be prepared to make sure that the new structure is successful for this country.

There will also be a change in every sector of the education department in order to make this system effective by reorganising, realigning and repositioning of teachers nationwide.

At a glance

ROAD NETWORK: Poor road networks in Morobe province is affecting thousands of rural coffee farmers travelling to Lae to sell their produces at markets in Lae. A coffee growers representative said tonnes of home grown coffee are being left wasted in the farmer’s rural villages

living in the most remote part of the province. The biggest need of the people of Yewini, Yalawa, Yeva and Tengama in Aseki and Koiyamaunga and Hawapango in Kaintiba is to see that there is a better road service for us to transport our coffee and for our women and children to travel to and fro places freely he said.

At most instances during bad weather conditions women and children are often at risk to walk 8-10 hours to the Menyamya station for school or other purposes and it is very bad as some school children fall sick and don’t attend school at all.

We have come up with this association to incorporate Coffee Industry in order to receive assistance from the government to provide us with something that will be of our great need and is a benefit to everyone in the villages,” he said.

Uma reconciles with families of slain leaders

BY JACOB IENU

ONE of the long standing issues of the Bougainville conflict was the circrumstance surrounding the death of Siwai leader Anthony Anugu.

Mr Anugu, from Siwai in South Bougainville, and six other prominent leaders also from Siwai were abducted and brought into Panguna, Central Bougainville at the height of the conflict and were killed by then militants (later known as BRA) and buried somewhere in Panguna.

Just this week Chris Uma, the Me’ekamui defence force general, and a delegation from Siwai representing the fami-

lies and relatives of Mr Anugu held a small but significant ceremony in Arawa’s Section 5.

Onoto, domang minta or bel kol” marks the beginning of a reconciliation process between Mr Uma as perpetrator and the Anugu family.

It has now opened up diologue and bridge for the two parties to work together and bring lasting peace to them and pave the way for final reconciliation which will include the exhuming of bones and proper burial for those who were killed.

The shell money (mimis), a pig and money were exchanged between the two parties to mark the occasion.

Seven mimis representing the seven victims were presented to Mr Uma, who reciprocated.

Both parties agreed to work together to bring lasting peace.

The representatives and process facilitators from the Bougainville Peace Building Program (BPBP) were also present to witness the occasion.

BPBP is working closely with the Autonomous Bougainville Government to identify and facilitate any reconciliation issue.

Both parties are happy that they’ve established a relationship to work together and put to rest one of the very long standing issues of the Bougainville conflict.

CHRIS Uma presented a pig, traditional shell money (mimis) and cash to MrAnugu’s relatives, signifying the bel kol and start of the process of reconciliation between the two parties.

Union calls on govt to extend permit review

THE UNION of Watut River Communities Association Inc (UOWRC) are seeking an extension for the review period of Environmental Permit Application of Wafi-Golpu Mine.

A community based organisation that deals with mining and environmental issues of Morobe Province, has called on respective authorities to extend the dates for the public review of Environment Permit Application of Wafi-Golpu Advance Exploration and Feasibility Support Activities to another month.

The UOWRC Association Incorporated has made this call to the Department of Environment and Conservation as well as the Min-

eral Resources Authority and Morobe Provincial Government, saying the 28-day span from February 16 to March 18 is not sufficient as they have raised the fragile environmental risk in impacted communities.

President Reuben Mete says given just 28 days to collect relevant comments of the ‘to-be-approved’ Environment Permit Application shows that the concerned authority’s interest is somewhere else. He is calling on all relevant authorities to conduct consultation with the Local Level Government along the Watut and Markham River to get fair comments from genuine land owners who will be living with mining impacts in the

near future. Mete says Morobe has a rich mining history and such a rush approach should be nothing but a joke on our leadership and our intellectuals under our own nose, while emphasising that the experience of Hidden Valley impacts on Watut River should not be repeated.

He also pointed out that Paguna Mine in the AROB, Ok Tedi in Western, Misima in Milne Bay, Tolukuma in Central Province are some of the environmental catastrophes in mining history that should not be repeated.

Mete says coming from Bulolo District, they have seen the negative mining impacts with minimum benefits of mining done to

Market Snapshot

the environment by Australians in the past, and to see Australia’s Mining Giants Newcrest repeating it again is uncalled for and should be condemned in the highest possible terms.

He said Morobe Mining Joint Venture operator – Australia’s Newcrest Mine and South Africa’s Harmony; who owns 50:50 shares have a bad reputation in paying out nuisance compensation payments as low as K4 and K11 for Environment and Improvements damages with an average payment of K200 – K300 compensation.

MRA couldn’t comment after queries sent, however they acknowledged receipt of the queries from Post-Courier

Kompiam LOs object to mining warden hearing by MRA

THE FIVE landowner tribes in the Kompiam district, Enga Province, are objecting Koekam (PH) Holdings application for sole alluvial mining license.

Nick Naniya and Bob Muiyo; spokespersons of the Malipin tribe, while responding to various news reports published this week on the conduct of Mining Warden hearing by Mineral Resource Authority (MRA), said the tribe objects to Koekam Holdings saying project sites communities would prefer a full scale mining project than alluvial mine.

The duo told Post-Courier yesterday that on February 18, 2015, at Kompiam Station the five landowning tribes, Malipin, Aiyel, Poreyalin, Kukuni and Kalimbi turned up in multitudes and objected to all 11 Alluvial Mining License (LMs) Applications by Peter Malix and his company, Koekam (PH) Holdings.

The spokespersons said during the Mining Warden Hearing chaired by Mining Warden Vele Gauu, the stakeholders learnt that Peter Malix had applied for six AMLs on Aiyel land without consent of the tribe. “Therefore

paramount chief landowner Bob Muiyo led his people into outright and unanimous objections before Mr Gauu.

“The Malipin tribe and leaders, councillor James Piu and elites of the tribe including community leader Rex Kipongi, led the people into total objection based on sensitive issues such as Malipin tribe

not having much land in the minable land area.

“The principal applicant Peter Malix hails from the tribe and the leaders got him for the applications done without the consent of especially Aiyal Tribe,” Mr Naniya said.

Mr Muiyo added; “Generally, the five tribes objected to all AML ap-

plications, except AML 717 which was done on Malipin Tribe customary land, but even without unanimously agreeing before the Warden. And the points were precisely taken when respective councillors from the five tribes and leaders gave their grounds of objections”

Mr Muiyo said.

However, Mr Malix, the principal applicant, denied in front of 6,000 people, police personnel and Mr Gauu that he applied for AML 717.

“This has led to confusion and Aiyel chief Bob Muiyo questioned Mr Gauu whether his hearing was for all AML applications or for AML 717 only.

“The mining Warden said the hearing he was chairing was for all the 11 AML applications. This statement has led to confusion and all the stakeholders, including the five tribe landowners put in a unified and outright objection.”

Queries sent to MRA for confirmation and an update on the status of the Warden hearing were not responded to before press time. Also attempts to speak to Mr Gauu wasn’t successful.

$A steady as data meets expectations

is 6 to 7 times more expensive to acquire new customers than it is to keep a current one.

THE FIVE tribes with placards and in arms protesting the warden hearing

recently.

Kavieng facility commissioned

SLEEPY Kavieng town, provincial headquarters to New Ireland Province, came alive yesterday as more than 10 traditional singsing groups took the new cargo storage facility built by PNG Ports Corporation limited (PNGPCL) at seawasite.

The singsing groups entertained over 300 people, mainly residents of this small island town including the board and management of PNGPCL, business leaders and Government workers from 10 am to

late in the afternoon.

The celebration marked the commissioning of the new cargo storage facility built by PNGPCL to relieve congestion at the storage yard at Kavieng port.

“This project is part of the wide ranging investments we are making into port facilities across the islands region because of the importance of port services to businesses in the region.

“Port infrastructure provides the first linkage in the

flow of goods and services for an island economy like ours in Papua New Guinea.

“Our capital investment in the island region is in line with our efforts to develop maritime transport infrastructure in the country,” PNGPCL board chairman, Nathaniel Poya told the crowd.

In his address Mr Poya urged local stakeholders to work in partnership with PNGPCL to develop maritime transport sector and grow the economy.

“As a state owned enterprise; we are duty bound to support the National Government and the Provincial Governments to achieve their development goals and aspirations for this country and its people.

The infrastructure projects we are building will improve trade and commerce and trickle down benefits will improve the living standards of our people in the years ahead,” Mr Poya said. Minister for Public Enterprise and State Investments,

Ben Micah in his address acknowledged PNGPCL for the new project in his electorate, which he said will boost economic activities in New Ireland province.

Mr Micah said PNGPCL was one of the best performing state owned enterprise and the new facility was one of several impact projects the company was carrying out across its network of ports.

“From now onwards, you and I are going to be partners.

“I want to ensure that you benefit fully for giving up your land to the state,” Mr Micah said in his address to his people.

Mr Micah said his department was developing a policy which will be taken to Government and eventually to parliament which, when endorsed, will enable all customary landowners to gain maximum benefit from the businesses operated by state owned enterprises.

MR ALPHONSE being welcomed by a traditional chief upon arrival before opening the facility.

-Picture by PNGPCL Media Unit

China sets 2015 growth target at 7%

CHINA, the world’s secondlargest economy, has set its growth target at about 7 percent for this year, the government said.

The announcement was made by Premier Li Keqiang at the start of the National People’s Congress on Thursday.

The target is lower than 7.5 percent set last year, which was missed after China grew at its slowest pace in 24 years. The new target is in line with China’s plan to guide the economy towards slower and more sustainable growth.

China’s economy expanded by 7.4 percent last year from 7.7 percent in 2013, following a cooling of the property market, slowing factory activity and easing business and government investment.

Growth of 7 percent in 2015 will mark the country’s weakest expansion in a quarter of a century.

Premier Li also said the government would have a consumer inflation target at about 3 percent, down from 3.5 percent in 2014.

The country’s annual inflation hit a five-year low in January of 0.8 percent - below expectations of a 1 percent rise. Factory deflation also worsened - highlighting persistent weakness in the economy. – BBC

Home ownership loan at low interest rate

BY GLORIA BAUAI At a glance

BANK South Pacific (BSP) customers who meet the criteria of the first Home Ownership loan scheme will be able to access a Housing Loan at very low interest rates and over a term of 40 years.

BSP Board of Directors chairman, Kostas Constantinou said this yesterday in reference to the scheme that was launched last year between the bank and the National Government.

According to the bank’s official webpage, this scheme is an initiative to create a pathway for Papua New Guineans to have access to specially structured loans to acquire their first home; with one requirement being, to be a PNG citizen and a first home buyer.

Retraction

Post-Courier would like to retract part of a story published yesterday on one of the business pages linking Segment 7 facility owners querying for royalty payment to Gulf LNG Project. It should have been PNG LNG Project and not Gulf LNG. We regret and apologise for any inconvenience caused to the Gulf LNG project proponents.

HOME OWNERSHIP LOAN: BANK South Pacific (BSP) customers who meet the criteria of the first Home Ownership loan scheme will be able to access a Housing Loan at very low interest rates over a term of 40 years.

Constantinou said this scheme, together with the choices available in transaction and saving products, provide Papua New Guineans with the opportunity to accumulate personal wealth that can eventually be passed on to their children.

“Choice is a key to customer access to service,” he said.

Constantinou also noted that almost 90 per cent of all retail

customer transactions of BSP are now completed via electronic channels and this reflects the fact that BSP customers can access their bank accounts and banking services, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week from anywhere in the country.

The chairman highlighted this during the official release of BSP’s 2014 financial results yesterday, where BSP was announced to have recorded a consolidated operating profit after tax of K507.3 million, a 16.1% increase from 2013s K436.8 million, despite a slowdown in the economy during the year.

BSP’s total assets also increased by approximately K116 million to K15.877 billion and revenues increased by 4 per cent during the year. Revenue growth was said to have come

from interest income streams, in particular treasury bills and inscribed stock while revenues from foreign exchange rate income reduced from K184.5 million for the first half of 2014 to K83 million in the next half of the same year, following changes in e margin bands on foreign exchange.

While acknowledging that economic activity in PNG may be more constrained than in prior years, and also recognising the full year impact of reduced margins on foreign exchange transactions, Constantinou expressed confidence in BSP’s capacity to fill these revenue gaps with new business from recently established BSP Finance business in PNG and Fiji and continued growth in Fiji and Solomon Islands markets.

Australia’s economy grows 2.5% on year

AUSTRALIA’S economy grew

2.5% in the fourth quarter of 2014 from a year earlier, marking its slowest pace of annual growth last year.

The economy grew 0.5% in October to December period from the last quarter, when quarterly growth was 0.4%.

Both figures were in line with economists’ expectations.

The data comes a day after the Reserve Bank of Australia decided to leave interest rates unchanged at a record low of

KIWI RISES

THE NEW Zealand dollar is having a record-breaking day, reaching new highs against the euro and Australian dollar.

The kiwi rose to intraday records of 0.6869 euro and 97.22 Australian cents.

ANZ senior foreign exchange strategist Sam Tuck said the New Zealand dollar was being driven more by the activities of the Australian and European central banks, than by changes in the domestic economy.

FIJI MILESTONE

FIJI IS expected to launch its first National Trade Policy Framework. Permanent Secretary Shaheen Ali told the Parliaments Standing Committee on Economic Affairs’ the Framework will ensure a coordinated and a consistent approach of maximising the development gains, by enhancing our industries, investments, exports and trade.

ENERGY TALKS

The Regional Energy Efficiency Workshop being held in Apia this week is timely not just for the region but also for Samoa. That’s the opinion of Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Sa’ilele Malielegaoi, who opened the workshop held at Hotel Tanoa Tusitala on Tuesday. “It is a timely and crucial workshop for Samoa because we are aiming to have our electricity generated from 100per cent renewable sources by 2017,” he said.

2.25%, despite calls for a cut.

Katrina Ell, economist at Moody’s Analytics, said the country’s economy performed “ reasonably well” in the fourth quarter, regaining some of the momentum lost in the previous three months.

“[But] the data does not change our view that further rate cuts are needed to lift nonmining economy as mining investment drags on growth,” she said.

The country’s central bank

cut interest rates for the first time in 18 months in February to an all-time low to boost a sluggish economy.

But, economists are calling for more cuts ahead as Wednesday’s data continues to show signs of a softer economy.

Despite Australia “doing well” compared to most developed economies, Paul Bloxham, chief economist at HSBC, said that growth remained below trend. - BBC

CHINA sets its official growth target at 7% for this year as the economy continues to slow. - BBC

MARCH 6-MARCH 7

FLEMINGTON SATURDAY

Weather: Overcast.

Track: Good (4).

Rail: Is in the true position.

FORM GUIDE: Page 2 of turf lift-out

GEAR CHANGES

RACE 1: (1) Bantam, (4) Von Vacheron, (8) Heatherly tongue-tie on first time; (2) San Sierra blinkers off first time, winkers on first time; (3) Ready For Victory cross-over noseband on first time;

(6) Claudia Jean, (9) Tiz My View blinkers on first time, winkers off first time RACE 3: (2) Maastricht blinkers on first time; (8) So You Drink blinkers off first time, tongue-tie on first time, winkers on first time; (10) Award Of Merit blinkers off first time, winkers on first time RACE 4: (8) Harare blinkers on first time RACE 6: (9)

Scarlet Billows tongue-tie on again RACE 7: (11) Firehouse Rock blinkers off first time, visor on first time; (12) Lucky Liberty winkers on first time; (14) Rod’s Opinion blinkers on first time RACE

8: (2) General Truce tongue-tie off again; (3) Zamorar cross-over noseband off first time, glue on shoes off first time; (6) Peron blinkers off again RACE 9: (4) Single winkers on first time; (12) Carlo Bugatti blinkers off first time, gelded; (15) Fluorescent noseroll off first time

2: Miss Longstocking, Afleet Esprit, Sino Eagle Race 3: Maastricht, Profit Share, Tan Tat Diamond Race 4: Akavoroun, Hard Stride, Amorino Race 5: Martinvast, Zadon, Tuscan Fire Race 6: Star Fashion, Girl Guide, Politeness Race 7: Kermadec, Alphine Eagle, Stratum Star Race 8: Flamberge, Nordic Empire, Zamorar Race 9: Carlo Bugatti, Phantom Brew, Priority Road

A COMMON GOAL EUROPEAN UNION’S MDG PROJECT

HORRIBLE MEMORIES RESEARCH INTO ANIMALS’ MINDS

CHINESE NEW YEAR LOCAL AND CHINESE STAFF CELEBRATE

Here, now

Life is a game called “present”, writes LAMECH JINIMBO. Do not waste your life mimicking others. WEEKEND 33

Life is a game called writes JINIMBO. Do not waste life others. WEEKEND 33

The place to be

THE hospitality industry in Buka in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville is now on the rise to meet the increasing demand of customers.

Apart from the well-known established businesses like Lynchar Hotel, Toyena Lodge, Hanni’s Inn, Reasons Bar and Grill, Destiny Guesthouse and Kuri Village Resort, there are other “little-known” operators who have sprung up. One such lodge that is slowly gaining popularity is the Masville Lodge. Neatly tucked away at the end of the road leading from Kuri Village Resort and Lynchar Hotel towards the mangroves, the Masville Lodge is another perfect choice for visitors to spend their night.

The business is owned and operated by Wayne Tumark and his wife Lavin.

The couple is from Manus and Bougainville, thus the name Masville.

Mr Tumark says he first started off his business by looking after outboard motors of Nissan Islanders who travel to Buka.

“When the Nissan Islanders come to Buka, they come and leave their boats at my area to look after,” said Mr Tumark. “Then I saw the need to set up a guest house to

accommodate these islanders, and from there that is how I started off my business.

“In fact, the Nissan Islanders are the ones that started off my business,” he added.

Mr Tumark said due to funding constraints, he decided to improve his business at a slow pace in accordance with his budget.

“I did not have enough money so with whatever little money I had, I slowly built this place.”

About four years ago Mr Tumark got a golden chance to improve his business. Doctors Without Borders (MSF), while engaging in their humanitarian programs in Bougainville, decided to rent out his building.

So with the rentals collected, Mr Tumark decided to invest this on

the construction of another building to meet the demand of customers looking for a place to rest. Following the completion of the MSF contract in Bougainville last year, Mr Tumark decided to turn his venture into a transit business instead of concentrating in renting out his property to clients.

A number of guests, both Bougainvilleans and non-Bougainvilleans, have already spent their nights at Masville Lodge. Many of them said they really appreciated the hospitality on offer.

One of the “big-name” guests to have been accommodated there was a National and Supreme Court judge who was in Bougainville on a national court circuit towards the end of last year.

Apart from the quality hospital-

ity service on offer, Mr Tumark said: “My rates are very cheap in town and I am also providing the same service as others”.

Single fan rooms are charged at K120 per night while double fan rooms cost K160 per night. Single rooms with air-conditioning are K180 while double executive rooms cost K220 a night.

The meals are charged at K60 per person per day, that is K30 for breakfast and another K30 for dinner. However, ordering of meals is optional as there are cooking utensils available for guests to cook their own meals.

Apart from the above rooms, work on self-contained rooms is still in progress and should be completed in the coming months.

“I have plans to build more rooms because I see that there are more customers coming but there are not enough rooms to accommodate them.”

When quizzed on how they were able to secure the land to start his business, he said it was the decision of his mother to secure that piece of land to build her house.

“We used to live on Sohano Island and every time my mother always looks across the Buka Passage and says that she really admires this

place and wants to come and build her house here.

“After identifying the landowners and discussing with them, she decided to get this area, instead of identifying a spot that would be easy to fix and build the houses. “My mother then used about K60,000 from her savings to backfill this area. And from that time onwards, we have been slowly developing this area,” said Mr Tumark.

The main building of the lodge is built on posts rising about a metre or two from sea level.

When standing at the balcony, guests will be able to get a good view of the different and colourful species of fish that swim under the building. An excellent option for those who cannot swim.

Mr Tumark also has outboard motors on standby to take his guests on a picnic trip in some of the outer-lying islands or for a fishing trip.

Those willing to book their accommodations at Masville Lodge can contact Mr Tumark on 7241 6679.

You can all rest assure that your stay at Masville Lodge will not only be enjoyable but will also be an experience to treasure.

We used to live on Sohano Island and every time my mother always looks across the Buka Passage and say that she really admires this place and wants to come and build her house here.

WAYNE TUMARK

Ever stood on the balcony of a building and looked down to see fish swimming around? Journalist WINTERFORD TOREAS introduces a new lodge where travellers can have the experience of a lifetime.

Guests relaxing at the balcony of the lodge

The view from the lodge’s balcony towards Sohano Island Guests Peter Kuteadio (left) and Peter Wanga enjoying their morning tea at the lodge

Childre n’s Bedtime Stories Children’s Stories Sl e e pi n g B e aut y Sleeping Beauty

A LONG time ago there were a king and queen who were unhappy because they were childless.

But it happened that once when the queen was bathing, a frog crept out of the water on to the land, and said to her, “Your wish shall be fulfilled, before a year has gone by, you shall have a daughter.”

What the frog had said came true, and the queen had a little girl who was so pretty that the king could not contain himself for joy, and ordered a great feast.

He invited not only his kindred, friends and acquaintances, but also the wise women, in order that they might be kind and well disposed towards the child. There were 13 of them in his kingdom, but, as he had only 12 golden plates for them to eat out of, one of them had to be left out.

everyone who saw her was bound to love her.

It happened that on the very day when she was 15-yearsold, the king and queen were not at home, and the maiden was left in the palace quite alone. So she went round into all sorts of places, looked into rooms and bed-chambers just as she liked, and at last came to an old tower. She climbed up the narrow winding staircase and reached a little door. A rusty key was in the lock, and when she turned it the door sprang open, and there in a little room sat an old woman with a spindle, busily spinning her flax.

“Good day, old mother,” said the king’s daughter, “what are you doing there?”

Here, now

IMAGINE life as a game in which you are juggling some five balls in the air.

You name them work, family, health, friends and spirit, and you’re keeping all of these in the air. You will soon understand that “work” is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back. But the other four balls – family, health, friends and spirit – are made of glass. If you drop one of these, they will be once and for all scratched, marked, nicked, damaged or even shattered. They will never be the same.

You must understand that and strive for balance in your life. How?

Don’t undermine your importance by comparing yourself with others. It is because we are different that each of us is special.

Don’t set your goals by what oth-

er people consider important. Only you know what is best for you.

Don’t take for granted the things closest to your heart. Cling to them as you would your life, for without them, life is meaningless.

Don’t let your life slip through your fingers by living in the past or for the future. By living your life one day at a time, you live ALL the days of your life.

Don’t give up when you still have something to give. Nothing is really over until the moment you stop trying.

Don’t be afraid to admit that you are less than perfect. It is this breakable thread that connects us to each other.

Don’t be afraid to run into risks. It is by taking chances that we learn how to be brave.

Don’t shut love out of your life

by saying it’s impossible to find. The quickest way to receive love is to give; the fastest way to lose love is to hold it too tightly; and the best way to keep love is to give it wings.

Don’t run through life so fast that you forget not only where you’ve been, but also where you are going.

Don’t forget that a person’s greatest emotional need is to feel appreciated.

Don’t be afraid to learn. Knowledge is weightless, a treasure you can always carry easily.

Don’t use time or words carelessly. Neither can be retrieved.

Life is not a race, but a journey to be savoured each step of the way. Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, and today is a gift. That’s why we call it “the present”.

The feast was held with all manner of splendour and when it came to an end, the wise women bestowed their magic gifts upon the baby – one gave virtue, another beauty, a third riches, and so on with everything in the world that one can wish for.

When 11 of them had made their promises, suddenly the thirteenth came in. She wished to avenge herself for not having been invited, and without greeting, or even looking at anyone, she cried with a loud voice, “The king’s daughter shall in her fifteenth year prick herself with a spindle, and fall down dead.” And, without saying a word more, she turned round and left the room.

They were all shocked, but the twelfth, whose good wish still remained unspoken, came forward, and as she could not undo the evil sentence, but only soften it, she said, it shall not be death, but a deep sleep of 100 years, into which the princess shall fall.

The king, who would fain keep his dear child from the misfortune, gave orders that every spindle in the whole kingdom be burnt.

Meanwhile, the gifts of the wise women were plenteously fulfilled on the young girl, for she was so beautiful, modest, good-natured, and wise, that

“I am spinning,” said the old woman, and nodded her head.

“What sort of thing is that, that rattles round so merrily,” said the girl, and she took the spindle and wanted to spin too. But scarcely had she touched the spindle when the magic decree was fulfilled, and she pricked her finger with it.

And, in the very moment when she felt the prick, she fell down upon the bed that stood there, and lay in a deep sleep. And this sleep extended over the whole palace, the king and queen who had just come home, and had entered the great hall, began to go to sleep, and the whole of the court with them.

The horses, too, went to sleep in the stable, the dogs in the yard, the pigeons upon the roof, the flies on the wall, even the fire that was flaming on the hearth became quiet and slept, the roast meat left off frizzling, and the cook, who was just going to pull the hair of the scullery boy, because he had forgotten something, let him go, and went to sleep. And the wind fell, and on the trees before the castle not a leaf moved again. But round about the castle there began to grow a hedge of thorns, which every year became higher, and at last grew close up round the castle and all over it, so that there was nothing of it to be seen, not even the flag upon the roof.

Life is a game called “present”, says LAMECH JINIMBO. Do not waste your time mimicking others, it is because we are different that each of us is special.

Don’t give up when you still have something to give. Nothing is really over until the moment you stop trying

Acommon goal

The European Union aims to help the Government achieve the Millennium Development Goals quickly. That is why it has rolled out pilot acceleration projects in four communities. If all goes well, the projects will be repeated on a larger scale.

“WE have struggled for many years to make our dreams and vision of a self-sustaining, economically independent community happen.

We are deeply grateful, that your assistance is provided directly at the grassroots level.”

The Domil community is about to complete a cassava feedmill and a poultry processing plant. Production is expected to start by May. John Waim, chairman of the Domil community development committee, couldn’t hold back his enthusiasm and praise for the project when representatives of the European Union (EU) delegation in Papua New Guinea (PNG), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the government recently visited Western Highlands

and Jiwaka. They were there to assess the progress in implementing the EU funded community-led Millennium Development Goals (MDG) acceleration projects.

This is progress for Domil, as the community initiative has especially brought about an inspiring change for the community, situated as it is, in the newly-established province of Jiwaka.

The community-led MDG acceleration projects were rolled out last year. The pilot initiative sets out to support community development projects by benefitting more than 5000 villagers directly in four selected villages but creating indirect benefits far beyond, for an estimated 50,000 villagers.

The two-day visit was conducted

to two out of the four supported communities, in Trolga village where the communities are building a health centre and Domil village, where the cassava feedmill and poultry processing plant are underway.

The Health Centre in Trolga, Western Highlands Province, stood in ruins until it received funds under the project for its renovation and completion. It will soon service more than 8000 people. What’s inspiring of this story is that, the community has shown large commitment to the project and as part of its contribution purchased materials and begun the construction of the health centre.

Sr Ruth Kumin, officer in charge of the Trolga Health Centre, said: “We are so happy that we can now improve the quality of health services for the people of Trolga.”

The mission team met and spoke with community leaders like Sr Kumin and Waim in both sites, who not only expressed a deep appreciation for the support but also spoke of how the MDG acceleration projects are making a real – and what they hope to be – a long-lasting difference to the lives of people in their respective community. For example, the Domil communi-

ty project will initially benefit 1500 people but within two years, be extended to cover 40,000 people from neighbouring Jimi North Waghi. As in Trolga, Domil has shown large commitment and organised farmers to engage in cassava and poultry production.

Carlos Battaglini, EU rural economic development programme manager, was impressed with the community level initiative and commitment. He congratulated the communities on the progress: “Continue moving on with your initiatives and ownership.

“The European Union’s aim is help improve the lives of the people in the rural areas and we are happy to partner with UNDP, the government and community based organisations to assist you.”

UNDP resident representative Roy Trivedy said: “Projects like these remind us of the potential and commitment that exist at the local level. Communities are agents of change, and we hope they will inspire individuals and communities across Papua New Guinea to make their own positive changes”.

“Officials at provincial and district level note these initiatives and can support them through DSIP/ PSIP funding. UNDP will continue

to provide expertise, skills and knowledge for these kinds of initiatives.”

EU ambassador to Papua New Guinea, Martin Dihm, says the EU “is pleased to assist communities directly through this important initiative”.

“Our aim is to help making a real difference in the lives of people in the rural areas, where most of Papua New Guinea’s people live.”

The community-led MDG development project in PNG is funded by the EU with a grant of E1 million (about K3 million) and implemented by the UNDP. On the Government side, the project is led by the Department of National Planning and Monitoring.

The main objective is to help the Government accelerate its achievement of the MDGs at the local level, which is still a critical constraint in this country. The project intends to demonstrate that four pilot communities are able to meet the MDGs and eventually to pave the way to replication on a larger scale.

Read more about the work of the EU and UNDP at: www.eeas.europa. eu/delegations/papua_new_guinea/index_en.htm or www.pg.undp. org

The mission team with representatives from the Domil community of Jiwaka

Memories Horrible, short-term

BY JAMES OWEN

THE next time your dog happily greets an old friend, remember this: Your pup likely can’t remember the last time they met.

We often say someone has “a memory like an elephant”, or, if it’s a forgetful person, “a goldfish”. But in comparing our memory with that of animals, what’s the truth?

A recent investigation of short-term memory suggests animals don’t remember specific events much at all – instead, they store away useful information about what could help them survive.

Covering 25 species that ranged from dolphins to bees, the study found the average short-term memory span of animals was 27 seconds (which was the midway point before the memory is lost), according to a team led by Johan Lind, an ethologist at the Centre for the Study of Cultural Evolution at Stockholm University, Sweden.

Dogs forget an event within two minutes. Chimpanzees, at around 20 seconds, are worse than rats at remembering things, while the memory spans of three other primates – baboons, pigtailed macaques, and squirrel monkeys – exceeded only bees (the sole study participant that wasn’t either a mammal or a bird).

Since chimps are our closest living relatives, Lind said he was surprised by their poor performance. It suggests human capacity for memory evolved after we branched from the most recent shared ancestor with chimps, over six million years ago.

Reported in late 2014 in the journal Behavioural Processes, the findings drew on data from almost a hundred studies of captive animals that used a memory test of recent random events known as the delayed matching-to-sample (or DMTS) method.

In this test, an animal is typically shown a visual stimulus such as a red circle. The red circle disappears, then,

Scrub jays like the one above can remember where they hid their food, but their short term memories aren’t great, according to researchers

Picture: VICENT J MUSI

member arbitrary events is unique.”

This ability is also called episodic memory, and it allows us to remember almost any occurrence, however trivial, for long periods.

“We experience this daily when we remember where we parked the car or that we have to pay a bill next week,” Lind said.

While there are plenty of examples of animals with long memories – elephants never forgetting a face, the cat that’s scared of the pet carrier after a past visit to the vet, swallows returning to last summer’s nest – they aren’t using episodic memory, according to Lind.

Such cases “are due to associative memories,” he says. They’re not based on “memories of specific events. In the second case, the cat associates the carrier with danger. Such memories are very robust and will stay for a long time – for life – in animals.”

That’s because animals may have specialised memory systems hardwired to remember certain “biologically relevant information” (such as where to find food), the study authors proposed.

Take the example of the western scrub jay, a food-caching bird whose ability to remember and choose between its buried stores has been reported as evidence of episodic-like memory in animals.

after a delay, it’s shown again with another sample stimulus – a blue square, say. The animal, usually with the incentive of a food reward, has to select the original sample it saw.

Compared with animals, humans find this type of test a breeze – we pick the correct sample effortlessly after 48 hours or more, studies have shown.

“The data tell us that animals have no long-term memory of arbitrary events,” Lind said. Based on the new study, “we think humans’ ability to re-

But, said Lind, “if these scrub jays had an episodic memory, as humans do, they would have no problem solving the matching-to-sample experiment”.

The scrub jays’ performance in the experiment is really no different than that of other birds, however. Their “memory will decay within half a minute”, he said.

Scientists see this memory distinction as key to trying to understand what mental skills we share with other animals and what’s unique about the human mind. Maybe we’re not as smart as we think.

– National Geographic

A n i m a l Animal o

f t h e we

e

k of the week

JOEY JOEY

NOT only is he cute and enjoys cuddles, five-anda-half-month-old Joey is energetic and has a good temperament.

He is a domestic short-haired cat and does not require much grooming.

He is comfortable with regular sponge baths or rub-downs. We feel he would be ideal for a family with children as he enjoys the company of all ages.

If you think Joey would be an ideal feline companion for you and/or your family, contact the RSPCA on 325 2363, 7198 2200, 7196 0436 or email your interest or enquiries to rspca@rspca.org.pg

325 2363, 7196 0436, 7198 2200, fax: 325 6833 or email your enquiries to rspca@ rspca.org.pg

Look out for, encourage one another

A MOUSE looked through the crack in the wall to see the farmer and his wife open a package. “What food might this contain?” the mouse wondered. He was devastated to discover it was a mousetrap.

Retreating to the farmyard, the mouse proclaimed the warning: “There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!”

The chicken clucked and scratched, raised her head and said, “Mr Mouse, I can tell this is a grave concern to you, but it is of no consequence to me. I cannot be bothered by it.”

The mouse turned to the pig and told him, “There is a mousetrap in

the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!” The pig sympathised, but said, “I am so very sorry, Mr Mouse, but there is nothing I can do about it but pray. Be assured you are in my prayers.”

The mouse turned to the cow and said, “There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!” The cow said, “Wow, Mr Mouse. I’m sorry for you, but it’s no skin off my nose.”

So, the mouse returned to the house, head down and dejected, to face the farmer’s mousetrap alone.

That very night a sound was heard throughout the house – like the sound of a mousetrap catching its prey.

The farmer’s wife rushed to see what was caught. In the darkness, she did not see it was a venomous snake whose tail the trap had caught. The snake bit the farmer’s wife. The farmer rushed her to the hospital and she returned home with a fever.

Everyone knows you treat a fever with fresh chicken soup, so the farmer took his hatchet to the farmyard for the soup’s main ingredient. But his wife’s sickness continued, so friends and neighbours came to sit with her around the clock.

To feed them, the farmer butchered the pig. The farmer’s wife did

not get well; she died. So many people came for her funeral, the farmer had the cow slaughtered to provide enough meat for all of them.

The mouse looked upon it all from his crack in the wall with great sadness. So, the next time you hear someone is facing a problem and think it doesn’t concern you, remember, when one of us is threatened, we are all at risk.

We are all involved in this journey called life. We must keep an eye out for one another and make an extra effort to encourage one another. Each of us is a vital thread in another person’s tapestry.

Below: The cat that’s scared of the pet carrier after a past visit to the vet isn’t using episodic memory

~ Author Unknown

To submit editorial or a feature relating to careers, jobs, staff development and graduate programs or profiles of career people, call 309 1107 or email: kialaw@spp.com.pg

CAREER FAIR TURNOUT

THE Air Energi and the PNG Australia Alumni Association (PNGAAA) last week held a successful two day Career which saw hundreds of job seekers coming through the door. Job seekers were able to meet with employers face-to-face and discuss career opportunities as well as attend seminars on topics such as graduate programs, Interview skills and sponsorship opportunities. Picture left shows job seeker graduates enquiring at the World Vision booth at the fair.

X5 Trainee Sales Centre Managers

Trukai is the leading manufacturer and distributor of rice and stockfeed in PNG and has over 1,000 employees across the country. Trukai provides a challenging and dynamic work environment with attractive remuneration and many additional staff benefits.

Currently Trukai has opportunities available for Trainee Sales Centre Managers who will report to the National Sales Centre Manager. These trainees will be trained and mentored to take on the responsibilities to efficiently and effectively manage the day-to-day operations of its 12 Sales Centres throughout the country.

Key Responsibility

• Accurate stock reporting that eliminates daily stock variances

• Enforce FIFO on both containers and pallets

• Updating of all distribution centre daily report for stockfeed and rice

• Monitor and control all movements of containers

• Booking of domestic containers to ensure pick up or delivery done on time

• Communicate with key customers and follow up on payments

• Adherence to safety requirements

Requirements

• Tertiary qualification in Business Management or equivalent

• Minimum of 3 years warehouse experiences preferably in a FMCG industry

• Experience in stock management

• Sound experience in leadership

• Proven ability to inspire team members to achieve high standard

• Current Driver’s License preferred

• Current Forklift Operators License would be an advantage but not essential

The ideal candidate for this role must have the ability to coordinate multiple tasks effectively and must be result driven, a strong communicator and committed to working with a dynamic team to achieve business objectives.

Interested applicants should address their applications to:

Senior Human Resources Manager

Trukai Industries Limited

P O Box 2129

Lae 411, Morobe Province

Email: humanresources@trukai.com.pg

th

Applications close: 06 March 2015

Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted for interview

To book your job advertisement

in

Painim Wok PNG

,

contact Classi fied Sales on the above emails.

Job seek session a success

Project Manager

The Government of Papua New Guinea supported by the Government of Japan will deliver the Port Moresby Sewerage System Upgrading Project (POMSSUP). The POMSSUP is a Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) funded Official Development Assistance loan totalling K209 million. The Project focuses on improving the health and sanitation of the people residing along the urban coast of the National Capital District (NCD).

IPBC as the executing agency is in close consultation with Eda Ranu as the Major State Owned Entity (MSOE) responsible for the provision of water and sewerage services within NCD in managing this major infrastructure Project.

The Project involves the construction of the main and branch sewer network along the Port Moresby coast and a Sewerage Treatment Plant at Joyce Bay, Kilakila. Construction will commence mid this year and is expected to be completed in 2018.

IPBC now seeks a Project Manager for the implementation of the Procurement and Construction phase of the POMSSUP. The incumbent will be based in Port Moresby and will report to the Project Director of the Project Management Unit (PMU).

Major Responsibilities

In close relationship with the Project Director:

to ensure key milestones are delivered in a timely manner and according to the Implementation Schedule.

maintain effective communications with key stakeholders both PNG government and private sector agencies and landowner groups with respect to the project.

and institute strong governance, best practise and commercial accountability structures in the management of the POMSSUP and PMU.

documentation for procurement of the Supervising Consultant using Standard agreed JICA and the Government of PNG procurement procedures and control the tender process for the prime contractor, using the standard agreed procurement procedures to review and eliminate time consuming construction methodologies to expedite project delivery.

reports of PMU site supervisors to ensure the quality of materials supplied and finished work meets specifications. trained.

the PMU. Liaise and maintain close contact with the Project Director through steady and regular information flow.

Essential Competencies accreditation

including design and construction of pipeline facilities. Understanding of structural design and construction of waste water pipelines, sewerage treatment systems and related facilities.

highly regarded. stakeholders and subordinates

IPBC offers genuine career opportunities and competitive Salary and other benefits for this challenging position.

This position is open to national and non-national applicants.

To apply, please send your applications and updated CV via email: recruitment@ Town, Port Moresby.

Applications close on Friday 27th March, 2015

THE job seeker session at the Vision City on Saturday 28 February was a success with over 300 job seekers dropping by and having a chat with the PNGJOBSSEK Team, asking questions on best they can utilize the services of PNGJOBSEEK to fi nd a job. Over 200 Curriculum Vitaes were collected from Job Seekers and now been

registered on the job board site: www. pngjobseek.com. For more information on PNGJOBSEEK, call us on phone: 30907200 or email: help@pngjobseek.com .

The next job seeker session will be on Saturday March 28, 2015. The table below shows all the upcoming session during the course of this year.

All information sessions will be carried out at Vision City, Port Moresby

Staff learn new tech

MOBILE Equipment Maintenance staff at Basamuk Refi nery admit they are learning new skills and technologies since Basamuk Refi nary’s establishment in the Rai Coast district of Madang Province.

Team leader, Herman Kabul says his staff have learnt the skills and technologies including hydraulic system, pneumatic system and electronic system especially from working on the new model heavy trucks and machineries where these technologies

are installed.

Mobile Equipment has two sections, logistics and maintenance.

Engaging with around 20 nationals, logistics provides support services to ensure all required equipment and materials are available on time.

The maintenance section has two tasked areas.

CONTINUED PAGE 40

THE MCC Maintenance team.

Staff learn skills

FROM PAGE 39

One is dealing with light vehicles while the other on heavy equipment, such as semitrucks, heavy machineries and trailers. It is with the heavy equipment that their national staff of around 11 have the opportunities to have hand on experience in dealing with the new technologies by acquiring relevant skills.

“Sometimes we have communication problems with our Chinese colleagues but they always try to assist us to learn these valuable technologies and skills,” Mr. Kabul said. He says most heavy trucks and machineries face pneumatic or hydraulic system failure because they work and rely on air and oil for brake system and they require special skills and technologies to rectify.

“Generally, ordinary problems faced by our fleets are brake failures. We have a system where all vehicles return for servicing after running on 500 complete hours, so we have a good safety record,” Mr. Kabul said.

Mr. Kabul started with MCC22, a contrac-

tor to Ramu NiCo during the Project construction period from 2007 to 2011. After a short break, he joined Ramu NiCo and based at Basamuk Refi nery in later part of 2011 till today. He admits that lots of positive and tangible changes have taken place during his stay including staff having the opportunity to acquire new skills and talents that can expose them to greener pastures after Ramu NiCo Project.

“Apart from my promotion as the team leader, I also have the opportunity to learn new skills and technologies, as well as my boys and this is good for us. We can move on in life with these skills and talents,” Mr. Kabul says.

His staff who are around 30 males and predominantly locals are looking forward to any competency based training for upskilling purposes so they are confident with themselves to deliver what is expected from them by Ramu NiCo.

“Most boys are raw from the local villages but show confidence and talent as most joined immediately after the Project construction with confidence and talent.

WORKING WITH

PNG Power Ltd linesmen installing new power lines at 9-Mile recently

POWER

Guard Dog Security Service (Pom) Ltd PO Box 648, Port Moresby Sec.53, Lot.20, cnr Ago & Ume St, Gordons, Port Moresby Workshop Supervisor– Port Moresby

PNG Forest Products, a leading producer of Timber, Plywood Products, Construction and Retail in Papua New Guinea seeks immediately to appoint a Workshop Supervisor based in Port Moresby.Reporting to the Admin/ Logistics Manager, this role will be responsible to oversee and manageoperations within the workshopand on site to ensure anefficient and effective team environment.

Requirements for this position include: as workshop supervisor or similar role performing mechanical repairs to; Light vehicles/trucks; JCB Backhoe; 20T Franna Mobile Crane; skid-steer bobcat personnel & delegate work as required in a timely manner and work weekends if required skills, sober habits

Applications close Friday20th March 2015

If you meet the requirements as listed above, please send a brief cover letter addressing your relevant candidates will be contacted for interview.

All applicants should apply only with Position Vacant –Workshop Supervisor

Group Recruitment Officer

Human Resource Department

PNG Forest Products

Email: recruitment@pngfp.com Fax: 4745160

Vacancy

1) CLASS-6 DRIVERS for Buses/Trucks

2) CLASS-3 DRIVERS for Operations

Requirements:

Apply by Letter of Interest at the Gordons Office Base with th

YAPAO LAWYERS

Position Vacant – Lawyer

Yapao Lawyers has a position vacant for a litigation lawyer with at least 3-4 years experience. Lawyer with sober habits will be highly recommended.

Terms and conditions will be discussed during interview.

Send written applications with your CV to: Yapao Lawyers, P.O. Box 2552, Boroko, NCD

Position Vacant – Legal Secretary

Seeking experienced Legal Secretary

Contact: Yapao Lawyers on telephone # 323 1676 for the above position.

Global Constructions Ltd has a reputable history of over 21 years in the Civil Construction industry in Papua New Guinea.

We are currently seeking to recruit:

1 x DATA ENTRY CLERK (ENGINEERING DEPT) PORT MORESBY

Requirements : and spoken detail of sober habits.

For more information or to apply, please forward your resume to:

HR Department Global Constructions Ltd P O Box 1453, Boroko, NCD Or FAX (675) 3210793

Email: Apply before COB 06 March 2015.

home & garden

For advertising, call 309 1126 or email lahuir@spp.com.pg For editorial, call 309 1025 or email dwaketsi@spp.com.pg

Maintaining a secure home

BY CHRISTOPHER PAPIALI

OUR lives are secured when there is maximum protection and care from criminals. Companies make it their business by developing security strategies to do business in this hostile and harsh country.

Tourists enter this country with security conscious and ever since independence we have performed very poor in the tourism sector compared with Fiji and others in the region.

Private security companies have been on the rise because of the fallout in the disciplined forces.

And when law and order is not controlled and managed by the police and the relevant authorities criminal activities increase which have damaging effects on the country and its people.

The increase in criminal activities has allowed government and business houses to employ security guards and these guards are working in private security companies. Security therefore has become an industry, where the stakes are high but the catch is that this industry was not properly regulated more than 30 years ago until just recently through the national government’s passage of the 2004 Security Protection Act.

The 2004 Security Protection Act empowered the establishment of Security Industry Authority (SIA) in 2006 and this authority has a Registrar, with Security Licensing & Compliance managers and other line officers.

The Report Papua New Guinea 2014, compiled by the Oxford Business Group says the number of security companies is on the rise with 336 fi rms in 2012 and 457 in 2014.

These security companies range from large foreign owned fi rms to smaller, less formalized operators. There are now over 400 private security companies in PNG but not all of them are active or licensed, which means that only 60-80 are very serious in the industry and making good money.

Security industry generates a

market base around K550 million and it is still a low margin market in PNG.

So in order for this industry to increase volume there is urgency for the key players in this industry to respond swiftly to changes in demand.

Realistically, the large number of school dropouts in grade 8, 10 and 12 are attracted to this industry earning income but a large portion of these security companies do not practice contractual engagements (violating labour laws) and do not contribute savings to Nasfund, POSF or other forms of savings as required by law.

In PNG, the security market is dominated by Guard Dog Security, part of the locally owned Dalco Group which has expanded from its Lae base to operate nationwide in the past two decades.

Following Guard Dog is G4S and Corps Security which are British owned and the Australian owned Security Plus. G4S grew rapidly by purchasing Protect Security and Securimax in the early 1990s and they even attempted to purchase Corps Security in 2011 but the Independent Consumer Commission blocked the purchase agreement.

The Security Industry Authority has not issued clear guidelines for licensing and permitting although it has proposed raising permit fee from K20 – K100 security guard alongside the K3.5 million it receives from the national government.

On this note the Security Industry Authority has contracted two private security training companies but their operational and management skills are only known to the Security Industry Authority and it would be better if there is some of transparency in the selection process.Meanwhile, PNG government has not seriously reviewed the 2004 Security Protection Act and tailors it towards the SME sector as this will pave the way for local participation in this industry.

CONINUTED PAGE 44

Hedge away this wet season

NOW that the wet season has fi nally arrived it’s a great time to get out into the yard and start planting.

A common site within PNG is the garden hedge.

Two popular plants used are the Ixora and Duranta. As a flowering bush with small red tubular flowers that form dense round clusters the Ixora brings plenty of colour to the garden. It is the bright pale yellowgreen leaves of the Duranta that makes it a popular choice.

Apart from the colour hedges can provide to the garden other benefits include privacy and the ability to fi lter dust, pollution and noise.

Likewise, the root system helps to hold the ground together reducing the amount of soil erosion, particu-

larly during the wet season.

If you are looking for an example of how a good, well-trimmed hedge can improve your garden then a trip out to Port Moresby Nature Park, next to UPNG is a must. They have hundreds of meters of perfect hedges to get you inspired.

Whilst there, you can also purchase the perfect hedge plants from their well stocked nursery.

Furthermore, as a non-profitable Trust all plant purchases at the Park go back into improving the NCDC site for the residents of PNG.

A beautiful garden at home and supporting the Park – that’s two great reasons to get planting this wet season!

Security starts at home

Security business should be exclusively reserved, uncompromised so to speak and wittingly for Papua New Guineans because it falls under ‘Reserve Business Activities’ for nationals.

If security industry falls under ‘Reserved Business Activities’ then the involvement of foreign security companies ought to be conscientiously reviewed, if it means terminating through proper legislation.

According to the National Government all foreigners wanting to do business in PNG should have K10

million in their account and conduct business.

And it also should be a requirement that Papua New Guineans should not be used by foreign elements by registering security companies.

We now wait patiently for the May sitting of the parliament when the Minister for Trade and Industry presents a policy paper regarding SMEs and we hope this policy document should spell out clearly the roadmap for SMEs including the Reserved Business Activities for the nationals.

V ISIT the Nature Park in Port Moresby to see the beautifully landscaped grounds and get tips for your backyard or fl ower gardens.

FROM PAGE 43

A better life

BY DIANNE WAKETSI

PEOPLE suffering from long term illnesses can now try Bio-Normalizer, a new and exciting product to hit the shelves.

Believed to be the cure of all diseases from Cancer to Asthma, BioNormalizer is a health food product made from the natural fermentation of papaya fruit by micro-organisms, mainly yeast and lactic acid bacteria.

The aim of Bio-Normalizer is to provide a safe and natural approach

to increase the quality of life for people.

The quality of life of a person depends on good health. Most diseases occur when the basis of balanced health is disrupted by physical, chemical, emotional and biological stress; however natural substances have been known to restore the natural healing power of the body.

Bio-Normalizer is sold on the ground floor of Vision city; the stall houses holds an array of products and their uses.

A BIO-NORMALIZER pack.

A LOCAL from Western Highlands Province displays her harvest of cucumbers packed in bags ready to be sold at the fresh produce market in Mt Hagen.

FROM GARDEN TO MARKET

Local electrician praised

THE community of Hogave in the Lufa District Eastern Highlands Province, located under the foot of Mt Michael in the central Highlands of Papua New Guinea is very grateful to Moses Musalaki Kima who took the challenge to contstruct and manage the construction of the Hogave Mini Hydro Project.

The Hydro Power Plant currently generates 20 kilowatts of electricity to light up the village community and the conservation centre facilities.

The hydro power also provides electricity to an elementary school, trade stores and a church building and other facilities.

This is the only village in the Highlands of PNG that has electricity power due to Moses’ sacrifice and ingenuity.

Moses a graduate of Papua New Guinea University of Technology in Electrical & Communication Engineering along with several leaders in the community solicited the building of the Hydro Power Plant for the village.

The need for rural electrification in Papua New Guinea is vital for the growing population and economy. Most rural settings within the country are impossible to be linked to the urban system of infrastructural and technological developments due to the ruggedness of the country.

In 2009 the community and elders undertook the task of designing and

pre-proposing a micro hydro system for our small community with a population of nearly 1000 men, women and children.

Moses took the river readings to ascertain the flow of the current to determine the type of turbine and power that is suitable for the village.

He also drew and did the project outline where the water damn, penstock, and power line was be established.

He then went to Australia to consult with Australian engineers and organized the shipment of materials to construct the hydro system for the village.

The system was built over a period of over 18 months. The hydro power plant has a capacity of 20kilo watts (unit for measuring electrical power).

The system installed is a single phase system, which means it only uses one high voltage power line/ cable to transmit the power over the area to where the load/consumer of the power is.

The name of the system is called Single Wire Earth Return. This is a new system installed in Papua New Guinea.

It was an incredible technical feat ever for the community and a highlight for the Lufa District.

Currently Moses is managing the hydro power plant and is showing local men how to mend the power system.

A SHED being constructed to house a generator that was built in the community.

STAFF DEVELOPMENT

Senior Management Accountant

To be the best you need to mix with the right company!

Our role in Papua New Guinea is more than just providing banking and financial services. It's about being part of the stability and security of a sound financial system, playing an integral role in the local economy and contributing to the social and environmental well-being of local communities. Westpac Bank PNG Limited is seeking a Senior Management Accountant to join its Financial Control Unit based in Port Moresby to contribute to this success.

Role Summary:

Reporting to the Finance Manager and also working closely with the CFO, this role is responsible for the preparation of routine management reports. This role is much more than compiling ‘numbers on a spreadsheet’ and the successful candidate will be expected to add value by analysing data and providing insights into the performance of the organisation that result in real and measurable outcomes.

Key responsibilities:

Preparation of weekly and monthly management accounts

Provide commentary on actual performance and variance from budget and forecast

Identify and implement process improvements to reporting, budgeting and forecasting

Maintain records and reconciliation controls of budgets by business segments

Assist with producing the quarterly and annual forecasts

Prepare and review daily balance sheet reports and daily FX profit and loss

Assist with audit preparation to allow for timely completion of the annual financial statements

Assist with strategic initiatives to improve overall business performance

Knowledge and Experience:

Recognised degree with a major in Accounting

Member of CPA PNG holding Certified Practising Accountant status

Advanced MS Excel skills and experience in using corporate ERP systems

Team player possessing excellent communication skills

Self-motivated with a sense of urgency to deliver outcomes

Financial Services and Banking Industry knowledge (desirable)

Westpac is an Equal Opportunity Employer and encourages applications from women and men of all ages.

Remuneration will be commensurate with the qualifications and experience of the successful candidate. If this sounds like the opportunity you have been looking for, please submit your written application along with your CV via email to: financePNG@westpac.com.au

Applications close Friday 20 March 2015

Unicef hosts event for EFA

THE Department of Education supported by UNICEF PNG held an Out-Of-School Children Initiative (OOSCI) breakfast meeting last month to emphasize achieving the Education For All (EFA) goals to familirise policy makers from different sectors on this global agenda.

The high level breakfast was supported by experts from the UNICEF Headquarters in New York and East Asia Pacific Regional office in Bangkok and the UNESCO Institute of Statistics (UIS), Bangkok.

The Secretary for Education, Dr. Michael Tapo said the objective of the meeting was to sensitize policy makers in key education sectors on how best PNG can use its resources to address its policies and achieve the EFA goals from 2015 onwards.

The meet also allowed stakeholders to share successful global models and approaches, including good practices in achieving equity through measureable results for children and to equip the National Department of Education to better understand the issues of: Out-Of-School Children Initiative, early childhood development and value education. These initiatives will be reflected in the Ministry of Educations Plan for 2015 –2024.

Dr. Tapo said, “The Education sector in PNG has seen significant achievements

over the past years with the net enrolment rate in basic education increasing from 53 percent in 2007 to 74 percent in 2013 however there are still challenges.

These challenges, among others include poor access to schools, low student retention rates and issues in the quality of education and getting children to school at the right time and age,” he said.

Tapo said OOSCI will be the education enabler that will drive the Government’s priorities and policies on Free Education that will see every boy and girl going to school and should be able to read and write before the age of 8.

“All sectors should have a good understanding of the different barriers that keep children out of school, the policies that will remove or reduce those barriers, how current spending can be used more efficiently and more equitably to get the remaining out of school children into school and to be able to achieve the Education For All goals,” Dr. Tapo said.

“UNICEF is pleased to support the Department of Education in implementing the Out-of-School Children Initiative (OOSCI), and in enabling the school aged children to access quality education”, said Mr. Baba Danbappa, UNICEF Representative in Papua New Guinea.

LEGAL EAGLES

LAWYERS during the opening of the 2015 Legal Year last month.

Picture: TARAMI LEGEI

The Auditor-General’s Office (the AGO) is a Constitutional Office and is an important element in helping to maintain the integrity of the system of government in PNG. The AGO conducts audits; evaluations; and investigations to assess the economy, efficiency, effectiveness and accountability of public resources entrusted to public sector agencies and entities and their programs and, reports the outcomes to the Parliament.

In accordance with the Auditor General’s Office vision of ‘Auditing for Impact’, the Office is seeking qualified experienced professionals in the Corporate Services Division as part of its effort to strengthen and improve its professional and technical capacity.

Other employment terms and conditions are similar to the Public Service. All applicants must possess the following personal attributes:

Be result oriented;

Display strong interpersonal and team skills;

Have sound oral, written and electronic communication skills;

Be methodical, with attention to detail and have the ability to work hard; and

Be able to represent and maintain the professional image of the AGO at all times.

Written applications should include a statement addressing the position, curriculum vitae with full supporting documentation, three references and reliable telephone/e-mail contact details.

Enquiries regarding job description can be obtained from the Corporate Services Division on telephone number 301 2200 or e-mail to ckei@ago.gov.pg

Applications close on the 20 March 2015 and should be addressed to the:

H R Manager Corporate Services Division Auditor General’s Office PO Box 423 WAIGANI National Capital District Or e-mail to: agopngrecruitment@ago.gov.pg

The HR Manager will only contact those applicants who are shortlisted. If you have not heard from the Office within four weeks after the closing date, you should consider your application unsuccessful. Thank you for considering the Auditor General’s Office as a potential employer.

Maritime school eyes progress

THE Pacific Maritime Training College (PMTC) was set up in 2008 with the mission to train educated men and women to serve the maritime industry as seamen deck and engine ratings to serve in the national shipping industry of PNG.

In addition, PMTC aims to provide lifelong career learning skills opportunity for professionals serving in the maritime industry to serve PNG and further promote PNG’s maritime interests in the Pacific region.

The PMTC specifically provides affordable short-course seamanship training for seamen deck and engine ratings.

While it is a legally incorporated training entity with the Investment Promotion Authority since its inception nearly seven years ago, the PMTC has fully complied with the requirements to be a maritime private training provider in accordance with the National Maritime Safety Authority Act.

In 2009, the Training College was recognised and granted approval by the National Training Council.

At PMTC, the maritime training programs are aimed for general capacity building and sea-going skills training development.

The PMTC is contributing to a part of a sea-going tradition PNG has had. The school’s brief history as a private maritime training school stems from a humble vision of adequately fi lling a big missing gap within PNG’s maritime industry.

Today’s training centre is envisaged to expand in future into a well-respected, world recognised regional maritime training school and hopes to keep pace with a growing maritime industry in PNG and the Pacific.

The college also offers limited accommodation and has its own messing facilities for some of its students.

According to Training Advisor of PMTC, it is basic training for seafarers that is taught at PMTC.

“Training at this maritime facility covers the overall basics for shipping and seafaring, and includes fi rst aid as well as techniques on addressing piracy at sea,”

URGENT RECRUITMENT

We are urgently seeking to recruit a LICENSED

ELECTRICIAN

Successful candidate should meet the following requirements:

• Must have PNG Power Electricians License

• Must have PNG Apprenticeship & Tradesman

Certificate

• Must have 7-10 years Commercial & Industrial electrical experience

• Able to read and interpret Architectural Drawings

• Current drivers license is desirable

Your application should consist of:

1. Application letter

2. Curriculum Vitae

3. Certificates of Qualification

4. Two references from a recent or current employer.

5. Reliable contact details of two (2) referees.

6. Reliable Mobile phone number or email address.

Send your application to “Administration Manager” at the address below. Application closes on 14th of March, 2015:

1. P.O. Box 464, Water Front Konedobu, NCD / or

2. P.O.Box 4199, Lae, Morobe Province

the training advisor said.

The college is currently running training for new navy recruits who are into the second week of their 10-week training in basic seamanship.

The PMTC said it was privileged to be conducting the vital maritime training for the new local navy personnel.

There are five qualified resident theory and practical trainers Mr. Henry Wilson, Mr. Jonathan Nagu, Mr. Erastus Isaac and Mr. Francis Taumareta (Most trainers are ex-navy Officers) at PMTC while other aspects of the maritime course are outsourced to its training partners and stakeholders.

Courses run by PMTC which covers the overall maritime training include:

General Purpose Rating 2 (Deck and Engine)

Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS)

Small Boat Operation and Maintenance

Ship Security

Oil Tanker Familiarisations for Ratings

Customs Agent Course

Marine Culinary Course

Ship Electrical Maintenance Course

Power Generation Training

Basic Training Course in Power System Operations

Basic Welding Course

Intermediate Welding Course

Advanced Welding Course

Hydraulics and Pneumatics Course

The PMTC College as part of its expansion plan in the future is to branch out and cover the whole maritime industry disciplines on shore and sea based such as logistics. In addition, PMTC is now offering courses for ship repair (Welders and Electricians), offshore platforms Oil and Gas Industry, Hydraulics and Pneumatics. And to effectively contribute to imparting basic knowledge of seamanship and safety on board a vessel.

For further queries the PMTC Registrar Mrs. Hayley H Kana can be contacted on 3216061/72320725 or through this email address: pmtcregistrarhk@gmail.com

MARITIME students in a classroom session.

God versus science

A UNIVERSITY professor challenged his students with this question. Did God create everything that exists? A student bravely replied, “Yes, he did!”

“God created everything?” the professor asked.

Food laws

In this article, FRANK MECKLENBURG talks about eating “kosher”, the proper Jewish way of killing and eating animals.

AFTER Prophet Samuel left Saul in Gilgal and returned to his home in Gibeah, Saul counted his troops and only 600 remained.

Even with his handicap, Jonathan and his servant, with God’s help, were able to rout the Philistine army by throwing them into a panic. “So the LORD rescued Israel that day, and the battle moved on beyond Beth Aven.” (1 Samuel 14:23 NIV) Following Jonathan’s success, many other Israel men returned to join the battle to help defeat the Palestinian army.

Even though Samuel rebuked King Saul for making sacrifices, he built an altar and had the people bring their animals to sacrifice them so that they would eat only kosher meat. In some ways it seems that Saul was right in doing this because it was a priest that brought the problem of how the people were eating to Saul’s attention. Rather right or wrong, this not only shows us how important it was to King Saul for the people to keep kosher, but also it shows how this ancient belief was still important. “Then he said, ‘Go out among the men and tell them, ‘Each of you bring me your cattle and sheep, and slaughter them here and eat them. Do not sin against the LORD by eating meat with blood still in it.’’” (1 Samuel 14:34 NIV) “Kosher” refers to meat and other food that is prepared in the proper way according the Bible. It includes the proper way of killing animals for eating. In Hebrew the word is kashrut. In English people use the word “kosher”. Kosher is the body of Jewish law that determines what foods can be eaten and how food is to be prepared. Contrary to a popular notion, saying a blessing over food has nothing to do with making it kosher.

Vegetables are usually kosher unless they have bugs that are not kosher. But because of the amount of processed foods today, it is hard to tell if the ingredients are kosher

or not. For this reason it is helpful if a rabbi examines the food to know that it is kosher and has a kosher stamp on it.

According to Judaism 101, kosher laws are observed all year around for Jews and not just for certain holidays like Passover. But for holidays like Passover, there are additional food restrictions and laws. Kosher does not have anything to do with how food is cooked. Chinese food can be kosher. Even Jewish food like bagels, blintzes (Yiddish. A thin, crepe-like pancake rolled around a filling of potato and onion, cheese, or fruit), and matzah balls can be non-kosher if not cooked according to Jewish law.

There are good reasons why Jews and others keep kosher. The kosher laws for slaughtering animals are so sanitary that Jewish slaughterhouses and butchers are exempted from the US food regulations. Health is not the only reason for strict kosher laws.

Some think that camel is not kosher because they are much more valuable for the load they can carry and the distance they can walk without water than for food, but rather it is the kind of hoof that they have. This shows us that health is not the main reason for kosher laws.

The simple and short answer as to why Jews eat kosher is because God

tells them to. For a Torah observant (traditional Jew), the fact that God instructs them to eat kosher is enough of a reason for them. The dinner table of a Jew is compared to an altar in the Temple. The preparation of food is offering a sacrifice and the eating of the meal is a type of worship.

It does take an infrastructure to make it possible for non-Jews in remote third world countries to keep kosher. One of the easiest ways to keep kosher is to become a vegetarian. I know that Seventh-Day Adventists in Papua New Guinea do not eat pork.

The Jewish law for slaughtering animals, according to Judaism 101, is a ritual slaughter known as shechitah, and the person who performs the slaughter is called a shochet, both from the Hebrew root Shin-Cheit-Teit. The method of slaughter is a quick, deep stroke across the throat with a perfectly sharp blade with no nicks or unevenness. This method is painless, causes unconsciousness within two seconds, and is widely recognised as the most humane method of slaughter possible.

Another advantage of shechitah is that it ensures rapid, complete draining of the blood, which is also necessary to render the meat kosher. The Torah prohibits consumption of blood. Lev 7:26-27; Lev 17:10-14.

The shochet is not simply a butcher; he must be a pious man, well trained in Jewish law, particularly as it relates to kashrut. In smaller, more remote communities, the Rabbi and the shochet were often the same person.”

In summary, the blood of an animal must be drained from the animal before eating. The requirement was not only an Old Testament requirement, but also an instruction given by the Jewish elders in Jerusalem to the early Christians (Acts 15:20).

“Yes sir,” the student replied. The professor answered, “If God created everything, then God created evil since evil exists, and according to the principle that our works define who we are then God is evil”. The student became quiet before such an answer. The professor was quite pleased with himself and boasted to the students that he had proven once more that the Christian faith was a myth.

Another student raised his hand and said, “Can I ask you a question professor?”

“Of course.”

The student stood up and asked, “Professor, does cold exist?”

“What kind of question is this?

Of course it exists. Have you never been cold?” The students snickered at the young man’s question.

The young man replied, “In fact sir, cold does not exist. According to the laws of physics, what we consider cold is in reality the absence of heat. Every body or object is susceptible to study when it has or transmits energy, and heat is what makes a body or matter have or transmit energy.

“Absolute zero (-460 degrees F) is the total absence of heat; all matter becomes inert and incapable of reaction at that temperature. Cold does not exist. We have created this word to describe how we feel if we have no heat.”

The student continued, “Professor, does darkness exist?”

The professor responded, “Of course it does.”

The student replied, “Once again you are wrong sir, darkness does not exist either. Darkness is in reality the absence of light. Light we can study, but not darkness.

“In fact, we can use Newton’s

prism to break white light into many colours and study the various wavelengths of each colour. You cannot measure darkness. A simple ray of light can break into a world of darkness and illuminate it. How can you know how dark a certain space is? You measure the amount of light present. Isn’t this correct? Darkness is a term used by man to describe what happens when there is no light present.”

Finally the young man asked the professor, “Sir, does evil exist?”

Now uncertain, the professor responded, “Of course as I have already said. We see it every day. It is in the daily example of man’s inhumanity to man. It is in the multitude of crime and violence everywhere in the world. These manifestations are nothing else but evil.”

To this the student replied, “Evil does not exist sir, or at least it does not exist unto itself. Evil is simply the absence of God. It is just like darkness and cold, a word that man has created to describe the absence of God. God did not create evil. Evil is not like faith, or love that exist just as does light and heat. Evil is the result of what happens when man does not have God’s love present in his heart. It’s like the cold that comes when there is no heat or the darkness that comes when there is no light.”

The professor sat down. That young man was said to be Albert Einstein in 1921.

In Einstein’s view, “neither the rule of human nor Divine Will exists as an independent cause of natural events. To be sure, the doctrine of a personal God interfering with natural events could never be refuted … by science, for [it] can always take refuge in those domains in which scientific knowledge has not yet been able to set foot”. (Einstein 1940, pp. 605–607)

~ Author unknown

A fruit and vegetable market in Arad, Israel. Fruits and vegetables are usually always kosher Picture: FRANK MECKLENBURG

Frank Mecklenburg

Freelance journalist and CEO of Zion Pathways

Terko, Tedz, Jux and Tita in Jux and Tita in action at East Cape Wharf, action at East Wharf, Milne Bay Milne Sweet princess Bethlyn Sweet Kono Pupune Kono

A GUY walks into a bar and orders a whiskey. Just before he takes a sip of his whiskey, a guy runs in and says, “Bill, your house burnt down!”

So he runs outside, but then he thinks, “I don’t have a house,” so he goes back into the bar and takes a sip of his whiskey.

Another guy runs in and says, “Bill! Your dad died!”

He runs out of the bar, gets on his horse and rides a little ways, but then thinks, “I don’t have a dad,” so he goes back into the bar and drinks almost all of his whiskey. Then another guy runs in and says, “Bill! You won the lottery!”

So he runs out, gets on his horse and rides all the way to the bank, but then he thinks, “My name’s not Bill.”

A YOUNG reporter went to a retirement home to interview an aged but legendary explorer. The reporter asked the old man to tell him the most frightening experience he had ever had.

The old explorer said, “Once I was hunting Bengal tigers in the jungles of India. I was on a narrow path and my faithful na-

tive gun bearer was behind me. Suddenly the largest tiger I have ever seen leaped onto the path in front of us. I turned to get my weapon only to find the native had fled.

The tiger leapt toward me with a mighty ROARRRR! I soiled myself.”

The reporter said, “Under those circumstances anyone would have done the same.”

The old explorer said, “No, not then – just now when I went “ROARRRR!””

Q: WHAT’S it called when a blonde blows in another blonde’s ear?

A: Data transfer.

A MAN cheats on his girlfriend Lorraine with a woman named Clearly.

Lorraine dies suddenly.

At the funeral, the man stands up and sings, “I can see Clearly now, Lorraine is gone.”

Q: Why did Beethoven kill his chicken?

A: It kept saying, “Bach, Bach, Bach.”

Kindness changed me

In a random act of kindness, strangers turned around one writer’s awful day by lifting her suitcase up the stairs of London’s Tube.

Did you know?

Different phobias

IN clinical psychology, a phobia is a type of anxiety disorder, usually defined as a persistent fear of an object or situation in which the sufferer commits to great lengths in avoiding.

ABLUTOPHOBIA: Fear of washing or bathing.

ACHLUOPHOBIA: Fear of darkness.

ANABLEPHOBIA: Fear of looking up.

BACTERIOPHOBIA: Fear of bacteria.

BALLISTOPHOBIA: Fear of missiles or bullets.

CACOPHOBIA: Fear of ugliness.

CATAGELOPHOBIA: Fear of being ridiculed.

CATHISOPHOBIA: Fear of sitting.

CATOPTROPHOBIA: Fear of mirrors.

DECIDOPHOBIA: Fear of making decisions.

DEFECALOESIOPHOBIA: Fear of painful bowels movements.

ECCLESIOPHOBIA: Fear of church.

ECOPHOBIA: Fear of home.

BY HILARY PARKINSON

I WAS just out of college, only three days into a graduate year in England, and I was dragging a heavy backpack and suitcase through the London Underground. I was also crying uncontrollably. As I struggled to get the suitcase up another flight of steps, I was struggling to understand how my life had fallen apart.

The day before, my uncle had informed me that I was never to speak to him, his wife, or my two cousins again. Earlier, I had made a silly, joking remark. It was never meant to hurt my aunt’s feelings, but it did. I spent the evening in an ugly blue telephone booth, weeping as I spoke to a family friend who lived in England.

The most foolish part was that I did not immediately call my parents. As a 22-year-old who had been raised to respect and trust adults, I believed my aunt and uncle when they said I’d ruined the relationship between themselves and my family. Today, as a 38-year-old, I know this was ridiculous. Their reaction was all out of proportion.

But at the time, it was as if I had razed everything my family had built.

When I left the phone booth, I went back to a silent house with three closed bedroom doors. I did not sleep. In the morning, I heard everyone get up and leave for work and school; no one knocked on my door. When it was quiet, I wrote a note of apology and left it in my uncle’s bedroom. I dragged my bags the mile to the train station. When I got into London, I had to take the Tube to the Angel underground station to get to my family friend’s house.

I was familiar with the Tube, but at the time, it was a tube of endless white tiles. I was exhausted. Coming to England seemed like a bad decision. Worst of all, no elevators were working. Crying yet again, I tried to lift my suitcase up the stairs.

Suddenly in my slog there were hands. No one said anything, but each time I faced another set of steps, a hand would grip the suitcase handle and lift it. At the top of the steps, the hand would let go, and I’d pull the suitcase to the

next set. And just as I was about to struggle again, another hand would materialise.

It happened several times. I never looked up, because I could not stop crying. I do remember thinking through the haze of grief that each hand looked different, that many different people helped me, without asking or saying anything. They just helped, right up to the top of the last flight of stairs that exited the station. I couldn’t look up. I wasn’t able to say thank you.

I went on to have an amazing year studying in England, and I made some friendships that continue to sustain me. But that was the last time I saw or spoke to any of those four family members.

Yet when I think about that terrible loss in 1998, I remember those strangers’ hands. They were there when I needed them, and even now, they pull me through the sadness of that memory. I think of them as I ride the Metro in DC today, and I watch the commuters and tourists surge by, just in case someone needs a hand.

Tracey Ullman returns

TRACEY Ullman is to return to the BBC with her own comedy series, some 30 years after she was a regular face on British TV.

The actress, writer and singer, who has enjoyed decades of success in the US, said it was “a privilege” to be back.

Her six-part series, The Tracey Ullman Show, is part of a raft of new comedy commissions announced by the BBC.

Other shows include a Rory Bremner election special and a new series starring Ben Miller.

Ullman last appeared on the BBC in A Kick up the Eighties and Three of a Kind in the early and mid-1980s.

She also starred in ITV sitcom Girls on Top, before emigrating to the United States.

She later created The Tracey Ullman Show for the US Fox network, winning several Emmy and Golden Globe awards.

The show famously spawned cartoon series The Simpsons, which started out as short sketches either side of a commercial break.

“It’s a privilege to be doing this,” said Ullman of her new BBC One series. “I still feel as inspired to inhabit people as I did when I was six, standing on the windowsill in my mother’s bedroom, putting on a show.

“The BBC has changed a bit since the last time I worked here, when it was all men in bow ties who had completed National Service.

“Now there are a lot more women,” she continued. “Great ones.”

Sebastian chosen

FORMER Aus-

tralian Idol winner Guy Sebastian has been chosen to represent Australia at its debut Eurovision Song Contest in May.

The announcement was made in a ceremony at the Sydney Opera House on Thursday morning.

Australia was given a wildcard entry to the 60th edition of the competition, to be held in Vienna, Austria.

The country has been fast-tracked to the final and so will not have to compete in the earlier rounds.

Sebastian won the first ever Australian Idol competition in 2003 and has since had eight top ten albums and two number one singles.

He was a judge on Australia’s version of The X Factor between 2010 and 2012.

Eurovision is hugely popular in Australia – three million watched the competition in 2014.

Australia will be allowed to vote in both semi-finals, as well as the grand final.

Brown’s ex is relieved about split

KARRUECHE

Tran is reportedly relieved to have split from Chris Brown.

The stylist ended her on-again, off-again relationship with the Loyal hitmaker last week following a heated argument and stopped answering his calls when rumours began swirling he fathered a child with one of their mutual friends.

A source said she was completely “blindsided’’ by claims the 25-year-old singer has a ninemonth-old daughter with 31-yearold model Nia Amey.

But the insider told gossip website TMZ.com that she thinks the “baby drama’’ has given her the strength to cut ties with Chris permanently.

The singer is said to have taken a DNA test that conclusively proved he is the tot’s father last week and he has allegedly already made a financial agreement with Nia.

The Turn Up The Music hitmaker has yet to comment on the rumours, but Karrueche appeared to confirm the speculation when she announced their split on Twitter on Wednesday (04.03.15).

She tweeted: “Listen. One can only take so much. The best of luck to Chris and his family. No baby drama for me.’’

While the brunette beauty appears to have brushed off their split, sources recently claimed she was hoping to marry Chris.

One insider said: “Of course she would marry Chris. There’s not one man she would rather spend the rest of her life with other than Chris.’’

– Expose Entertainment

Luke Evan’s beastly role

Hold still!

A SQUIRREL poses proudly with a perfectly-formed snowball while another makes sure to capture the moment... by taking a photo.

The pair of red squirrels were happy to play model and photographer – before the one behind the camera got fed up and wanted a turn at posing.

The playful exchange is picture perfect, with the snow falling lightly as the squirrels play around with their new toys.

Photographer Vadim Trunov, 30, captured the courting pair in the woods in Voronezh, Russia, where he lives.

He said: “I took the photographs in the woods near the town, the squirrels were not skittish and are

not afraid of people as they live so close to humans.

“I fed them nuts, which they happily took from me and hid in the snow, they kept taking nuts from me and then hiding them.

“A squirrel ran up, grabbed the snowball and picked it up. Perhaps she sensed the nut inside.

“Then it happened again with the second snowball I made so I decided to try and do a series of shots about a squirrel photographing another squirrel holding the snowball.”

Mr Trunov, who was only four metres away from the pair, set up a camera on a tripod and made another snowball with nuts inside for the squirrels so he could snap the adorable snowy scene.

He said: “A squirrel ran up to the camera almost straight away and began to sniff it.

“A second squirrel grabbed a snowball and picked it up, again, probably to feel if there was a nut in it.

“She dropped it and picked it up again and it looked like she was posing for the camera.

“Then the first squirrel climbed onto the camera, reached for its friend and grabbed her snowball.

“It was a nice moment and to capture it with the two squirrels simultaneously I made more than ten snowballs.

“Squirrels are very playful and curious animals, and I was happy to photograph this moment.”

LUKE Evans is supposedly in talks to star as Gaston in the upcoming live action remake of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast

It was announced last month that Emma Watson would be taking on the role of Belle in the live action remake of the Disney classic.

And now The Hobbit actor Luke is said to be in final talks to take on the part of the villainous Gaston, according to Variety

In the tale, Gaston sets his sights on Belle, who rebuffs his advances before falling for the Beast in a castle she becomes imprisoned in to save her father.

When Gaston finds out where Belle’s affections truly lie, he makes it his mission to gather a group of villagers to kill the Beast.

Luke, 35, is no stranger to musicals, having previously starred in West End productions including Rent and Miss Saigon

The squirrel to the left stands upright and gives its best side for the camera, dictated to by its partner in crime

Scissor Kick to rock Randwick Guineas

Quick news

JOCKEYS PICKS

HUGH Bowman says Kuro’s weight won’t be enough to stop him in ¬Saturday’s Fireball Stakes (1100m) at Randwick.

The Joe Pride-trained galloper resumes from a break after an explosive spring campaign that culminated in a third placing behind Brazen Beau in the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) at Flemington.

I’M HECTOR

Trainer Desleigh Forster is looking forward to seeing up-andcoming gallopers I’m Hector and I’m Belucci on a big track for the first time at the Sunshine Coast.

I’m Hector, who will line up in the Devcon Building Plate (2200m), won his first start at Ipswich over 1350m then flashed home late for second over 1666m at the same venue. Forster is adamant I’m Hector has the makings of a top stayer. “I know it is an ask to put him over 2200-metres at his third race start but he is a big horse and I have been wanting to see him on a big track,” Forster said.

CATKINS DELIVER

Chris Waller’s resolute faith in his best horses to win the races their talent deserves is being tested once more with popular racemare Catkins.

Catkins is adored because she is a grey racehorse with an uncompromising attitude that has delivered a bundle of important wins without claiming a Group One victory.

HORSE RACING

THIS was shades of 1996 — a quartet of outstanding threeyear-olds in a thriller for Group 1 glory.

The finish of the Hobartville Stakes two weeks ago when Hallowed Crown edged out Sweynesse, with Shooting

To Win and Scissor Kick close behind in an epic contest.

Hallowed Crown (Street Sense-Crowned Glory), Shooting To Win (Northern Meteor-Listen Here), Scissor Kick (Redoute’s Choice-Back Pass) and Sweynesse (LonhroSwansea) have the breeding, conformation and developing racetrack records to justify their individual $10 millionplus price tags.

This group of exciting colts are set for another showdown in the Group 1 $600,000 Randwick Guineas (1600m) at Royal Randwick on Saturday,

prompting inevitable comparisons with the famous “Fab Four” of 1996 when Octagonal, Saintly, Nothin’ Leica Dane and Filante had some memorable clashes in the triple crown races, including the Rosehill Guineas and ATC (then AJC) Australian Derby. The Randwick Guineas on Saturday, the first leg of Sydney’s coveted triple crown, has only a small field of seven but it will be a compelling race.

TAB Fixed Odds price assessors are having as much difficulty as anyone splitting the top four with Hallowed Crown and Shooting To Win equal favourites at $2.90 ahead of Sweynesse at $4.20 with Scissor Kick at $5.

The four gallopers dominate the race so much that Victoria Derby winner Preferment is rated a $26 chance.

James Cummings, co-train-

er of Hallowed Crown, said he expects another tough race for the Randwick Guineas from archrivals Shooting To Win, Sweynesse and Scissor Kick. “They are a very good group of colts,’’ Cummings said. “I’ve not heard a bad word from any of the trainers with those horses in their care, they are experienced, skilled horsemen and they have high opinions of their colts.

“They weren’t far away from Hallowed Crown in the Hobartville Stakes and he will be the ‘marked’ colt in the Guineas. But Hallowed Crown is the one with the record — he’s five wins from six starts — so he is the benchmark.’’

John Messara, a part-owner of Scissor Kick, said his colt can win if luck goes their way.

“We have had no luck in the Golden Rose, Stan Fox Stakes

and Hobartville Stakes,’’ he said. “Scissor Kick is going really well and we are quietly confident he can win if he has a bit of luck but it won’t be easy because these are four really top class colts.

“I know there are comparisons with the great crop of Octagonal, Nothin’ Leica Dane, Filante and Saintly but I doubt that group had the pedigrees of these four colts — and Saintly was a gelding.’’ Godolphin’s John O’Shea, who trains Sweynesse, has a more measured view of this season’s three-year-olds.

“It is a little bit remiss I think to say they are in the same category as the vintage year of Octagonal, Saintly, Nothin’ Leica Dane and Filante,’’ O’Shea said.

“None of this season’s group has gone to weight-for-age and performed this season. They are good colts but not within

a bull’s roar of the 1996 crop, to be honest.

“Octagonal won a Cox Plate and Saintly an Australian Cup as three-year-olds.

“Sweynesse did run eighth in the Cox Plate and was unlucky but he didn’t win it. He is a good colt and so are the others he is racing against but they have a long way to go.’’

We asked form guru Gary Crispe to use his exclusive Timeform ratings to compare the three-year-old crops over the past two decades and not surprisingly the 1995-96 crop remain the most outstanding of the modern era.

Saintly (128), Filante (128), Octagonal (126), sprinter Our Maizcay (126) and Nothin’ Leica Dane (125) all achieved lofty Timeform ratings during their three-year-old seasons that collectively ranks them the most superior crop.

But she has an undeniable chance to correct that record when she runs as favourite in the $500,000 Canterbury Stakes at Randwick.

WILLIAMS TO RIDE

Disappointment quickly turned to optimism for Craig Williams when he picked up the Australian Guineas ride on Minnesinger after a minor injury ruled his original mount Disposition out of the $500,000 race.

It left Williams without a ride in the race he has won twice on Shamus Award (2014) and Miss Finland (2007).

TUSCAN FIRE

Trainer Dan O’Sullivan believes the compressed weights of the Roy Higgins Quality will enable Tuscan Fire to break a long run of outs at Flemington. While carrying top weight of 58kg over 2600m on Saturday, Tuscan Fire will be giving just 1.5kg to rivals when he chases his first win in 18 months.

Criterion compared to David Hayes’ hampion Jeune

HORSE RACING

HALL of Fame trainer

David Hayes has compared new stable star Criterion to his former champion Jeune before the Group 1 $500,000 Canterbury Stakes (1300m) at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

“Criterion has an action like Jeune,’’ Hayes said of his 1994 Melbourne Cup winner. “I’ll be the first to admit he has got a bit to do to be another Jeune, but he is heading in the right direction.’’

Criterion, winner of the

Rosehill Guineas and ATC

Australian Derby under David Payne last year, only joined the Hayes stable last November.

The chestnut four-year-old has only had one start for Hayes when an outstanding third behind Designs On Rome and Military Attack in the Group 1 Hong Kong International Cup last December. “It was a huge run in Hong Kong against world-class opposition,’’ Hayes said. “He has done everything right since returning home and his exhibition gallop at Sandown

was outstanding.

“He is going to find the 1300m too short for him but he will be charging home late. This race will stand him in good stead for the Queen Elizabeth Stakes at The Championships next month.’’

Criterion was rated a $13 chance on Thursday night for the Canterbury Stakes behind top mares Catkins ($3 favourite) and Cosmic Endeavour ($3.40). Form guru Gary Crispe, the official compiler of the Australian Timeform ratings, believes trainer Gai Waterhouse can win her sev-

enth Canterbury Stakes with winter carnival find Cosmic Endeavour. Waterhouse, who has won the race with Sprint By (1996), All Our Mob (1997), Dance Hero (2005), More Joyous (2011-12) and Pierro (2013), has given Cosmic Endeavour two runs to prepare for Saturday’s Group 1 sprint.

“Cosmic Endeavour ran to a new peak Timeform master rating of 117 last week when run down late over 1400m in the Guy Walter Stakes at Warwick Farm,’’ Crispe said.

“I felt Cosmic Endeavour seemed to just labour under

her 59kg in the closing stages of that race and the drop in weight plus back 100m in distance should all work to her advantage. “After the four-pound mares’ allowance under the scale is factored in, a repeat of that figure should be sufficient to see her win the Canterbury Stakes.’’

Crispe said the drop in distance from 1400m to 1300m should not trouble Cosmic Endeavour, pointing out three — Appearance, Pierro and More Joyous — of the past five winners all dropped back 100m in distance.

Catkins is the race favourite as she strives to claim the first Group 1 win of her career.

“She comes into the race on an upward ratings spiral on the back of two wins from her only two runs this campaign,’’ Crisp said.

“But this is the toughest assignment Catkins has faced being her first time at Group 1 company outside of her own sex.

“She will need to find three or four pounds above her current Timeform master figure of 115 to be certain of getting into the finish.’’

SCISSOR Kick is due a change of luck, according to part-owner John Messara

In Horse racing a horse named Aristides won the very first Kentucky Derby way back in 1875.

The bottom line

For advertising, call 309 1122 or email asibona@spp.com.pg For editorial, call 309 1107 or email

NATURE Park staff displaying the 2015 Nature Park Calendar of Events for the park’s education program to schools.

School excursion programs ready

PORT Moresby Nature Park’s Education Department is planning an even bigger and better School Excursion Program in 2015 to assist teachers with their program offerings in class. The Park’s Education Team has been busy visiting both primary and secondary school classrooms throughout Port Moresby to deliver the Nature Park’s 2015 Education Events Calendar and to advise on educational programs offered to each grade level.

Education Supervisor Mr Amos Babaga said, “By Developing a 2015 Events Calendar, we are able to effectively reach every school within Port Moresby and promote our educational programs, special events and school holiday programs that will help give every child a chance to visit the Nature Park.”

Mr Babaga also stated, “Port Moresby Nature Park offers educational school excursion programs that are one-of-a-kind programs ran by a dedicated team of qualified teachers employed by the Nature Park.”

Holiday programs will also be operating at the Nature Park with ‘Kids for Conservation Program” beginning 13 April coinciding with term one school holidays. The Education Department have once again included, ‘World Environment Week’, to be held on June,1 – 5 in the schedule, which last year attracted over 1,000 students from 23 classes across 10 schools to the Nature Park.

Schools interested in participating in Port Moresby Nature Park’s school’s excursion programs or who have not received a Nature Park 2015 School’s calendar are encouraged to contact the Nature Park on 326 0258. Further information can also be found on Port Moresby Nature Park’s Facebook page.

A STUDENT getting a cold drink from a water tap at school.

Vital for PNG to grow with ICT

AS PAPUA New Guinea enters an era of unprecedented economic growth and development, education, skills development and capacity building particularly in technology and ICT, it will be crucial for the country to fully benefit from this growth and to achieve long term and sustainable improvements.

To support this objective the centre has been established under the auspices of ITI (International Training Institute), one of the leading independent institutions of higher learning in PNG. ICIT project Consultant Cecil Goldstein said during the seminar held on Friday that this will be dedicated to more opportunities for gradu-

Grade 9 student wins essay comp

A GRADE 9 student at Waigani Christian College has picked up the award for the best essay in observation of World Wildlife Day.

Vilousa Hahembe from grade 9 Blue at the college yesterday received her certificate from Nature Park officials for her outstanding essay entitled ‘How to conserve wildlife species’.

The Nature Park ran the competition, prior to World Wildlife Day which was marked last Saturday, which had over 200 entries being received from various schools in Port Moresby. The theme for the competition was: ‘How will I protect natural wildlife?’ and essay entrants were required to write along this theme in 300 plus words.

Staff from Nature Park made a courtesy visit to the school yesterday to present the certificate to the winning student who was on hand along with other grade 9 students at the school to receive her prize.

ate students through extensive programs advance course and research. It will provide development and training opportunities for professionals and helping support the growth of the internet in PNG and the pacific through research, outreach and best practice adoption. He also added that the project will encourage and support capacity growth through the development of home grown skills and providing a forum for liaison, interaction and collaboration with international organizations and global experts. The main area on focus will be on internet technologies and securities so that internet growth in PNG can take place positively, effectively and safely.

At the occasion the Nature Park extended an invitation to students to visit the park at their free time to learn about the natural flora and fauna of PNG and also endangered species of wildlife. The school was also encouraged to bring in students for excursion programs that were being run for NCD schools.

Ms Hahembe in thanking the

Nature Park for running the essay competition and picking her entry the winning essay also thank her teachers for editing her work.

Meanwhile, Waigani Christian College Director Benjamin Mul also thanked the Nature Park for the initiative in pushing to educate students about the local flora and fauna. He stressed that ideas like the essay competition helped in student’s growth and development

academically.

“Such initiatives will help raise the level of students’ performance in school,” Mr Mul said. The Nature Park spokesman said the park aims to reach to as many schools as possible to be involved in the educational programs they were running and would offer free entry for students at Waigani Christian College on occasions planned.

VILOUSA receives her prize from Nature Park staff. Looking on in the background are her fellow grade 9 students.

CECIL Goldstein ICIT Consultant, Jonathan Dimo ICIT Manager and Lawrence Nicholas Research Leader during the seminar on Friday. Picture: JORDAN BUAKAO

Snowden documents accuse NZ

NEW Zealand is spying on its Pacific island neighbours and sharing the intelligence with its allies, according to newly released documents.

The papers, leaked by former US National Security Authority (NSA) contractor Edward Snowden and dating back to 2009, claim New Zealand’s electronic spy agency intercepted emails, mobile and fixed line phone calls.

Social media messages and other communications were also reportedly tapped in small Pacific states including Fiji, Samoa, Solomon Islands, and French Polynesia.

The documents allege New Zealand’s Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) passed information to the ‘Five Eyes’ intelligence network, which also includes the United States, Britain, Australia and Canada.

The New Zealand Herald newspaper collaborated with US-based website The Intercept to report on the Snowden documents.

Investigative writer Nicky Hager told Radio Australia’s Pacific Beat the GCSB was “hoovering up” the entire communications systems of its nearest neighbours.

“Years ago, the GCSB did some spying on the South Pacific but it would be targeting a particular person, a particular time, for a particular purpose,” he said.

“What happens now is they’ve moved to what they call ‘full take’, which means taking the full lot — everything.

“In other words, everything that’s carried by big satellites that the Pacific island countries mostly rely on is grabbed en masse and made directly available to the national security agency, the US spy boss.”

The GCSB is banned from spying on New Zealand citizens, unless authorised to support other agencies, but has no legal restrictions on foreign activities.

The agency refused to comment on the allegations.

-ABC news

PERSON being immunised. SA Health says the best way to avoid measles is vaccination, with two doses needed for best protection.

New measles case in SA

A CASE of measles in a man returning from the Philippines to Adelaide has been reported to SA Health. The 54-year-old man is recovering at home, but had travelled to many locations around Adelaide while being infectious. SA Health’s chief public health officer Dr Stephen Christley warned that measles was highly contagious for people who were not fully vaccinated.

“People with measles are

infectious for several days before they develop symptoms so it is possible we’ll see more cases, as this man had visited many locations around Adelaide prior to his diagnosis,” Dr Christley said.

“The illness begins with fever, cough, runny nose and sore eyes, followed by a rash which begins on the head and then spreads down the body.

“Complications of measles can be severe.”

Dr Christley said the best way to avoid measles was with a vaccination and advised anyone who was unsure whether they had both doses of the measles vaccine to speak to their doctor about getting their immunisation up to date.

“This is particularly important if you are planning overseas travel as many countries, particularly Bali and the Philippines, are currently experiencing widespread measles outbreaks,” he said.

Court:

Royal radio prank ‘broke law’

AUSTRALIA’S High Court has backed the broadcasting watchdog’s finding that an Australian radio station broke the law with a prank call to a British hospital taking care of the pregnant Duchess of Cambridge, paving the way for penalties.

Two presenters at Sydney’s 2Day FM called the London hospital in December 2012, pretending to be Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles.

They were put through to a nurse who disclosed details of Charles’ daughterin-law’s condition during treatment for severe morning sickness in the early stages of pregnancy, making headlines around the world.

The nurse who answered and transferred the call committed suicide three days later.

On Wednesday, the High Court in Canberra ruled in favour of the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), overturning a ruling by the lower Federal Court.

The earlier ruling said the watchdog did not have the power to find 2Day FM broke the law because it did not have authority in criminal matters.

-Stuff news

Picture: ABC

International Women’s Day celebrations set

BY MARILYN PAUL

EVERY country has its own journey in gender issues and Papua New Guinea is no exception.

The international Women’s Day celebration will be the time to think back and look at how far women in PNG have come to be where there are in the development upfront. This was the message from Community Development Secretary Anna Solomon yesterday when outlining the departments plan to commemorate International Women’s Day by co-hosting the 2015 PNG women’s Forum with the U S Embassy.

Ms Solomon said this will be the time to look back at the mothers of this nation who have fought and raised their voices and yes they have been heard and that is the result of women being in jobs once male dominated, including her.

“We preach gender equality but do we really understand what it means when at homes we are still stereotype.

For instance, when you say boil rice you referring to the girls and firewood is automatically boys. This has to change, boys must start doing their own laundry and by doing that, we make them to practice gender equality and when they come out they practice these habits openly without giving it a thought” she said.

Ms Solomon said though Community Development is behind women equity and gender balance it was really hard and challenging for her when taking up the Post as the Secretary because it was difficult for the men and women to except.

Despite the hardships she coped and has changed the mindset of the men to work with her.

“The thing I encountered in my 3 years is that most of the men were supportive when they came to realize that I was there to stay and they had to work with me, however I was surprised when I got less support from the women that I expected”.

Ms Solomon said there are three

main areas at the National Level that is at focus and these are Women in Leadership, Women in Economic empowerment and Gender base violence. Gender Violence has received much attention from within and outside however not much has been achieved. One hindrance to this is the fact that there is no fixed statistics where there can know and address this issue.

For now focus must be given to Women in Leadership and Economic empowerment if progress is to be seen regarding women’s issues.

“If we start look at women in Leadership role it will help to change the mindset and help promote gender equality thus contributing to women’s participation and development”. Papua New Guinea at the national level for the first time has a Gender Base Strategy in place and is now calling for a Council to be established to focus more on gender base violence” Ms Solomon said.

The Forum will be held at the Crowne Plaza from the 9th to the 11th of this month. The Forum will look at highlighting the PNG government’s successes in creating opportunities for women, hear feedback from women on the Government of Papua New Guinea’s gender policy, and focus on best practices for implementation.

TRAINER WITH FEMALE CLASS

COMMUNITY Development Secretary Anna Solomon.

RODNIE Watanikam with his female TVET students at Porgera.

Women, girls access better education

SOROPTOMIST International (SI) of PNG acknowledges and remembers those Women Advocates in the country who have and are fi ghting for Women’s rights, and those who have been discriminated and are going through recovery stages or those who have died through violence.

Soroptomist International recognizes that access to education for girls and women at all ages are a Fundamental human right and are vital for development, economic growth, and poverty reduction.

According to Soroptomist International Country National Representative Ms. Judy Muliap, much progress has been made in improving girls’ enrolment in primary schools. However, many girls and young women especially in the rural areas continue to face insurmountable barriers in completing their education, where education outcomes for girls and young women are often lacking. Many mature women lack basic skills in reading and writing or access to continuing education opportunities.

Discrimination, culture, gender stereotypes, economic and time poverty, and violence at schools, among others, all create environments that prevent girls and women from achieving their fullest potentials.

Soroptomist International of PNG urges the Government to fulfi ll its existing obligations, in International Treaties and Agreements relating to equal access to education including Quality Education with proper facilities and teaching materials. Uphold international agreements to ensure that girls and women are not at risk of violence, assault, abuse or tribal conflicts, which prevents them, and ensure that domestic policies and justice systems are designed to protect women and girls

in educational settings.

Effective implementation of policies and programmes with a lifecourse approach to education, recognizing and understanding that access to learning is a human right at all ages.

Work with local partners to construct and improve facilities so that women and girls are afforded education that is accessible, acceptable, and available and of good quality.

Collect sex-disaggregated data on enrolment, retention and completion, as well as sex-disaggregated data on educational outcomes.

Ms. Muliap stated that boys and men in the society need to change their attitudes and behavior to value and respect girls and women in the communities, nor use the culture, taboos, or even bride price as claims to prevent girls and women to continue their education. Parents should think twice on forced arranged marriages on their daughters while they are at school and threaten their daughters not to speak out or she will not continue schooling. Girls have every right to say NO to their parents or they can report to the Welfare Services Authorities.

Soroptomist International PNG is organizing various events around the country to commemorate International Women’s Day on Sunday 08th March. SI Lae Club is hosting the SI PNG National Public Speaking Competition for young women age 18-22 years old in Lae.

The purpose of this competition is to educate, empower and enable opportunities for our young Papua New Guinea women and girls. SI Port Moresby is hosting a 5kmWalk at Ela Beach IEA Oval starting at 05:45 am, contact; siportmoresby@siswp.org.

THESE ladies are from the rural areas in the Madang province in a 3 weeks personal development upskilling in room like a classroom in Ramu Resource Centre.

VILLAGE Birth Attendants training program in August last year.

MEDIA STATEMENT FOR HON. BENJAMIN POPONAWA, MP

MINISTER FOR LABOUR AND INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS TO COMMEMORATE

THE INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY ON 08 MARCH 2015

Theme: “Make It Happen”

Each year on 08 March, women globally celebrate International Women’s Day recognizing the economic, political and social achievements of women while focusing world attention calling for greater equality.

“Make It Happen” is the Theme for 2015 and encourages effective action for advancing and recognizing women. It calls for challenging the status quo for women’s equality and vigilance inspiring positive change. The vast array of communication channels, supportive spokespeople, equality research, campaigns and corporate responsibility initiatives mean everyone can be an advocate inspiring change and making women’s advancement happen towards increased financial independence in sports; equal recognition of women in Arts; Science, Engineering and Technology; greater awareness in women’s equality; growth of women – owned businesses and more women in senior leadership role.

By virtue of Papua New Guinea’s membership to the International Labour Organization (ILO), the National Government, through the Department of Labour and Industrial Relations ratified a number of Fundamental ILO Human Rights Conventions to give greater protection and dignity of Women in the areas of promotion for:

colour;

at the workplace;

Association and Movement, all of which provide avenues for women to contribute positively to the socio-economic and political advancement of PNG.

abuse (physical, verbal or psychological, bullying, mobbing, work-related stress and violence affect all professions and sectors, especially in women. Violence in the world of work is a human rights issue, as well as health, education, legal and socio-economic problem. The costs to enterprises include absenteeism, increased turn-over, lower job performance and productivity, negative public image, legal/immigration fees, fees or high settlement costs, and rising insurance premiums. For workers, it can lead to tightened stress, loss of motivation, increased accidents and disability and even death. The potential strain on health, welfare and social security systems can be avoided through the promotion of integrated, genderresponsive occupational safety and health policies and a preventive culture in the world of work.

The Department of Labour and Industrial Relations, in its efforts to enhance the promotion of the core human rights principles at the workplace, has embarked on major Legislative Reforms commencing with the Industrial Relations Bill for PNG 2013. The Industrial Relations Bill features, apart from establishing a more structured effective mechanism for industrial dispute resolution for the private and public sectors in the establishment of the Industrial Relations Commission; also contains provisions to ensure protection on equal remuneration for work of equal value; equal opportunity or treatment in employment; prohibits physical ability, religion, preference in respect of a particular job, harassment of an employee or applicant for employment with the Industrial Relations Commission being the body to address workplace grievances on human rights issues.

Other Labour Law Reforms are the Occupational Health and Safety Bill to ensure a safe and healthy working environment for all workers; and the Employment Relations Bill for effective regulation of minimum terms and conditions of employment including generous maternity protection provisions for all working women.

New Policy initiatives by the Department include the development of the Employment Policy which will encompass a framework to promote full, productive and freely chosen employment for all women, man and young people, and the National Skills Development Authority (NSDA) aimed at promoting skills development, employability, certification of qualification, education, competency standards, skills transfer

and employment creation for all. Moves are also, underway for the review of the Workers’ Compensation Act with new directions to deal with workers injuries at work.

For the Government, enabling and implementing gender responsive policies, services and business environments are crucial to stimulate and upgrade women’s businesses and thereby help generate decent and productive work, achieve gender equality reduce poverty and ensure stronger economies and societies.

Under the Ministry of Labour and Industrial Relations, the Independent Fellowship Scheme each year, continues to enrol more young girls in agriculture, sewing, making of simple garments, fishing and other informal activities for their own benefits after formal training. Access by women entrepreneurs/ small businesses into the recently introduced Micro-Bank is a positive step to equal employment opportunities and similarly, business opportunities for women in the SMEs have also, been increased. The National Apprenticeship and Trade Testing Scheme each year certifies skilled females into the trades of plumbing, carpentry, fitters, machinists and electricians is a positive sign in gender- balanced employment opportunities.

Statistics have shown that in the past few decades, women in PNG have not been able to participate equally with their male counterparts, in training and employment opportunities, to enable them to take on jobs in areas, which previously were male dominated. Such positive approach not only show that men are willing to work together with women to achieve their goals, but also shows that educated PNG men are now changing their attitudes, to accepting that women are their equal partners in development. Also more importantly, been subordinates to women.

If the Nation is to achieve a higher standard of living and better welfare of the society, issues affecting women must be addressed meaningfully and with the full commitment, by the women themselves and the societies in which they live.

Papua New Guinea, like other culturally oriented communities, has common characteristic of men being the dominant of the development process, by causing a division of labour between the two genders. As a result, the women are forced to play a secondary role in the process.

Thus, resulting in the developmental strategies not achieving their desired goals and objectives. Discrimination is a basis gender inequality intersects with economic imbalances, poverty is intensified, especially for women.

Family commitments and problems such as domestic violence or a husband’s opposition to his wife’s position are seen as preventing the advancement of women into senior positions. In PNG, the increasing acts of violence against women whether it be domestic or at the place of work, has been an ugly trend which had caused a collective campaign by the United Nations, Churches, Women’s Groups and Human Rights Activists condemning these actions.

However, evidence suggests that structural problems within the systems, such as appointment procedures, selecting criteria that discriminate against women and traditional social stereo-typing the kind of work women should or should not perform are increasingly recognised as an undue barrier to women’s participation in the labour market.

Women therefore, have found it difficult to be involved in Guinea norms do not allow them to be equal participants in decision-making with men and their lack of campaign funds and support from individuals and political parties are reasons for the low profile of women.

Papua New Guinea women have long been involved in the development of this country in all sectors of the economy. However, the areas that the majority of the female population

are involved in is agriculture, and although they provide the back-bone of the Nation’s development, they are not adequately recognised by the Authorities and therefore, none or less emphasis for priorities are placed in those areas, and thus once again depriving the women.

In PNG today, there are evidence where many women are qualified Lawyers, Judges, Departmental Heads, High Doctors, Accountant, Politicians and other prominent positions that were once dominated by their male counterparts, let alone, Teachers and Nurses who are now equally inspiring changes in our communities, work places and abroad.

the late Ms. Scholla Warai Kakas, President of the National Council of Women who was truly a role model for women in PNG because she strived hard for equality, and was very instrumental in successfully pushing for Women’s Seats in the National Parliament.

At the political level, PNG currently, has three women Parliamentarians in Ms. Loujaya Kouza, MP, Member for Lae Open and Minister for Community Development; Mrs. Delilah Gore, MP, Member for Sohe Open and recently appointed as Minister for Higher Education and finally, the Eastern Highlands Governor, Mrs. Julie Soso, MP.

The Minister for Public Service, Hon. Sir Puka Temu, MP launched the National Government’s Gender Equity and Social Inclusion (GESI) which aims to address women’s rights and responsibilities in the Public Service, and people living with disabilities and HIV/AIDS. The GESI Policy urges all Public Sector Agencies to include women in recruitment, training and promotion on equal par with men based on performance, knowledge, ability and qualifications.

The Minister for Health and HIV/AIDS Hon. Michael Malabag, MP threw in support recognizing the critical link between genderbased violence, human rights and HIV/AIDS transmission and pledged continued support to the National Aids Council, its Partners and Stakeholders to ensure that gender equality and human rights are mainstreamed.

initiated support to the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women to ensure Laws are enforced to bring justice to women and girls who are victims of domestic and Unit of the Police Force, and at the same time, supporting the passing of the current Domestic Violence Bill.

As Minister responsible for Labour and Industrial Relations, and taking into account this year’s International Women’s Day Theme: “Make It Happen”, I would like to challenge all women and men throughout PNG and urge us all in Government, NonGovernment; Professional, Women’s Groups, Civil Societies to inspire and make happen positive changes against violence, gender inequalities, discrimination to make a difference.

On this special day, I am pleased to commend the achievements of all women in their different capacities, and as Minister responsible for Labour and Industrial Relations, I am Management positions in the Ministry of Labour and Industrial Relations at the Deputy Secretary and Statutory Office Head levels.

Finally, I take this opportunity to congratulate all women throughout PNG in all sectors of the economy for your achievements, at the same time urge you all to be the vehicles to inspire and make changes happen whether it is at the workplace or in the community at large, for a better PNG.

“Happy International Women’s Day Celebrations!”.

Authorized by:

KATS in use now

BY DIANNE WAKETSI

THE most significant aspect of introducing Kina Automated Transfer System (KATS) is to declare that KATS is fully operational and that KATS is the solid foundation for increasing participation of the rural population in the formal fi nancial services.

Bank of Papua New Guinea Governor Loi Bakani stated this during the recent KATS celebration held at the bank.

He added that when BPNG undertook the National Payment System (NPS) strategy exercise 2008 – 2009, it was estimated that fewer then ten percent of the population had bank accounts.

“However since then that number has increased, and we must also take into account the fact that many people are now depositing in Micro-Banks, others are members of Savings and Loans Societies and other non-bank institutions,” said Bakani.

He added, “But the fact remains that PNG is one of the least fi nancially-inclusive societies in our region, and here at BPNG we are hoping to change this.”

KATS and Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) capability provides the ultimate guarantee that your payments will be honoured and will be processed in a reasonable time added Bakani.

“It does this by ensuring that all fi nancial institutions which are participants in KATS will be able to settle payments obligations they have undertaken on behalf of customers, whether they are a few or millions of kina,” Bakani said. Bakani added that was why he was excited about KATS being now fully operational. And that with the use of technology we will be able to perform functions in partnership with banks and licensed money remittance companies.

FUEL FOR COOKING

BPNG Governor Loi Bakani.

THESE two Kerema lads gathering firewood to take home to use for cooking when the Post-Courier caught up with them.

2015 Mask festival set

BY DIANNE WAKETSI

THIS year 2015, will mark twenty years since the fi rst mask festival was held. The National Mask Festival celebrates Papua New Guinea’s masks and the culture associated with them. The annual festival is held in Rabaul.

The festival will be held on the 7th to the 19th of July in East New Britain and will also feature masks from the Sepik provinces and the Highlands region.

The Mask festival focuses on the island traditions of PNG and the festival has expanded to include masks and customs from other parts of the country.

The creation and traditions of ancestor masks, spirit masks and tumbuan (dance masks) are the focus of the festival. The masks vary in size, design, spiritual meaning and purpose.

Some masks are attached to bilas, the customary attire worn at ceremonial events while others are

mounted on family homes or men’s houses as protection. The tumbuan, worn during traditional performances, often cover much of the dancer’s body.

The dances and performances intrigue visitors and are famously photogenic. The artefacts and handicrafts offered for sale at the festival stalls are interesting even to the non-shopper.

Highlights of our National Mask Festival itinerary include attendance at the pre-dawn Kinavia and at a night time performance by the Baining Fire Dancers.

Minister for Tourism, Arts & Culture Boka Kondra says that PNG is rich in culture and tourism, promoting it will see a boost in revenue not only for the locals but for the country as well. He added that there are a lot of festivals that need to be promoted for the sake of the tourism industry, with a helping hand from the Australian Government this has been made possible.

A MASKED Baining fire dancer.

More services, funding for Kokoda landowners

BY DIANNE WAKETSI

LANDOWNERS and locals of the famous Kokoda Trail will soon see improvements made along the trek after the Minister for Tourism, Arts & Culture Boka Kondra announced a boost to funding, after receiving a K 10 million gift from the Australian Government.

Kokoda Trek located in Popondetta, Northern Province has been one of PNG’s biggest attractions when it comes to tourism with many Australian tourists travelling to PNG to go trekking.

Kondra said this gift from the Australian Government will improve services to the area and

encourage locals to participate in the development of tourism industry in the province.

He added that by taking ownership of various projects the government is going to roll out are long term projects, locals will be able to benefit by generating income for themselves while preserving their cultural too.

Kondra said that other projects for Kokoda include scenic views and bird watching and visiting war relics in the area.

Kondra says that once the projects kicks off locals will be heavily involved in the construction phase and the running of this income generating projects.

A TOURIST walks the Kokoda Trek.

US envoy slashed in Seoul

THE US ambassador to South Korea, Mark Lippert, has been injured by a knife-wielding attacker in Seoul.

Mr Lippert, 42, was attending a breakfast meeting when he was slashed on his face and left hand. He was taken to hospital but his injuries are not life-threatening.

Witnesses said the attacker, a 55-year-old man with a history of militant Korean nationalistic activism, shouted demands for North and South Korea to be reunified.

He was subdued by security officers and arrested.

South Korean President Park Guen-hye said the incident was an “attack on the South Korea-US alliance”. The US State Department strongly condemned the incident.

US President Barack Obama had called Mr Lippert to wish him “the very best for a speedy recovery”, US National Security Council spokeswoman Bernadette Meehan said.

The attack happened at about 07:40 (22:40 GMT Wednesday), when the ambassador was at a performing arts centre in central Seoul, South Korean police were quoted as saying by the Yonhap news agency.

The assailant reportedly shouted “South and North Korea should be reunified!” before lashing out at the envoy.

Singapore canes, jails two German vandals

SINGAPORE: A Singapore court has sentenced two young German men to nine months in prison and three strokes of the cane for spray-painting a metro train in the city-state last year.

Andreas Von Knorre, 22, and Elton Hinz, 21, were sentenced on Thursday after pleading guilty to vandalism and trespassing. Both asked for mercy before sentencing and called their acts a “stupid mistake”.

“The imprisonment sentence is nine months in total and the mandatory three strokes of the cane,” District Judge Liew Thiam Leng said.

They were sentenced to four months in jail for breaking into a suburban train depot in November 2014 and five months and three strokes of the cane for vandalising a carriage with spray paint.

Both men fled Singapore after the in-

cident, but were caught in neighbouring Malaysia before they departed for Australia and extradited.

The two men reportedly had visas to work in Australia.

Singapore, a leading Asian financial hub, is known for its tough stance on crime.

Its vandalism laws became global news in 1994 when an American teenager, Michael Fay, was caned for damaging cars and public property.

In 2010, Swiss expatriate Oliver Fricker was sentenced to seven months in jail and three strokes of the cane after he used spray paint to vandalise a train at a depot.

Caning is a punishment dating back to British colonial rule in Singapore and involves being flogged with a rattan stick which often leaves permanent scars.

-AAP news

At a glance

WEAPON: District police chief Yoon Myung-soon said Kim had slashed the ambassador with a 25-centimetre paring knife.

The attacker also expressed opposition to annual military exercises held jointly by South Korea and the US, which are currently under way.

North Korea has described the exercises - which involve more than 200,000 troops - as a rehearsal for an invasion and has vowed retaliation.

However, there is no evidence that the attacker was an agent of North Korea, the BBC’s Stephen Evans in Seoul reports.

A small group of South Koreans believe that the American military presence prevents unification of the two Koreas.

The assailant had previously thrown concrete at the Japanese ambassador to South Korea. He also has a record of militant Korean nationalistic activism, said our correspondent.

Mr Lippert - a former US assistant secretary of defencewas appointed ambassador to South Korea in 2014. -BBC

MARK Lippert’s injuries

media reports say. Picture: BBC

VON Knorre (R) and Hinz were caught in Kuala Lumpur and extradited to Singapore last year. Picture: BBC

Russian military build-up

THE United States’ senior envoy to Europe has alleged that Russia has deployed “thousands and thousands” of troops to neighbouring Ukraine.

Speaking to a congressional foreign affairs committee, assistant secretary of state Victoria Nuland also told US politicians Russia was flooding eastern Ukraine with military hardware.

“Since December, Russia has transferred hundreds of pieces of military equipment, including tanks, armoured vehicles, rocket systems, heavy artillery,” Ms Nuland said.

“The Russian military has its own robust command structure in eastern Ukraine ... they are funding this war, they are fuelling it and commanding and controlling it.”

Ms Nuland did not specify how many Russian troops were in eastern Ukraine.

“I am not in a position to give you a definitive number in this unclassified setting,” she said.

“I would say it’s in the thousands and thousands.”

On Tuesday, Western leaders including US president Barack Obama called for a “strong reaction” from the international community to any major violation of a ceasefire in eastern Ukraine as they sought to further pressure Russia over the conflict.

The leaders did not specify what a “major” break from the accord might be, nor what response it would provoke, but hinted at the possibility of further sanctions on Moscow.

“Our sanctions team is in Europe this week,” Ms Nuland said, adding there had

been more than 100 violations of the European-brokered ceasefire agreements.

She said it was important the United States was in line with Europe on additional sanctions that will be imposed on Russia if the ceasefire worked out in Minsk last month is “further violated or if there is a further land grab”.

Earlier, German chancellor Angela Merkel warned Russia any serious violation of the ceasefire, which she described as fragile, would prompt more sanctions.

The truce was agreed on February 12 with Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko and Russia’s Vladimir Putin to end the fighting that has killed roughly 6,000 people since April.

US politicians on both sides of the aisle expressed frustration with what many said was the Obama administration’s “resistance” to providing weapons to Kiev despite increased Russian aggression.

Representative Eliot Engel said he would propose legislation to support Ukraine and that while the United States was providing substantial assistance to Kiev, it was not enough.

“It will offer Ukraine greater assistance on a variety of fronts,” Mr Engel said. -ABC

Tough challenges in Iran remain

MONTREUX: The United States says tough challenges remain to seal a nuclear deal with Iran, vowing not to be distracted by external politics in its quest to stop Tehran acquiring the atomic bomb.

Secretary of State John Kerry and his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif wrapped up three days of “in-

Damning report on Ferguson shooting

WASHINGTON: The US Justice Department won’t prosecute the white policeman who shot dead unarmed black teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson, but in a damning report it found the local force systematically targeted African Americans.

The fatal shooting in August in the St Louis suburb ignited nationwide outrage and shone a critical spotlight on relations between law enforcement and black Americans, with police tactics also coming in for strong criticism.

“Because Wilson did not act with the requisite criminal intent, it cannot be proven beyond reasonable doubt to a jury that he violated (Brown’s civil rights) when he fired his weapon at Brown,” the official report said.

“For the reasons set forth above, this matter lacks prosecutive merit and should be closed.”

Wilson was also cleared in November by a grand jury in St Louis County which opted not to indict him for the death of 18-year-old Brown, meaning the policeman is no longer facing legal action of any kind.

The teenager’s death - on a residential street in a blackmajority town with an overwhelmingly white police force - prompted weeks of sometimes violent protests in Ferguson and beyond.

Bombing trial begins

tense” nuclear negotiations in the Swiss lakeside town of Montreux on Wednesday still with no deal, as a March 31 deadline for a framework agreement looms.

“We’ve made some progress from where we were and important choices need to be made,” Kerry told reporters after the talks, with a senior

State Department official adding that “tough challenges” had yet to be resolved.

Zarif also told Iranian state television after the talks that “clear differences” remained between the sides, especially on the issue of the punishing sanctions Iran hopes to shed through the deal under discussion. -AAP news

BOSTON: Gruesome details of injuries sustained by victims of the Boston Marathon bombings have been recounted to jurors, as lawyers for the Muslim student on trial for the attack admitted he carried out the bloody assault. Nearly two years after what was the worst attack on US soil since 9/11, Dzhokhar

Tsarnaev’s trial got under way on Wednesday in a federal court packed with victims, survivors and the media. Prosecutors said Tsarnaev, 21, had carried out the attacks to avenge the deaths of Muslims overseas after learning how to build pressure-cooker bombs through Al-Qaeda propaganda. -AAP news

Wilson told the St Louis County grand jury that he had shot Brown in self-defence on August 9 after the youth allegedly tried to get hold of his handgun.

But others contended that Brown had his hands up in the air when the officer, who has since left the Ferguson police force, fatally opened fire.

In a statement, Brown’s family called Wednesday’s decision “disappointing”.

But it added that it looked forward to seeing “true change” . -AAP news

Global flood toll to triple by 2030

THE number of people affected by river flooding worldwide could nearly triple in the next 15 years, analysis shows.

Climate change and population growth are driving the increase, according to the World Resources Institute (WRI).

In the UK, about 76,000 people a year could be at risk of being affected by flooding if defences aren’t improved, it says.

The yearly cost of damage to urban areas could reach more than £1bn.

The centre says this is the first public analysis of all world data on current and future river-flood risks.

It demonstrates some 20 million people are at risk of being affected by flooding, and it costs almost £65bn in GDP.

According to the new evaluation, in just 15 years time these numbers could rise to around 50

million people with an annual potential cost to the world economy of around £340bn. Much of this is attributed to climate change and socioeconomic development.

By 2030, if there isn’t any increased investment in flood prevention, the UK could be facing a

yearly bill of more than £2bn.

The World Bank says that this calculator will help to inform governments about mitigation and defence strategies.

According to the Red Cross, almost half of natural disasters they dealt with last year were caused by floods. -BBC news

50 million people could be affected by flooding in 15 years’ time. Picture: BBC

VICTORIA Nuland, pictured here distributing bread to political protestors in Kiev in 2013, says Russia is funding and commanding the war in eastern Ukraine. Picture:ABC/REUTERS

Russian troops are in thousands and thousands ...

VICTORIA NULAND Europe

Aleppo attack kills dozens

INSURGENTS have attacked a Syrian government security building in the northern city of Aleppo, setting off a bomb and then launching a ground assault. A monitoring group said dozens were killed on both sides.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which monitors the war using sources on the ground, said the attack on the Air Force Intelligence building was carried out by jihadist groups including the al Qaeda-linked Nusra Front.

Initial reports suggested the insurgents had set off the bomb in a tunnel dug under or near the building in Aleppo, which has long been a focus of fighting between government and insurgent groups.

Rebel sources and a combatant fighting on the gov-

Iraq in bid to encircle IS in Tikrit

IRAQI army soldiers and Shia militiamen are seeking to encircle Islamic State fighters in Tikrit, on the third day of a major operation to retake the city.

State-run al-Iraqiya TV said government forces were “advancing” but progress has been slowed by roadside bombs.

Security sources said they had captured villages and oil fields east of the city, and blocked a key IS supply line to neighbouring Diyala province. The offensive is being overseen at least in part by an Iranian general.

On Tuesday, the top US general said Iran’s role in Tikrit could be positive, as long as it did not fuel sectarian tensions.

Some 30,000 soldiers and militiamen from the Popular Mobilisation (Hashid Shaabi) force, backed by Iraqi jets and helicopters, have advanced gradually since the offensive began on Monday.

At a glance

SMULTI-FRONT CIVIL WAR: Mr Assad’s regime has been fighting a multi-front civil war with a range of opposition factions including jihadists after an uprising erupted in Syria in March 2011.

DEATh ESTIMATES: Estimates have put the number of dead at more than 220,000, but Mr Assad rejected that figure.

SYRIA STILL GOING: “We still have the institutions working, we still have the subsidies, we still pay the salaries... even in some areas under the control of the terrorists,” Mr Assad said.

ernment side confirmed part of the building had been destroyed in the attack on the western outskirts of Aleppo.

Air Force Intelligence is widely viewed as one of the most powerful arms of the Syrian security establishment.

In a statement circulated by Nusra Front supporters on Twitter, the group said “the Mujahideen destroyed Air

Force intelligence” and were fighting in the surrounding areas.

Rami Abdulrahman, who runs the Observatory, described it as a blow to the Syrian security establishment.

“It’s very important, it should have been better protected,” he said.

Mr Abdulrahman said the dead included members of the Syrian intelligence ap-

paratus, pro-government fighters, and some of the attackers.

Aleppo, around 50 kilometres south of the border with Turkey, is divided between government forces and insurgent groups fighting to topple president Bashar al-Assad in a four-year-old conflict estimated to have killed 200,000 people.

UN envoy Staffan de Mistura is currently trying to broker a ceasefire between insurgent and government forces in Aleppo. His team headed there on Tuesday.

Government forces backed by allied militia launched a major offensive aiming to encircle the insurgent-held part of Aleppo late last month, but the offensive was repulsed.

Assad insists he has public support

Kerry meets Gulf leaders

US Secretary of State John Kerry is meeting Gulf leaders in Riyadh on Wednesday to address concerns over a nuclear deal with Iran.

The visit comes after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu strongly warned against such a deal in a speech before the US Congress on Tuesday.

Current negotiations, Mr Netanyahu said, would pave the way towards nuclear weapons for Iran.

A framework agreement with Iran is meant to be in place by 31 March.

Mr Kerry will meet the new Saudi monarch, King Salman, and hold separate talks with the foreign ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council, which also includes Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

The Sunni-ruled Gulf states are concerned about Tehran’s suspected ambitions to acquire nuclear weapons and its growing influence in the region.

Mr Kerry, who flew to Riyadh after another round of nuclear talks with his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif in Switzerland, will reassure them that a deal with Iran will not allow Tehran to develop nuclear weapons, US officials say.

Mr Netanyahu used his speech

before the US Congress to deliver a strong warning against what he called a “bad deal”. He described Iran as not trustworthy and a danger to the world, not just Israel.

Negotiations with Iran as they were, he said, were not preventing, but paving the way for Tehran to acquire nuclear weapons.

US President Barack Obama said the speech, which Mr Netanyahu gave after being invited by Republican leaders without White House consultation, contained nothing new and offered “no viable alternative”.

Together with the other permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany, the US is trying to negotiate a deal with Tehran that offers the lifting of sanctions in return for Iran curbing its nuclear ambitions.

-BBC news

Syrian president Bashar al-Assad has insisted he continues to enjoy the support of the Syrian people despite nearly four years of war and international pressure on his regime.

In an interview with Portuguese broadcaster RTP, Mr Assad said the image of him presented in the West was deeply skewed.

“The people are against him, the regional countries are against him and the West is against him, and (still) he succeeded,” Mr Assad said, speaking in English.

“You’re either lying to us or you’re talking about Superman because if you don’t have Superman, (if) he’s a regular president, it means he could withstand four years only because he has the public support.”

On Wednesday, a source in the Samarra Operations Command told the BBC that government forces had taken control of the village of alMaibdi, on the road between Tikrit and the Kurdish-controlled city of Kirkuk, as well as the nearby Ajil and Alas oilfields. The road was a key supply route for IS between Salahuddin and Diyala provinces, the source said.

Another official told All Iraq News that the villages of Siha and Mazraat al-Rahim, just to the north of Tikrit in al-Alam district, had also been retaken. However, the soldiers and militiamen have not breached IS defences around Tikrit and al-Dour, a town 19km (12 miles) to the south, which officials say is another stronghold of the jihadist group.

-BBC news

THE firefighters have been working around the clock amid searing summer temperatures. Picture BBC

CAPE TOWN WILDFIRES

Iran is not trustworthy and a danger to the world ....

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU United States

Complete the grid so that every row, column and 2x3 box contains every digit from 1 to 6 inclusive

Solution to puzzle SL0866

stars

March 20 - April 19

Thrilling as the month of March promises to be for you and for others, not everybody will recognise the potential events offer. In fact, some might view what arises as disastrous. If so, donÕt argue. Instead encourage them to explore. Soon enough theyÕll realise how wrong they were.

April 20 - May 19

ThereÕs no right way to deal with situations that are just plain impossible. Worse, you see others benefitting from amazing developments. While youÕre happy for them, it seems unfair. You may not be in the mood for patience, but itÕs worth biding your time. Within a week or so, youÕll know why.

May 21 - June 20

Only days ago you were excitedly discussing new and promising ideas or offers. Yet now theyÕre vanishing, and being replaced by others. This is exciting but also somewhat worrying. This period is about exactly that variety of exploration. Understand that, and youÕll recognise changes as a valuable part of the process.

June 21 - July 21

The time has come to let go of certain arrangements. You can be sentimental about such matters. As you know, in the past, youÕve held on for too long. YouÕre at risk of doing so again. If you canÕt say a final farewell to these, at least begin the process.

July 22 - August 22

Thrilling as the ideas and offers triggered by this week’s remarkable planetary activity may be, the resulting changes are bound to be unsettling. You could easily misinterpret these as reason for concern. On the contrary, these are the breakthroughs you’ve been seeking, although in a different form than you anticipated.

August 23 - September 22

Knowing those born under the enthusiastic, excitable fire signs, Aries, Leo and Sagittarius, is always stimulating for you, as a cautious Virgo. However, life with half the planets in fire signs, as is the case now, might be a little disruptive. Still, unsettling as these events are, you’ll benefit substantially from them.

September 23 - October 22

Making last minute changes in plans may be annoying for you, but you know those closest really hate it. Still, don’t allow this concern to keep you from taking advantage of sudden, and thrilling, ideas or offers. Explain. They’ll complain, but only because thatÕs their habit. They will also understand.

October 23 - November 22

Although you sometimes pretend you’re unaffected by the emotional intensity that accompanies the Full Moon, you’re a sensitive water sign. Events will influence you now, and for several even a few days afterwards. Unsettling as those feelings are, consider what you’re learning from these, and you won’t mind in the least.

November 23 - December 22

While you can be amazingly easygoing, even when things are tough, you also have an impatient streak. And that’s being triggered by the current powerful planetary activity involving your ruler Jupiter. The trick is to do both, that is, respond swiftly but, be patient about the timing of the outcome.

December 21 - January 19

Facing the fact that you must substantially alter, if not eliminate, a familiar element of your life may be upsetting. Yet you’ve long known this was causing complications, if not heartache. The real challenge is giving up hope this will improve. Still, doing so clears the way for something far better.

January 20 - February 17

No matter how conscientious you are about gathering facts, the current thrilling but unsettling planetary activity extends well into mid-March. This indicates there’ll be surprise developments and, as a result, changes in your thinking and priorities. Knowing that, don’t allow anybody to rush you. Take even the simplest of decisions slowly.

February 18 - March 19

Changes are unsettling but have the virtue of forcing unresolved past issues to the surface, often those others refused to deal with previously. Now they must, acknowledging their role in creating them and working to find solutions. Tempting as it is to lend a hand, these are their responsibility, not yours.

MHRFL management presents players rego fees

Kimbe host Super 9’s

BY KILA NAO RUGBY LEAGUE

THE West New Britain provincial capital, Kimbe will come alive when it plays host to the fourth leg of the Digcel sponsored PNGRFL Super 9’s tournament for the New Guinea Islands Confederate this weekend.

This is the last leg of the Super 9’s series for the four regions before the National 9’s championship set for March 13-15 in Lae.

However, it is unfortunate that teams from Rabaul, Kavieng and Autonomous Region of Bougainville won’t be participating at the tournament due to travelling arrangements. Despite of the hiccups, Kimbe rugby league has being busy at putting the line markings on the oval and also created shelters for the visiting teams within WNB.

BY JOHNNY POIYA RUGBY LEAGUE

THE Rabiamul Oval in Mt Hagen was one of the most entertaining in the country’s Rugby League fraternity during the 80s and 90s up to the early 2000s.

The Mt Hagen Rugby Football League was one of the Premier Leagues having produced some of the country’s famous name in the code, outside of Port Moresby and Lae.

Some of the most competitive and spectacular matches ever played were staged in Rabiamul – as such any visiting team, be it the Zones Trials, Club Championship or the SP Intercity Cup which has now become the Digicel Cup, fear was always in the air.

Mt Hagen was able to produce a handful of Kumuls from a single Eagles team in the likes of Max Tiri, David

Gomia, Chris Itam, James Kops, Joseph Paraka, Bobby Ako, Michael Angra, Gigmai Ongugo, and Peter Dunn.

It is one of the only two centres in the country, the other being Goroka, to never have recruited from outside, though it is the leading in producing and exporting more top class players.

This is still happening.

Over the last decade, the code in Mt Hagen plummeted. The noisy crowds, the yelling, shouting and swearing at the Rabiamul Oval, the traffic jams, all were silenced by lack of sponsorship and involvement of national politics.

Poor management worsen things.

Attempts to rejuvenate the league failed with competitions always starting and ending midway through the season.

There was never any grand final for a decade.

Players lost interest. Teams crumbled, and the once feared Eagles were never taken seriously.

Compounded with that, the oval fencing in Rabiamul was vandalised.

If it was not for the offseason competitions in Gomis and the Queens Park, rugby league would have become history.

The offseason competitions and remnants of Hagen league competitions in Gomis and Rabiamul, the Eagles, though heavily politicised, were able to participate under different names in the franchise owned semi professional competition thus far.

This weekend, the league kicks off the 2015 season at the Rabiamul Oval.

Ten teams will be competing.

The competition begins on the back of a successful 2014 season.

Governor Paias Wingti and local MP William Duma backed last year’s competition with a total of K300 000.

PNGRFL Highlands Director Joe Tokam after all those troublesome years feels things are on the right path now for Mt Hagen to regain its credibility more than anything else.

The current management under President Cr John Ropa, Joe Dossy and Chris Manapi, this week presented K18250 in players’ registration fee to Tokam – an indication the team is serious in reviving the code.

Tokam congratulated the management for having worked tirelessly to have revived the league.

“This is a sign of good things to come for the Mt Hagen League.

We have political support, good management and for the first time, many teams have

shown their interests.

We’re on the path to the good old days.” Tokam said.

“I believe the support will continue from our political leaders.

We will only have a good Mt Hagen Eagles if we have a good local competition and I believe under this management, we’ll get back there.”

The Rabiamul Oval was the home ground for the Eagles, Hela Wigmen, Enga Mioks and Mendi Muruks in last year’s Digicel Cup race.

It is also the only ground outside of Lae and Port Moresby where the crowd is neutral with more than half always going for any visiting team.

Tokam further called on the Hagen League management to tighten things up, work hard, look at the weaknesses that brought down the league and start afresh to rekindle lost pride.

A total of 12 teams have been confirmed to take part and are placed in three pools and the tournament organisers are expecting four more teams to register which make the total to 16 teams Pool in A includes Patuki Warriors, Alling Stingers, STK Bullets, and Bulldogs In Pool B is Kavugara Royals, Tabika Meli Warriors, Kimbe Royals, Bialla while in pool C is Kimbe Cats, Development Side, Hoskins Tigers and Ulamona. There is a lot potential and talent out there who needed to be exposed and the 9’s concept is a pathway at identifying those talents, said Digicel 9s chairman David Silovo.

The boys from Ulamona which is the home of former PNG Kumuls and Melbourne Storms super star, Marcus Bai are being triggered as favourites for the two day tournament.

The winner and runner up in the Cup final will represent the NGI Confederate at the National 9’s championship in Lae next weekend.

PRL 9s get underway at Murray Barracks Oval

BY PETER SEVARA JR. RUGBY LEAGUE

THE popular Port Moresby Rugby League (PRL) Super Nines will set alight the Murray Barracks oval today.

The Mineral Resources Development Corporation sponsored event will see a high standard of competition from city-based teams.

A number of quality teams have been confirmed to take part in the annual PRL season opener.

With K5000 cash prize for

The bottom line

the Cup winner and K3000 for the Plate...there won’t be a shortage of triers.

PRL Football Operations Manager Mekenzie Maino said with the quality of teams set to compete, the three day tournament is expected be tough. “It’s going to be a lot of tougher as most of the teams who are specialized in nines are competing. We have the Irupara GK and Keakolo Malagana who have made statements in recent competitions like the Digicel Super Nines and the Southern Re-

gion Nines,” he said.

“PRL teams also preparing for the regular season have sent two teams each like the POM Butterflies and Royal’s while the current Super Nines winner, Moresby South have sent in two teams,” he said.

“It’s going to be a lot tougher this year,” Maino added.

Maino confirmed that 32 men’s teams have registered their participation while for the women’s, seven teams have so far registered and they have set the deadline till game day for the other

women’s teams to fill in the remaining five spots.

Hohola Team and Two have already made their intentions known to defend their Plate and Cup win last year while SSG Roosters are out for revenge after not making the cup final in the Southern Nines. The other teams confirmed for the tournament are Bige Petroleum Warriors, Paladin Kone Storms, seasoned campaigners, Vanagi Blacks and the Koiari Nagavas. Meanwhile the PRL Board will be taking a tough

stance on its affiliates and players after Chairman Dr. James Naipao expressed his frustrations when the first delegates meeting of the new season was deferred for the second time due to lack of quorum. Dr Naipao said that clubs that do not attend will be fined K500 that must be paid before they can field a team in their first game or attend the league’s next meeting”, the disappointed chairman warned.

“If you are too busy and cannot run a rugby league club

or attend rugby league meetings, then I suggest you step down from your club and let others step in and manage the affairs of the players. Don’t put your club to a situation of risking being fined, because, if your club is unable to meet the fine, your club could be de-affiliated. If this happens, the players are the ones who lose out”, Dr Naipao said. The meeting will now be held on Tuesday March 10 at the same venue at Paddys Hotel Boroko starting at 6.30pm.

CR JOHN Ropa (left) presenting the K18 250 cheaque to PNGRFL highlands confederate director Joe Tokam (2nd right) while Joe Dossy and Chris Manapi look on. Picture: JOHNNY POIYA

The original basketball basket was closed at the bottom; a ladder was needed to recover the ball.

New Hunters to secure spots

BY PETER SEVARA JR. RUGBY LEAGUE

IN anyone’s opinion, this Sunday’s battle is against the old and the new SP Hunters – who will keep their positions and who will not.

The Old Boy’s fears will be the new recruits making their presence felt and if this Sundays lineup is any indication, the new boys are pegging the spots Hunters Coach Michael Marum was searching for with a 22-men playing roster last year.

Viper’s trailblazer, Stargroth Amean has a massive task at the custodian role and time will tell if he can step up to the plate and take the honors with both hands.

The Engan after suffering from injuries to both his ankles has miraculously shot back into active competition and once again rely again on his mental prowess to relish the moment.

Tough campaigners in Henry Noki and Enoch Maki will settle into competition mode easily and it will be exciting to see young giant Kato Ottio in action on the left-edge.

Limited to a couple of minutes during the PM XII match in Kokopo and the Kumul test match against the Tongans in Lae it will be interesting to see Ottio bounce back as the Hunters most exciting find.

New Irelander comes of age

BY MIRIAM ZARRIGA TENNIS

INTERNATIONAL Women’s Day falls on Sunday.

This day represents an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of women in PNG and the world.

In PNG sports an 18 year old teenager from New Ireland and East New Britain parentage, Lorish Puluspene is among the top achieving women in sports for the country.

Puluspene is now in training at the New Mexico Military Institute (NMMI) in

Texas, America. Leaving the country in January she travelled thousands of miles to join her coach Dan O’Connell who has ensured that his prodigy has blossomed after earning herself a tennis scholarship at the ITF Training Centre in Fiji in 2008.

Prior to going there, she was a grade three student at Kokopo College.

Now the sprightly New Irelander has come of age.

Puluspene joined three other girls from the Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji and Mariana Islands in the US…

who could possibly be her opponents at the Pacific Games in July.

Proud father Timothy Puluspene spoke on the talent of his youngest daughter and also on her independence.

“She left home in 2008 and travelled to Fiji, where upon seeing her grades she was pushed up to grade 6. She has always been independent and while she has been away from home we keep in touch via phone calls and emails.”

“She loves her sport and has never once thought of quitting,” he added.

Puluspene is full of pride of

his daughter but worries that without any proper funding the sport could face problems in the future.

“My wife and I have to pay for Lorish’s return ticket at a cost of K9,300, this has put a burden on us financially but we will not complain because we want to support Lorish in her game.”

Playing for the NMMI Broncos Puluspene was instrumental in the Institutes first win in NMMI’s history over rivals Collin College with the Broncos collecting a 5-4 win. Bronco’s play in the Division 1 level in the NJCCA’s

region along with three other schools which include Collin College, North Central Texas College and Temple College.

From Thursday till Saturday, the Broncos will face Western New Mexico University in New Mexico before travelling to Arizona to meet Mesa Community College and Glendale Community College.

Puluspene said the family are greatful to the PNG Tennis Association for assisting with K5,000 for insurance cover and tennis gears while United Seafood Limited assisted with $US500 for spending money for Lorish.

The only glitch facing the Hunters on Sunday is having a specialist forward on the inter-change following Willie “the Wapenamanda Mack truck” Minoga’s elevation to the first 13.

Minoga’s barnstorming runs off the bench has been the catalyst of the Hunters late resurgence but its early days yet with the burnout yet not felt by the new boys in the camp.

Otherwise the Hunters will be ready to give an action packed 80 minutes to prove their selection into PNG’s most talked about team wasn’t a mistake.

The South Logan Magpies and the Hunters have met twice, the first in round 14 where the Hunters handed them a comprehensive defeat 42-24 in Kokopo.

Later in round 25 the Hunters handed them another defeat 44-14.

Watch out for Bang 36

BY PETER SEVARA JR. RUGBY LEAGUE

NORTHEAST Bang 36 will be out firing all chambers this weekend after making a statement to reigning champs Six Mile Storms 30-18 last weekend.

Featuring Under 19 Commonwealth team representative Gahuna Silas, former Kumul Elijah Riyong, and former TNA Lions player Ashley Waula the boys in the Sea Eagles themed jersey will be a force to be reckoned during this weekend’s Ipatas Cup south-

ern leg, two gold pass decider.

The action will hot again for league enthusiasts at the McGregor Police Barracks oval.

Another team that can change their course and is the current Southern Leg champion is none other than two-time NCD Governors Cup champs, the Freeway Bumpers whose foray onto the league scene has seen a number of their players selected for intercity duties. The playoffs this weekend will see the top two teams of the four Pools battle for the top spot until the last two remain to claim

their tickets to head to Lae for the regional play-offs . Judiciary chairman, Brian Jemejeme while confirming the matches for this weekend said the draws were complete but will be fully endorsed after the rematch between Parisco brothers and Warako Dusts is completed today. “The match between Warako and Parisco was rescheduled after Parisco were fined for coming late.” Jemejeme said.

He added that the draws for Pool B, C and D are confirmed but will have the draws confirmed pending the rematch today.

AMANDA Hawkins, Lorraine Banimataku, Coach Dan O’Connell, Lorish Puluspene, Thea Minor in a group photo after victory over Collin College Cougars (L-R). INSET: Lorish in her induction week at New Mexico runs through a course as per the Recruits at Training program for the school.

EXCLUSIVE GREAT MOMENTS IN OUR SPORTING HISTORY

THIS is the fi rst of series of columns by renowned Pacific Island athletics statistician and PNG Athletics life member

BOB SNOW in the lead up to the XV Pacific Games

Snow’s fi rst former athlete that he profi les is WAVALA KALA… winner of the 400m Gold Medal in the 1975 South Pacific Games in Guam

The raw natural talent from Kelekapana Village along the Aroma Coast of the Central Province had his mind set.

Then a young grade 8 student at Iarowari High School, Wavala was quickly drawn to athletics when he witnessed the 1969 South Pacific Games in Port Moresby.

This ignited an interest spanning for the next 10 years.

Wavala started his successful career at a very early age. In 1970 he was the 400m National Sub Junior (Under 17 years) record holder with a time of 50.8 seconds.

The following year, while still a Junior (Under 19 years), he fi nished third in the Senior Men’s 400m Championship.

In 1972 he really made his mark. Although still a Junior, he won the Senior Men’s 400m (49.5) and the Junior 100m and 200m titles.

Success followed in 1973 with a silver medal in the Senior Men’s 100m and taking the gold in both the Senior 200m and 400m. By the end of the year he was ranked #1 in the three sprint events (100m, 200m & 400m) and had broken Damien Midi’s National Record for the 400m with a time of 49.1 seconds.

During 1973 he com-

With Bob Snow! With Bob Snow!

WAVALA KALI – Athletics Profile

peted in the Queensland Junior Athletics Championships, fi nishing in 3rd place in the 200m and 400m events. A short time later he was in Sydney for the Australian Junior Championships, where he won the bronze for the 400m. During this period Wavala stayed at the home of former world record holder, Albie Thomas, who was a good friend of Athletics PNG.

It was Albie who paced John Kokinai to his national records in the 1972 Nationals in Rabaul.

Selected for the PNG Athletics Team for the 1974 Commonwealth Games in Christchurch, New Zealand, he spent some time in Sydney training with the St George Club prior to flying across the Tasman to New Zealand. In this era Athletics PNG had good links with clubs associated with the legendary Australian coach, Jack Pross.

In 1975 he continued with good domestic performances, but it was the South Pacific Games in Guam that was the highlight of his year. Wavala stormed through to a huge one second margin win over the Solomon Island’s Valentine Wale to record the excellent time of 48.91 seconds. It was a totally dominant display. He also competed in the 100m, 200m and the 4 x 400m Relay.

On Independence PNG was eligible to become part of the Olympic Family, and we participated in our fi rst Olympic Games in Montreal, Canada. With the late Sam Piniau as the Team Manager, and the great distance duo of John Kokinai and Tau John

Tokwepota, Wavala Kali had the honour of being the flag bearer for this historic occasion. He competed in the 200m and 400m events, with his 400m time of 48.85 breaking the National Record.

Three years later in the 1979 Suva South Pacific Games, Wavala participated yet again in his favourite 400m and in the 4 x 400m Relay.

Following Suva, his Athletics’ career came to an end. It was a career that spanned the entire 1970’s, starting as a SubJunior competitor and fi nishing as a highly respected Olympian.

He retired due to a niggling back injury after Suva and never recovered fully to return to the sport that allowed him to travel the world.

Asked to reflect on the highlights of his career, Wavala did not hesitate to say the three stand-out moments were winning the gold medal for PNG at the 1975 SPG in Guam, carrying the PNG flag in the Opening Ceremony of the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal, and also at the Montreal Games, plus being invited to represent PNG at a reception on board the Royal Yacht Britannia, where he met Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip, and Prince Andrew.

Wavala is now residing at the PNG Education Institute where is employed as the sectional head for the Primary Division, for the last 14 years.

Wavala now 66 years old is married and has four children, Iru, Leka, Kila and Laka.

RIGHT: Wavala Kali at his place of employment where he is the Officer in Charge of Primary Education in the PNG Education Institute.

BELOW: Taken in Sydney prior to the 1974 Commonwealth Games in Christchurch,

Bunnies punish Bennett’s Broncos

WAYNE Bennett’s dream return to the Broncos turned into a nightmare on Thursday night as Souths launched their title defence with a 36-6 spanking of Brisbane at Suncorp Stadium

WAYNE Bennett’s dream return to the Broncos turned into a nightmare last night as Souths launched their title defence with a 36-6 spanking of Brisbane at Suncorp Stadium.

The joy surrounding Bennett’s comeback and Corey Parker’s 300th NRL game fi nished in tears thanks to a rampant Rabbitohs side that ruthlessly gatecrashed the Broncos party.

The inspirational Parker was given the honour of leading Brisbane out and such was the gravity of his feat, the NRL even approved the 30-metre field marking to be painted with the number 300.

But 80 minutes later, Parker, new skipper Justin Hodges and master coach Bennett were left to digest a footballing train-wreck they hope will not defi ne Brisbane’s season. Even without hardhitting forwards Sam Burgess and Ben Te’o, the Rabbitohs were never troubled.

Before 36,057 fans, they led 10-2 at half-time, coasted home with four tries after the break and generally bullied a Brisbane side that looked as cohesive as the NRL integrity unit.

Before the match, Bennett told Brisbane fans he would need time to build the Broncos into a premiership force.

But not even the veteran

mentor could have envisaged the shambolic performance Brisbane served up in his return to Red Hill after a six-year hiatus.

If nothing else, Bennett likes his Broncos teams to play with heart, bravery and commitment from the fi rst minute until the last.

That ethos delivered six premierships in 21 seasons. Last night, his troops failed to uphold the Bennett legacy.

Of course, Bennett will not panic, mindful of a gruelling road ahead, but Souths’ class acts Greg Inglis, Luke Keary and Issac Luke taught Brisbane a lesson in hunger and desire. It was Jack Reed’s unusual miss

on Dylan Walker in the 28th minute that gave Souths the only try of the fi rst half, enabling the premiers to bolt to a 10-2 half-time lead.

After the break, the Broncos fell apart like a cheap suit. John Sutton and Inglis crossed in the space of three minutes for a 22-2 lead. Matt Gillett gave Brisbane hope when he crossed out wide in the 54th minute, but when Keary hit back four minutes later, the Broncos were toast. To compound their plight, new Broncos recruit James Gavet was reported for a high shot seconds before full-time. Welcome back Wayne. You have some work to do.