Legend of the Sepik River crocodile hunter

John Pasquarelli

John Pasquarelli as a young kiap (patrol officer) in the Sepik in 1960

JohnPasquarelli in Papua New Guinea in 1965 trading for a shield from a local man

John Pasquarelli campaign poster from 1964

Newspaper cutting from 1964, in which John Pasquarelli fires a broadside at the administration, for neglecting the high incidence of tuberculosis in the Sepik district

A John Pasquarelli crocodile-hunting expedition along the May River in the 1960s
John Pasquarelli painting of Sepik lad, Nirinu, with a traditional shield
John Pasquarelli painting of Motukea Island outside Port Moresby

John Pasquarelli’s best-selling book The Pauline Hanson Story by the Man Who Knows

Since the end of last year, I have been quietly corresponding with legendary Sepik river crocodile hunter and Member of the First Papua and New Guinea House of Assembly in 1964, John Pasquarelli.

That has been since he sent me an email asking for regular PNG political updates as well as my political allegiances, and we have since become good friends, although we have never met each other personally.

I have asked Pasquarelli to write an article about him, given his role in the history of PNG politics, and he said to take my time as there was no rush.

Pasquarelli was on the political scene before Michael Somare, beat Somare’s father Ludwig Somare Sana for the Angoram Open seat in 1964 and was around before current Angoram MP Arthur Somare was even born.

He has sent me old photographs and newspaper cuttings of his days as a crocodile hunter and as PNG House of Assembly.

One thing I discovered about Pasquarelli, 72, who has often been called a “racist” and was political advisor to Pauline Hanson before she sacked him in 1996 and founded the infamous One Nation Party in Australia, is that he has a strong and controversial view on anything to do with politics in PNG.

For instance, when his longtime PNG mate, Morobe bush pilot Richard Leahy, crashed last December in the Saruwaged Ranges with six people being killed, Morobe Governor Luther Wenge threatened to have Leahy charged with manslaughter and deported from the country.

“If I am a racist,” Pasquarelli told me in typical dry Australian style, “this Wenge is ‘king of the castle’.”

His book, The Pauline Hanson Story by the Man Who Knows, of which Pasquarelli has sent me a copy, is a fascinating look into the fish-and-chip shop lady who was elected as Federal Member for Oxley and touched a vital nerve among Australian voters.

“Regarding One Nation, Pauline Hanson sacked me before she formed One Nation,” he says.

“I told her to remain an independent and not to form a party – see my book.”

His views about PNG are forthright and hard-hitting; although it may be 46 years since the then 26-year-old Pasquarelli first entered PNG politics and carved a niche for himself.

“It was obvious that PNG law and order was starting to come apart in the early years after independence and this was confirmed to me when I returned to PNG in 1990,” he tells me frankly.

“PNG has huge problems with lack of proper law and order, AIDS and massive corruption at all levels of government.

“China is gaining great influence in PNG, Fiji, Solomons and you know the story about selling your soul to the Devil

John Pasquarelli has been around and he is remembered wherever he's been, be it the far-flung reaches of the Sepik River in PNG or pubs stretching from Melbourne to Mooloolaba to Kalgoorlie.

In his wake are a string of strained relationships.

Pasquarelli makes enemies.

People say he is abrasive and domineering.

They remember language and attitudes that are racist.

But most of all, they remember that he's big.

The temptation is to look at his size and hard-edged Kojak appearance, and dismiss him as an archetypal right-wing thug.

Tempting, but wrong, because the 72-year-old Pasquarelli also is articulate and shrewd.

He’s a gifted artist and writer.

He's highly energetic and entrepreneurial.

He’s a capable organiser.

He was a member of the first PNG House of Assembly when he was 26.

He understands politics and the media.

Pasquarelli's grandparents migrated from Italy and settled in Queensland at the turn of the century.

His father, Joe, a doctor, brought his wife, Marie, and two young sons to Colac in the early 1950s and worked as a partner in a local practice and later in Collins Street, Melbourne.

Pasquarelli says his father went to university with celebrated surgeon Edward "Weary'' Dunlop and assisted him in surgery.

During the war, while Dunlop was a prisoner, Joe Pasquarelli worked in a field hospital in PNG.

Pasquarelli says that Dunlop, a POW surgeon, referred to his father as a great doctor in a book he inscribed.

He gave the book to his nephew.

John Pasquarelli and his younger brother, Leon, attended high school in Colac and John apparently was expelled in fifth form.

He finished his schooling in Ballarat.

In the late 1950s, Pasquarelli began a law degree at Melbourne University.

“In 1957/58/59, I studied law at Melbourne University but dropped out and went to Coober Pedy opal fields, where I found opal,” he tells me.

“My medico father had served in New Guinea during WW11 and he suggested I go to PNG.

“I was recruited as a cadet patrol officer, studying at Australian School of Public Administration (ASOPA) at Mosman, then to Moresby in1960, where I was posted to Angoram on the Sepik

“I didn’t last long in the administration and resigned after crossing swords with a German Catholic priest who was stationed at Marienberg, downstream from Angoram.

“The famous Johnny Young became my mentor.

“Young was a marine engineer who had left Samarai for WW1 when he was only 17.

“He survived and ended up at Angoram.

“He was a native labour recruiter and trader, who went bush during WW11 with his loyal Sepiks and ended up in Brisbane interpreting aerial photos.

“Young advised me to go croc shooting and trading and helped me financially

“I started shooting on the Ramu and then the upper reaches of the Sepik.

“I set up trading posts at Ambunti, May River and then Amboin.

“Initially I was shooting myself and had some good bois I had trained and who were licensed to use shotguns.

“We used rifled slugs, and my team also used spears and later we used baited hooks in the lagoons – flying fox as bait.

“As things developed I then started buying skins from villagers.

“I supplied torches for spotlighting and salt to preserve the skins.

“As well I looked after village outboard motors and supplied petrol as well.

“Skins were sold to buyers from Europe and Australia.

“I was bitten through the left hand by a six foot croc and I still have the scars.”

Pasquarelli tells me that he entered PNG politics because of what was happening in Africa during the 1960s.

“I was in politics at Melbourne University and and took my interest to PNG,” he remembers.

“I could see what was happening in Africa where black despots took over after colonialism.

“I stood for the Angoram Open Electorate and won in 1964.

“Michael Somare’s father was one of my opponents.

“My term ended in 1968.

“I decided against running again as I was sure that PNG was heading down the wrong track.

“I endorsed Peter Johnson who still lives in Wewak and he was elected 1968-1972.

“I then built the world-renowned Karawari Lodge at Amboin and it still stands but the huge tourist boom I predicted for PNG never eventuated and I lost a lot of money on that venture

“I left PNG in 1979 and lived for a while in the Phillipines.

“I returned to Sydney in the early 1980s and worked for a while as an insurance investigator, renovated the odd house

“I returned to PNG in 1990 and worked on some oil exploration projects – was last in PNG 2000.

“In 1990, whilst at Kikori, I suffered my first attack of Meniere’s disease and this disrupted my life until well after 1996.”

Pasquarelli tells me that his best memories of PNG were of the times in the 1960s and early 1970s before independence.

“I also became very interested in primitive art and artefacts I collected are safely stored and on display at Basel Museum, French National Museum, Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, etc,” he remembers.

“I am supposed to be an expert on Oceanic art.

“As an MP I supported the Sepik people in respect of agricultural development and I had the Haus Tambaran at Kanganaman declared National Cultural Property."

Sam Basil's impassioned speech

From PAUL OATES

I refer to a recent speech made in the Papua New Guinea Parliament and copied below.
In an eloquent and heart rending appeal to the PNG Parliament,Mr Sam Basil, MP for Bulolo, has clearly enunciated why today's PNGis on a slippery slide to disaster.
Mr Basil is to be congratulated for having enough guts to highlight what is wrong and the insight to determine what must be done to pull PNG back from the abyss.
But will his country's law enforcement agencies hear this heart felt plea and do something positive about the parlous state of their nation?
That is the burning question that as yet remains unanswered.
Continuous inaction by the Police, Public Prosecutor, the Ombudsman Commission and the national courts has been highlighted as a basic reason why PNG's national governance continues to decay.
The challenge has now been issued. Will you, the members of the relevant PNG authorities now take up this challenge or will you turn away from your people in their hour of desperate need?
People of Papua New Guinea. The decision time is now.
Your country's future and your children's future is now in your hands.
Will you continue to ignore what you know is wrong or will you stand up for what you know is right and just?
Mr Basil has led the way. It is now up to you to follow?
__________________________________________________

Bulolo MP Sam Basil weighs in on penalising the disfranchised in a
parliament debate
__________________________________________________

Thank you Mr. Speaker for allowing me to participate in this debate session.
Many a times, people always ask whether there are two sets of laws when it comes to doing justice to all. Yet again on today's paper we see concerns raised again with the heading '' Laws for Rich & Poor.
"Mr Sam Kewa of Western Highlands was sentenced to 12 months in prison for stealing a bilum and a K7.80 packet of Lamb Flaps. He will pay dearly for his criminal actions his reasons for stealing may all begin from a hungry stomach or to feed his poor family.
Mr Speaker, many Papua New Guineans mainly small people will continue to submit to the Laws of this land while people of high profile continue to live their normal lives without fear of the laws of this land thus pushing the scale of corruption into unprecedented records.
Stealing a K100,000.00 some 20 to 25 years ago can easily spark a nationwide march & petition but sadly today a K100 Million can be easily reported as misappropriated or missing by the PAC, Auditor General or some expensive finance inquiries and the nation just watches and mumbles over it and forgets the next day.
Most times mainly the politicians and the departmental heads who are entrusted to safe guard the wealth of this nation are the ones who steal from the very vault which they guard, many a times in collaboration with private businesses.
Mr Speaker, sadly to this day many leaders now have a lot to answer for but seems to be immune to the rule of law while the lower class of people are the only ones answerable to the laws of this land.
The rule of law which is the foundation of a civilised society demands that all persons are equal before the law. The law is the master of the government and the government is its slave, not the reverse.
The "law should govern", and those in power should be "servants of the laws.
This is central to democracy and PNG has adopted that system through our Constitution. When it comes to arresting and charging persons suspected of committing a crime, the Police have an unfettered discretion to do that.
Mr Speaker, The Constitution, particularly section 197 (2), empowers the Police to perform their duties without any control or direction from any other person outside of the Police Force insofar as its functions to lay, prosecute or withdraw charges in respect of offences are concerned.
The Courts have held that the decision to lay a charge by a policeman or policewoman investigating the crime is an unfettered discretion without direction, interference or orders from any other policeman or officers whether of the same or of a superior rank.
Whether the alleged persons are high or low profile, every body is equal before the law and they all have to be dealt with the same way. Justice must not only be done but must be seen to be done. The Police can proceed by way of Summons or by way of warrant of arrest and the Criminal Code Act, the District Courts Act and the Arrest Act all provide for the procedures in respect of different crimes.
The Police know what to do but they are not doing it. A person's innocence is still yet to be proven but that does not stop the police from making arrests or issuing summonses to appear and answer questions relating to charges.
Mr Speaker, One of the factors that is usually a counter to the policy of freedom to prosecute suspected criminals including leaders and politicians is the fear of being sued for malicious prosecution. However, malicious prosecution and defamation suits cannot surface or succeed if the Police do their lawful duty without malice and within the bounds of law.
Therefore, if malicious prosecution is the reason for not arresting and charging the accomplices to the crime, then it is an unreasonable and a cover-up excuse. Furthermore, the excuse for malicious prosecution is very shallow because in many other civil suits, the Police department is the worst offender which costs the State in millions of Kina.
Section 7 of the Criminal Code Act provides that every person who aides another person in committing an offence is also the principal Offender and so the same charges should apply to the rest of the accomplices to the crimes that has been committed.
Mr Speaker, If other ordinary persons named in the crime can easily be picked up from the street and charged, why not the Politicians & Departmental Heads. Their culpability is very high in that they are the leaders and that although the allegations are unproven and remain as mere allegations, the fact that there is evidence that these allegations have arisen tells a story of a worsening level of corruption and the public and the respective law enforcement agencies, particularly the Police cannot ignore those concerns.
The Police continuous inaction and silence and allowing high profile crimes to fade with time without justice being done is nothing but a recipe for disaster. Such is an element that is directly corroding the foundations of democracy which is the rule of law.
Mr Speaker, The Civil society is fed up of the complete disregard of lawful duties of the Police. One can safely say that bribery and other forms of corruption are encroaching and weakening the functions of the Police Force as an independent body.
A number of cases are still pending for investigations and prosecutions involving very senior members of parliament, departmental heads and various business people including the organised Mafia Activities that are operated by Asians, very well known to Police yet nothing is done about it.
Mr Speaker, the Ombudsman Commission, the public prosecutor and the police force are funded by the tax payers money and must in return execute their rightful duties. The failure by these law enforcement agencies can only form an opinion by the public of the existing two sets of laws, one for the rich & powerful citizens and one for the majority mainly the poor & the marginalised citizens.
Mr Speaker, the outgoing Chief Magistrate Mr. John Numapo has made headlines in the print media recently claiming that the Magisterial Service has been Politicised went almost unchallenged.
This claim alone automatically brings into question the independence of our Judiciary System in Papua New Guinea, I am not surprised at all because many political cases are now hanging in the air.
Those who are believed to have broken the laws are still and proudly executing their duties while doing injustice to many others before them who have been penalised severely and are now on the street and in their villages.
Institutions that their existence may be in question are still functioning while the nation awaits their verdict. One may ask, Has our Judiciary system already compromised?
Mr Speaker, Let us turn the spot light back into your play ground The National Parliamentary Services. We all understand that greater financial powers of the parliamentary services are vested in the speaker of this honourable house.
Three years of appealing have gone answered, during this sitting I have been fanning myself because three years now I haven't have air conditioning in my office while I cannot find lawyers in within parliament to help give advice on the implications of many bills on notice papers.
Mr Speaker, The Prime Minister has taken charge of some questions raised regarding the house matters but hasn't come back to this floor to tell us his remedies and as we all know money alone cannot fix this house but the rats must be fumigated too unfortunately the fumigation company ran out of active pesticides as the pests have developed resistance. It is a common knowledge in within parliament that a K2m of parliament funds has been spent
annually for two external law firms while we do not have access to in house lawyers.
Mr Speaker, surprisingly on this week's paper there was a lawyer potential candidate dishing out cash in donations to various groups makes me wonder whether that cash is from some of the parliamentary funds.
I know nobody will answer to all the concerns that I have raised in this debate but as I have always say if the Ombudsman Commission, the Police Force, the Public Prosecutor and other law enforcing agencies cannot do their respective role this nation will decay into corruption and eventually a failed state.
If nobody can apply justice then I commit this debate of mine to God to intervene so God please help Papua New Guinea.

Old friends reunite

By VERONICA MANUK of UNRE


Third-year University of Natural Resources and Environment agriculture students Levi Wartowo and Moy Dawa (pictured above) were recently reunited with friends they thought they would not see again until June this year.
The two students recently crossed paths again with old acquaintances, Professor and Bursar, the two bulls that the students had carried out teethering on while they were on six weeks industrial work experience at Warangoi Cattle Station at the end of last year.
The bulls were moved to the University’s Vudal Farm and when the students learnt of this, they wasted no time in going to visit them.
Their practical last year involved maintenance of fence lines, planting pastures and weed control.
Field supervisor John Kamut also taught them cattle handling and cattle training techniques.
In teethering, they used bamboo to make a hole through the nostrils of the bulls and tied a rope for control.
Both students appreciated the knowledge and skills they gained and had hoped to return to Warangoi during the semester break in June to learn more.

Ramu mine debacle

From PAUL OATES

Based on information on the website below, it now appears the Papua New Guinea government knew about the effects of the waste disposal process of the Ramu mine yet chose not to release the report.
Exactly what does that say about the PNG government?
______________________________ _______

http://ramumine.wordpress.com/

Ramu Nickel Mine Watch
May 13, 2010

Secret government report says mine dumping flawed

An unpublished report commissioned by the PNG government from the Scottish Association of Marine Science, states that the submarine tailings disposal by the Ramu nickel mine could have widespread environmental impacts.
The PNG government has refused to release the report findings, but a copy was given to a surprised Deputy Prime Minister, Puka Temu, by Rai Coast landowners on Monday when they also presented him with a 7,500 signature petition against the marine dumping.
The SAMS report says the mine waste will not lie dormant on the sea floor, as claimed by the Chinese State owned Ramu mine, but will be widely dispersed in the Vitiaz Strait, notably towards Madang and Kakar Island and across Astrolobe Bay
The publication of these findings will also come as a serious embarrassment to Madang governor, Arnold Amet, whose home village is on Kakar Island.
The Report also assesses the environmental impact of marine waste dumping at two other PNG mines, Lihir and Misima, and finds there has been significant damage.
For Lihir the report finds "an unambiguous demonstration that ongoing DSTP has major impacts on the abundance and community structure of meio- and macrofauna, extending to water depths of at least 2020 m".
While at Misima, "significant tailings impacts are still apparent 13 years after the cessation of DSTP".

Papua New Guinea democracy hangs in the balance

From PAUL OATES

Papua New Guinea democracy recently raised its head and asked to be recognised with the public demonstrations over the Maladina Amendments in Moresby and Lae. But will this activity achieve any lasting effect?
Clearly it is the intention of PM Somare to just sit tight and let the storm pass over. He has claimed that as Parliament has already passed the Maladina Amendment, it is too late to listen to the will of the people.
Along with the 'adjournment of Parliament, the Moti Report and many other previous examples, Somare is now depending on the traditional PNG custom of noisy talkfest's and moribund inaction to continue to allow him to rule unmolested.
Is there no one who will bring the problem to a head? Will he be allowed to get away with it again?
The longer it goes without continually following up on the public sentiment expressed in the demonstrations and in signing of the petitions, the easier it will be for Somare to sweep it all under the carpet yet again.

Kerevat training for youths

John Bokosou of NARI IRC giving out some helpful hints to youth participants A crowd of the youths listening to Gadi Ling during the training

By JOHN BOKOSOU of NARI

National Agricultural Research Institute’s Islands regional centre at Keravat in East New Britain province conducted an agricultural training for youths last month.
The training was targeted at youths surrounding Keravat and was aimed at enabling peer-to-peer groups in agricultural development.
They learned about taro beetle management, especially fungicide applications; vegetable field nursery in sowing and management during seedling stage; and cocoa pruning including marcotting.
Over 20 participants attend this training.
They were interested in helping themselves and their peer groups.
Among the trainees were a few parents who are youth counselors.
NARI Keravat also distributed information and planting materials to them.
Gadi Ling, a NARI Keravat scientist and outreach officer, said getting information and practicing it in their own time would greatly help themselves in the long run.
“This small training will provide you to be self-sufficient in food and cash and be a good member in your community and family,” Mr Ling said.
He said NARI encouraged partnership and collaboration with other rural development institutions and churches to provide skills training to youth groups.

What comes first, the chicken or the egg?

From PAUL OATES

What comes first, the chicken or the egg?
There is an interesting article in today's The National about Australia's aid to PNG.
The PNG Foreign Minister's is reported to have claimed that much of the Australian aid given to PNG was wasted on consultants and advisers rather than health and education.
In response, Australia's Foreign Minister has stated that Australia will conduct a review of those adviser's effectiveness with partner governments.
This review will be jointly undertaken by AusAID and partner governments.
"Australia was committed to providing 'most effective' and 'value for money' advisers", Mr Stephen Smith is reported to have said.
However before some heave a collective sigh of relief that something is finally being done to answer years of criticism and reported inaction, let's first examine the statements from both Foreign Ministers in more detail.
There is no denying that PNG's Foreign Minister has an excellent point.
Some overseas advisers and consultants are reported to have been paid fabulous amounts by AusAID.
Reports of so called 'boomerang aid' have been around for years and refer to the 'giaman' (false) process whereby Australian consultants are paid in tax free dollars by the Australian Aid program and therefore PNG does not accrue any benefit.
In the newspaper article, it is claimed that local PNG experts are not available and therefore, overseas consultants have to be recruited.
But why are local experts not available?
Could it be that they can't get past the recruitment process or haven't the managers of aid programs thought about training PNG people to actually be able to do the work involved?
Many educated PNG people must now find employment overseas as the political appointment system is reputedly severely affected by the 'wantok' (fellow language speaker) process or just plain nepotism and corruption.
The old idea that, "If you pay peanuts, you get monkeys", has somehow been morphed into the notion that if you pay someone a lot of money you are bound to get good results.
Wrong!
In this case, the only results AusAID have reputedly achieved have been to clearly increase a few foreign bank accounts.
Over many years, PNG's governments are not entirely squeaky clean however, when it comes to funding health and education.
These programs are the direct responsibility of the PNG government and that responsibility can't just be shifted to Australia's overseas aid program, as the report intimates.
A recent enquiry into PNG government finances revealed horrendous discrepancies in how most government departments are managed or mismanaged as the case appears to be.
Lastly, it is reported that those being held responsible for the overseas aid programs (AusAID and partner governments), are to 'review' their own programs.
Well that's a relief.
For a moment one might thought that someone independent and other than those responsible for the problems were going to conduct the review.
Phew!
We almost might have uncovered some problems areas that neither AusAID nor their 'partner governments' might want the taxpayer to know about.
Whoops!
That would be a recipe for change.
______________

Aust to PNG: Aid review in order

By YEHIURA HRIEHWAZI in Brisbane

THE Australian government is committed to reviewing effectiveness of its aid to Papua New Guinea to get "value for money" following its complaints that a lot of the money was wasted on consultants.
A post-budget statement released by Australian foreign minister Stephen Smith on Tuesday night gave details of its aid commitments to Indonesia, Africa and the Caribbean nations.
However, it made no mention of aid support to PNG except in reference to its continuing commitment in helping reducing deforestation and carbon emission.
Smith said Australia was committed to conduct a review of advisers' effectiveness with partner-governments. While PNG is a partner and the PNG aid component was expected to be over K400 million, Smith did not make any indication of it.
PNG used to be the largest overseas aid recipient until recently when Indonesia had become the focus of Australia as its strategic development partner while PNG hummed the tune of aid reduction and self-dependency. In the 2010-11 budget handed down by the federal government on Tuesday night, Smith said Australia aid commitment to Indonesia over the next four years will be A$323 million (K804 million).
In direct response to PNG Foreign Minister Sam Abal's recent outburst that much of Australian aid to PNG was "wasted" on consultants and advisers instead of the needy areas of health and education, Australia was committed to providing "most effective" and "value for money" advisors.
"In 2010-11, AusAID will undertake a review jointly with partner governments on the use of technical advisers in the aid programme.
"The review will seek to ensure each adviser is the most effective, value-for-money response to meeting agreed need and priorities," Smith said.
Reacting to Abal's criticism against the boomerang aid last month, Australia's parliamentary secretary for International Development Assistance Bob McMullan said Australian consultants and advisers brought to PNG crucial skills that were often not available locally.
"Australia and PNG jointly decide on the areas of focus of the Australian aid program.
"The PNG government frequently requests Australia to provide technical experts to advise PNG government departments, and approves these appointments.
"These advisers bring crucial skills that often do not exist locally," spokesman for McMullan told The National via email from Canberra.

Agriculture training for mine impact students

Hellen Komkombe, Carolyne Tambarie and Emma Apool attend to the kaukau plot during one of their practical sessions
Lihir girls Hellen Komkombe, Carolyne Tambarie and Emma Apool checking on the vegetable plot at the college


By SOLDIER BURUKA of DAL
A group of young people from faraway New Ireland province are making use of their time at the Highlands Agricultural College in Mount Hagen.
The 10 students from the Lihir gold mine area are studying basic agriculture farming and are pleased with their own efforts so far.
Four of them are females who are Grade Eight school leavers and six are males, of whom four are Grade 10 leavers and two are Grade Eight leavers.
With them is another female, a Grade 10 leaver who is doing her second year.
The students are thankful to their sponsor, Lihir Sustainable Development Organisation, for recognising the importance of promoting agriculture in the mine impact areas on the island and encouraging school leavers to be trained in basic agriculture farming.
The 10 students enrolled in the six-month agriculture training program in February this year.
They said that landowners in the past concentrated mainly on mine-related activities, but were now realising that mineral resources were only for the short-term and that agriculture remained as the backbone of the economy and the people’s livelihood.
With that in mind, the landowner company took the important step and sponsored the group to be trained at the Department of Agriculture and Livestock-operated agricultural college.
Although far away from their island community, the Lihir students are now used to the cold climate and have settled in well and concentrating on their certificate in agriculture farming course which covers crop production, livestock production (including piggery, poultry, small ruminants and cattle), rural life development, project management and communications.
The group will graduate next month.
The students said they were aware of the mine impact on the people’s lives and realised that such major development also had its disadvantages.
Because of the people’s concerns for their future livelihood, the landowner company placed its trust in its young people and wanted them to be trained as agriculture workers so that they could promote and create awareness on agriculture rehabilitation and expansion.
The company has its hopes pinned on the school leavers to create opportunities in agriculture farming for the mine impact communities.
The students upon their return will also look at potential crops like coffee, aquaculture and vegetable production on a bigger scale.
“As school-leavers we realise that the only way to help our people is to teach them about agriculture farming,” they said.
“We also realise that often many students think of getting office jobs or going to universities, but we must think about helping our own community at the grassroots level.
“It is our duty to help the people who have been affected by the mine development in the past couple of years to resettle and participate in meaningful agriculture activities.”
Another group of students from the Porgera gold mine impact areas in Enga province, sponsored by their MP Philip Kikala, is also studying at the college.

NARI to establish resource centres in Abau

By CLIFTON DAVID GWABU of NARI

 

Deputy Prime Minister and Abau MP Sir Puka Temu has approved K38, 000 from his electoral funds for the establishment of a series of resource centres in the district.

 The National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI) will establish the centres.

The approval was made during a special joint district planning and budget priority committee (JDPBPC) meeting for Abau district held in Kupiano on April 21.

While approving the funds, Sir Puka expressed his appreciation towards NARI’s research-for-development (R4D) initiatives in his district over the recent years.

Sir Puka also expressed concerns that soil productivity had been declining in villages in the Aroma local level government (LLG) and asked NARI scientists to develop soil improvement programmes in Aroma.

During the meeting, Clifton David Gwabu of NARI’s Southern regional centre at Laloki in Central province presented the resource centre budget to Sir Puka and JDPBPC members.

Mr Gwabu thanked Sir Puka and his committee members and assured them that the funds would be used for continued R4D work in Abau through the resource centre concept.

While updating on NARI’s past, present and future development plans in Abau, Mr Gwabu revealed to date NARI’s presence was in Merani in the Cloudy LLG and Maopa and Egalauna in Aroma LLG but now, with the funding, NARI would extend its work to Amazon Bay LLG in addition to further expansion in other parts of Aroma and Cloudy Bay LLGs.

Mr Gwabu said NARI was currently piloting an agricultural innovative project called Life Long Learning for Farmers (L3F) in Abau district, which upon its success, would be extended to the rest of Central province.

The budget was presented at the request of Isoa Damai, the business representative of Abau JDPBPC, who is also the leader of Merani farmers who are working through NARI’s resource centre network.

Mr Damai invited NARI to put a budget proposal together because since the start of NARI’s work in Abau in 2007, there was no direct funding assistance from the district.

He said collaboration and partnership was now being strengthened.

 

 

UNRE goats tagged

By VERONICA MANUK of UNRE

 

Goats at the University of Natural Resources and Environment’s Vudal farm have all been tagged to secure more-permanent identification of individ­ual goats.

The ear tagging and numbering kit was donated by a New Zealand sup­ply company through an arrangement made by Volunteer Services Abroad volunteer Bill Kingan.

The kit consisted of tags, an applica­tor and marker pens which are used to secure permanent identification of indi­vidual goats.

Mr Kingan said the ear tags and the markers were of high quality and the inked numbers should last longer than printed numbers.

The goats are now increasing in number so that provision of such re­sources is crucial to daily manage­ment, routine husbandry practices, stocktaking and recording of weights and breeding success.

The current population is 40 animals: 19 are breeding females, six young females, six males selected for breed­ing and nine marketable males.

It is planned that the herd should reach and be maintained at 30 breed­ing females and six males at any one time, plus animals not yet weaned.

A suitable market weight is reached after about six months of growth.

Marketable animals are sold at K3 per kg liveweight.

Young female goats give birth for the first time at about nine months and thereafter at six to seven month inter­vals.

About half of the births give single kids and half give twins.

With the assistance given by Mr Kin­gan, the goats will be monitored and the breeding programme maintained to ensure continuous reproduction and a steady flow of animals, eventually both male and female, for sale.

While there have been many enquir­ies for female goats for breeding, the farm will not sell be selling any female goats as yet.

All females will be kept until the num­bers reach the target for a viable herd.

Some losses due to dog attack and misadventure have occurred but these problems can be overcome.

The efforts of people like Mr Kingan are helping to create good resources for teaching, research and income gen­eration for the University.

This contribution to the academic livestock section and the farm is great­ly appreciated.

Wep Kanawi confirmed as National AIDS Council Secretariat director

National AIDS Council chairman Sir Peter Barter today (Wednesday, May 12, 2010) announced the appointment of Wep Kanawi as director of the National AIDS Council Secretariat (NACS).

The announcement was made following the National Executive Council’s recent decision to appoint long-serving public servant Kanawi as NACS director in its third meeting of 2010, making the appointment effective as of May 4, 2010.

Mr Kanawi has been NACS acting director since July 2009.

 “I am delighted that Wep (Kanawi) has now joined us as director of NACS,” Sir Peter said.

“I would also like to thank the Government for the endorsement and the Minister for Health and HIV and AIDS Sasa Zibe for his high level support.

“Wep (Kanawi) is bringing a wealth of both academic and public service experience to the post and will continue to rebuild NACS credibility and develop strong and effective partnerships with all stakeholders.”

Before joining NACS, Mr Kanawi was formerly the provincial administrator for Manus province and the chairman of the provincial AIDS committee.

 He has worked in the public service since the 1960s and has been appointed by the Government of PNG to head several focal Government Departments including the National Investment Development Authority, Department of Commerce, Department of Industrial Development, Department of Trade and Industry and the Department of Personnel Management.

Mr. Kanawi also graduated with a law degree from the University of Papua New Guinea and studied strategic management in Australia and the United State of America in 1973.

MrKanawi is thankful of his appointment:  “I am looking forward to the challenges ahead and I am honored by my appointment and I will do my best for the country and my people.”

 

New computer lab for University of Goroka

JICA country co-ordinator Mr Shiratsuki cutting the ribbon to officially open the new post-graduate student computer laboratory at the University of Goroka

By KATE GUNN of UOG

Monday, May 10, 2010 saw the official opening of a new computer laboratory for post-graduate students at the University of Goroka.

A total of 53 computers and 32 flat screen monitors were donated by the International Development for Computer Education (IDCE) and the Kyoto Computer Gakuin (school) in Japan.

Sixteen of these are being used for the post-graduate students’ computer laboratory at the UOG, now officially named the KCG Lab after the Kyoto Computer Gakuin who not only helped to procure the donated computers and flat screen monitors but prioritised the UOG’s request for the items.

Acting Vice Chancellor of the UOG David Avei-Hosea commented at the opening that UOG had received many benefits over the years from JICA’s support in the areas of volunteering, infrastructure, language, culture and computers.

Mr Avei-Hosea said: “Fourteen years after establishing the school of post-graduate studies the dream of computers for post-graduate students is finally taking place.”

In a formal ceremony held on campus, the KCG Lab was officially opened by Mr Takeshi Shiratsuki co-ordinator of Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA) programme in Papua New Guinea.

Mr Shiratsuki said the occasion was a good way to acknowledge each other, make new relationships and also to develop PNG more.

Mr Shiratsuki asked those present to continue to support the JICA volunteer programme.

The new KCG computer laboratory will now help to ease the problem of access to computers and the Internet for UOG post-graduate students on campus.