Post Courier, Tuesday March 24, 2015

DEFORESTATION LINKED TO EXTREME WEATHER

FORESTS OFFICER WARNS: PAGE 2

UNION WARNS OF STAFF UNREST IN PNG POWER

PASKA: EMPOYEES MAY WALK OFF: PAGE 4

STUDENTS of Jubilee Catholic Secondary School taking part in World Water Day celebrations yesterday in Port Moresby. Many like them may be sent home earlier than expected later this year if what Catholic school principals warned about yesterday turns out to be true. Picture: KENNEDY BANI

FORMER ADMINISTRATOR ARRESTED FOR ABUSE

LANGE FACES CORRUPTION CHARGES: PAGE 8

S c h o o l fe a r s School fears

Funding shortfall may force early closure

PRINCIPALS and head teachers from Catholic Church-owned high schools and secondary schools have revealed they only received 70 per cent of the Government’s

tuition fee free subsidy. Failure by the Government to remit the remaining 30 per cent of the subsidy will force the closure of church-run schools throughout the

country before the end of Term 2, they warned at a March 16-20 conference in Port Moresby.

However, the gap in funding could be filled by the parents, they added, to

enable the institutions to continue operating while waiting for the rest of the subsidy to be deposited into the school accounts.

CONTINUED PAGE 2

Pay subsidy or get parents to foot the bill

ITIS unfortunate that Catholic Church-run high schools and secondary schools have only received 70 per cent of the Government-funded Tuition Fee Free subsidy.

The revenue shortfall is now threatening to disrupt classes at the church-run schools throughout the country with their principals and head teachers warning that they will be forced to shut their doors before the end of Term 2 if the balance is not paid.

The revelation by the principals and head teachers at a March 16-20 conference in Port Moresby confirms what the management of the other schools outside of the NCD have been worried about, the delay in the funding getting remitted to the school or underpayment of the subsidy. A large number of those schools that expressed concern in the early part of the academic year are government-run institutions.

No school can run its operations without financial support and the project fees that parents paid – prior to the coming in of the Tuition Fee Free subsidy – enabled them to offset their cost. The decision by the Education Minister Nick Kuman and Education Secretary Dr Michael Tapo to stop schools from collecting fees from parents could come back to haunt them unless funding is released immediately.

The Post-Courier has in the last four months published articles from concerned schools as well as parents seeking more clarification from authorities on this somewhat grey area. They were concerned that the subsidy will not be remitted on time or be underpaid, justifying the need for the schools to collect fees from the parents. Sadly, their fears were justified and it does not look good on the Secretary and Minister.

The primary objective now for all parties is to ensure that the classes of thousands of young Papua New Guineans are not disrupted in Term 2 as the principals and head teachers have warned. The 2015 academic year has hardly begun for the youngsters and for it to be brought to a halt, thanks to incompetency within the bureaucracy to process the full payment is injustice to them and their parents as well as guardians.

It is unfortunate that the education sector – and the future of the next generation of Papua New Guineans –continues to be at the mercy of bureaucrats in Waigani. If the Government is experiencing problems in raising revenue and consequently unable to pay its bills, tell the schools and the parents and guardians so alternative arrangements can be put in place to avoid the schools shutting down.

It is unfair for the school administrations to be put between a rock and a hard place when the solution is clear: overturn the government ban on collecting fees and let the schools get the parents to pay the 30 per cent balance. The outcome would be beneficial for all parties including the financially-strapped government coffers. At the end of the day this will ensure that the students’ classes are not disrupted and the parents and guardians get to have some ownership over the education of their children now and into the future.

The bottom line

Asia news .............................36

Bougainville Today ..............16 Business ..........................17-20

Classifieds .......................39-43

Comics..................................38

Highlands Post.....................13 Home

How to contact us

Alexander Rheeney Ph: 309 1021

Email:rheeneya@spp.com.pg

ADVERTISING DIRECTOR

Paula Speakman

Ph: 309 1044

Email: pspeakman@spp.com.pg

CIRCULATION MANAGER

Bala Babaga

Ph: 309 1013 Fax: 321 3284

Email: bbabaga@spp.com.pg

DELIVERY INQUIRIES

Ph: 309 1102

Email: bbabaga@spp.com.pg

REGIONAL OFFICES

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

Kokopo: Grace Tiden

Ph: 982 9186. Fax: 982 9147.

Email: gracetiden@gmail.com

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

Buka: David Lornie

Ph: 973 9188

Fax: 973 9170

Email: postbuka@gmail.com

CLASSIFIEDS HOTLINES

309 1175, 309 1174, 309 1088

JOIN

www.postcourier.com.pg NEWS

Ph 309 1021 or email editorial@postcourier.com.pg

Deforestation linked to extreme weather

BY DENYSE KALAU

PNG Forests Authority acting managing director Goodwill Amos says the recent impact of climate change experienced in some parts of the country is a result of deforestation or removing of trees.

Mr Amos said this at the International Day of Forest celebration in Gabadi village in Central Province, which was attended by representatives of Small Business Development Corporation, National Agricultural

Research Institute, students and locals from the nearby villages. Mr Amos said the areas in which people often remove forests are the ones that have greater chances of experiencing the impacts of climate change and this was seen with the recent flooding in East New Britain, National Capital District, Oro and some parts of the Highlands region.

“Forest is like an umbrella that protects people from rain and other extreme weather conditions so it is important that people must

understand the role of forest sin fighting climate change,” he said.

Mr Amos said provinces that often cut trees to generate income such as the oil palm provinces are at greater risk of experiencing the impacts of climate change than other provinces simply because when the trees are being cleared for oil palm purposes, there is no buffer to prevent the water when it comes to flooding caused by continuos heavy rains.

“One small drop of rain has an impact on the envi-

ronment because once it hits the ground it starts to move all the soil which causes soil erosion that can easily lead to flooding,” he said.

He said in the past, the people did not encounter many problems with flooding because most of them knew the importance of preserving the forest.

Mr Amos said today trees are removed for various purposes and this has resulted in the decline in the number of trees to minimise the impacts of climate change.

Church schools warn of early closure

FROM PAGE 1

THE principals and head teachers were informed that only 70 per cent of the first payment for every child throughout the country was paid.

For example, if the first payment was K825 per child, only K577.50 was paid. The payment of the remaining 30 per cent is uncertain.

The second payment is expected in July just before the start of term three,” the teachers said in a statement

released last night. All the principals and head teachers have expressed concern that this money is not enough to run the schools until the end of term two.

All schools have experienced increased enrolments and increase in prices of goods and services.

Remote schools have experienced increased cost of transport.

The decrease in the TFF payment will mean that schools will have to close before the end of term two.”

Minister for Education

Nick

Kuman

and Education Secretary

Michael

Tapo have in recent months taken out full page advertisements warning schools not to collect fees.

But the teachers have indicated that getting parents to pay the balance is the next best option to avoid the closure of the schools.

“The Catholic secondary principals and high school head teachers have resolved that in the event that the money runs out in schools,

Thunderstorms cause an average of 200 deaths and 700 injuries in the United States each year

parents will be asked to pay the outstanding 30 per cent to keep the schools operating till the end of term two or the schools will close. Parents need to be aware of this real situation and cooperate with school boards and administrations and not be misled.”

Attempts by the PostCourier to contact Messrs Kuman and Tapo last night were unsuccessful but it understood the teachers had wrote to the two leaders about their concerns.

Designs for highway rehabilitation ready

BY JACOB POK

THE geo-tech studies and preliminary designs on critical sections of the Highlands Highway have been finalised to pave way for the rehabilitation work on the highway.

Works Minister Francis Awesa said yesterday that he was pleased with the progress of work on the highway rehabilitation work so far, adding that most of the work would be delivered on time. He said without these studies, the proper design and work on the critical sections of the highway would not be possible.

Mr Awesa thanked the contractor Cardno for the

The bottom line

the drum

SEWERAGE

DOES the NCD have a major sewerage crisis or has its population tripled in the last 12 months to overwhelm its waste management system? Folks at the Eda Ranu might have the inside info.

SIX MONTHS

BLOCKAGE leading to the overflow of waste was reported over the last six months in the Gordon industrial area, Konedobu and Downtown Port Moresby.

CONTRACTOR

WONDER what’s happening to the IPBC-supervised tender for a sewerage contractor to be engaged for the NCD. Hope they can get it fixed before the Pacific Games kicks off in July.

ALL KINDS

ANGELS come in all shapes and sizes. On Sunday one of them returned to Port Moresby and found a teary girl outside Jacksons who flew in too but looked lost. No one was there to meet her.

THE ANGEL

THE woman took her home and is now trying to link her up with her Rigo family. It was a powerful gesture by

At a glance

STUDY: The geo-tech studies are crucial to the effective maintainance of the Highlands Highway because many of the problematic sections are on soil that is very unstable.

REHABILITATION: The studies was accompanied by proper designs for the rehabilitation work

CRUCIAL LINK: The Highlands Highway is the single biggest infrastructure asset in the country, stretching for more than 600km from the port city of Lae in Morobe Province all the way to Kopiago in the new Hela Province and Porgera in Enga Province. It’s official name is the Okuk Highway.

prompt effort in ensuring the geo-tech studies and preliminary designs were prepared on time to allow work to start on those critical sections of the Highlands Highway.

Mr Awesa said the designs were well done well in

advance and there will be some major announcements soon on the awarding of contracts to contractors to work on those critical sections of the highway.

Mr Awesa said other major highways such as Lae-Bulolo and Lae-Madang highways

were also in the plan for rehabilitation work.

“It is indeed a really big task with challenges ahead and I wish they give me all the funding to complete these major infrastructures,” the minister said.

Meanwhile, Mr Awesa said the Government had promptly responded in terms of funding to the emergency work on roads and bridges that were damaged in the recent bad weather and would continue to assist in restoring all the major road links.

He said work on the temporary bypasses to the damaged roads and bridges in some parts had started and some would begin when the floods subside.

the woman to take the lass under her roof. Angels do exist in this world.

LOCKED IN

WHO was that scribe who was “locked” in a courtroom with the accused by a police prosecutor? Poor guy had no choice but to wait until 5.00 pm when the remandees were marched out.

FREEDOM

THE prisoners headed straight for the police-owned caged truck for the ride back to Bomana. The scribe was off for the main gate and the bus-stop. It must have felt good to be free at last!

PLASTICS

ANY truth in reports the PNGDF were given plastic guns to train for Pacific Games-related security? Some at Murray Barracks are fuming at what they consider an insult to the profession.

HB KILLINGS

AN UPDATE on the killings at Hanuabada is long overdue from the RPNGC top brass. Any further delays will only add to suspicion of a police cover-up. It won’t do the constabulary any favours.

PENGEE: thedrum@spp.com.pg

On average, a thunder can be heard over a distance fo 3-4 miles, depending on humidity, terrain and other factors

PAPUA New Guineans in Perth, WA are all smiles when they walk into Woolworths. The Aussie retail giant is now selling the PNG-famous 777 tinned fish at some of its outlets.

777 PERTH

PORT Morseby school students putting on a play to commemorate World Water Day yesterday. There were calls for the wise use of water despite the fact that it is found in abundance around the country. STORY ON PAGE 4

WATER WISE

BY MAUREEN GERAWA

PAPUA New Guinea may have abundant water sources but if it is not careful it could join less fortunate countries where water is scarce.

Current activities such as mining were contributing to pollution of water sources and thus many rural villagers affected by mining activities had to travel long distances to find clean water for drinking and cooking.

These issues were highlighted at the World Water Day which falls on March 22, but was observed in Port Moresby yesterday.

The theme, Water and Sustainable Development, was captured through drama, songs and speeches.

An event organised by Eda Ranu was hosted by Jubilee Catholic Secondary School where students put on a dama and songs about the importance of having good, clean water and conserving water for the future generation.

The song, Our Water, Our Future. Let’s Keep It Safe, by school vice-captain Dagia Aka and school mate Jonathan Ikupu could have been a hit, according to members of the audience.

Eda Ranu is mandated under the Act of Parliament to supply water to Port Moresby, but has also been rationing water to villages of Motu-Koitabu and squatter settlements until recently.

The company chief executive officer Henry Mokono, company chairlady Mary Karo and United Nations Development Program assistant resident representative Jorg Schimmel all spoke of the need for everyone to take responsibility in ensuring that clean water was accessible to everyone, used wisely and conserved for the future generation.

Mr Mokono, from a village near Mt Wilhelm in Chimbu, said his generation had drank and cooked from water near Mt Wilhelm which was naturally purified.

The bottom line

Power state of emergency ends

BY ISAAC NICHOLAS

THE state-of-emergency on electricity in the country has come to an end as of 12 midnight last night.

Public Enterprises and State Investment Minister

Ben Micah said the SOE had achieved its purpose and a report on the way forward for PNG Power and electricity services would be brought to the National Executive Council for deliberation.

“We have already identified what the issues are and are putting in positive steps to address the energy needs of the country into the future,” the Minister said.

“They already know what the issues are that is affecting PNG Power and generally the power situation across the country.

“There is no issue here to go on strike. They (workers) are just creating an issue for themselves.”

Union warns of PNG Power crisis

THE PNG Trade Union Congress has expressed serious concerns about the state of affairs at electricity service provider PNG Power Limited, warning of a looming power disaster.

In short this was a national security concern deserving of urgent attention, PNGTUC general-secretary

John Paska said yesterday.

He said it called for the sidelining of the controller of the state-of-emergency.

“It calls for the restoration of normalcy and this must begin in the first instance with the restoration of the management and administrative structure

and systems. Order must be restored and the controller sidelined.”

Mr Paska said any discussions on privatisation must be put on hold, or shelved, until proper consultations were held with employees.

“We are putting the cart before the horse and it seems we haven’t learnt anything from the privatisation debacle under Sir Mekere Morauta’s government.”

Mr Paska said the series of actions announced by the Minister for Public Enterprises and State Investment Ben Micah had effectively resulted in the

near collapse of the administrative structure of PPL.

As the state-of-emergency ended at 12 midnight last night, Mr Micah said there was no issue to go on strike over. “They (workers) are just creating an issue for themselves,” he added.

“What this means is that it’s every man for himself. With health and safety concerns on the line employees may choose to walk off their jobs any time without the need for a secret ballot. And they would be well within their rights to do so.”

Mr Paska said this was the direct outcome of what was a most irresponsible

Electricity travels at the speed of light- more than 186,000 miles per second.

and reckless decision that lacked foresight and concern resulting in negative consequences.

“It has the makings of a national catastrophe if not handled properly. PPL is the life line of the national economy. It is also the principle energy source for thousands of families and institutions.

It is unimaginable that its normal operations should be derailed as a result of some callous decision that lacked foresight.”

He said the PNG Trade Union Congress was working around the clock to try and rescue the situation on the industrial front.

Mr Micah said there had been meetings held and the issues raised regarding outstanding benefits and entitlements had been taken on board and the issue of consultants had been resolved.

He said PNG Power, which had been in the red for the past couple of years, had gone into the black.

He said the SOE had achieved its intended purposes in collecting outstanding debt and getting the company back on financial track.

“We have now understood the issues that need to be addressed in the short, medium and long term which I will bring to Cabinet.”

Mr Micah sad PNG Power alone did not have the capacity to provide nationwide power supply.

“The Government wants power to reach the 90 per cent of the country that do not have power.PNG Power provides power to only 10 per cent of the country and also it does not have the capacity to adequately serve this 10 per cent.” He said the Government was looking at the public private partnership arrangements.

PNG Power chief executive officer Jonh Tangit addressing union members at a meeting recently. File picture

Unfinished classroom a major problem

By GRACE SALMANG

A DOUBLE classroom at Bavaroko Primary School in Boroko, Moresby Northeast, remains unfinished.

When it will be completed is anybody’s guess, says head teacher Catherine Morrison.

She said the project was abandoned three years ago by a building construction company because of nonpayment of funds by the National Capital District Commission.

Ms Morrison said her school is an example of many unfinished infrastructure projects in various schools in the nation’s capital, where its likely to have a great impact on affected schools.

Ms Morrison said that with the increasing number of students every year, most of the classrooms are overcrowded with 50 to 60 students in one class.

“These infrastructures are supposed to ease overcrowding classrooms but will now remain unfinished while we struggle to give our best as teachers in educating our children,” she said.

She said her school’s double classroom building was

Most of the classrooms are overcrowded

CATHERINE MORRISON Port Moresby

supposed to house a laboratory and library.

“With the Government’s decision not to impose school project fees, it’s a struggle now for us to look for support from supportive parents and business houses to come to our aid.”

She said that the shortage of classrooms meant that some classroom walls had to be removed and extended to cater for the increasing number of students.

She said despite this, many classrooms remained in bad condition and are unsafe for students.

“Now we do not know if these school infrastructure projects will be completed or removed by the relevant contractors,” Ms Morrison said.

She said to date she had written letters to business houses to come to her school’s assistance.

Relief for disaster affected schools

SCHOOLS in 13 provinc-

es affected by the recent wet weather are receiving emergency disaster kits for learning.

This month, the education department in partnership with UNICEF have made available these kits to schools.

Procured by UNICEF, the kits have been sent out to

provinces such as Madang, and East and West New Britain.

The education emergency kits, or the school-in-a-box Kit, are used in many backto-school operations worldwide.

The kit contains supplies and materials for a teacher and 40 students.

It includes exercise

books, pencils, erasers and scissors, a wooden teaching clock, wooden cubes for counting, a wind-up or solar radio and a set of three laminated posters (alphabet, multiplication and number tables).

The kit is supplied in a locked aluminium box, the lid of which can double as a blackboard when coat-

ed with the special paint included in the kit.

Last week, Education Secretary Michael Tapo called on education stakeholders at the provincial level to make use of the kits as they arrive at provinces.

Pictures of the kits were displayed at a launch in Port Moresby last week.

PM extends PNGs condolences to Singapore

PRIME Minister Peter O’Neill has extended the nation’s sympathies to the people of Singapore following the death of founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew.

“It is with great sadness

The bottom line

that we have received news overnight of the passing of Singapore’s founding father, and prime minister for 30 years, Lee Kuan Yew,” Mr O’Neill said in a statement yesterday.

“On behalf of the people of

Papua New Guinea, I wish to extend our condolences to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and his family.

“Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew’s political career is a study in triumph over adversity. As prime minister for

30 years, then as senior minister and minister mentor, Lee Kuan Yew was an outstanding leader of the AsiaPacific.”

Singapore is one of the world’s true economic success stories, and much of

the credit for that goes to the late Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, Mr O’Neill said, adding that he transformed the economy of Singapore to deliver higher living standards for his people, and achieved long term GDP

growth despite an absence of natural resources.

“Lee Kuan Yew was a good friend of Papua New Guinea, and was active in developing and strengthening the relationship of PNG with Singapore and Asia.

A human head remains conscoius for about 15 to 20 seconds after it has been decapitated.

TURA, the Pacific Games mascot, having fun with children during a recent public gathering at Koki market in the nation’s capital. The city will host the Pacific Games in July this year and Tura will be the centre of more attraction.

CENTRE OF ATTRACTION

THE National Fisheries Authority plans to boost fisheries distribution capacity for coastal and islands communities.

It has done so by building and upgrading town markets to fish supply centres for local fishermen to store and sell fish using proper market facilities.

The K26 million Madang town market rehabilitation project, which was launched last Monday, was the second generation of the town markets program, the first being the Wewak town market project in 2010.

These market projects were initiated by the NFA, funded by the Japanese aid agency Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

The primary objective of building and redeveloping the town markets was to enhance fisheries production at the local level, and to assist coastal communities to strengthen fish distribution capacity to a whole new level in a sound and hygienic market area using the right facilities.

Landslides hit Chimbu

FOUR major landslides along the winding South Chimbu road last week have jeopardized the flow of traffic, making life harder for thousands of people in the Gumine and Salt/Nomane areas.

The landslides, triggered by prolonged torrential rain, occurred at Gaima, Moromaule and Tagladenil portions of the 145kms Kundiawa/Kiari trunk road.

Provincial Works minister Thomas Bare said two more landslides has occurred in the remote Kilau and Dulai areas.

The series of landslides between Kundiawa and Gumine government station has prompted both the Gumine Secondary plus Doliba and Boromil High Schools to send students home.

Fishermen thank NFA, Japan for market upgrade

BY MEROLYN TEN

LOCAL fishermen of Madang Province have thanked the Japanese Government and the National Fisheries Authority for the redevelopment project of the Madang town market.

Community leader Steven Aluwis said it was delightful to see that the K26 million market upgrade was planned specially for fish distribution.

He said for many years, two islands and 10 coastal communities in Madang had sold their catches in markets which were unhygienic and unsuitable for fish marketing.

KEEN READERS

NEWSPAPER is a good learning source for children at home and those who are attending schools where television is not accessible. Many children rely on newspapers or any magazine that they can get their hands on to see pictures that they can also use for their class or home lessons. Many schools in Bougainville rely on newspapers for their studies as it contains factual reports that assist them. Seen here during the weekend are two brothers flipping through the Post-Courier. Picture: SEBASTIAN HAKALITS

City hall plans high rise markets

BY SHIRLYN BELDEN LOCAL entrepreneurs in the informal sector will soon earn vending spaces in two main city markets as NCDC plans to convert them into high rise market buildings, NCD Governor Powes Parkop has announced.

Governor Parkop told a gathering of local business women recently that reconstruction works will soon start at Gordon market followed by Lareva market at Hohola where fair market spaces and opportunities will be given to informal vendors to sell their prod-

ucts and strive with the active formal markets in the city.

He said the idea intends to support the informal sector which is a fast growing business area in the city and the country.

While he did not elaborate

on the commencement of the works Mr Parkop said designs and funding are already in place.

“Not long you will see that Gordon market will be pulled down and reconstructed; it will be converted into a high rise building so that not just vegetable sellers but also the informal sector vendors would be able to sell their products in the market.

“A funding of K14m has already been allocated with K7m support by the New Zealand Government,’’ he said.

Mr Parkop said the idea was to give more opportuni-

ties for market exposure to the informal vendors that strive to sell their produces or products on roadsides other than in available market venues.

He said he wanted to see the informal sector thriving and prospering as more ordinary Papua New Guineans are fast becoming part of this sector which supports their everyday lives.

Mr Parkop thanked the NZ Government for their support.

He added that the Prime Minister had agreed to let the plan take place at Lareva market.

“The PNG and Japanese Governments have seen our needs and we are very pleased. We believe that after the completion of the market, everything would be well organised and hygienic for the communities to trade soundly.

“The project begun after a satisfying negotiation done between the village leaders and the National Fisheries Authority for the construction to take place,” Aluwis said.

He said marketing was the only way of income generation for locals’ sustainability.

“For that reason, the communities are very happy to support the construction up to the completion of the market at its targeted time, which is November this year.”

More than 21 million people are full-time fishers, and 200 million depend on fishing for their livelihood.

Not long you will see that Gordon market will be pulled down...

POWES PARKOP Port Moresby

The PNG and Japanese governments have seen our needs and we are very pleased.

FISHERMAN Madang

Works issues emergency guidelines

BY JACOB POK

THE Works Department has issued a guideline for all emergency temporary restoration works on national roads and bridges that were damaged by the recent bad weather.

Works Secretary David Wereh announced yesterday that all restoration work would be strictly in compliance with the guideline issued by his office, and are expected to be completed within a month.

FUN DAY

Support for women

BY SHIRLYN BELDEN

SUPPORT for women in the informal sector is gaining momentum with more opportunities for business exposure given to them to acquire profitable ideas for their businesses.

Founder of PNG Women in Business (WiB) Janet Sape told about 300 participants at the first WiB trade fair held in Port Moresby

that ten selected business women and groups will be given an opportunity to promote their business and products at the meeting for APEC women in May and the Pacific Games in July. She said these two events were the main drive that would bring challenging opportunities for the women to sell their ideas and connect with bigger markets to expose their

business.

Ms Sape, who is the business women representative on the National Capital District Commission board (NCDC), said the PNG WiB had consulted with NCDC on how women entrepreneurs in the informal sector markets and small to medium enterprises could sell their products during these two events.

“These two events pose

bigger opportunities for women which should not be ignored or taken for granted. As a thriving economy in the Pacific our women must make use of the opportunity to invest, promote and grasp business ideas and possibilities to become prosperous and challenging,” she said.

NCD Governor Powes Parkop also supported the idea by saying that parts of

the car parks for the Pacific Games venues will be used by women to sell their products.

“When you are given the opportunity you must make use of it and showcase to the country and outside world what you have. This Pacific Games is the opportunity for you to expose your potential and promote your investment ideas,” said Mr Parkop.

Govt committed to school upgrades

THE Governments free education policy is not only about getting more children into schools but also ensuring that schools are properly resourced, Prime Minister Peter O’Neill said while presenting funding to two school in Pangia, Southern Highlands Province over the weekend.

Mr O’Neill said it was an example of support being rolled out around the nation in support of the free education policy.

“When we promise the people of our nation that we would provide free education, we are also committing to upgrade school infrastructure,” Mr O’Neill said.

“This include building more classrooms and teacher

accommodation, and training more teachers. We are building teaching colleges in provinces and upgrading school facilities,” he said.

“We realise that the dramatic increase in school attendance will place pres-

sure on existing infrastructure and teaching resources, but our priority has been to get children into class while improving facilities,” Mr O’Neill said.

Funding for the Kaluwe Primary School and the Poloko Primary School was made available from the Ialibu-Pangia district services improvement program fund (DSIP).

Mr O’Neill was in the district on Saturday to officially open the new Kaluwe Primary School classroom, when he made the presentations to the respective school principals.

He said DSIP funds provide an opportunity for members to resource important local projects that make a real dif-

ference to their people.

“The Kaluwe Primary School has been serving the people of Pangia since 2011 with limited infrastructure, and this is the first permanent classroom being built,” he said.

He said “I have recognised the needs of this school, given the increase in the number of students from the government’s free education policy, therefore I have secured some funds from the DSIP funding to resolve these issues.”

Kaluwe Primary School currently has a total of 325 students and only six teachers to supervise them.

“I also understand that Poloko Primary School is also facing similar problems of over-crowding of students.

East New Britain to roll out school TV

BY SHARON LOWA

EAST New Britain Province (ENB) has been chosen by the Education Department and its development partner Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for the New Guinea Islands rollout program on EquiTV.

The Education Department has developed yearly target numbers and strategic plan for disseminating EquiTV

program nationwide, as the National Dissemination Plan (NDP) for EQUITV program by referring the concepts of EquiTV Project Sustainable Plan, the National Education Media Policy (NEMP) and NEMP Strategic Plan.

The EquiTV program produced by JICA in partnership with Education aims to increase access and improve quality teaching and learning through education media

program with the vision to develop students’ to be competent, literate, numerate, skilled and healthy to develop their communities and contribute to a better standard of living.

A one-week program is being conducted for advanced training on EquiTV, the second training to be conducted in ENB for education officers, senior standards officers, district education advisers,

standards officers, excellent head teachers from all districts.

Participants travelled in from all districts of the province, including the most remote schools of the Pomio district and Lassul Baining in the Gazelle district for the week long training which is underway at Gazelle International Hotel in Kokopo, East New Britain Province.

Mr Wereh said as per the guideline, all temporary restoration work would be prioritised first to restore access to traffic on the damage roads and bridges while permanent restorations would come later with proper design and additional funding.

“The guideline would be given to all the provincial Works branches in the affected provinces to ensure that all emergency restoration work is done accordingly,” Mr Wereh said.

“Temporary emergency restoration work to restore traffic is first priority and it should be carried out in a manner which will reduce additional work required.”

Mr Wereh said all emergency restoration work shall take not more than four weeks to complete.

He said permanent restoration work was not a priority at the moment.

PARADISE Cinemas held their fun day at the Waigani Central shopping complex on Saturday. More than 1000 people walked through the fun park. The main highlight of the event was a visit from Sponge Bob, a minion from the animated movie Despicable Me and Tura the Kokomo, the Pacific Games mascot. The fun day was to create some activity for the children and promote the upcoming Sponge Bob movie “Sponge out of Water”, set to be released on April 2.

MR O’NEILL

Muthuvel commends businesses for help

BY NICOLE JOANNES

WEST New Britain

Governor Sasindran

Muthuvel has commended the local business houses in Kimbe for providing relief assistance to the people affected by floods trigered by the recent bad weather.

A Chinese community has responded with basic food items while a recycled clothes supplier Saina Solomon has donated two bales of assorted clothes.

A community of Philippines has also provided basic food items.

Governor Muthuvel thanked the groups, saying it was good to see various interest groups coming forward to help one another in times like this.

He said the province must stand together and assist those affected by natural calamities.

He said Papua New Guineas were generally kindhearted people who step in to assist in times of need.

The Chinese community in handing over truckloads of relief assistance said everybody in the province must work together to over the situation.

WEST New Britain Governor Sasindran Muthuvel (left) thanking various groups that provide relief assistance.

Former administrator faces misuse charges

MADANG’S former provincial administrator Ben Lange was yesterday arrested and charged with five counts of official corruption and abuse of office.

Madang provincial police commander Chief Superintendent Sylvester Kalaut confirmed this yesterday.

American scientist rape trial underway

THE long-awaited trial of a rape case of the American scientist on Karkar Island in 2013 has begun at the Madang National Court last week.

The scientist, accompanied by her husband and an official from the National Museum in Port Moresby, travelled to the island when they were robbed and she was pack-raped by a gang.

Following a manhunt on the island soon after the attack, six men were arrested and charged with multiple offences, including rape.

Madang provincial police commander Chief Superintendent Sylvester Kalaut said the trial begun last week.

He said given the ordeal, the couple had left PNG and had opted not to return to testify in court.

However, he said there were provisions under the Evidence Act that allowed the couple to testify in court as key witnesses in this case, without having to make the trip back to the country.

Chief Supt Kalaut said with the availability of technology and the assistance from Divine Word University, the couple were able to give evidence via skype last week.

This he said was the first for the courts in Madang and had thanked the university for its assistance in this important case.

SECTION 32 OFFICERS: Thess persons are basically requisition officers who approve expenditure to incur in the department they are working in. The departmental head or provincial administrator is such a person and he/she can delegate section 32 functions to any of the officers working in the department or provincial government, as the case may be.

Mr Lange, who hails from Bogia district, had used his powers as a section 32 officer in 2013 to sign off on two requisitions that culminated in two cheques

being raised for the sum of K680,000 to buy a workboat.

It was alleged that the boat was bought to ferry people and cargo from the disaster-stricken area of Manam Island’s Iabu LLG area.

It was further alleged that the cheques raised were paid to one Kapalia Limited.

Chief Supt Kalaut said the requisitions signed off by Mr Lange did not follow due

processes, including approval from the provincial supply and tenders board.

He said the anomaly was questioned by Bank South Pacific when the cheques were presented on October 3, 2013.

It is not known if the boat was purchased or not.

He said Mr Lange was arrested and charged on complaints.

He said two other witnesses, including one from Port Moresby, had also testified, with the State expected to call in a few more before it wraps up its case this week.

Chief Supt Kalut said the delay had been on the part of the courts but he was pleased that a resolve would now be possible.

The case had drawn a public outcry, especially from women in Madang, who had demanded tougher penalties for rapists.

Foundations unite to fight cancer

THE Cancer Foundations of PNG, Alotau General Hospital and Marie Stopes have joined hands to fight cancer in Milne Bay Province.

As part of their awareness programs on cancer in the coming weeks, Alotau residents will witness free screening and cancer workshops.

Awareness and prevention

will be the key focus at Alotau market from 10 am to 4 pm on March 31 and April 1.

The two-day program will include free cancer screening and cancer awareness workshops, free breast and mouth cancer screening.

Awareness on cervical cancer prevention and early detection will also be con-

ducted. A team from Cancer Foundations will also conduct surveys in order to get a better understanding of the general level of cancer awareness.

The Cancer Foundations chief executive officer Dadi Toka Jr said education, awareness and prevention were the key messages for

the campaign. Smoking tobacco, chewing betelnut and consumption of alcohol were all scientifically proven to increase chances of getting many types of cancer, including mouth, breast and cervical cancers.

“Protect your family, don’t smoke, don’t chew and reduce alcohol,” Mr Toka said.

District delivers family planning implants

BY GORETHY KENNETH

SUMKAR electorate in Madang Province has ensured that a total of 8000 women and girls have received family planning implants during the past two years. They are among 23,000

implants that have been provided to struggling families under a currently nationwide National Planning and Monitoring Department project. This is from Sumkar family planning project manager, Wendy Stein, who reported

that the initiative of Sumkar MP Ken Fairweather had seen more than 8000 women and girls presented with the family planning implant.

in an interview. Ms Stein said a recent study done by University of PNG and Sydney University showed that 97 per cent of the recipients were happy with the implants. She said the MP had also provided disability services in his electorate.

State owes landowners K50 million

BY SAMUEL RAITANO

MONIES totalling up to K50 million belonging to oil and gas project sites from the Hela and Southern Highlands are still kept under the powers of the national court due to landowner cases pending in court.

This was according to Justin Hayara, a lawyer who has been actively engaged in the landowner issues taken to court in Waigani.

He said about K48 million was for the Hela region, especially the gas and oil project impacted areas, and around K2.8 million was for Gobe.

He said various issues in court have prolonged and taken new twists, making it complicated to retrieve the funding.

Some matters range from those between landowners, state and developers, landowners themselves, and more complicated maters

At a glance

ISSUE: The State owes K50 million to the landowners from Hela and Southern Highlands Province, who are currently still waiting for their payment for the oil and gas projects sites. K48 million is for Hela and around K2.8m is for Gobe

CASE: It is still under the powers of the national court due to landowner cases pending in court.

like clan vetting, infrastructure development grants, project agreements and so forth.

It is understood that those who have agreed to mediation would see some light at the end of the tunnel soon.

Mr Hayara said they try their best to speed up matters but some of the cases are to be found in a way that more time and money would be required before reaching their conclusions.

CPL supports youth program

BY DENYSE KALAU

CITY Pharmacy renewed its sponsorship commitment with Ginigoada Bisnis Development Foundation for this year as they sponsored the roll-out of the community program in Lae recently. Since the inception of the Ginigoada Foundation in 2002, it has provide trainings to assist the disadvantaged young men and women with knowl-

edge and skills to secure employment or run their own income generating activity.

Two years ago, CPL sponsored a financial skills program of Ginigoada that came in two components. One was designed to deliver basic financial literacy training while the other one focuses on Community Enterprise Group which covers the setting up and managing of a CEG. The program was proven

Community celebrates safety week

NATIONAL mining safety week (NMSW) is fast becoming a community celebration of family-safe behaviour at Lihir as the wider community embraces the safety initiatives of Newcrest Mining Limited and the Mineral Resources Authority.

MRA’s focus on boat safety as the 2015 NMSW theme further strengthens Newcrest Lihir’s own initiatives of promoting safe behaviour on water as well as its ongoing “say no to violence, say yes to safety” campaign.

to be a success with over 5000 participants graduating from it.

The success of the program was made possible by the instructors of the Foundation who took up the task of visiting the communities doing awareness on the advantages of the program.

Ginigoada Foundation manager Pastor Mike Fields said both parties have the same goal when it comes to helping people.

Events planned for NMSW from March 23 to 27 include a school poster competition, sporting activities and a safety song competition with schools, community groups, mine workforce and local businesses actively participating in the weeklong program.

The poster competition is already attracting some creative work from schools throughout Lihir with entries from the main island addressing safe behaviour on land while those from the outer islands discussing safety at sea. Activities include sports, poster competition and many other exciting activities.

CPL managers from Hardware Haus and City Pharmacy in Lae cutting the ribbon with Ginigoada Business Foundation team.

Quick thoughts

DIGI TV BOX EXPENSIVE

I am a great supporter of PNG Hunters since last year. It is sad to see Digicel, as a sponsor, demanding us to buy their TV box in order to watch the Hunters’ games. Considering 80 per cent of the population is unemployed and can’t meet the monthly fees, it’s an insult to league followers as most of them have access to EMTV. I kindly ask the PNGRFL board and Digicel PNG to find a better way to telecast the games so that the entire country can enjoy and support their national team.

Hunters Supporter

USE INITIATIVE

Often we, the people, run to our leaders for development and services. We rely too much on them. If we are serious about developing our communities and country then we need to take responsibilities too. Take for instance the current debate on fencing around NCD. If citizens can help in changing their fences, it adds to changing the image of our city and country. It indirectly contributes to the development of our country when the facelift of our city attracts visitors and tourists. However, I suggest NCDC help property owners where possible, especially with costs to build new appropriate fencing. And try come up with some strategies or plans to provide safety for all if this is to go ahead.

Wanbel Stap

SHAMEFUL CONDUCT

It is with great shame that a senior minister in the O’Neill Government refused to sign his referral by the OC.

First and foremost Mr Micah, this is a bad precedent for a MP like you and future leaders. The watch dog is an independent commission that represents the people. Your actions are pathetic and degrading to yourself, your family, the Prime Minister and your peace-loving people of Kavieng. The OC is only discharging their powers.

Vee Geez

Looking for someone?

I AM looking for my long-lost brother, John Timbun. If you know where he is, please ask him to contact me on my Digicel phone number: 7253 0439 or bemobile: 7623 3893. Thank you

Jimmy Sampson

Teachers deserve better

THE elementary system of education in PNG is in chaos.

The standard-based curriculum system could have been implemented during the holiday periods. Especially training on this new curriculum. Now is not the right time to go for in service. Teachers and students are supposed to be in class and not going for trainings.

Also, promises of a rise in pay on the second pay of this year (2015) did not eventuate. Likewise, elementary teacher’s housing allowances, HDA and other outstanding payments are yet to be settled. They deserve an increase in salary because they are being used to implement the new curriculum. Also, elementary schools will now be knocking off at 2pm so

they are entitled better treatment. The government of the day should build permanent teachers’ houses in schools and build proper classrooms. Teachers’ teaching aids and students’ curriculum materials should be supplied as well.

Elementary teachers who were paramount in implementing the education reform back in the 1990s are still looked upon as first or new graduates to date and not pioneers. Their records are not kept properly at the TSC. On many occasions, teachers have found out that no proper records of elementary teachers are kept. If they were to retire from work, they will be walking out just like any other new teacher teaching on acting position (only), and not on

the years sacrificed. Whose responsibilty is it to rectify this matter?

Someone needs to come out and explain this to all elementary teachers in this country.

Many pioneer teachers have yet to receive their CET certificates. Do not lay blame on elementary teachers if the expected outcome is not achieved by the end of this year.

The Government must fulfil its commitment by increasing teachers’ salary and pay up all outstanding allowances. They can not expect someone who is lowly paid to sacrifice his/her well being to do something, introduced every now and then to suit selfish egos. Take care of our teachers, please.

El Dust

WRITE TO US Text us on 208

MP Kouza deserves better

I RECALL right after the 2012 election the jubilation of women right across the country when three women got elected into Parliament.

God has heard our cries and delivered us from the doldrums of political representation, women across the land sang with pride and joy. It was right after the disappointment of the defeat of the reserved seats for women in the National Parliament submission.

I witnessed an occasion in Goroka 2013 when EHP Governor Julie Soso hosted her fellow female MPs at the national park. To the thousands of women folks who gathered to receive the three MPs, one could feel the euphoric atmosphere that gripped the mass. The women were literally crying and dancing to every words that proceeded out of the mouths of the three women. Even the welcome reception at the airport and the fanfare that followed was much grander compared to the PM’s visit a few months later.

Two and a half years down the lane and Lae MP Loujaya Kouza is riding it rough and alone. I wonder if all the emotions and jubilations then were superficial? Have women of this country been defeated by male chauvinism?

From the political jibes over the Lae Commission issue by her fellow male colleagues (interestingly, the PM who initiated the idea has taken a partial stand leaving Kouza to face the brute of the critics) to the constant flow of uncensored public opinions on her dressings to haircut to residency to God-knowswhat-else.

What really dumbfounds and ires me is the deafening silence from the women folks of PNG. Now give me a break! Here is one of their own, a sister, mother, wife. Their very essence of representation in the highest decision making institution, getting roasted from all directions, and not one single show of support (publicly that is) from women of this country. Mind you and there are thousands of women groups and associations out there,

Text us on 208

have spoken out for her.

It saddens me that if this is the kind of attitude PNG’s women have, then the fight for gender equality and other rights is wash-up and meaningless.

Kouza may be a member of Parliament, but foremost she is a mother, a sister, a daughter, a wife and aunty and vulnerable to harassments, traditional taboos and other norms that PNG’s male dominant culture is renown for.

Like all women, she is emotional, sensitive, loving and responsive to her surroundings.

To the women of this country, it is now or never. To the keyboard scavengers, pick on your own mothers and sisters. To the politicians, shame on you for picking on a woman.

To MP Loujaya Kouza, you are, a lady foremost, doing what is certainly right because the devil surely is hating you. Stand tall. You are not alone.

Douglas Bryan Barara Port Moresby

Real action needed to end plight of SABLs

THE cancellation of illegal Special Agricultural Business Leases (SABLs) across PNG continues to remain a stumbling block as the ministerial committee mandated to revoke the illegal leases are still sitting on this task.

The committee comprises ministers for lands, environment, agriculture, planning, treasury and forestry. They were directed by the Prime Minister through the NEC to administratively cancel the illegal SABLs early February last year.

One year has passed from now since the establishment of this ministerial committee with nothing to show for in the actual cancellation of the illegal SABLs. The longer the

committee is sitting on this job, the more affected customary landowners who have lost over 5.2 million hectares of their land in total to foreign logging corporations under this SABL scheme get.

Record shows a total of 78 SABLs were investigated at a cost of K15 million by the government established Commission of Inquiry (CoI) since 2010. It was able to document the findings of 42 out of the total 78 leases with recommendations. Only four out of the 42 leases were found to follow due process while the rest (38) were found to be fraudulent. Prime Minister Peter O’Neill and the National Executive Council have assured this country time and time again since

DON’T USE YOUTHS

Please allow me space to comment on the engagement of youths to inspect fences and properties. Properties that these people will inspect are worth some hundred thousand to millions of kina. We need people with tertiary qualifications with mature and sober habits to handle such jobs with due care and respect. Better still, outsource the job to some reputable real estate companies. Not to some unemployed, frustrated youths from settlements to go terrorising property owners and tenants. It is evident with youths engaged by NCDC buai control chasing betelnut vendors with their own mouths full of betelnut. This also applies to police who are assisting NCDC. They confiscate buai and give to their families to sell at police barracks. What guarantee do we have in this fencing policy. NCDC and police can cash in again on these policy too.

Permanent Resident

HUMBLE YOURSELF

ANY LABOUR LAWS?

There is a joint venture company bearing the name of PNG and Indonesia. But most of its locals are treated like labourers whereas most of the Asians get better treatment and high positions. Where are the labour laws of this Christian nation?

Papua New Guineans are intellectual with knowledge and skills and can produce legitimate results. Yet they are being overlooked by Asians on Papua New Guinean soils. Will the labour board and its minister do something for the best interest of this beautiful country and its citizens?

PNG Slave

WHERE’S OUR GIFT?

the beginning of last year that the illegal SABLs will be cancelled and moved to establish this ministerial committee to action that as per the COI report.

However, this is a dream yet to come true for the country, especially the affected landowners. For them to speak for their rights at the national level is limited by geographical isolation and lack of appropriate communication services. Those who have been trying to solve their plight in the Courts could not afford to do so because of exorbitant legal costs. Such delays should not be seen as another attempt to sweep the dirt under the carpet.

Samson Kupale

Minister Ben Micah already has a well-furnished office with the latest amenities provided for him by IPBC at the organisation’s head office at the Pacific Towers building in downtown Port Moresby. As if this office was not enough, Micah went ahead and occupied an executive five star suite at Grand Papua hotel and turned it into an office as well as his private residential flat. The Grand Papua office and accommodation was rented by IPBC at an exorbitant price of more than K3000 per day. This is a clear case of blatant abuse of public office for personal benefit and pleasure. Micah should not use the name of God Almighty to justify his wrong doing. He is a mere mortal and therefore he must not drag God down to his level. He should humble himself and submit to the leadership tribunal.

Mortal Realist

There was an article in this newspaper last year which read; “Middle Ramu’s perfect Xmas gift”. I then wrote a letter to this column, (which was published), questioning the logic behind Tommy Tomscoll’s use of K5.8 million to construct approximately only a 9.3km stretch of road. I’m writing again to ask because this stretch of road is now impassable and work has now stopped completely. I understand it is due to the rainy season but work had ceased long before that. Tomscoll should explain to the people of Middle Ramu, how this money was spent and what Xmas was he referring to; 2014 Xmas or 2016 Xmas? I also challenge the Post-Courier reporter, who wrote this article, to return to this road and properly investigate facts before reporting. The 190km road the reporter was referring to then was in fact constructed by logging companies. I plead with Tomscoll to leave the comforts of the city and come to Madang or Middle Ramu, because this road he’s trying to construct for us, traverses three different electorates. Negotiations must take place to iron out issues. The Middle Ramu people deserve better than empty Xmas gifts.

Robert Mukoi

I am disappointed as the Member for Moresby I am as the Member for South. Laws governing these minor crimes South. Laws these minor crimes can never be enough for the rehabilitation of can never be for the rehabilitation of our young people. our young people.

Moresby South MP and Sports Minister Justin Tkatchenko after South MP and Minister Justin Tkatchenko after apprehending vandals of a Pacific Games sculpture vandals of a Paci c Games sculpture.

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

Third party joins land dispute

BY DONALD WILLIE

A THIRD party has emerged in the land dispute between National Airports Corporation and Eliap Tokana, an individual who claims to be the owner of the land known as Saraga Ima near the airport at Seven-Mile.

Villagers from Hanuabada village say that neither faction in the initial dispute owns the subjected land.

Following a recent newspaper report on this issue, David Ova and his sister Boio Ova Miria approached the Post-Courier yesterday saying that Eliap Tokana has no right to do any sort of dealing with the land known as Saraga Ima.

“He is our distant cousin, a descendant of a female in a patrilineal society.

His mother is our aunty and his father is from East New Britain, thus the name Tokana,” Mr Ova said.

They said Tokana could not claim the land belong-

ing to Dubara Hohodae clan as he himself has not and does not live in the clan.

Mr Ova had provided a decision letter from the Land Titles Commission from 1972, addressed to his father, Ova Boge, stating the ownership of Saraga Ima land.

This decision was reaffirm in December 2009 by the Lands Title Commission, department of Justice and Attorney General.

It was alleged that Mr Tokana had been using the documents belonging to the Dubara clan, and others that had been done by himself without the consultation of his cousins, the rightful landowners.

He had also provided two different incorporated land group (ILG) certificates using the same ILG name – Dubara, Idibana Land Group Incorporation with the same registration number ILG 6866, however both certificates have different executive members.

School student leaders take oath

A WESTERN Province school does more than just teaching and learning.

This school also takes a look at the all-rounder-life of the students on academic, spiritual, physical fitness, confidence and leadership building.

While Western Province is facing leadership crises, this school takes a step forward

to build better future leaders. St Gabriel’s Technical Secondary School in Kiunga, North Fly district on Wednesday saw its batch of the 2015 Student Representative Council (SRC) leaders taking leadership oath. The student leaders swore to be active student leaders

and work closely with the teachers to see all planned school activities run smoothly. SRC teacher in charge, Joseph Aviamba organised an hour-long oath taking ceremony session that coincides with the school morning assembly.

The school head boy Benjamin Cyril and head girl Tracey Kedoma and

their team of SRC leaders pledged to work closely with the school’s management. The SRC team also pledged to respect all teachers and fellow students and execute their roles and responsibilities as required.

“Being a leader and playing a leadership role in the school like this is not an easy task,” the SRC said.

City gears up for the games

BY LAMECH JINIMBO

AS THE clock ticks closer to the 2015 Pacific Games, National Capital District is taking its finest move forward to provide a clean environment for the games.

Deputy city manager and buai ban controller Honk Kiap says that since the disarming of the reservists to enforce the ban last month he had to call for the deployment of a police unit to assist.

Green light for a police unit was sought and he had been assured that a mobile unit would be readily available to assist at check-points.

Mr Kiap said three additional betelnut check-points would be set up by the end of this week at Dogura and Taurama in Moresby South and the Papa-Lealea junction in Moresby Northeast to complement the active site at Laloki.

“All the necessary spots have been surveyed and are set to be put up for the reservists to check incoming vehicles from these areas which are identified as hot spots that allow for betelnut to come into the city,” Mr Kiap said.

“There has been re-emergence of illegal betelnut markets in and around the city recently, therefore these approaches are to be taken by NCDC to make a firm stand on

At a glance

COUNTDOWN: The clock ticks closer to the 2015 Pacific Games and National Capital District is taking a step forward to provide a clean environment for the games.

CONCERN: There has been reemergence of illegal betelnut markets in and around the city recently.

PREVENTIVE MEASURE: Mobile Police unit will be readily available to assist at check points where betelnut is transported into the city. All necessary spots have been surveyed.

UNDERLYING CAUSE: For the good image of the city and for the games.

betelnut ban in the city for the good image of the city for the Games that is coming up,” he said.

Mr Kiap said that the 30-men unit would also be called on to provide back-up for the rangers when they are looking out for illegal betelnut markets in the city.

The rangers and reservists at the check-points would have powers to confiscate betelnuts from people while the police mobile squad would be responsible for arrests and detention of abusers.

THE 74 student leaders in the SRC pose for photo after the oath taking ceremony

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

Landowner verifies report on land ownership

BY JEFFREY ELAPA

A PRINCIPAL landowner of the giant Porgera gold mine in Enga Province has called on the media to ask landowners to verify their portion of land with documentary proof before reporting their concerns.

Chief Timbalu Iweipe said this in response to a newspaper report last week quoting a Jonathan Paraia who claimed to be a Porgera landowner. He said that the land group led by Paraia had been misleading the public, investors, the Government and other stakeholders about land in the SML area which they did not own.

“I am the principal chief landowner and I want to make it clear that there are no other principal landowners of the SML area,” said Iweipe.

Just last week, thousands of landowners staged a peaceful protest march against paper landowners who are based in Port Moresby.

Stray police bullet kills ex-worker

BY JOHNNY POIYA

A RETRENCHED health worker in Mt Hagen was killed by a stray bullet fired from the barrel of a police gun on Saturday.

Lucas Wek, in his 60s, from Western Highlands was inside the hospital compound in Mt Hagen when a bullet fired more than 800 metres away hit him.

Mr Wek was in front of his house when police tried to disperse a rowdy crowd involved in a stone throwing match near the Pope’s Oval and Rainbow Supermarket.

The fight stopped half of the city with shops closing doors and vendors fleeing in all directions while the main Highlands Highway through the city was closed for over an hour.

During the chaos, one of the bullets fired into the air in an attempt to disperse the crowd caught the health worker on the head, killing him instantly.

Mr Wek’s relatives were assured by Mt Hagen police they were responsible for the death and an independent investigation team outside of the province will come in and conduct investigations.

Provincial police commander Martin Lakari said though the death was unintentional, nobody including police were above the

Ex-governor raps name change

FORMER Simbu Governor Peter Launa yesterday said the District Development Authority (DDA) was a new name for Joint District Planning and Budgetary Priority (JDPBPC) Committee.

Mr Launa said since independence, successive governments tried all sorts of systems to effectively deliver service to the people but did not succeed.

During a two day workshop in Kundiawa on DDA, Mr Launa said continuous changes confused the people.

“DDA is just a change of name but everything under the JDPBPC is there. The member of parliament is the chairman and his appointed administrator is the chief executive officer. The tunnel is block and changes will not happen,” Mr Launa said.

“How do you expect changes to happen when the same individuals under the JDPBPC are vested with new titles? Mr Launa queried.

He said there was nothing on the ground to show where MPs spent the millions of kina in DSIP funds over the years and that parliamentarians were just pretending.

At a glance

INCIDENT: A retrenched health worker in Mt Hagen was killed by a stray bullet fired allegedly from a police firearm.

INVESTIGATION: Provincial police commander Martin Lakari promised that an investigation would be carried out to establish the details of the death.

LAWLESSNESS: The police where there to disprese a rowdy crowd involved in a stone throwing match in the centre of the city

law. He said upon completion of the investigation, the officer behind the trigger will be dealt with by the law.

“The use of high powered weapons, especially automatic rifles by police has become controversial recently with the police hierarchy imposing a ban, while ordinary police enforcing the law say law and order cannot be controlled without firearms,” said Mr Lakari.

Mr Lakari while expressing his condolence to the family and relatives of the late Wek said that it was tragic for one of the long time and pioneer in the health sector to suddenly lose his life in such a tragic incident.

PORGERA landowners staging protest march against paper landowners in Porgera last week.

Mine workers get TB training

TWELVE health workers in Hidden Valley gold mine and Wafi-Golpu project area in Morobe Province are now able to identify TB suspects, manage, treat and work with tuberculosis (TB) patients in the region.

World Vision TB coordinators Tresa Nahuet and Helem Waenesai, and disease control coordinator for Lae district Siling Awasa, conducted the week-long clinician’s training on TB management.

Trainees included four community health workers (CHW) manning rural aid posts in the project areas and eight Morobe mining medical staff.

Participants went through the standard World Health Organisation (WHO) TB management modules that covered general introduction, case detection, treatment, communicating with TB patients, management of drugs. They also visited Bulolo Hospital.

“Morobe Mining initiated the clinician’s training to up-skill staff and CHWs to successfully manage and identify TB,” Ms Nahuet said.

“The field trip to Bulolo Hospital is to establish partnership between government and private firm (PPP) Private Public Practice so they know who is on the ground so they can easily refer their patients to them,”

At a glance

TB TRAINING: Health workers in Hidden Valley Gold Mine and Wafi-Golpu Project area in Morobe Province are now able to identify TB suspects, manage, treat and work with TB patients in the region.

she said. Ms Awasa stressed on partnerships between government and private sectors in curbing the spread of TB.

“Partners like Morobe Mining coming on board, we see this as a very a big opportunity for us as government in trying to control TB. The geography makes it hard for us with the limited resources we have.

Up-skilling our government health workers in the rural places is also vital and we thank the company for taking in the four CHWs,” she said.

Morobe Mining chief executive officer Greg Jackson congratulated the participants and said the company has to be prepared to do the best thing for its employees and its people.

“We’ve got more work to do so this has been driven by the energy from the people who have to do the work. It’s also efficient and cost effective

Siniwin bans use of hire vehicles in Nawaeb

BY FRANCO NEBAS

VICE Minister for Education and Nawaeb MP Gisuwat Siniwin has come down hard on hire of vehicles in the district.

Mr Siniwin announced the warning during the official handing over of six new District Development Authority vehicles to various sectors last Friday in Boana station.

He told the people that so much money had been spent on hiring of vehicles for the district to implement services to the people.

He said therefore the district has decided to purchased new vehicles for various sectors to enable them to deliver much needed services to the people.

He also stressed that funds used for hire vehicles can be used for other purposes in terms of building new infrastructures for the key sectors within the district.

“I am imposing a total ban for the use of hire cars as effective today

except for special events only with approval from my office,” he said.

Mr Siniwin also said there were much negative criticism made by people that Nawaeb was the most corrupted district.

“You want to witness corruption, go to Nawaeb district, that is what people are saying but we will proved them wrong that Nawaeb will be a role model for the 89 districts in Papua New Guinea,” he said.

Mr Siniwin said the K10 million district services improvement program (DSIP) funding from the national Government for Nawaeb district was used to the fullest.

“I believe we are delivering services to the people of Nawaeb of what is required by the National Government targeting the key sectors,” he said.

Mr Siniwin said the government had pumped an additional K5 million onto the current K10 million totalling to K15 million each of the 89 districts will receive.

Lae celebrate World Water Day

BY MELISHA YAFOI

WORLD Water Day is an opportunity to carry out awareness to people on the importance of water throughout the global.

Water PNG credit controller Herman Kagl said this during the celebration in Lae last Friday.

He said Papua New Guinea is among other nations celebrating the world water day that falls in March every year.

He said this day is remembered and celebrated simply to remind the people of the importance of water which is an essential for all living things on earth and also to let the people know

how they can look after this natural resource.

“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 those who are being ignorant and living in an area where there is no proper water supply given for the good health of the people.

“It is also another opportunity for us to promote the world theme that is chosen by UN Water sector through an international conference to inform the people and other cooperate houses to work together in sustaining this valuable resource,” he said.

A STAFF of Bulolo Hospital shows the trainees how a sputum test is done

Hospital executives deny claims

BY SHARON LOWA

SENIOR executives of the Nonga Base Hospital have refuted claims by a former health executive that the hospital status was poor, and that the circumstances under which these statement was made was vague, baseless and uncalled for.

Chairman of the Nonga General Hospital board in East New Britain province, Nakikus Konga has called on Elias Kapavore, candidate for the Pomio by-elections, to withdraw his statements, saying they are misleading and that he should apologise to the hardworking staff of the hospital and the people of Pomio.

Mr Konga made these statements following Kapa-

Govt to help West New Britain back on its feet

BY NICOLE JOANNES

THE National Government has reassured West New Britain Provincial Government of its support to host the 2016 PNG Grassroots Games. Works Minister Francis Awesa gave the reassurance, saying West New Britain is a big contributor to the national economy and deserves the financial support.

Mr Awesa gave the assurance in Kimbe last week during his fact finding trip to assess the damages caused to the roads and bridges by the incessant rains and strong winds.

He said before oil and gas came in, WNB was already there contributing to the economy of the country and that is why the national government recognizes the importance of the province.

Mr Awesa said the support will include the building of new Buluma

KO Bridge that links Hoskins and Kimbe town. He said this will be done before the PNG Grassroots Games take place in November 2016.

He told Governor Sasindran Muthuvel that the national Government will support the provincial government to successfully host the PNG Games.

The commitment by the Works Minister on the Buluma KO Bridge was music to Governor Muthuvel’s ears who on numerous occasions have called on the national Government for assistance to rebuild the bridge.

The Buluma KO Bridge is along the main Kimbe-Hoskins Highway and falls under the National Roads Authority.

The bridge has not been rebuilt since its collapse in 2009 however a bailey bridge has been approved for construction soon.

Presidents banned from campaigns

LOCAL level government presidents in East New Britain Province have been warned to keep away from the current Pomio by-elections and concentrate on running their government affairs.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Inter-government Relations, Mr Leo Dion said as minister for Inter Government Relations and responsible for LLGs, he will look into the matter and see if it is allowed for in the law, for LLG presidents to campaign for candidates when he is not a candidate himself.

The regional member for East New Britain made this call following campaign trails over the weekend at Warangoi, where Inland Baining

LLG president John Sambie, claimed that the Deputy Prime Minister and ENB Governor Ereman ToBaining Jnr have been withholding the Pomio District funding. He said such claims by the first time LLG politician are both misleading and defamatory in nature. He called on Sambie to verify with the Minister for Treasury and enquire about the Pomio District funding, if he is so concerned about it instead of being cheap and making baseless comments. Attempts to contact Sambie were unsuccessful.

Meanwhile, the Deputy PM called on the people of Pomio to remain steadfast and vote for a good leader to represent them.

vore’s claims that the New Guinea Islands referral hospital facilities are in poor status and lacks specialised equipment to provide efficient and effective service to the people.

He said his visit to the hospital was unofficial, personal and decided to label the hospital’s status as poor after spending only a few minutes in the hospital, and that the task of surveying and assessing hospital standards is the function of the national health standards unit.

Mr Konga said almost all hospitals in the country have similar problems and Mr Kapavore’s comments were baseless and that this only reflects his own selfi sh political agenda.

WORKS Minister Francis Awesa in Kimbe to inspect damages done to infrastructures in the province

Panguna district natal clinic delivers its first baby

BY JACOB IENU

THE Panguna district health centre natal clinic last week delivered its first baby.

Rhonda James from Poaru village in the mountains of Panguna gave birth to a baby girl, still unnamed, weighing 3.5kg.

Since the health centre was officially opened in July last year, the natal clinic has been referring the mothers to Arawa hospital for the babies to be delivered there.

The Panguna health extension officer Jacob Ian encouraged mothers to use the services at Panguna instead of delivering their babies in the villages or going all the way to Arawa, which is costly, so that the babies can be immunised as soon as they are born.

The Panguna Health Centre has now got a HEO, three nursing officers, one health officer and three community health workers.

Police arrest armed robbery suspect

BOUGAINVILLE police, acting on a tip-off, have arrested a 29-year-old man in Buka after two high powered guns were found in the vehicle he was driving.

The suspect, Jukiri Hatei of mixed parentage Poka, in the Solos area of Buka and Madang Province, was wanted by Police and Correctional Service (CS) in Buka for his involvement in a robbery. It is understood that he is also wanted by Port Moresby police.

Police found in the vehicle a shotgun with three rounds of ammunition and a self-loading rifle (SLR) on Friday after concerned members of the community alerted police on his movements as he has had a warrant hanging on him.

Mr Hatei was sentenced to jail for the Norak Trading robbery in Buka in 2013 but he escaped from custody while awaiting his transfer to Kerevat jail in East New Britain Province.

Officer in-charge of internal affairs, Inspector Lua said the shotgun is a police issued firearm.

Students hit by new B’ville time zone

BY ROMULUS MASIU

THE controversial new Bougainville Standard Time is still causing problems in most schools around the island province.

Most students and teachers have become victims of the new timing which the Autonomous Bougainville Government parliamentarians have passed in the Bougainville Executive Council (BEC).

Most students and teachers have complained that the morning part of the day was too early for them.

Yesterday morning, students of Arawa Secondary School in Central Bougainville were turned away and sent home after they arrived late for school’s assembly program.

Disgruntled students of the region’s only day school fronted up at our Arawa office and lodged their complaints against the school authorities describing the punishment as “harsh and unfair”.

The students, mostly grades nines and 10s, said most of them come from surrounding villages of Pakia, Darutue, Siae, Toboroi and Rorovana just to name a few. They come on PMVs in the morning and go back to their villages in the afternoon.

“Such treatment by school authorities is not fair as many of us pay our PMV fares to and from school,” one of the students said.

“Also anything can happen along the

way like PMVs breaking down, tyre repairs or PMVs running late or passengers rushing. The decision to chase us off school is a very harsh and unfair decision.”

The students said since the introduction of the Bougainville Standard Time (BST) they have tried their very best to adjust to the new timing and since the school is a day school, they tend to arrive late.

The students are now calling on the school administration to be lenient on the timing and come up with a good timing for the convenience of all those concerned, including students traveling from their villages to the school.

“The authorities shouldn’t be strict on timing as we’re all adapting and adjusting to the new Bougainville time.”

The students said they believe the decision to chase them all home is a oneman decision and the teacher (named) concerned should be summoned and disciplined by the school hierarchies including the board of management of Arawa Secondary School.

School authorities confirmed that quite a big number of students were told to go home yesterday morning after they failed to come early for the morning assembly.

Arawa Secondary School students and many primary school students across the island, especially in remote areas, and their staff are greatly affected by the new time zones.

FROM left: Vanessa Noruka, Jacob Ian, Rhonda James and baby and Bernadine Mirina at Panguna health centre

Bank interest rates high

Academic: PNG is higher than everybody else

BY LEONNIE WAYANG

THE BANK interest rate margins in Papua New Guinea is very high compared to other countries in the Asia-Pacific region, as well as countries that have a similar level of development as the country.

This was one of the key findings in a report that was written by Dr Satish Chand, Professor of Finance in the School of Business at the University of New South Wales in Canberra, Australia.

By comparing PNG with three of its neighbours; Australia, Malaysia and Indonesia using data from the World Bank, Dr Chand found that between 2012 and 2014, an interest rates margin in PNG was high compared to the other three countries.

According to Dr Chand; “The first key finding is that interest rates in Papua New Guinea are high, they are high compared to our neighbours, they are high compared to economies within the AsiaPacific regions or our neighborhood, and they are high compared to economies at a

similar level of development to Papua New Guinea.”

While doing a presentation, Dr Chand said although Papua New Guinea is not Indonesia, Australia nor Malaysia; “We’re looking at competitors around us, and our interest rate margins look the highest, so over here you have from January 2004 to April 2014, 10 years of data, interest rate margins in Papua New Guinea is the highest amongst these three.

“There’s a interest rate margin, the interest rate spread, the most recent data is for 2012 but nothing has changed, you look at 2013, the data is from the World Bank, interest rate in Indonesia is 5.8, in Malaysia 1.8, Papua New Guinea, 10.3, lower-middle income economies 7.5 and East Asia and the Pacific 5.8.

“PNG is higher than everybody else, higher than economies at a similar level of development,” Dr Chand said.

He also pointed out that when it is bad for savings when there is low to negative real rate of interest on savings.

NCSL announces K6.5m profit, interest crediting rate of 5.5%

THE BOARD of NASFUND Contributors Savings & Loan Society Limited (NCSL) has announced a K5.6 million profit.

NCSL also, while announcing the acceptance of the audited financial accounts for the 2014 financial year, announced an interest crediting rate of 5.50 per cent.

NDCL Board chairman, Ian Tarutia, on behalf of the Board announced that among other results; an increase in total asset by 13.8% to K123.6 million compared to 2013; net asset value of K15.6 million representing a growth of 11.3 % over 2013 audited results and net

income of K6.5 million representing an increase of over 6.5% on the 2013 audited results.

Mr Tarutia also announced that total membership grew by more than 7% to 72,355 during the year while members’ savings increased from K94.1 million to K107.2 million representing an increase of just under 14%. Also, the fund said the payment of just under K47 million in withdrawals on member savings accounts were made while it also granted a total of 4,000 loans with a total volume of K38.7 million.

He reiterated that interest crediting rate of 5.5%, equating to around

K5.2 million, to be paid to members’ accounts for 2014 financial year after allowing for statutory reserving of 20% of the net income.

The chairman said the Society will have over K10.0m in General Reserves in addition to Retained Earnings of just under K7.0m which is a very healthy position.

“The Board was pleased with the overall results of NCSL in 2014 in the face of challenges faced in the local economy. We note the main drivers of profitability and balance sheet growth were on the back of investments in Government Inscribed Stocks, loan port-

folio growth, property and share investments,” Mr Tarutia said. He stated that it was also pleasing to see growth in member savings, indicating a growing savings culture among national workers.

“On this note, we commend the staff and management of NCSL for their hard work and contribution to the 2014 results. Importantly, we also acknowledge and thank our valued members for their confidence and support over 2014 and assure them of our continued endeavours to provide a savings & loan service they can be proud of,” he added.

Market Snapshot

FED:$A higher as US rate hike hopes ease

According to Dr Satish Chand, compared to other countries in the Asia-Pacific region, PNG has the highest interest rate margins. The bottom line

DR CHAND speaking during the launch.

Westpac Mt Hagen steps up

WESTPAC Mt Hagen is looking very attractive with its new revolving signage located at the top of its building.

The big red W (the Westpac logo) can be seen spinning on the top of the building from a long way off by customers during daytime and looks even more awesome at night when it is illuminated.

The logo is the talk of the town and is believed to be the largest spinning logo in the country at the moment.

Mt Hagen branch celebrated its 50th anniversary last year and Westpac looks forward to the next 50 years and more in

Mt Hagen and Western Highlands Province.

In celebrating its 50 years, Westpac showed its commitment to the province and the country by way of continued investment in its services to the area.

There has been some renovation at the branch, as well as the inclusion of an additional ATM (Automatic Teller Machine) at the Tininga Supermarket at Dobel.

This addition is a plus for customers and brings to a total of four ATMs located in and around Mt Hagen.

Head of Retail Banking

Adam Downie said: “ATMs are there for our customers ease in accessing their money and we are proud to have installed a fourth one in Mt Hagen at this stage.

“We would like to assure our customers in Mt Hagen that our commitment to them shows in our continued investment in the Province. We had recently made improvements to the Mt Hagen Property, and there will be more ATM and In-Store Banking facility rollouts in the future.

“There is more in the pipeline.”

Damage to roads affects business

BY ROSALYN ALBANIEL

BUSINESS houses in Madang are paying dearly not only due to destruction of bridges along the Madang-Lae-Highlands Highway, but power and internet connections as well.

This was confirmed by president of Madang Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) Kevin Murray.

Mr Murray said the situation to be a disaster for the business community and from reports received by the chamber; it’s likely to be at least a month till normalcy is restored. He said both formal and the informal sector, mainly those in the fresh produce business, have been hardest hit with road access cut off.

He said with power pylons damaged, business houses had to dig deep to run their gen sets adding to their plight with outage of internet connection.

“There is no road access, no internet services and on top of that the larger businesses in the Province have to dig deep into their pockets just to keep their private generators running for power with the heavy load shedding that is being carried out by PNG Power Limited.

“The only means of communication via the internet is through dongles, but connection is very slow.

“We understand the National Government has made some funding available for disaster and it is the Chamber’s hope that Madang will be included so that normalcy can be restored.

“Small businesses including PMV’s and those involved in the sale of fresh produce from the Highlands region have been hard hit, with there being a shortage of supply in the province, while the general travelling public now have to walk a fair bit before changing buses.

“We understand a river crossing has already been put in place in attempts to reopen access and it could take up to a month for the bridges, which are several, to be replaced. This is essential as PPL will need this reopened before they fix the pylons,” Mr Murray said.

PPL had in a presentation to the Madang Chamber last week, confirmed that they are waiting on the Department of Works to get the bridges fixed before they are able to move in, while Telikom PNG could not be reached in time for comment.

They had also told the business community that they have enough fuel (200,000 litres) for two weeks.

Usino-Bundi MP Anton Yagama yesterday stated a number of bridges and power pylons to have been damaged.

Speaking from his electorate yesterday he had confirmed businesses to have been adversely affected, stating officials in the Province are liaising with respective authorities to rectify the problem.

HEAD of retail banking Adam Downie outside the Westpac Mt Hagen branch. Picture courtesy of Westpac

Members must produce IDs

NAMBAWAN Super Limited (Nambawan Super) has urged its members to visit their nearest branch with a valid form of ID to request for their statements.

Nambawan Super said its members can also request for their statements through the call centre.

Nambawan Super chief executive officer Garry Tunstall said the early announcement of 2014 financial results on March 4 and early distribu-

tion of 2014 member statements, is an example of the transformation exercise currently taking place to revamp systems, processes and staff culture to better service for members.

“Speed of service is a key objective to better service members.

“The fund has registered 40,000 members onto its SMS and Online platforms and encourages more members to sign up.”

NBPOL makes changes to its top management

NEW BRITAIN Palm Oil Limited (NBPOL) has made changes to its board and management. This was announced by the company in its report to the market last week, including the post of the chief executive officer (CEO) currently being held by Nick Thomson.

Mr Thompson will step down from his role effective, June 18, 2015, and will take on an advisory role with Sime Darby Plantation Sdn Bhd based in Kuala Lumpur.

The Board has initiated the search for a suitable replacement for Mr Thompson as CEO of NBPOL.

Simon Lord, director of Sustainability for NBPOL, has been appointed as executive vice president, Group Sustainability and Quality Management for Sime Darby Berhad based in Kuala Lumpur. Mr Lord’s appointment will be effective from April 1, 2015.

Dato’ Henry Barlow, chairman of NBPOL in commenting on the changes said: “During his 31 years with NBPOL and 21 years as its managing director/CEO, Nick has overseen the remarkable transformation of NBPOL from a modest 15,400 Ha oil palm plantation on the island of New Britain, to a world class producer of sustainable and traceable palm oil.

He leaves the company in excellent shape and, in doing so, passes the baton to a high quality management team who have benefited greatly from his mentorship over the years. Nick should be enormously proud of his personal contribution to NBPOL and indeed the oil palm industry in Papua New Guinea.

Mr Lord leaves the Company after 20 years of valuable service to pursue a new role overseeing sustainability and quality management for the Sime Darby Group.

He commenced his career with the Company in Research and Development and in more recent years has been integral to building NBPOL’s reputation as an industry leader in sustainability.

“Mr Lord’s appointment will further strengthen Sime Darby’s own sustainability credentials.

“On behalf of the NBPOL Board, shareholders and employees, we sincerely thank Nick and Simon for their valuable contribution to NBPOL over many years.

“We are extremely pleased that these two high calibre individuals will be joining the Sime Darby team.”

China’s business leaders like Australia

CANBERRA: Chinese business leaders hold Australia in higher regard than the United States, South Korea, Singapore, New Zealand and Russia.

But we’re not regarded as well as Germany and Canada.

The poll, conducted for the University of Technology Sydney’s Australia China Relations Institute by Zogby Research in February, found 93 per cent of the business leaders said they had a generally favourable impression of Australia, while 56 per cent said they had a very favourable impression.

Three out of five of the 1010 leaders surveyed said Australia was an attractive place to invest, more than anywhere else in the world. - AAP

Mr Tunstall said through these platforms, members can access their balances and transaction histories to ensure employers are remitting contributions in a timely manner. “This is the ideal way for members to stay up to date with their growing funds,” he said.

Nambawan Super announced its financial results for 2014 on March 4, 2015, with the fund generating a K338 million profit for members.

A seven per cent interest was credited into members accounts after reserving of K90 million.

NAMBAWAN Super chief operating officer Charlie Gilichibi presenting a statement to CEO Garry Tunstall.

Speed of service is a key objective to better service ...

GARRY TUNSTALL Port Moresby

world TB day

TB oldest disease, curable

TUBERCULOSIS (TB) is one of the oldest known diseases and is a communicable disease caused by bacteria affecting the lungs, and it spreads from one person to another through the air. However, it continues to impact millions of people in the developing world.

More then 90 per cent of the population in the developing world carry the TB bacteria. Most of these people do not catch the disease; their TB is dormant or latent. When the bacteria are dormant the

disease cannot spread. However, the disease can become active in people with weak immune systems.

Once active, the person is contagious and can spread the disease. Left untreated, each person with active TB will infect, on average, between 10 and 15 people every year.

TB is transmitted when an infectious person coughs, sneezes or spits. This propels the TB germ or bacteria into the air and it may be inhaled by others. Only a small

TB – Fatal but curable

One-third of the world’s population is currently infected with the tuberculosis (TB) bacillus. Every year, nine million people develop active TB and 1.5 million die from it. TB is spread through the air when infected people cough or sneeze. Not everyone infected with TB becomes ill, but 10 per cent will develop active TB at some point in their lives. The disease most often affects the lungs but may also infect other parts of the body like the brain, bones, skin. Symptoms include a persistent cough, fever, weight loss, chest pain and breathlessness in the leadup to death. TB incidence is much higher, and is a leading cause of death, among people with HIV/AIDS.

amount of bacteria needs to be inhaled for a person to catch the disease.

Symptoms of active TB are coughing, sometimes with blood, chest pains, weakness, weight loss, fever and night sweats.

As it is a disease that spreads through the air, TB flourishes in overcrowded areas, with limited sanitation, infrastructure and ventilation. It is often referred to as a disease of the poor.

TB occurs in every part of the world. However, over 95

WHAT IS TUBERCULOSIS?

per cent of TB deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries, and it is among the top three causes of death of women aged 15 to 44 years. In 2011, the largest number of new TB cases occurred in Asia, which accounted for 60 per cent of new cases (WHO, 2012).

One of the greatest challenges to the global control of TB is the HIV epidemic. In 2011, nine per cent of all new TB cases in adults were due to HIV infection. There were an estimated 1.8

An infectious disease caused by a germ that can damage your lungs or other parts of your body, causing serious illness and death.

TB is spread from person to person by coughing, sneezing and/or spitting. Touching a person or sharing cups and plates with others is harmless.

ARE YOU HAVING THESE SYMPTOMS?

million deaths from TB and 12 per cent were due to HIV.

Therefore, prevention of HIV and TB requires a focused effort to control both diseases in areas of high HIV prevalence. Multi-drug resistant TB (MDR-TB) is a form of TB present in virtually all countries.

This type of TB is caused by the inappropriate or incorrect use of anti-TB drugs. In 2011, there were an estimated 630,000 people with MDRTB.

In PNG, TB is particularly

Drug-resistant TB (DR-TB) is more complex to detect and treat.

prominent, with over 435 in every 100,000 people suffering from the disease.

It is one of PNG’s leading causes of death.

Many people believe that TB is caused by sorcery. This means those infected may turn to the local witch doctor or sorcerer for help instead of trained health workers.

By the time some TB patients arrive at a health clinic, it’s too late for medical treatment to work. Many people die because of this misinformation.

If so, you could have TB. Get tested and treated!

The ‘lost to follow-up’ or interruption of TB treatment can trigger the development of mycobacteria that are resistant to the drug in use.

Laboratory diagnosis of TB depends on taking a sample from an affected part of the body, usually sputum, which can be difficult to obtain. There is a new test that can give results after just two hours, and detect a certain level of drug resistance, but it is costly, depends on a reliable power supply, and still requires a sample.

A course of treatment for uncomplicated TB takes a minimum of six months. DR-TB is not impossible to treat, but the drug regime is arduous, takes up to two years, and causes many side effects.

TB management at work place

WORLD TB Day is on March 24 and it is a great opportunity to raise awareness of the ongoing battle against this disease in Papua New Guinea. Progress towards global targets for reduction in TB cases and deaths has been impressive. The TB mortality rate has fallen over 40 per cent worldwide since 1990, and incidence rates are declining.

However the incidence of TB has actually risen in Papua New Guinea, from 308 per 100,000 population in 1990, to 348 per 100,000 population in 2012. It is a leading cause of death in the country. Cases of drug resistant TB are becoming increasingly prevalent, not only in Western Province but also throughout the country. The National Department of Health are looking towards the private sector to support them through screening and treatment of their employees and families.

In high incidence settings such as PNG, TB within the workforce demands attention. One case of active TB can spread the infection to many others. Because of the effect of TB on health and productivity, the mining industry has a vested interest in preventing its spread and ensuring effective treatment of workers.

The PNG mining sector supports the identification and reduction of TB in the country through screening of employees and contractors, those “inside the fence”. The International Council on Mining & Metals, in its publication Good Practice Guidance on HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria advises, “For mining companies in medium- to high-risk areas, active TB programs are typically justified and should be supported.”

Screening “outside the fence” of people who live and work with employees may further reduce the risk of transmission of TB, not only within the community but amongst expatriate staff.

“The PNG mining sector has been extremely active in screening for TB in direct employees however where TB programs do not include household members and staff, there are significant gaps,” said Bruce Clark International SOS PNG General Manager.

“All the good work a company has done in terms of a screening process can be undone very quickly,” he said.

Including these populations in an organisation’s TB programme will reduce the risks.

Screening programs use different methods to identify people who have TB. Passive screening refers to encouraging people to present themselves if they suspect symptoms of TB, such as fever, persistent cough, night sweats and weight loss. Active screening refers regular examination including tests looking for TB.

The International Council of Mining and Minerals advises that the “gold standard” TB programme includes active screening of employees.

The purpose of identifying workers who have evidence of a TB infection is to reduce the duration of infectiousness, prevent further spread and allow effective treatment to achieve cure and reduce the risk of complications. If a case of active TB is identified, public health measures to identify at risk contacts, and provide testing and treatment is appropriate.

Newcrest Mining’s Lihir Medical Centre (LMC) run by International SOS is currently implementing such a control strategy aimed at active screening and effective management of TB cases to reduce transmission of the disease in the work-force.

The PNG health department supports the facility by supplying fi xeddrug combination kits which have the advantage of reducing the quantity of pills patients are required to take and the kits are quality assured.

In most cases, patients with active disease can be treated successfully, but it is important that patients with TB comply with their treatment. Directly observed therapy (DOTS) has been shown to be effective in treatment of TB and also diminishes the risk of emergence of drug-resistant TB.

“The Lihir medical centre started its TB control program in 2008 and received accreditation in May 2011 for DOTS from the health department. From 2008 to 2013, From 2008 through to 2014 , the medical centre has diagnosed and successfully treated almost 500 cases of Tuberculosis,” said Dr Oriol Mitjà, Public Health Director at the Lihir Medical Centre.

THE entrance Lihir Medical Centre.

to reduce TB prevalence rate

Awareness

6000 people infected in NCD annually

ANNUALLY 6000 people are infected with TB in the nation’s capital, one of the highest record of incidences worldwide, 25 per cent of the total TB burden in the country.

Even with this high number of detection capacities are not enough and usually long delays occur before a result is shown.

Most of the health facilities need capacity building to provide sufficient TB care.

The management of Drug Resistant TB or DR-TB patients is centralised at the Port Moresby General Hospital which

FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

The next steps for the TB program on Lihir are active case detection within the Lihir village communities to reduce the prevalence of tuberculosis in the Lihirian community.

“Newcrest has been actively involved in the TB control program through increasing awareness of TB through education programs, enhancing laboratory facilities and improving early case diagnosis. LGL also funds the positions of two TB control officers,” Dr Mitjà said. By implementing programs that address TB inside and outside the fence, mining companies operating in Papua New Guinea are not only im-

Govt sets up TB task force

THE government of PNG, in response to the large increase of drug resistant TB cases, established an emergency task force in August 2014.

Three of the 22 provinces in the country are under the microscope and they are Western Province, Gulf Province and the National Capital District.

The aim of this task force is to monitor the three provinces, set up targets for activities and then monitor them, monitor the provinces and have regular monthly meetings to see what has been done and what has been achieved.

There is a need for more resources in Western Province to help fight the war against TB says a Catholic Health worker.

Western is one of three PNG provinces identified as needing urgent health efforts to help address the spread of tuberculosis.

PNG has secured an 18 million US dollar grant from the Global Fund to be implemented by World Vision, aimed at reducing tuberculosis in PNG. However Western Province is excluded from the grant because Australia’s government oversees the funding of the remote province’s TB programme.

A nursing sister says the irregular funding received is usually not enough to allow them to venture into many remote parts of the province to treat TB-affected people.

“Lack of funding is a major concern here in Western Province, the people are suffering because there is no money to buy medicines so we make do with what we have,” she said.

She called on the Department of Health to help with more funding and medicines so that lives are saved from a curable disease.

TB program by focusing on peripheral health facilities in order to improve detection, treatment and follow up of TB patients.

Medecins

can be difficult to access for many patients, and has long waiting times for admission. In this context

Sans Frontieres (MSF) in collaboration with the provincial health authorities, will implement a decentralised

This year MSF and the Department of Health started supporting a TB clinic setup at Gerehu Hospital by ensuring proper infection control and patient flow, improvin g the TB laboratory capacity, decentralising activities and improve access to diagnostic and treatment closer to the population and introducin g the nine-month drug regimen for DR-TB.

MEDICAL of fi cer at Lihir Medical Centre.

AN MSF volunteer with locals.

Network takes awards to new heights

Next to the Word of God, the noble art of music is the greatest treasure in the world.

-Martin Luther IS IT possible, with words alone, to adequately express how important music is to life? Certainly throughout history, many have tried. Plato referred to it as a moral law; giving

“soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination…” Tolstoy said music was “the shorthand of emotion”. And Martin Luther famously rated it a close second to the “Word of God”.

There will be, among such quotes, one that surely resonates. If not – you can make up your own. And therein, lies the real beauty of music, for it affects us all

in very different, and often very personal ways.

For the past decade, YUMI FM have sought to pay tribute to our nation’s best musicians; celebrating their ability to move and motivate us; thanking them for the soundtrack they have laid beneath our many and varied lives. And this year will prove no exception.

With Digicel Play and TVWAN signing on as the

major sponsor, YUMI FM are set to take their annual Music Awards to a whole new level. Be assured the stars will be shining brighter than ever this year, when they take to the stage to perform at the Lamana Gold Club on the 18th of April!

As the lead sponsor for the YUMI FM PNG 11th Music Awards, TVWAN will be backing five of the 18 contended titles: Group

of the Year, Male Artist of the Year, Female Artist of the Year, Album of the Year and Song of the Year.

Nominees for each category will be announced shortly, drawn from the long list of local musicians whose tunes regularly feature in the Weekly Hit Parade Top 20 Countdown on YUMI FM – a popular show on the radio station that airs each Saturday from 11am – 2pm.

“Nurturing the talents of creative Papua New Guineans is always high on our agenda,” said Jack Bourke, Head of Digicel Play Marketing. “Film and television – well, it’s just silent movies without music!

So this new partnership with YUMI FM is perfect. We couldn’t be happier, putting our name and resources behind these most prestigious awards.”

hollow, according to review of Branagh’s film

KENNETH Branagh’s Cinderella is a gorgeous re-imagining, bringing to life the specific beauty and charm of the fairy tale. But it’s also rather hollow, doing very little to add its own spin.

There are two very distinct ways to view Kenneth Branagh’s Cinderella

From one perspective, it’s easy to appreciate a talented fi lmmaker taking a classic story and giving it a gorgeous re-imagining -- bringing to life the specific beauty and charm of fairy tales and packaging it in a spectacularly lush cinematic world. Bright as it may be, though, a look beneath the magic and glamour reveals the fi lm to also be rather hollow, doing very little to add its own spin to the classic plot, or anything really new.

NATES and band performing one of his favourite hits at the La Faiva Club last Friday night.

Picture: MARILYN PAUL

Nates a hit at city club

THE BROTHER of PNG’s best known reggae singer Nathan Nakikus aka Nates stole the show when he belted one of his brother’s best hit song member at the La Faiva last Friday.

So good like his brother Anslom Nakikus, Nathan did surprise the party goers by bringing out his brothers style and lyrics to the song giving the

crowd a night to enjoy. Also performed at the same night was the new and upcoming sensational group Stagajah.

The new band added more fun to the night with their new song currently hitting the airwaves and is promised to hit the PNG music chart mangi Yangoru was the most requested song for

the night.

Stagajah a group from Tokarara in Port Moresby has all the style and making of the latest music trend hitting the airwaves in PNG.

Not so much into modern but a fair mix of contemporary PNG taste that is getting much attention from music fans in the country.

The problem with these kinds of extreme points of view is that they wind up cancelling each other out, and the result is that Cinderella becomes an appreciable yet ultimately forgettable piece of cinema.

When looked at in comparison to the Walt Disney Animation version from 1950, you’ll notice a distinct increase in backstory and a severe decrease in cat-and-mouse shenanigans, but really, any kind of change to the main story of Cinderella is either insignificant or narrative patchwork used to cover up certain plot elements that wouldn’t translate to a modern audience (most notably, the prince – as played by Richard Madden – is allowed to be a character instead of just a cardboard cutout who falls in love at fi rst sight). Branagh adopts a by-the-book approach that sees Lily James bringing to life the titular poor soul who gets stuck living with her horrible stepmother

(Cate Blanchett) and stepsisters (Holliday Grainger and Sophie McShera), only to be freed for one enchanted evening thanks to the help of her Fairy Godmother (Helena Bonham Carter).

In many ways, the fi lm is comparable to the fluffy, action-driven blockbusters that are often critically mocked during the summer season. While credit is due to Chris Weitz for putting together a legitimately cogent narrative that does a great job striking the classic themes of the fairy tale (which is more than can be said for many empty big-budget fi lms), it’s all paper thin when viewed from a wider perspective.

www.cinemablend.com

‘Cinderella’

Flying 20,000 miles to save romance

LOUIS Tomlinson’s ex supposedly travelled 20,000 miles in an attempt to save their romance.

Over the weekend a spokesperson confi rmed the 23year-old One Direction singer called it quits weeks ago with his girlfriend of four years Eleanor Calder.

And according to British newspaper The Mirror, Eleanor flew 20,000 miles ahead of their breakup in hopes her visit with Liam would salvage their struggling relationship.

‘Cracks were showing for a while. It’s incredibly tough with the boys being on the road so much,’ a source told The Mirror.

“They had a month off over Christmas but since then they have been in Australia and the Far East. It put a real strain on the relationship.

‘But even after Eleanor flew out to visit Louis, they couldn’t work through their differences.

‘Weeks later, when they were on opposite sides of the world again, they called it a day.’

Eleanor’s international trek is likely to have taken place around the time One Direction commenced their On the Road Again Tour in Sydney, Australia on February 7. A roundtrip flight from London, England to Sydney is about 20,000 miles.

Eleanor, 22, was fi rst introduced to Louis by his bandmate Harry Styles in 2011.

But it seems Louis has quickly moved on, as pictures were released over the weekend which sees the heartthrob making out with a woman while taking a dip in the pool at a party in Bangkok, Thailand.

‘They were kissing on and off in the pool for about 15 minutes. Louis was just wearing his boxers, having stripped off to swim,’ an alleged onlooker told Britain’s The Sun newspaper.

‘They were snogging passionately.’ www.music-news.com

The tale of ‘White God’

A CAUTIONARY tale between a superior species and its disgraced inferior. Favouring pedigree dogs, a new regulation puts a severe tax on mixed breeds. Owners dump their dogs and shelters become overcrowded. 13-year-old Lili fights desperately to protect her pet Hagen, but her father eventually sets the dog free on the streets. Hagen and his pretty master search desperately for each other until Lili loses faith. Struggling to survive, homeless Hagen realizes that not everyone is a dog’s best friend. Hagen joins a gang of stray dogs, but is soon captured and sent to the pound. With little hope inside there, the dogs will seize an opportunity to escape and revolt against mankind. Their revenge will be merciless. Lili may be the only one who can halt this unexpected war between man and dog. White God brings a bit of a new take to the Homeword Bound-style story. While the heart of the plot centres around Hagen the dog and Lili the human reuniting after being separated because Hagen is an unfit mixed-breed dog, the movie’s depiction of the “unfit” dogs joining together to rise up against oppression is certainly a message that cannot be missed. Though the fi lm is Hungarian, it is certainly timely for American audiences given the events that have unfolded in places like Ferguson.

In addition to the fi lm’s poignant metaphor resting beneath the story, White God also breaks from the norm in the animal story genre by telling a great deal of the tale from Hagen’s perspective,

in addition to the more commonly used human perspective. Seeing the events unfold from Hagen’s eyes make the dog’s journey from beloved pet, to outcast, to revolutionary leader quite a bit more powerful than if we were watching his transformation from a third person perspective. It also looks to help drive the fi lm’s underlying message of injustice home, assisting the viewer step into Hagen’s shoes for a moment.

If the powerful metaphor on human cruelty doesn’t sell you, and the poignant drama of a dog searching for home and justice don’t tug at your heartstrings, the fact that fi lm is full to bursting with dogs should certainly win you over. Because of the sheer number of canines in the fi lm, Mundruczo was told

he would have to use only pedigree pups if he wanted to have any sort of order on set. However, as The New York Times reports, Mundruczo rejected that idea, and got all of his canine actors from surrounding shelters, and trained them in small group for six months before bringing the puppy horde together for fi lming.

Working with the dogs reportedly proved to be quite the amazing experience for the cast and crew of White

Gods. Apart from the amazing experience of getting to hang out at work with hundreds of dogs each day, the amount of love and caring that circulated between the cast and crew and the dogs was almost a form of therapy for all involved. And don’t worry about the future of those rescued dogs. The love certainly didn’t stop when fi lming wrapped. Mundruczo and his team implemented an adoption program, fi nding a home for each canine actor. Mundruczo’s fi lm has already made quite a splash, earning official selection from the Sundance Film Festival, and winning the Prize Un Certain Regard Award at the Cannes Film Festival. White God will release in theatres everywhere on March 27, 2015

ZSOFIA Psotta and Bodie in the film White God. Below one of the dogs playing Hagen.

‘People, politics and the press’

PEOPLE, Politics and the Press in Papua New Guinea explores the changing function of the press in PNG from the post-war Australian return to the coming of independence in 1975.

Inspired by Hank Nelson’s pioneering study of the PNG press, it shows how newspapers gradually changed from being a mirror of the expatriate world to a reflection of the growing aspira-

tions of the indigenous people.

Drawing on archival research and interviews in the UK, the Vatican, Australia, PNG and Fiji, the book looks at how three newspapers – the Rabaul Times, the Post-Courier and Wantok – covered some of the most significant stories in PNG’s history.

Informed by author’s experience of growing up in PNG

and working as a journalist, trainer and academic in the Pacific, the book also sets the PNG experience against the wider picture in Melanesia.

Publication led to an interview with Radio Australia and Dr Scott MacWilliam from the Australian National University’s State, Society and Governance in Melanesia Project wrote: “Press, Politics and People

should be required reading for people who are concerned with the history and current trajectory of Papua New Guinea … It is also a book with much to offer for university courses in journalism, history and social science methodology. Philip Cass shows in considerable detail how to research and write a detailed study about an important topic by employing a wide range of re-

search methods, including interviews, content analysis of newspapers, analysing academic and popular literature, and engaging in archival searches” (Pacific Journalism Review, XX:2, 2014)

Born and raised in Papua New Guinea, Philip Cass knew many of the people and places that feature in this book. He returned to PNG several times in the

early ‘90s to research his MA thesis on the missionary press in German New Guinea.

Philip Cass worked as a journalist and editor in Queensland for a decade before becoming an academic. His teaching career has taken him all over the world and included stints in darkest Teesside, nine years in Abu Dhabi and a year in the mountains of Oman.

SNAPSHOTS ... SNAPSHOTS

FRIENDS relaxing after a long week at work.

BEST of friends at a recent corporate event.

THE hardworking staff of a major hotel break for a photograph.

THE Sammy brothers enjoying their time out together

SECOND from right is Stagajah singer posing with fans.

At the mouth of Sappo

Authority issues notice for small craft operators

THE NATIONAL Maritime Safety Authority (NMSA) wishes to advise small boat owners, operators and users that the Authority is continuing to assist Maritime Provinces implement the Small Craft Act (SCA) 2011.

However, it is anticipated that the SCA will be implemented in three (3) phases as follows:

Stage 1-The setting up of the necessary legal administration to implement the Act (commencement of provincial small craft boards, registrars, inspectors);

Stage 2- The commencement and enforcement of Small Craft registration requirements; and

Stage 3 - The commencement and enforcement of licensing and other remaining provisions.

The implementation of SCA is a significant challenge for the 15 maritime provincial administrations given the large number of small craft and operators located along thousands of kilometres of

mainland and island coastal areas that will need to be registered and licenced. These laws will ensure that small craft owners and operators have their crafts certified as seaworthy, not to overload the craft and to carry equipment, including a lifejacket for each travelling person on the craft.

NMSA General Manager/CEO, Mr Paul Unas said the SCA 2011 was recently gazetted and came into force on 19 February, 2015 for commencement which NMSA anticipates to implement as per the three (3) phases mentioned.

He said the SCA requires each of the 15 Maritime Provinces including National Capital District to appoint a Small Craft Registration Board, a Registrar and Inspectors to implement and administer the Act in each province.

The provincial responsibilities include:

CONTINUED PAGE 33

OUTBOARD motor dinghies parked at the mouth of Sappo River, South Coast Morobe, Huon Gulf district before continuing the leg of journey either to Lae or Oro province. Traveling from Sappo village to Oro Bay is approximately two hours while to Lae is about four hours. Pictures FRANCO NEBAS

Ports authority supports army depot

SOLDIERS undertaking a shooting exercise at the Goldie River Training Depot outside Port Moresby were given a timely funding boost by PNG Ports Corporation Limited (PNGPCL).

The 1st Battalion Royal Pacific Islands Regiment (1RPIR) has been preparing for the 2015 PNG Defense Force Skills at Arms shooting Competition is being held this month from 5 to 24.

From this competition, a 1520 men shooting team will be selected to represent the 1RPIR unit during the competition. From that competition, a team will then be selected to compete

with soldiers from all over the world in another bigger competition in Australia next month.

PNGPCL, in line with its community service obligation program, assisted with K5,000 to support the 1RPIR in its preparations.

1RPIR Operations Officer, Major Larry Laori, said the competition would do well for the Force and help restore ‘Espirit de Corps’ within 1RPIR and the PNGDF.

“Despite happenings over the years that has brought the Unit (1RPIR) and the PNGDF under negative scrutiny, it is our intention that such competitions and other military oriented activities can help restore our moral and pride,” Major Laori said.

He said the sponsorship was a moral boost for the 1RPIR team and they would work towards enhancing and improving their performance.

Representing the Chief Executive Officer Mr. Stanley Alphonse on behalf of PNGPCL was Security Manager, Mr. Titus Edoni. Mr. Edoni also a former member of the PNGDF, praised the soldiers’ initiative saying: “there is no better way to

hone our skills than to train, train and train.”

Mr. Edoni said PNGPCL, in its business as owner and operator of all major sea ports which serve as the major entry point for both local and international trade into PNG, was also committed to maintaining overall national security of our sovereign waters and country.

He said PNGPCL was compliant with international security standards and committed to providing its stakeholder’s a safe and secure environment for effective and efficient service delivery to take place.

“We believe our contribution will help you select the best team by encouraging friendly rivalry to display high levels of weapon handling skills and marksmanship whilst simultaneously instilling loyalty and pride into the PNGDF,” Mr Edoni said.

Major Laori was accompanied by 1RPIR Officer Commanding Bravo Company Captain Chris Kalvale and Corporal John Silya also of Bravo Company.

The 1RPIR unit is based at the Taurama Barracks on the outskirts of Port Moresby.

PNGPCL Security Manager, Titus Edoni (third left), handing the cheque to 1RPIR Operations Of fi cer Major Larry Laori while (from left) PNGPCL Security Trainer, Steven Narimonda, Bravo Company Commanding Of fi cer, Captain Chris Kalvale, Corporal John Silya also of Bravo Company, and PNGPCL Security Team Leader, Michael Gi firo, look on.

Awareness campaigns for coastal communities soon

FROM PAGE 31

Certifying all small craft (craft under 10 metres in length including dinghies/banana boats) as complying with construction and safety standards; Registering and marking all small craft which includes issuing a registration number and marking the craft with a maximum load line; Licensing commercial small craft; and Enforcing the provisions of the Act particularly safety equipment requirements such as life-jackets and overloading.

Leading up to the SCA 2011 commencement, the NMSA has organised awareness campaigns, training sessions and provincial meetings to advise and assist provincial administrations and small craft operators of how best to comply with the regulatory requirements of the Act.

Recently, as part of its activities, following meetings with the Autonomous Region of Bougainville (AROB) government, the NMSA Small Craft Project team also conducted an awareness session to the students of Hutjena Secondary School following meetings with the AROB government.

All the provincial administrations and small boat owners and operators are advised to start complying with the SCA 2011 regulatory requirements in order to avoid inconvenience.

SMALL Craft Education Safety Of fi cer, Ishmael Kawi addressing the local villagers including small craft operators and owners during an awareness sessions on Bougainville.

Coastguard chief visits maritime team

THE NATIONAL Maritime Safety Authority (NMSA) was honoured to have the United States Coast Guard

fi rst woman commander paid its Head Office a courtesy visit recently.

She was accompanied by the US Ambassador to PNG, His Excellency Walter North.

Rear Admiral Cari Thomas, one of the highest ranking officers in the

U.S Coast Guard visit was in conjunction with her invitation to be one of the key speakers for the 2015 Papua New Guinea Women’s Forum.

Upon receiving Admiral Thomas and her executive team, PNG Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination team made a 30 minutes power point presentation of the role that PNG MRCC does to assist in search and rescue coordination of distressed vessels out at sea.

Shortly after the presentation, a tour of the 24/7 Search and Rescue Coordination Centre was made by Rear Admiral Thomas and her team members.

NMSA General Manager and CEO, Paul Unas thanked Admiral Thomas for making time available to visit NMSA’s Head Office as it was a privilege to have met a lady with so much passion about what she does and mostly importantly with such high calibrate in the US Coast Guard.

Admiral Thomas expressed a specific interest about the MRCC particularly its operational capabilities and how best the US Government can assist to boost this specific area.

Admiral Thomas also told her inspiring story of how she made it to the top in a male-dominated profession and shared her strategies for overcoming gender barriers.

Admiral Thomas is the Commander of the Fourteenth Coast

Guard District, which has an area of responsibility that spans over 12.2 million square miles and includes the Hawaiian Islands, Guam, American Samoa and activities in Saipan, Singapore and Japan.

NMSA General Manager and CEO, Paul Unas and his senior management team with Admiral Thomas.

Teen dad jailed for killing baby

A TEENAGE boy who killed his one-month-old son by fracturing the infant’s skull has wept in court after being sentenced to 10 years in detention.

The 16-year-old boy, who cannot be identified, was 15 years old when he killed the infant in February last year shortly before the baby was due to be discharged from Bunbury Regional Hospital.

The Perth Children’s Court heard on Monday that the teenager, who was originally charged with murder but pleaded guilty to manslaughter, told police he bumped the baby’s head into the wall or door frame.

Pilot captures Pam destruction

AN Australian pilot working in Vanuatu has captured the full scale of Cyclone Pam’s destruction in a series of before-and-after photographs.

The category five system hit the Pacific archipelago on March 13 and 14, flattening large swathes of the country.

Captain William Dyer was flying an Air Vanuatu char-

ter flight carrying disaster officials when he took the photographs.

“It’s not complete defoliation, there’s actually been complete destruction of the jungle in some places,”

Captain Dyer told Radio Australia’s Pacific Beat program.

The team had been conducting aerial assessments of the Sheppard Islands group in

Shefa Province, between the main island of Efate and Epi to the north.

“The Sheppards were hit pretty badly because the terrain is quite steep so there were lots of exposed areas,” he said.

“It’s made it pretty tough, not just for people living there, but for the ecosystem as well.”

The 27-year-old has been

flying twin otter aircraft for the national carrier Air Vanuatu for almost two years. While he has seen several cyclones in that time and said none have caused this much damage.

“I was shocked when I pulled out into the airport parking in Emai [Island] and saw how bad it was,” he said.

“I thought I better just take a photo so people can see, because I think it makes it easier to understand just how severe it was if you have the before and after to compare.” He said some of the original photos were taken to send back home to show his family in Queensland how beautiful the country is.

-ABC news

However, president Denis Reynolds found that the child must have been hit hard at least twice and with great force while the teenager was alone with the infant for up to 10 minutes.

The baby was moved to Princess Margaret Hospital but died days later.

The defence lawyer submitted that his client had been exposed to violence, aggression and substance abuse. Prosecutor Matthew Walton submitted that there was no reasonable excuse or explanation for such a heinous crime committed against a fragile and defenceless child. -Stuff

AFTER: A small island off the south coast of Epi island after Cyclone Pam. Picture: ABC

Singapore’s founding father dies, aged 91

LEE Kuan Yew, the statesman who transformed Singapore from a small port city into a wealthy global hub, has died at the age of 91.

The city-state’s prime minister for 31 years, he was widely respected as the architect of Singapore’s prosperity.

But he was criticised for his iron grip on power. Under him, freedom of speech was tightly restricted and political opponents were targeted by the courts.

A state funeral will be held on 29 March, after a week of mourning.

In an emotional televised address, his son Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong paid tribute to him.

Women help bury Kabul mob victim

THE coffin of a woman, killed by a mob in Kabul on an apparently false charge, has been carried by women, marking a break with Afghan funeral customs. Hundreds of people attended a funeral for the woman, named as Farkhunda, demanding her killers be punished.

Farkhunda had been accused of burning the Koran, but an official investigator said there was no evidence for this.

The attack on the woman, as well as the alleged failure of police to intervene, have been heavily criticised.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said he had ordered an investigation into the killing.

Footage of the attack, filmed on mobile phones, has been widely circulated on social media.

A mob, largely made up of men, attacked the woman with sticks and stones, beating her to death before setting her body alight, while police reportedly looked on.

Witnesses said the crowd had accused the woman of burning a copy of the Koran.

At a glance

DEATH: LEE Kuan Yew, the statesman who transformed Singapore from a small port city into a wealthy global hub, has died at the age of 91.

CITY-STATE’S PM: The city-state’s prime minister for 31 years, he was widely respected as the architect of Singapore’s prosperity.

CRITICISM: He was criticised for his iron grip on power. Under him, freedom of speech was tightly restricted and political opponents were targeted by the courts.

STATE FUNERAL: A state funeral will be held on 29 March, after a week of mourning.

SON’S TRIBUTE: In an emotional televised address, his son Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong paid tribute to him.

“He fought for our independence, built a nation where there was none, and made us proud to be Singaporeans. We won’t see another man like him.”

Mr Lee oversaw Singapore’s independence

from Britain and separation from Malaysia. His death was announced early on Monday. He had been in hospital for several weeks with pneumonia and was on life support.

UN Secretary General

Ban Ki-moon said he was “deeply saddened” by Mr Lee’s death. US President Barack Obama described him as a “giant of history”. The Chinese foreign ministry called him “a uniquely influential statesman in Asia”.

In Singapore, a steady stream of people arrived at the hospital and the Istana, the prime minister’s office, to offer their condolences. A charismatic figure, Mr Lee co-founded the People’s Action Party (PAP), which has governed Singapore since 1959, and was its first prime minister. The Cambridge-educated lawyer led Singapore through merger with, and then separation from, Malaysia.

Speaking after the split in 1965, he pledged to build a meritocratic, multi-racial nation. But tiny Singapore with no natural resources needed a new economic model.

“We knew that if we were just like our neighbours, we would die,” Mr Lee told the New York Times in 2007.

“We had to produce something which is different and better than what they have.”

As the long wait for the inevitable continued, the floral tributes piled up right outside the city-state’s main hospital, often laid by tearful, older Singaporeans who truly see this sharptongued, tough-minded man as a father figure. -BBC

The attack, near the ShahDu-Shamshaira mosque and shrine, is thought to have been the first of its kind in Afghanistan.

At the funeral on Sunday, women’s activists carried the coffin, breaking with tradition as men usually perform that role.

An interior ministry official in charge of investigating the case said he had found no evidence that the woman had burnt the Koran.

“Farkhunda was totally innocent,” Gen Mohammad Zahir told reporters. He said 13 people, including eight police officers, had been arrested.

Earlier claims that the woman was mentally ill have also been contradicted by a relative and a neighbour.

-BBC

Japan builds giant sea walls

FOUR years after a towering tsunami ravaged much of Japan’s northeastern coast, efforts to fend off future disasters are focusing on a nearly 400-kilometer chain of cement sea walls, at places nearly five stories high.

Opponents of the 820 billion yen ($6.8 billion) plan argue that the massive concrete barriers will damage marine ecology and scenery, hinder vital fisheries and actually do little to protect residents who are mostly supposed to relocate to higher ground.

Those in favor say the sea walls are a necessary evil, and one that will provide some jobs, at

least for a time. In the northern fishing port of Osabe, Kazutoshi Musashi chafes at the 12.5-meter (41-foot)-high concrete barrier blocking his view of the sea.

“The reality is that it looks like the wall of a jail,” said Musashi, 46, who lived on the seaside before the tsunami struck Osabe and has moved inland since.

Pouring concrete for public works is a staple strategy for the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its backers in big business and construction, and local officials tend to go along with such plans.

The paradox of such projects, experts say, is that while they may reduce some damage, they can foster complacency.

That can be a grave risk along coastlines vulnerable to tsunamis, storm surges and other natural disasters. At least some of the 18,500 people who died or went missing in the 2011 disasters failed to heed warnings to escape in time. - Stuff news

AS the news broke, people began arriving at the hospital to pay their respects.

Picture: BBC/REUTERS

A SHINTO shrine gate remains standing on a hill as sea walls are being built in the waterfront area in Rikuzentakata, Iwate Prefecture, northeastern Japan. Picture: Stuff.co.nz

Rebels capture crew after helicopter crashes

France faces record terror threat

PARIS: The threat of a jihadist attack in France has reached a level “without precedent” and new attacks are inevitable, according to top counterterrorism officials.

“The threat is permanent,” said one high-level official in the defence ministry.

“Not one day goes by without an alert, the discovery of a network trying to send people to Syria or Iraq, or an intervention (by the security services).

“The number of targets has exploded. There are two or three thousand, maybe four thousand, people identified or suspected of evil intentions.”

Nor are they all amateurs, the source added - many are highly educated. “They are pros, not dropouts,” he said. Defence ministry specialists say the jihadists “use the best encryption and concealment techniques” and that security services are “playing catchup”.

A SYRIAN military helicopter has crashed the country’s north-west and its crew members captured by Islamist rebels, a monitoring group says.

The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said four crew members were taken hostage by the Al Qaeda-linked Al-Nusra Front. Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman said a government helicopter was forced to land in Jabal Al Zawiya region, in the rebel-controlled province of Idlib.

“Four of the crew were

OTHER DEVELOPMENT: In the southern province of Daraa, opposition fighters and forces loyal to Syrian president Bashar al-Assad clashed in the ancient town of Busra al-Sham, the Observatory said.

RESULT: At least nine opposition fighters were killed, but the casualty toll on the regime side was not immediately known.

TOWN CONTROL: The town has both Sunni and Shiite Muslim residents, with control divided between regime and rebel forces.

captured and a fifth man was killed by armed men in a neighbouring village,” he said.

“A regime helicopter was forced to land in the region of

Jabal al-Zawiya in the northwest, which is a bastion of [Al-Qaeda’s Syrian affiliate] Al-Nusra Front.”

Official Al-Nusra Front accounts on Twitter published

photos and videos with the caption; Helicopter pilot in the hands of jihadists.

The images depict the bandaged pilot sitting in front of Al-Nusra Front’s official flag.

“To the Muslim children, to their mothers, who died two days ago because of their chlorine attack,” a bearded fighter says in the video, pointing to the pilot.

On March 17, a family of six died in Idlib province after a regime gas attack on the village of Sarmin.

Opposition forces accused the regime of using chlo-

Report: Authorities ignored early call for Ebola help

A “global coalition of inaction” contributed to world’s deadliest Ebola outbreak, the medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres says.

Its report - a year after the outbreak was declared - suggests early calls for help were ignored by local governments and the World Health Organization.

The charity says “many institutions failed, with tragic and avoidable consequences.”

Ebola has killed more than 10,000 people in the last 12 months.

Most deaths occurred in the worst-affected countries of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

The head of the United Nations Ebola response mission admitted the UN had made mistakes at the beginning of the outbreak and

sometimes acted “arrogantly” when giving advice. But he said it had learned from its mistakes and predicted Ebola would be eradicated by the end of the August.

Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed told the BBC: “We have been running away from giving any specific date, but I am pretty sure myself that it will be gone by the

summer.” The first person to succumb to the disease during this outbreak is thought to have been a toddler in a remote part of Guinea. He died in December 2013.

Three months later the WHO officially announced an outbreak. And it was a further five months before the organisation declared it a global health emergency. At this point more than 1,000 people had lost their lives.

Henry Gray, MSF emergency coordinator, told the BBC: “We were well aware this was something different in March and April last year and we did try to bring this to the attention of the WHO but also governments within the countries affected.

-BBC news

rine, considered a chemical weapon. Mr Rahman said two other servicemen from the helicopter crash were captured by another Islamist group, and at least one more crew member was believed to be on the run.

Government helicopters had been used to drop crudely constructed barrel bombs on rebel-held areas.

Syrian state television confirmed a military helicopter had crashed in Idlib due to technical failure and that search efforts were underway to locate the crew.

-ABC news

“Every time we get our hands on a network, we see they are each using seven or eight SIM cards, changing them constantly. And the most cunning don’t go near phones at all - they use messengers.”

The biggest concerns relate to the estimated 200 individuals who have returned from training or fighting in areas held by the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria.

“They have lost all inhibitions about violence,” said another top counter-terrorism official. Officials also fear that competition between militant groups may drive them to ever-more brutal acts.

“Al-Qaeda needs to restore its prestige and will try to compete with IS with complex and major actions,” said the official. -AAP news

SYRIAN television said a technical problem caused the helicopter to crash. Picture: ABC/AFP

The UN made mistakes and acted arrogantly ...

Complete the grid so that every row, column and 2x3 box contains every digit from 1 to 6 inclusive

Solution to puzzle SL0878

stars

March 20 - April 19

Don’t make the mistake of assuming that just because you’ve already made plans and others have agreed, things will go as expected. Obviously this is annoying. Still, judging by the powerful planetary activity taking place in your sign, frequent changes in circumstances will force you to rethink many of those arrangements.

April 20 - May 19

The time has come to discuss certain matters frankly. Before you raise these, however, you’re urged to do a bit of homework. You may think your facts are up to date. Begin asking a few questions and you’ll realise that, over the past week, there’ve been serious changes, some of them significant.

May 21 - June 20

Everybody likes to receive exciting offers, especially those that come out of the blue. Not only is this likely to be the case, but these will fall into place, as if by magic. This is fortunate, because appealing as these arrangements may be, you’ve little control over their direction or timing.

June 21 - July 21

Good fortune requires two things. The first is a period such as this, with powerfully positive planetary activating paving the way for exciting growth. The second is a willingness to go along with even unsettling changes. These are often a necessary step to making those fortunate events a part of your life.

July 22 - August 22

Does it seem a force has undermined the planning and organising you’ve been doing, possibly for months? Actually, these changes are being triggered by the current pair of eclipses, which influence everybody equally. Consequently, others are facing similar disarray. Work together and you can turn this chaos to your advantage.

August 23 - September 22

Some things can’t be rushed. The origin of the feelings triggered by the emotionally intense Virgo Full Moon, in early March, is finally becoming clear. Now that you understand these, it will be much easier to decide whether you should say or do something or simply reflect on what arose.

September 23 - October 22

You wouldn’t think that periods as unsettling as the past weeks have been would be a good time to review everyday tasks. Yet because they’re so ordinary and down to earth, you’ve found it a relief. Better yet, this enables you to update certain longstanding arrangements as the need arises.

October 23 - November 22

Having already had frequent differences with one particular individual in the past, you probably expected there’d be conflicts over new plans. But it’s the reverse. They’re thrilled with your ideas and have become your biggest supporter. Think back. It may be those earlier criticisms you regarded as inaccurate were actually valid.

November 23 - December 22

Being forced to give up on a plan you regarded as seriously promising is bound to seem like a setback. But that’s not necessarily true. Once you learn more, you’ll realise how complicated this would have been and, equally, how it would have devoured time that could be better employed elsewhere.

December 21 - January 19

Watching arrangements you worked hard to organise come undone is disappointing. Letting them go may be a wretch. However, deep down you knew these weren’t quite right. More important, once you’re no longer dwelling on these, you’ll have time to focus on new, and potentially more rewarding, plans and ideas.

January 20 - February 17

Although of the twelve signs, you profit most from the lengthy alliance between Jupiter and your ruler Uranus, you won’t always recognise the benefits of the changes it triggers, at least right away. Knowing that, explore everything and refuse nothing, including what seems unappealing. You’ll be amazed what works out for the best.

February 18 - March 19

As a Piscean and somebody’s who’s sensitive by nature, you dislike doing anything you fear could upset others. Ironically, however, this is the only thing that will get certain otherwise uptight individuals to address their feelings about crucial matters. It won’t take much. And, ultimately, they’ll thank you for it.

sports - Lae sports in pictures

BIG swing for a six.

FOLLOW through and there goes the ball up in the air.

MOKI Tau of Defence 1 looks for support.

DEFENCE 1 player struggles to catch the ball in the plate final against Lae Schoolboys.

KAINANTU Crusader tries to break the Amera Rabbitohs defense in the Ipatas Cup Northern leg grandfinal.

JOEL Ambrose and Lau Posu sandwich a lone Sagothorn Mites runner.

TELIKOM Citylight player escapes the onslaught of a 13A Manties defender in the Bowls final.

Pictures by FRANKIY KAPIN

From PNG Games to the Pacific Games

BY MIRIAM ZARRIGA SWIMMING

THE TNT Swimming short course Championships will be held next month and among the elite squad vying for a spot is 16 year old Britney Murray.

Murray was part of Team Central’s swim team during the 6th BSP PNG Games in Lae last year.

She hauled in seven gold medals and was the star in the female open category, that boosted their medal tally towards the back-end of the Games.

As part of Papua New Guinea Swimming Inc elite squad, the teenager from the Rigo Coastline of Central Province is excited at a possible chance to represent her country during the Pacific Games in July.

“Should I be selected I would be so

happy,” Murray said.

“It’s hard to describe what I am feeling right now but if I was to make the PNG team I would be so proud,”Murray added.

Murray’s pet event is the 100m backstroke where she excitedly said she would be competing against her cousin Anna Lisa Mopio-Jane.

“I will only take part in one event at the TNT short course championships and I will be going out there to lower my times and to impress selectors,” Murray said.

In her preparation so far, she was part of the team that went to Dubai for the FINA World Championships and Melbourne for the Open State Chmpionships.

“I’m gearing up for the short course championships next month and I hope to improve on my personal best of 1:09 in the 100m backstroke,” Murray added.

Palais ready

BY MIRIAM ZARRIGA RUGBY SEVENS

CITY Pharmacy Limited/

Heritage Niugini PNG Palais will be flying out today for the Hong Kong Sevens.

Coach Sailosi Druma said he is confident of the selection as the team has more depth with the return of former internationals.

The squad was finalised following a one-week camp and several trial matches on Saturday in Port Moresby.

Making a return to the international scene is Lynette Kwarula and Geua Larry who give the forwards a boost with their strong defensive work-rate and speed.

“Lynette (Kwarula) is a finisher but will play amongst the forwards…her versatility is a

bonus to the team,” Druma said.

“Geua (Larry) is outstanding as a defender, tackler and her hassling for the ball is good,” Druma added.

The return of Joan Lagona has boosted their speed and attack, from the last tour to Borneo.

PNG are in Pool C against Japan, Tunisia, and the Netherlands.

PNG played Japan recently in the Borneo Sevens and came off second best, but will try to make amends this time round.

The girls worked hard over the weekend and have put together the combinations and set plays they want to use.

“In our final training yesterday, the girls worked on their set plays which included the line outs, scrum and kick off,”

Druma said.

The tournament will allow the players to also press for selection for the XV Pacific Games in July.

“The players will take a break on return, as they have been in this mode since November. Then we will relook upon assessment of all players and work on last preparation for the Pacific Games,” he added.

The PNG Palais team: Amelia Kuk, Michelle John, Lynette Kwarula, Freda Waula, Dulcie Bomai, Joan Lagona, Alice Alois, Trissila Rema, Cassandra Sampson, Kymlie Rapilla, Patricia Harricknen, and Geua Larry.

The non travelling reserves are Menda Ipat, Naomi Alopi and Yarowena Morofa.

NCD Lahara win title

BY HAIVETA KIVIA CRICKET

NATIONAL Capital District Lahara

are the new champions of Papua New Guinea cricket.

Lahara beat city counterparts NCD Avala by 11 runs in the grand final of the National Regional Men’s Championship at the Show Ground Oval in Lae on Sunday.

Last year’s inaugural champions Morobe faltered and finished 4th in the tournament behind Combine XI. Morobe team manager Arnold

Topai said they missed some of their key players from last year but gave it their all nevertheless.

In the grandfinal, Lahara won the toss and elected to bat first and posted 125 runs for the loss of seven wickets at the end of 20 overs.

Captain Kohu Dai’s unbeaten 46 runs off 35 balls and Sese Bau 30 of 29 balls laid the foundation for their total.

Current PNG Barramundis fast bowler Raymond Haoda Jnr (2/18) did not let Lahara have things their way when he sent their openers Kiplin Doriga (4) and Heni Siaka (8) back to the stands in his opening spell. Lahara was reeling at 2/15 but Dai and Bau weathered the early collapse to pile on 49 runs before Bau departed top edging to gully.

Arina Lahari put 12 runs before he was removed by former Barramundi Kapena Arua but Dai held on gallantly to ensure they set a good target.

Avala’s run chase began disastrously with its top order collapsing cour-

tesy of a good spell from Lahara’s opening fast bowlers Loa Nou (3/27) and Kabua Vagi Morea (2/15).

Nou ripped through the top three, having Steven Eno plump leg before wicket (LBW) and Alfred Amini caught in the slips.

First drop Mahuta Kivung smashed two boundaries in succession and then tried to heave Nou to the boundary but was brilliantly caught by Morea on the ropes.

Kapena Aru (2) and skipper Greg Baeau (0) went cheaply and the Avalas were reeling at 5/27.

Stylish diminutive wicket keeper/ batsman Dogodo Bau arrived but wickets kept falling at the other end.

Raho Sam, who is a opening batsman for the PNG U19s, was sent lower down the order and when he came on the crease, it was game on.

Sam sent the first three balls he faced for sixes and piled on another three and made 51 of 17 balls before being trapped LBW by spinner Hiri Hiri.

Sam was awarded the Man of the Match Award for his brilliant hitting in the chase.

In the third place playoff, Combined XI pulled off an upset to defeating hosts Morobe by three wickets.

Chasing 125 for victory, captain Vali Albert, 65 not out from 35 balls and needing five runs from the final over, smashed a towering six to upset Morobe.

The tournament was staged by Cricket PNG to allow for a proper selection process for the Pacific Games team.

MEMBERS of the extended CPL PNG Palais rugby Sevens squad competed for positions during several trial matches on Saturday. Picture by MARK TALIA

Britney Murray swimming the free-style

PAPUA NEW GUINEA sportsmen and women can learn a lot from PNG’s sports history from the early years of sports development since the 1960s with regards to the struggles, experiences and achievements of past athletes’ participation at major international sporting competition which could be added motivation to their ongoing training and improved performance at international competitions in the modern era. Undoubtedly, sports has always captured the interest and passion with young Papua New Guineans.

From time immemorial, children have played in their villages all kinds of simple games and they also had the opportunity to watch and take part in sporting events and competitions in big towns.

In schools young Papua New Guineans were exposed to many new sports and naturally found themselves excelled in many of these sports.

For Papua New Guinea organised sport is a relatively late development and there were many raw sporting talents to be identified. Sports was introduced during the early occupation of German New Guinea and British Papua in the 19th century by Germany and Great Britain respectively.

Before the Pacific War (1941) among the expatriate community there were keen sportsmen and there were regular inter-town, inter-district and inter-territory matches and competitions in many sports and there were no place in these organised competitions for Papua New Guineans.

But plantation workers and la-

bourers in the towns would watch eagerly the expatriates play their sport and on Sundays would get together wherever they could find space and play their own versions of the white men’s games. Soccer was popular in many New Guinea towns while in Papua, workers and villages near the towns favoured cricket introduced by the early Anglican missionaries and those of the London Missionary Society.

The Second World War (1942-1945) brought about all kinds of changes to PNG as well as a great change in the attitude to organised sport for Papua New Guineans. The role of sport in national development has become widely recognised in the years since the war, and such was the case in Papua New Guinea. Expatriates returning after the war continued their previous sporting activities and embraced new ones like basketball and baseball which were played by the American servicemen during the war.

Some expatriates took interest in young Papua New Guinean sportsmen, coaching them and encouraging them.

Sports in Papua New Guinea came of age in 1961. In his book:

“An Olympic Life: Melbourne 1956 – Sydney 2000, Kevan Gosper whose two-year sojourn in Rabaul as Shell’s Manager in the early 60s had fond memories of his involvement with sport in that part of the Territory of Papua New Guinea.

“The local administrators and the Australian Trusteeship Administration made a decision to enter a team in the British Empire Games (Commonwealth Games) in Perth in 1962 which was seen as an important one for the territory in

gaining independent international recognition through sport. It was the decision that made PNG sport come of age.” Kevan Gosper was drawn into sport in the Territory of Papua New Guinea on the first night of arrival in Port Moresby with his young family. Kevan and his wife Julian had been invited to dinner at the home of the District Commissioner, Fred Kaad who was very interested in sport and a popular figure in the territory. There has been some talk in the local paper about Kevan coming to the territory and his Olympic background so when Fred knew they were in town he invited them over.

Among the guests was John Gunther, the legendary Assistant Administrator for the Territory. In the early years the two territories Papua and New Guinea were under the United Nations Trusteeship. After the World War they were administered by Australia and combined to form the Territory of Papua and New Guinea and were referred to as Papua & New Guinea until self-government in December 1973 when the name was changed to Papua New Guinea. On the verandah in the tropical stillness, John Gunther had a quiet chat with Kevan:

“ We are happy that Shell has chosen to send you here. We’ve entered for the Commonwealth Games in Perth and we don’t know what to do next. We’ve got some young Papua New Guineans who can run lie the wind. The strongest of them are in Rabaul. Can you devote some time to training them and give us a hand on the administration side?

WELCOME to the fi rst edition of My Sports Journal, a weekly column with the objective of educating readers and providing important insights on the achievements of past Papua New Guinean athletes in major international sporting events and current issues including the historical developments of sports in the country. My Sports Journal also invites readers to share their thoughts on sports in general or their sporting experiences and achievements which would be invaluable for others to read about. Happy Reading.

Hekari ‘mum’ on imports

BY PETER SEVARA JR. SOCCER

PAPUA NEW GUINEA’S glamour soccer club Hekari United FC are sweating on a bulk of their import players yet to arrive for their OLeague Championship preparation.

Hekari team manager Vonnie Kapi-Natto wouldn’t release the names of who the players were, but did indicate that a couple are from the Solomon Islands.

“Two are New Zealand-based players are still yet to arrive while the other from Vanuatu arrived last week.

“They will be here this week on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. We should have them here for a week or two with the boys.

“I’m not going to confirm their names as yet, due to visa issues but we should be able to confirm

Dabinyaba scores winner

BY HAIVETA KIVIA SOCCER

LAE City Dwellers bounced back into the winners’ circles beating Madang FC 3-2 at home at the Sir Ignatius Kilage Stadium.

Dwellers trump cards Ray Gunemba and Nigel Dabinyaba combined to score the winning goal at the 70th minute mark after Obert Bika’s goal was mysteriously ruled a no goal by assistant referee Wase Bafinuc.

Both teams played an attacking brand of football and subsequently led to over aggression in defence

and tension building up.

Match referee David Yareboinen was not tough on the rough plays. He only dished out four yellow cards when there should have been more and a definite red card for Nigel Malagian for an offence on Raymond Gunemba.

Gunemba put the ball behind the defensive line and was stepping past Malagian when the Madang defender changed direction and ran straight into him.

Malagian escaped without a card nor a caution. Yareboinen was unfair on both sides and player safety needs to be polished as it was non-

existent.

Madang signalled their intent to win when Lae export Sammy Hiob scored against the run of play when he sliced the ball between defenders, hitting the back of the Dwellers net.

Dwellers were dominating play and were bombarding the Madang goal but Troy Gunemba lost possession in the midfield and Hiob pounced.

Smart passing in traffic amongst defenders between Ray Gunemba and his strike partner Paul Atens resulted in Gunemba cancelling out the Hiob strike.

sometimes this week,” she added.

Kapi-Natto said getting a proper venue for proper match practice was very complicated, as they have no choice but to hang in there and see how they go.

“We have an NSL break this weekend, and I always have faith in our boys as they need to understand that conditions here (Port Moresby) can’t be help,” she added. We have to be very strong mentally and physically, and have strong faith in our good Lord to have that fighting spirit like we normally do in the NSL, she said.

Kapi-Natto has faith in Tommy Semmy who she likened to experienced striker, Kema Jack.

“I’m starting to see the young Tommy and Airem (Simon) coming out in the team and Jeremy Yasasa, our defender and our Jamal Seeto, I’m very impressed with them, it’s just that they have

to adjust to our Hekari football,” she said.

Kapi-Natto said being part of Hekari is not about coming in to just play. It’s about earning your position amongst the senior boys in the team.

She added that their Solomon Islands import, Joachim Waroi has a groin injury and is not confirmed to be available for the O-League Championships as yet.

HEKARI United striker Tuti Tanito heads the ball in a recent clash with Oro FC in the National Soccer League.

1962 – RUNNING with John Landy on Queens Park in Rabaul with New Guinean Peter Tavip and the ‘Mother’ volcano in the background. Tavip was soon after stoned to death in a village dispute. On the right is Keven Gosper.

Central boost

BY JOHN PANGKATANA Sports Editor

THE Kila Haoda Cup Central Province

Premier Rugby Football League has come of age.

In only its second season, the Jack Kedea-founded competition has doubled the interest for what is expected to be a bigger and more exciting 2015 season.

Central Rugby League principle Jack Kedea said the huge interest has come off the back of a successful 2014 season, which is seen as the pathway ‘hope’ for rural Central Province.

“The first season was about trial and error and we have worked to improve.

“The indicator that far outweighs the rest is the social economic benefit that is putting an extra toea in the pockets of rural district communities at venues,” he said.

BRITNEY VIES FOR GAMES

Central Province premier rugby

HEKARI “MUM” ON IMPORTS

“All districts now know they have the chance to expose their hidden talents while getting more value under our PNGRFL sanctioned competition,” Kedea said.

The Central Province Administration under Governor Kila Haoda is the major sponsor of the league.

The Papua New Guinea Rugby Football League (PNGRFL) affiliate under the Southern Confederation is working to achieve the goals and inspirations of the governing body to open up the game at the rural level.

Whilst the first season saw tentative interest from the length and breadth of the province, those fears have since been erased. From seven teams in 2014, 13 new teams will be signing up for what will be a block-buster season.

The new structure format will see games played in zones with four teams slotted

into five pools to play three rounds.

After round three a split round will apply to all zones, where all zone winners will advance to the Cup, the second-placed teams to the Plate and third placed teams to the Bowl play-offs.

With an added bonus of K30,000 for this year’s Kila Haoda Cup winne, there won’t be a shortage of action in this inter-district competition that has secured playing venues at Kupiano Station, Wagula Park and Kapaivina at Maopa (Abau), Kiwikila Station (Rigo), Iarowari Provincial High School (Hiri) and Bereina Station (Kairuku).

The new clubs are Amazon Bay/Cloudy Bay, Konepoti-Lalaura/Kapari, Keleone (Abau District), Tauruba, Gabagaba, Rigo Coastline-Kalo/Karawa/Alukuni/ Keapara (Rigo District), Tubusereia Titans, Boera Sailors, Lealea/Manumanu Hunters (Hiri District), All Sound Bay, Mekeo West Nuts (Kairuku District) and Motu-Koita.

They join inaugural Kila Haoda Cup champs Aroma Coast, runner-up Goilala Karukas, Koiari Ngavas, Hiri West, Hiri East Magi Highway Rebels and Mekeo Hawks.

The official launch will be done next month and further announcements will be made in readiness for the competition to get underway in May.

Affiliations are open and teams are to contact Kedea on Ph 79684419.

football league chairman Jack Kedea displays the Kila Haoda Cup.