Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat Preliminary Submission to the National Parliament of Solomon Islands Foreign Relations Committee (FRC) on the Review of the Facilitation of International Assistance Notice

^{Opening Statement}

^{The Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS) would like to thank the Solomon Islands Parliamentary Foreign Relations Committee for the invitation to make a submission to the Parliamentary Inquiry into the Facilitation of International Assistance (FIA) Notice.  We would like to note that the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat submission is based on consultations with members of the Pacific Islands Forum, and the 2007 RAMSI Review Task Force Report endorsed by Leaders at the 2007 Forum in Tonga.}

^{As preliminary remarks PIFS notes that:}

^·          the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI) was invited by the Solomon Islands as an Independent State and deployed as a Forum mission under the Biketawa Declaration to restore peace and stability in the country after the Tensions of the late 1990s and early 2000;  

^·          the engagement of the region as a whole in RAMSI is vital, and RAMSI’s strength lies in its regional nature;

^·          The outcomes of the 2007 Pacific Islands Forum Leaders’ meeting  in Tonga commended and confirmed the continuing support of all Forum members as contributing countries to RAMSI as an outstanding example of cooperative regionalism; 

^·          At the 2008 Forum Leaders’ meeting in Niue, Leaders noted the positive relationship which had developed between RAMSI and the Solomon Islands Government (SIG) since the 2007 Leaders’ meeting in Tonga;

^·          RAMSI has undergone two Forum-led extensive external assessments, notably the 2005 Eminent Persons’ Group Review of RAMSI and the 2007 RAMSI Review Task Force Report.  The latter, which was adopted by the Solomon Islands Cabinet, noted RAMSI’s “strong and widespread support throughout Solomon Islands”.  It underscored regional support for the maintenance of RAMSI’s mandate in its current state, welcoming the SIG’s decision to maintain RAMSI’s mandate unchanged for a further year from July 2007 as provided for in the FIA Act; and;

^·          The Forum responded promptly to the recommendations of the 2007 RAMSI Review Task Force Report to strengthen mechanisms for dialogue with the SIG through the formation of the Forum Ministerial Standing Committee (FMSC) which has so far met twice with full participation by the SIG.  The SIG-RAMSI Partnership Framework, endorsed by the FMSC, will provide a key tool for strengthening the partnership by aligning RAMSI’s priorities with those of the SIG;

^·          RAMSI is here to assist the Government and people of Solomon Islands to rebuild the state, economy and society in order that the fundamentals for growth and prosperity can once again function to the benefit of all citizens.

 

^{Main Statement}

^{RAMSI is the first major multilateral intervention to be undertaken in the Pacific Region under the Biketawa Declaration.  Although it incorporates features of other international interventions, the mission is unique in that it has been specifically designed to assist the Solomon Islands Government and its people, by employing various forms of assistance from the Pacific Islands Forum countries. As such it has created a sense of unity and pride amongst Forum Members.}

^{Understandably enough, the creation and continuing adaptation of RAMSI has involved a steep learning curve for both contributing countries and for the receiving state. Where there has been misunderstanding and misinformation consultation mechanisms have been established to de-mystify and resolve them.  Over the years RAMSI has become more knowledgeable about national priorities and is working closely with national authorities in the pursuit of these priorities.  As one community representative put it to the Forum- RAMSI Review Task Force, it is now time to capitalise on the lessons learned and move forward to new challenges.  Meanwhile, the Forum in consultation with the Solomon Islands Government and people continues to use the lessons learnt from RAMSI’s five years experience in the Solomon Islands in reviewing and strengthening its operating systems, work programmes and work ethics. This means that RAMSI continues to adapt to on the ground realities and the emerging considerations of the host; an adaptation that is guided through consultation and comes as a result of jointly agreed targets and conditions.}

^{While RAMSI’s presence in Solomon Islands is designed to strengthen Solomon Islands as a sovereign state through support to key institutions, questions of sovereignty and sustainability have emerged as key issues.  The Forum understands that successive Solomon Islands Governments, particularly at the political level, felt they were not sufficiently in control because RAMSI’s activities were not closely enough aligned with Solomon Islands Government policies. Also, the Forum understands that there is a view among some parliamentarians and among some members of the community that the application of the FIA Act was impinging on Solomon Islands’ sovereignty. The Forum fully appreciates these concerns and is pleased to offer the following views on these:}

 

^{The FIA Act}

^{The FIA Act was, of necessity, drafted and passed into law as a matter of high urgency by relevant Solomon Islands agencies. This may offer some explanation as to why some aspects of the FIA Act, including those provisions concerning immigration, sit awkwardly with other pieces of Solomon Islands legislation.  Moreover, the Act is largely silent on how some of its provisions should actually be implemented. We acknowledge that there may be benefits in the formulation of regulations to the Act to assist in the implementation of its provisions. Nevertheless, when read in conjunction with other documents such as the RAMSI Treaty, the 2003 Forum Foreign Ministers Outcomes Statement and the Framework for Strengthened Assistance to Solomon Islands, the Forum Secretariat believes that the FIA Act still provides an adequate and workable legal basis for RAMSI’s activities. The 2007 RAMSI Review Taskforce Report concluded that any “unilateral amendments to the FIA Act would inevitably have serious implications for the willingness of participating nations to continue contributing to RAMSI.  They would also damage the greater sense of partnership that is now emerging in Honiara”. The Pacific Islands Forum would like to reiterate that the FIA Act is but one element of the legal framework governing RAMSI’s presence in Solomon Islands, and that a change to any one element of that Framework will necessarily have a bearing on the other elements; which is to say that the Forum feels that the Committee will need to consider the political, safety, economic, social and developmental aspects of RAMSI’s presence in Solomon Islands as those elements are affected by its legal standing.}

^{Given the sensitivity of the question of immunities, the 2007 RAMSI Review Task Force enquired into the nature of the immunities covering RAMSI.  It heard that the purpose of immunities is not to benefit individuals but rather to ensure the effective performance of the functions of RAMSI.  The provisions of the FIA Act are subject to the Solomon Islands Constitution – the Act does not provide immunity in respect of actions that might infringe fundamental rights and freedoms set out in the constitution.  Furthermore, the Task Force was assured that RAMSI does not tolerate misconduct by its personnel.}

^{The immunities provided in the FIA only apply to actions done in the course of, or incidental to, official duties. RAMSI personnel, including civilians, are working in a wide range of sensitive areas. Without immunities, RAMSI’s activities could be undermined, delayed or impeded by vexatious or spurious legal claims. It is important to note that RAMSI’s immunities are not unusual. The granting of such immunities under the FIA Act reflects standard international practice; international peacekeeping missions around the world are provided the same basic legal cover for contingents, as are the staff of regional and international organisations, including the Forum Secretariat. Moreover, a sending government can choose to waive immunities granted to its personnel, enabling these personnel to participate in legal proceedings in Solomon Islands Courts and tribunal, where appropriate.}

^{In addition to, and different from, the provisions regarding immunities, the FIA also includes provisions that govern the choice of jurisdiction. RAMSI personnel do not get immunity from legal action for things done outside the scope of their official duties – rather, the provisions in the Treaty and the Act are to prevent them being prosecuted in two places, and to allow that where possible, they are prosecuted in their home country as the first preference.  If the home country can not or does not wish to take appropriate legal action, then the Solomon Island Government can assert jurisdiction.} 

^{On these accounts, the FIA Act serves a specific purpose and is not intended to impinge on sovereignty neither preclude the application of the due process of law beyond the confines of its provisions.}

 ^{RAMSI’s work}

^{The 2007 RAMSI Review Task Force found that there was an almost unanimous view among Solomon Islanders that the Regional Assistance Mission had to remain in place for some time yet.  The Forum understands that this view is still held by the vast majority of Solomon Islanders. The second RAMSI Annual Performance Report shows that gains are being maintained and progress is being made across all the areas of its mandate.  The quality and quantity of performance information from Solomon Islands sources and from within RAMSI’s constituent programs has improved markedly since the first efforts were made in 2005 to measure progress.  The running of the second People’s Survey, based on a fully representative sample, gives a rich picture of the way that institutions which RAMSI is supporting are impacting (or not), on the lives of ordinary Solomon Islanders.} 

^{The Forum also notes that the Solomon Islands Government faces a number of important national challenges concerning devolution and decentralisation, reconciliation, and addressing the causes of the ethnic tensions.  Many of these issues were addressed in the 2005 Forum Eminent Persons Group Report. The 2007 RAMSI Review Task Force Report reiterated the importance of these issues, whilst recognising that these issues are the responsibility and prerogative of the Solomon Islands Government. As such, these matters fall outside RAMSI’s direct mandate. At the same time, there are linkages between RAMSI’s capacity building and institution strengthening work and the addressing of some of these challenges, and efforts currently undertaken by SIG to address these challenges can impact upon the work of RAMSI. Therefore, the Partnership Framework currently being developed could benefit from regularly integrated independent peace and conflict impact assessments, to ensure that the activities of RAMSI contribute positively to SIG efforts to address these national challenges.}

^{Relationship between RAMSI, assisting countries and the Solomon Islands Government}

^{The Forum is pleased to note that one of the key recommendations of the 2007 RAMSI Review Task Force, which was endorsed by Leaders in Tonga in 2007, to establish a Forum Ministerial Standing Committee, has occurred and that this forum has provided a mechanism to deliberate, and resolve many of the issues that will be brought before this Committee in coming months.  The Pacific Islands Forum members would like to table before the Committee the Outcomes Statements from the first and second Forum Ministerial Standing Committee meetings, and the summary of the presentation by the 2007 RAMSI Review Task Force that was presented to the first FMSC meeting, as it illustrates the inclusive approach taken in that review to take on board the Solomon Islands Government Six Point Plan in its terms of reference for further consideration and discussion.}

^{RAMSI is working in close consultation with the SIG to ensure that the Partnership Framework provides a highly effective mechanism for constructive dialogue and genuine partnership. During their 2008 meeting in Niue Forum, Leaders welcomed the development of the Partnership Framework. Members have also observed that the vastly improved bilateral relationship between the new Solomon Islands Government and the new Australian Government has had a positive effect on RAMSI’s ability to achieve its mission.} 

^{Closing Statement}

^{In conclusion, while the Pacific Islands Forum is of the view that some amendments to the FIA Act may enable the Solomon Islands Government to better discharge its functions, which is consistent with the RAMSI mission of self sustainability, those changes should not include amendments to the immunities provisions of the FIA Act.  Furthermore, to uphold the spirit of cooperation among the contributing countries, and as agreed to by the Solomon Islands Government, any proposed changes to the Act should only occur after extensive consultations with all participating countries.  To this end, the Pacific Islands Forum welcomes the initiative of the Solomon Islands Parliamentary Foreign Relations Committee to undertake these consultations with as many stakeholders as possible.  While the Pacific Islands Forum’s preference is for a continuation of the status quo, RAMSI is a living entity and will, in consultation with stakeholders, remain responsive to adapt to new Government priorities in the interests of the long term sustainability of Solomon Islands institutions, however they may be structured in the future. The Forum has put in place a number of multilevel oversight mechanisms for consultation about the mission, which will assist the Solomon Islands Government and RAMSI to continue to make such adaptations, including the development of the Partnership Framework.}

 

The need to record Papua New Guinea's history

My auntie, Kitalam Delabu, aged 84, died at Angau Memorial Hospital in Lae last Saturday night, September 20.

Kitalam, from Butibam village in Lae, was the last of a family of five starting with elder brother Nasinom, herself, my father Mathias, Malum and then Gaseawe.

Her three brothers Nasinom, Mathias and Malum, and sister Gaseawe, have all gone.

I had planned to interview Kitalam many times so that he could tell me her story, which is one of Lae, Morobe province and Papua New Guinea from the colonial days and WW11 up to now.

Unfortunately, she is now gone, like many others all over Papua New Guinea, without their history being recorded.

On the event of her death, I have taken it upon myself to record the history of as many Papua New Guineans, which I plan to publish as a book as well as online.

If you know of any interesting Papua New Guineans, perhaps your mum, dad, grandfather or grandmother, let me know so that I can arrange to interview them and record their history before it’s too late.

I look forward to hearing from as many people as possible on this idea.

Email me at malumnalu@gmail.com or call me on mobile (675) 6849763.

Let’s work together to record our history before it’s too late!

 

Malum

 

National Television Service the right step for a viable film industry in Papua New Guinea

National Broadcasting Commission managing director Joseph Ealedona unveils a TV screen to launch National Television Service. Picture by YEHIURA HRIEWAZI.
NBC managing director Joseph Ealedona and Sir Michael at the launch. Picture by YEHIURA HRIEWAZI.
Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare and his Communications Minister Patrick Tammur. Picture by YEHIURA HRIEWAZI.
Proud Manus twins Debbie (left) and Barbie Sipasan enjoying the momentous occassion with Prime Minister Sir Michae Somare in Wewak. Picture by YEHIURA HRIEWAZI.

Note: This story was also published in The National, Papua New Guinea's leading daily newspaper and my employer, on Friday September 19

September 16, 1975, was indeed a momentous occasion for Papua New Guinea as we gained our independence from Australia.

And September 16, 2008, was likewise a significant date on PNG’s calendar as the country finally received its long-overdue television station.

The common denominator in both 1975 and 2008 was that Sir Michael Somare was there was prime minister.

I was also there in 1975 as an eight-year-old child in Goroka, and now, as a 41-year-old widower and father of four young children in Port Moresby.

“The dawn of a new era”…”proud moment for PNG”…”the world will now know PNG” were some of the phrases used on Tuesday this week to describe the launch of the State-owned television station in Wewak, East Sepik province.

The National Television Service (NTS) was switched on at the Port Moresby studio at exactly 6pm after the ceremonial launch in Wewak by Sir Michael.

Large screens were set up in Goroka, Mount Hagen, Rabaul and Port Moresby to watch the new service of mostly pre-recorded programmes.

As the TV screens assembled outside the NBC Wewak studios showed the live transmission in front of Sir Michael and invited guests, the Prime Minister hugged 10-year-old Manus twins, Debbie and Barbie Sipasan, and watched the screen with a big smile.

National Broadcasting Commission managing director Joseph Ealedona shed a few tears – overwhelmed with emotion to see the success of two years of hard work.

In Port Moresby, as I watched the transmission, I was likewise overwhelmed with emotion like my journalism classmate Joe and tears rolled down my eyes as my children asked me why I was crying.

It had taken so long, and at last, Sir Michael had lived up to his words by delivering an independence gift of a national television station on September 16, 2008.

The night started off with Yumi Yet, a nostalgic look at footage from September 16, 1975, moments forever etched in time.

This was followed by an address to the nation by Sir Michael on the setting up of NTS.

Then came Angels of War, a balanced view of WW11 from both the Allied and Japanese perspectives, with snippets from Papua New Guinea’ fuzzy wuzzy angels’, members of the Pacific Islands Battalion, as well as heroes like East Sepik’s Yauwiga with his one arm and blue eye, courtesy of an Australian donour.

Young Goroka-based journalist, Llane Munau, got the show running by introducing Chris Owen’s Betelnut Bisnis, a documentary on the trials and tribulations of his security guard, a wannabe buai tycoon.

The night ended off with Tin Pis Ran, starring my old Lae buddy and ex Aiyura National High School schoolmate, Oscar Wanu, a skit on the adventures of an old man, his offsider, his daughter and his happy-go-lucky PMV truck.

Communications Minister Patrick Tammur pulled down the curtain on a fine night of entertainment by committing the station to a lot of local content.

I asked myself, after watching all the PNG content, why we don’t have a viable film industry in the country after all these years.

EMTV also had the opportunity to promote local content for more than 20 years but failed miserably,

These days, with the advent of television, video, VCDs and the Internet, the movie projector has become as antiquated as the time-honoured typewriter.

Kids today have become virtual couch potatoes, intoxicated by daily doses of foreign programmes like Neighbours, Bay Watch and Mr Bean.

The 70’s that I grew up in was an epoch of PNG classics like Wokabaut Bilong Tonten, Marabe, and the later Tukana: Husat I Asua, to name but a few.

Documentaries like First Contact, Shark Callers of Kontu, the satirical Cannibal Tours and Trobriand Cricket won acclaim both here and overseas.

There were also local productions on the likes of agriculture, health, family planning and small business – seemingly destined for greatness.

The missionary zeal of the now-defunct Office of Information needs to be rekindled.

In those days, officers carried projectors to rural areas and showed development films, meaning that people actually participated in development.

When the government abolished the OI, PNG started having problems because information on development wasn’t getting out to the people, particularly the vast majority in the rural areas,

Sadly, as is the case with most things in PNG since September 16, 1975, things have fallen along the wayside.

In 2000, I wrote a series of articles for The National out of Goroka for PNG’s silver jubilee, one of which was an interview with local filmmaker Rodney Sinaune: “If the government seriously looks at the importance of this industry, it will help a lot in the development process.

“People will be educated if we use the mass media; they will become equal partners in development.

“There have been many productions made about PNG (by expatriates), but we are not supporting a local industry.

“People from overseas are gaining mileage out of us.

“We should have local content and participation.

“The need is there, the demand is there, but the government needs to give proper direction.

“The government should also look at setting up another TV station, as there’s a lot of material being produced, but no medium over which to broadcast.

“It should, perhaps, also look at the creation of a National Film Commission.

“If the National Executive Council, through an Act of Parliament, creates a National Film Commission, everything will be alright.

“The film industry will also employ a lot of people.

“The government, for far too long, has overlooked the industry.

“Bureacratic red tape is also a big problem.”

I know that film makers like Chris Owens, Rodney Sinaune, Leonie Kanawi, Ignatius Talania, Baike Johnston, and many others, will finally breathe a sigh of relief with the setting up of NTS.

It is, perhaps, a case of ‘better late than never’ as Sir Michael has finally seen the plight of the people of this country and set up a TV station, which will also hopefully create a strong local film industry, in the twilight of his career.

WATER DISRUPTION NOTICE FROM EDA RANU

EDA RANU wishes to advise residents of, Town, Touaguba Hill, Paga Hill, Ela Makana, Konedobu, Hanuabada and Gabi Villages, Port Moresby Technical School, Kanudi Power Plant, Baruni and Tatana Villages, Atlas Steel, Curtain Brothers, Roku, Kouderika and  Porebada Villages, Murray Barracks, Hohola, Tokarara, Waigani, Lamana, Waigani Village, Games Village, POMCC, Ensisi Valley, Adcol, UPNG, Rainbow, Gerehu, Morata, McGregor Police Barracks, Moitaka Power Plant, 8 Mile and 9 Mile Settlement and NPF Housing Estate that there will be a disruption to the water supply on Saturday 20th September 2008 from 8.00 am to 6.00pm.

This is to due EDA RANU carrying out repair work at 9 Mile.

Residents will experience low water pressure or no water at all during this period.

Consumers are asked to store water and for health reasons please boil all water for consumption during the 12 hours after water is restored.

We apologise for the inconvenience caused and ask for your cooperation and support during this time.

For further information contact our Hotline on 312 2100.

 

Fundraising for Andrew Molen

 

Morobe Show on again

The 2008 Morobe Show will be held at the Lae Showground on Saturday, October 18^th and Sunday, October 19th, 2008.

The Morobe Agricultural Show is a major tourist attraction and showcases the agricultural, industrial, commercial and cultural aspects of Lae and the Morobe Province.

It plays a major role in the dissemination of information on cultivation, crops, diseases and breeding, as well as being the largest entertainment event in the province.

This is the 48th show since 1959 and, like its predecessors, will pull in people from all over Papua New Guinea as well as tourists from overseas.

Goroka hospital goes online in a first for Papua New Guinea

Dr William Mol giving the thumbs up to the Goroka General Hospital website
On the 7th of March 2008, the Goroka General Hospital was honoured to be visited by Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd
Screenshot of the hospital's new website

Goroka General Hospital has taken a giant step forward into the information age and e-health revolution by being the first hospital in the country to set up a website.

The website http://www.ggh.org.pg/ was set up recently by the hospital’s volunteer IT manager Robert Schilt.

“Goroka General Hospital is committed to embracing Information Technology (IT) as part of its overall strategic direction, which is to enhance and improve the delivery of effective Health Services to people of the Eastern Highlands Province of Papua New Guinea,” said a proud hospital CEO Dr Joseph Apa.

In addition to the commissioning of this website, the hospital has already implemented several other IT-related projects over the past 18 months under Schilt, which include:

Establishment up of a Business Resource Center (BRC) that has a state-of-the art IT training facility with 12 PC’s, where regular computer training is conducted and offered to hospital staff.
Deployment of approximately 50 PC’s and laptops to various hospital departments.
Availability of Internet services such as the World Wide Web and email to staff through the Business Resources Center including access to the HINARI Online Subscription.
Development and programming of several hospital information systems (HIS) including laboratory results application, medical stores application, attendance register and various statistical reporting tools to assist departments with their reporting requirements.
Development of a hospital Intranet which is now almost complete. The Intranet is an online resource that will only be made available to hospital staff; and will make information such as staff telephone directories, standard forms and other internal resources easily accessible. It is envisaged that all future hospital information systems and applications will be deployed through the hospital's Intranet.

“We are also very excited to announce that all of the software and systems deployed at the hospital have been done using an Open Source Software (OSS) framework,” Dr Apa said.

“This approach has saved the hospital the high costs associated with the licensing of proprietary software systems such as Microsoft.

“This website will continue to evolve and we already have planned to launch the following web services in the near future:

An online forum for PNG doctors to discuss and share relevant clinical information.
A member’s section which will give registered users access to additional information.
Hospital news items.
Links to useful health resources.
Other features.

“So stay tuned and in the meantime, if you need to contact the Hospital, you may do so by sending an email to info@ggh.org.pg.”

Schilt said both Internet access and access to the HINARI service was a first for hospital staff in Papua New Guinea.

“The Health InterNetwork Access to Research Initiative (HINARI) provides free or very low cost online access to the major journals in medical and related social sciences to local, not-for-profit institutions in developing countries,” he explained.

“HINARI was launched in January 2002, with some 1500 journals from six major publishers: Blackwell, Elsevier Science, the Harcourt Worldwide STM Group, Wolters Kluwer International Health & Science, Springer Verlag and John Wiley, following the principles in a Statement of Intent signed in July 2001.

“Twenty-two additional publishers joined in May 2002, bringing the total number of journals to over 2000.

“Since that time, the numbers of participating publishers and of journals and other full-text resources has grown continuously.

“Today more than 70 publishers are offering their content in HINARI and others will soon be joining the programme.

“An evaluation is in progress which will determine the long term future of HINARI.”

For those familiar with website design the original site was developed with an Open Source application called Joomla.

This new and revamped website has been put together for Goroka General Hospital using Wordpress.

“Some folks would like to think of Wordpress as solely a platform for writing blogs but as I’m learning it is far more powerful than that,” Schilt said.

“Due to its structure, available functionality and Content Management System (CMS) abilities it can easily be used to create fully fledged websites.

“I will shortly add Forum functionality using an add-on product called ‘bbPress’.

“The Forum will be made available to Health professionals with access to the Internet in Papua New Guinea to share ideas and resources and will naturally be called the ‘PNG Health Forum’.

“The new website is still lacking a lot of content but hopefully, with time and quality contributions from hospital management and staff, we will see it become a valuable online resource for the health professionals in the Highlands region and also the rest of PNG.”

Access to health services is a right and not a privilege for the 432,972 people of the Eastern Highlands province.

For the past 38 years, both national and provincial governments have been achieving this through the provision of stable and essential health services to our people.

As a result, the provincial life expectancy has increased from 53.6 years in 1990 to the current 56.1 years, which is higher than the current national average.

Goroka General Hospital is located in the picturesque Eastern Highlands Province of Papua New Guinea.

The hospital provides specialist health services to the entire Highlands Region

The website http://www.ggh.org.pg/ is a giant step for the health system in Papua New Guinea.

CHALLENGES REMAIN IN EDUCATION

Many challenges remain in the education sector despite the millions of dollars spent trying to provide quality education for all children in the Pacific region.

Speaking at the opening of the three-day workshop for senior education officials from the Forum Island Countries to discuss the review of the Forum Basic Education Action Plan in Nadi, Fiji, today, Dr Helen Tavola, the Forum Secretariat’s Social Policy Adviser said countries in the region need to work together to meet these challenges.

“This review shows us that there are many issues in education that unite us as a region and it makes good sense that we grapple with them together, to combine both human and financial  resources where possible,” Dr Tavola said.

The review of the Forum Basic Education Action Plan mandated by the region’s Education Ministers last November has been undertaken in the last several months and held consultations with over 200 people around the region.

“In this region we all have to grapple with the concept of regionalism. What makes us a region; what can we do at a regional level that adds value to the national level; and how we can fit in with the broader regional mandates of the Pacific Plan. This is not easy,” Dr Tavola said.

“Many people have an underlying fear of regional initiatives; especially if there is a perception that funding might go into regional endeavours rather than country level ones. It can be quite difficult to think beyond the national level but regionalism is a reality that we all must live with.

”We should remember, however, that regional activities do not limit the sovereign right of countries to determine their own national goals and priorities; neither do they restrict bilateral development programmes and activities. Regional activities must enhance what is done at the country level,” she said.

Dr Tavola pointed out that education does not exist in a vacuum and education systems tend to reflect the societies that they exist in.

“When there are crises in countries, education systems also often undergo crises. Many countries have what I call ‘lines in the sand’ referring to before and after significant events: states of emergencies; coups; economic crises; economic reforms; ethnic troubles; riots; hurricanes; pre and post Compact etc. The converse should be of course, that when countries are stable and prosper, education systems should flourish and to an extent we see that happening.”

Dr Tavola told the participants that the Leaders of the Pacific Islands Forum adopted a Vision in 2004 and despite education not explicitly being mentioned most of the high ideals in the Vision cannot be achieved without education, without an educated population.

“We are here to work together to find a way forward for supporting education at a regional level so that these goals articulated by our Leaders can be realised.”

The workshop is part of the review process which is being funded by the New Zealand Agency for International Development (NZAID).

For more information, contact Dr Helen Tavola at the Tanoa International Hotel in Nadi, Fiji on phone 679 672 0277 or email helent@forumsec.org.fj

 

Trupela Man

 

SUB-REGIONAL WORKSHOP TO DISCUSS WAYS TO INCREASE NUMBER OF WOMEN IN PACIFIC PARLIAMENTS

To consider ways to help increase and sustain the number of women in Pacific Parliaments through the use of special measures, officials and key representatives from four Pacific Islands Countries (PICs) will attend a sub-regional workshop in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea,  25 – 26 September.

The Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat in partnership with the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC), AusAID, UNDP Pacific Centre, the Inter-Parliamentary Union, International Development Law Organisation (IDLO) and the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) are organising the workshop.

Over 30 participants will be from the four Melanesian countries of Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu. 

Against the world average of 16 percent women Parliamentarians, the Pacific countries have the lowest average by region of 3.1 percent (excluding Australia and New Zealand).

 The Pacific region has five out of the eight countries in the world without any women in parliament.

The five countries are Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Solomon Islands and Tuvalu.

“It is with these facts in mind that women parliamentarians from the Forum Island countries together with development partners, academics and civil society organizations agreed at a meeting in the Cook Islands in 2006 on the need to address barriers to women’s representation and participation in Pacific parliaments,” says Peter Forau, Acting Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat.

“This workshop supported by these development partners also supports the good governance pillar of the Pacific Plan specifically participatory democracy, consultative decision-making and electoral process. It is also in response to Forum Leaders’ directive in 2007 for member countries to explore ways to enhance participation, particularly by women in decision making processes and institutions, and in particular parliamentary processes,” says Mr Forau

Mr Forau said: “For many reasons, elections in the region have not been particularly favourable towards aspiring women candidates resulting in the low numbers of women in Pacific parliaments. One approach that has made a difference is the use of special measures. Their use in other parts of the world has led to significant increases in the number of women parliamentarians.”

Special measures include reserved seats and quotas and can also include electoral reforms aimed at improving the representation of women in parliament.

The organisers of the workshop hope participants who will be hearing from seasoned international experts and the experiences of Pacific champions such as Papua New Guineas’ lone woman parliamentarian Dame Carol Kidu, come away better informed about special measures and perhaps work on appropriate country strategies for discussion and consideration by policy-makers in their own countries.

Other similar workshops will be scheduled for the other sub-regions in the Pacific after the one in Papua New Guinea.

For more information, contact Dr Henry Ivarature, the Forum’s Regional Governance Adviser on phone 679 331 2600 or email henryi@forumsec.org.fj

 

Lest we forget

Lest we forget, Wednesday September 17^th is the 14^th anniversary of the twin volcanic eruptions which devastated Rabaul, East New Britain province, on this day in 1994.

 

My Dad's memories of Michael Somare

Picture caption: Mathias Nalu (second from right, standing), with fellow trainee teachers at Sogeri Education Centre in 1956 including Michael Somare, (third from left,  sitting),  Paulias Matane (sitting far right) and Alkan Tololo  (standing far right).

 

 

September 17^th is the 15^th anniversary of the death of my father , Mathias Nalu, who left us on this day in 1993. Below is a tribute to my father.

My father, the late Mathias Nalu, until the day he died in 1993, remained committed to the ideals of his former school mate and Pangu Pati founder Michael Somare.

Dad went to school with Somare, first at Dregerhaffen in Finschhafen, and then at Sogeri outside Port Moresby.

But unlike his mates like Somare, Paulias Matane and Alkan Tololo who would one day figure in the formation of this country, Dad remained a simple school teacher, and later a primary school inspector, until the day he died so prematurely of a stroke after 35 years of distinguished service to his country.

We, his children, were born and grew up all over the country in the pre-independence days as Dad excelled as a member of the highly-disciplined and efficient ‘shorts and socks brigade’ public service under the colonial administration.

We grew up listening in fascination as Dad told us one story after another of his mates like Somare, Matane and Tololo.

Many years later, after Dad died and I was working as a journalist, I often bumped into Somare, Matane and Tololo and they always extolled the virtues of my ‘Old Man’, which left me with a great deal of pride.

One thing that is forever etched in my memory was of growing up on Sohano, a small island off Buka, in the halcyonic days of the early 1970’s, when I would have been about five or six years of age.

Papua New Guinea’s Chief Minister visited Sohano, and while reminiscing with Dad about their old days, a Bouganville Copper employee named Bill, who lived next door to us, said something that offended Somare.

Somare ordered him out of the country immediately!

I can remember as Bill, with tears, handed all his worldly possessions to Mum and Dad and left.

Independence came and I remember Dad, as we listened to the radio at 12am on September 16, 1975, celebrating as his former school mate became the first Prime Minister of the newly-independent State of Papua New Guinea.

Later, in 1976, when my youngest sister Anna was born, the Papua New Guinea Prime Minister personally visited our house while in Goroka, gave Mum K100, and said that Anna’s second name was ‘Moaso’ after his mother.

As Somare celebrates 40 years in politics and Papua New Guinea celebrates 33 years of independence, I know that somewhere over the rainbow way up high, Dad will also celebrating.

 

 

Papua New Guinea Independence celebrations in full throttle

I just caught a bus to work which drove past the University of PNG, and I got off at the Sir John Guise Stadium, when I saw thousands of people there.

Papua New Guineans, not only in Port Moresby, but all over the country, are caught up in the excitement of the day, wearing PNG t-shirts and caps, as well as showing a strong spirit of patriotism reminiscent of 30^th Independence celebrations in 2005.

The country’s new television station (refer to story below) will be launched by Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare in Wewak later today.

 

Happy 33rd Independence Anniversary, Papua New Guinea

Happy 33rd Independence Anniversary, Papua New Guinea!

Yes, indeed, we have gone through some very trying times since September 16^th, 1975, and it is all too easy to be a Doubting Thomas, an eternal pessimist.

But hey, let’s all be happy, as this is all our day!

A Happy 33^rd Independence Day to all you Papua New Guineans living, studying and working overseas; all you wonderful people of this great land; as well as all our many friends from all over the world.

God Bless Papua New Guinea real good!

Plans underway to celebrate World Food Day in October

‘World Food Security; the Challenges of Climate Change and Bioenergy’ is the theme for the 2008 World Food Day to be observed next month.

The Department of Agriculture and Livestock, in an official statement, advised all stakeholders, government and agricultural agencies, provinces, non-government organisations and the public to make preparations to celebrate the event on October 16.

The statement said that a collaborative effort was required by all stakeholders to join the Department of Agriculture and Livestock in organising various activities to promote and create awareness on WFD and the theme.

The activities can include agricultural field days, farmer displays, agricultural shows, cultural and sporting events, workshops, poster and art exhibitions and others.

The annual observance of WFD by PNG is part of the global commitment to increase public awareness and understanding of the problems of hunger and poverty and emerging global issues such as climate change and bioenergy that will impact on food security.

According to Food and Agriculture Organisation, more than 850 million people worldwide suffer from hunger and malnutrition and global initiatives have been launched to reduce this figure.

The WFD is an opportunity for everyone to come together and reaffirm their commitment to address food insecurity and other associated problems in a collaborative and participatory manner with national, international, local communities and NGOs.

 The 2008 theme highlights the importance of climate change and energy situation on agriculture and food security and the need for proper management of natural resource base and the environment to sustain agricultural productivity for food production and income generation to ensure food security for a growing world population.

DAL has urged government departments, agricultural agencies, NGOs, provinces, business houses and the public to join hands and celebrate WFD in their local communities on October 16 or thereafter.

Preparations are also underway for the official WFD celebrations to be held in conjunction with an agriculture road show at Bogia in the Madang Province on October 30-31.

The local community is all geared up and is working hard to organise the two-day event to celebrate World Food Day, Rural Women’s Day and promote agriculture potential and opportunities all at the same time.

 

Muruks win the SP Cup for third consecutive year

In case you haven’t heard as yet, Mendi Muruks yesterday took out the SP Cup rugby league grand final for the third consecutive year with a resounding 34-14 win over Mount Hagen Eagles.

Log on to The National, Papua New Guinea’s leading daily newspaper, for all the details.

Young Papua New Guineans meet New Zealand All Blacks in Brisbane

I received an email today from my old buddy and ex-Aiyura school mate, Chris Taukuro, who is based in Brisbane with wife Katherine and family.

Chris sent me pictures of New Zealand All Blacks Mils Muliana and Kevin Mealamu with his daughter Sarah Taukuro and her cousin Alu Amini.

New Zealand, as you may already know, staged a second half comeback from 10 points down for a thrilling 28-24 win against Australia and denied the Wallabies their first Tri-Nations title since 2001 and also kept the Bledisloe Cup across the Tasman for the six straight year.

“Hi Malum,

 “If you can use these photos, here is a photo of Mils Muliaina and Kevin Mealamu with Sarah Taukuro, my daughter, and her cousin, Alu Amini.

 “I was very sad to hear of Chris Kaines passing last month!! He was a dear brother!!

 “Have a good day brother.

 “Best regards.”

 

• A Happy 33^rd Anniversary to Chris, Katherine and all the expatriate Papua New Guineans all over the world and I hope you can return home before you get too old!

 

New TV station for Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guineans will receive a special gift when the country celebrates its independence anniversary on September 16.

They will be able to switch on to a new free to air television service with more local content and programmes—thanks to government.

NTS (National Television Service) will telecast live giving a choice to Papua New Guineans to watch a new TV service, hence provide competition to PNG’s only commercial TV station, EMTV.

EMTV is owned by Fiji-based Yasana Holdings, also owners of Fiji TV.

NTS will be operated and managed by PNG’s National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) of which PINA (Pacific Islands News Association) president, Joseph Ealedona, is managing director.

Since independence in 1975, successive PNG governments have recognised the need to have a national television service in PNG.

In 1981, PNG NEC (National Executive Council) approved in principle the introduction of a television service of which NBC was to undertake a feasibility study on the technical, engineering, financial, management and programming aspects of the project. The process was not concluded due to the 1982 national elections.

The 1981 NEC decision was resurrected in 1989 and NBC was directed to initiate the processes to realise the service.

Prime Minister Somare in March 2007 directed NBC again to initiate the processes on NTS.

On September last year during the opening of PNG’s 8th parliament, Somare reiterated his call for the introduction of the TV service for PNG. A taskforce was established and progress so far has been successful, according to Ealedona.

The first phase will make it possible for Port Moresby viewers to watch NTS, second phase will be the provinces (19), the third phase will be for rural people and the fourth phase will be the region.

 

SP Cup grand final today

Papua New Guinea's premier rugby league competition, the SP Cup, has its grand final in Port Moresby this afternoon between 2006 and 2007 champions Mabey & Johnson Mabey Muruks against Bintangor Mount Hagen Eagles.

I'll keep you posted on the outcome.

Whale shark beached up on Iokea

Villagers from Iokea in the Gulf province were surprised to find a whale shark beached up on their shores last Sunday morning.

Thomas Auhava, curator of the Schwimmer War Museum outside Port Moresby, was at his Iokea village at the weekend and took pictures of the beached whale shark.

Pictures taken by Mr Auhava show a whale shark with white spots on its back.

“It’s about 6.5m long and 2m wide,” he said.

“It couldn’t get out because of shallow water.

“It’s still alive.

“It was just waiting for the tide to push it out.”

Iokea villagers took a ride on the back of the beached whale last Sunday.

 

Are you a follower of this blog?

Hi guys and gals from all over the world,

I’d like to know who enjoys reading this blog, and you can tell me and the world that you’re a fan by signing up at right.

This feature has just been rolled out by Blogger.

Happy reading and I look forward to hearing from you!

Malum

First pictures of my yet unnamed nephew, born to my youngest sister Anna at Angau Memorial Hospital, Lae, on Friday, August 29th, 2008

Where are these pictures from?

I received these old pictures of Papua New Guinea from Jason Nitz in Australia, who received them from his uncle, John Nitz, however, the problem is that neither Jason, John nor me can identify the places?

Do these places look familiar to anyone out there?

You can comment at the bottom of this posy or drop me a line at malumnalu@gmail.com or mobile (675) 6849763.

Malum

Morocco jails king insult blogger

Mohammed Erraji's family claim he did not receive a fair trial
It is an offence to disrespect the king under Moroccan press laws

A Moroccan blogger has been jailed for two years for showing disrespect to the monarchy, say the man's family, BBC reports.
Mohammed Erraji, 29, was convicted after writing an article claiming King Mohammed VI's charitable habits were encouraging a culture of dependency.
There has been no official comment on the case, but rights groups claim Erraji did not have a fair trial.
A BBC reporter says criticising the king is an offence in Morocco and the royal family remains a taboo subject.
Morocco has previously caused international outrage with its treatment of internet users.
Earlier this year, Fouad Mortada was sentenced to three years in prison for creating a false profile on the internet site Facebook using the identity of the king's brother.
He received a royal pardon following protests from internet users around the world.

'Disastrous'

Erraji claimed in an internet article that the king's charity towards Moroccans was stifling development by encouraging people to be lazy.
It happened so quickly that all his rights were flouted
"This has made the Moroccans a people without dignity, who live by donations and gifts," he wrote.
The BBC's James Copnall in the capital, Rabat, says he was particularly critical of the practice known as grima - giving lucrative licences to run taxis and other transport in exchange for begging letters.
Erraji said this did not happen in developed countries, where hard work rather than begging is rewarded.
He was arrested by the authorities last Friday and accused of "lacking the respect due to the king".
In court on Monday, he was given a two-year prison sentence and fined 5,000 Dirham ($630:£356).
One relative, who claimed to have been present at the trial, said Erraji had not had a lawyer and that the judgement took only ten minutes.
"The judge passed sentence very quickly but we couldn't hear what was being said. He had no opportunity to explain himself," said the relative, who asked not to be named.
He told Reuters news agency that Erraji was in poor health and was just a "free thinker who simply wants the best for his country".
The blogger's brother told the BBC the sentence was disastrous for his family, as Erraji is the only one with a regular income

'Totalitarian'

Human rights groups have criticised the verdict and demanded that Erraji be released.
It is an offence to disrespect the king under Moroccan press laws
Reporters Without Borders said the trial was "worthy of the most totalitarian states" and the Moroccan Association of Human Rights (AMDH) said the basic elements of a fair trial were not respected.
"It happened so quickly that all his rights were flouted," said Khadija Riyadi.
A Facebook group and an internet site http://www.helperraji.com/ have been set up in support of Erraji.
Our correspondent says Erraji's best hope of freedom could lie in a pardon from the very man whose policies he criticised.

Google celebrates 10th anniversary

Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin
Google heavyweights Larry Page (back), Eric Schmidt and Sergey Brin on the cover of Time magazine

Internet giant Google celebrated its 10th anniversary last Sunday, having gone from a struggling company renting space in a garage to one worth hundreds of billions of dollars.
It was a far cry from September 7, 1998, when two young men named Larry Page and Sergey Brin founded a company that would transform the whole world, including Papua New Guinea.
Theirs is a story that young Papua New Guineans may want to emulate as our country celebrates 33 years of independence next Tuesday, September 16.
In 2006, while transiting through Singapore, I bought a biography of Page and Brin’s biography at Changi Airport and have been a fan of them since.
Page and Brin, both 35 now and worth nearly US$19 billion apiece, have become international icons admired by millions of people all over the world.
Millions of people all over the world, including PNG, use services such as Google’s world-famous search engine, GMail, YouTube, Maps, Games, Blogger, AdSense and a new web browser called Chrome just released last week.
When Page and Brin founded Google Inc. on September 7, 1998, they had little more than their ingenuity, four computers and an investor's $100,000 bet on their belief that an Internet search engine could change the world.
It sounded preposterous 10 years ago, but look now: Google draws upon a gargantuan computer network, nearly 20,000 employees and a $150 billion market value to redefine media, marketing and technology.
Page, a University of Michigan graduate, and Brin, a University of Maryland alum, began working on a search engine — originally called BackRub — in 1996 because they believed a lot of important content wasn't being found on the Web.
At the time, the companies behind the Internet's major search engines — Yahoo, AltaVista and Excite — were increasingly focused on building multifaceted Web sites.
Internet search was considered such a low priority at the time that Page and Brin couldn't even find anyone willing to pay a couple of million dollars to buy their technology.
Instead, they got a $100,000 investment from one of Sun Microsystems Inc.'s co-founders, Andy Bechtolsheim, and filed incorporation papers so they could cash a check made out to Google Inc.
In a nod to their geeky roots as children of computer science and math professors, Page and Brin had derived the name from the mathematical term "googol" — a 1 followed by 100 zeros.
Later they would raise a total of about $26 million from family, friends and venture capitalists to help fund the company and pay for now-famous employee perks like free meals and snacks.
Even after Google became an official company in 1998, the business continued to operate out of the founders' Stanford dorm rooms.
Like Google's stripped-down home page, the company itself had a bare-bones aesthetic.
Page's room was converted into a "server farm" for the three computers that ran the search engine, which then processed about 10,000 requests per day compared with about 1.5 billion per day now.
The headquarters were in Brin's room in a neighboring dorm hall, where the founders and Silverstein wrestled for control of another computer to bang out programming code.
Within a few weeks after incorporating, Google moved into the garage of a Menlo Park, California, home owned by Susan Wojcicki, who became a Google executive and is now Brin's sister-in-law (Google bought the house in 2006).
Jump back to today: The company occupies a 1.5 million-square-foot headquarters called the "Googleplex" — as well as two dozen other U.S. offices and hubs in more than 30 other countries. And its search engine — believed to index at least 40 billion Web pages — now runs on hundreds of thousands of computers kept in massive data centers around the world.
The company holds commanding leads in both the Internet search and advertising markets.
It processes nearly two-thirds of the world's online search requests, according to the research firm comScore Inc., and sells about three-fourths of the ads tied to search requests, according to another firm, eMarketer Inc.
The dominance has enabled Google to rake in $48 billion from Internet ads since 2001.
Google hasn't hoarded all of that money: the company has paid $15 billion in commissions to the Web sites that run its ads during the same period, helping to support major online destinations like AOL, Ask.com and MySpace as well as an array of bloggers like me.
Perhaps Google's biggest test in the next decade will be finding a way to pursue its seemingly boundless ambitions without triggering a backlash that derails the company.
"You can't do some of the things that they are trying to do without eventually facing some challenges from the government and your rivals," Danny Sullivan, who has followed Google since its inception and is now editor-in-chief of SearchEngineLand, told FOXNews.
Google's expanding control over the flow of Internet traffic and advertising already is raising monopoly concerns.
The intensifying regulatory and political scrutiny on Google's expansion could present more roadblocks in the future.
If the harping eventually inspires rules that restrict Google's data collection, it could make its search engine less relevant and its ad network less profitable.
To protect its interests, Google has hired lobbyists to bend the ears of lawmakers and ramped up its public relations staff to sway opinion as management gears up to conquer new frontiers.
"Google will keep pushing the envelope," predicted John Battelle, who wrote a book about the company and now runs Federated Media, a conduit for Internet publishers and advertisers.
"It's one of the things that seems to make them happy."
In the latest example of its relentless expansion, Google has just released a Web browser to make its search engine and other online services even more accessible and appealing.
Not every peripheral step has gone smoothly, though; several of the company's ancillary products have flopped or never lived up to the hype.
Extending Google's ubiquity to cell phones and other mobile devices sits at the top of management's agenda for the next decade.
But the lengthy to-do list also includes: making digital copies of all the world's books; establishing electronic file cabinets for people's health records; leading the alternative energy charge away from fossil fuels; selling computer programs to businesses over the Internet; and tweaking its search engine so it can better understand requests stated in plain language, just like a human would.
"Google is the oxygen in this ecosystem," Battelle said.
The company hopes to inhale even more Internet advertising from the biggest deal in its short history — a $3.2 billion acquisition of online marketing service DoubleClick Inc. that was completed six months ago.
Google also is trying to mine more money from its second-largest acquisition, YouTube, the Internet's leading video channel.
YouTube is expected to generate about $200 million in revenue this year, an amount that analysts believe barely scratches the video site's moneymaking potential.
Eventually, Google Chairman Eric Schmidt wants the entire company to generate $100 billion in annual revenue, which would make it roughly as big as the two largest information-technology companies — Hewlett-Packard Co. and IBM Corp. — each are now.
This year, Google will surpass the $20 billion threshold for the first time.
Schmidt, 53, who became Google's CEO in 2001, seems determined to stick around to reach his goal.
He, Brin and Page have made an informal pact to remain the company's brain trust through 2024, at least.

More memories of another day

Road to Brandi Beach, East Sepik province. Picture by John Nitz.

Bulolo Valley, Morobe province, 1961. Picture by John Nitz.