Waria warrior of Morobe province, Papua New Guinea

Abandoned tea trees now overgrown by bush

The author trying out the new telephone link in Garaina

Cr Amos Sega (left) with his son Terute (holding bow) besides the memorial cairn in Garaina, dedicated to the famed Sgt Maj Sega Birito

Cr Amos Sega, 7th born child of Sgt Maj Sega Birito, at the grave of his father. Resting on headstone are the campaign medals of Birito, which include the Bronze Star

The Garaina Tea Factory, now shut down. At its height, it was the number one tea in PNG

The mighty Waria Valley from where Sega Birito walked into Wau in the far distance to join the New Guinea police force

By PATRICK LEVO

The grave yard is overgrown with bushes. The plain white cement headstone is sun bleached and cracked, the epitaph is faded and moss covered at the sides.

But in this simple grave under the scorching Papuan sun lies one of PNG’s greatest heroes of World War II – a man of remarkable courage – a man of the true warrior class who rose above his humble uneducated beginnings to shine on the battlefield among foreign troops.

The mighty Waria Valley is the final resting place of one of its finest sons and a legend of Papua New Guinea - except the legendary exploits of Sergeant Major Sega Birito is sadly, unknown outside his native Waria land.

Having visited the Waria Valley last week and being privileged to pay my respects at his graveside, I feel it my obligation to re-tell the people of PNG, Australia and the USA, of the fearsome Waria warrior who served all three nations with the highest credentials.

This is the story of a simple village boy from Sopa village in Garaina who fell in love with the police force, signed up with ANGAU in 1926 at Wau and served the New Guinea Armed Constabulary, going on long range patrols all over Papua and New Guinea with patrol officers, gold prospectors and even missionaries.

Birito later served on Bougainville Island as a policeman and it was his knowledge of that part of the country that was to distinguish him in battle during the war.

When hostilities commenced in WWII, Birito was on holidays in Garaina planning on getting married when ANGAU recalled him to police headquarters. He was immediately bundled off for scout training with the now famous coast watchers.

Strong and fearless, the tall rangy Waria warrior came to the notice of the Americans while undergoing specialist training in Melbourne, Australia.

The US Navy Special Forces, forerunner to the Navy Seals, enlisted Birito (or rather snatched him) from the Australians in Melbourne after noticing his remarkable courage in training and engaged him as a scout in their “M” Force.

The simple boy from Waria, appreciated for his camaraderie with the Australians and Americans, and known for his fearless spirit in battle, landed with the US Marines at Tulagi and at Guadalcanal. It was on Bougainville that he distinguished himself in gallantry.

His Bronze Star citation read: “Constable Sega, ANGAU, distinguished himself with meritorious achievement at Bougainville, Solomon Islands, from September 22-28, 1944. While making reconnaissance into enemy territory, he came upon a village occupied by hostile troops. Crawling among the native houses, he collected information regarding enemy strength and dispositions. After reporting this information, he returned with a combat patrol which successfully attacked the village. On a later recon, he located a hostile camp and leading American troops, assisted in killing 14 of the enemy.”

Sgt Maj. Sega Birito is the first and only Papua New Guinea soldier I know to have received the American Bronze Star for gallantry in combat.

General Douglas MacArthur, the US General famed for his ‘I shall return’ promise to take back the Philippines from the enemy in WWII, conferred Sega Birito with his star at Wau.

Birito saluted the mighty US General as 10,000 of his tribesmen armed with bows, arrows and clubs applauded from the sidelines in a resonating cheer that echoed down the Waria Valley.

At the Queen’s Coronation in 1952, Birito was invited to visit England but fell sick at the last moment. However, when the Queen did visit PNG in later years, the Bronze Star hero met the Head of the Commonwealth.

She conferred on him the Queens Medal for Exemplary and Long Distinguished services to the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary.

In Garaina, beside the old RSL (Waria) building stands a simple stone flagpole. It was erected in 1973 by the American Government in appreciation of Birito’s services to the US Marines, following a visit by Colonel Douglas Hubbard, director of the Admiral Nimitz Centre in Fredricksburg, Texas.

Why would the Americans send such a high ranking officer to visit an old policeman in an unknown part of PNG? The answer lies in his Bronze Star citation. Americans revere and worship their heroes and Birito to the US Navy’s “M” Force was a fearless hero whose exploits are held in high regard.

His only complaint against the Americans was crooked job a medic did on his ear, which had been partially shot apart by enemy fire. The US Marine medics did a pretty hasty job on their trusted forward scout that when the wound healed a few weeks later, his ear was set a bit crookedly, which he blamed of robbing him of his once handsome looks!

The Americans erected a memorial cairn which reads: “To the memory of Sergeant Major Sega Birito of the Royal Papua New Guinea Armed Constabulary whose personal efforts during the Pacific Campaign in World War II resulted in his being awarded the American Bronze Star for gallantry, while serving with the United States Forces on Bougainville in September, 1944. In grateful appreciation, erected by the Government of the United States of America and the Admiral Nimitz Center.”

Birito, the son of a mighty chief, died in 1976 – a year after independence – at about 70 years of age.

Now his son Amos, the councilor for Ward 11 in the Waria Local Level Government, is taking up a new fight in his father’s respected name.

Amos wants the Australian, PNG and US Governments to fund the building of a government centre and a double classroom in Garaina.

Amos said: “I don’t want any other benefit; certainly I don’t want any money. I just want these governments to recognise the efforts of my father during his service to the armed forces and to erect a building in Garaina to house the local level government offices.

“I also want to see a double classroom built at Garaina Primary School and both buildings to be named Sega Birito so that younger generations will know and honor the memory of this foot soldier.”

Cr Amos is the 7^th born of Sega Birito and his wife Teira Ponito, both of Sopa village.

The Birito clan is Baru (deceased), Steven, who was a police inspector, Lyn, who now works for Trukai Industries, Jack (deceased), Naru, Reuben, Amos, Eero, Martha and William.

Cr Amos can be assured part of his problem has been solved with the arrival of a new VSAT telecommunications system, linking the Garaina Station with the rest of the world.

The system was recently installed by Telikom PNG technicians Henry Esara, Gideon Kore, both Waria boys, power engineer Brian Inamo and engineer Peter Khaya.

In the days of old man Birito, there was no such telecommunications. Now with a vibrant visionary young leader in local MP Sam Basil, the winds of change are descending on the windswept Waria plains.

Mr Basil, who only collected seven votes from 4000 voters in the last election, has promised K2 million from his district services improvement funds to revive the Garaina Station and kickstart the ailing economy of the once vibrant tea and coffee industry.

Waria LLG president Morokai Gaiwata is upbeat about the future of Garaina. On the list of musts are the return of police, a dozer and an ambulance for the health centre.

One old man told me: “Member is giving us a lot of money. But before that money comes, law and order must return to Garaina.” True words of a wise old man.

As he was departing the beautiful valley, an old lady stepped up to Mr Basil and gave him a string of dog tooth and said: “This is the money of my forefathers. It has lasted for generations. You are giving us K2m but will it last?”

On the plane back, the maverick politician, feared in the halls of Waigani for his no nonsense approach to tackling corruption, showed me his dogtooth money: “This Valley will rise again,” he promised.

Certainly, for better or worse, one councilor will be watching and waiting, Cr Amos Sega.

Today's lesson for Papua New Guinea

From PAUL OATES in Queensland, Australia 

Spraying some cows and calves this morning for Buffalo fly I noticed something significant. While the cows looked on, I took the pictures of the flowering gum and a strange narrow trail in the grass. The trail was made by millions of tiny feet going to and from my compost bin. An ant's nest has discovered rich pickings and were making the most of it, walking between the bin and their nest.
Now why would I think that very significant? Well, one ant can't make much impression on the landscape but many can and do.
Likewise, if one person stands up against corruption, not much happens. If many do however, they can and will make an impression.

'Asalu Ngayam' from Salamaua

Big Pat in Busamang village, Salamaua

Lae expats returning after an unsuccessful hunt for the submarine tunnel

Salamaua at dawn

The narrow Salamaua isthmus showing signs of severe erosion

Big Pat (second from left) and friends at Busamang village, Salamaua

Big Pat (left) and friends at a Japanese WW11 machine gun at Salamaua Point

By PATRICK LEVO

New Year Greetings from Salamaua Point. As they say in the local Gawac lingo – ‘Asalu ngayam’ or ‘good day’ which is the same as ‘sare lareva’ in my Toaripi of Gulf, ‘jobe’ in Garaina, ‘awinje’ in Menyamya and ‘zoang biang’ in Kote of Swit Finsch.

From Malalaua to Salamaua is a long, long way. There are many rivers to cross and many more mountains to climb and an ocean to swim. But after many years of wondering in amazement and wandering around in circles, I finally set foot on the narrow isthmus that joins Salamaua peninsula to the mainland.

I fulfilled my childhood dream of visiting this legendary place on Boxing Day last year in the company of another first timer Dadarae Logona and his son Titus. The Logonas are from Tubusereia in Central Province.

They say Salamaua is magical. I say it is still salacious and I will be going back. In its heydays, it was the place to be. Even now, it still has that magnetism.

Lae expats have holiday homes here and they say the fishing is good, so good they always keep coming back for more refreshing Huon Gulf sea breezes and to test their angling skills where once warships zigzagged to test the accuracy of allied bombers in WWII.

Sadly the isthmus that connects Salamaua is slowly being washed away. Where once a road connected Salamaua point to the mainland, rising sea levels have eroded much of the land and the point is in danger of being cut off from the mainland.

Valiant attempts have been made to save the isthmus including dumping huge tyres and rocks as a sea wall but to no avail as nature carves a future for the peninsula.

Will Salamaua point, original home of the Buakap people become an island as a result of global warming and rising sea levels? I don’t know but if it does, one piece of history and my footprints will be washed away forever.

My old man was a colonial era teacher. One fine day, he brought a text book home which had pictures of Salamaua, Rabaul, Wewak and Goroka. It was post card perfect, the coconut palms dancing in the breeze, a boat in Salamaua harbor and locals walking along the isthmus carrying coconuts.

I asked the old chalk: “Where is this beautiful place?” He replied: “Son, Salamaua is near Lae. And Salamaua is very far from Malalaua.”

From then on, even as a little kid back in the early 70s, I promised myself that one day I would walk on that same isthmus. I left my Kerema footprints there on the morning of Dec 26.

When you stroll through that former colonial outpost, there are certain reminders of the past; a history steeped in affluent times gone by where the tapestry of the New Guinea coast and its inland growth was once weaved forlornly, fluently and feverishly through here.

Salamaua was the one time staging post for the gold rush into Wau Bulolo in the 1920-30s and a wartime foothold captured by the Japanese on March 8, 1942 and then retaken by the allies a year later after much fierce aerial bombardment and ground offensive.

The town was recaptured by Australian and United States forces lead by the fearless General Douglas MacArthur on September 11, 1943 during the Salamaua-Lae campaign. During reoccupation the town was destroyed.

Salamaua was originally built by the Germans and given the exotic south seas name Samoahafen just as Dregerhafen and Finschhafen up the north east coast remain today as reminders of the Kaiser’s influence in New Guinea of the 1800s.

When gold was discovered at Wau, miners came from all over the world and made for the goldfields through Salamaua via the rough Black Cat Track which is today a major tourist attraction and an epic test of endurance for those foolish enough to retrace history.

Today the villages of Kela and Laugwi still occupy the site as well as well as a variety of holiday homes, mainly for Lae based expatriates eager to escape the potholed city.

Walking through the narrow strip, I could not help noticing adventurous names such as ‘Gilligans’ where you can get a cold drink, and ‘Margaritaville’ where they say the food is exceptional.

Even the nearby Salamaua Guest House, owned by the Morobe Provincial Government offers a self contained room for K44 per night and you can always find the friendly caretaker manager Mathew Gomuna from Garaina ready to help you.

Local legend has it that when the Japanese captured the town, they built an underwater tunnel under Salamaua Point to save their submarines and light landing craft.

Our hunt for this piece of history turned up fruitless as our guides could not agree to the exact location. So we turned our attention to just enjoying the Huon Gulf cool breezes.

According to the online free encyclopedia, Wikipedia, early in 2007, a video production company from California explored the rain forests of Salamaua.

The "Destination Truth" expedition team was looking for the ropen, a cryptid that is described in terms suggesting a Rhamphorhynchoid pterosaur, whatever lareva that is!

The explorers, including the leader Joshua Gates, videotaped a glowing flying object that seemed to correspond to local native ideas about the glowing ropen.

I did not see one such prehistoric creature but I came away happy at having fulfilled my childhood dream.

On the dinghy back to Busamang village, we passed the villages of Asini, the mission station of Malalo perched high on a hillock and the village of Buakap and the beautiful Buki Lakes.

I have a sentimental attachment to Asini but I know that I may never get to set foot on its beach. Perhaps, I will try one fine day.

Finally, farewell to sportswoman Florence ‘Floss’ Bundu, who was a team mate at the Stars Club in the 1980s at Hohola basketball courts, and to Ovia ‘OT’ Toua of HB, who was the first PNG Chief of Staff of this paper and to my good mate the late Henry ‘HK’ Kila, who was never ever short of jokes! Thanks for the happy memories.

Join me next week as we attempt to reel in the big one in one big fishing misadventure in Busama Bay. bigpatpng@gmail.com for more.

Patrick Levo is Post-Courier Bureau Chief in Lae

Port Moresby transforms into a farming city

A green thumb...Me and my beloved late wife Hula surrounded by brocolli and tomato in our vegetable garden at our home in Goroka, 1999

FPDA study shows that capital produces bulk of fresh vegetables

Port Moresby’s looking so green and pretty after all that rain over Christmas and New Year and is going to be like that for at least the next three months.
During the brief respite during the December to March period, rain comes down in buckets and vegetables – especially corn – abound all over the capital city.
These create queues at many gardening shops in Port Moresby, such as major agricultural supplier Brian Bell.
As early as 7am, a long line of people gather in front of the Brian Bell Plaza at Boroko to buy their supplies of seeds.
During this period, vegetable gardens can be seen all over the city, including precarious hillsides.
Vegetable gardens are sprouting up all over the city and its perimeters and markets are chock-a-block with green leafy vegetables, complemented by fresh fish and other seafood, wallaby, deer and bandicoot.
It reminds so much of my late wife Hula, someone who was so passionate about being self-reliant, about growing our own food.
In Goroka, where we lived for almost five years from 1998 to 2002, my wife and I grew our own potatoes, carrots, broccoli, cabbages, tomatoes, and a whole range of other highlands vegetables.
All we need to buy was some steak or pork (or in real Highlands style, lamb flaps) and coleslaw for a salad, and that’s all that we needed for a delicious meal.
Moresby and its at times hard and rocky soil didn’t deter Hula when we moved to Port Moresby in 2002.
Wherever we lived, she somehow managed to grow our own vegetables such as tomatoes, silverbeet, Chinese cabbage, cabbage and chillies.
Hula also grew local favorites such as aibika, aupa, peanuts, cassava and bananas.
Regular watering and compost, and after about three months, we started to reap the fruits of what we sowed: tubs of tomatoes, silverbeet, Chinese cabbage, chillies, cucumbers and other garden-fresh produce.
We would have made a killing had we gone to market, but this was strictly for family consumption and for distribution among close friends.
All forms of gardening are rewarding and satisfying.
But vegetable gardening, largely because the gardener can be in charge of the whole operation from seed collection to consumption, is possibly the most-rewarding.
In addition, well-grown home-produced vegetables cannot be matched for flavour and nutritional value.
With care, considerable savings – especially in a city like Port Moresby – in the family’s food budget are possible.
The point of all this is that, contrary to what many people think, the majority of fresh produce in Port Moresby is supplied by local sources and do not come from the Highlands
This includes those from the many hillside gardens popping up everywhere, settlements and surrounding areas such as Laloki, Bomana and Sogeri.
The Fresh Produce Development Agency dropped this bombshell recently with its recently-released ‘Feeding Port Moresby Study’, which shows that Port Moresby supplies most of its fresh produce.
Other key findings were:
- The volume of fresh produce being supplied from the Highlands into Port Moresby appeared to be decreasing while supplies from Central Province and NCD are increasing;
- Increasing amounts of fresh produce marketed into Port Moresby were handled through middlemen, rather than by grower-vendors themselves and their wantok networks. However, some farmers still preferred to sell their produce themselves at the open market;
- 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 air 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 NCD 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 PNG, 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;
- Shortfalls between estimated demand and supplies were significant in volume and likely to come from Central province and home gardens;
- Facilities in the six open markets in Port Moresby are of poor quality, with common complaints from the vendors being lack of shade; poor water and sanitation facilitation facilities; and the need for benches to better look after their produce during wet days;
- Temperate vegetables continue to be supplied from the Highlands, however, green leafy vegetables and perishable fruit vegetables were supplied from NCD. Hardier crops such as sweet potato, banana, taro and yams come from Central province;
- Buyers and re-sellers stated that graded products (even if only by appearance) sell better;
Buyers tended to buy on short notice and formal supply arrangements were rare, Buyers prefer carton packaging for leafy vegetables and bags for sweet potato and potato, with some limit on size/weight; and
- Imported produce were only relied upon by retailers but not to wholesalers or hotels and restaurants except in the case of some fruit produce.
“The increase in peri-urban production has vastly improved Port Moresby’s capacity to feed itself,” according to the study.
“There are several reasons for the increase.
“Firstly, there is emigration of more-experienced and innovative farmers, especially from the Highlands, into Port Moresby.
“Secondly, horticultural techniques have vastly improved and the use of fertilisers, herbicides and insecticides has allowed huge increases in productivity.
“Finally, in recent years, weak PNG currency, which increases the price of imports, has also increased the demand for cheaper, locally-grown food and has helped to spur local production.
“Peri-urban producers have several advantages over their Highlands and rural counterparts in supplying the Port Moresby market.
“Firstly, peri-urban producers tend to be better informed and better linked to the market than farmers in the rural and more-remote areas.
“Seeds and other farm inputs are cheaper, fresher, of higher quality and more-accessible.
“Peri-urban producers are better equipped, as the cash flow from off-farm incomes enables purchase of agro-chemicals and better equipment.
“Proximity to the market and the city enables farmers to spot and respond to price signals.
“However, there are concerns over land tenure and food safety associated with the use of contaminated water and soil for food production.”

Paintings by John Pasquarelli

Paintings by former Papua New Guinea crocodile hunter and politician John Pasquarelli, who is now an artist and political commentator based in Australia.

 

White tribesman at home in a wild world

By ROWAN CALLICK in The Australian

 

THE hunger-striking NSW farmer Peter Spencer (pictured) is also an initiated member of Papua New Guinea's Jiga tribe and was the chief of staff for Paias Wingti during his second term as prime minister from 1992-94.

Spencer was the dazzling star of PNG's embryonic tourism industry in the 1980s, when he developed his Plumes and Arrows Inn -- nicknamed the "Sticks and Feathers" - at Kagamuga airport just outside Mount Hagen.

He would cordially greet groups of American or Japanese tourists in the hotel lounge in his Aussie persona, organise refreshments for them, and then return triumphantly in traditional Highlands dress - “arse grass" hanging off a belt around his waist, wooden shield, bow and arrows, and brightly painted face.

As his piece de resistance, the wirily built Spencer would insert a bone through his nose, which had been pierced as part of the painful and onerous initiation rites he had undergone.

He was a popular and well-informed guide for the mostly well-heeled visitors.

This was a colourful haven in a colourful era. In 1988, PNG was the scene of the world's then biggest gold rush, at its helter-skelter height, with 10,000 Highlanders clawing nuggets worth overall more than $100 million.

Australian accountant Ron Mealing, who had flown up from Sydney to become a gold buyer on the muddy slopes of Mount Kare, said at the time he had given up.

"It's very, very wild up there," he said, shaking his head.

"I realised Western rules do not apply here."

It was a wild world where Spencer, however, felt very much at home.

He became close to Jiga tribesman Wingti whose power base was in Mount Hagen, and who used his hotel as a base for plotting his comeback as prime minister.

Wingti brought Spencer with him to his office in Port Moresby when he swept back to power.

Spencer exercised close control over media access, and also pursued some of his favourite big-picture themes, drafting documents positing solutions for PNG's many challenges -- just as he has been doing more recently, in his struggles over the constraints on Australian farmers.

Spencer has since said he left PNG about 15 years ago after a group of men invaded his house and tried three times to shoot him but the rifle misfired on each occasion.

They burned down his home and he flew back "down south" to Australia.

He told then Courier-Mail columnist Michael Duffy "his efforts to reform PNG had cost him his marriage, his job and his house".

When Wingti was displaced by Julius Chan in 1994, Chan ordered a review of the visas of some expatriates associated with the Wingti administration, including Spencer.

During the turmoil of the next election, in 1997, when Wingti lost his seat, an attempt was made to burn down the Plumes and Arrows, which survives but no longer attracts the tourist parties of the Spencer years.

 Like many of the Australians working in the Highlands in the years immediately before and after independence in 1975, Spencer felt that PNG had been short-changed.

 

 

A tribute to Henry Kila

From JOHN FOWKE

 

All that has been said in tribute to the late and lamented Henry Kila is true.

Both as a man and as a business-executive, he was a credit to his family and his nation.

As it is expressed in Hiri Motu, Henry was "tauna mai manada momokani".

 He was a true gentleman.

I first met Henry in 1985, and what got us interested in each other's stories was the fact that I had known Henry's father, the late Kila Kone, a leading light in the co-operative movement in the '50s and '60's.

I worked for a short time with Kila, and travelled with him on the co-op coaster mv Hiri where I remember hilarious yarn-swapping between Kila and the Hiri's skipper, Frank Gorohu, another very well-respected identity along the Papuan coast in those days.

Henry's father was closely associated with the late and also very well-known Mahuru Rarua Rarua, a founding figure in the co-op movement, and both an MLC, before- and an MP- after,  self-government and full independence.

Both men were talented musicians, Henry once told me, recalling wonderful private "gigs" played by his father, Mahuru, and other musical friends at the Kila Kone residence.

Here the young Henry, a schoolboy at the time, would be sent off to visit a known "bootlegger" who would provide the necessary lubrication for the musicians in those far-off "dry" days of discriminatory prohibition.

 And of course, Henry himself became a top musician and formed his own band, becoming as well-known for this facet of his early life as he was later to become known for his leadership in the insurance industry, as a sporting administrator and as a quietly-achieving, respected communal leader.

Turagu, bamahuta.Emu toana ai do lalotau elabona aiemai lamepa danu bodo.

 

John Fowke

24 Monterey Avenue

Thornlands Q. 4164

Australia

Tel: 05617 34882178

Breaking News - Hundreds Gather to Protest Global Warming

From PAUL OATES 


                     
               

                             

       

Turubu oil palm project seeks government funding assistance

Mr Malijiwi (second from left) and Mr Daink (third from left) holding copies of the project funding submission, flanked by officials from Limawo, East Sepik administration and DAL outside DAL headquarters in Port Moresby

By SOLDIER BURUKA of DAL

Executives of a landowner company behind a major oil palm project in the East Sepik province say they are happy with the progress made so far.
Limawo Holdings Ltd officials said that infrastructure development in the initial stages of the Turubu oil palm project in the Wewak district was on the right track.
The 120,000 ha oil palm project will include major oil palm planting, a wharf, oil mill, township and other related infrastructure development.
It is expected to provide a wide range of opportunities for the resource owners and rural communities in Wewak and surrounding areas.
A major road network built by the landowner company’s joint venture partner linking Turubu Bay on the coast with Sepik Plains is nearing completion and will open up access to Wewak town and other communities.
Work on preparing the oil palm nursery sites is in progress.
Limawo chairman Aron Malijiwi, secretary Willie Nilmo and public relations officers Paul Bina and Francis Yaba made the observations during a presentation to the Department of Agriculture and Livestock in Port Moresby before Christmas.
With them were officials from East Sepik provincial administration who spoke highly of the oil palm project and its impact in the province.
Limawo officials said they were primarily seeking further funding assistance from the National Government to support the landowner company meet its obligations in the joint venture arrangement.
Mr Malijiwi said the project developers had followed all the required processes in getting the project off the ground, however, the landowner company was now calling on the government to ensure that the project was successful and provided benefits to resource owners.
“We are aware that there are many challenges to face with a major agricultural project such as Turubu oil palm, and we need understanding and co-operation from resource owners and all stakeholders,” Mr Malijiwi said.
“Our main objective is to ensure that the project becomes very successful and benefits the resource owners and rural communities.
“We are therefore seeking National Government’s assistance to provide continued funding in the next stages of development.”
Mr Malijiwi, who has been involved in oil palm development in West New Britain for over 24 years, said such large-scale development brought disadvantages as well but the people and developers were confident that there would be positive changes in East Sepik in the long-term.
Mr Nilmoh said there had been overwhelming support from resource owners, provincial government and politicians since the concept was initiated several years ago.
He said the resource owners and all stakeholders realised that such an impact project would bring benefits and boost the economy.
Road access will open up opportunities for people to take their produce to market and bring in basic services such as health, commerce and schools.
People can also look at growing other cash crops such as cocoa, rubber, coffee and vanilla.
“This is a win-win situation – our joint venture partner is aware that our objective is to bring changes and improve the well-being of the community,” Mr Nilmoh said.
“We don’t want to repeat the same mistakes that have happened to oil palm projects in West New Britain, Oro and Milne Bay provinces.”
East Sepik provincial administration officials said Turubu was the first of several impact projects planned for Sepik Plains that would open up opportunities for infrastructure development and other economic activities.
It is important therefore that the national government works in partnership with the provincial government to move the province forward.
DAL’s deputy secretary for provincial and technical services Francis Daink, who received a formal submission from the delegation, said DAL would study the document and consider how best it could assist.

Greetings from Salamaua

Received this New Year card from my old mate, Post-Courier Lae bureau chief Patrick Levo, who visited Salamaua and fell in love with the place.

 

 

Moving farewell for Henry Kila

Henry Kila's coffin is carried out of church. All pictures by EKAR KEAPU of The National

Mr Kila's family

Deputy Prime Minister Sir Puka Temu

Last respects from Sir Puka

Bart Philemon bids farewell to a good mate

PNG Sports Federation general secretary Sir John Dawanincura

Representatives from the Papua New Guinea business community and sports fraternity turned out in numbers to show respect to PNG's first internationally-qualified insurer and sports personality Henry Raisi Kila, The National reports.

Late Mr Kila's distinguished services to sports and business in the country, particularly his efforts in strengthening business relations between Australia and PNG were highly acknowledged during the funeral service in Port Moresby's Sioni Kami Memorial Church at Gordon.

His close firend and deputy opposition leader Bart Philemon described Mr Kila as "larger than life in PNG; a pioneer come trailblazer; a truly bigman in PNG society yet a very humble down-to-earth person; firm believer of honesty, integrity; and indeed a unique Papua New Guinean".

Mr Kila succumbed to an acute heart attack brought on by clogged arteries and diabetic condition at about 2am on Monday at the Port Moresby Private Specialist Medical Centre.

He was 58.

He will be buried at his Arure village tomorrow after the trip home today to Delena and Yule Island in Kairuku, Central province.

Nine questions

A quiz for people who think they know everything! (maybe from a North American perspective?)
These are not trick questions.
They are straight questions with straight answers
1. Name  the one sport in which neither the spectators nor the participants
know the score or the leader until the contest ends.
2. What  famous North American landmark
is constantly  moving backward?
3. Of all  vegetables, only two can live to produce on their own for several growing  seasons.  All other vegetables must be replanted every year.  What are the only  two perennial vegetables?
4. What fruit  has its seeds on the outside?
5. In  many liquor stores, you can buy pear brandy,  with a real pear inside the bottle. The pear is whole and ripe, and the bottle is genuine; it hasn't been cut in any way. How did the pear get inside the bottle?
6. Only three  words in standard English begin with the letters 'dw' and they are all common words.  Name two of them.
7. There are 14 punctuation marks in English grammar.Can you name at least half of them?
8. Name the only vegetable or fruit that is never sold frozen, canned, processed, cooked, or in any other form
except fresh.
9. Name 6 or more things  that you can wear on your feet beginning with the letter 'S.'

Answers To  Quiz:

1.  The one sport in which neither the  spectators nor the participants know the  score or the leader until the contest  ends
Boxing

2. North American  landmark constantly moving backward  .
Niagara Falls
(The rim is  worn down about two and a half feet each year  because of the millions of gallons of water that  rush over it every minute.)
3. Only two  vegetables that can live to produce on their  own for several growing seasons  .
...Asparagus and rhubarb.
4.  The fruit with its seeds on the outside ..  .
Strawberry.
5. How did the  pear get inside the brandy bottle?
It grew  inside the bottle.
(The bottles are placed  over pear buds when they are small, and are  wired in place on the tree. The bottle is left  in place for the entire growing season. When the pears are ripe, they  are snipped off at the stems.)
6.  Three English words beginning with  dw
Dwarf, dwell and dwindle.
7.  Fourteen punctuation marks in English grammar  .
Period, comma, colon, semicolon, dash, hyphen, apostrophe, question mark,exclamation point, quotation marks, brackets, parenthesis, braces, and ellipses.
8. The only  vegetable or fruit never sold frozen, canned, processed, cooked, or in any other form but fresh
Lettuce.
9.  Six or more things you can wear on your feet beginning  with 'S'
Shoes, socks, sandals, sneakers, slippers, skis, skates, snowshoes,
stockings, stilts.

Hillary Clinton will visit Papua New Guinea

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton (pictured)  will visit Papua New Guinea, New Zealand and Australia from Jan 14 to 19, U.S. State Department said on Wednesday.

On Jan 12, in Honolulu, Hawaii, the secretary will deliver a policy speech focused on Asia-Pacific multilateral engagement and will be consulting with Pacific Command, said spokesman Ian Kelly in a statement.

From Hawaii, Clinton will travel to Papua New Guinea on Jan. 14where she will hold bilateral meetings and meet with local society leaders to discuss environmental protection and women's empowerment.

On Jan 15, Clinton will travel to New Zealand for meeting with Prime Minister John Key and other senior officials. She will also hold meetings with New Zealand citizens and U.S. and New Zealand veterans.

The secretary will travel to Australia on Jan17.

In Canberra, Clinton, U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and their Australian counterparts Stephen Smith and John Falkner will participate in the 25th Australia-U.S. Ministerial Consultations to discuss key global and regional security challenges.

 

Workshop addresses bio=control strategy for invasive pests and weeds

Participants at the Pacific Bio-control Strategy Workshop at Auckland, New Zealand, late last year

By ANNASTASIA KAWI of NARI

The biological control of invasive species in the Pacific was the agenda of a strategic workshop held in New Zealand recently.
Plant protection experts and quarantine specialists from the Pacific and international community were taken to task to address issues of adopting biological control or bio-control as a tool to fight invasive pests and weeds in agriculture, forestry and important ecosystems in the region.
The Regional Bio-control Strategy Development Workshop was held in Auckland last Nov 16-18.
Papua New Guinea was represented by Kaile Korowi, an entomologist with Ramu Agri-Industries; Tony Gunua, a senior plant pathologist with the National Agricultural Quarantine and Inspection Authority; and Annastasia Kawi, a National Agriculture Research Institute scientist.
Other participating countries were American Samoa, Cook Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia, Guam, New Caledonia, Niue, Northern Marianas, Palau, Samoa, Tonga and Vanuatu.
The main purpose of the workshop was to bring key players together to see whether bio-control of widespread invasive species could be undertaken in a more co-operative and collaborative way in the Pacific, and to develop a regional strategy that would allow this to happen.
Some of the issues addressed included:
· Reviewing of bio-control activities in the Pacific;
· Identifying capacity gaps and barriers in using bio-control to manage invasive weeds;
· Identifying opportunities and actions to increase bio-control work in the Pacific;
· Discussing criteria for selecting priority species for bio-control;
· Identifying actions and mechanisms to increase the understanding and acceptance of the use of bio-control as a management tool;
· Identifying potential funding sources for bio-control projects; and
· Creating a steering group to assist in the implementation of a regional strategic plan.
Participants were told that a significant number of successful projects on invasive species using bio-control already existed in the Pacific region with scope for more.
However, given the financial, legislative and logistical constraints faced by each Pacific Island Country and Territory (PIC&T), there was an urgent need is develop a strategy that could allow PIC&Ts to share expertise, experiences and resources.
Emphasis was also placed on each PIC&T to prioritise their invasive species, both plant and animal pests, for biological control.
With priority lists, countries with commonalities can work together to help minimise expenses of often-expensive invasive species management projects.
The workshop concluded that the PIC&Ts can share more information between agriculture, forestry and bio-diversity conservation groups to better address bio-control work, as well as look at strategies implemented in other regions in the use of bio-control agents to fight invasive plants and pests.
The workshop was funded by United States Department of State, Hawaii Invasive Species Council, Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund, New Zealand AID, Pacific Invasive Learning Network, Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme, Pacific Invasive Initiative based at Auckland University, Secretariat of the Pacific Community’s Land Resources Division, Landcare Research New Zealand and United States Forest Services in Hawaii.

Manus into coconut bio-fuel production

By ROSELYN ELLISON in Lorengau

 

Manus provincial Government (MPG) is slowly preparing itself to get into serious diesel fuel import substitution.

Of the K3 million National Agriculture Development Plan funding, K1.5 million is specifically set to get coconut bio-diesel production in a big way.

So far two of the major activities have taken place

One was the pre-feasibility tour of Buka Metal Fabricators’ coconut bio-diesel plant in Bougainville last August by MPG and provincial agriculture officers.

The other was the collection of 20,000 coconut seedlings from Aua Wuvulu and Nigoherm local level governments in the Western Islands of Manus last September.

The collection of nuts from the old German plantations was intended for the rehabilitation and replanting of 10 identified senile coconut plantations in the province.

This will cover a total land area of 300ha with the inclusion of a further 100ha.

 This extension will be from smallholders who will be given 70 seedlings each to plant to support the project.

However, other coconut growers within the province are also welcome to participate through the supply of coconuts to plant.

In August/September 2007, MPG engaged PNG Bio-fuel Engineering Ltd (PNGBEL) to conduct a baseline study of the coconut production capacity of the province

Coober Pedy's great leap backward

Life for many Aborigines is patently worse than it was 50 years ago, writes former Papua New Guinea crocodile hunter and politician John Pasquarelli

 

IN 1959 I arrived at the Eight Mile Field at Coober Pedy with two partners and, as luck would have it, our first shaft bottomed on saleable opal.

I was a 22-year-old dropout from the University of Melbourne law school and I met my first Aborigines in their own environment on the opal fields. In those days before mechanisation, Aboriginal women and their kids "noodled" on the mullock heaps of the working mines, which involved picking over the mined earth coming up from down below and collecting any opal chips and full opals, which were then stored in tobacco and cigarette tins. The law of finders keepers applied, but at the end of the day Aboriginal men would arrive and claim the collected opal, sell it to the people who ran the Shell service station and then go and buy metho; these were the days before Aborigines were allowed to buy the white man's grog.

I was made chillingly aware of the brutality that existed in the Aboriginal settlement when I noticed a young woman, obviously in distress, noodling on our mine. She had a filthy old singlet wrapped around her head and face and she was covered in flies. "Big trouble, boss," was the response from one of the women when I asked what was wrong.

The woman's drunken husband had assaulted her and forced her face into a campfire, burning out one of her eyes. I drove her into Coober Pedy in my 1936 Chrysler Model 66 sedan and she was taken to the Bush Nurses at Port Augusta. I never saw her again.

In 1960 I left Australia for Papua New Guinea and returned briefly to Coober Pedy in 1981, during a driving trip across Australia. Between 1959 and this year I have also visited Aboriginal settlements in the Western Desert, Papunya, Eumundi, Alice Springs, Tennant Creek, Katherine, Darwin, Kununurra, Mistake Creek and the notorious Palm Island. Outback Aboriginal camps remind one of Dante's Inferno. I have just returned from my third visit to Coober Pedy. Fifty years and billions of dollars on, the nightmare continues, worse than ever.

Coober Pedy is a stark microcosm of the problems that affect many Aboriginal communities. Many Aborigines run businesses, turn up at their jobs and look after their families. Signs proclaiming "Dry Area -- No Alcohol Allowed" and "Alcohol Consumption Banned" are posted everywhere.

But like some mad Monty Python script, drunken Aboriginal men and women are slumped on the footpath, crumpled VB cans beside them, within feet of these signs.

One afternoon in the main street of Coober Pedy, I watched a young Aborigine stagger out of a bottle shop clutching a plastic bag in each hand containing a bladder, or cask of wine.

In a catatonic state, he meandered back and forth as if trying to get his bearings before heading off to the settlement. Stones on the roofs of houses at the Aboriginal reserve are thrown there by drunks.

Dogs from the Aboriginal settlement roam the streets of Coober Pedy unleashed and the larger ones search the rubbish bins. One morning, a large, fierce-looking alsatian cross mongrel was standing on his hind legs rummaging through a garbage bin while 100m away an Aboriginal man was doing the same thing.

At the main hotel, de facto apartheid exists; blacks and town whites drink in separate bars by mutual arrangement. Unwary tourists soon realise their mistake. The police do their best but they have been turned into a de facto taxi service. They pick up drunken Aborigines in the main street and drop them back at the reserve, only to have them return an hour or so later.

The town's only ambulance is also co-opted to ferry drunks.

Coober Pedy sits astride one of Australia's busiest north-south tourist routes and local and foreign tourists pass through in great numbers seven days a week. Many will be appalled by what they see and will assume that the evil white man is responsible.

The question of how to deal with grog and drugs appears to be insoluble given our present laws and the influence of the civil libertarian movement. New draconian laws relating to the sale of alcohol could be passed. Years ago in PNG, problem white drunks had their photos distributed by police around the bottle shops and were refused service. This name and shame process proved effective, but imagine the response if such a remedy were mooted today to deal with Aboriginal drunks.

Far too many of the people that work in the Aboriginal industry, whether black or white, are totally unsuitable to be employed. They drink too much, smoke cigarettes and use drugs such as marijuana. Yet these people should be role models and mentors, setting an example and as such they must be drug-tested in the workplace. Unfortunately, many of these people are only too willing to promote the cult of victimhood, subconsciously or deliberately, and weeding them out must be a priority. Otherwise Aboriginal women and children will continue to suffer like that girl who had her eye burned out 50 years ago.

 

John Pasquarelli is an artist and political commentator.This article was first published in The Australian on August 19, 2009

 

 

Facts of the Lae port project

By FRANK ASAELI of PNGPCL

 

THE overseas wharf extension at Lae port (pictured) is funded by PNG Ports Corporation (PNGPCL) and not the Asian Development Bank (ADB) as many people think.

The budget for the project is about K88 million, and variations to the project may see total costs exceed K90m.

PNGPCL chief executive officer Brian Riches said the project, being constructed by Nawae Construction, would not only cater for the multi-billion kina liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects.

Mr Riches said although PNGPCL intended to provide port services for the LNG project, the extension of the wharf was earmarked well before the proposed LNG project for general incoming (import) and outgoing (export) overseas vessels.

“PNG Ports states the contract to Nawae Construction is valued at approximately K88.02m, with payments to date of K26.4m,” he said.

“Like all PNGPCL’s other ports, Lae port projects are undertaken as a result of either the deterioration of the existing facilities, or the need to extend these existing facilities to accommodate the increasing size and number of vessels annually in all ports or new facilities to meet our stakeholders’ requirements and to facilitate trade.

“Outside Australia and New Zealand, Lae port is the largest port in the Pacific region and generates 52% of the PNGPCL revenue.

“This project signifies our understanding of stakeholders’ demand for maritime services and the requirement to facilitating trade growth.

“More than 80% of all export/import trade passes through our nation’s sea ports.   

“PNGPCL takes the responsibility seriously in benchmarking port efficiency with other ports within the region.

“We also acknowledge we have to improve and expand our port facilities.”

Mr Riches said it was estimated that PNGPCL needed approximately K2-3 billion to rehabilitate its facilities across its network of 16 ports, which did not include the cost of the proposed Port Moresby port relocation.

The year just gone, and a challenging one ahead for Papua New Guinea

By REG RENAGI

THE Papua New Guinea government remains in power until an election in 2012 and economic forecasts until then look favourable.

But 2009 posed many challenges.

 Discouraging social indicators.

Government performance not up to expectations.

PNG already forecast to fall short of UN goals for 2015.

Opposition and people denied a voice in parliament.

 Laws passed without proper debate.

Key appointments not made on merit.

 Political patronage biased towards special interests. Government failing to investigate corruption allegations and misconduct.

The non-minerals sector remains undeveloped with a bias towards big mineral projects. PNG lacks internal capacity to properly manage two major LNG projects.

Human capital needs priority investment.

Overall, PNG is underdeveloped due to poor planning, inadequate service delivery and ineffective resource management.

Political reform is long overdue.

2010 brings more challenges.

Australia remains an important strategic partner.

Strong regional bilateral relationships will be maintained (Fiji is back on the agenda). China is a new foreign policy challenge.

PM Somare may well try to give the National Alliance party leadership to his son, Arthur, before the next election.

Offsetting this there may be splinter groups within the National Alliance that will challenge Somare’s leadership.

Whatever the outcome, PNG needs a new political order.

 

Wanted: a political approach to empower Papua New Guinea citizens

By REG RENAGI

SINCE INDEPENDENCE, successive governments have betrayed the values that brought Papua New Guinea to nationhood.

The early political promise at independence of providing opportunities to the people, taking responsibility and rewarding those who work hard, seems to have been forgotten.

The result is the people got poorer while the few who got the power and their special interest friends got richer.

PNG has some of the world’s best natural resources and most resourceful people.

The country’s natural beauty, culture and lifestyle could make it a great place to live, work, visit and do business.

Yet, since independence, the country has mismanaged its assets and squandered its opportunities.

The consequences are high unemployment, low incomes, a high tax economy, substantial urban migration, below standard services and a big national debt.

The political system is not working effectively for its people.

Waigani is dominated by special interests and an entrenched bureaucracy that has failed its mission of serving the people in all conditions.

Papua New Guineans are tired of the way their country has been mismanaged and are ready for leaders who are willing to take responsibility to lead the nation to prosperity and growth.

To do this, PNG’s leadership must have a good strategy for change that will transform the country.

The strategy must put people first with a plan to provide avenues for people to fully engage in life-changing opportunities.

The next new prime minister must start dealing with basic problems ignored for many years.

The next government must apply rational policies to traditional resource industries to make PNG competitive and provide benefits to all citizens.

More money must be put into the pockets of those who need it most.

Small and medium businesses, tourism, IT, fisheries, forestry and agriculture must be targeted.

The future government must ensure equality for all citizens by empowering them to equally participate in the country’s development.

PNG must ensure its natural resources are conserved and used for the collective benefit of all citizens and future generations.

Lae, Moresby ports undergo transformation as LNG work starts

Lae and Port Moresby ports will see massive transformation in 2010 as infrastructure work on the two liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects begin in earnest, according to chief PNG Ports Corporation Ltd executive officer Brian Riches (pictured).

Mr Riches said this in his New Year’s message to all stakeholders of PNGPCL.

“In 2010, our stakeholders will see major process and infrastructure changes in both Port Moresby and Lae Ports, with benefits to all concerned,” he asserted.

“Trade facilitation is our major focus in 2010.

“2010 will be one of our most-important years ever, and together we will transform our two most-busiest ports from ‘one of the best’ to ‘the best’ and most-efficient in the Pacific Region. 

Mr Riches acknowledged all stakeholders of PNGPCL for their support and excellent working relationship throughout 2009.

“As part of PNG Ports’ management strategy, stakeholder relations are paramount in our operations and management of our ports,” he said.

“Therefore, in this regard, PNG Ports has now embarked on a new campaign with a particular focus at creating awareness and building partnership with private investors, government departments, and port users as well as entering into short and long-term arrangements with donor agencies to procure capacity-building assistance.

“Our infrastructure rehabilitation agenda currently pursued by the company is prioritised with the intention of enhancing operational efficiency.

“As you may be aware, PNG Ports is well into the process of re-branding and transforming itself from a previous public sector mindset into a vibrant private sector organisation which is committed at delivering the best service for its customers with a focus to improving and delivering quality customer service.

“The change agenda is currently being implemented across the entire organisation including all aspects of its business operations.

“PNG Ports has been undergoing significant internal change in 2008 and 2009, and whilst this will continue, 2010 will be the year for PNG Ports Corporation where it is set to transform our relationship with external customers and stakeholders.

“We will also be defining our community service obligations (CSO) and working with Government to define exactly what is our CSO, what it costs and ensuring the nation sees that cost as the ‘dividend’ this  State-owned enterprise pays back to PNG and our nation as a whole.

“Currently, our CSO expense exceeds many millions of Kina.

“Also, as part of our on-going commitment to safety and security, PNG Ports has embarked to establish a relationship and partnership with the Australian Security Advisors on how best to achieve and deliver best practice security and safety systems.”

Lunch hour traffic along Waigani Drive, Port Moresby, today

I took these pictures along Waigani Drive in Port Moresby at lunchtime today as I was walking back to my office at The National newspaper.