50 years shining over beautiful Madang

THE Madang landmark and icon– the Coastwatchers’ Memorial Lighthouse at Kalibobo Point – will be 50 years next Saturday, Aug 15.
The lighthouse was built in 1958 and completed in 1959 to recognise the invaluable contribution of the coast watchers who were spread all along the coastline and islands of Papua New Guinea during World War 11.
Armed with only tele-radios, the coast watchers took great risks to keep a look out for the Japanese forces, and reported them to the Allies, who then attacked the invaders.
Karkar planter and former parliamentarian Sir John Middleton said yesterday the coast watchers had a great impact on the war effort and deserved to be remembered.
The group was founded by an Australian naval officer named Eric Feldt, who later wrote a book about the role of the coast watchers during the war.
Apart from their many achievements in Papua New Guinea, it was the coast watchers who alerted American forces in the Solomons about a build-up of Japanese forces preparing for an attack on the Solomon Islands.
It is not known if authorities in Madang have organised any ceremony to commemorate the anniversary.
Prominent Madang resident Sir Peter Barter said the anniversary was a significant event for Madang and it would be regrettable if it was not commemorated.
ANZAC Day and Remembrance Day commemoration celebrations are now held at the light house memorial and Sir Peter said both events have attracted thousands of people.
The Australian Government built the light house and last year paid for the repainting of it.
The Coast Watchers Memorial Lighthouse was dedicated in 1959 to the mostly Australian and British soldiers and civilian volunteers who served as coast watchers during WW11.
Many of these brave men radioed the positions of Japanese ships to the Allies from Japanese-held territory such as one of the many islands surrounding New Guinea.

Papia New Guinea coffee urged to shift focus from production to marketing

Tiri Kuimbakul…shift from coffee production to marketing

Ripe red coffee cherries in the Highlands. – Picture by CIC

PNG made coffee products..among the best in the world but must be aggressively marketed.-Picture by CIC

Prominent economist and author Tiri Kuimbakul has called on the Papua New Guinea coffee industry to shift its focus from production to marketing.
Mr Kuimbakul, a former industry affairs general manager with the Coffee Industry Corporation and now a private consultant, said the industry had placed too much emphasis on research and extension over the last 20 years with no increase in production.
Figures show that production has stagnated over the past 20 years at one million bags, despite the fact that the industry has invested millions of kina into research and extension.
He made these comments after a presentation by PNG agriculture expert, Dr Mike Burke of the Australian National University, who said at last week’s National Development Forum that growers were getting better return for fresh vegetables such as kaukau.
“My view is that for the industry to move forward, there needs to be a shift in focus and emphasis from production to marketing, in particular, overseas promotion of PNG coffee,” Mr Kuimbakul said.
“What is important to the growers is the price.
“If they receive good prices for their coffee, they will continue to produce.
“If they feel that the prices that they’re getting for their coffee is not sufficient, they will simply neglect their coffee gardens, and even uproot their trees to plant food crops.
“From Dr Mike Bourke’s presentation, he showed that the returns to labour from coffee production are lower than fresh produce, in particular, kaukau.
“What the growers are faced with now is shortage of land due to population pressures, so they have to decide between coffee and other crops.
“Generally, food crops offer better prices than coffee.
“That’s why growers are responding by allocating more land and labour to producing these other crops and neglecting coffee.”
“So if we’re going to move the industry forward, coffee has to give better prices to growers.”
Mr Kuimbakul’s suggestion is that PNG coffee be aggressively marketed on the world stage.
“The only way that growers can receive better prices on a sustainable basis is for the industry to sell PNG coffee to international markets at better prices,” he said.
“We can get better prices only if we promote PNG coffee.
“PNG coffee is among the best in the world, but most consumers are not really aware of what PNG can offer.
“Other producing countries like Kenya, Columbia and Jamaica attract the best prices in the world because they have spent millions on promotion.
“This is why consumers perceive their coffee as of high quality, so they pay very high prices.
“I have tasted coffee from these countries, and PNG coffee is even better, but we get lousy prices because our coffee is no well-known.
“Basically, what I’m saying is that we shift from production to marketing.
“We’ve got to go out and tell the world what PNG has to offer, focusing on emerging markets like Japan, South Korea and China.
“Let’s create a demand for our coffee.
“When demand increases, prices will rise and growers will respond by increasing production.
“We want to increase production, but not by doing what we’ve been doing all this time.
“Let’s change the strategy, give growers better prices, and they will give us better coffee.

Papua New Guinea capable of producing world-class products

Micky Puritau of Paradise Spices shows some of the company’s products at the National Development Forum

Paradise Spices products on display at the National Development Forum

Papua New Guinea is more than capable of producing world-class finished products that meet international requirements, according to leading 100% nationally-owned vanilla and spice producer Micky Puritau.
Mr Puritau, managing director of Paradise Spices, said this in a heartening and widely-applauded presentation to the National Development Forum in Parliament last Friday.
Paradise Spices is a family run company that has been involved in the agriculture
sector in PNG since 1987 and exporting vanilla beans for 10 years.
The company this year received $170,000 funding from AusAID which will enable Paradise Spices to establish a solvent extraction facility at its Port Moresby site to produce pure vanilla extract, vanilla oleoresin (a naturally occurring mixture of resin
and essential oil) and other spices.
The facility would be the first of its kind in PNG and it would create a larger and more-reliable market for the farmers.
Part of the plan for the project is to gain international quality standard certification.
Once achieved, it is expected that this will lead to greater export opportunities.
“As a producer and exporter of finished products, Paradise Spices is constantly faced with new challenges and decisions each year after participating in trade shows around the world,” Mr Puritau told an appreciative audience.
“When we see products that can easily be made in PNG, we are challenged with questions like ‘why can’t we do this in our own country?’, ‘is it too difficult for Papua New Guineas to make these products?’; ‘do we grow the raw materials in PNG and is the supply consistent?’
“Quite often, the answer is quite simple and resulting from these challenges, Paradise Spices is now producing gold award products which are now being used as food ingredients to make gourmet products in Australia and Japan.
“From our experience, we believe many other Papua New Guineans can replicate what we are doing.
“The challenge for this nation is that we cannot continue to export raw materials which are susceptible to the oscillations of world market prices, generation after generation.
“We must change our mentality into one of growing, producing and exporting of finished products into countries like India and China.”
Mr Puritau said immense opportunities abounded in the global markets for PNG-made products.
“Many consumers from countries around the world such as Australia, Japan, New Zealand, Taiwan, USA and Europe are seeking to buy organically-grown products and PNG is one country in the world than can supply these products,” he said.
“However, PNG producers must work towards obtaining quality standards certification from recognised certifying bodies already existing in order to satisfy the demand for quality products from these countries.
“We can no longer take these things for granted as we move into global trading and competition.
“Initially, the national government through its medium term development strategy (MTDS) 2005-2010, will need to provide support to existing producers and traders and improving their capacity to obtain quality standards certification.
“A database of local manufacturers needs to be established in order to provide direct and focused assistance.
“By increasing the number of certified producers over a 10-20 year period, this will result in increased volume pf trade and exports, thus, creating jobs locally and drawing in foreign currency which would contribute to a positive balance of payments never before seen in PNG.”

National Agriculture Development Plan doomed to failure, says former agriculture boss

Former Department of Agriculture and Livestock Secretary Mathew’Wela Kanua (pictured) says the massive National Agriculture Development Plan (NADP) is doomed to failure because its initial recommendations are not being adhered to and will also have a drastic effect on the agriculture sector in Papua New Guinea.
He said this as this year’s NADP allocation of K100 million has been just about finished with no proper accountability and much of it going to dubious projects and individuals.
The government plans to inject a massive K1 billion, K100m a year for the next 10 years, to prop up agriculture in the country but this has backfired with many questions now being asked about the NADP.
Mr Kanua, one of the architects of the NADP during his tenure as DAL Secretary from 2002-2006, said after last week’s National Development Forum that the NADP was never intended to replace government public investment programme (PIP) funding.
He said this was a “recipe for disaster” and the biggest loser would be the agriculture sector.
“The NADP was not intended to replace the development budget of agriculture,” Mr Kanua said.
“NADP was created to be an investment fund for agriculture.
“What has actually happened is that NADP has replaced the PIP for agriculture and made the sector worse off than it was.
“For instance, the agriculture development budget used to average about K75-K85m annually.
“NADP has subsumed all the K85m with no extra funding for investment, so the sector is worse off than it was.
“The NADP was supposed to mobilise customary land and identify potential for large projects, using the model of New Britain Palm Oil Ltd, with the government partnering with the private sector to develop one to two large projects in less-developed provinces every year.
“Over the tenure of the NADP, with private sector investment as well, the benefits would be tenfold.
“To do this, you need to set the NADP as appropriate legislation and corporatise the DAL, build up its capacity to deliver the NADP.
“It’s sad none of this is happening.
“And it’s also sad that all recommendations to improve it are mere recipes for disaster.
“It’s very heartening that the Chief Secretary Manasupe Zurenuoc has noted this.”
Mr Kanua said the only solution to making the NADP work was to go back to its original design.
He said various recommendations including streamlining of various layers of bureaucracy to improve the management and disbursement of NADAP funds would not
“I took care of the NADP planning process for six years under (former DAL Secretary) Utula Samana,” Mr Kanua said.
“When I left (as Secretary in 2006), I left a draft NADP, which was not the NADP that was intended.
“I left my hard notes to the incoming Secretary Anton Benjamin.
“I also wrote a letter to (then DAL) Minister Sasa Zibe, giving him a copy of the way forward.
“When John Hickey came in, I wrote another letter.
“I still have a copy.
“What everybody has to realise is that the NADP has been through three years of rigorous consultation provided by the economic sector ministers, headed by Bart Philemon.
“The plan is very simple: provide economic solutions to the myriad of social and cultural problems including mobilisation of land to grow the agricultural economy.

'Unproductive' public servants under the spotlight

Acting Chief Secretary Manasupe Zurenuoc (left) with PNG Women in Agriculture Development Foundation president Maria Linibi, one of the staunchest critics of “unproductive” public servants


The ‘unproductive’ public servants of Waigani came under the spotlight again at the National Development Forum at Parliament last Friday.
This led to Acting Chief Secretary Manasupe Zurenuoc, who was visibly disappointed at the lack of attendance by senior and rank-and-file public servants, vowing to change the mindset of the huge and inefficient Waigani bureaucracy.
Mr Zurenuoc bluntly said when closing the forum that the entire public service needed a complete overhaul to make it click.
Ironically, that same day, the no-nonsense former Morobe Administrator had in the media likened Waigani public servants to “headless chooks” who wander aimlessly around Port Moresby without care or knowledge about what was happening in the provinces.
Concern was also raised at the Consultative Implementation and Monitoring Council forum about the lack of interest shown by politicians in this very important public meeting.
Speaker after speaker – some of whom had paid for their own travel from other parts of the country - raised the same concern at the lack of interest shown by public servants, particularly from the Department of Agriculture and Livestock, given that the forum focused on “Opening up opportunities for agriculture and rural development”.
Many wanted answers about the massive National Agriculture Development Plan (NADP), for which the government has injected K100 million into agriculture this year – money that has already been used up without proper accountability.
Like DAL, there was little if any attendance by the entire public service including key departments like National Planning and Monitoring, Treasury, Commerce and Industry and its line agencies, Lands and many more.
“I note with alarm your concern about people who are not here, not particularly politicians, but public servants,” Mr Zurenuoc said.
“This will continue to happen unless we change the mindset of public servants at Waigani.”
He admitted that the much talked about NADP was not working as indicated at the three-day forum.
“We know for a fact that the NADP is not working,” Mr Zurenuoc said.
“With the NADP, there is a serious problem,
“Let’s talk about NADP and making it work.”
Mr Zurenuoc said public –private partnership (PPP) was the only way to move the stagnant public service forward.
“That’s the direction that the government must go now,” he said.

Rubber freight subsidies an example for other agricultural commodities

Rubber buying at Kapikam Village, Lake Murray district.-Picture by NFRL

The final product from North Fly Rubber Ltd ready for export.-Picture by NFRL

Papua New Guinea Rubber Board chairman Warren Dutton last Thursday called for National Agriculture Development Plan (NADP) funds to be spent on freight subsidies to move rubber and other commodities forward.
Mr Dutton, who is also chairman of North Fly Rubber Ltd (NFRL) and a former politician, told the National Development Forum in Port Moresby that only then could more money be put into the pockets of rural people as well as prop up PNG’s agricultural exports.
He cited the example of NFRL, the only successful smallholder rubber project in the country, as one of what could be achieved through freight subsidies.
NFRL currently produces the highest quality PNGCR10 (rubber) in PNG and exports to markets throughout Europe and Australia.
Since 1995, NFR has exported over 9, 442 tonnes of smallholders’ processed rubber to overseas markets, earning foreign exchange of K28.6 million and providing income of over K13.1m to the smallholder shareholders of the company
Mr Dutton said other reasons for NFRL being a success story was because of hard working village rubber growers, and a public private partnership (PPP).
The PPP was originally between NFRL which the rubber growers own and Ok Tedi Mining Ltd, but this has since grown to take on PNG Sustainable Development Program and the Fly River provincial government.
In 1992, OTML agreed to provide K100, 000 in loan capital as well as provide subsidised (free) shipment of containers of PNGCR10 rubber to Port Moresby or an international port for on-shipment to international buyers.
“The shipment of three or four containers of PNGCR10 rubber among a backload of over 100 empty containers cost OTML virtually nothing,” Mr Dutton said,
“In 1992, it allowed the rubber growers to be paid an extra 25t per kg for their cup lump.
“In 2008, it allowed for an extra 43t per kg.
“Without freight subsidies, there could be no rubber industry in the Western province.
“Without subsidies, there could be so much less agricultural production by the farmers in the major countries of the G8 and G20.
“Without subsidies, the production of most of the smallholder crops in PNG has been in continual decline.
“Production has been in decline ever since PNG destroyed its plantation industry and the partnerships which the plantations have with their neighbouring smallholders.”
Mr Dutton emphasised that the government’s policy of encouraging PPPs was “correct” because it would help rebuild the relationship which used to exist between smallholders and expert agricultural; investors.
“These expert agricultural investors are then responsible for providing the training, the transport, and the marketing for their neighbouring smallholders,” he said.
“Most importantly, they must pay an acceptable price for the smallholders’ products.”

Bombshell! Department of Agriculture and Livestock 'incapable' of running agriculture in PNG

Vice Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Jimmy Simitab  admitted at the National Development Forum in Port Moresby last Thursday  that the Department of Agriculture and Livestock is no longer capable of running agriculture in Papua New Guinea.

Mr Simitab dropped the bombshell in his presentation to the forum, which focuses on ‘Opening up opportunities for agriculture and rural development’.

He made a frank admission that DAL was incapable of running the much talked about National Agriculture Development Plan (NADP) and all overriding functions should be taken over by the National Agriculture Council.

The minister recommended the establishment of the NAC as the apex body in agriculture be given high consideration by the forum and the Consultative Implementation Monitoring Council.

Mr Simitab said one of the most-important recommendations of the Public Sector Review and Monitoring Unit (PMRSU) in 2005 was an overhaul of the DAL; however, this had not been implemented over the last five years.

“The findings of this review remain unimplemented, hitherto, the sad state of affairs in DAL over the last five years,” he said.

Mr Simitab said it was perceived that the NAC, once legislated, would recognise existing commodity and statutory bodies, with overriding powers to maintain and sustain the NADP.

“In fact, the National government, in approving and adopting the NADP in March 2007, had directed that a further institutional and legislative reform be undertaken to improve the management of the sector with NADP,” he said.

“Given the state of reforms that have occurred in agriculture to this point, it is obvious that DAL is neither a capable nor an appropriate ‘lead agency’ without an entity such as NAC as its apex body.

“The suggestion that NAC be chaired by the Minister for Agriculture and Livestock, with membership of no more than 10 people appointed by the Head of State on advice, has great merits, on a number of fronts.

“First, it will act independently of all agencies of the sector, and has links to DAL only for policy and technical guidance.

“Secondly, it will establish its own sub-sectoral liaison mechanisms to capture development resource requirements of each sub-sector as well as from each district, for budget purposes and for monitoring and evaluation.

“Thirdly, the entity shall provide a one-stop-shop for investors, and coordination of donor support for agriculture.

“Finally, it shall provide an effective mechanism for the policy coordination of the sector, and the management of annual fiscal support for agriculture through NADP.”

Mr Simitab said the concept of an ‘agricultural council’ being an apex body for the sector was not a foreign concept as it had already been practiced in several emerging Asian economies, including Taiwan and South Korea.

 

 

 

 

 

Happy birthday to me!

It's my birthday today and my four children Keith (2), Moasing (4, the only girl), Gedi (7) and Jr Malum (8) threw a party for me at home last night (pictured).
Great fun for all of us, with lots to eat and drink,  albeit bittersweet, as their Mum, my dear wife Hula, wasn't around to celebrate with us.
We all love and miss her so much.
We have all, however, come to accept that she will no longer be with us,and we have to live for the future and not dwell in the past.
Thank you to all those wonderful people from around Papua New Guine and the world who have sent their birthday wishes to me.

Malum

Time for change is now (please click to enlarge)

InterOil announces June quarter profit

InterOil Corporation has announced a $US9.4-million operating profit for the quarter ending 30^th. June 2009.

Chief Financial Officer Collin Visaggio says the result is “most encouraging” given the state of the world economy.

“Commodity prices eased during the period and this has had a negative effect on businesses such as ours.

“So to post a profit against this background is particularly satisfying”, he said.

“On this basis we are confident of a strong and vibrant future for all segments of our business.”

The company’s debt-to-capital ratio underwent a dramatic improvement during the quarter.

“It now stands at a very healthy 13%, compared to 43% in the same quarter of 2008”, Mr Visaggio said.

“This gives us a great base to work from and will help ensure our strength, particularly in these difficult economic times.”

InterOil’s midstream refining business segment posted a $US9.6-million profit for the period on a refinery throughput of 21,574 barrels per day (average).

The midstream liquefaction segment had a $US1.8-million loss which was InterOil’s share of expenses incurred in the PNG LNG joint venture project.

“These expenses are a necessary investment in the future of not only our company but also of the entire nation”, Mr Visaggio said.

Downstream (distribution) returned a $US1.7-million profit on a total sales volume of refined product of 140-million litres.

The downstream profit was about half that for the June quarter 2008 and reflected the worldwide decline in commodity prices.

 

For further information please contact

Susuve Laumaea

Senior Manager Media Relations InterOil Corporation

Ph: (675) 311 2796

Mobile: (675) 7201 3870

Email: slaumaea@digicelpacific.blackberry.com  

 

Fuel prices fall for August

Retail fuel prices have fallen throughout Papua New Guinea for the first time in six months.

Gasoline and kerosene is more than five percent cheaper than it was last month and diesel is down four percent.

InterOil President Bill Jasper said the lower domestic prices reflect an easing in demand internationally.

“Again we see how local fuel prices are determined by the global market,” he said.

“This month there are two main factors at work.

“Firstly there has been an easing of demand in the United States despite it being the holiday driving season which normally sees a sales spike.

“Further, oil production and delivery from the rich Nigerian oil fields in Africa has stabilised during recent weeks”.

International crude oil prices have fluctuated during the month from around $US63 a barrel in the first half of the month to around $US72 of recent days.

“The fluctuations are between ten and fifteen percent over relatively short periods.

“This indicates the international marketplace is in a state of flux as the world begins showing signs that we may be emerging from the global financial crisis”, Mr. Jasper said.

“The price of crude oil and refined fuels has been on a wild rollercoaster ride for the past year.

 “Just 12 months ago crude was selling for almost $US150 a barrel, it then collapsed in line with a slump in international demand.”

The reduction in domestic fuel prices this month comes despite an increase in crude oil prices.

Mr Jasper said that all refined fuels are currently “very affordable” by historic and international standards.

“And that, in these trying economic times, is positive and welcome news”.

 

For further information contact

Susuve Laumaea

Senior Manager Media Relations InterOil Corporation

Ph: (675) 311 2796

Mobile: (675) 7201 3870

Email: slaumaea@digicelpacific.blackberry.com  

 

Kanua lashes out at NADP, DAL

THE National Government’s National Agriculture Development Plan (NADP) has come under fire at a development forum in Parliament today.

A number of speakers at the Consultative Implementation Monitoring Committee (CIMC) forum questioned where the funds for NADP in the last two years were and what the programme had achieved.

Former Department of Agriculture and Livestock Mathew Wela Kanua fired a broadside at the NADP as well as the Department of Agriculture and Livestock, which he formerly headed, saying that it should be abolished.

In a no-holds barred comment at the CIMC forum, Mr Kanua said it was the overwhelming feeling of the agriculture sector that it was getting nowhere, despite the massive K1 billion to be poured into the NADP over the next 10 years at K100 million annually.

Mr Kanua, who was outspoken in his fight against corruption at DAL during his tenure as secretary, also bluntly told the forum that the DAL should be abolished as it was unproductive.

“It is worrying and it is sad that we are getting nowhere,” Mr Kanua said.

“It seems to be an overwhelming concern from the agriculture sector that we are getting nowhere.

“What are we going to show for the K1 billion?

“What are we going to have in 10 years time to show for it?”

Mr Kanua, who is now employed by PNG Sustainable Development Program, said this money should be spent in partnership with the private sector to grow agriculture in PNG.

“That was the reason why we created the National Agriculture Development Plan,” he said.

“When I left the department, I said that it should be closed, because it was completely incapable.”

Australia-PNG Business Council president and Trukai Industries managing director Phil Franklin, who spoke at the forum, also spoke of PNG farmers not feeling the impact of the NADP.

“Farmers in PNG are like farmers anywhere in the world,” he said.

“They want to have money in their back pocket.”

He said the NADP was a very good concept which would combine government and private partners in developing the agriculture sector, but people are now wondering that had become of it.

 

Papua New Guinea coffee industry not stagnant

Coffee Industry Corporation chief executive officer Ricky Mitio says the industry in Papua New Guinea is “not stagnant and moving sideways”.
He said this after a presentation by PNG agriculture expert Dr Mike Bourke, who said in his presentation to the National Development Forum today that prospects for coffee in PNG were “poor to average”.
“We acknowledge that there is no growth in production trends,” Mr Mitio said.
“CIC’s strategic plan is to address the dilemma of growth stagnation by introducing high value specialty coffee as the way forward because of high returns on this specialty and organic coffee exports.
“Specialty coffee makes up 5-6% of the global market right now.
“The specialty market is just growing and PNG has to get on this bandwagon.”                                                                                                                                                                            Picture above shows high quality PNG coffee products

Papua New Guinea agriculture must be a mixed bag

Agriculture in Papua New Guinea has a bright future, however, the agricultural mix will be different.
PNG agriculture also needs to be supported by high class research and development and it is important to build on current and past successes and to learn from the past.
An expert on PNG agriculture, Dr Mike Bourke (pictured)  of the Australian National University, made these assessments at the National Development Forum at Parliament today while speaking on ‘Agriculture developments in PNG and future prospects’.
He said major tree crops such as coffee, cocoa and copra were facing assorted problems and PNG should diversify alternatives major crops.
For instance, in East New Britain, where the cocoa pod borer has affected production, Dr Bourke said ENB could diversify into alternatives such as balsa, galip nut, nutmeg, teak, vanilla, pepper, kava, cardamom and turmeric.
Best prospects for domestic markets are root crops, banana, fruit, edible nuts and vegetables; snack foods such as peanuts, cassava chips, banana chips, cooked galip and cooked karuka nut; betelnut and pepper; fish and livestock.
Best prospects for export markets are oil palm, hardwoods (teak, kwila, New Guinea walnut, Calophyllum, rosewood, ton); fast-growing timbers such as balsa; flowers, especially indigenous orchids; spices, as indigenous oils; and edible nuts such as galup, karuka, pao and talis.
Dr Bourke listed poor to average export prospects as coffee (high global supply), cocoa (cocoa pod borer), vanilla (quality), tea (only one company in PNG), rubber (dependent on price of oil) and copra (low prices and has to be exported as copra oil).
Very poor prospects included grains for domestic market including rice, wheat, maize and sorghum; pulses such as soyabean and green gram; robusta coffee, pyrethrum, fresh food exports and canned food for domestic market.
Dr Bourke later said: “The prospects for coffee are only moderately good.
“The reason has to do with the high supply on the world market, especially from Vietnam and Brazil.
“The concern here is that there are very few alternatives to coffee in the Highlands.
“Coffee needs to be supported but we need to be realistic about the prices.
“The cocoa industry has grown quite steadily, particularly on East New Britain and Bouganville,
“These two provinces produce 75% of PNG’s of PNG’s export and 8 or 9% from East Sepik and Madang.
“Production was around 50, 000 tonnes last year.
“The big issue with cocoa is cocoa pod borer.
“The insect is present in East New Britain, East Sepik and Madang, not on Bouganville yet as far as we know.
“This is having a social impact, for example, people can’t afford to pay school fees for their children.
“When it comes to Bouganville, it’s going to have a big effect as well.
“As for copra, prices are very poor.
“The world market for copra itself is very low.
“The market is now for copra oil.
“For example, in Europe, they do not import copra now, they import copra oil.
“The market for copra is okay, but only just okay.
“You can only make money from copra if you are near a buying point, for example, Buka, Taboi, Namatanai, Duke of York and Madang.
“But for remote locations, for example Tabar Island, if there’s no buying point you can’t make money.”

Economies sitting on untapped potential, says UN Under-Secretary-General

Singapore, 5 August 2009 – “For the poor and particularly for women of our region, there are some tough times ahead,” Dr. Noleen Heyzer, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the UN Economic and Social Commission for the Asia-Pacific (ESCAP) cautioned a largely female audience at the APEC Women Leaders Network today.

While women have emerged as what she calls the flexible labour force par excellence, “their entry into the workplace has also coincided with trends towards outsourcing and subcontracting; relegating women’s jobs to the informal sector without any job security or benefits.  The inherent risks of this positioning are now becoming apparent as the economic crisis unfolds.”

According to estimates from the International Labour Organisation, an additional 9 million women in the region will become unemployed in 2009, bringing the total number of unemployed women to an approximate 38 million this year.  

And while there are signs of early economic recovery, she says, experience shows that real wages take an average of three years to recover and employment growth does not return to pre-crisis levels for several years after that.   In developing economies – and in spite of the robust gains of recent years – important gains made over the last ten years could effectively be undone.

Still, the news is not all bad, insists Heyzer, who believes the crisis can be used as an opportunity, deeming the APEC region “the epicentre of economic growth.” 

According to ESCAP research, she says, “our [APEC] region loses between USD 42 and 47 billion dollars a year by restricting women’s access to employment” and “up to USD 17 billion dollars a year are lost in the region due to gender gaps in education.” 

For most economies in the Asia-Pacific, women are an untapped resource and, conversely, represent potential for economic recovery and growth. 

This, she says, can be achieved through gender sensitive fiscal stimulus packages; promotion of intra-regional trade; improved access of girls and women to education and training; increased corporate social responsibility and commitment to equitable pay.

Read Dr. Heyzer’s entire speech at:

http://www.apec.org/apec/news___media/speeches/050809_wln_heyzer.html

For more information, contact:

Carolyn Williams at cdw@apec.org or at (65) 9617 7316

Anita Douglas at ad@apec.org or at (65) 9172 6427

 

Waigani way gone mad

By James Wanjik

 

LAST week PNG leaders made lot of noise. They showed their leadership to the people.

The Opposition with support of protestant Government MPs moved a motion that never was to remove the Government. Their reasons were quite powerful but not very.

It was the Speaker who was the tactician. The Leader of Government Business moved a motion to adjourn Parliament to 10 November 2009 without written and presented reasons.

The Speaker without querying reasons called for vote on voices and after giving to the Government was forced to call a division.

Now we hear Parliament would not have met the required 63 days sitting in 2008 – 2009.

No leader objected to the motion to adjourn Parliament by raising Point of Order to alert the Speaker. Raising point of order would have seen no trust motion against the Speaker. Leaders were all caught powerless.

Truth is very few leaders are genuine. Many are called but few are chosen.

PNG people regret seeing their independence movement leader being a mystical god. It will wreak havoc in government rank and file.

Putting mystical god above one and true God PNG waited 42 years to create revolt in Parliament. It made Waigani way go mad.

Please leaders wake up and move for better PNG. PNG where people will move people for people.

 

Aid failing in its objectives

East Timor and P a pua New Guinea getting worse despie $500m in Australian aid

Mark Dodd | August 03, 2009

Article from:  The Australian

AUSTRALIA'S aid tsar has called for new approach to the Pacific, revealing conditions in East Timor and Papua New Guinea are worsening despite $500 million in assistance. 

 Pacific states, including East Timor, are “seriously off track” to achieve ambitious Millenium Development Goals by 2015, Parliamentary Secretary for International Development Assistance Bob McMullan said today.

The warning follows the release of a second annual report, Tracking Development and Governance in the Pacific, compiled by the Government's official aid arm, AusAID.

The report recommends a new approach to Pacific aid to ensure development assistance is more efficiently targeted.

“In 2000, world leaders agreed on 2015 as the timeframe for achieving the MDGs. The world is past the half-way mark,” the report says.

“However, achieving all MDGs across the Pacific region by the deadline is unlikely.”

It found at least 2.7 million people in the region are living in poverty, about 400,000 children are not enrolled in primary school and 64 out of every 1000 children die before the age of five years.

Adding to the tale of woe, at least 80,000 adults have HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, and the infection rate is growing by more than 40 per cent a year.

Two of the worst affected countries are East Timor and Papua New Guinea which, despite receiving $117 million and $414 million in aid respectively, are experiencing worsening poverty.

On a visit to Australia last month East Timor's President Jose Ramos Horta complained that a decade of UN presence in his country had delivered little in terms of improved standards of living.

“The Pacific region is seriously off track to achieve the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015, “ Mr McMullan said.

“The people of the Pacific, expect us all, donors and Pacific Island governments alike, to do much better.”

Launching the report at the Lowy Institute, he said, governments needed better plans, budget frameworks and financial systems that prioritise resources to MDGs.

The Pacific's problems have been exacerbated by the global recession, which has resulted in lower economic growth across the region combined with population increases, the report says.

Relative to the size of their economies and populations, Pacific countries receive some of the largest official development aid (ODA) amounts in the world. 

A prayer against the "River God"

Our Father, who art in Heaven, please help Papua New Guinea, we do not want a "River God" - "Sukindimi" in the local dialect - to take your place. Amen

Australia's help key to Pacific's survival

As leaders gather in Cairns for today’s Pacific Leaders Forum, WWF is urging Australia's Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and his regional counterparts to focus on building partnerships to avoid dangerous climate change and pledge funding for adaptation to the changes already under way.

With the livelihoods in the Pacific at risk from climate change, WWF is urging the Australian Government to work with its nearest neighbours and help develop and finance a survival masterplan for the worst affected island states.

WWF’s work in the Coral Triangle has shown that countries such as Timor Leste, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia and the Solomon Islands will need to adapt to dramatic changes to the marine environment, as well as to the effects on the livelihoods of nearly 100 million people.

The Coral Triangle, just one per cent of the planet’s surface, includes 30 per cent of the world’s coral reefs, 76 per cent of its reef building coral species and more than 35 per cent of its coral reef fish species as well as vital spawning grounds for other economically important fish such as tuna.

“Millions of people risk losing their homes and livelihoods unless drastic steps are taken to protect this region’s rich marine and coastal resources” said Mr Richard Leck, Climate Strategy Leader, WWF Coral Triangle.

“Climate change is happening now and the effects are already being felt across the region,” said WWF-Australia CEO Greg Bourne.

“Unless we want to push our neighbours closer and closer to the brink, Australia must do all it can to reduce the effects of climate change and build partnerships to help people adapt,” said Mr Bourne.

“It is not enough to simply talk about cooperation. Our Pacific neighbours need an ally who will work hard to create a strong deal that will see developed countries make an aggregate reduction in emissions of at least 40 per cent by 2020.”

Also critical to a strong deal will be a commitment by developed countries to provide annual financial commitments of around US$160 billion to help developing countries with mitigation and adaptation. The Pacific Leaders Forum provides the Australian Government with a perfect opportunity to reveal what it is willing to contribute.

Many countries in the region are particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Penina Moce, from Kabara Island, Fiji, is a WWF Climate Witness. Moce is already seeing the effects of climate change first hand.

“We have begun to notice that the fish and shellfish we used to be able to gather so easily are getting harder to find. We used to catch enough fish in the shallows. But now we have to go further out.

There also used to be colourful, live coral from the edge of the beach out to the reef. But now everything has gone white” said Ms Moce.

 “Only strong and effective global and regional action can help protect us from the effects of climate change,” said Mr Bourne.

"The Australian Government must provide a platform for our Pacific neighbours to have their voices and concerns heard at Copenhagen. It is wrong to think that any nation can solve this problem on their own. The future of hundreds of millions of people hangs in the balance and we need governments to work together to tackle this immense problem.”

For more testimonies and information on WWF’s Climate Witness program, please visit: http://www.panda.org/about_our_earth/aboutcc/problems/people_at_risk/personal_stories/

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Note:

• The Coral Triangle is the most diverse marine region on the planet, matched in its importance to life on Earth only by the Amazon rainforest and the Congo basin. Defined by marine areas containing more than 500 species of reef-building coral, it covers around 6 million square kilometres of ocean across six countries in the Indo-Pacific – Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Solomon Islands, and Timor-Leste.

• The Coral Triangle also directly sustains the lives of more than 120 million people and contains key spawning and nursery grounds for tuna, while healthy reef and coastal systems underpin a growing tourism sector. WWF is working with other NGOs, multilateral agencies and governments around the world to support conservation efforts in the Coral Triangle for the benefit of all.

• The Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI) on Coral Reefs, Fisheries and Food is a new six-nation initiative to secure the future of marine resources in the region. See www.cti-secretariat.net for more information.

• For information on Coral Triangle go to: www.panda.org/coraltriangle

For further information:

Richard Leck, Climate Strategy Leader, WWF Coral Triangle Programme Tel. +61 7 3211 2521 Email: rleck@wwf.org.au

Lida Pet Soede, Leader, WWF Coral Triangle Programme Tel. +62 812 381 8742 Email: lpet@wallacea.wwf.or.id

Paolo P. Mangahas, Communications Manager, Tel: +60 3 7803 3772 Email: pmangahas@ywwf.org.my

 

 

The little house in the valley

Real estate is set to boom in the great Wahgi Valley of the new Jiwaka province between now and 2012 when it gains full provincial status.
While agriculture will, naturally, be the economic backbone, real estate is another, given the large tracts of fertile land all over the valley.
One man having his eyes set on real estate in Jiwaka is Peter Irai, owner of a neat little house in the valley, at Kurumul Tea, nestled between north and south Wahgi under perennial springtime climate.
It’s less than 100m from the main Highlands Highland, next to Marban Coffe Plantation, Kudjip market and very close to Jiwaka’s urban centres of Minj and Banz.
All kinds of comfort in the valley.
The medium-covenant house has four bedrooms, a concrete floor, kitchen, shower and flush toilet.
Water flows into the house through an electric pump.
 Bedding, tables, chairs and kitchen facilities are provided.
Then there’s a television set to provide icing to the cake.
There is also an external haus kuk (kitchen) with electricity provided.
“The property is situated in a peaceful community where the landlord and community at large care for the welfare, safety and enjoyable living of our tenants, which has always been the case here,” Mr Irai says.
Previous tenants have been the Evangelical Brotherhood Church (EBC) and Digne Trading.
The Coffee Industry Corporation is now leasing the house for its extension officers who are out on patrol in the vast Wahgi Valley.

The shame of Hohola

You can be forgiven for thinking that you are in a pigsty or the Baruni
rubbish dump.
But no, this is Hohola, just along the busy Poreporena Freeway in the heart
of the city.
Rubbish is strewn everywhere, some of which is burning, giving off odors
which are unbecoming of a civilised society and the so-called capital of
Papua New Guinea.
Rubbish, rubbish everywhere and not a place to dump.
All these were happening just today at the relatively-new National Housing
Corporation units at Hohola, home to many senior public servants and their
families.
It is certainly a disgrace to whoever is to blame, whether it is the NHC,
the tenants or the National Capital District Commission for not cleaning up
the mess.
Not to mention the health hazard it poses to tenants as well as their
neighbours at Hohola

Let the fun begin!

The new recreational park at Gerehu Stage Two consisting of playground
facilities for children, a basketball court and a netball court was opened
by National Capital District Governor Powes Parkop last Saturday.

More on Papua New Guinea's great Sepik River god

Read what US-based Papua New Guinean blogger David Ketepa Ulg has to say about Papua New Guinea’s great Sepik River god: http://pngemmiyet.blogspot.com/2009/08/somare-sepik-river-god.html

Short and sweet

From BERNARD OBERLEUTER in Brisbane, Australia

English first - (for the local media)  then Tokpisin for the pictures and story to go to PNG.

I'm working on a draft story and will send it to you later.

Dictator Somare ignores PNG Constitution

(Diktetor Somare)

PNG Parliament suspended by Somare

(Somare tok Maski Palamen)

PNG Government corrupt

(Bulsit Gavaman bilong Somare)

PNG Democracy for sale - going price 2m

(Somare baim paua - usim moni bilong yumi)

It was suggested that we use a heading like:

Somare Pamuks PNG Constitution

Somare Prostitutes PNG Constitution

Can somebody, anybody give us some background on the slush fund handout saga and recently the gravy train to bolster numbers to parliament recess until November 2009?
We need to investigate where the funds are coming from and are they tied to rural projects or for the individual politicians.
These were some of the topics discussed last night amongst some like-minded expatriate PNG'S in Australia.

Somare says he is a "Sepik River god"

Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare in today’s weekly Sunday Chronicle newspaper liked himself to the mystical character of “Sukundimi” – the “great Sepik River god” that cannot be shaken now and beyond 2012.

Addressing his East Sepik people at Timbunke last Friday, Sir Michael reaffirmed his confidence and the strength of his government to cling to power and push PNG forward beyond threats of any no-confidence motions.

“Tasol yu save pinis, Sukundi ia, planim n stap.Pasin bilong politics I olsem, ol arapela ting ol I nap mekim senis, orait noken wari long dispela tingting bilong ol. Gavman bilong yu bai stap 2012 na bai igo ken long narapela taim I kam (You already know, Sukindimi, already there and will stay. Do no worry about those who want to change government. The government will remain up to 2012 and beyond).”

Sir Michael took the time to update his people on the status quo of his government’s performance, including last week’s notice by the opposition to sponsor a vote of no-confidence in his government.

The notice was delivered to the Speaker, who later on adjourned parliament to November.

Parliament was in uproar last Thursday when government sabotaged the opposition’s attempt to move a vote of no-confidence against it.

Sir Michael said his government has made significant contributions to advance the country over the last two terms and would continue to do so up to 2012 and beyond.

 

NASFUND's vision takes shape

In early 2007, NASFUND boldly announced that it would be the catalyst for the commencement of a new precinct at Harbour City, 2km from the central business district.
At the time there was growing evidence of frustration from city dwellers that the town was becoming more difficult to move around in.
 The road ways were becoming congested and buses commuting workers to and from town were adding to the traffic woes.
Similarly the town was looking tired with no new construction since completion of the Deloitte Tower in June 1999.
 NASFUND was presented with a dilemma: build in the CBD with the current mishmash of style and congestion problems or start a fresh on a new landscape.
 The choice if successfully implemented would change the focal point of Port Moresby for decades to come.
 NASFUND’s vision was based on the successful water side precincts of Melbourne’s Docklands and Yarra River arts precinct, known as Southbank.
As Joint CEO Rod Mitchell explains: “We wanted something that changed the perception of Port Moresby from being rather ‘hum drum’ to an emerging city with smart 21st century architecture.
“We wanted the latest in architectural design; we wanted clean lines and water frontage, effectively turning the town to face its greatest asset, the Harbour.
“The other dramatic statement is the first impression that visitors will get when they travel from the airport down the Poreporena highway into town.
“It’s the ‘wow factor’ when they drive over the hill and see the Harbour, yacht club and smart buildings hugging the waterway.”
NASFUND was also acutely aware in making the statement at Harbour City that it would pass the time test.
“It was important that the project created a standard that even in 50 years time, would be remarked on as a quality development,” Mr Mitchell said.
“Some have argued that the buildings should be taller.
“We rejected that view.
“This development is about scale, it’s about fitting in with the landscape.”
In just over two years that vision is proudly taking shape with the recent NASFUND-owned, ANZ building completed and two further buildings due to be completed over the next nine months.
The initial construction over the three sites will cost NASFUND approximately K115 million with a luxury 20 unit residential development to come on line in December and a 5, 400 square metre office complex to be completed in March 2010.
 Both constructions are fully pre let or under offer.
A close associate and fellow property developer, East New Britain Supermarkets Ltd, will soon be constructing a mix use commercial and residential development in the same precinct.
East New Britain Supermarkets Ltd also the own the current SVS Andersons Building in Harbour City which will undergo a refurbishment to meet the new standard that is being demanded.
 With these developments occurring and with the LNG Project across Fairfax directly facing the developments esplanade,  Harbour City is set to become the new hub of business and banking in the down town area in the not too distant future.
The ANZ Haus has become perhaps the most interesting and most talked about building in the country.
Strikingly different from the 1970-80’s style architecture that dominates the skyline, this building is truly international, reflecting the increasingly globalised community of which PNG is reaching out to.
ANZ Haus covers three floors with a total gross floor area of K4, 875 and with 77 car parks.
Adjoining the Royal Papua Yacht Club, ANZ Haus compliments the design rather than dominating the landscape.
 The new head office set back from the street without security fencing gives a very relaxed Melanesian feel that is often so at odds with the outsiders view of Port Moresby of high fencing and barb wire.
And this is what Harbour City is and will be about.
Taking back our streets and building a new city with not only a modern feel but with modern attitude.
 Ironically the modern feel still gravitates around the traditional with the commercial building named Ravalian Haus and the apartment s named ‘Sol Wara’.
  Discussions have been held with Curtain Brothers on changing the name of the street facing the new buildings to add to the PNG flavor.
The NASFUND developments could not have taken shape without three important ingredients tied by shared meaning and commitment:
•       The first was the decision by ANZ that they not only wanted to relocate but they wanted NASFUND as their partners in development. Much of this foresight rests with the outgoing Managing Director of ANZ, Mr. Gary Tunstall, who drove the ANZ side of the project;
•       Curtain Brothers who shared the dream with NASFUND of building a new, modern city on the edge of the old with a commitment to a quality outcome; and
•       The builders, Fletcher Morobe and the Brisbane architects Cottee Parker, who implicitly understood what NASFUND and Curtain brothers wanted from the development and delivered a first class project.
As the two other developments near completion, NASFUND along with joint venture partners are casting their eyes on the end site of Harbour City.
Located next to the current 20 unit complex under construction, is a plan for approximately a further 50 apartments taking shape with Curtain Brothers.
NASFUND says that this construction, still in the development phase will be different in style, with apartment balconies shaped like the front of boats facing the marina.
 The new development is aptly named “The Edge” – where land meets water.
“The idea at Harbour City is to create a portfolio of investment buildings that will be the signature of what NASFUND stands for - quality and modernism with a respect for tradition,” Mr Mitchell says.

Island Meri

Visit the blog of Papua New Guinea woman diplomat Mari Ellingson at http://islandmeri.wordpress.com/.

Great reading about the adventures of a Papua New Guinea woman diplomat in the UK.