Pilot’s wife and children wait for answers about crash

Widow Betty Kuyei Kaines surrounded by children Chris Kaines Jr, Emerald, Story and Answer admire a picture of their pilot husband and father Chris Kaines in today’s The National.

The grieving widow and children of pilot Chris Kaines today made an emotional plea to the Civil Aviation Authority to release details of the plane crash which killed her husband on Aug 7, 2008.
Betty Kuyei Kaines, surrounded by her three daughters Emerald (seven), Answer (five) and Story (two), told of the heartbreak of losing their husband and father and of waiting for answers about his death to no avail.
She also wants the operator (named), who has been elusive since the crash, to be questioned by police and relevant authorities.
Also present at the interview was Chris Kaines Jr, 17, the pilot’s son from his first marriage to Betty Komes.
As Mrs Kaines talked, the three girls pointed out excitedly to the picture of their father in today's The National, saying “daddy, daddy”.
Chris Kaines’ Jr, a quietly-spoken young man who is a spitting image of his father, said he was hoping to follow his father’s footsteps and become a pilot.
While all attention is focused on the Aug 11 Airlines PNG Twin Otter crash which killed 13 people, Kaines’ crash over the Kokoda Trail last year almost exactly a year ago to the date, remains uninvestigated.
Kaines, from Gassam village on Siassi Island, Morobe province, died in a mysterious Cessna 206 plane crash in the mountains of Myola, along the Kokoda Trail, on Thursday, August 7, 2008, on the way to Yongai in Goilala.
Details are sketchy; however, the general story is that Kaines, a very experienced pilot, was with two passengers when they experienced engine failure at Myola.
He successfully brought the Cessna down and saved his two passengers but was crushed in the cockpit; however, his body remained intact.
Kaines’ baby, Story, would celebrate her first birthday on Saturday, Aug 9, and he was looking forward to joining her for a party.
He, tragically, would never do so.
“It’s very, very challenging, especially to take up the role of both father and mother,” Mrs Kaines said as she fought back tears.
“For us to wait in vain for someone, at least someone, to give us a definite report on the crash is so painful.
“All we want to know is how he crashed.
“The Civil Aviation Authority should give us something, at least something in writing, so that we can be satisfied.”
Mrs Kaines is saddened that while last week’s crash has taken precedence over all others, with CAA chief executive officer Joseph Kintau saying a preliminary report should be ready after 30 days, while she and many other pilot widows and children continue to wait.
“When I heard them say that a report of last week’s crash would be ready in 30 days, I said, ‘wow, but what about Chris?’” she said.
“I feel that it’s unfair for the Airlines PNG crash at Kokoda to be given priority, just because it involved Australians, and they are rushing to produce a report upon demand.
“If they can produce a report for the Australians within 30 days, how about us?
“We’ve waited for a year!
“Our father was a local pilot, carrying local teachers from Port Moresby to Goilala, and his death didn’t attract much media attention, therefore, it has been swept under the carpet.
“At least we can have peace of mind if we know the cause of Chris’ death.
“They have to tell us whether it was because of a mechanical fault, weather, pilot error, whatever.
“To those families who have lost loved ones in last week’s crash and in previous crashes, their loss is our loss.
“We share the same concern as them, the anxiety of waiting for the body, of waiting for the sound of choppers and planes bringing in the body.”

Politics of landowners and extractive industry will worsen

By James Wanjik

Port Moresby, 19 August 2009

E-mail: jameswanjik@hotmail.com

 

LAND is a way of life for people in PNG. No love is lost when landowners raise land rights with intruders on their land. Panguna landowners warned the miners and minders for little over nine years. Failure by the miner and minder saw landowner grievance turn into law and order and civil strife. We as a nation lost 20, 000 souls. Panguna mine remains closed.

The story, “Gas plant closed” (Post Courier, Tuesday, August 18, 2009 p.1) is a wake up call. Hides landowners have been voicing their concerns on the LNG project for a while now. Teaching us lesson was Panguna mine. The mine was forcefully developed because it was to underwrite PNG’s independence. It did. But it was unsustainable from intergenerational landowners’ perspective. Now LNG is being rushed to underpin 2050 National Strategic Plan. Total arrogant leadership is the beginning of destruction of our national unity.

Bougainville is now autonomous because leaders turned deaf when landowners called for review of Panguna deal. The Hides landowner leaders have been calling for the review of the LNG Gas Agreement of 22 May 2008 but the leaders are pushing on as if the LNG was a public investment program project. They are very powerless to stop to listen. Fear of losing popularity is the reason.

In Madang landowners of Ramu mine have taken out legal suits against the miner and minder. When ignorant and arrogant leaders come to their senses PNG would be powerless over China.

New Ireland Province has warned that they will not cooperate with minder of miners on New Ireland. The Governor is agitated by Puka Temu’s arrogance (The National, 17 August 2009, p.9).

Wafi landowners are very restless with the setting up of Land Titles Commission. Legal advice and role playing government business is working Wafi landowners to be agitated.

Porgera landowners are slowly coming to realise the lethal combination of miner and minder that moved Police without State of Emergency. While lawlessness is not tolerated, landowners will take on the Government as they inform international organisations such as, United Nations, Amnesty International, and Canadian shareholders of Barrick Gold.

Many similar landowner issues are simmering. Very soon some of these will hit the news. When they do PNG will be the loser. The reason is MRA. It has no duty to serve PNG for it is a counterfeit working for money only.

Tell our leaders to remove MRA now. It is the only right thing to do.

Unanswered questions surround August 2008 plane crash

Captain Christopher Kaines...his plane crash is shrouded in mystery


While all attention is focused on the Aug 11 Airlines PNG Twin Otter crash which killed 13 people, another crash over the Kokoda Trail last year almost exactly a year ago to the date, remains uninvestigated.
Several unanswered questions surround the death of pilot Chris Kaines, from Gassam village on Siassi Island, Morobe province, who died in a mysterious Cessna 206 plane crash in the mountains of Myola, along the Kokoda Trail, on Thursday, August 7, 2008, on the way to Yongai in Goilala.
There are several unanswered questions as to the flight plan given to the Civil Aviation Authority, the air worthiness of the Cessna, why the operator disappeared after since the death of Kaines, is there any truth that he was carrying mercury and a large amount of money when he crashed, and many more, including questions on the involvement of certain groups and individuals.
On remote Siassi Island, they continue to grieve the loss of a bright and ambitious son who soared over the skies of Papua New Guinea like an eagle.
Their commercial pilot son perished in a light-plane crash a year ago and yet PNG’s aviation regulators had failed to examine why the crash had occurred.
They wanted answers and there were none.
Ironically, this weekend, Kaines’ haus krai (house of mourning) at Waigani will be removed, as is customary, after a year of mourning, and at a time when Australia and PNG are still reeling from last week’s Kokoda crash.
Journalist New Cuthbert, who is the late pilot’s brother-in-law, said: “In fact, this weekend, I will get rid of the haus krai.
“I have allowed the missus to mourn her brother for 12 months and last month, she told me that yes, her tears have dried, and Chris’ body has become bones in the ground.
“I will make a traditional feast for my brother’s in-law so that laughter and merriment can return to us.
“I will also walk the Kokoda trail with Minister Chris Chris Abel and pass by the land where Chris went down, and from those peaks, I will fulfill the age old custom of my people to say to Chris: ‘It is done you can really rest in peace’.”
Reporters probing the crash last year hit a brick wall at CAA when trying to get information on the crash.
Kaines was a very experienced aviator, whose feats are the stuff of legend, including busting gun smuggling operations in Western province with police, once landing on the Hiritano Highway when his engine failed, who in 2006 year flew a private plane from the USA to PNG, and whose ambition in life was to buy his own plane and run a charter operation.
The procedure for a flight plan is:
- Each aircraft prior to departure to a destination needs to produce a flight plan to flight services of the CAA for approval;
- The flight plan states the flight, pilot, and all relevant details like destination;
- The control tower is responsible for clearing the aircraft for take off and monitors its flight to and from its destination; and
- If the aircraft fails to report, the tower raises the alarm and CAA organises the rescue.
In the case of Kaines:
- He himself did not produce the flight plan but somebody may have and deliberately changed details so as to have CAA approve the flight;
- The aircraft used was one that was used by trainee pilots;
- The operator (named) did have an airworthy certificate issued against the particular aircraft;
- It was to train pilots so whoever produced the flight plan stated himself as the flight instructor and Kaines as trainee in order to get approval; and
- No aircraft and pilot under instruction is authorised to carry passenger and cargo.
“(Named operator) was to have flown the aircraft himself as per the flight plan,” a source said.
“His name may have appeared as the pilot but let Chris (Kaines) on this flight alone.
“That is why when the aircraft crashed, information out of Civil Aviation stated that the aircraft had as flight instructor an expatriate and a PNG trainee pilot.
“Chris spells his name as Chris Kaines, which is very foreign indeed
“”But (named operator) never took that flight and according to the flight plan he was supposed to do so.
“We learnt this from Chris’s wife”
“The bottom line is that (named operator) deceived Chris and deliberately misled Civil Aviation into approving the flight plan and get clearance to make the flight.
“We now know Chris had already made several flights into the area before the crash.
“On the one before the crash, he reported a faulty radio.
“This was brought to the attention of a particular engineer with Hevi Lift who questioned this aircraft to which he was to install the radio.
“When he did he was told it was the one sitting at Nadzab because of some legal complication.
“But then he was also told that it belonged to Northwest Air.”
A year on, these and many other questions remain unanswered.

Papua New Guinea women answer the call of the air

You can fly higher than an eagle...Rachael Kaltia in an Airlines PNG plane

Like the great American women pilot Amelia Earhart, whose last port of call was Lae, Morobe province, on July 2, 1937, more and more young Papua New Guinea women are taking to the skies.
During the five years remaining in her life, Earhart acted as a tireless champion for commercial aviation and for women's rights.
Two of these young PNG women pilots, Rachael Kaltia and now Jannie Moala, answered this high flying call and like Earhart lost their lives in their love and passion for the air.
While all attention over the last week has been on Ms Moala, captain of the ill-fated Airlines PNG Twin Otter that crashed over the Kokoda Trail last week, Ms Kaltia was the first PNG woman pilot to lose her life while flying.
Ms Kaltia, 24, one of PNG’s first women pilots, was killed in an Airlines PNG Twin Otter crash in Goilala, Central province, along with Australian Philip Wiseman on July 28, 2004.
She was born on March 14, 1980, and completed her primary school at Kuma community school, Southern Highlands province, in 1993.
She went on to do her top-up at Biro top-up primary school in 1995.
Ms Kaltia continued her tertiary education and completed her Grade 12 at Mogol secondary school in Mendi, and was awarded an AusAID scholarship to do pilot training in Australia in 1999.
In 2000, she commended her pilot training in Avondale School of Aviation in Sydney and achieved a commercial pilot’s license (theory) and private pilot’s license.
She further graduated with a certificate in aviation (private pilot’s license) at Avondale in 2001.
In 2002, Ms Kaltia completed commercial pilot’s license, command multi-engine and instrument rating at Avondale.
Airlines PNG first employed her as a first officer in March 2002 until her tragic death.
Young Papua New Guineans, especially women, were urged in 2004 to take the life of the late Rachael Kaltia as a role model.
Airlines PNG then general manager Simon Wild made the call during Ms Kaltia’s funeral service at the Sione Kami United Church on Friday, Aug 13, 2004.
Mr Wild urged the congregation that whenever they saw an eagle saw by, “in our minds, we can see Rachael fly by, in a Twin Otter, with that fantastic smile”.
“We pray that Rachael has set a shining example for all Papua New Guineans, the professionalism she showed, the dedication, the hard work,” he said.
“The hard work Rachael had put in, in Australia, showed that she had the ability to get up there and stand, amongst not only other Papua New Guinean men, but among expatriates from all around the world.
“I put it up, amongst the next generation of Papua New Guineans and young girls, to set Rachael’s life as a role model of what you can accomplish by putting in that dedication.
“She was a true professional.”
Last Tuesday, PNG again lost one of its bright young stars, when Jannie Moala crashed on the Kokoda Trail.

Papua New Guinea's 'deeply-troubled and dangerous' civil aviation exposed

Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s Foreign Correspondent tonight blew the lid off Papua New Guinea’s Civil Aviation Agency, with another expose about a deeply-troubled and dangerous industry, at a time when Australia and PNG are mourning the loss of lives from last week’s Kokoda tragedy.

Perhaps most alarming of all was the inability or unwillingness of authorities to investigate what happened after things did go wrong.

Foreign Correspondent revisited some of the glaring problems exposed in its 2008 report on the pathetic state of PNG aviation.

Papua New Guinea's only air crash investigator says last week's fatal Kokoda plane crash was an accident waiting to happen, and he cannot even visit every crash site because money is so tight.

Australian Sidney O'Toole, who runs PNG's Air Crash Investigation branch, told  Foreign Correspondent last night he runs a ludicrously lean operation, with a staffing situation which is "beyond critical".

He says he has an office, but no computer or dedicated fax; even now he has to use his own mobile phone on the job.

In the last year alone there have been another 12 air crashes and Mr O'Toole says he has not been able to make it to them all.

"Our staffing situation is beyond critical,” he said.

“When I use the word desperate, I mean how desperate is desperate - it's just ludicrous having one man."

Life was beginning to turn around for Mr O'Toole, with a new Accident Investigation Commission set up to get funds flowing.

He was dispatched to Canada to take an engine from a crashed aircraft back to the manufacturer for examination, which is where he was when the Twin Otter crashed near Kokoda.

"I can't be in two places at the same time," he said.

"I look at the resources and everything that have been provided by the Australian Government and there was absolutely, positively no way that our commission or the government of Papua New Guinea could respond in that manner."

 

Return to the fatal sky

Watch ABC’s Foreign Correspondent tonight for a programme which will blow the lid off Papua New Guinea’s Civil Aviation Agency, with another expose about a deeply-troubled and dangerous industry, at a time when Australia and PNG are mourning the loss of lives from last week’s Kokoda tragedy http://www.abc.net.au/foreign/content/2009/s2655403.htm

Return to the Fatal Sky

Broadcast: 18/08/2009

Reporter: Trevor Bormann

To travel any distance in PNG, air travel is often the only viable option.

At Mount Hagen in the PNG Highlands a mother and father grieve the loss of bright and ambitious son who yearned to take the helm of an international airliner. Their commercial pilot son perished in a light-plane crash 2 years earlier and yet PNG’s aviation regulators had failed to examine why the crash had occurred. Glen and Veronica Kundun wanted answers and there were none.

“This is a life we are talking about! There must be an investigation. We must get to the bottom of it. Whether it is a technical fault, whether it is pilot error, these things have got to be known.” GLEN KUNDUN, FATHER OF PILOT PATRICK

Foreign Correspondent exposed a litany of failures and witnessed sloppy standards and seat-of-the-pants procedures. Some of the aviation outfits flying the PNG skies were plain dangerous others were largely unregulated and then there were questions about the requisite skills of pilots.

Perhaps most alarming of all was the inability or unwillingness of authorities to investigate what happened after things did go wrong. Insiders - frustrated and disheartened - spoke out.

“If we have a major prang here we can’t do a damned thing. Nobody can do anything. Now that is very serious.” SIDNEY O’TOOLE
SENIOR AIR CRASH INVESTIGATOR

Aviation insiders like Sidney O’Toole told us that over the past two decades airline safety standards had ‘fallen over the edge‘and some were predicting disaster. That disaster has come to pass with the loss of 13 lives in the crash of a Twin Otter plane enroute to Kokoda.

Foreign Correspondent revisits some of the glaring problems exposed in our 2008 report and importantly speaks again with some of the key identities who participated. Others in our story continue to mourn – including an Australian family who lost a loved one and who await vainly for answers.

New accounts and perspectives about a deeply troubled and dangerous industry – this time against the heart-breaking backdrop of the Kokoda tragedy.

 

 

Report on community coverage of the crash

From Bruce Copeland

 

Dear friends,
 I am sending this report on the understanding that if I were in Australia, I would appreciate some timely and responsible input on the Kokoda crash.
 There are three investigations taking place. There are those conducted by the Australian and PNG Government.There is a third conducted by the community through the media.
 The PNG media has been most professional and caring in this matter. But they quietly print reports that give the basics to aviation in the Kokoda area.
 The investigation was started by the media in reporting villagers hearing an aircraft in the gorge. Warren Bartlett stated that the airstrip should have cone markers. This is a day time strip. He was talking of fog.
 In Post Courier today there is one letter to the editor talking of lack even of the basics in navigational aids such as cone markers and windsocks and an HF radio.
 A letter to the editor in The National refers to the need to upgrade the strip that is covered with cloud and fog more often than not. The point is made that if measures are taken to lengthen and to widen the strip with other markers put in place, the crash could have been avoided.
 All people in Port Moresby are aware of the fierce storm that hit Port Moresby on the afternoon before.
 The weather report put the storm as covering the Port Moresby / Kokoda areas. Thick cloud would have covered the area as seen on the TV weather report.
 A blog on website refers to a female pilot flying up the Eora Creek Gorge as part of her return to Port Moresby.
 We do not have to worry about community input. There is accurate insight in the street. It is valid practice for any investigation to take note of the input from media coverage.
 There is no finger pointing except criticism of Government
which is routine for newspapers. Let us hope that there is focus on command and control in decisions to fly or not to fly.
 Those of us who trek including porters are quite horrified by the crash. I meet them in the street daily.
 
Regards,
 
Bruce Copeland

 

Port Moresby mostly self-reliant in fruit, vegetable production

Most of Port Moresby’s supply of fruit and vegetables comes from areas around the city and not from the Highlands, according to a study carried out by the Fresh Produce Development Agency.

The 2008 study, results of which were released last week, shows that 50,000 tonnes of the capital’s demand is supplied from peri-urban production – including the hillsides around Port Moresby - while 7,500 tonnes is either imported from abroad or comes from Central provinces areas with good road links.

The study, however, found out that annual demand for fresh produce in the city was around 140, 500 tonnes, about double the current supply.

Port Moresby is the largest market for fresh produce in PNG, however, prior to this study adequate market information about Port Moresby was not available to guide decision-making in production, marketing and infrastructure investment in relation to PNG’s fresh produce industry.

To fill the gap, desk research and market surveys of Port Moresby’s fresh produce market were conducted over a six-week period in August-September 2008 to generate information on how Port Moresby is feeding itself.

A central finding of this project was that the majority of fresh produce was supplied from sources local to Port Moresby and not from the Highlands.

“The volume of fresh produce being supplied from the Highlands into Port Moresby appeared to be decreasing while supplied from Central province and the NCD are increasing,” according to the study.

“The annual volume of fresh produce imported into Port Moresby in 2007 was estimated to be just under 7, 500 tonnes, comprising 2, 500 tonnes from international air and sea arrivals; 3,500 tonnes from domestic sea arrivals; and 1, 430 tonnes from domestic arrivals.

“Fresh produce production in the peri-urban areas was approximately 8, 500 tonnes during the dry season from the six surveyed settlement areas, which translated into a total production of 50,000 tonnes per year from all settlements.

“Most fresh produce was sourced from Central province and the National Capital District and very little was sourced from overseas or the Highlands.

“The total supply of fresh produce to Port Moresby was estimated at 57, 780 tonnes, with 7, 430 tonnes (15%) coming from overseas and rest of Papua New Guinea, and 50, 350 tonnes (85%) from peri-urban production

“Annual demand for fresh produce in Port Moresby was estimated to be around 140, 500 tonnes.”

The study recommended, among others, that more information on future demand for fresh produce in Port Moresby in the longer term was needed, including a full-scale household survey.

It also recommended more detailed research on sources and types of supplies needed to account for the shortfall between the estimated supply of 57, 780 tonnes and the estimated demand of 140, 500 tonnes.

 

 

 

The smells of Kokoda

http://sink.es/kokoda/

 

 

Tribute to Kokoda Track plane disaster

By James Wanjik

Port Moresby, 15 August 2009

E-mail: jameswanjik@hotmail.com

 

I was among seven young brave men who took on the track 25 years ago and our memories of test of will and stamina are still fresh.

Those who lost lives last week in the plane crash are people who will be remembered for having kind hearts helping people of Kokoda Track in their own way of selfless service of people.

 God of life will give them life in eternity.
Thank you and God bless.
 Walking the Kokoda Track is many people’s will and stamina put to the test.

Twenty five years ago I was one of seven young brave men taking the track World War II angels walked to help allied forces battling the Japanese Imperial Army.

PNG would have fallen into the hands of invading Japanese.

Recently when the invading miners wanted to mine the Kokoda Track it was the Australian Government that influenced PNG Government to reject renewal of the exploration licence in the interest of State of PNG.

On 10 August 2009 a plane carrying nine Australians, one Japanese, and three Papua New Guineans surrendered their lives to angels of life to be with God of life.

PNG will be now more true to their love for life.

Looking back 25 years ago Kokoda Track was ignored by our Government.

There were no organised trekking companies.

No book on how to do on Kokoda Track.

 No planes dropping rations along the way.

Our only support was now Member for Sohe, Anthony Nene.

Names of places along the track he knew.

It took us 4 and 1/2 days to cross over from Owers Corner in Central Province to Kokoda in Oro Province.

On the track we had real adventure.

The first day saw us put up a tent on the foot of Imita Ridge.

Rain was falling cats and dogs.

 Having cup of coffee in the bush with peers was like powering a dead World War II jeep.

The night walled us from problems in store.

The second day saw us trekking to Naoro river crossing.

We came to a place that led us to a tangent for good 4 hours.

We retreated to refresh our memories.

We decided to trek back to where we had got led astray.

 Having made the connection of our route we rolled down a cliff.

We found the crossing and made it on logs supported with cane vines.

On this day we lost our coffee bottle.

A member of our peer felt the fatigue of Kokoda Track.

We exchanged angry word or two and we let it to pass.

We were a team and we would remain as a team until we reached Kokoda our goal.

Something told us to be courageous under problem situation.

It was not long my bag lost its both straps.

 I had to shoulder carry from then on.

Then in less than an hour a friend of ours fainted.

We quietly sat down to divide up the contents of our friend’s bag to ease the burden.

Now problems and powerlessness looked like taking its toll on us.

That was when I volunteered to carry our friend’s bag and shoulder carry mine.

We were on track trekking again.

On the third and fourth days we trekked pretty well.

On one leap we had no water.

Local knowledge and keeping connected to nature helped us.

About halfway up the steep slippery climb we stopped to contact nature for help.

 We were rewarded with water from the bamboos.

On half day of the fifth we crossed the famous Templeton Crossing about 3 times at different points of the Track.

It was as cold as water from a refrigerator.

Literally we were made to feel lost of our manhood.

The distinguishing things of men had leaped into our bodies.

Such is the spirit of Kokoda Track.

Words will never wipe away the memories of Kokoda Track.

Politics of Kokoda Track is in the memories of many lost and living souls.

It is a worthy politics.

Politics where people of Kokoda will win.

Nene upheld ‘name’ Jesus Christ for help.

Real leaders of real people will come to help Kokoda people.

Kokoda spirit God Father is ever powerful and gracious.

May those who lost loved ones in last week’s plane crash be consoled by knowing that PNG appreciates many kind hearts who have made our country a blessed nation.

Dragon

From PAUL OATES in Queensland, Australia

Feeding the cattle yesterday and out of the corner of my eye, I see a small movement. I'm being watched by a small dinosaur (bearded dragon).

In memory of those who died

From Bruce Copeland

 

We remember the young Australian men and women and Papua New Guinea friends who died in the air crash on unforgiving terrain on Kokoda Track on 11 August 2009.

They came like so many others to honour the memories of Australian soldiers who sacrificed their youth and their lives in this and other wars.

 In so many ways, they were like the Australian men who enlisted from 1939.

They came from same families, work groups, towns, schools and football teams and went to war as a group of mates.

Women died in war too.

 This group of trekkers like so many others was a family and work group affair.

This makes loss so much harder to bear.

 They will not be forgotten.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning, let us remember them too.

They are the children and grand-children of World War 2.

Our sincere condolences are offered to the families who have suffered this loss.

Sepik River Crocodile Festival a success

Villagers from Puruknawi village along Sepik River carrying a saltwater crocodile during the third Sepik River Crocodile Festival

Five-year-old Lester Dominic from Emas Village in Karawari along Sepik River carrying a saltwater crocodile during the third Sepik River Crocodile Festival

Story and pictures by LYDIA KAIA of WWF

More than a thousand of dancers, singers, storytellers and community members from villages across the Sepik region gathered in Ambunti in East Sepik province for the Sepik River Crocodile Festival, on Aug 11-12, joined by visitors from across the globe.
The two-day festival is now in its third year, and has been growing steadily larger.
This year, about 40 international tourists and journalists met with locals for the event, which combines a celebration of the region's traditional culture and environment with an opportunity to share information with often isolated communities.
The crocodile is a key totem animal, symbolising strength and power.
"Some of the villages in the Sepik are so remote that people spent one to two days traveling in canoes to reach the festival; about the same amount of time that it takes a tourist from the United States to get there by air," Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) Sepik River programme manager David Peter said.
Peter said it was pleasing to see more interest from abroad in the festival, translating into more bookings for local ecotourism guides and lodges.
"Ecotourism has huge potential as a source of sustainable income for families and communities in this region, and the festival is a good way to showcase what the region has to offer," he said.
"WWF had staff on the ground working with communities and tourism operators to assist them to package their eco-tourism products, and then to promote their own operations and the region abroad.
“This is a good example of how conservation and sustainable development are mutually reinforcing.
"As long as it's well-managed and responsible, tourism can bring real benefits for local operators and communities."
A partnership programme links community-based organisations such as the Sepik Wetland Management Initiative and Help Resources with WWF, the PNG Department of Environment and Conservation and local-level governments.

Agriculture minister commends Fresh Produce Development Agency

Minister for Agriculture and Livestock John Hickey has commended the commitment by the Fresh Produce Development Agency to bring about tangible development impacts on the lives of 4.2 million people, which represents 85% of Papua New Guinea’s population.

His message was delivered at the launch of the FPDA’s five-year corporate plan (2010-2014) last Thursday by DAL deputy secretary Vele Kagena.

“The industry has progressed from an insignificant status to an important industry that is impacting on the lives and livelihoods of more than 85% of our population,” Mr Hickey said.

“Recent estimates have put the value of the fresh produce industry, particularly the volume of marketed fresh produce, to be K250 to K264 million.

“This is expected to further increase as the economic climate in the country improves with the commissioning of the LNG project.

“The actual value of horticulture and food crops is, however, estimated to be more than this, exceeding billions of kina per annum.

“This, therefore, warrants increased commitments by the government to the fresh produce sub-sector through the research and development institutions, and directly to the industry players who are persevering to provide markets for our farmers.

“In fact, the sub-sector has the potential to bring about broad-based and equitable distribution of wealth for our people.

“By improving the performance of the fresh produce sub-sector, we can address a lot of development issues and significantly improve on our development indicators, which are dismally poor.”

Mr Hickey, however, expressed concern that the plan should not become a “paper document which may be good at decorating shelves”.

“However, I am encouraged to learn that FPDA is already working on the next level of planning – programme planning followed by project planning – which aims to make this document a living document and not a paper document,” he said.

“I believe this is a very good step in the right direction as I am eager to learn about the developments in the industry that will be happening in the next five years as this corporate plan is translated into an action plan through the subsequent programme and project plans.”

 

 

 

No fruit and vegetable exports as Papua New Guinea continues to import

Trade statistics show that Papua New Guinea has no horticultural (fresh food) exports, whilst continuing to import, mainly from Australia.
The Fresh Produce Development Agency (FPDA) dropped the bombshell at the launching of its 2010-2014 corporate plan last Thursday.
“This might be considered surprising, given the superior agronomic conditions available for a range of fruit and vegetables,” according to the corporate plan.
“However, the absence of horticultural exports can be explained by an unfavorable fruit fly status which prevents exports of fleshy fruit and vegetables; lack of information on PNG’s comparative advantage in fruit and vegetable production; and the country’s focus on export of traditional tree crop commodities.”
Likewise, there is minimal processing of horticultural products in PNG, with only one notable processor, Goroka-based New Guinea Fruit Company, which produces fruit wines, jams and dried fruit (samples pictured above).
PNG, fortunately, is a member of a number of regional political and trading institutions and has bilateral agreements with several countries, which can enable it to break into markets in the region.
Its memberships include Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), South Pacific Trade and Economic Cooperation Agreement (SPARTECA), Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) Economic Agreement and South Pacific Community (SPC).
The implications of the challenges facing the domestic markets and existence of trade agreements and partnerships include the need for PNG to:
•       Develop production, quality assurance and marketing systems and infrastructure for the domestic market as a springboard for export markets;
•       Focus on developing export markets for a few crops where the country enjoys comparative advantage, for example pineapple, pitpit, taro and ginger;
•       Build capacity and systems to respond to global consumer demands for organically-grown products, fair trade, food safety and affordable food prices in the face of reduced global supply; and
•       Understand and develop systems to address quality and phytosanitary requirements of potential importing countries, focusing on Asian countries such as Singapore and Japan with relatively less-demanding sanitary and phytosanitary measures (SPS) regimes.
“The value of PNG horticultural imports from Australia was around K17 million in 2002,” according to the corporate plan.
“The largest single item was frozen potatoes (K3.8m), closely followed by apples (K3.6m) and onions ((K2.4m).
“Other significant items were peas in various forms (K1.7m) and oranges (K1.1m).
“The total volume of horticulture imports were: root and tuber crop imports – 2, 870 tonnes values at K7.1m, vegetables – 800 tonnes valued at K4.3m, fruit 0 1, 186 tonnes valued at K6.6m.
“These data show that, despite the 25-40% import tariff, PNG’s domestic market is relatively open to imports of horticultural products, most of which are produced in the country.
“There is, therefore, an opportunity for PNG farmers and other actors along the value chain to supply the formal market with horticulture products, provided the quality and prices are competitive.
“The role of FPDA is to facilitate this development by providing all value chain actors with market information and development of the supply and marketing system.”

Papua New Guinea fresh food market worth K250 million

FPDA chairman Fabian Chow…K250m market

Fresh oranges, ginger, beans and mandarins on sale at Goroka market

Ripe red tomatoes and other vegetables galore at Goroka market

Giant broccoli fresh from the garden at Goroka market

Fresh produce marketed in Papua New Guinea is estimated to be worth more than K250 million per annum and still increasing, according to the Fresh Produce Development Authority.
FPDA chairman Fabian Chow said at the launching of its five-year corporate plan (2010-2014) at the Crowne Plaza last Thursday that demand was anticipated to increase with developments in the gas, petroleum and mining sectors.
“Given the many challenges and opportunities that have emerged and are still emerging, the fresh produce industry and particularly more than 85% of Papua New Guinea’s population who derive their income and livelihood from food crops, need to position themselves strategically to benefit from these emerging opportunities,” he said.
“The critical challenge was the lack of a corporate direction and hence a disconnection between programmes and projects, and the overall corporate goals.
“This resulted in FPDA’s corporate goals not being aligned well with the real industry, and high sectoral and policy goals set by the government through the medium term development strategy (MTDA) and the national agriculture development plan (NADP).
“The significant achievement which sets the foundation for a planned and systematic development in the fresh produce industry is the development of this corporate plan and most importantly, the development of the institutional and organisational capacity to implement the plan.”
Mr Chow said FPDA had over the years faced a lot of challenges, despite some notable achievements, such as the development of the seed potato productions systems which contributed to the K50 million potato industry.
“FPDA has also over the last 20 years built the capacity of men and women farmers, youths, school children, particularly through training, extension visits and advice, marketing information and technical production information through its seven centres strategically located across the country,” he said.
“The evidence of these inputs can be seen in the increasing level of vegetable production and marketing, and diverse lines of vegetables grown and sold in our urban and roadside markets and the wholesalers and food service sectors.
“Papua New Guineans today are beginning to enjoy a wider choice of locally-grown fruits and vegetables compared to years prior to 1989.
“There are, however, a lot of improvements yet to be made and FPDA is conscientiously working on improving the volumes supplied, the quality and price of certain lines of produce to match the demands and compete with imported products.”

Governor General calls for healthy and prosperous citizens

Governor General Sir Paulias Matane pulls the FPDA corporate plan out of an apt bilum of fresh vegetables

Governor General Sir Paulias Matane shows off the FPDA’s corporate plan while launching it at the Crowne Plaza

Governor-General Sir Paulias Matane has emphasised the urgent need for healthy and prosperous citizens of Papua New Guinea.
Launching the Fresh Produce Development Agency’s five-year corporate plan (2010-2018) at the Crowne Plaza in Port Moresby last Thursday, Sir Paulias said consumption of more locally-grown garden produce would provide healthy and prosperous citizens.
The plan envisions a “food and nutrition secure and prosperous Papua New Guinea”.
“Apart from these benefits,” Sir Paulias said, “it will contribute to fitter and healthier citizens, and secondly it will increase employment opportunities for our young people, particularly the 85% living in our rural areas,” he said.
“Ensuring that there is enough quality and nutritious food on the table is a responsibility of all responsible individuals and providers of households.
“Individuals or households that do not budget enough of their time, resources, incomes to ensure that there is good quality and nutritious food on the table will very soon succumb to ill health, diseases, hunger, malnutrition and even death.
“Likewise, a country that does not give priority to the food needs and requirements of its citizens will soon face the same fate.
“Diseased, hungry and malnourished citizens are liabilities, not assets, because their productivity and mental capacity are adversely affected.
“Increased quality of sufficient quantities of food is not enough.
“The food available and consumed must be nutritious.
“Food and vegetables are important for our diets because they are important sources of essential vitamins.”
Sir Paulias said the FPDA needed to promote the benefits of eating local garden produce to assist Papua New Guineans to adopt healthy diets and to increase the income levels and opportunities of those growing fresh produce.
He, however, said the plan, however great it may be, would not work unless there were resources to implement it.
“I believe that funds and technical support channeled to this industry will make positive impacts on the country’s food security status, economy, social livelihoods, health and educational capacity of a large number of Papua New Guineans,” Sir Paulias said.
“It is an economic sub-sector that is worth investing in, because it deals with a commodity that sustains our health, lives and livelihoods and particularly supports a large proportion of our population.”
Sir Paulias acknowledged the support of international partners such as AusAID through the Agriculture Research and Development Support Facility (ARDSF) and New Zealand through the Institutional Strengthening Project (ISP), as well as local stakeholders such as departments of agriculture and livestock, treasury, national planning and monitoring and business houses involved in the fresh produce industry.

New comment on "Thoughts on the Kokoda crash"

rsc186 has left a new comment on your post "Thoughts on the Kokoda crah":

Malum,
Interesting thoughts on the role Kokoda plays in the life of Australians. Like Gallipoli this has fallen victim to the adventure tour market. The vast majority of Australians that take on the challenge of Kokoda do so for the right reasons and that is to honor the men who fought on this piece of turf, be they Australian, Papua New Guinean or even Japanese. Kokoda is special on many fronts not lease of all because of the use of Conscripts. These conscripts were supposed to be only used in the Defence of Australia. To many this was taken to be the mainland, with PNG being an Australian protectorate the men could and were sent north of the cape, many found this to be unfair and deceitful. I am an ex-Serviceman who has served overseas in Iraq, Africa and the Pacific and have a deep seated respect for those who have played a role in conflict. My grandfather also fought here in PNG and for this I am very proud.
I have gone to the Lae cemetery and commend those responsible for maintaining this piece of sacred ground; they are doing a great job. I have walked the Bulldog track and recommend this to anyone who wants to better understand the difficulties of building a road through this part of the country, not to mention the amazing terrain that you get to traverse.
Kokoda is important in Australia's military and social histories as are many other sites in PNG and the world. The Australians were the first fighting force to defeat the Japanese, on land, at Milne Bay. Milne Bay could easily have been the point to where the middle class of Australia start their pilgrimage if only an adventure tour operator had focused on this area.

New comment on "Some possible explanation of the crash"

Steve Bennett has left a new comment on your post "Some possible explanation of the crash":

I attempted to fly to Kokoda in May of last year in a twin otter with a female pilot. She taxied to the runway at Jacksons and then said to us passengers that the weather report in Kokoda was poor visibility and the female pilot then decided to abort even taking off and we returned to the APNG hangar. The next morning we flew in to clear skies.
In the times that I have left Kokoda strip, the plane has often banked to the right just after take off, completed a lap of the Kokoda Station and then headed up the Eora Creek Gorge and through Kokoda Gap.
My impression is that Ms Moala may have decided to abort landing at Kokoda and then headed straight up the Eora Creek. Perhaps the chap on board who had completed the Kokoda track on 2 previous times may have said something to her through the door which may have made her think that she still had time to swing around to the right and try another attempt at landing. Just that the mountain was in the way.
There is little chance that we will ever find out what caused this flight to go down; I don't see your commentary based on sex can help anything Terry. Poor form.

New comment on "Some possible explanation of the crash"

Terry has left a new comment on your post "Some possible explanation of the crash":

The female pilot Jenny Moala had just 6 months experience piloting a twin engine plane. It's reported she was calm before the accident. Of course she was calm. She had no idea what she was doing.
The media is interpreting 'calm' as 'in control'. What nonsense.
This is a clear case of an Affirmative action pilot killing 14 innocent people by her inexperience. God knows how she got the job.
Nowhere has the media pointed this out. Political correctness prevents it.
This is no accident. It was an accident waiting to happen. It was a certainty.
When I step into a plane, I look into the cockpit. If I don't see a middle aged man, I ask to get off. The women belong in the aisle serving drinks.
The fourteen people who died would have be served by looking in the cockpit and attracting the ire of the politically correct crowd. Better to be alive and reviled than dead.
Affirmative action and Political Correctness has no place when people's lives are at state. Merit does. Experience does.
Let Moala practice her flying skills on her own family. Not on the husbands, brothers and sisters of others.
Remember the facts here before you get all precious. She was female. She was 26 years old. She only had 2,500 hours flying experience. She was at the controls. She was flying in a nation known for its dangers.

Sorry David Baker

From Bruce Copeland

David,
 I am sorry. In the last week there has been speculation. As I person who has trekked Kokoda, several people have asked my opinion. The newspapers have got the basic facts out of kilter.
 The people I sent the email to were PNG journalists who I was trying to give a clearer picture to. The newspapers do not have the very basic facts.
 The aircraft flew down but the pilot aborted. Several PNG people tell me of the rain and cloud. Between aborting of the flight in the usual place for aircraft and the sighting of the aircraft, the aircraft was up
the Eora Creek gorge.
 The pilot would have entered the gorge in the cloud and rain. So now the journalists have a basic understanding. Again I am sorry that you have been angry. We now wait for the official investigation for the
full details.
 History of aircraft accidents in this country finds many such terrible tragedies. There are people in this country who have lost loved ones in the accident. I only tried to help. Several villagers from the area
have talked to me.
 
Regards,
 
Bruce Copeland
 

Re: Some possible explanation of the crash

Bruce, 
 Enough is enough mate...
 "Inescapable facts to be addressed":
 Followed by 2 x could be's, 2 x may have's, 2 x or, 2 x perhaps & 1 x possible....
 I find it extraordinary that your expertise crosses into aircraft engineering &
meteorology...
 How dare you speculate on the causes of this tragedy?
 As a former firefighter from Sydney airport who understands procedure, I find your opinions about weather & piloting aircraft appalling.
 May they all rest in peace.
 
 David Baker
Kokoda Culture
 

 

Some possible explanation of the crash

By Bruce Copeland

 

 
Dear all,
 
I wish to respectfully set down a range of factors in the recent air crash at Kokoda.

It may be several weeks/months before an official finding is made.
 
In the meantime, there are inescapable facts that have to be addressed.
 
The pilot radioed control that she was aborting the landing and climbing.

Then we find that the aircraft is crashed up Eora Creek gorge opposite Isurava.

By what mischance did that happen?
 
There are possible conclusions that can be drawn and based on the fact that there was fog.

Those of us who trek Kokoda know that the fog comes up the Eora Creek gorge in the afternoons and can stay until late morning.
 
Fog can cover the Kokoda plateau including the airstrip in a thick blanket.

 It could be that the pilot could not find the airstrip in the low blanket of fog.

She may have aborted having mistaken the airstrip or approached the strip for landing some distance down the runway.
 
Or she could have mistaken the strip.

In the fog, perhaps the road outside the Kokoda hospital could be mistaken for the strip.
 
When she aborted, she climbed to get out of the fog.

But it may have been high fog/drizzling cloud that covered the opening to the Eora Creek gorge.

She may have approached the gorge too close to complete the circuit.

Perhaps she should have circled to the left around the Oivi-Gorari area.
 
Once she flew into the gorge, fate of the aircraft was sealed.
There should be markers on the airstrip. But in fog, these may be of little use.
 
Those who trek will undoubtedly have the same basic views as expressed here.

 This is a terrible accident that we all wish never had happened.
 
Regards,
 
Bruce Copeland