More sex scandals in Honiara mission

A SENIOR staff of the Papua New Guinea High Commission in the Solomons’ capital, Honiara, has reportedly paid 4,000 Solomon dollars as compensation for alleged sexual advances at a woman, The National reports.

The SB$4,000 (more than K1,500) was reportedly paid to the husband of the woman after he demanded compensation when he learnt of the staff’s advances.

The woman, a female staff at the PNG High Commission, had told the husband and colleagues of the alleged advances on three separate occasions since last Dec 19.

The Honiara-based weekly Island Sun newspaper last Friday broke the story, quoting unnamed sources. 

Foreign Affairs and Immigration Minister Sam Abal was understood to have been informed of the newspaper report on Saturday when he transited through Honiara on his way to Fiji and New Zealand on official duties.

The National was yesterday reliably told from Honiara that a senior officer (named) from Solomon Islands department of foreign affairs had sought information from the newspaper on Saturday to prepare a brief for Mr Abal during his stopover at the VIP lounge at Henderson International Airport.

The officer had reportedly tried to “squeeze” information from Island Sun on the sources of the story but to no avail and that he had verbally advised that he or the department would investigate the report.

The staff had also said the PNG Foreign Affairs Department and the Government was “dead worried” about the story as it wanted to build a good image following recent reports of an accident involving an official vehicles belonging to PNG High Commission in Honiara.

The story headline was, “Envoy pays husband $4,000 compensation”.

The alleged first approach to the woman was last Dec 19, during a Christmas party at the staff’s official residence, when he allegedly approached her after her husband was thrown out of the party by police for being drunk and disorderly.

The sources said the PNG staff forced the woman to sleep in one of the bedrooms in his house so he could pay her a visit later in the night, but she refused.

After that incident, the sources said the woman had thought her boss (the staff) had acted weirdly due to drunkenness but then on Christmas Eve last year, the staff asked her again and this time he instructed her to find a room at the Heritage Park Hotel so that he could make love to her.

They alleged that the staff promised her he could facilitate anything at all that she wanted, even a four-digit amount.

It was during this time that she knew the diplomat was serious in his initial approach to her at his residence and so told her colleagues of the incidents.

The sources said the last straw to the sexual harassment happened last week when the diplomat rang the woman from Mendana Hotel and told her to see him there.

They said the woman then told her husband about the call and the previous approach. 

The sources said the woman’s husband was furious and demanded compensation from the official.

They claimed the diplomat gave the woman’s partner SBD$4,000 as compensation for his sexual attempts on the man’s wife.

 

MCC waste disposal gets approval

By JEFFREY ELAPA

 

THE National Government has approved the design and construction of deep-sea tailing pipe (DSTP) for Madang”s Ramu nickel and cobalt project, Ramu NiCo (MCC) has announced, The National reports.

The Environment and Conservation Department (DEC) and Mineral Resources Authority (MRA) gave the approval, the miner said in a statement.

MCC issued the statement in response to comments on DSTP and the blasting of corals along the route of its planned waste disposal pipeline using high explosives.

Fisheries Minister Ben Semri and Governor Sir Arnold Amet, in a joint media conference, said as leaders of the province, they wanted all environmental impact and social obligations made known to the people with consistent consultation among stakeholders.

They also pledged not to support activities associated with the blasting of coral life due to their harsh impact on marine life. 

The blasting was planned to be operated this month and next month by a PNG licenced blaster.

It would be carried out within an area of 50m long and 5m wide, with two blasts each operating day.

Meanwhile, Ramu NiCo said all environmental impacts were “never” done in isolation and DEC and MRA were aware of the progress including the implementation plans.

 Ramu NiCo said Brass-Resan-Candive, an American-Canadian Joint Venture contractor with vast experience in the engineering, procurement and construction of submarine tailing disposal facilities for international resources projects, had been contracted to carry out the Ramu DSTP.

The company said it would continue to work closely with all stakeholders to ensure Ramu DSTP was built according to high industry standard and best practices.

They said to minimise the environmental impact of tailings disposal of Ramu refinery at Basamuk, the neutralised wastes would be secured 150m undersea through the DSTP system and will include two pipelines with diameter of 800mm that will be laid on sea floor.

 

 

Sir Rabbie new chair of Kramer Ausenco

SENIOR statesman and former parliamentarian Sir Rabbie Namaliu (pictured) is now chairman of Kramer Ausenco Ltd, a leading engineering service provider in Papua New Guinea and the Pacific region.

Ausenco Ltd acquired 50% of PNG’s Kramer Group toward end of last year to form Kramer Ausenco with focus on delivering engineering and project management services to the growing PNG energy and resources markets.

Kramer Ausenco chief executive Frank Kramer said he was honoured and pleased that Sir Rabbie accepted the invitation to become independent chairman of the company.

“Sir Rabbie has a distinguished and extensive career in the region as a public servant, minister in the PNG Government in various portfolios, leader of the Opposition and prime minister,” Mr Kramer said.

“We are privileged to be able to work with him and benefit from his experience.”

Ausenco chief executive Zimi Meka echoed Mr Kramer’s comments, adding that building strong relationships with respected regional leaders was an important part of Ausenco’s growth strategy.

  “We acknowledge the importance of working with the local communities and their representatives in all our projects and our business,” Mr Meka said.

“It is an important part of ensuring benefits for the people and local communities in which we live and work as well as for Ausenco.

”Kramer Ausenco continues to secure new work on the PNG liquefied natural gas (LNG) Project and in its traditional areas of buildings and infrastructure engineering particularly in the booming PNG real estate development areas.”

Sir Rabbie is also a non-executive director of Marengo Mining Ltd; chairman of the Board of Directors of Kina Asset Management Ltd; and a non-executive director of Kina Securities Ltd.   

 

Women in Business Expo gets a boost

Caption: Mr Dzulkfli presenting a K10,000 cheque to Mrs Sape (second from right) at  the company’s head office at Malahang, Lae.  –   Nationalpic by DOREEN POLOH WAIM

By DOREEN POLOH WAIM

THE International Food Corp (IFC) in Lae has donated K10,000 to the PNG Women in Business (WIB) to help it fund its Feb 26-28 expo, The National reports.

IFC chief executive Rosedean Dzulkfli presented the cheque for K10,000 to PNGWIB president and businesswoman Janet Sape at the company’s head office at Malahang last Thursday.

Mr Dzulkfli praised the group for being vibrant in terms of supporting women in business and dedicated in pursuing equal participation in development.

He said he believed the expo would create awareness among business houses to support and encourage women’s involvement in business.

Mr Dzulkfli said he hoped the event would serve as a platform of communications for women through which they would get needed information on business opportunities.

Mrs Sape, who received the cheque, commended the company for being one of the biggest sponsors in the city.

She also praised the company for investing in women because 95% of its employees were women.

The 'Aorta' mentality

From PAUL OATES

In 'Frathley Sweet', an old book supposedly written by one 'Alfabeck Lauder" about 'Strine', that picturesque, tongue in cheek rendition of the 'Orstrine'; (Australian) way of speaking the English language, there is a Chapter on 'Aorta'.
The reader might at first think that anything to do with an aorta involves matters medical but that is not the case. The author goes on to give examples where 'aorta' is used in everyday 'Orstrine' communication.
"Aorta do sometin' erbout it!" is actually a very common Australian expression. So common in fact, that it appears it may have inadvertently been taken over as a concept by everyday Papua New Guineans. PNG newspapers are consistently full of complaints by people who want something done about the state of their country.
"Ask not what your country can do for you. Rather ask what you can do for your country," US President John F Kennedy was quoted as saying. So have we in Australia and PNG unwittingly become an 'Aorta' society? Where does the proverbial 'buck' stop?
In an old television series called 'Candid Camera', a hidden camera was focussed on a piece of paper lying on a busy public footpath next to a rubbish tin sporting a large 'Keep your city Clean' sign. 'Passes by' were filmed as they looked at the paper, the rubbish bin and then walked on by. Only a few were sufficiently public spirited enough to pick up the paper and put it in the bin. Some actually kicked the paper into the gutter.
Those that did actually pick the paper up and put it in the bin were immediately contacted by the camera crew to go and have another look at the paper which detailed a significant cash reward for those who helped clean up their city.
Now here comes the rub. Are we guilty of constantly asking why 'someone' isn't doing 'something' about our problems or are we prepared to do something ourselves?
The head of the Papua New Guinea Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Mr Timothy Bonga is quoted as saying on the presentation of his Committee's report to the PNG government: ""Frankly, we are sick of hearing about failure, theft, incompetence, impunity and rampant financial mischief."
Mr Bonga said: (the) "PAC had over the last 18 months undertaken a detailed examination of the standard of accounting and handling of public monies, property and stores in every agency of Government at all levels."
"We have inquired into nearly 1,000 agencies each examined the years 2003 to 2008, a huge and unique undertaking ... and for the first time we can now give the Government an accurate picture of the nation's financial management" PAC records show that it examined 33 departments, 25 subsidiary agencies including 19 provincial treasuries, 19 provincial governments, 303 local level governments, more than 400 districts, 19 urban authorities, 19 hospital boards and 116 statutory corporations' commercial entities and all trust accounts including royalty accounts."
Apparently only five agencies were able to pass the PAC's scrutiny.
So who does the proverbial 'buck' or 'Kina' stop with? Clearly it doesn't seem to stop with most PNG government agencies who apparently are unable to retain any semblance of integrity or public accountability. But is this only the PNG government's responsibility or one everyone must share?
_______________________________

In The National

Five outstanding State agencies win PAC's praise
ONLY five out of 900 State agencies scrutinised by the permanent Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee performed well in the last four years.
"Of the hundreds of agencies we have examined, we can find only five agencies that maintained proper, lawful, auditable and reliable financial records," PAC chairman and Nawaeb MP Timothy Bonga said.
When making the grim revelation yesterday at its first hearing for 2010, Mr Bonga, supported by PAC members Sam Basil (Bulolo MP), Fr John Garia (Simbu Governor), Malcolm Kela-Smith (Eastern Highlands Governor) and Philip Kikala (Lagaip-Porgera), said fiscal management and accountability in Government agencies had collapsed.
"The evidence we have shows that fiscal management and accountability have collapsed," Mr Bonga stressed.
They collectively urged that something urgent needed to be undertaken to purge the Government systems and rekindle best practices to ensure service delivery and development were effectively pursued and achieved.
"Frankly, we are sick of hearing about failure, theft, incompetence, impunity and rampant financial mischief," Mr Bonga said.
He said PAC had over the last 18 months undertaken a detailed examination of the standard of accounting and handling of public monies, property and stores in every agency of Government at all levels.
"We have inquired into nearly 1,000 agencies each examined the years 2003 to 2008, a huge and unique undertaking ... and for the first time we can now give the Government an accurate picture of the nation's financial management," Mr Bonga said.
PAC records show that it examined 33 departments, 25 subsidiary agencies including 19 provincial treasuries, 19 provincial governments, 303 local level governments, more than 400 districts, 19 urban authorities, 19 hospital boards and 116 statutory corporations' commercial entities and all trust accounts including royalty accounts.
The five "best performing" are:
* Bank of Papua New Guinea;
* Institute of Public Administration;
* Alotau General Hospital Board;
* Goroka Base Hospital Board; and
* Post PNG.
Mr Bonga and his committee heaped praise on the five agencies and commended their management for a job well done.
"The committee congratulates you all on your performance and we only hope your achievement is contagious so other agencies can catch it and improve.
"The five agencies are examples of accountability and transparency in the use of public finances. Our purpose is to give credit where it is due and also to encourage others to improve," he said.
Representatives from these agencies who were present accepted the honour of being bestowed "best performing agencies" and vowed to maintain the record.

Wallaby and Roos

From PAUL OATES

 

At breakfast time this morning, a male red necked Wallaby got a fright when a Kangaroo doe and Joey surprised him at their favourite grazing spot just outside our back gate.

The male Joey looks most indignant.
"Fancy finding a trespasser and on our turf too, Mum!".

Tembari Children's Care goes online

Tembari Children’s Care Inc - an active local community-based organisation (CBO) based and operating in Oro Province and in the National Capital District (NCD) - now has a new blog http://tembari.blogspot.com/

The organisation was formed to promote and improve the living standards of orphans who are vulnerable to HIV/AIDS and to educate communities on children’s rights to survival, protection, development and participation.

Based on the organisation’s strategic focus, it is the initiative of Tembari Children’s Care to establish community learning centers (CLCs) in the rural communities and settlements to facilitate regular education and awareness programs that will foster children’s growth, development and participation especially those who are HIV/AIDS-infected and affected children.
It is also the vision of the Tembari Children’s Care to seek and secure external assistance fro funds, materials and skill from donors, governments and individuals to support the programme for children’s growth and development.
TCC also recognises HIV/AIDS epidemic as a threat in the rural areas where people have no access to reliable information.

As such, programmes and projects would be developed to carry out massive public awareness and education regularly among the people in their own dialects.

The awareness would target people of all ages aimed at making them responsible, prevention-conscious and caring.
The organisation has about 15 trained volunteers who have been certified in different fields such as HIV/AIDS, counseling, home-based care, children’s rights, gender equality, child abuse, drugs and alcohol, STIs, and many more.
TCC seeks to work closely with civil society organisations, provincial AIDS councils, National AIDS Council, donor agencies and government agencies in the fight against HIV/AIDS in Papua New Guinea.
TCC will always strive to become a leading community-based organisation promoting children’s rights to growth and development and keeping them away from all forms of abuse regardless of their gender and religion. Special consideration is given to those who are infected with, and affected, by HIV/AIDS.
Remember, today’s children are tomorrow’s leaders. Please don’t leave them behind.

Need a blog or website?

If you want a blog or website for yourself, your employer or your business, drop me a line at malumnalu@gmail.com .

I can set up a blog for free or at minimal cost, while a website - built using latest new CMS technology - will vary according to your requirements and the size of your site.

I've noticed that so many websites are PNG are not updated and are built using old programmes such as FrontPage and Dreamweaver.

A content management system is software that keeps track of every piece of content on your Web site; much like your local public library keeps track of books and stores them.

Content can be simple text, photos, music, video, documents, or just about anything you can think of.

A major advantage of using a CMS is that it requires almost no technical skill or knowledge to manage.

Since the CMS manages all your content, you don't have to.

 

 

Thoughts on the Papua New Guinea Defence Force

From PAUL OATES

Any Defence Force must have a raison d'être or reason for being.

The Papua New Guinea Defence Force was until Independence, historically part of the Australian Defence Force.

Australia has a number of overseas Defence commitments that require a logistical and personnel base to successfully carry out these programmes.

 It is very disappointing that PNG personnel aren't allowed to participate in these activities as a joint force.

When the PNGDF was used to help put down the Vanuatu revolt, there seemed to be a clear role for some form of Pacific security force to be maintained, other than from your ANZAC neighbours.

While PNG has contributed to the RAMSI initiative, there is still no defined external role for the PNGDF for anything other than limited internal objectives.

As regards internal objectives or 'Missions' as the US chooses to describe them, has the PNG government allowed their Defence Force the assets to perform a credible role in such areas as the protection of marine resources and border protection?
Therein lies the nub of the problem.

What role or 'Mission' should the PNGDF have that can and will be supported by the PNG government?
Australian Defence Force funding has in peace time, traditionally hovered around 3% of GDP.

 How does this stack up against the PNG budget for Defence?
Previous blogsite comments suggested there was a real role for the PNG Defence Force to restore government and police control of areas in the PNG Highlands.

Tribal warfare and security of government assets should be of prime importance in protecting law abiding citizens and their property.

 The traditional rivalry with the RPNGC is however a matter that would have to be addressed if there were to be successful combined operations.
The main stumbling block, from an external perspective, would appear to be the PNG government's apprehension that a strong Defence Force may be a potential threat. I can't see that perception going away any time soon.

Yali loses appeal, but will leave jail

FORMER Madang Governor James Yali failed in court yesterday to have his 12-year sentence for rape reduced to eight years.

But he will be released on parole, and will not have to serve the balance of his time behind bars.

Mr Yali had appealed against his sentence, and was in court yesterday to heat the decision.

He was jailed in January 2006 for raping his wife’s 17-year-old sister.

He appealed against the sentence claiming it was manifestly excessive in all circumstances.

But the Supreme Court rejected this.

“We accordingly confirm the sentence and dismiss the appeal against the sentence,” Justice Panuel Mogish read out the ruling on behalf of the other judges on the panel.

Yali refused to comment as he was leaving the court house.

But chairman of the Parole Board Sir Kubalan Los said in a statement yesterday Yali was granted parole and the decision was based on merit.

He said while out of jail, Yali would serve the rest of his time under close supervision by community-based correction officers.

Sir Kubalan refuted suggestions Yali would contest the Rai Coast by-election, saying restrictions applied to State prisoners on parole.

He said the decision to grant parole to Yali was done after hearing views from sectors of the community, including the victim and church and community groups.

Reports swirled in Madang, Yali was going to walk out of Madang prison yesterday.

However, Beon commander Joe Jako, when contacted yesterday afternoon, said acting Correctional Service commissioner Henry Wavik directed them not to release Yali until they receive the original release order.

 

 

Prime Minister put on notice

Caption: Sir Mekere firmly making a point yesterday that the Opposition was ready and united to push for a vote-of-no-confidence against Prime Minister Sir Michael.-Nationalpic by AURI EVA.

Morauta says Somare offered Opposition  Cabinet posts

OPPOSITION Leader Sir Mekere Morauta has put Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare on notice that the conditions are right, and he is ready to change the government, The National reports.

There is an obvious “fatal fracture” with the ruling National Alliance Party and its coalition partners and the Opposition “is poised to strike” with a vote-of-no-confidence, Sir Mekere said yesterday. 

“There is definitely a great deal of unhappiness in the National Alliance camp and it’s causing a rift between its coalition partners,” Sir Mekere said.

 “The National Alliance is fatally fractured and implacably divided,” he said based on observations from the recent announcement by the Prime Minister Sir Michael of a major reshuffle to his cabinet and the in-fighting in the NA NGI camp.

 The Moresby North-West MP added that with the Supreme Court decision of the validity of the Organic Law on the Integrity of Political Parties and Candidates (OLIPPAC) looming “the NA led Government knows their days are numbered”.

 “The Opposition is poised to strike, we are together and politics is a numbers game."

 He said the current rift within the NA camp was also affecting coalition partners and these were signs of the Government becoming unstable.

 Political commentators had predicted that a reshuffle or news of what may transpire may cause disgruntled coalition partners to move camps and that a vote-of- no confidence was imminent.

 Sir Mekere said the Opposition was ready to push for a vote-of-no-confidence against the Government when the time came.

 Sir Mekere said the Prime Minister had offered three important ministries to Opposition MPs, including the Police portfolio.

 Sir Mekere said the Prime Minister offered the Police Minister portfolio to a member of his PNG Party and also made the same offer to another member of the Opposition.

 “I met with Sir Michael and asked him about this but he denied it,” Sir Mekere said and added that these were all signs the “the NA days are numbered”.  

 He said what “kitchen cabinet” was trying to do was offer portfolios to Opposition MPs, however this would not work as politics was a game of numbers and would only be determined on the floor of Parliament.

 “We remain strong, we are together and we will weather out this silly season and strike when the time is right,” he said. 

 In the last few weeks the Prime Minister had announced he would make a major reshuffle to his cabinet but had postponed his decision and was tipped to make it prior to the first sitting of Parliament.

 The Opposition has also had meetings last week and the week before but did not disclose the agenda.

 Papua New Guinea’s leading political scientist Dr Alphonse Gelu said: “PNG politics is unpredictable, it is only on the floor that we would know who has the numbers.

 "W have the OLIPPAC (Organic Law on Integrity of Political Parties and Candidates) in place which places certain restrictions but history has shown that regardless of the law, a government can be replaced by another."

 At this time, both sides of Parliament are anxiously waiting the decision of the five-judge bench of the Supreme Court led by Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia on the validity of OLIPPAC.

 Observers said if the five-judge bench ruled OLIPPAC unconstitutional, the Prime Minister would face a challenge from within rather than outside.

 The Special Supreme Court reference on OLIPPAC came to its conclusion last Feb 8 after all parties made their final submissions. The court has reserved the decision to a later date

Crowd disappointed over Prime Minister no-show

MORE than 1,000 people including men, women and school children who lined up the streets to get a glimpse of the country’s Prime Minister were disappointed as they were not given the opportunity sparking calls for the resignation of West New Britain Governor Peter Humphreys over this protocol blunder, The National reports.

Hundreds of people waited in vain at Independence Park hoping that the founding Prime Minister would at least address them about the government but were dispersed by heavy rain as the Prime Minister was spirited in a tinted vehicle into the provincial assembly for the National Executive Council meeting.

Hoskins LLG President Felix Umarie yesterday called on Governor Peter Humphreys to resign over what he called the deliberate protocol blunder.

“I think the programme was so confined that more than 1,000 people waited at Independence Park the whole day and the Prime Minister was not given the opportunity to address them what was going on with the country,” he said.

The people again waited yesterday hoping for some words from the Prime Minister but it was not included in the programme that Mr Umarie described the security arrangement as “a Hitler type operation”.

He said the Prime Minister was driven in a tinted vehicle and hundreds of school children who wanted to see their PM were not given that opportunity.

Mr Umarie said the presidents as heads of local level governments (LLGs) were snubbed from the programme to meet the Prime Minister and his Cabinet Ministers.

“This goes to show that the government has no recognition of the LLGs,” Mr Umarie said.

He said the LLG Presidents who had the mandate of the people were not included in the programme and did not have the opportunity to meet the Prime Minister and have dialogue with the Provincial and LLG Affairs Minister on problem facing the LLGs.

He said that the 11 LLG Presidents were not invited to a dinner hosted by the Governor that was attended mostly by public servants.

Mr Umarie said the Governor must resign because he was not accountable and transparent about government business since becoming the leader of the province.

 

 

Defence: an important element of national power

By REGINALD RENAGI

 

For years, the PNGDF has been a misunderstood element of national power.  After numerous false starts and countless defence ministers, PNG needs a new defence White Paper.  The last key policy document is some 10 years old. 

Despite important strategic changes within the region, the past three PNG governments have not had any defence reviews done and producing its own defence white paper.  It is important for PNG to have a good strategic plan and to be reviewed annually.  Without complicating matters, some blend of corporate reorganisation, realignment and renewal of a new nationally-sustainable defence policy is needed.

PNG's first challenge is to enhance its sovereignty and security.  We do this by bridging the gap between declared defence commitments and actual military capabilities.  Integral to our vision of a more credible defence posture are the realignment and consolidation of existing commitments, a vigorous modernisation program for the next 15 years and beyond.  This must include a broad sweeping reorganisation, especially of our higher defence command.

The second challenge is to improve defence management in all core competence areas.  That is, the way defence manages its equipment acquisition; its people's careers, planning in every area from how we fight to how we feed our people.  All these processes need to be revised due to military technological and management changes in the world this past decade.

Defence cannot allow itself to become complacent in the face of great changes sweeping through our society and region.  The national priority task whether in defence or the whole country is to become the master of change rather than its servant. 

Change, be it technology or in the way we manage and organise ourselves, is something which the PNGDF needs to drive.  Any development challenges must be well managed at a time of budget constraints and during an extended time of peace.

Defence has several functions.  The defence department as apart from being a self-accounting agency provides defence policy advice to government.  Its military arm - the PNGDF; carry out various security roles with specific tasks relating to: surveillance and response, monitoring, enforcement and interdiction missions, maritime law enforcement/coastguard tasks, border patrols, intelligence collation and dissemination, aid to the civil community, civic action tasks/nation building, remote area medical patrols, coast-watch duties, search and rescue, "mercy missions", showing the flag in remote maritime localities, ambassadorial good-will visits by ships, peace support operations with neighbours, etc).

Its span of diversified responsibilities simultaneously overlap into agencies like: police, fisheries, customs, health, environment and conservation, foreign and provincial affairs, works and transport departments, provincial and community governments, and so on. 

Since 2001, no manpower review eventuated to have credible minimum levels of manning.  PNG can have an affordable military if the defence Ministry plans well to first, get a realistic budget, and secondly, properly prioritise operations better. 

Presently the PNGDF lacks a surge capacity as it is already cut to the bone.  It can not mobilise quickly, if it has to respond to any defence emergency of a low-level contingency.  Present defence manpower system is grossly inappropriate for our new strategic circumstances. 

Consequently, despite the PNGDF's significance to our country's development and stability; defence issues and national security is unfortunately not given the priority attention by the government.  Additionally, defence's constitutional roles are highly specialised responsibilities that cannot simply be transferred to other government departments. 

The PNGDF is a useful strategic management tool but governments have failed to fully understand its capability.  The government must be more creative in how far it wants to put defence to work towards future development aims. 

For instance, if our defence force was well resourced, it would very well complement the works department’s programme of improving remote district infrastructures\ - without the government unduely spending millions on civil contractors.

Finally, there are broader social challenges taking place in our society.  These are important because the PNGDF remains part of our society.  It draws people and skills from our wider community, and relies on community support to function effectively.  Here, the public must urge their MPs on the best ways available to defend our national interests, which defence and national security are an integral part of.

Last, but not the least; I further encourage citizens whether they be academics, diplomats, public servants, retired servicemen, journalists, students, politicians, representatives of industry, or a common villager to all participate as concerned citizens in an informed; and balanced public debate on matters of defence and national security. 

 

 The writer is a former defence chief, now a private sea training school executive and freelance writer.

A soup kitchen without religion

By ALFREDO P HERNANDEZ

 

AFTER making a headcount of orphans who came for last Saturday’s feeding session, he walked back to me and said: “Fredo, we got 51 kids today. Anyway, attendance is better today than last Saturday’s.”

Actually, this should be a big concern, but Hayward Sagembo was not worried.

“Guardian parents are now realising that we are doing our best to serve these orphans, making the most of what we got here so they are again letting their kids to come back and have food from our soup kitchen.

Hayward, 34, is the chairman of the Tembari Children’s Care (TCC) Inc, an orphanage looking after at least 78 children who reside with respective parent-guardians at ATS Oro Settlement at Seven-Mile outside of Port Moresby.

Since 2003 when there were only 35 orphans under its care, TCC has been giving lunch meal to the settlement orphans at least four times a week, including a Saturday feeding session.

The past seven years were crunch years as they had spent their own money to pay for orphans’ food. These days, however, they are better off with some modest funding help from two foundations, a private vessel towing company and kind-hearted individuals.

But two Saturdays ago, the feeding attendance dropped to 45. Hayward knew why.

 “You see,” he told me after a feeding session last Saturday: “We are having problems with some people in the settlement. They are spreading wrong information to parents and guardians of those orphans about TCC.

 “I feel that they are out to ruin our program for these kids and I know their motives.”

“They” are those individuals who, after failing in politics, have recently started their own “feeding programme” at the settlement.

But the trouble is that they are trying to ‘pirate’ the kids from TCC’s so they could gather as much children as they could and use the statistics for funding proposals to foundations and funding institutions.

And this has upset Hayward. In their attempt to steal his wards, he said individuals are also allegedly spreading lies.

One such lie is that TCC is just holding feeding sessions to get funds and pocket them, an allegation which he vehemently denied.

He explained: As a community-based organisation (CBO) registered with the Investment Promotion Authority (IPA), TCC is governed by laws and by its own constitution, with counter-checks from officers for transparency in all its activities, including its spending.

“But what is worst is that they are telling settlement parents that our kids are orphans of people who died from HIV/AIDS and that these kids are infected or HIV-positive, this is, of course, untrue!”

Such misinformation, says Hayward, has scared many parents and guardians that they prevented the orphans – about 28 -- from coming to read books at TCC’s learning center and to have lunch meals.

The fact is, Hayward and his wife Penny know more about HIV/AIDS than anybody else in the settlement, their being certified HIV/AIDS councilors.

Hayward is a full-time HIV/AIDS councilor with Simon of Cyrene VCT based at Hohola, while Penny is a technical officer for sexual health at the Save the Children, Inc, an NGO based in Boroko.

“Those parents, being ignorant that they are, are getting confused of the information fed to them by TCC’s rival groups, because if these were true, how come TCC is getting full support from foundations like WeCare and Digicel Foundation?”

Just to think that WeCare just spent more than K7, 000 in school fees on TCC’s 42 school-age children who are now enrolled in 17 preparatory and elementary schools around Port Moresby.

Aside from that, WeCare and a Port Moresby-based vessel towing company Pacific Towing Ltd led by its general manager, John Whitfield, are each giving a monthly grant of K400 to pay for the cost of TCC’s four times-a-week feeding program and related expenses.

And because of the consistency in the way Hayward, Penny, who is the TCC founder and coordinator and the volunteer mothers have pursued their services to the kids, kind-hearted individuals are now volunteering to sponsor TCC’s Saturday feeding where the orphans are given especially-cooked lunch.

Marina van der Vlies, chief executive of Digicel Foundation, a TCC benefactor, earlier described Penny as “visionary” for the great things she and her volunteers have done to look after the orphans’ education.

To neutralise the negative effects of misinformation, its volunteer-mothers went around the settlement, and are still doing so these days, explaining to guardian parents TCC’s welfare programme.

Finally, doubting parents have seen the light, having been convinced of TCC’s earnestness in helping the kids.

Hayward said that being community-based, Tembari Children’s Care Inc, has its resources right in ATS Oro Settlement, and these resources are the children under their care.

“We are right here in their midst, we see each child’s problem at once and we try to deal with such and we have instilled in the minds of well-meaning parent-guardians that they should own TCC and support it. They should consider TCC as their own because it’s the one that will take care of orphans left to them by their deceased parents.”

While TCC sits right in the settlement, other social-oriented groups trying to operate at ATS Oro Settlement are Port Moresby-based. The settlement is home to 9,000 people of whom 3,000 are children.

“They are all based in Port Moresby … they come to the settlement to interview local people, gather facts and stats, submit their funding grant proposals to relevant institutions, and disappear for good once the cheques are released,” Hayward said.

“Their supposed resources – the poor people, particularly the children who are supposed to benefit from such grants, are here in the settlement but these groups are operating away from them, with no contact at all their only link is the fact that they had been used to obtain such funding grants.

“I think this is not right.”

Because TCC is blind to churches’ denominations, it effectively serves the nutritional, education and parental needs of its children who are from 10 different religious groups.

But in the case of churches providing social services at the settlement, which Hayward declined to identify, the situation is “ridiculous”.

“Their delivery of services is ineffective, because not everyone gets the benefit from money these churches receive from donors, including the Government. Government funds should not discriminate anyone.”

“If you belong to a particular denomination, you are not welcome to receive the benefits, say medical or educational, and you don’t get fed, as in a feeding program despite your hunger because you don’t belong to their church. How could this happen to our people who are all children of one God?”

Well, there are many more “anomalous” situations floating around but TCC, through Hayward and Penny, and their volunteer-mothers, are determined to rise above them, for the sake of the 78 orphans.

Oh yes, last Saturday, two new guardian parents came to see Hayward and Penny to ‘enroll’ with TCC five newly-orphaned kids who were left to their care.

Five more mouths to feed add to TCC’s burden, but it’s all right. Hayward and Penny have always believed God will provide.

 

(If you wish to sponsor the special Saturday lunch meal for the 83 orphans and abandoned kids, which costs at least K150, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with me. After buying all the ingredients, I do the cooking myself. One reader of this column, Mr John Whitfield, GM for Pacific Towing Ltd, Port Moresby, has bought at Brian Bell two huge cast aluminum cooking pots (30 liter-pot) to make it easy for us to cook the food. The specially-prepared Saturday food would give the kids a decent, nutritious lunch meal, which they don’t get on weekday feeding sessions. Weekday lunch meals consist only of bread and a thin slice of cheap meat loaf or black tuna meat or a combination of kaukau and boiled veggies as the budget for each meal is only limited to K40. So, nothing much when it comes to nutrition.)

Email the writer: jarahdz500@online.net.pg  or alfredophernandez@thenational.com.pg

 

No interruption of ARV treatment in Papua New Guinea

Port Moresby – The Global Fund is ethically committed to providing life-saving anti-retroviral treatment to more than 6,000 people living with HIV in Papua New Guinea (PNG) at least till September 2012 despite the expiry of the current grant to the country.

Papua New Guinea’s existing HIV grant agreement, which provides for ARV treatment, expires on 31 August 2010 and a new grant application in 2009 was rejected by the Global Fund’s Board after it failed to receive a positive recommendation from an independent international panel of global health and development experts. As a result there have been concerns within Papua New Guinea regarding approximately 6,300 individuals currently receiving treatment.
The Global Fund wishes to allay the significant anxiety in Papua New Guinea among individuals receiving anti-retroviral therapy and their families and friends. The Global Fund has a clear policy regarding the continuation of life-extending critical treatment when a grant comes to an end. PNG is eligible to apply for up to two years of funding to pay for the products and services that are directly related to the continuation of treatment for existing patients.  Papua New Guinea’s Country Coordinating Mechanism (CCM) submitted the application for Continuity of Services (COS) on 15 February 2010.

The Global Fund will review the application closely during the next twelve weeks and request clarifications, particularly regarding the confirmed number of individuals registered and receiving ART.  While the Global Fund has an internal review process and the final decision is subject to Board approval, there is an ethical commitment to ensuring a steady flow of life-saving treatment. 

The final number of patients eligible will be based on the total number of patients receiving treatment and registered on 31 August 2010, when the current HIV/AIDS grant between NDOH and the Global Fund ends.  The Continuity of Services does not cover any new patients enrolling on ART after 31 August 2010.  The Global Fund understands, however, that the Government is committed to finding ways to treat new patients, including children, and stepping up prevention of parent to child transmission and continuing important counseling and testing services that it has been offering.

A two-member team from the Global Fund, led by Dr Swarup Sarkar, Asia Director, and Chrishan Thuraisingham, Fund Portfolio Manager, has been in Papua New Guinea since 14 February to work with the Government and Development Partners to review the need for additional services and co-financing from the Government of PNG in the HIV and AIDS response. 

 

The Global Fund is a unique global public/private partnership dedicated to attracting and disbursing additional resources to prevent and treat HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. This partnership between governments, civil society, the private sector and affected communities represents a new approach to international health financing. The Global Fund works in close collaboration with other bilateral and multilateral organisations to supplement existing efforts dealing with the three diseases.

Since its creation in 2002, the Global Fund has become the dominant financier of programmes to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, with approved funding of US$ 18.4 billion for more than 600 programmes in 144 countries. To date, programmes supported by the Global Fund have saved 4.9 million lives through providing AIDS treatment for 2.5 million people, ant-ituberculosis treatment for 6 million people and the distribution of 104 million insecticide-treated bed nets for the prevention of malaria.

 

Information on the work of the Global Fund is available at www.theglobalfund.org

K3.7 million from New Zealand to support smallholder farmers

The New Zealand Government will provide K3.7 million over the next two and a half years to the Smallholder Support Services Expansion Project (SSSEP) in Papua New Guinea.

 

This joint project between New Zealand and the Government of PNG aims to help improve the quality of life for smallholder farmers and their families by increasing their access to agriculture support services and technical assistance through the National Department of Agriculture and Livestock.

 

“More than 80% of PNG’s population lives in rural areas and they largely rely on agriculture for their livelihoods,” New Zealand’s High Commissioner to PNG Niels Holm said today.

 

“Many small farmers have limited access to technical knowledge to improve their agricultural practices and engage in markets.

 

“The assistance that the SSSEP provides is aimed at addressing this issue and contributing to increased household income and standards of living.” 

 

“The SSSEP builds on a pilot project in Eastern Highlands and Morobe provinces.

 

“The majority of the funding comes from the Government of Papua New Guinea, and New Zealand’s funding will help extend the programme to the Central and Simbu provinces, institutionalise the project’s processes and systems, and support involvement by women in the scheme.

 

“Strengthening and expanding the project will ensure that it continues in the years to come and reaches more people in PNG,” Mr Holm said.

 

New Zealand works to support sustainable development in PNG, and contributes to improving service delivery in health and education, and improving livelihood opportunities for rural people. 

 

In addition to supporting the SSSEP, the NZAID programme supports a number of other economic development initiatives which focus on the rural population.

 

African graft fight blocked by continent's Capones

From PAUL OATES

What lessons can the people of Papua New Guinea learn from this article I wonder? Does anything in this article sound terribly familiar? What can stop this happening?

Mr Ribadu's quoted comments should be read by all as a classic example of why, without transparency and accountability, corruption spreads like the disease it is.

In the next PNG general elections, what chance is there for any change to occur? People should be asking now for potential politicians to start declaring what their code of ethics are and what they will do to stamp out corruption, if elected.

African graft fight blocked by continent's Capones

George Fominyen
Reuters
Friday, February 5, 2010

DAKAR (Reuters) - Africa's fight against corruption is being blocked by gangsters at every level of administrations and the campaign is doomed to fail unless presidents themselves spearhead the battle, a top campaigner said.

Nuhu Ribadu, who convicted over 300 corrupt officials and recovered over $5 billion while leading Nigeria's anti-graft drive until falling out with the current administration, said the continent's leadership was hypocritical in its approach.

"If you have an Al Capone as Head of State, an Al Capone as governor of the central bank and Al Capones in every other institution, how can one succeed?" Ribadu said, referring to the American gangster who ran crime syndicates for several decades.

"Unfortunately that is the situation in most African countries today," Ribadu said in a telephone interview from Washington, where he is living in exile and working as a fellow at the Center for Global Development think-tank.

African nations -- from Mauritania in the west, Cameroon in the centre and Kenya to the east -- have launched anti-corruption campaigns, often under pressure from donors who blame underdevelopment on rampant mismanagement.

But Ribadu said such campaigns were riddled with hypocrisy and, citing numerous reports of corruption in police forces and the judiciary, he said it was impossible to "fight corruption with corruption".

"I have arrested an Inspector General of Police, prosecuted him, convicted him and recovered $150 million from him," said Ribadu, who was widely praised while he led Nigeria's Economic and Financial Crimes Commission from 2003 to 2007.

"A leader of the Nigerian police force, a policeman with $150 million. For God's sake how can such a police ever deliver?" he added.

Global anti-corruption group Transparency International says the combination of abundant natural resources, a history of conflict and unaccountable governments mean corruption remains one of the biggest challenges on the world's poorest continent.

The responsibility, Ribadu said, lies at the very top.

"Unless you have a president who understands the need to clean up, stop this wastage and do it honestly and courageously nothing else would work," he said.

"Fighting corruption is an extremely dangerous task. As long as that political backing and that political support is not there, those who are going to do it on the ground are exposed to all sorts of danger; and they are not going to survive it."

Ribadu, 49, said top officials often tried to bribe him but he succeeded in his work because he had the direct backing of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

After surviving several assassination attempts Ribadu said he fled Nigeria to live "a horrible life in exile".

He fell out of favour following the highly contested elections which ushered in a new administration headed by current President Umaru Yar'Adua.

The best thing the international community can do, Ribadu said, was to support the continent's young democracies.

"My hope and prayer is that we would end up with a political leadership that will enable us (Africans) achieve results."

Remain vigilant: Yakasa

THE public has been reminded to remain vigilant while in their homes and in their movement around the city while police are carry out operations to recapture seven of the remaining most wanted criminal still on the run and the more than 40 escapees who broke for freedom during separate jail breaks from Bomana last year, The National reports.

National Capital District metropolitan commander Chief Supt Fred Yakasa yesterday issued the warning while commending the public for their assistance in the recapture of the five dangerous fugitives, including most wanted bank robber William Nanua Kapris. So far out of the 12 that escaped last month, four of whom were caught in the vicinity of the city in the past week since.

Oliver Ben was the first of the escapees to be caught. He was found in the hills near Sogeri on Jan 22.

When asked if police had any new and reliable leads to the whereabouts of suspects still on the run, Mr Yakasa said he could not comment more on the ongoing NCD police operations to hunt down remaining escapees.

Mr Yakasa referred The National to seek comments and the latest brief from NCD and Central province police commander chief Supt Awan Sete and NCD Police Operations commander Raphael Huafolo.

Attempts to get comments from both Mr Sete and Mr Huafolo were unsuccessful.

 

Australia approves 650 fruit pickers from Papua New Guinea

PNG among 2,500 Pacific Islanders to work on Aussie farms

 

THE Australian government has approved 650 fruit pickers from Papua New Guinea to work in farms in Australia this year, The National reports.

Australia foreign affairs minister Steven Smith, in his letter sent to his PNG couterpart Sam Abal last month, said the Papua New Guineans would be among the 2,500 Pacific Islanders allowed to work in farms in Australia.

Mr Abal told The National yesterday from Hoskins airport, East New Britain province, that a task force had been set up within his ministry to establish provincial coordinators who will work closely with the churches, police and community leaders to identify good, young energetic men and women to work in Australia.

“The recruitment will be conducted in all the 22 provinces in the country, including the new Jiwaka and Hela provinces.

“The provincial coordinators to be set up this year will be working closely with churches, police and community leaders to identify Grade 10 and 12 school leavers with good character and record, no criminal record, disciplined, law abiding and hard working citizens to go and work in Australia,” he said.

Mr Abal said: “We want good people to work and establish a good reputation to convince the Australians to recruit more Papua New Guineans.

“We cannot blindly send all the 650 workforce down because this is the number of people allowed by the Australian government but what is the demand of the farmers.

“This we have to find out first before the fruit pickers are sent to Australia.

“Those selected will go through some form of training before they are sent off to Australia.”

He said his department was responsible for the recruitment and that no else or agents were appointed to carry out the recruitment.

“When demand for fruit pickers is high, we will engage a private company to take charge of the whole operation after two years,” he said.

Mr Abal advised the people not to listen to private consultants, companies or individuals claiming to represent his office and collecting fees and promising them jobs in Australia.

 

Sex ring busted

Wewak police catch 20 women in the act

 

POLICE have busted a syndicate supplying young local and foreign women for prostitution near the Kaup Logging Company site in Angoram, East Sepik province.

A Wewak police team led by Provincial Police Commander Insp Charles Parinjo uncovered the syndicate in a raid on a house at the logging site over the weekend.

Police arrested nine women, all aged below 20, in compromising positions with the logging company workers.

The house is believed to have been used as a vice den.

Among the women held were two senior high school students in the province and a government officer from Port Moresby who was attached with the company to do clearance for logs.

Insp Parinjo said the women admitted during interrogation that they provided sexual favours to the foreigners and were paid between K200 and K800 per month.

The women were escorted to Wewak by police station on Monday where they are being investigated by police detectives.

Insp Parinjo said the female government officer was “deported” from Wewak the next day after her office in Port Moresby was notified of the offence she committed while staying at the site on official duty.

Insp Parinjo had also informed the relevant government agencies of the offence committed by the foreigners at the logging site and “we are pressuring them to deal with them diplomatically”.

Insp Parinjo said the successful raid confirmed suspicions by the public that locals and foreigners were providing sexual favors to foreigners for money.

“If this activity can happen in Kaup, it can also happen in other logging sites in East Sepik and nationwide,” he added.