BY GORETHY KENNETH PAPUA
New Guinea will host the FIFA Under 20 Women’s World Cup next year.
And no-one was more proud than Prime Minister Peter O’Neill, who was elated yesterday about PNG’s “long-shot” bid which had
been fully backed by the government.
As host, PNG would entertain 16 top soccer playing nations. Canada hosted the 2014 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup which Germany won. Teams would be drawn from the six confederations that make up global football
– four teams from European countries, two teams from Oceania, including Papua New Guinea, three from the Caribbean and North America, three from Asia, two from South America and two from Africa.
The tournament would run for 20 days in November next year in Port Moresby,
Lae and Kokopo venues and would bring together more than 1000 players, officials and spectators to Papua New Guinea. The tournament would also be broadcasted around the world to millions of fans and viewers.
CONTINUED PAGE 2
c our tesy of D epa r tment of Wor ks
THEhanding over of five minors to Port Moresby police last weekend over last week’s vandalism of the Pacific Games-themed sculpture at a city roundabout was perhaps not an outcome that everyone expected.
The public outcry last week over the graffiti of a giant statue of a blue-coloured swimmer appeared to be universal in Port Moresby and other main urban centres. Papua New Guineans condemned the act and appealed to the authorities to come down hard on the perpetrators, totally unaware that they were children aged between 14 and 17 years old.
The Moresby South MP and Sports Minister Justin Tkatchenko announced a K10,000 reward for information that would lead to the capture of the vandals, who defaced the monument as the country begins the countdown to the start of the 2015 Pacific Games.
Last weekend the Minister posted pictures of the five students being led out of the Badili police station on social media, and gave details of the “penalty” that they will face for their actions. They were handed back to their families but this was on the understanding that they report to the police station at 8.00 am every Saturday, so they could be taken to different parts of the city to clean graffiti-ridden public property. Their failure to do so will immediately lead to their arrest and charging by the police.
The update immediately went viral on social media and triggered talking points on various forums on the form of the punishment, who picked up the K10,000 reward and whether the penalty was appropriate for that sort of crime.
The developments also set off the debate on increasing poverty amongst the city population and whether the Government will be able to address the challenges that families in suburbs such as Kaugere continue to face.
Increasing poverty in our centres including Port Moresby will be an issue that will continue to dog the Government and needs to be addressed with urgency. Our increasing population growth rate and dwindling resources will continue to pose challenges for us and our leaders, hence it was not a surprise seeing some members of the public making reference to that perspective in their arguments. We hope the Government has the issue of increasing urban poverty on the agenda and will work towards addressing it after the 2015 Pacific Games.
The decision by Mr Tkatchenko to return the students to their families and to get their families to play a role to ensure they adhere to their penalties is also somewhat unprecedented and should be considered for other petty crimes committed by juveniles. The young people are better off paying for their crimes in the community through community work, rather than been bundled off to overcrowded and unpredictable jails in the different provinces which can condition them to become worse criminals.
But for now the Moresby South MP and the Sports Minister has a primary goal: ensure the facilities and infrastructure work currently underway for the games are completed on schedule and within budget. Our reputation as a nation is on the line so let us all work together to get over the finishing line.
The bottom line
Index
Asia news ........................31-33
Bougainville Today ..............17
EDITOR
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THE damages caused to infrastructures in certain provinces in the country during the recent bad weather is far worse than anticipated, says Works Minister Francis Awesa.
The cost of permanent repair work would be much costly since most of the infrastructures damaged were beyond repair, the minister said.
Mr Awesa, upon visiting several affected provinces last Thursday and Friday, said the damages caused to bridges and roads in Madang, Morobe, West New Britain and parts of the
Highlands region, including his electorate of Imbonggu, were severe and required immediate repair work.
In West New Britain, two major bridges of Tiauru and Ivule that connect the Biala and Talasia areas have been completely damaged and had affected bulk of the people, especially oil
palm farmers that sell their produces on a daily basis in those areas.
New Britain Palm Oil general manager Harry Brock said there were economic losses of over K4 million in the last two weeks after the two bridges collapsed as a result of the bad weather.
West New Britain Governor Sasindra Muthuvel, who had been very concerned about the disaster in his province, took Mr Awesa and Works Secretary David Wereh into the affected sites in the province for them to assess the damages.
Mr Awesa said the Government had responded promptly by allocating K35 million
for immediate repair work on the affected infrastructures on those affected province.
Mr Awesa admitted that the cost for permanent repair work would be much costly since most of the infrastructure were completely damaged by the bad weather.
He however assured the people of West New Britain that his ministry would ensure permanent access is restored to the damage bridges once the flooding subsides.
He said in the meantime, temporary bypasses would be constructed to restore access, he said.
FROM PAGE 1
IT is the first time a Pacific island country has won the bid to host a major FIFAendorsed international tournament.
The Prime Minister welcomed the announcement as another example of PNG coming of age in many forums.
“Papua New Guinea will proudly host the rising
stars of global soccer at our world-class football facilities,” Mr O’Neill said.
“Being awarded the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in 2016 is a major victory for Papua New Guinea as a country that can host world events.
“We have the sporting facilities that are being built for the Pacific Games, as well as other infrastructure. This includes Sir
John Guise Stadium and Sir Hubert Murray Stadium, and our stadiums in Lae and Kokopo.
“Games infrastructure will also be used for teams in maintaining their fitness and training during the tournament.
“Papua New Guinea is a country where our people can now aim high to bring events such as this FIFA tournament and the APEC
2012 marked the third consecutive year of worldwide natural disaster damage exceeding $100 billion.
summit in 2018.
“The FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in 2016 will be delivered according to the highest technical standards, alongside a display of Papua New Guinea’s hospitality, culture and other tourist attractions.”
Mr O’Neill has announced that an organising committee would be set up in consultation with PNG soccer president David Chung.
Govt allocating K35m for immediate repair work...
FIVE students have been handed over to Port Moresby police for vandalising a Pacific Games-themed sculpture with graffiti in the national capital. There was a K10,000 reward put out last week for information which would lead to the arrest of the vandals. It is not known if anyone picked up the cash, though it is understood they were handed over by their own families.
Moresby South MP and Sports Minister Justin Tkatchenko posted pictures of the students being led out of the Badili police station after questioning on social media, saying he was disappointed to learn that they were from Kaugere in his electorate.
The bottom line
STUDENTS: Five students have been questioned and released over an outrageous vandalism on a Pacific Games statue in Port Moresby SHAME: Sports Minister, Justin Tkatchenko says he is embarrassed that they are from his electorate
“I am disappointed as the Member for Moresby South that these are students from my electorate.
“But this only gives me the greater opportunity to deal with them directly daily with the help of Badili police, schools and 14 Street community for real rehabilitation and progress,”
he posted on his Facebook wall.
To avoid the minors being sent to jail, the Minister negotiated with the police to enable them to return to their homes.
But on the condition that they report to the Badili police station every Saturday at 8.00 am and are taken to different suburbs in the city to clean graffiti for the next three months.
Failure by the five male students to adhere to the conditions will lead to their immediate arrest and charging.
“Laws governing these minor crimes can never be enough for the rehabilitation of our young people. Imprisonment can only do so much.
“We want to play our daily in the boy’s rehabilitation, therefore this decision with conditions will allow us to remind them daily that they have committed a crime and we want them to change,” said Mr Tkatchenko.
But the MP’s post on social media has triggered controversy with some suggesting that the minors should be “belted”, while another – a former Kaugere resident –stressed that it was poverty amongst Kaugere families, which the Government should address.
The graffiti was cleaned last Thursday by vehicle sales company PNG Motors, which is next to the roundabout that the statue was built on.
MYSTERY
DID Buka Islanders get to fight in East Africa in 1906? A photo, purportedly showing two islanders standing between two tall Sudanese soldiers, is attracting a lot of comments on social media.
DEPLOYED
THEY were part of 150 soldiers that were deployed to East Africa when New Guinea (including the autonomous region of Bougainville) was a German colony. Can a historian confirm this?
FIRM UP
THE design for a 12-floor building to be built in Honiara is done. Although the firm is PNG-based, it is actually an Australian firm with Aussie, PNG and UK engineers. Thumbs up for PNG.
BURUKA
LEGENDARY piano player
Buruka Tau has given the EMTV Vocal Fusion talent show a major boost. Viewers love his no nonsense straight to the point assessment of PNG’s upcoming music talent.
THE ANGEL
VANIMO to get its electricity supply from across the border? It appears the PPL has signed off on the deal with the Indonesians. Residents couldn’t care less about the politics, all they want is power!
RENOUNCE
FOLKS in Waigani might want to monitor reaction amongst Vanimo residents to the power deal. We hear there are communities on the PNG side of the border ready to renounce their citizenship due to lack of services.
LIFE WALK
TOP marks to all those men, women and children who joined NCD Governor Powes Parkop yesterday in his “walk for life” from the Jack Pidik Park to Ela Beach. Regular exercise can save your life.
AFTER HOURS
IT CAN be a challenge having family working for the same organisation. It gets tougher when a nephew is a subordinate and calls his superior “boss” after 8.00 am and “uncle” after 4.06 pm!
THE city resident immediately took her home and will attempt to link her up with her family today. It was a powerful gesture by the woman to take the girl under her roof. Angels do exist in this world
PENGEE: thedrum@spp.com.pg
The July Pacific Games will be the third time for PNG to host the top regional sporting event - in 1969, 1991 and 2015
METROPOLITAN superintendent Andy Bawa has urged police officers to provide policing service with proper attitude.
Mr Bawa said that by proper attitude it means, the police powers and authority reflects the fairness and justice in the performance of their roles, functions, duties and responsibilities as genuine agents of the state so the people may see and feel that they are being enriched with the comforting, satisfying feeling of being truly served.
“I want to state here that, I have zero tolerance on police brutality, unjustified, unwarranted and excessive use of force against members of the public,” the NCD police boss said.
“I am quite worried by the number of cases coming to my office and I will deal with all reported case of such nature with a firm hand and urge the public to report such matters.”
Mr Bawa urged his officers to respect the public and create good relations with them for without public support, policing can be a tough job.
He said police must create a conducive and safe place for people and not to be a hindrance to the economic development.
“This year and beyond is special as we have international events coming up and behaviour, discipline and commitment is very much needed as a challenge to show the world that we can handle such operations of high level and magnitude,” said Mr Bawa.
NATIONAL Capital District Metropolitan Superintendent Andy Bawa has acknowledged the ongoing support and assistance of the Australian Federal Police (AFP).
During a parade on Friday at the Boroko Police station, Supt Bawa thanked the mission commander of the AFP, Assistant Commissioner Allan Scott and his AFP team for their continuous support in many ways which have benefited their Papua New Guinea (PNG) counterparts.
“I wish to acknowledge the work of the small team of dedicated officers from the Australian Federal Police who have sacrificed the comforts of their home to assist fellow police officers in PNG,” he said.
TEN more PNG police officers have been sent to Australia as part of the mekim senis police placement program in the ongoing partnership between the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and the RPNGC.
The first group of PNG placement officers went to Darwin and Canberra in September 2014, a second group went in February of this year and underwent a one-month placement with the Queensland police based in Cairns and Townsville. Both these pilot programs had been a great success ensuring the continuation
of the program this year.
Mission Commander of the AFP deployment to PNG, assistant commissioner Alan Scott, said it was important that the placement program involved the state police forces as well.
“The AFP places PNG
police officers into its own operational units but we also look to the state police forces to assist. Since its inception, two mekim senis placements have occurred last year with the Northern Territory police and this year the Queensland police.”
On Saturday, nine police station commanders and officers in charge, accompanied by NCD Metropolitan Superintendent Andy Bawa travelled to Canberra, Australia, to work with the Australian Federal Police at their headquarter under a placement program and
training. This is part of an initiative to focus on command and control of police stations with a strong focus on police station management techniques and discipline.
The delegation will also conduct meetings with senior AFP officials as part of their placement. The group will be assisted and mentored by PNG-APP Inspector John McGrath who will accompany them for the placement. The program is ongoing with two more deployments scheduled for Darwin and Canberra in the next two months.
“I am very impressed with the amount of work they have done and the achievements they attained with the many different programs and activities since they have landed here 18 months ago.”
Some of these programs and activities were in the areas of capacity building, frontline policing, senior management training at Bomana Police College, workshops, infrastructure developments and placement programs for PNG police officers in Australia.
“I wish to proudly announce that with the placement program initiated, I have the honour of leading ten police station commanders and officers in charge from different stations in NCD to Canberra, Australia, for a weeksw training program at their headquarter,” Supt Bawa said.
He said these programs were not only for NCD police officers but for the country as a whole where the AFP is based and is pleased with such gestures and friendly support.
Two mekim senis placements have occurred last year
ALAN SCOTT Port Moresby
I am quiet worried by the number of cases coming to my officeAndy Bawa Port Moresby
LEO Katal, 42, of Kilalum village in the Wide Bay area of East Pomio, has vast experiences in the public and private sector.
His nomination last week in Kokopo was witnessed by Pangu Pati’s vice president Andrew Ilam.
Pangu leader Sam Basil said it was tough for Opposition candidates because the perception was that political parties in government had unlimited access to funds and resources but people must see beyond this to promote leadership through the polling processes.
Other issues that Mr Basil raised were for the public to consider the integrity of the political parties, their leaders and Members of Parliament.
THE State owes four Motuan villages a total of K87 million in infrastructure development grants (IDG).
This money has been outstanding since 2009, says Raho Kevau, chairman of Laba Holdings Limited, an umbrella landowner company representing the four impacted Motuan villages –Porebada, Boera, Papa and Lealea – that surround the LNG plant site outside Port Moresby.
Mr Kevau said the four villages were part of the umbrella benefit sharing agreement reached between the State, landowners, provincial governments and ExxonMobil, that gave right for the development of the PNG LNG project.
He said the villagers were represented by the Member for Kairuku-Hiri and Central Governor at the signing of the UBSA in Kokopo that agreed on a deal of K17.4 million a year in infrastructure development grants.
MANUS MP Ronny Knight
has been found guilty of four of the five misappropriation allegations that he was referred for to the Leadership Tribunal.
The Tribunal ruled on Friday that he was not guilty of the first allegation of misappropriating K650,000 district support improvement program (DSIP) funds. However he was found guilty of intentionally misapplying K65,000 between
He said Papua New Guineans should go to the polls with a clear conscience about whether to support a bad government or an upcoming government which would stand for and by its people. By
SENTENCE: Submissions on sentences will be expected soon.
FOURTH: He failed to disclose on a matter before the Committee that he had an indirect beneficial interest.
THIRD: Knight was found guilty of misappropriating K180,670.
SECOND: He was also found guilty of misapplication of that money, meaning, the use he put that money to was not lawful.
FIRST: He was found guilty of intentionally misapplying K65,000 between January and August 2013.
January and August 2013 of the DSIP money. No particulars were provided as to how the alleged amount
was put to use. Knight was also found guilty of misappropriating K180,670 DSIP monies.
He was also found guilty of misapplication of that money meaning, the use he put that money to was not lawful.
The final allegation he was found guilty of was that between January and August 2013, the leader being a member of an executive body, the Manus joint district planning and budget priorities committee, proposed to speak and vote on a matter before the committee in which he had an indirect beneficial inter-
est and failed to make a disclosure of the nature of his interest. Submissions on sentences will be expected soon.
Mr Kevau said the IDG was specifically for roads, schools, classrooms, health centres, aid-posts and teachers’ houses.
He said the LNG construction had been completed and the first shipment of gas had left PNG shores for overseas markets in Japan and China.
“Five years later in 2015, the outstanding IDG has reached K87 million and the impacted Motuan villagers are still waiting for this money to build roads, schools, hospitals and improve their standards of living,” Mr Kevau said. Last Friday, Post-Courier reported about the plight of these impacted villages who have sat and watched the Spirit of Hela and their very own Spirit of Papua sail out with gas for export while they continued to suffer. Roads leading into the villages are bad, schools run down as well as aid-posts and health centres.
ORAL health will now make a significant difference in the quality of life to assist Papua New Guineans in their oral health care.
To revive the dental service at the Port Moresby General Hospital’s dentistry division, five new stateof-the-art dental chairs were installed on Friday by the Health Department.
Health Secretary Pascoe Kase said health infrastructure, medical equipment and supplies had always been a challenge and urged medical officers to carry out regular maintenance as it is costly to replace old ones.
“This is a first of its kind installation of oral health equipment for the hospital,” Mr Kase said.
He said the Government had spent K4.6 million to obtain these equipment from CPL Group. The hospital’s resident dentist Dr Elise Falealuga said dental check-up was free and they charge minimal fee on fillings and other dental services.
WEST New Britain Governor Sasindran Muthuvel has assured doctors of the West New Britain Provincial Hospital in Kimbe that the Provincial Executive Council will meet to address their security concerns.
The doctors met Mr Muthuvel, provincial police commander Samson Siguyaru and caretaker administrator Leo Brown last week and voiced their concerns over increasing lawlessness.
The doctors said many of them have had their houses broken into and their prop-
NOTED: A vehicle has already been allocated to them, the CUG talk group and the engagement of a security firm had already been budgeted for.
CRIME: Many of them have had their houses broken into and their properties stolen.
erties stolen.
They told the Governor that they have had enough of these recurrent events which show that there was no respect for their profession and the services they provided.
As a result they are now looking for jobs in other provinces where they are
valued and treated with respect.
The doctors said they understand that crime was everywhere but for a small community in WNB Province, the crime rate was alarming and was beginning to hinder their work.
They have recommended several measures which
included removing of all illegal settlers around Kimbe urban areas, assisting the provincial police commander with his proposal for a tactical unit in Kimbe to fight such crimes and to make available a hot-line number to call when Kimbe residents encounter such incidents.
The others were vehicle incentives for consultants, financial incentives of K20,000 to K40,000 a year, CUG Digicel talk group for all doctors and land incentives.
They also asked for a reputable security firm to man all doctors’ houses and pro-
BY MAUREEN GERAWAOKOTAI Travertz is a name famous among tuberculosis patients at Port Moresby General Hospital, where she served for 37 years.
Due to stigma and fear of getting this infected disease, many nurses had worked there for only a short time and left after she had trained them.
However, Mrs Travertz could not leave for the love of her patients. She had worked in other wards of the hospital but keeps returning to the TB consultation clinic.
“I’m satisfied that I’ve led it. TB is now recognised, young people are coming to work here and even the Government’s hand is on it,” she said.
“I’m leaving the place happy. TB is being talked about and being taken care of by the Government. Everybody is talking about it, never like before; even the Prime Minister has come out to talk about it. It makes me proud.”
She said TB is curable and there were not many cases, but it had become a critical issue because people were not completing their medication.
She added that the Health Department should ensure regular visits to rural health facilities to ensure patients have constant supply of TB drugs.
vide transport for pick-ups and drop-offs. Governor Muthuvel shared their concern and said the PEC, the provincial assembly and the administration would look into their concerns.
In a separate meeting with Governor Muthuvel, acting CEO of the hospital Dr Joseph Nale said some concerns raised by the doctors were already addressed.
Dr Nale said a vehicle has already been allocated to them, the CUG talk group and the engagement of a security firm had already been budgeted for and they were working on these issues.
The visits, she said, would help boost the morale of health workers and thus improve service delivery.
A SENIOR member of the Lae Chamber of Commerce has tasked the national Government to look into the Lae-Nadzab road contract because construction work is slow.
One of the LCC executives, Peter Honale, said the K500 million contract awarded by the national Government in late 2013 had raised eyebrows as it had not been completed or carried out accordingly.
Mr Honale singled out the Bulolo turn-off to the ThreeMile Niugini Tablebirds road section as of major worry for the business community.
“This is one of the major roads that serve the population of PNG commercially and the National Government should seriously look into it because after 12 months no proper work has been done,” Mr Honale said.
“I am speaking on behalf of the silent majority of my business community.
“I want to register that the national Government, through the Department of Works, should get tougher on the contractor that was awarded the contract,” he said.
“If there is a problem, the contractor should speak out, if there is no problem then I see no reason why we should have a half-baked road.”
The contractor was approached last week but they could not comment.
Secretary for Works David Wereh was in West New Britain with Minister for Works Francis Awesa and could not be reached for comment. Prime Minister Peter O’Neill launched the project in 2013 and China Railway International Limited was awarded the contract.
GOVERNMENTS must invest in generating cheap energy, broadband internet and communication services as well as transport infrastructure, says Hela Governor Anderson Agiru.
Mr Agiru said this while presenting a cheque for erection of power transmission lines to transmit power in the Hela Province through a local contractor appointed by PNG Power.
He said Hela Provincial Government had spent K5.2 million to rehabilitate the rundown Dauli mini hydroelectric plant to power Hulia region, Tari township and peripheries.
“I have spent a further K1.9 million from the 2014 DSIP to buy and install first stage power poles and transmission lines for the Dauli mini hydro, the contractor Rural Development Services Limited has subcontracted the erection of power poles and the highvoltage transmission lines to PNG Power which has completed them,” he said.
The plant was installed by the European Economic Community in 1984 and had broken down due to lack of maintenance about six years ago.
BY JACOB POK
LEADERS of the provinces that were affected by the recent bad weather have commended Works Minister Francis Awesa and Secretary David Wereh for wasting no time in assessing damages caused to mainly road transport infrastructures.
West New Britain Governor Sasindran Muthuvel, UsinoBundi MP Anton Yagama
The bottom line
and Madang MP and Petroleum Minister Nixon Duban each commended Mr Awesa and Mr Wereh for their prompt response to provincial emergencies.
Mr Muthuvel expressed his gratitude to the Government and the Works Department for the proactive move in ensuring that the provinces affected were attended to promptly.
He thanked the two men for visiting his province
and assessing the damages caused to the bridges and roads.
“I must acknowledge your presence here and I am grateful that you chose Western New Britain as the first province to visit,” Mr Muthuvel said.
Minister Duban, whose province was also affected by the bad weather, said the quick government intervention into areas of emergency in the provinces was a
positive sign that damages to infrastructure would be promptly attended to.
Mr Duban said infrastructure damages in his province had affected a lot of his people.
Mr Duban said he had been focusing on upgrading infrastructure in Madang town but the recent bad weather had diverted a lot of attention to the damages. caused on the main road links and bridges.
A light wind is called a “zephyer” Many poets use the term to describe the gentlest of breezes.
Just as the power was ready to be switched on vandals destroyed a vital part of the hydro generator turbine which was being reordered in Germany.
Mr Agiru said that as soon as it was installed, cheap energy would power Tari. Second stage of the power poles and transmission lines would go to Hawa jail, Tagali area, Hogambe primary school and health centre.
The third stage would take transmission lines to Hiwanda, Pureni, Irawi and Komo, he said while urging his people to look after these important assets.
After 12 months no proper work was done on the roadPETER HONALE Lae
PRIME Minister Peter O’Neill has extended Papua New Guinea’s condolences over the passing of former Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser.
“I would like to share my deepest sympathy, and those of the government and people of Papua New Guinea, to the family of Malcolm Fraser following his passing early Friday morning.
“Mr Fraser was not only a significant Australian leader, but had a commitment to facilitating economic and social development in the Pacific that will always be remembered with great appreciation.
He said as Leader of the Opposition in Australia, Mr Fraser provided bipartisan support to the Whitlam Government on decisions that led to Papua New Guinea’s Independence in September 1975.
“Then as prime minister, Mr Fraser worked with my predecessors, Sir Michael Somare and Sir Julius Chan, to ensure our bilateral relationship was strong and mutually beneficial.
“The new nation of Papua New Guinea benefited enormously from the generous support arrangements that the Fraser Government provided to our people.
“Mr Fraser further negotiated a practical border arrangement between Australia and Papua New Guinea that
POLICE in Morobe Province has made a breakthrough last week into a syndicate group that operates in Lae city producing fake driver’s licences and school certificates.
Provincial police commander Kaiglo Ambane said this following the arrest of three suspects by the provincial headquarters fraud squad unit.
OCCASION: The Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, Peter O’Neill extended PNGs condolences over the passing of the former Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser who served from 1975 to 1983. He passed away at the age of 84.
recognised cultural and historic ties.”
Malcolm Fraser was made a Grand Companion of the Order of Logohu in 2010 for his service to people of Papua New Guinea and to the PNG-Australia bilateral relationship.
Mr O’Neill said after he retired from politics, Malcolm Fraser won further respect for his role in supporting regional development in initiatives.
“Through the establishment of the CARE organisation in Australia in particular, Mr Fraser continued to make a major impact on overseas development support, both through CARE Australia and CARE International.
“The people of Papua New Guinea offer our deep appreciation, and share the feeling of loss for a great man, while at the same time remembering his many achievements,” Mr O’Neill said. Mr Fraser was prime minister of Australia from 1975 to 1983. He passed away at the age of 84.
Superintendent Ambane said the three suspects were arrested following a tip off from one of the fake licence holders.
He said the licence holder who attends the driving school
informed the police when he discovered that the licence issued was a fake produce by the school instead of the licence obtained at the Morobe Provincial Government traffic registry office. He said the student became suspicious so he reported the matter to the police.
Mr Ambane said three suspects were arrested while the prime suspect is still at large.
According to Mr Ambane learner drivers undergo driving lessons in a driving school and were issued licences.
“We have intelligence report of these scam groups operating within the city and were closely monitoring them until we made a breakthrough last week.
“It is a very organised group, intelligent , indeed they have a good network in place that sees them avoiding police,” he said.
Supt Ambane said these scam groups also produces fake school certificates, cheques and driving licences.
He said the group has a good strong network and operated at different locations within the city.
AT LEAST one person is murdered every day in Morobe, says provincial police commander Kaiglo Ambane.
There are unaccounted murders in the outstations of Sialum, Garaina, Bulolo, Boana, Finschhafen and so forth, said Mr Ambane.
And with the predicted population slightly exceeding one million people, rural Morobe lacks police presence more so highlighted with no logistic support in the provincial headquarters in Lae, he said.
Mr Ambane admitted that very violent behaviour and volatile communities in the eight rural districts of Morobe is a common problem that police struggle to address.
He said there are plans in place by his office to conduct rural patrols but he is hindered with low budget
allocations. “My intention in this year’s budget is to send police on patrols and to maintain police houses and accommodation that are run down. I am regretful for the inaction that has contributed to the suffering of our rural people as far as law and order is concern to address very serious crimes.” Mr Ambane said. He said policemen in his command cannot go on duty travel to the remote areas and even the nearby communities in the outskirts of Lae city because they lack manpower.
‘‘There is no policing in rural Morobe Province with the largest population and land area in the country,” he said.
He also said the police administrative headquarters in the province needs to be upgraded.
IT IS about time the local land owners of Morobe Province start engaging more with public private partnership programs to allow developments in their areas.
Morobe Governor Kelly Naru said this during the official opening of the new Glen Rowan funeral Home last Thursday in Lae.
Mr Naru said through such public private partnerships the land owners can be part of something that is contributing towards the development of Morobe Province and it does not mean that everyone will have the same business idea.
“My government wants to see that our people take the lead in doing something good and beneficial because we are only here to give our
support and have your back,” Mr Naru said.
“Most of the time the people wants their leaders, member or governor to be the first people to give them funds to start of something however what we want is for the people to come with something from their own initiatives and we can only support financially or where necessary.”
Mr Naru told the owners of the Glen Rowan funeral home that their business is fitting into a proper market where there are high demands and this business has a promising future and it is far reaching.
He said Lae is home to the Papua New Guineans and this service can assist and bring in the necessary comfort for the families when they need it the most.
THE World Water Day was celebrated in Lae last Friday prior to the international event that occurs annually around the globe on March 22 every year.
Water PNG regional credit controller and chairman of the organising committee, Herman Kagl said the event is witnessed and celebrated throughout the world through the small water sectors in the country.
Mr Kagl said this day is remembered and celebrated simply to remind the people of the importance of water, which is essential for all living things on earth and also to let the people know how they can look after this natural resource.
THE Japanese Ambassador to PNG Morio Matsumoto and his wife Yoko Matsumoto took the time to commemorate Hinamatsuri, or the Doll Festival, last Thursday.
Formally called the Momo
no Sekku (peach blossom festival), celebrations are held on March 3 and the focus on the celebration is on girls and women.
In reference to the famous Chinese saying: “Women hold up half the sky”, Mr Matsumoto said, “In Papua New Guinea I found that
females are much stronger than other countries and support almost two-thirds of the sky. “That is my feeling,” the ambassador said.
Mrs Matsumoto later explained that on or before the day of the festival, women and girls have parties with special wines and
dishes. “Hina-matsuri literally means Doll Festival.
“The origin of the girls’ festival can be found among the shinto ceremonies several centuries ago,” Mrs Matsumoto said.
During the festival, hina display sets are brought out with dolls depicting life at a
palace and may have seven or more tiers.
At the top of the display set on the first tier sits the emperor and the empress, followed by ladies of the court, musicians, ministers, attendants and many pieces of miniature furniture.
“We look at this day as an opportunity to carry out awareness on the many problems such as illegal water connections that burdens those who do double payments of bills from people,” he said.
“It is also another opportunity for us to promote the world theme that is ‘water and sustainable development’. “It is a day for water, especially sustainable water development and water is involved in everything people do.”
On my way back to Port Moresby from Brisbane on flight PX04 yesterday (22/03/15), I asked a flight attendant for a headset so I could get an audio of the inflight movie. The response was “Nogat ya... we got nil stock”. A few moments later an announcement said there was shortage of headsets in the economy class. As I took up my seat I noticed that the armrest for seat 22E was missing. I asked the flight attendant if she was aware, and she said she didn’t know. She did, however, move the 22E passenger to another seat. Also, requests for Coke Zero by a number of passengers were turned down because there was “nil stock”. One may consider all these minor, but this is our airline carrying our image and these kind of things embarrass us. I’m sure PX can do better.
Passenger
So fence owners have graffitti sprayed on their fences for many years. No culprit is chased or caught. NCDC instead says to the victims: “Pull your fences down”. MP Justin Tkatchenko has his roundabout sculptures vandalised with graffiti. And he is allowed to offer a reward. Why isn’t NCDC telling the Sports Minister that his sculptures have to come down? Different rules for some.
Fenced In
Since the introduction of the betelnut ban, we have seen many good changes in Port Moresby. I do not understand why Paul Paraka is trying to fight the ban. No one has suffered from hunger and died since the ban came into existence. Why fight the ban now? Whose interest is the lawyer representing? Port Moresby is no longer a town for the Central people alone but the city of the people of Papua New Guinea as well as international visitors. National interest must always be put first. Leave the betel nut ban alone.
Unhappy Reader
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AN EDUCATED and informed population will help develop a community, province or a nation. This is what the Engan Provincial Executive Council (PEC), with the strong support of their ‘action Governor’, Peter Ipatas, have proven. The rest of PNG has just followed suit, with the help of the National Government in its free education policy.
Various other MPs, from their own funds, were reported to supplement this policy by building school infrastructures and supporting their tertiary students in institutions in the country.
Up until today, I haven’t heard of our Middle Ramu MP, Tommy Tomscoll, funding a school, a terti-
ary student or roll out an education policy for our district.
My late father was a policeman from Middle Ramu who helped kiaps in the 1960s introduce the Engans to the modern world.
Now, I am ashamed of this fact, of which my father and his colleagues were proud of.
Engan elites are increasing by hundreds yearly, while we remain as we were, 40 years ago.
I sincerely hope I’m wrong, that indeed Tomscoll may be helping our few tertiary students in Port Moresby or elsewhere, who have struggled to be where they are now.
But if I’m right, I hope our students read this, make it through the system and return home to help
educate our people about the importance of education.
For education is knowledge! Knowledge is power! Power in the hands of an educated voting population is maybe what Tomscoll and his likes in the parliament are fearing.
The few of our literate population in Arabaka, Simbai, Kovon, Josephstaal, not forgetting, Keram and Wanuma, must rise up now and get our parents to make use of the National Government’s free education policy, with or without Tomscoll’s help.
Robert Mukoi Sogeram River Middle RamuThe views expressed on these pages are the opinions of our readers. They do not necessarily represent the views of the Post-Courier – Editor
celebrate in the 40th anniversary celebrations.
PAPUA New Guinea will soon celebrate its 40 years of independence in September.
Hence it would be a one-of-a-kind celebration where citizens and leaders in this country will reflect on years past and see if PNG has achieved anything.
Political leaders must ask themselves whether they have truly served the people. Did the people benefit from all government services? If not, what would you do as a political head to improve their livelihood? These are just some of the many, many questions that would come from the 8 million-plus people of this nation.
Has PNG travelled the right path?
If this country has achieved something then we must celebrate on a grand scale throughout the country. From cities to towns, stations, villages and hamlets all over the country.
PNG is rich enough to have its citizens from all walks of life to
There should be parades in the country by our armed forces, police and correctional services throughout all major towns. This is to show the world that we are capable of defending ourselves from outside threats.
PNG has come a long way. It is time people evaluate and judge for themselves how the resources of this nation are used. Blessings are given by God to all people, rich and poor. Is it not time that we come out in public to see if towns, stations and villages have developed in the past 40 years? Or has all the money in the Waigani coffers been used to develop Moresby and Lae only?
In our towns, many colonial buildings are still in use by government agencies to house their offices. Is this development? How does the government propose to achieve the so-called 50-year development plan?
How can we achieve this when our country is still living in the stone age?
It is up to the government of the
day to come out clear in September and let its voice and action speak out to the people of this country. Let all people celebrate whereever they may be.
This year is yours. For the hard work done in what ever field you may be working in, even a simple cleaner. We all contribute in one way or another through tax collected by the government. That is why we all deserve the right to celebrate.
Politicians, be realistic and come down to the ordinary people’s level. When you die, you will go back to your simple village. Let’s hold hands and make this place a better one for all.
One colour, one people, one country. God bless Papua New Guinea on its 40th anniversary this year.
Cocoso Gee Goroka
HOW sad it is to learn about Porebada, Papa, Lealea and Boera. The villages that host the gate way to LNG cargo export, yet there is little or no development taking place in and around these communities.
The article that appeared in PostCourier, Friday March 20, leaves much to be desired.
The government preaches about development when it comes to resource development. I have experience in project development negotiations, and during these negotiation stages, the government and investors/developers put up colourful development proposals to lure resource owners into agreeing to development.
10 years ago
However, the sad part is, during the development stages, the government and developers become very ignorant to the development aspirations of the landowners, and concentrate their efforts in making money for themselves.
Now the Porebada scenario is a classic example. Like many others, these poor people have given up their land to allow this milestone development to take place, the PNG LNG project. But how can the Government and the LNG project, after 50 shipments of LNG gas, deny these people development to improve their living standards? I believe this is what development is all about: “I give you my resources
Watching the news with shame as young Papua New Guineans were arrested for vandalising monuments for the games. As a PNGean mi sore na sem wantaim. PNGeans wake up with gutpla tingting
Nick
Can appropriate authorities for each province come down hard on government officers who misuse government fleets?
Law
stop as private sectors want to maximise on profit and minimise on cost. Such free services might no longer be available to consumers unless some charity organisations want to meet the costs or government provides subsidy for CSO. In the same manner, some centres like Kerema, Wabag, Daru, Popondetta and all other outskirt centres have been only cost burden to PPL. This means they do not contribute much towards PPL’s revenue but yet PPL maintains operations there. After the 50 per cent sale, I hope operations there will continue serving our people. TW
and you give me development.” In many instances, this is not always the case. Therefore, for the sake of these good, law abiding and honest people, can the Prime Minister do something and create an avenue to bring development into these communities. You do not want to create another “Bougainville Crisis”.
Concerned Citizen Address
Almost every day in the media, you will hear how it will be like when our neighbouring Pacific island countries meet in Port Moresby for the XV Pacific Games. The Government is investing millions of kina to make this event successful. However, I am worried that after the game the facilities will not be maintained. Look at the 1991 South Pacific Games that was held here. Almost all the venues had been ripped apart and vandalised. The Government should have a fall back plan as to how they will maintain these millions of kina (tax payers’ money) facilities. These world standard sports venues should be taken care of and managed by recognised companies experienced in facility management. PNG is a land of the unexpected, therefore expect the unexpected.
Sportsless Nilpis
Under SOEs, PPL has been providing a component of electricity services with little or no charges from beneficiaries. This service is known as community service obligations (CSO). PPL, under the banner of SOE, has been honouring this CSO by providing free electricity services to the communities. After the proposed 50 per cent sale, such services might
“People must stand up, speak up and help get rid of corruption in the country,” says Transparency International PNG (TIPNG). Help us please. Define whether or not this is corruption? A foreign teacher was promoted by his elder brother, who is in authority. This teacher eventually was made deputy principal. This was done even though he did not have a good track record in the classroom. On the contrary, it would take nearly 10 years or more going for nationals to be given such a position. But it took only 36 months for this foreigner. Would you define this as corruption?
Curious Advocate
I am not sure if what appeared in the papers is exactly what Rachel Sapery James said or meant to say during an interview in Australia. But the damage has been done. She needs to come back and clear herself otherwise there will be continued backlash from people back home in PNG. This could affect her preparations and performance during the Pacific Games. It was PNG that made her to be what she is now. Maski go long narapla kantri na bagarapim ples blong yumi. SS
Enga education authorities have claimed certain people holding fake teaching diplomas are being employed as teachers. March 9, 2005
Pornography is one of the many challenges of is one of the many of cybercrime that Government with the support that Government with the support of all stakeholders must collectively address of all stakeholders must address.
Communication and Information Technology Minister Jimmy Miringtoro Communication and Information Minister Miringtoro. The Government is developing a communication awareness plan for The Government is a communication awareness for pornography together with cybercrime in general with in general.
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PNGDF officers’ married quarters in Murray Barracks and the surrounding areas within the vicinity of the barracks have faced a crisis of low pressure in water supply.
During a house fire on Tuesday evening at the barracks, fire service officer in charge, Superintendent John Gareresi, said water pressure was very low. Firefighters had to go to low ground to fill the trucks.
Chief fire officer Isaac Silas added: “Water supply is essential to our response and older water supply pipes inside institutional grounds need checking and replacing.”
Older government and institutional buildings in Port Moresby and elsewhere faced a similar problem,” Mr Silas said.
A TOTAL of 155 students of the Kumul Training Institute graduated on Friday with trade skills certificates after completing a three months short course, announced the director, Max Kuri.
Proud parents and family members packed the Gateway Hotel conference room with their sons, husbands and sisters who graduated in excavator, bulldozer, prime movers, backhoe, semi-trailer, dump truck,
THE people of Fergusson island in the Esa’ala district of Milne Bay Province and affected communities are appealing for relief aid after flood waters from Lake Lavu swept through several villages, damaging food gardens and houses last week.
Esa’ala MP Davis Steven and his district team had responded within 24 hours of being told about the disaster in these areas.
“I thank the public servants on the ground and the administration in particular, the health workers, who responded almost within a few hours of the notice being raised,” he said Most affected areas include Fagululu, Yamalele, Bosalewa, parts of Gwabegwabe and far west areas connected to Lake Lavu.
GRADUATION: 155 students graduated with trade skills certificates from Kumul Training Institute after completing a three months short course.
COURSE: The students graduated from courses in excavator, bulldozer, prime movers, backhoe, semi-trailer, dump truck, fork lift, PMV light vehicle, front-end loader, grader and crane.
BATCH: This is the first batch of students to graduate this year.
fork lift, PMV-light vehicle, front-end loader, grader and mobile crane courses.
“This is the first batch of students to graduate this
year in plant and motor vehicle training,” said Kuri.
He added that these students were dropouts who
had decided to make a change in their lives and had managed to complete this three-months training with Kumul Institute through self-sponsorship.
“I believe that these men and women have been given a second chance to move forward and contribute meaningfully to the development of the country through the particular skills they have acquired,” said Kuri.
He challenged them to strive for the best and go out into the work force and
be the best you can be.
Kuri also urged the students to “Ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country,” the famous saying by US President JF Kennedy.
“With the knowledge gained, PNG is searching for people like you and job opportunities are yours for the taking.”
Kuri urged the 155 students to take this opportunity given to them and make a difference for themselves and their families.
Mr Steven said it was all about responding in a timely fashion to disasters, especially in the remote areas.
I thank the public servants on the ground, the administration and health workers
Davis Steven Milne Bay
At a glance
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ALL major trunk roads in Eastern Highlands’ rugged Henganofi district have been rehabilitated, courtesy of the local MP and Police Minister Robert Atiyafa.
The joint district planning and budget priorities committee, the forerunner of the District Development Authority (DDA), headed by Mr Atiyafa, had financed the road infrastructure projects since 2013.
The 30km Tebega-Kainantu road was maintained for K5 million in 2013 while the 34km Henganofi-Nupuru stretch was fixed last year for K4 million.
This year two roads in the Dunantina local government area were simultaneously maintained with funding from the district services improvement program (DSIP) to service the local people. One of them is the 10km Keso/Tinofi road that serves the Kesavaka Primary School and the Dunantina health centre.
NORTH WAGHI students attending the University of Papua New Guinea have thanked their MP and Defence Minister Fabian Pok for paying their school fees on time.
President of UPNG North Waghi Students Association, Michael Mek said it was the first of its kind for a MP to pay school fees through the district services improvement program (DSIP) funds on time before registration week.
“Dr Pok’s action has brought greater joy to the students as well as parents, because most parents cannot afford such amount of fees on time,” Mr Mek said.
He said Mr Pok has made a transaction of K240,000 for the 420 North Waghi students who have studied both internally and in open campus as well as two other masters’ program students.
Mek said the students are privileged to have such an MP.
A PRINCIPAL landowner of the giant Porgera gold mine in Enga province has called on illegitimate landowners to verify their portion of land before misleading the public.
Chief Timbalu Iweipe was responding to a newspaper report by a Port Moresby landowner who claims to be the principal landowner of the mine.
Chief Iweipe said from Porgera that so-called paper landowners have been misleading the people for far too long and called on Mr Paraia and others to verify their partition of land in the special purpose mine lease areas before making statements in the media.
He said the organisation led by Paraia has been misleading the public, including the investors, the government and other stakeholder when he does not own any land in the SML area.
“I’m the principal chief landowner and I want to make it clear that there are no other principal landowners of the SML area. Just last week, thousands of landowners have staged a peaceful protest march against any paper landowners, that are based in Port Moresby trying to pursue our concern by
PORGERA MINE: is a giant gold mine found in Porgera, Enga Province. LANDOWNERS: According to the principal landowner, there is still a conflict of interest between legal and illegal paper-based landowners.
instituting an investigation team into the environmental damages and other landowner concerns. We have had enough of paper landowners and so we call on Paraia to tell us what hectare of land he has in the SML to call himself a principal landowner.
“Enough is enough and we are fedup with so-called landowners who do not represent the landowners. Our only mouthpiece is the Porgera landowners Association led by Tony Mark Ekepa,” he said.
Mr Paraia has to stop as he does not own any land in the SML area to represent us, instead he was only trying to misled the people and the public.
“Therefore we oppose any other paper landowners. If they claim to be a landowner then they should tell us how many hectares of land they have in the SML area and not just go the media,” he said.
THIS is one of the many accidents experienced by people daily in most rural parts of the country, where people struggle to transport their garden produce across fast flowing and rough rivers. Women especially have fallen victims of such incidents but they bravely risk their lives to ferry garden food from one end of the river to another or up and down stream.This picture was taken last Saturday when several women from Kabo village in the south coast Morobe of Huon Gulf district, Morobe province had their canoe overturned when crossing the mouth of Waria River. The women were returning from the Saturday market at Tapore Primary School when their canoe was overturned by a huge wave at the mouth of Waria River. There were no fatalities, but all their garden and store goods disappeared into the dirty river. Words and picture: FRANCO
NEBASLAE City Lord Mayor Koim Leahy Trillu yesterday praised youths of Lae for their efforts to beautify the city.
He said that the Morobe Provincial Government has declared 2015 as the tear of implementation and has allocated K500,000 to help keep the city clean.
“To minimise petty crimes in Lae, I have engaged previously unemployed youths to be actively involved in the Lae Beautification program,” he said.
“Previously we had heavy security, police and there were many clashes between street vendors and security or other groups which caused a lot of inconveniences to many of us.
“Now we are redirecting the energies of these youths to something more useful like cleaning the city so they can earn some cash to look after themselves and keep out of trouble.
“We aim to engage youths, minimise poverty, improve their livelihood, keep them away from drugs, and other illicit activities.
“In town area, top town youths led by Junior Badui, who has organised all the youths to clean the city, collect rubbish and at the same time the group members educate themselves on drugs and alcohol abuse and illicit activities and not to fall into these traps.”
He said that at Zero Block One Mile, youths there have been engaged to cut the grass along the road from 1 Mile to Snack Bar in town. “At Bundi Camp, they clean along Boundary Road back to Bundi Camp, Kamkumung
THERE are no banking services in the Sialum LLG of Tewai-Siasi district in Morobe, affecting especially public servants mostly teachers.
Baka Kilang, head teacher of Kanzarua Primary School in Sialum says every teacher in the 14 primary schools, four feeder community schools and Sialum Technical High School access banking services, including the use of ETPOS machines, in Finschaffen district only.
Mr Kilang said it is a very expensive exercise, especially for school trips that can only be carried out with hiring of boats.
He said after three years of teaching in the same school, he has come to notice that the boat fare is increasing yearly at least by K50 and this year it is expected to reach K200 from K150.
Mr Kilang said for last year alone, it cost his school’s administration K300 both ways for one person plus K100 spending money for a week, totaling K400.
He said knowing that every trip to Lae counts, all three signatories to the school’s account travel on one trip, costing the school K1200 in total that cannot be avoided.
Mr Kilang said unfortunately heading into the seventh week of term one this week and the school is yet to know if its tuition fee free (TFF) funds are already in the school’s account.
Mr Kilang said since the introduction of the TFF policy, there is no mechanism in place to confirm their TFF status so they have to make that K1200 Lae trip to find out.
He said with the Education Secretary putting a stop to schools charging project fees this year, schools such as Kanzarua primary are left penniless, operating only on left over supplies from the end of last year, which could not cater for the increasing intake. He said all student are using only one exercise books for all subjects and not one book for one subject.
At a glance
BEAUTIFICATION: Lae youths praised for their efforts in beautifying the city.
AIM: The aim of the program is to minimise illegal activities and employ city youths.
APPEAL: All to be responsible citizens.
youths keep the oval area clean, West Taraka clean along their road, Eriku youths are working, Chinatown youths are all working,” he said.
He further said that this is a great opportunity for the youths and a form of employment as most of them are illiterate and unemployed.He also advised youths not to collect fines and encouraged them to become agents of change and responsible citizens.
He added that those caught littering will be asked by these youths to clean it up.
“Therefore I appeal to citizens to put their rubbish in the right place. We are trying to educate them to understand that they cannot exist the way they used to before, most of them are illiterate, the police and security used to bash them but we cannot change them that way.
“We have to give them the opportunity, some form of employment so this is what I am doing.”
He said the biggest culprits in creating mess are buai sellers and buai chewers.
“If you are caught spitting or throwing buai rubbish on the street, you will be asked by these youths to clean it up,” he said.
THE national Government is giving urgent priority to the rebuilding of the two washed out bridges in West New Britain.
Works Minister Francis Awesa accompanied by Works
Secretary David Wereh and WNB
Governor Sasindran Muthuvel and a media team visited the two bridges at Ivule and Tiauru by helicopter last week on a fact finding trip.
Mr Awesa said after the trip that he as saddened to see the situation and as soon as the floods subside temporary bypasses will be built before the building of permanent bridges over a two year period.
He said the bridges have been washed away because they were not done properly and the two bridges to be built will be built in a way to withstand worse flood situations that may arise in future.
The minister said West New Britain is a very important economic province for the country and that is why the Prime
Minister had instructed him to come on this fact finding trip to see first hand the damages caused by the bad weather and how the national Government can help.
Mr Awesa said before the oil and gas projects came on board WNB had been there contributing to the economy of the country through agriculture.
He said Hargy Oil Palm Company had been affected by the destruction of the bridges so they will treat it as a matter of priority to enable normal operations.
Meanwhile Governor Muthuvel thanked Mr Awesa and Mr Wereh for taking the time to come and see the situation for themselves.
He said over the last eight years Ivule and Tiauru bridges have been washed away four times.
Governor Muthuvel said roads and bridges are the economic lifeline of the Province and the country as Bialla alone contributes about K250 million export revenue to the national Government.
There will no longer be tolerance for complacency and insubordination in the Correctional Services, says Minister Jimmy Simatab.
He called on every officer employed by the department to fully support the commissioner of the day with total loyalty, support and obedience at all times.
Mr Simitab made the calling during the opening of the 2015 annual commanders conference at the National Agriculture Research Institute outside of Kokopo, East New Britain Province last Thursday.
He called on all senior executives of the PNGCS and jail commanders of all 19 provincial jails, to fully support CS Commissioner Michael Waipo.
He said in order to move forward successfully, the Commissioner
requires total support and respect of all his executive peers, and every rank and file officer, in particular every jail commander.
Mr Simitab said responding to the National Government’s challenges to the department as spelt out in the Alotau Accord, reforms have been initiated by the ministry for the department’s action.
The most important of these reforms is for a wholesome review of the national prison system, and the PNGCS institutional structure and legislative framework, approved by the Cabinet in 2014.
This review is most crucial for the modernization of the Service in terms of its powers and its modes of practice and institutional management, and how it engages with others in the delivery of its services.
The conference discussed various aspects of the review.
DETAINEES at Kerevat jail are just as important as the people out of bars and the East New Britain Provincial Government and is ensuring that they are not neglected and discriminated, but rehabilitated.
Governor Ereman ToBaining
Jr said based on this concern the the provincial administration has developed a partnership under the stakeholder development and public private partnership concept to provide assistance to the Correctional Services.
He said the provincial government has taken the concept seriously with financial assistance to ensure that
the welfare of the detainees is managed in a highly positive manner, ensuring they are rehabilitated to make them useful and worthy citizens back in their own communities.
He was speaking at the opening of the CS commanders conference last week. He said his government is not only concerned with the welfare of detainees from ENB but the welfare of those who have come from other provinces.
He said in support of this the provincial government has and will continuously support CS financially, and that it has done so by increasing the annual budget allocation from K15,000 to K90,000 for the program.
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BY ROMULUS MASIU
THE Arawa police are proud recipients of three brand new Toyota Land Cruisers, courtesy of the Minister for Communication and national MP for Central Bougainville, Jimmy Miringtoro.
The vehicles were purchased under the minister’s district services improvement program (DSIP) funds and cost about K500,000.
During the handover ceremony of the new vehicles last week, the minister challenged police in Arawa to take care of the vehicles as they cost a lot of money.
Present to witness the ceremony were members of Arawa police force, who put on a parade for the minister, as well as the executive manager for Panguna district Otto Noruka and North Nasioi council of elders chairman John Donna.
Both leaders urged the police force to have some sense of ownership and care for the vehicles.
Both challenged police commanders to deal with officers who were misusing government properties for their personal satisfactions.
BY ALEX MUNME
THE Malasang four community in Tsitalato constituency was happy and showed great support and approval for the Bougainville Regional MP’s visit.
It was Joe Lera’s first visit this week to Malasang since his election into the National Parliament and was to educate and inform the people on how he is appropriating public funds to prepare the people for full autonomy and hopefully Independence after 2019.
The awareness covered what politics are, the reasons why Bougainville was slow to develop in 130 years – which included the top down political process, Bougainville crisis, lack of planning, only basics education and no skills training institutions and colleges, as well as leaders without vision for the future.
Mr Lera said in 130 years people
were kept out of bringing development as leaders thought they were the ones to do so through the top down political process.
He said through his bottom-up political process he will develop and give power to the people so they will be involved in economic activities that will contribute to Bougainville’s development.
Some of the master key institutions and colleges he is funding include Bougainville’s first university at Manetai, three agricultural colleges, a teacher’s college in South Bougainville and a polytechnic college at Hutjena.
Other developments under his funding include improve health services – for which he bought a TB scanner and mobile X-Ray for Buka General Hospital, Hutjena Water supply, Atolls food supply, Atolls climate change and tuna fishery for Bougainville.
THE UN Development Program (UNDP) in Papua New Guinea organised a three-day workshop for women seeking to contest the 2015 General Elections in Bougainville.
Over 25 women candidates and their campaign managers brought the total number of participants to 50, representing different districts of Bougainville.
The workshop focused on providing information on legal and institutional framework of the elections, articulating specific constraints and opportunities.
Women running for elections are at a more disadvantaged position
compared to their men folks.
Women generally have lower educational qualifications, are often confined to domestic roles of looking after their households, face problems with access to campaigning resources and outreach to the community, as well as having to struggle for violence-free access to polling.
To address the issue, UN is supporting the Autonomous Bougainville Government in conducting the upcoming elections through ‘Support of the 2015 Bougainville General Elections’ initiative.
ALLOCATE: The vehicles have been allocated accordingly to sections at Arawa Police Station, Mr Vosivai said.
GRATITUDE: Commander for Central Bougainville Police, Inspector Januarius Vosivai, thanked Minister Miringtoro for the timely donation.
GUEST: executive manager for Panguna district Otto Noruka and North Nasioi Council of Elders Chairman John Donna. FUNDS: The vehicles were purchased under the Minister’s DSIP funds costing about K500,000.
Commander for Central Bougainville Inspector Januarius Vosivai thanked Mr Miringtoro for the timely purchase of the vehicles. He assured the minister that the vehicles would be put to good use and will be used for its rightful purposes – to serve the people of Central Bougainville.
The vehicles have now been allocated various sections at Arawa police station, Inspector Vosivai said.
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PNG Women in Business (WIB) are reaffirming the National Capital District Governor’s commitment through signatory runs to create a permanent flea market for Papua New Guinea women.
Governor Powes Parkop has already made a commitment to secure the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) festival village to become a night market and according to Janet Sape, founder and executive director for PNG WIB, the women are requesting if the governor can give them the venue all year round.
Acknowledging the governor’s
commitment during the launching of the WIB five day expo, participants have taken to signing a petition requesting him to allow the current venue to become a perma-
nent market for all women.
Representing the women at the expo, Priscilla Kare said if such a market for women continues everyday, people will know there is a place they can come and buy and this in turn will be beneficial for the women, sustainability for women’s activities and can serve as a tourist attraction. She explained that with service in the city scattered, the idea is to have everything in one place, where the women can have access. “That’s what we always wanted, where all information can be in one place and we can do business right here. So what you do is bring all the services here so the women can have access to them;
and if this continues, we will get educated everyday,” she said.
She said the petition will be presented to the governor through Janet Sape, to back their argument that MSG village become the central place for the women to showcase their various businesses.
Sape said the NCD governor’s support towards women has always been overwhelming and so far he has committed K300,000 to the women’s council to carry out programs to assist them in various capacity, in terms of training and other programs. She said the petition for the permanent flea market for women will be presented to the governor tomorrow.
The NCD Governor has so far committed K300,000 to the women’s council to carry out programs and in terms of assistance. The bottom line
That’s what we always wanted, where all information can be in one place and we can do business right here ...
PRISCILLA KARE
Women rep
UNDER the government’s GoPNG National Strategic Development Plan, Coffee Industry Corporation (CIC) is entering into partnership arrangements with coffee growing districts under its “kina to kina” policy as one of its coffee related activities geared towards revitalising the coffee industry in PNG.
CIC also points out that like every other government statutory organisation, CIC is accountable to the government as well as the coffee industry stakeholders, noting that its books and functions are always subject to audit every year.
“It is a compulsory requirement for CIC to have the Auditor General’s independent findings published in CIC’s Annual Reports and we certainly concur to public scrutiny of our operations, which includes having our books audited.”
CIC has made this statement after Post-Courier ran a Drum article titled “MONITOR” (18th March 2015) which CIC claims is an ambiguous and incoherent piece of statement that would vaguely portray the image and nobility of the Industry to its stakeholders.
In rebuttal to the article which read; “A LOT of activity in the coffee indus-
try lately. Deals have been signed between local and Asian companies worth a lot of money. Hope those who do the audits are monitoring the transactions,” CIC says activities from last year will continue unabated this year, as it strives to practically do something for the coffee industry than rather be seen as loafing or procrastinating over its primary obligations to the industry.
Furthermore, in regards to the signing of deals with locals and Asian companies, public relations officer John Supa clarified in a statement that there exists ambiguity in the use of the noun “Deals”, which may be interpreted or perceived suspiciously that the CIC has made some deals with local and Asian companies; the appropriate term would be “Agreements”.
While touching on the kinato-kina policy, Supa said visionary MPs who, realising that coffee would continue to sustain their people’s livelihood after this current boom in the extractable (mineral) resource sector are depleted one day, have come up with their District Services Improvement Projects (DSIP) funds and partnered with CIC to boost coffee production.
LINK PNG, Air Niugini’s subsidiary company will launch its inaugural service to Losuia in Milne Bay Province at the end of this month.
Following the launching, Losuia Airport, located on Kiriwina Island and part
of the Kiriwina group of Islands, will start receiving commercial flights in early April.
In a brief statement to the media, Link PNG said scheduled flights will operate twice a week, every Mondays and Fridays.
WOMEN in Business (WIB) is holding a five day expo at the Melanesian Spearhead Group MSG) Festival Village in Waigani.
The expo is aimed at giving women in the country the opportunity to showcase their business and to get to know other women also in the business industry.
WIB in partnership with the National Capital District Commission and the national museum, launched the expo last Friday and has seen women participants throughout the country bring in a variety of products and serviced offered by their various businesses.
Janet Sape, initiator of the expo, says this is a great opportunity not only for members of WIB, but also for other women population in the country.
Sharing the same sentiments, Priscilla Kare, an advocate for womens literacy in the country and a participant of the expo, said such expo will identify marketing, growing women’s business, identify the next generation of business women; especially that PNG lacks the pathways for young girls to follow.
“I believe that having started
this will be a pathway for women in business and in the long run, they will be able to identify the circle or cycle of women that is happening around this place,” she said.
“Women in rural areas who have no learning ability for literacy skills can be pushed through reading and writing skills but with other skills, they can get recognition in the sector; coming to the expo, bring their talents, broadening their knowledge and going into business.”
Kare further stated that this also provided a perfect platform for professional PNG women to come down to a common level
with other women in the country and encouraged them to make use of it. She is calling on men to be supportive and discard any thoughts that the WIB expo is only for the women population.
Kare thanks WIB and those behind the expo saying that it is the women’s dream to see such expo last and become a permanent activity.
Also at the expo are banks such as National Development Bank (NDB), Origin Gas, women tailoring businesses, women catering businesses, women’s assorted jewelery makers, flower arrangers and many more. The expo will end tomorrow.
In addition to the Losuia service, Link PNG will also introduce its daily services to Kiunga, Hagen and Lae via Rabaul, which will also come into effect in April.
Currently, Link PNG operates from Lae to Hoskins, Rabaul and back to Lae.
Link PNG currently operates in twelve PNG destinations, however the inclusion of Losuia and Mt Hagen now brings to total, fourteen destinations.
All Link PNG services are operated by the airline’s Dash 8 fleet.
NAUTICAWT last Wednesday launched its new office in Port Moresby.
Their setting up office here
is seen as a boost to the exploration and energy industry, as well as to foreign investment.
Executive director and senior vice president Simon Cunningham in his address at the event said PNG was an exciting and technically interesting place for NauticAWT to be operating.
He added that NauticAWT, before establishing office in PNG, had been carrying out ground work in the country in the past 18 months.
NauticAWT is a merger of Nautic Group, which is a Singapore-based oilfield engineering firm specialising in production life extensions of mature and aging offshore assets, and AWT International, a leading independent provider of innovative field exploration, development
At a glance
NAUTICAWT: Is a merger of Nautic Group, which is a Singapore-based oilfield engineering firm specialising in production life extensions of mature and aging offshore assets, and AWT International, a leading independent provider of innovative field exploration, development and refurbishment solutions to the global upstream oil and gas industry.
COMPRISING OF: NauticAWT Energy Solutions will comprise 200 plus personnel, have the global reach of 11 offices across Australasia, the Middle East and Latin America.
and refurbishment solutions to the global upstream oil and gas industry.
Representatives from various organisations and govern-
ment entities were present at the opening to welcome NauticAWT into the country.
The Port Moresby office is headed by country manager, Kym Campbell with about 10 to 12 technical staff in the country.
“We have 40 staff and we look forward to increasing our numbers in the coming years. We want to be an active part of the growth of oil and gas in PNG, so working closely with the Government is important to us so that we can understand the local industry as well as making sure we are good “corporate citizens,” Ms Campbell said.
NauticAWT is committed to being in PNG for the long term.
It is excited about the oil and gas industry in PNG and the company has learnt a lot in the last 18 months working in the country. “We want to expand our local expertise to other clients who have ambitions to
explore the vast resources in PNG,” she added.
The merged entity brings together the very strong track records of both Nautic and AWT for delivering cost effective innovative solutions on budget and on schedule.
NauticAWT Energy Solutions will comprise 200 plus personnel, have the global reach of 11 offices across Australasia, the Middle East and Latin America and provide a complementary technical and commercial offering, unique to the oil and gas industry. NauticAWT Energy Solutions will offer fitfor-purpose technical greenfield development services and brownfield enhancement and extension solutions.
The combined capability of Nautic and AWT enables the group to undertake a wide range of technical consulting and contracting work streams.
DIGICEL has pledged an unprecedented commitment to help customers minimise data loss as building a greater understanding on the benefits of data in everyday life.
Commercial director Khattar Fehmi said access to data or mobile Internet services provided the people of Papua New Guinea with ‘a world of new opportunities’.
With PNG’s rapid uptake of new technologies, greater use of smartphones and social media, Fehmi said it is essential that Digicel plays a role in helping ensure that customers can
use data in the most cost effective way.
“We do realise some people are experiencing complications with loss of credit from using the data services we provide.”
Fehmi said Digicel is dedicated to helping customers moving forward so that they can genuinely get more out of their data pass.
“There are a number of factors that can attribute to data loss, so we cannot provide one universal solution, but can help build knowledge and provide tips on how to reduce the incidence of data loss.”
A WEEK after Tropical Cyclone Pam left a path of destruction in Vanuatu, planning has begun to revive the country’s valuable tourism industry.
The category five cyclone caused extensive damage in the capital Port Vila and to several outer islands, but the biggest island is largely intact. Some operators are already back in business, but others need
AUSTRALIA appears to be on the verge of joining a multi-billion-dollar Asian development fund, despite ongoing concerns from the United States about its governance and transparency arrangements.
The Beijing-based Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank was launched late last year.
As its name suggests, it is designed to help finance things like road, rail and power projects in the rapidly growing region.
More than 20 countries have signed on as founding members. In the past month, major Western powers including Britain, France, Germany and Italy have also announced their intention to join.
Australia has so far resisted joining the bank but Prime Minister Tony Abbott has hinted that this could change.
“We have made no final decision to join the Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank but obviously we are considering it - we have been considering it one way or another for quite a few months now,” he said.
“What we are considering ... is absolutely consistent with what we’re doing domestically; we want to build infrastructure, we want to reduce tax, we want to get red tape down and we want to unleash the creativity of our
people.”
Treasurer Joe Hockey said there was a lot of merit in joining the bank and said he had been speaking to his counterparts both in Europe and around the world about the proposal.
“We want to make sure there are proper governance procedures,” he told 4BC radio.
“That there’s transparency, that no one country is able to control the entity and we’ve been working with the Chinese Government.
“We want Australian contractors involved; we want work for Australians out of this bank. And because it’s operating in our region, in our neighbourhood, it is important that Australia fully understand and look at participating in this bank.”
The so-called China bank is seen as a rival to other multilateral banks including the International Monetary Fund and World Bank. - ABC
more time to rebuild.
Tourism accounts for about 20 per cent of the South Pacific nation’s economy.
Vanuatu Tourism Office general manager Linda Kalpoi, said she plans to attend an industry meeting early next week to discuss the status of the industry.
“What’s important for us is to get the destination ready and be able to receive our visitors,” Ms
Kalpoi said.
“The Island of Santo — basically it’s open for business,” she said.
Commercial pilot Simon Turner would usually be flying tourists to the southern island of Tanna to see its spectacular active volcano at this time of year.
But since the cyclone, he has been flying aid to outer islands and conducting inspection flights for officials, aid agencies
and the media.
Mr Turner, the chief executive officer of Air Taxi Vanuatu, said he hoped to resume scenic flights for tourists soon.
“The weather’s been absolutely gorgeous the last three or four days, which has made our flying operations easy and Vanuatu is still the tropical paradise it always has been, just needs a bit of a tidy up, that’s all,” he said. - ABC
We want to make sure there are proper governance procedures ...
TONY ABBOTT Australia
To advertise in Entertainment, call 309 1103 or email lotej@spp.com.pg Editorials; call 309 1056 or email jbuakao@spp.com.pg
TECH savvy subscribers to the Digicel Play platform can now access the network’s TV guide on the go.
Two new APPS have hit the Apple store recently – one for Digicel Play’s new monthly entertainment magazine, PRIMETIME PNG, and one for its weekly ‘companion’ guide to the best TV in PNG – the Digicel Play TV Program Guide.
It is no small task, collating programming from across the 29-channel strong network each week, but the Digicel Play TV Guide App is so simple to use, you could be forgiven for
DIGICEL Play, the newest television network in Papua New Guinea that brings premium high defi nition TV through its station TVWAN, is offering amazing deals at the Royal Papua Yacht Club members’ key draw nights.
Last Wednesday was no exception, the third Wednesday of the month. It was vibrant with so much energy and excitement as the GSM arm of the business launched its business solution offers.
The night was all about business solutions, with offers on high value Business Product Suite and 4G LTE. For any sign up done on the night, members were given a free 4G LTE
WiFi and innovative solutions to enhance business. Sales on a variety of high end handsets, Digicel Play set top boxes with cables and antennas and packages on Business Product Suite were activities that created a lot of interest among members.
The offers are exclusive to members of the Royal Papua Yacht Club on Wednesday nights only and will expire on March 31, 2015 however, this should not deter small businesses, individuals and or corporate entities from reaping the same benefits. Simply consult anyone of the respective Digicel Play, TVWAN, Mobile Advertising & PNG Loop and Digicel PNG Business Solution specialists who will assist you according to your individual or business needs.
thinking the job effortless! Apple users can download the App to their iphone or ipad for free was simply by logging onto the itunes website and searching for the title. The actual link is: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ digicel-play-tv-program-guide/ id972001857?ls=1&mt=8
‘Team Android’ players have not been overlooked. You can access the very same TV Guide for your tablets and smart phones from Google Play. The link you need to follow is this: https://play.google. com/store/search?q=digicel+ play+epg&c=apps&rdid=com.
digicelpngepg.digicelplay
If you would prefer to peruse the tv guide online, we’ve got that base covered too. Simply log onto: http:// digicelplay.com.pg/#/page/programme_guide
Refresh your App each week to fi nd out when all your favourite tv shows are premiering, or use it to work out when to tune into an ‘encore’ screening at a time that suits you best.
Indeed, Digicel Play do have the best TV in PNG, and now it couldn’t be easier to navigate your way through all they have to offer!
TVWAN, Digicel Play’s freeto-view local TV channel –is thrilled to announce its most recent Gold Sponsorship, supporting the GFA of PNG National Titles.
It is a big year for the Game Fishing Association of PNG as it is their 40th
Anniversary. and event organisers could not be happier, landing the biggest fi sh in the Pay-TV sea.
“This is a ‘reel’ coup for both of us,” Jack Bourke, Head of Digicel Play Marketing, said.
“It’s sure to be an exciting
tournament and we plan to broadcast key highlights on our local TVWAN news.”
For those interested in participating in the GFA of PNG National titles, registration is mandatory and must be completed at the
briefi ng night which will be held at The Gantry at the Royal Papua Yacht Club in Port Moresby on Friday, March 27.
You then have two days within the set nine-day time frame (from Saturday, March 28 through to Sun-
day, April 5) to try to land a trophy-worthy fi sh.
The GFA of PNG National Game Fishing Titles was fi rst held in Rabaul in 1976, hosted by the New Britain Game Fishing Club.
Between 250 and 450 anglers are expected to enter
this year, and it’s highly likely a few National records will fall! Port Moresby has a reputation for delivering the biggest fi sh in PNG, with massive marlin, shark and tuna all featuring on the GFA record books.
TELIKOM PNG has significantly streamlined its retail Internet services delivery process with the recent commissioning of Cisco ASR9000 Broadband Network Gateway (BNG) routers in its core ISP network.
This was recently made possible with the completion of the Cisco Broadband Network Gateway (BNG) by Telikom National Broadband Network (NBN) program engineers.
The Cisco BNG while supporting next generation services such as Video and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) enables customers who purchase ADSL 2+ modem to connect to the internet instantly without the physical assistance of a technician.
NBN and Access Project Manager Shannon Sariman says the BNG project introduces an auto-
mated circuit provisioning which cuts out manual confi guration usually done by helpdesk or IP technicians.
“The BNG will allow for the ADSL2+ service to be that of Plug & Play. So if a customer already has a working fi xed line, they can connect their ADSL2+ modem assisted by the user guide and start surfi ng the internet. A technician need not go to the customer.”
He also highlighted that the BNG enables higher broadband speeds up to 24Mbps and has considerably improved uptime of retail internet.
To mark the completion of the Cisco BNG Project, the project documentation was officially handed over to Telikom’s IP Data Operations team who will manage the infrastructure.
Shared Infrastructure Divisional Manager, Isaac Purakali in accepting the BNG documentation on behalf of the IP team said it was the role of the IP Data Operations team to simplify the network as much as possible so customers get desired broadband service instantaneously.
AUSTRALIANS and Pacific islanders living in Australia will be able to watch the 2015 Pacific Games in the comfort of their home, after the Games Organising Committee awarded the Australian broadcast rights to the National Indigenous Television (NITV).
NITV is a channel managed by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and is part of the SBS output on Channel 34.
It will also have non-exclusive online rights within Australia.
Former rugby union great Mark Ella will provide specialist commentary alongside sports broadcaster, Evan Charlton.
The Games run from July 4 to 18, 2015. The Games will be preceded on July 2 by a one-day Pacific Investment Seminar, to be co-hosted by the Port Moresby Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Business Advantage International.
Games Organising Committee Executive Manager, Clint Flood, says NITV’s national links to indigenous people in Australia and Torres Straight Islands provides an additional cultural link to the Pacific Games.
NITV joins NBC, Click TV, EMTV, Solomon TV, Fiji One TV, Fiji Broadcasting Corporation, Vanuatu television and Broadcast Corporation, Samoa Quality Broadcast Corporation, Cook Islands TV, France TV and Solomon Telekom Television Ltd as broadcast rights holders.
www.bapng.com. pg
TALKS are underway to set up a new facility within two months aimed at reducing internet charges. NICTAs’ Economics and consumer affairs director Kila Gulo Vui says a PNG Internet Exchange Point (IXP) will improve local capacity. ‘Because of the current structure, email goes out of the country to Sydney, Australia or Hong Kong and comes back in and is charged,’ he says
STORES have begun re-opening in Vanuatu’s capital, Port Vila, after cyclone Pam devastated the archipelago over a week ago. Westpac’s Greg Pawson told Business Advantage PNG his Port Vila branch opened for three hours on Monday so staff could assess how the cyclone had affected customers. He said many staff had lost their houses. Clean water has been restored in Port Vila. Food and shelter are the priorities, say aid agencies. Meanwhile, roads in Port Vila have been cleared. Digicel says it has restored its network in the capital. PNG’s PM Peter O’Neill has pledged US$1.8 million in aid to Vanuatu and Tuvalu, where nearly half of the population has been displaced.
STATE-OWNED enterprises, Post PNG and PNG DataCo Ltd, have announced they will work together to ensure PNG and its business community can access quality ICT services at affordable prices in the future.
CYCLONE Pam caused widespread devastation when it struck the Pacific archipelago of Vanuatu with gusts of wind of up to 300km/h (185mph). Picture: BBC
A TROPICAL cyclone has hit north Queensland in Australia, bringing with it hurricane-force winds and a powerful storm tide.
Cyclone Nathan crossed the coast near Cooktown as a category four storm, the second most severe rating.
Winds of 170km/ph (105mph) were recorded on Friday morning, the Bureau of Meteorology told the BBC.
The cyclone is expected to dissipate over land before intensifying again over the Gulf of Carpenteria.
About 50 people took cover in Cooktown’s cyclone shelter as the storm passed over, according to the Australian Associated Press.
The strongest winds recorded on Friday were 170km/ph but there was the potential for winds of up to 230km/ph closer to the centre of the system, The Bureau of Meteorology’s Jess Carey said.
It still had the potential to cause “significant damage”, he added.
The cyclone was expected to move inland towards Laura and Kalinga on Friday, dissipating to a category one level on the way.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said there had been no casualties recorded in Cooktown.
“Once again we’ve shown how resilient our communities can be and we are very thankful that Cyclone Nathan did cross to that northern
RATING: Cyclone Nathan crossed the coast near Cooktown as a category four storm, the second most severe rating. IMPACT: “It still had the potential to cause “significant damage”, Bureau of Meteorology’s Jess Carey said.
section,” she said.
“We were very concerned yesterday that it could swing further down south and have a huge impact on those local communities.
“The Queensland Disaster Management Group will be meeting at 10am this morning. By that time we should have some indication of the impacts of Cyclone Nathan in relation to that region.”
Queensland State Emergency Services were continuing to advise residents to stay indoors on Friday morning. The cyclone comes less than a month after northern Queensland was struck by another powerful cyclone.
In February, Cyclone Marcia hit the Queensland coast with winds up to 285km/h - the sixth category five cyclone recorded in Australia.
Another cyclone struck the nearby Pacific islands of Vanuatu over the weekend, killing at least 11 people and leaving thousands homeless. -BBC
FORMER Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser has died aged 84.
A statement from his office said Mr Fraser, who led the nation between 1975 and 1983, died after a short illness. He became its leader in controversial circumstances, after the unprecedented dismissal of PM Gough Whitlam.
Once in office, he championed the rights of Indigenous Australians and refugees, a stance that put him on a collision course with his own party in later life.
The statement from his office said he “died peacefully in the early hours of the morning” on Friday.
“We appreciate that this will be a
shock to all who knew and loved him, but ask that the family be left in peace at this difficult time,” it added. The constitutional crisis that led to Mr Fraser becoming prime minister in 1975 formed an integral part of his image in Australia.
As leader of the opposition he blocked finance bills for government programmes, forcing GovernorGeneral Sir John Kerr to dismiss Mr Whitlam as prime minister.
Mr Fraser was then appointed caretaker prime minister at the head of a Liberal-Country Party coalition government until an election in December, which he won by a landslide. -BBC news
AN inquiry into reports of sexual abuse at Australia’s asylum camp in Nauru found “credible” claims of assault and harassment.
The inquiry, conducted by former integrity commissioner Philip Moss, found two allegations of rape and others of “indecent assault, sexual harassment and physical assault”.
It found no evidence charity workers lied about abuse claims at the centre. The probe made 19 recommendations, which the government said it accepted. Australian Immigration Minister Peter Dutton said sexual assault was “not something that we would accept in Australia, and it’s not something that the Nauruans accept in their community”.
Australia sends asylum seekers who arrive by boat to camps in the Pacific island of Nauru and in Papua New Guinea for processing. Conditions in these camps have been strongly criticised by rights groups.
This review was ordered in October 2014, after Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young and media outlets reported multiple allegations of abuse against asylum seekers.
At the same time, the Australian government ordered a group of Save the Children staff to leave Nauru, suggesting they were encouraging asy-
lum seekers to make complaints and even to self-harm. Save the Children strongly rejected this and, in its heavily-redacted 86-page report, the review noted “that it has not obtained any information which substantiates the alleged misconduct in relation to the Save the Children staff members”. But it found:
Two specific rape allegations had been made - one had been referred to police
Sexual and physical assault were being under-reported for cultural reasons. There were also reported and unreported claims of abuse against minors. Claims women were forced to expose themselves to sexual exploitation in exchange for showers were “likely to be based on one particular incident”
Claims cigarettes were being traded for sexual favours could not be substantiated, but it was possible Naruan guards were selling marijuana for sexual favours
Many detainees were concerned about their personal safety and privacy The veracity of detainees’ claims could not be established, but the interviewees “were generally credible and their accounts convincing”. -BBC
PAM and Pamela have suddenly become popular names for new babies in Vanuatu since the country was hit by Cyclone Pam last Friday.
The local charity ambulance operation Promedical has been involved with two babies called Pam in the past few days and Australian volunteer paramedic Charlotte Gillon said there had been others too.
Charlotte delivered Trisha Ronald’s little girl in the back of the ambulance immedi-
ately after another birth of a little Pamela.
“Just before we got a call to come see Trisha we picked up a baby... just outside of the city or the town and she’d already been named Pamela so we dropped her off at hospital and then we got this call.”
Trisha decided to call her baby Charlotte Pam for the paramedic and to mark the cyclone.
Young paramedic Charlotte, who has been in Vanuatu for two years under the Austral-
FOREIGN Minister Julie Bishop has arrived in Vanuatu to check on Australian assistance to the relief effort after cyclone Pam.
Thousands of people remain homeless in the stricken country waiting for relief to arrive, and the United Nations has raised the confirmed death toll to 16.
Vanuatu’s government is coordinating relief efforts, attempting to get immediate aid to more than 60 inhabited remote islands in the archipelago. It has begun to send out food aid and seedlings to parts of the country hit hardest by Cyclone Pam after a week of assessments and planning.
A Royal Australian Air Force plane carrying supplies and aid workers arrived today, and HMAS Tobruk is scheduled to arrive tomorrow to help with relief efforts, joining two black hawk helicopters that arrived yesterday.
Ms Bishop, who flew in on the RAAF flight, said she plans to meet with Vanuatu’s prime minister and foreign minister to discuss whether Australia needs to provide further assistance.
“Australia has responded quickly to requests from the government of Vanuatu, we have sent more than 11 military planes over with equipment, lifesaving supplies, humanitarian support personnel,” she said.
Ms Bishop will tour the capital Port Vila and visit a primary school that Australian urban search and rescue teams are cleaning up and rebuilding.
She will also meet with the young Australian volunteers who were out of contact for almost a week on two remote islands before consular officials found them and flew them back to Port Vila.
-ABC news
ian Volunteers International program, said that was a great honour, and a bright spot in a challenging week.
“It’s wonderful to do a job like this at a time like this when the nation’s grappling with a national disaster and to have a joyful healthy baby girl born is wonderful work.”
Promedical is a not-for-profit ambulance service that survives via donations and subscriptions. In the days after the storm, with communications down, manager Michael
Benjamin and his staff simply drove around looking for people who needed help.
He said the community response to the storm had been inspiring.
“The people are just simply amazing. I can’t believe the amount of work that these local people are putting in and how quickly they’ve got the roads clear and electricity on and water on. It’s just pretty impressive.”
Having been stretched by the demands after the storm,
Promedical has set up a fundraising page so it can continue to provide an effective service.
Meanwhile, a week on from Cyclone Pam, communities in Vanuatu are on the brink of running out of food and water as aid agencies and local authorities grapple with meeting the immense need.
The Vanuatu government estimates that more than 100,000 people have been made homeless by the storm, and not all communities have
yet been reached.
Foreign minister Julie Bishop is expected to visit Vanuatu this weekend to see what further help Australia can offer.
The storm, which struck a week ago today, has left the people shocked, homeless and unsure of what to do next.
Cooper Henry, a school teacher from Northern Effate, said the people were catching and eating flying foxes and birds.
-ABC news
THE foreign ministers of China, Japan and South Korea have met for their first talks in three years.
The meeting in Seoul is thought to have focused on ways to ease tensions over territorial and diplomatic disputes.
The ministers agreed to organise a “trilateral summit” for their leaders “at the earliest convenient time”.
The three states have strong economic ties but relations still suffer from unresolved issues dating back to Japan’s actions in World War Two.
South Korea’s Yun Byung-se welcomed Fumio Kishida from Japan and Wang Yi from China to South Korea’s capital on Saturday.
Foreign ministers from the three countries last met in April 2012, for their sixth annual trilateral meeting.
It was cancelled the following year after Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe angered China and South Korea by visiting a shrine that honours Japan’s war dead, including a number of senior war criminals.
Both countries have accused Tokyo of failing to adequately atone for aggression in World War Two, including its wartime use of sex slaves, known euphemistically as “comfort women”.
They also accuse Japan of whitewashing wartime atrocities in schoolbooks.
Following the meeting, Mr Yun said the three sides had agreed to “strengthen trilateral co-operation” in “the spirit of looking squarely at history and moving forward to the future”.
Reiterating China’s position, Mr Wang said: “The war has been over for 70 years, but the problem with history remains a present issue, not an issue of the past.”
Analysts say the leaders’ meeting is unlikely to come before ceremonies to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of World War Two, as China and South Korea will want to see how Japan marks the occasion.
The BBC’s Steve Evans in Seoul says differences do remain but the anger of three years ago has cooled, so the meeting is a tentative step back towards formal dialogue.
The poor relationship between Japan and South Korea has become a concern for the US, which sees the two countries as its main military allies in Asia.
Last week, US Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Russel described the tension between its “two friends” as a “strategic liability”.
Saturday’s meeting comes just days after China and Japan held their first high-level security talks in four years.
ABOUT 300 people have been arrested in the Indian state of Bihar, authorities say, after reports emerged of blatant cheating in school exams.
Parents and friends of students were photographed climbing school walls to pass on answers.
Many of those arrested were parents. At least 750 students have been expelled.
An estimated 1.4m students are taking their school leaving exams in Bihar alonetests seen as crucial for their chances of a successful career.
The authorities have clearly been embarrassed by the
cheating, the BBC’s Jill McGivering says, with the episode prompting ridicule on social media.
Students were seen copying answers from smuggled-in note sheets, and police posted outside test centres were even seen being bribed to look the other way.
On top of the arrests, in four centres further exams have been cancelled.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar condemned the cheating but said the images were not the “whole story” of his state.
He warned parents that helping their children cheat
would only harm them in the long run.
State Education Minister PK Shahi said it would be difficult to conduct fair exams without help from parents, given the potential number of people involved.
“Three to four people helping a single student would mean that there is a total of six to seven million people helping students cheat,” he said.
“Is it the responsibility of the government alone to manage such a huge number of people and to conduct a 100% free and fair examination?”
-BBC news
AN award known as “the Nobel Prize for water” has been given to an Indian campaigner who has brought water to 1,000 villages.
The judges of the Stockholm Water Prize say his methods have also prevented floods, restored soil and rivers, and brought back wildlife.
The prize-winner, Rajendra Singh, is dubbed “the Water Man of India”.
The judges say his technique is cheap, simple, and that his ideas should be followed worldwide.
Mr Singh uses a modern version of the ancient Indian technique of rainwater harvesting.
It involves building low-level banks of earth to hold back the flow of water in the wet season and allow water to seep into the ground for future use.
He first trained as a medic, but when he took up a post in a rural village in arid Rajasthan he was told the greatest need was not health care but drinking water.
Groundwater had been sucked dry by farmers, and as water disappeared, crops failed, rivers, forests and wildlife disappeared and people left for the towns.
“When we started our work, we were only looking at the drinking water crisis and how to solve that,” Mr Singh said.
“Today our aim is higher. This is the century of exploitation, pollution and encroachment. To stop all this, to convert the war on water into peace, that is my life’s goal.”
The Stockholm International Water Institute, which presented the prize, said his lessons were essential as climate change alters weather patterns round the world.
Its director, Torgny Holmgren, said: “In a world where demand for freshwater is booming, we will face a severe water crisis within decades if we do not learn how to better take care of our water. Mr Singh is a beacon of hope.”
In its citation, the judges say: “Today’s water problems cannot be solved by science or technology alone. They are human problems of governance, policy, leadership, and social resilience.
“Rajendra Singh’s life work has been in building social capacity to solve local water problems. -BBC news
MULTIPLE suicide bombings, claimed by the Islamic State group, killed at least 142 people on Friday at Shiite mosques in Yemen’s capital - one of the strife-torn country’s deadliest ever jihadist attacks.
The killings were the first claimed by IS in Yemen and represent a strong show of force by the group in a country where rival Al-Qaeda is the most prominent jihadist organisation, and which reacted by saying it would not attack mosques.
Charred bodies and pools of blood were seen at the site of the blasts, which targeted supporters of the Huthi Shiite militia that had seized control of the capital Sanaa.
Worshippers rushed the wounded to hospitals in pick-up trucks, while others removed mutilated bodies.
One suicide bomber struck inside Badr mosque in southern Sanaa while another targeted worshippers as they fled outside, witnesses said.
A third suicide bomber targeted Al-Hashush mosque in northern Sanaa, while a fourth struck outside the mosque, according to the Saba news agency, which is now controlled by the Huthis.
Nashwan al-Atab, a member of the health ministry’s operations committee, said 142 people were killed and at least 351 wounded.
Huthi TV said hospitals had made urgent appeals for blood donations.
The imam of the Badr mosque was among the dead, a medical source said.
Another suicide bomber blew himself up outside a mosque in the northern Huthi stronghold of Saada, a source close to the militia said.
Only the assailant was killed, and tight security at the mosque prevented the bomber from going inside, the source added. -ABC news
THREE brothers of former Thai princess Srirasmi Suwadee are the latest members of her family to be imprisoned for defaming the monarchy.
Natthapol, Narong and Sitthisak Suwadee were jailed for five-and-a-half years. Their parents were sentenced on similar charges last week.
Srirasmi separated from Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn and relinquished her royal title in Decem-
ber 2014. Thailand’s strict lese majeste laws protect senior royals from insult.
At least seven relatives of the former princess have been arrested and accused of corruption and lese majeste since her downfall.
Srirasmi’s brothers pleaded guilty to the charges, which also included theft and illegal detention.
Her uncle, a former police general, has been accused of
amassing vast wealth through smuggling and gambling rackets.
Srirasmi, the prince’s third wife, married him in 2001 and they have one son.
Thailand’s 87-yearold King Bhumibol is the world’s longestserving monarch.
Critics of the country’s lese majeste law say it restricts free speech and is used to silence political opposition.
-BBC news
WESTERN powers negotiating an agreement with Iran on its nuclear activity will not accept “a bad deal”, UK Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond says.
Ministers from France, Germany, and the UK along with the US Secretary of State met in London amid increased urgency to reach agreement by the end of March.
Six world powers want to ensure that Iran cannot develop nuclear weapons - something it denies doing.
Earlier, Iran’s president spoke positively about reaching agreement.
“There is nothing that cannot be resolved,” although some differences still remain, Iranian state media quoted President Hassan Rouhani as saying.
Mr Rouhani said that in the current round of talks in Lausanne, Switzerland, “shared points of view emerged in some of the areas where there had been a difference of opinion” and these could become “a foundation for a final agreement”.
Speaking after Saturday’s talks in London, Mr Hammond said: “We will not do a bad deal that does not meet our red lines.”
An official statement from the meeting said: “We agreed that substantial progress had been made (with Iran) in key areas although there are still important issues on which no agreement has yet been possible.
“Now is the time for Iran, in particular, to take difficult decisions.”
The four powers, along with China and Russia, make up the so-called P5+1 which is negotiating with Iran to scale back sensitive nuclear activities in return for an easing of international economic sanctions.
Both Iran and the Western powers have set themselves deadlines of 31 March for a political framework agreement and 30 June for a final deal.
US Secretary of State John Kerry also said that “substantial progress” had been made in the talks although “important gaps” remained.
Mr Kerry flew to London from Switzerland and will return there to resume talks with Iran next week. -BBC news
THE Tunisian government has released footage showing gunmen walking through the Bardo museum during the attack that killed 25 people on Wednesday.
At one point it shows the two attackers bumping into another man who is allowed to flee after the brief encounter.
Authorities said they had arrested more suspects in connection with the attack in the capital, Tunis. -BBC news
TERRORISTS have done a lot of harm to the tourism industry in Kenya, but one group of travellers has not been put off – sex tourists.
Paul Adhoch heads the United Nations aid agency Trace Kenya, which battles the trafficking of children.
He believes sex tourists in Kenya are creating a crisis.
“They are not relaxing at some beach or enjoying the wildlife,” Mr Adhoch told the ABC’s 7.30 program.
“They are, specifically, deep in the communities, in poverty stricken areas look-
ing for sex — nothing else.”
The port city of Mombasa has been a centre of trade for hundreds of years and is now a hotspot for underage prostitution.
Trace Kenya estimates there could be as many as 40,000 child sex workers in the city, and the trade extends up and down the coast to the seaside resort towns of Malindi and Diani.
Mr Adhoch believes there is a community of paedophiles informing one another.
“I think there is a network and they believe that you
can get sex with children,” he said. “And I also believe that quite a number of these travellers — the wazungu (white men) come here for sex, for sex tourism.”
The centre of this trade is Mtwapa, a small community just outside the city centre of Mombasa.
It looks like many other poverty stricken towns dotted across east Africa. There are bars with plastic chairs and dirt floors, and corrugated iron shacks selling choma, meat roasted over a charcoal fire.
-ABC news
THOUSANDS of people have gathered at Mont SaintMichel in northern France to watch what has been billed as the high tide of the century wash around the picturesque landmark.
The exceptionally high spring tide, swollen by a so-called supermoon effect linked to the solar eclipse on Friday, was predicted to cut off the island from the mainland with a wall of water as high as a four-storey building. But the tidal surge was not as high as the 14.15 metres expected, and a tiny sliver of causeway no more than a
few metres wide resisted the surge of water pushed by the Moon’s gravitational pull on the sea.
Saturday’s tide on the long, sloping estuary of the River Couesnon could, however, go higher, although scientists said low air pressure might have lessened the phenomenon. The bay on the coast of Normandy has some of the strongest tides in the world.
Police had difficulty holding back crowds eager to get a picture of the scene in the final minutes before the surge on Friday evening, with the tourist hotspot lit up as night
fell with 60 spotlights for the occasion.
Even before dawn, tourists from France and the world over - Japanese, Germans and Belgians in particular - were on the bridge leading up to Mont Saint Michel, a site visited by three million people a year.
French foreign minister
Laurent Fabius and defence minister Jean-Yves Le Drian were also among the curious.
In the bay of Mont SaintMichel, as the saying goes, the sea rises “at the speed of a galloping horse”. -ABC
THE jailed Kurdish rebel leader Abdullah Ocalan has renewed a call for his fighters to end their armed struggle in Turkey.
In a message read out at a huge rally marking the Kurdish new year, Ocalan called for a congress to decide on abandoning the insurgency.
His Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) has been waging a 30-year armed struggle for Kurdish independence.
He called a ceasefire in 2013 and there are growing hopes of a long-term deal.
More than 40,000 people, mostly Kurds, have died in fighting for a Kurdish homeland in Turkey’s south-east.
Ocalan has been in prison since 1999, serving a life sentence for treason.
His message was delivered instead by Sirri Sureyya Onder, a pro-Kurdish politician who visited Ocalan in jail on Thursday.
Hundreds of thousands attended the celebration in Diyarbakir, the largest Kurdish-populated city in eastern Turkey, with many carrying images of the imprisoned leader.
A ceasefire announced by Ocalan in 2013 still holds despite ongoing mistrust between the two sides.
Stumbling blocks remain. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan angered some Kurds by saying the country “never had a Kurdish problem”.
Turkey is facing parliamentary elections later this year, with analysts suggesting Mr Erdogan’s comments were an attempt to shore-up nationalist support. -BBC news
A SOLAR eclipse has provided a spectacular sight for some across northern Europe and in remote Arctic islands, though many were left disappointed with cloudy skies blocking views.
Millions waited in Europe, as well as parts of Africa and Asia, where a partial eclipse was visible.
A full eclipse could be viewed from the remote archipelagos of Svalbard and the Faroe Islands, where observers were plunged into daytime darkness for more than two minutes.
The phenomenon occurs when the moon totally or partially blocks out the sun. -ABC news
stars
ARIES
March 20 - April 19
Because last Friday’s eclipsed New Moon took place in the most strategic portion of your chart, by and large you could do little more than observe and comment on events. Frustrating as this was at the time, looking back you’re grateful, since what youÕd have done would only have complicated matters.
TAURUS
April 20 - May 19
Even if you don’t follow the planets’ movements in detail, you’ll still have noticed the improvement in both your mood and confidence triggered by last week’s move by your ruler Venus into Taurus. Although it may boost your spirits, alas, even this won’t make those unsettling events you’re facing vanish.
GEMINI
May 21 - June 20
The past week or so has been busy, enough you’ve had to make decisions, often without thinking things through. Fortunately the current somewhat slower pace will give you a chance to review those arrangements and catch the details you missed. Don’t put this off. There’s more to deal with than you realise.
CANCER
LEO
June 21 - July 21
Welcome as the past weeks’ exciting ideas and offers have been, you were hoping to get things organised. While, obviously, that’s appealing, it won’t be until after the second of the current pair of eclipses takes place, at the end of next week, that things will be settled enough to make plans.
July 22 - August 22
On occasion you read about how easy it is to flatter a Leo, have a laugh and forget it. Now, however, it seems somebody is trying to use exactly that method to take advantage of you. And they’re doing a good job of it. Hopefully you’ll see past their manipulations before it’s too late.
August 23 - September 22
New and exciting ideas create one variety of stress. Another, and one that’s more familiar to you, as a Virgo, is the pressure you live with, all day, every day. Learning how to undo this isn’t easy. Still, the first step is the recognition it would be a good idea.
LIBRA
September 23 - October 22
As a Libra, you have an amazing instinct for when it’s the moment to raise tricky issues and, equally, when it’s best to say nothing. Yet because your perspective is overshadowed by the current tense planetary setup, you’re better off sticking to social chitchat and saving any serious discussions for later.
October 23 - November 22
It would be no surprise if you were still analysing recent changes, about which you had virtually no say. Obviously this did not make you happy. Yet even now, you’re recognising these aren’t just timely, they’re in your best interests. The more involved with these you get, the clearer this will be.
November 23 - December 22
Nothing can undermine the power of the series of alliances between your ruler Jupiter and Uranus, last year, in early March and in late June. Still, these alone can’t eliminate the issues raised by the resulting dramatic changes. Deal with these swiftly, knowing they’re part of the bigger picture.
December 21 - January 19
Having watched others allow mere words to upset them in the past, you vowed to steel yourself against that particular variety of vulnerability. Yet it seems issues somebody raised recently got to you. Analyse this. You’ll soon recognise whether they were being provocative or, as is likely, said something worth thinking about.
January 20 - February 17
Although you enjoy a lively exchange of ideas, you take no pleasure in forcing issues to the point others are uncomfortable, if not upset. Yet certain individuals do, and could try to goad you on. If so, say no, and firmly. They may think it’s fun, but you never will.
February 18 - March 19
Every sign was influenced by the recent eclipsed New Moon but because it was in your sign, obviously it will have had a more powerful impact. While, initially, this will have focused on your emotions and certain arrangements, you’ll soon find events encourage you to undertake an extensive, and timely, review.
WE, the Batari and Tade families of Late DOROTHY TADE BATARI convey our heartfelt thank you to individuals, families and groups, too numerous to list, who supported us during our time of grief.
To all you:
relatives, family friends more particularly in; NCD, Goroka, Madang, Lae, Alotau, ENB, WNB, Kimbe, Talasea, Hoskins, Bialla and Ulamona, NCD Nakanai group, Colleagues of Justice Batari and Dr. Tade, NJSS Staff, lawyers, public servants, Buvussi Oil Palm Settlers, Section 21 Kimbe and Henao Drive neighbours, Lakiamata Prison, NBPOL staff, UC Congregations of Rev Sioni Kami Memorial Church, Kimbe Urban Church, Gavuvu Village and Galilo Combined Choir,
Thank you. We truly appreciate and are deeply moved by your unreserved expression of love and support by way of donations in cash or kind, personal visitations, condolences and tributes via phone calls, emails and cards. We are also overwhelmed by the unprecedented multitude which graced Dorothy’s funeral service and the hauskrai particularly, by those who had travelled from afar to attend.
thank you for your love, your kindness and your support.
We know that our beloved ever-smiling Dorothy would have been quietly humbled and deeply touched as we are, by the outpouring of love and support from everyone who paid your respects one way or another.
By this note, we kindly invite you to join us end the hauskrai with feasting and distribution of food on Saturday 28 March, 2015 from 9.00am at the family residence at Melo, Gavuvu Village, Hoskins, WNBP.
Contact:Eremas Batari Mb: 71239313/72632993
Priscilla Tade Mb: 70746383/73330453
Thank you again. God Bless you all.
•Field Based Position ● Excellent Terms and Conditions
Oil Search is one of the ASX s top performing companies’ amongst the 25 largest by market capitalization, and PNG s leading oil and gas producer. We are at an exciting crossroad in our history with the delivery of the world-scale liquefied natural gas project and pursuing new opportunities in the Middle East and North Africa.
The Oil Search Aviation Department is looking to recruit a qualified and experienced Aviation Fuel Facilities Co-ordinator, based in Moro, Oil Search’s Logistics hub and reporting to the Aviation Logistics Coordinator. The successful candidate’s prime responsibility is to support the Aviation Logistics Coordinator and the Aviation Logistics Supervisor in the maintenance of safe and efficient aviation operations across the prject area through the provision of high quality aviation fuel from various locations across the project Area.
The position is also responsible for ensuring the maintenance and delivery of clean air-delivered diesel fuel into the field. It also provides a coordination role for maintenance, inspection and services of aviation fuel systems that meets compliance and Aviation regulatory standards at Moro, Hides, Gobe and Kopi.
To be considered you must meet these Key Criteria:
Minimum Grade 12 education qualification and preferably have some trade background in mechanical engineering.
A minimum of 5 years or more experience in the Aviation industry
At least 5 years of supervisory or management experience
Have sound knowledge and experience of managing and handling JET A1 fuel,
Have basic understanding of the ASTM standards,
Have sound understanding of Aviation fuel quality requirements (JIG),
Have some experience in the petroleum or fuel industry with some level of exposure in the Aviation industry
Have a strong safety focus
Have sound problem analysis and problem solving skills
Have a high degree of organisational skill in planning work.
Have very good communication and interpersonal skills
Have sound working knowledge of using MS Office Suite; email outlook, Word, Excel,
Be a self starter and be highly motivated,
If you would like to be a part of a diverse and multicultural team, we invite you to apply
To apply, send your cover letter, an updated resume with relevant job experiences, and contact details of three referees to R01092 to the Recruitment Manager at rpng@airenergi.com
Applications close: Tuesday 7 April 2015.
Traisa Transport Ltd is a fast growing freight logistics company and a leader in the transportation of Dangerous goods, fuel and general cargo from Lae to the Highlands Region.
The company currently has vacancy for a Company Lawyer. Reporting to the Management, the successful applicant will have the following skills and qualifications;
Remuneration
time of interview.
The Human Resources Department
Traisa Transport Ltd
Email: hradmin@traisa.com.pg
MARTIN Guptill unleashed one of the great one-day international innings on Saturday to send New Zealand thundering into the Cricket World Cup semifinals.
Guptill’s unbeaten 237 off 163 balls, the second-highest score in ODI history, dominated a 143-run thrashing of the hapless West Indies in their quarter-final in Wellington.
THE confrontation that accompanied a duel likely to be remembered as the most memorable of the World Cup, between Wahab Riaz and Shane Watson, has triggered fines for both from the ICC.
The ICC said on Friday night that the Pakistan fast bowler and Australia allrounder had been charged for their conduct in the quarter-final at Adelaide Oval.
The penalties were announced on Saturday: Riaz 50 per cent of his match fee, Watson 15 per cent of his. The penalty for the Pakistani was the maximum allowed for a level-one charge.
Watson is renowned for
delighting in on-field sledging of opponents, a far cry from his off-field persona.
On this occasion, however, the confrontation was triggered by the actions of Riaz, who when batting earlier became enraged when bowler Mitch Starc mockingly suggested he attempt to hit the ball.
The first delivery from Riaz to Watson was a searing bouncer, after which the left-armer ran past Watson to the other end of the pitch.
After the second delivery - rated at 150km/h - which Watson declined to play a shot at, Riaz approached him and mock clapped him.
Riaz’s temper worsened when he tempted Watson into a pull shot that he top edged, only for Rahat Ali to fumble what should have
been a simple catch.
Watson was on four. The Australia all-rounder went on to score 64 not out to guide his team to a sixwicket victory, passing Pakistan’s total of 213 with 97 balls to spare.
Late in the match he dispatched Riaz, who was flagging after a phenomenal six-over opening spell, to and over the boundary with decisive shots.
This prompted Riaz to renew his verbal attack on Watson, who in response simply smiled back at him.
The exchange that led to the fining of both players occurred just before the end of the match.
According to the ICC, it arose in the 33rd over “when Watson ignored the umpires’ instructions and
verbally engaged with Riaz, who, at the end of the over, followed through towards the batsman and used aggressive and abusive language”. Watson was charged with conduct contrary to the spirit of the game, Riaz with using language that is obscene, offensive or insulting.
A hearing was not required as both players accepted the charge against them, and the resulting penalty.
Match referee Ranjan Madugalle defended the disciplinary action against the pair. “It was an enthralling contest between Shane and Wahab, but in the closing stages of the match both players crossed that fine line between intense competition and unacceptable behaviour, and this resulted
WORLD CUP CRICKET
INDIA on Thursday night duly completed its part in setting up a potential semi-final showdown with Australia, seeing off a Bangladesh outfit that was disciplined, at times dangerous and a little unlucky with the ball, yet which still cowered in the face of a target that, like its opponent, was too big to tame.
A 109-run defeat wasn’t a fair reflection of Bangladesh’s wholehearted bowling approach to the first knockout World Cup contest in its history. India, meanwhile, will take heart in still amassing 302 despite being becalmed for half of its innings, and in its transformed fielding and the continued ability of its bowlers to take wickets.
Captain M.S. Dhoni had won the toss and declared his intent matter of factly: big match, good wicket, bat first, put runs on the board.
The assignment proved more complicated than simply joining the dots, and if not for a slow-burn century from opener
Rohit Sharma and a matchturning partnership with Suresh Raina, Bangladesh’s ask would have been far more reasonable.
Masrafe Bin Mortaza – who captained inventively before losing his patience as the overthrows and misfields mounted – might have felt Rohit made 47 more than he should have (in quick time, too) after a catch in the deep when he was 90 was denied by umpire Aleem Dar for a waist-high full toss. Closer examination by the third umpire – as now routinely happens for front-foot indiscretions – may well have sent Rohit on his way.
The small margins invariably went against Bangladesh, with Raina surviving Masrafe’s referral of a leg before appeal off his own bowling by the width of a single stitch on the seam.
Later, Tamim Iqbal’s slashing start to the run chase was ended by a Dhoni catch that only just carried, and Mahmudullah fell to a triple-juggled Shikhar Darwan effort at fine leg in
which the fielder’s foot avoided the boundary edging by a hair’s breadth. Rubel Hossain embodied Bangladesh’s performance of promise followed by pain. Impressive all tournament, his fast, aggressive bowling inspired a mid-innings squeeze, softening Dhawan up for Sakib Al Hasan to remove at the other end, then claiming the prize scalp of Virat Kohli.
India’s premier batsman had averaged 126 from six previous outings against Bangladesh. Rubel tempted him to follow an outswinger, then had to be restrained by teammates lest he follow Kohli all the way to the boundary in jubilant celebration.
Cricket can turn on you in a flash, and after a first spell of 1-14 off six overs Rubel was punished upon his return, finishing with 1-56 from 10. Rohit and Raina put on 122 between the 28th and 44th overs, bringing a free-scoring familiarity to an innings that didn’t boast a 10-run over through the first 30.
in the sanctions,” he said.
Riaz explained after the match that Watson had, like Starc, been mocking him during the Pakistan innings.
“When I was batting, Watson just came up to me and said, ‘Are you holding a bat?’ And that was going through my mind,” Riaz explained after the match to ESPNcricinfo. “I let him know that even he is having the bat, but he couldn’t touch the ball.
“I know that nowadays, he’s not good on the short ball. It was a plan of myself that we discussed in the team meeting.”
The spell of Riaz was rated by Australia captain Michael Clarke as “as good as I’ve faced in one-day cricket for a long time”.
It sets up the unbeaten Black Caps for a semi-final showdown with South Africa on Tuesday in Auckland.
Batting through New Zealand’s 6-393, Guptill thrashed 137 off his last 52 balls, having reached his seventh ODI ton off a comparatively sedate 111 deliveries.
The West Indies threw caution to the wind in response, dismissed for 250 off 30.3 overs in their last act of an erratic tournament.
Hobbling opener Chris Gayle, recalled despite obvious pain in his back, topscored with 61 off 33 balls, highlighted by 48 of his runs coming in sixes.
Trent Boult was comfortably the game’s best bowler. Unchanged with the new ball, he took 4-44 to go top of the tournament wickettaking list on 19, one ahead of another left-arm seamer, Australian Mitchell Starc (18).
The other highlight in the field belonged to 36-year-old Daniel Vettori, who turned back the clock with a nonchalant leaping one-handed catch on the third-man boundary to remove Marlon Samuels.
However, the day belonged to the remarkable Guptill, who surpassed Gayle’s 215 against Zimbabwe last month in Canberra as the highest at a World Cup.
The 28-year-old also bettered his own previous New Zealand record of 189 not out against England in Southampton two years ago.
Only India’s Rohit Sharma has scored more, plundering 264 against Sri Lanka in Kolkata last year.
The match was played in front of a raucous, sold-out crowd of 30,268.
THE BAD news for Parramatta Eels fans is the blue and gold outfit face premiers South Sydney on Friday night.
The silver lining to the Eels slumping of the club’s second loss of the season to New Zealand Warriors was the blowout scoreline they avoided after trailing 28-0 in the second half.
The alarm bells were blaring early for the Eels when Warriors backrower Ryan Hoffman scored a soft try down a short blind side inside the opening four minutes, sending the home side to a 6-0 lead.
The Warriors made it 10-0 inside nine minutes when centre Solomone Kata powered across and extended the lead to 16-0 after 17 minutes when fellow centre Tuimoala Lolohea added the score for New Zealand’s third try.
Warriors halfback Chad Townsend then set Manu Vatuvei up for a 22-0 scoreline leading into half-time before standard programming resumed in the second half.
BRISBANE was brilliant. The Cowboys were catastrophic.
The Queensland derby became a Broncos belting on Friday night as Wayne Bennett’s men hit the sublime touch Brisbane fans enjoyed in the club’s glory days with the mother of all beatings for North Queensland.
It was 32-6 at half-time to the Broncos and the night never got much better for the winless Cowboys, with the final score 44-22 Brisbane’s biggest win over their fierce rivals since their 36-2 win at Suncorp Stadium in 2008.
Brisbane scored six first half tries, eight for the match, with seven individual tryscorers bringing the crowd
of 40,047 to absolute delight after the disappointment of the season opening defeat to South Sydney.
There was much promise about the Broncos performance. Prime movers like halves Anthony Milford and Ben Hunt found some cohesion and creativity, while fullback Jordan Kahu showed slick hands to set up Lachlan Maranta for a first half double.
It was hard to gauge how strong the performance was by the Broncos though because the Cowboys were so deplorable. But you can put a line through the Cowboys for another year. On Friday night’s evidence they’re no premiership contenders. No team in the modern era
A REMARKABLE come-frombehind victory on Saturday night ended a bitter social media campaign calling for mass sackings at St George Illawarra with the Dragons staging a stunning salvage mission to end their winless season start.
Mitch Reign became the saviour angry Dragon’s fans had demanded in an unprecedented reaction to back-to-back losses when the St George Illawarra hooker burst through to score a 50m solo try to shock Ricky Stuart’s Raiders 22-20 in Canberra.
“Save our Saints’’ banners were replaced by “Hail Mary’’ signs as emotional travelling fans celebrated the win at GIO Stadium after the Dragons fought back from 18-0 down to steal a win that has given them hope.
Dragons coach Paul McGregor called for patience from the fans — who incredibly went from booing players as
they assembled in the in goal area while Jarrod Crocker took a 52nd penalty goal to applauding them as they left the field.
“You can understand the fans disappointment,’’ McGregor said.
The Dragons looked certain for another dramatic week that would have seen calls for CEO Peter Doust to be sacked when the Raiders screamed to an 18-0 lead after Josh Hodgson, Iosi Soliola, and Blake Austin scored tries in a 19 minute blitz.
has ever started the regular season with three straight losses and come back to win the premiership. Only two teams in 108 years of rugby league history have achieved that feat, the last team being South Sydney in 1953.
The Cowboys path ahead gets no easier with Melbourne at home next week followed by away trips to likely top four contenders Penrith and South Sydney. They could easily be 0-6 if they don’t find a formula to get out of this funk.
Coach Paul Green would’ve torn paint off the walls with his half-time address, his team committing errors you’d expect from a team headed for a wooden spoon not aiming for a top four finish.
Two simple one-on-one
tackles gifted Brisbane their opening two tries before the floodgates were truly ripped open late in the first half.
Four tries in the last 13 minutes completely dismantled a shocked Cowboys outfit as Brisbane turned on a bit of razzle dazzle, none more so than Kahu, whose lightning quick hands put winger Maranta over twice in quick succession.
Tamou, promoted to the starting side with Ben Hannant pushed to the bench, endured a dire night, falling off tackles and not making the same impact Cowboys fans had come to expect from a man once considered the top prop in the game. Even with Brisbane’s best front rower Josh McGuire
leaving the game with concussion in the first half, North Queensland was unable to establish any dominance up front and Matt Scott ended the night on report for a high shot on Adam Blair.
By the end of a dreadful night not one Cowboys forward had run for more than 100m and the team had missed 33 tackles and produced 10 errors.
Cowboys skipper Jonathan Thurston had been in the headlines for the way he was targeted by Newcastle last week, but the champion halfback never imposed himself on the contest. The reality was Thurston was never given a chance playing behind a forward pack that were more than disappointing.
A Townsend chip kick for Warriors centre Kata allowed the home side to power to a 28-0 scoreline before the Eels dug in and rallied to score the next 16 points.
Parramatta rallied courtesy of back-to-back tries to Brad Takairangi and David Gower in the second half before a long-range Reece Robinson try made the scoreline 28-16 with 17 minutes remaining.
The Warriors had a chance to seal the game with a Shaun Johnson penalty goal in the 68th minute, only for the Test halfback and Golden Boot winner to hit the goalpost.
But the Kiwi no 7 then put the game beyond doubt with a field goal five minutes from full-time, making the final scoreline 29-16.
MELBOURNE Storm found its ruthlessness and rediscovered some attacking flair in a 36-18 demolition of Cronulla at AAMI Park on Saturday night.
Unlucky to drop last week’s game against Manly, Melbourne piled on six tries to Cronulla’s two in a solid showing in front of 13,015 fans.
There is still plenty of room for improvement, but there was enough for Storm fans to get excited about.
What they didn’t like was another lopsided penalty count with Cronulla winning 13 penalties to Melbourne’s seven.
The left-side attack was superb with Blake Green, Tohu Harris, Kurt Mann and winger Marika Koroibete proving a deadly combination.
Harris, who scored two tries, was particularly damaging and looks to have embraced his new starting backrow spot following the departure of Ryan Hoffman.
So often last season it was Cooper Cronk linking up with Kevin Proctor or Will Chambers on the right side.
In fact, Cronk often played both sides of the field. But Green looks to have solved the club’s five-eighth problem and Saturday night was the proof.
Four out of Melbourne’s six tries for the night were scored down the left side.
Melbourne had won eight out of their
past nine matches against the Sharks and started Saturday night’s match on a strong note.
Harris spotted a gap in the defence and charged his way over in the 12th minute for the opener. It was then time for Cronk’s first try of the season.
The star halfback scored off his own cross-field kick with Marika Koroibete knocking it back to Mann before the centre passed to a charging Cronk.
Melbourne were in again not long after with a confident Harris scoring his
second try. It was a replica of his first try with the big New Zealand international barging his away over against a suddenly fragile Cronulla defence.
Melbourne were tested late in the half with a string of penalties against it to give the Sharks strong field position.
The pressure finally told with halfback Jeff Robson scoring the visitors’ opening try just before half-time.
The Sharks were able to add two consolation tries to restore some pride.
ten teams from NSW, three teams from Queensland, and one team each from Victoria, ACT and New Zealand.
TWENTY of an extended squad of 50 players get an optimum chance to impress newly appointed Papua New Guinea men’s Under 23 coach Ricki Herbert.
The list of players were finalised following a five-day camp at the PNGFA Academy in Lae last week.
The PNG team will take part in two friendly matches against Solomon Islands Under 23 team on Thursday (March 26) and Sunday (March 29) at the Lawson Tama Stadium in Honiara. This will allow for Herbert and his coaching staff to single out players for consideration for the July XV Pacific Games.
Herbert, a former New Zealand All Whites player and coach who spent a week with the players at the Academy, will get to see for the first time how the players handle match conditions against a team they may face during the Games as well.
All players named except for Felix Komolong are currently playing in the elite Telikom National Soccer League competition.
Assisting Herbert are assistant coaches Milan Miric and Reginald Davani, the team manager is former national coach Wesley Waiwai. Also included in the travelling party will be a kit manager and physiotherapist.
The team leaves for Honiara tomorrow.
The PNG U23 men’s soccer team: Charles Lepani – FC Pom, Ismael Pole – Hekari United (goal-keepers), Joshua Talau, Otto Kusunan – Besta United, Abel Redenut – FC Pom (defenders), Billy Nadramen – Admiralty, Felix Komolong – Madang, Ayrton Yagas - FC Pom, John RayBesta United (centre-backs), Rodney Mobiha – Admiralty, Darren Steven - Madang, Freddy Steven - Besta United, Alwin Komolong - Madang, Jacob Sabua - Oro, Nathan James - Besta United (centre-midfielders), Tommy Sammy, Emmanuel Airem – Hekari United, Pettyshen ElijahAdmiralty, Patrick Aisa-Oro, Papalau Awele, Emmanuel Yawi - Besta United (forwards).
BY FRANKIY KAPIN
THE 2015 Trukai Fun Run is providing 5,000 more shirts than in 2014 with an extra 100,000.
This was announced during the annual Fun Run auction on Thursday in Lae.
The Lae auction netted over K300,000 for shirts bought off by various business houses and companies in Lae for elementary, primary, high schools, code and Fode, vocational, secondary and tertiary institutions in Morobe province.
A total of 48 education institutions listed were auctioned and will receive the K300,000 worth of shirts to participate in the Lae event.
President of PNG Olympic Committee (PNGOC) Sir John Dawanicura said the outcome was the best for Lae,
THE Papua New Guinea swimming team preparing for the XV Pacific Games received a financial windfall of K80,000 from their major sponsor, Bank of South Pacific, towards forthcoming programs in what is expected to be a busy year.
PNG Swimming Inc president Liz Wells said their relationship with BSP has blossomed since 2002 and they are eternally grateful for the continued support towards swimming development.
“It basically allows our swimmers the opportunity to improve and develop into better swimmers,” she said.
“We have an exciting year ahead and with BSP’s continued support our swimmers are able to progress through national and international competition,” she added.
The PNG Swimming elite train-on squad will be leaving for a five day training camp in Australia as part of their Pacific Games preparation.
an unprecedented success accorded to reputable companies such as Mapai, Traisa, Papindo, Ela Motors and Air Niugini to name a few.
Sir John commended the games partners who are focused with the Government in pumping billions of kina to fulfil the Games on July 4-18.
He said the one thing that is significant is the repetition of history in the making for the Pacific Games held in PNG, that is faced with the grim outlook of facilities yet to be completed.
“We will have overlays by May 31 when construction to games facilities is halted, but PNG is confident to deliver the Games,” he added.
As a major fundraiser for the PNG OC, this year’s event will coincide with the Pacific Games in Port Moresby on July 5, a day after the official opening.
ORO FC is back into the winners circle after defeating Besta FC 2-0 in the Telikom National Soccer main game in Port Moresby on Saturday.
Oro’s gamble to start game breaker Jacob Sabua off the bench paid off handsomely as he sparked a late attack and scored the sealer after catching Besta skipper Otto Kusunan off guard.
Besta had a lot of chances to score but their general play was compounded by the stubborn defence of Oro’s backline and clear man of the match Richard Lapan in the goal-mouth, who made several telling saves.
Both teams were held scoreless in the first half but the game swayed precariously midway into the second half after punishing attacks from Oro replacement striker Patrick Aisa down the leftflank. Aisa’s onslaught soon found match referee Noah Kusunan in a tight spot after awarding a penalty to Oro in the penalty box after Besta’s goal-keeper Gibson Jimmy looked to have purposely stuck out his right foot to either trap or fend himself from Aisa’s late challenge.
Aisa was closing in fast on the Besta goalmouth following a cross from Max Mendell but was caught out by Jimmy who held up his foot to protect himself catching Aisa awk-
VOLLEYBALL BY KILA NAO
VANATECH men and women sounded an early warning to other teams that they are more than prepared to kick a few butts this season.
They were impressive with wins in the opening round of the National Capital District Volleyball Vailima Cup challenge, at Murray Barracks courts on Saturday.
The new look Konedobu (Vanama) and Idubada Technical School merged side pulled the plugs against their opponents in both divisions.
In the women’s encounter, VanaTech managed to pounce on the under-strengthed Scorpions team with Nellie Lavari, Mouna Yangamali, Elvie Bae and Bala Babaga proving their worth. While youngsters, Joyce George and Helai Tom dominated with their strong attacking options to give them a two sets to one win (25-20, 22-25, 25-12).
The Scorpions looked unprepared despite fielding experienced players Like Mariana Walo, Dulcie Gima, Tina Alu, Jayne Gima, Sose Goasa, Vano Vagi (setter) and young Toua Vagi.
ORO FC goal-keeper Richard Lapan made several telling saves in the man of the match performance. Picture by MARK TALIAwardly. Kusunan came under the spotlight from PNGFA development franchise players who couldn’t believe the decision he made.
Mendell confidently swept the ball into the corner to take a handy 1-0 lead from the penalty spot. Play continued without much highlights as both teams struggled to find an inspiration to spark the match. Sabua who later came
in for Kohu Lien, brought fire into the game with his slick footwork and his combination along with Aisa proved the highlight.
Besta tried hard through Kusunan, Alex Kamen, Freddy Steven and Maskalau Pulung but Oro defenders in Junior Sasu, Kiwa Tepo and Lapan held the fort till the final whistle.
In the first game, Hekari’s
Tommy Semmy continued his scoring form with a goal in the 87th minute while Emmanuel Airem scored a double (13th and 75th minute) to defeat Admiralty 3-0.
While in Lae, Madang went prepared to take down Lae city dwellers but a Nigel Dabinyaba header in the final half broke the 2-2 deadlock to win 3-2.
The NSL will break this
weekend as Hekari heads off to Fiji tomorrow to begin their O-League Championships campaign via a trial match in the Solomon Islands.
The matches will resume on April 4 in Madang, with the hosts playing FC POM.
While in Port Moresby, Admiralty play Oro, then on April 5, Hekari United meets Besta United also in Port Moresby.
However, they held their heads up and played it cool to win the second, but failed to maintain their rhythm allowing the latter to wrap up the last set.
VanaTech also flogged MJ Electrical an easy 2-0 set, 2520 and 25-22 points that made it their day.
In the women’s other matches, Tina Numa’s Vailima girls won on forfeit against Grass Hoppers and again beat Scorpions 2-0 while U Mi Yet nailed Juma Thunders 2-0 with a 2520 and 25-16 score-line.
BY PETER SEVARA JR.
Earlier in the week, Lae raised the highest with K322,000 on Thursday.
Present at the event were the Pacific Games Ambassador in para-athlete Francis Kompaon and Commonwealth Gold weightlifting medalist Dika Toua.
Auctioneer Jim Robbins announced that the auction of jersey’s from their sponsors
in the Hunters and Queensland’s Cowboys will be held at a later date.
IBS was again one of the highest bidders of the night in the top five, while Gerehu Secondary High School received the highest bid of K10,000 from City Pharmacy
Limited (CPL). The Fun Run will be staged on July 5, prior to the start of the triathlon events during the XV Pacific Games.
PNG Olympic Committee (PNGOC) president Sir John Dawanicura said the funds raised this year will go to-
wards preparations for the Pacific Games as well as the Commonwealth Youth Games later in September.
2015 marks the 16th year of Trukai’s support of the Fun Run as well as the 32nd year since the event started.
In the men’s battle, VanaTech held out Scorpions with a 2-1 win through good play from Charlie Iru, Jason Nauga, Lahui Oni, Morea Solo and Jackson Lohia.
The stingers tried all the tricks with Loi Walo, Gereana Kila, Junior Koi, Kila Walo (setter) and Lindsay Solien, but were overshadowed due to lack of game time and training.
BANK South Pacific has continued its platinum sponsorship of K25,000 for the staging of the 40th National Game Fishing titles. The competition will be staged off the waters in Port Moresby during the Easter weekend (March 28 – April 5).
In addition, BSP will sponsor a K100,000 cash prize for the first angler that lands a marlin weighing 250 kg or more.
Tournament director Robert K O’Dea thanked BSP for their continued support and sponsorship, and the valued relationship that has blossomed since 2002.
BSP CEO Robin Fleming (left) hands over the cheque for K25,000 to tournament director Robert O’Dea
continuing
relationship into the future,”
BSP chief executive officer Robin Fleming said that BSP is excited to join this challenge this year and supporting the event that encourages growth in tour-
ism, sports and social events in Port Moresby and PNG.
The National Game Fishing Titles has become popular in the South Pacific, attracting anglers from around the country and overseas.
KONE Storms Gold’s Jonathan Goro scored a hat trick to defeat brother team, Kone Storm Blue 24-16 to take out the SP Port Moresby Rugby League Nines Cup at Murray Barracks Oval yesterday.
Goro scored once in the first half and twice in the second half to seal the victory.
The Gold team opened the scoreboard with a try to Michael Toare before teammate Jammie Mavoko added his four pointer. Blue pulled one back through Tony Korua before Goro scored the first of his three try effort to lead 14-6 at halftime with the conversion successful by Mavoko. Within a minute from the break, Goro scored to take the lead to 20.
But the Blue’s had answers in Mark Kerowa posting the first of his two four pointers to trail 20-10.
Goro added his third and stretched the scores to 24 but Kerowa added his last try only to trail 24-16 to the final whistle.
Kone Storms Gold collected K5000 for their efforts while the Blues received K2500, for a K7,500 windfall for the Konedobu-based club.
In the men’s Plate, winner Koiari Nagava held-off Vanagi Blacks 14-12 and received K2000, while Vanagi received K1500.
Konebada off-cuts won the Bowl after defeating Dobo Warriors 20-14 and got K1000 cash prize while Dobo settled for K500.
In the women’s, Royals beat Butterflies 10-4 for the Cup and a K1500 cash prize, while Butterflies settled for K600.
Defence got the Plate and K500 cash after defeating Kone Tigers 10-8 while the Tigers received K300. The Bowl was awarded to Kone Storms after defeating Tarangau 8-4.
KELEONE Rugby League (KRL) enter the third week of their pre-season matches at Wagula Park, Maopa, along the Aroma Coast in Central Province.
KRL president Vagi Ia said their pre-season matches will end with the finals on Friday, before they get the season proper underway for the A grade, B grade and Under 19 division.
“Because we had the nines to create interest, all surrounding villages are now gearing up for the season ahead in the 13-aside competition,” Ia said.
The proper season will get underway on either April 1 or 3.
“We should have a good start to the season as all the clubs are keen to get our inaugural season off the ground,” he added.
Ia said that it is the first time that a league from the Aroma Coast has been registered with the Papua New Guinea Rugby Football League (PNGRFL) and they hope to progress with new developments with the new season.
He said the preseason matches got underway well with Brass Trackers beating Pelegai, Maopa Kwalu Ragarage edged out Thau Kwaluvouvou and Gaivakala was too good for Paramana.
“I HAVE done my part by managing to convince the executives and confederation presidents by ensuring my trust in them.
“So now we have to prove we can so that FIFA does not regret giving the opportunity for PNG to host,” he added.
Chung acknowledged the
THE SP Hunters succumbed to their first loss to East Tigers 14-8.
Playing under slippery conditions, the Hunters tried hard but couldn’t break a top defensive effort from the home-side at Langlands Park on Saturday.
The Tigers scored first when an overlapping pass found an unmarked Richie Kennar who scored in the corner.
The conversion from the sideline was unsuccessful by Shaun Nona for the Tigers to lead 4-0 after 17 minutes.
Hunters hit back through nippy Roger Laka with a little chip kick over the top to almost score, and
bid consent of Prime Minister Peter O’Neill and NEC, plus letters of guarantees from several government statutory bodies including the PNG Sports Foundation, that paved the way for the win.
“The National Government were able to see the huge opportunities that lie in wait,” he added.
“Their support gave me the motivation, courage and
determination to push for bid win,” he added.
Chung pulled off a coup that may not be rivalled for a long time yet.
Despite PNG having to challenge for the bid with Sweden, none of the FIFA executive committee which included all the confederation president’s, plus the UEFA president opposed the bid. All voted in favour
in a unanimous vote for PNG to be the first Pacific Island nation to play host to a World Cup tournament of this stature.
PNG is now only the second country in Oceania to host FIFA competitions apart from New Zealand, who has played host to two tournaments, plus Tahiti hosting the beach version of the game. Sixteen of the
then a cross field kick for Thompson Teteh in the next play saw him score in the corner to lock up the scores at 4-4 at half time.
Following the break, the Tigers lifted their game and the Hunters were on a backburner with a penalty right in front of the posts for Nona to convert successfully and lead 6-4 after 12 minutes into the second half.
Another slick backline movement by the Tigers see’s Mahe Fonua scoring in the corner for Nona to convert and the Tigers finding some breathing space with a 12-4 lead.
The Hunters tried hard and the efforts finally saw dividends
when Laka’s perfect grubber found Ase Boas pouncing on the ball going to score.
The conversion by Laka was unsuccessful for Hunters to trail 12-8.
As the minutes ticked over, the match got more physical with heavy exchanges, resulting in pushing and shoving.
With 20 minutes left on the clock, the Tigers were awarded a penalty with Nona again converting to lead 14-8.
The frantic last three minutes saw the Hunters looking to score but great defence by East’s held them out to full time.
top playing nations throughout the world will come to PNG with playing venues tentatively at this stage to be in Port Moresby, Lae and Kokopo. As hosts, PNG will also take part.
Reality has hit, and Chung who made that public commitment several years ago, has again proven a lot of critics wrong. The businessman from Lae and Mount Hagen
said he is nearing the end of his tenure and wanted to leave an ever lasting legacy.
And boy has he done so, carrying the extra title of being FIFA vice-president, by virtue of being one of six world confederation heads, does have its advantages.
Chung said the staging of a FIFA competition will be great for profiling the country.
DREAMS do come true.
Papua New Guinea is playing host to the 2016 Women’s Under 20 FIFA World Cup soccer tournament, slated for November. For David Chung, it is a dream that has materialised. “I have always dreamt about wanting PNG football to be on top of the helm for the men and women in Oceania, both on the field of play and in administration,” he said.
“I wanted to prove to my football fraternity that if we have the will, we can do it,” he said.
“No-one ever dream of PNG hosting any FIFA tournament nor did many people on the FIFA executives and administration as well,” he added.
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