Sir Julius upset over delays in resource laws review

Sir Julius...the Government should stop playing “deaf-ear” and take heed of growing resource-owner concerns.

By HENZY YAKHAM 

Papua New Guinea is currently experiencing an unprecedented level of mineral boom with so much hype of the economic gains that has the potential to transforming the socio-economic conditions of the country.

Inevitably, comes with the developments in the extractive industries sector, are landowner related concerns and issues, which have similarly attracted much debate in recent times than ever before.

Concerns over resource ownership, mining royalties, equity participation, and benefit sharing and related issues have taken from the back burner to the forefront as more and more resources owners are aware of their rights to gain maximum benefit from their land, sea and environment.

This has been particularly so following the experiences of Misima gold mine in Milne province, the forced closure of the Panguna mine on Bougainville as well as currently operating Ok Tedi and Tolukuma mines.

Experiences of Misima and Panguna mines, not exactly the same, have many similarities and provided customary landowners, local communities and their provincial governments some valuable lessons.

Concerns of landowner benefits, equity participation, Special Support Grants (SSG) to provincial governments and the National Government not honoring its commitments and obligations in signed Memorandum of Agreements (MOA) with provincial governments are still pressing issues to be resolved.

Since the gold rush day of Bulolo, Eddie Creek and Koranga in Morobe province in the early 1920s, customary landowners PNG-wide have been crying foul over poor treatment by miners over royalties, preferential employment and business opportunities for local communities , equity participation, tax credit schemes and benefit sharing arrangements.

These issues will continue to be hot potatoes as long as mining activities continue in PNG.

Whist there is much excitement and fanfare with promises of much economic gains from PNG’s huge mineral resources, the National Parliament is yet to deal with a motion initiated by New Ireland Governor and former Prime Minister Sir Julius Chan that seek some revolutionary changes to the Mining Act 1992.

One of the underlying objectives of the motion is that Sir Julius believes that in these fast-changing 21st Century times, law makers need to review the laws relating to resource exploitation.

Another is that Papua New Guinea should not allow itself to be raped of its vast natural resources by multi-national corporations under outdated laws and regulations.

Instead, Sir Julius proposes appropriate changes in resource laws in line with the true wishes and aspirations of the people on whose lands these vast natural resources are found.

The over-orchestrated myth by some people including politicians that PNG’s current laws governing the extraction of mineral, oil, gas and resources are sufficient is absurd and a total nonsense.

Why?

Because, in general, the existing laws do not favour the resource owners.

 It disadvantages the resource owners, making them minor recipients of benefits from resources derived on and in their customary land.

Not only the landowners miss out, but if benefits are reaching them, sometimes it takes months and even years for promised goods and services to arrive.

The National Government had failed in some instances to honor its commitments to provinces where it has entered into agreements with commitments of Special Support Grants and other funds for the provinces.

Lihir Gold Mine in the New Ireland province is a classical example.

Since the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the National Government and the New Ireland Provincial Government in 1995, the former had failed over the years to fully honor its commitments as per the MOA. 

The fact that Waigani failed over the years to fully honor its commitments has resulted in the people of Lihir and New Ireland province in general missing out on infrastructure projects and socio-economic benefits generated by those projects.

That MOA specifies for among others the National Government to allocate each year major infrastructure grants, SSG and major infrastructure projects.

The major infrastructure projects include an international airport, an international seaport, a modern well-equipped hospital at Namatanai and major redevelopment and sealing of the Bulminski Highway.

To date, none of these projects have been undertaken since the signing of the MOA in 1995.

As well, the New Ireland people through their provincial government have missed out on a lot of opportunities.

National Government owes the New Ireland provincial government over K400 million in outstanding infrastructure grants.

Divide that by 15 years from 1995 when the MOA was signed and find that the province has been missing out on up to K26 million annually.

If all the grants were paid on time and if use properly, imagine what New Ireland province would be like now, or for that matter provinces where major resource development projects are taking place.

Considering these and other outstanding cases, the motion by Sir Julius, when passed by parliament will not only resolve the outstanding claims or entitlements of the NIP, but also for existing as well as new projects in the country.

It is over one year this month that Sir Julius gave Notice of Motion for the comprehensive review of the Mining Act 1992 to transfer all natural resources ownership to landowners.

The motion, seconded by Bulolo MP Sam Basil, in whose electorate the new Hidden Valley and Wafi gold mines are coming up, is to move for the National Government to review the ownership of minerals as part of a comprehensive review of the Mining Act 1992.

The review calls for among others:

•           Review the decisions by the State to reduce the rate of Special Support Grant (SSG) calculations from 1% to 0.25% and demand the state to immediately restore the 1% special support grants (SSG) will full compensation to be paid to affected provinces retrospectively to the date of the Governments unilaterally, without consulting the stakeholders or invoking settlement of dispute under Terms of the MOA;

•           SSG calculation be increased from 1% to 10% of annual FOB sales revenue and that SSG be given untied;

•           The principle of derivation revenue (5%) paid to provinces be applied also to mineral exports;

•           The rate of mineral royalty payment be increased from 2% to 5% of annual FOB sales revenue;

•           The 10% equity option offered to Provincial Government and the landowners be fully carried by the State;

•           The supply and procurement of goods and services from within PNG be transferred from within the province where the mining operation is located so that GST to the provinces is maximised;

•           Tax credit scheme be supplemented with more favourable arrangements to enable linking infrastructures to be established right from day one of the mining operations;

•           Mining companies contribute at least 10% of the value of further expansion costs not originally planned for that many prolong the payment of corporate tax;

•           Mining companies committed to support infrastructure as recommended by the Provincial Government and this commitment must from part of the mining contract;

•           National Government  immediately settle all outstanding MOA by 30 June 2009; and

•           Amendment to the Mining Act 1992 and transfer all natural resources, (Timber, Fish and Underwater Mining, Oil and Gas), ownership to resource owners with clear and agreed sharing formula.

Sir Julius has made a statement outlining the reasons why it is imperative for changes in the relevant laws to transfer all the resource ownership to the landowners.

This week, when asked about his motion, Sir Julius expressed concern that for some unexplained reason, the motion cannot be listed for Parliament’s deliberation.

“It is an important motion and should be brought forthwith without unnecessary delay so that we debate, discuss and reach some decision. It’s very important considering the increased activities nationwide in extractive industries sector,” he stressed.

What a week it was in Australian politics!

From JOHN PASQUARELLI

 

What a week it was!

 Rudd the blubberer, all for himself – with nary ever a tear for the four Australians killed in roof spaces because of that mad batts scheme which still starts fires and which was signed off by Rudd, Gillard, Swan and Garrett. 

What was in that mysterious fourth letter to Rudd allegedly from Garrett? 

Gillard and Swan after doing over Rudd with a little help from friends and enemies are continuing on their merry way and if voters are suckered in by the second most-famous redhead in Australia come the election,  then please,  no whingeing when she reveals her real policies for changing the face of Australia forever.

 Bill Shorten and his mates detest Gillard but such is the Labor way that for as long as it suits them, Gillard can stay where she is.

 Shorten is very capable and ambitious and it is no secret that he regards himself as the next PM. 

Tony Abbott has promised that he will never let the mining super tax see the light of day but if the industry is conned, then it too can cop whatever happens in the future. 

How the hell will Gillard resolve the ‘illegals’ issue?

 

2010 Papua New Guinea census off

Blame levelled at funding and logistics shortfalls

 

THE 2010 national housing and population census, scheduled to start in two weeks time, will probably be deferred to next year, census director Kit Ronga said yesterday, The National reports.

Ronga cited various logistics problems, including funding, as contributing to the need to defer it from July 11 to a later date although much of the preliminary work had been done.

This is on top of the more than K40 million already expended to update Papua New Guinea’s population.

“We want to defer the national census to next year but full details would be announced after our meeting with National Planning and Monitoring Minister Paul Tiensten.”

Ronga, acting national statistician Joseph Aka and members of the finance committee are expected to meet with Tiensten tomorrow to finalise a new counting date.

“Funding is not the only worry, there were many other pressing issues which had forced us to reach this decision,” Ronga said.

He said one of the reasons was that provinces were not yet ready for the census, although awareness and workshops had been conducted to prepare provincial census coordinators on how the census will be conducted and the expected outcome.

“Funding remittances from the Department of Finance and Treasury to provinces to carry out house listing and council ward mapping exercises have not been forthcoming.

“The process has been very slow and, hopefully, Tiensten would clarify this.”

Ronga said while funding was available, the challenge was how to make it available to provinces to carry out the listing exercises.

Ronga said: “Our case is not an isolated one, previous census exercises experienced similar problems with the release of funds.”

He said that more time was needed now, not the six months that had been allocated, to prepare for the July 11 start.

“We have been very optimistic about the census this year but it seemed we have been too ambitious in our approach towards the project.

“We did not expect it to turn out this way.”

The government allocated K107 million for the National Statistical Office to conduct the nationwide population and housing survey this year.

This allocation included additional funding for 2011 and 2012 to ensure the successful completion of the census.

According to Ronga, a total of K66 million had been made available for the preparations and the actual census this year.

Two-thirds of that money had been spent while the remainder had not been released by Finance and Treasury, he added.

The national census is conducted at 10-year intervals since Independence – in 1980, 1990 and 2000.

The deferral would mean that the government would miss out on important updated facts and figures it needed to plan properly for the people.

It would also mean that vital information and statistics for reviewing and updating implementation strategies for Vision 2010-50 would not be there when needed most.

Prime Minister will not quit

THE National Alliance will not force its leader, Sir Michael Somare, out of office because of pressure from non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and the opposition, party president Simon Kaiwi said yesterday, The National reports.

The prime minister has, in recent times, faced a number of calls from prominent individuals, NGOs and the opposition to step down over a number of issues.

Some commentators and writers of letters to the editor had used the resignation of Kevin Rudd as prime minister and leader of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) to renew their call for Sir Michael to step down.

But Kaiwi said the party would follow the law in deciding change in its leadership, and this would  not happen at the whims of others.

He said just like what happened with Labor, a change of leadership at NA would also be decided by the party and, at this stage, the party still supported the leadership of Sir Michael.

“This government is adhering to the principles of democracy as stipulated by the PNG Constitution on the process of electing leaders to Parliament and the subsequent formation of government that follows.

“Sir Michael fulfilled all these criteria that saw his re-election as prime minister in 2007.

“Therefore, his removal from office will follow the processes stipulated in our Constitution and not by manipulative NGOs and the opposition outside of our democratic processes,” Kaiwi said in a statement.

He said there were rules that guide the conduct in PNG’s democracy and any change of government must follow these procedures and processes.

“If we abuse these processes to remove duly-elected leaders, we can hold ourselves responsible for the type of anarchy that may result.”

He welcomed Julia Gillard as the new ALP leader and first woman prime minister of Australia.

“The National Alliance and its coalition partners strongly supported the representation of women in Parliament and are happy to see that Australia now has, for the first time, a woman prime minister.

“The National Alliance continues to support women candidates during the general elections and, recently, despite the unsuccessful outcome through its support behind the vote to nominate women to Parliament.”

 

Landowners cause a stir at Lamana

RESOURCE landowners from the multi-billion-kina PNG liquefied natural gas project areas yesterday clashed with security guards after they were denied entry into the umbrella company for LNG structure discussion in Lamana Hotel yesterday, The National reports.

The first commotion occurred at the hotel’s main gate after a drunk landowner was refused entry and the second was by a group of uninvited people demanding food in the hotel.

According to Esso Highlands Ltd, operator of the LNG project and a subsidiary of ExxonMobil Corporation, the meeting was for selected Hides landowners.

“Those invited were the chairmen and selected chief landowners to discuss how to structure the Hides Development Company which has been nominated to be the PNG LNG landowner umbrella company,” an Esso spokesman said.

“The landowners had mistaken the disbursements of the structure meeting for the business development grants distribution, resulting in the clashes,” he said.

Governor Anderson Agiru, when receiving the grants from the prime minister early last week, said the K60 million of business grants would be distributed to the different landowner companies and associations at the project sites and not in Port Moresby.

“The funds are seed capital for businesses and not memorandum of agreement funds to be misused,” he said.

Hotel staff told The National in the second incident, more than 20 landowners forced their way into the Balcony where the meeting was held and demanded food without meal cards.

The waitresses said they were intimidated, harassed and threatened by the landowners to be given meals.

“The angry landowners almost threw plates at us after we refused to serve them meals because they were not listed as guests.

“The rowdy and angry bunch of landowners swore at us and told us that ExxonMobil would never pay them any toea for their work so they should serve them meals,” a waitress said.

Another waitress said the landowners’ attitudes were unacceptable and that the waitresses were so humiliated by their actions.

“We have never experienced such attitudes and we were so frightened.

“Fortunately, security guards managed to control the situation,” she said.

However, security guards manning the main gates said the confrontation instigated by a drunk landowner was brought under control by policemen and women who were called in to help.

More than 100 men and women fronted the hotel entrance but they were refused entry as they were not invited for the meeting.

A few landowner groups claimed they had been sidelined in the structure discussion and left out in the meeting.

Using local ingredients in poultry feed

Broiler chickens being put through a trial at the NARI feed testing facility in Lae

By JANET PANDI of NARI

In any commercial poultry enterprise, be it broiler chickens, ducks or layers, 70-80% of the cost of production comes from feed.

 Feed is the major constraint faced by smallholder broiler farmers in Papua New Guinea. Compounded (mixed) feed is expensive and in most instances there may be no feed mill or mixed feed is not readily available.

Currently, commercially produced broiler feeds are expensive because most of the ingredients used in the formulation are imported from overseas.

Smallholder broiler farmers have been paying the high price of commercial broiler feeds. 

The approach of using locally-available feed resources for cheaper and low density feeds will lead to less cost of feed needed to grow broiler chickens in PNG.

 This would reduce input costs and improve profitability of this enterprise as there are adequate supplies of resources such as fishmeal, cassava, sweet potato, fresh coconut and corn, which could form the basis of the feed industry throughout PNG.

Additionally, mini and micro feed mills could be established to make diets in areas where local feed supply is plentiful.

Adoption of the feeding system is considered a solution for the viability of village broiler farming in PNG which is a potential method of supporting smallholder poultry operations in other areas of the Pacific region.

NARI research has developed alternative feeding strategies that are efficient, productive and profitable for small scale broiler farmers.

Four alternative feeding strategies have been investigated for broiler feeding:

1.      Using the concentrates to bulk up with local feed resources such as sweet potato or cassava;

2.      Diluting or blending of the commercial finisher with local materials in the finishing stages;

3.      Complete ration formulation using locally available resources, and

4.      Choice feeding.

 Formulation of feed is a complex procedure as different feed ingredients must be blended together. Each feed ingredient has a given nutritive value, and inclusion of one will affect the nutritive value of the other.

There are many factors that affect the capabilities of birds to digest and absorb nutrients; however, the fact remains that chickens eat to meet their energy requirement and will eat more if the feed is low in energy and will eat less if the feed contains more energy than is required.

 This is true provided all other factors are conducive.

Formulation of broiler diets using local ingredients is possible provided the diet that is formulated meets the nutritional requirements of these birds in their different stages of growth, such as starter and finisher phases. 

Feed ingredients are mixed according to a special recipe to provide a balanced diet.

Often, only very few suitable ingredients (feedstuffs) are produced in the country and most are imported.

In PNG, some of such resources that have potential to be used in formulating feed are fish meal, copra meal, palm kernel meal, brewery waste, wheat bran and rice bran.

 But these are largely inadequate for formulating a high quality, commercial poultry diet especially for broilers and layers.

Synthetic amino acids (lysine and methionine), minerals and vitamins must be included in these formulations in order to have a well-balanced feed.

Local resources that can be used as ingredients in least cost or lower density diets are classified below:

Energy sources: Mostly grains such as corn (maize), wheat, barley, oats and rice. Alternative energy sources include cereals and milling by-products such as wheat and rice bran, roots and tubers such as cassava, sweet potatoes, fruits and by-products such as banana and plantain, papaya, and other miscellaneous products such molasses (by-product of sugar cane industry) and fats (palm oil, coconut oil, animal fats).

Protein sources: About 20% of a poultry diet needs to be protein and some of its sources are legumes such as soybeans or soybean meal (cooked or heat-treated), leguminous forage, field peas and beans. Alternative sources are copra meal, palm kernel meal, brewers’ and distillers’ by-products. Most of these alternate protein sources are poor in two essential amino acids, methionine and lysine, and would often require synthetic amino acids to be included. Animal protein meals include fish meal, blood and bone meal and dairy by-products.

Mineral Sources: Needed at 3-4 % inclusion rate in diets. Important mineral sources are yeast (also have B-complex vitamins), green fodder (also contain B-complex vitamins, vitamin A), alfalfa meal, dairy by-products (whey, buttermilk), brewery wastes, animal by-products and milling by-products (bran, middlings). Limestone or oyster shell, bone meal and salt are also very useful.  Scavenging poultry may get their trace minerals from wood ashes.

 Vitamin Sources: Ideal sources are commercial premixes.

Under warm and wet conditions of much of PNG, the formulated feed must be properly stored and must not be kept for more than a month.

A recent poultry survey (2003) in Morobe, Madang and Eastern Highlands indicates that broiler chicken farming in these regions (small-scale) provides additional income for families. Most farmers raise broilers out of their own initiative despite high feed and travel costs. But demand for live birds is high and there is a community agreement over prices. These farmers expressed concerns over prices of feeds, limited access to information and lack of assistance from government systems. Survey respondents welcomed extension and advisory services on low cost and alternative feed options.

Research by NARI using a feed testing facility resulted in the availability of a database on apparent metabolisable energy values of some common ingredients found around the country. These values have been combined with other chemical composition values from literatures and are available at NARI. Training on feed formulations can also be conducted and skills passed on to facilitators or trainers and farmers to utilise the knowledge to be creative and innovative in formulating their own feeds using local materials.

The PNG smallholder broiler chicken production has a gross value of AUD$6.7million per annum and profitability can be increased with reductions in feed costs through greater use of local feed resources.

No hope for Ok Tedi River for long time yet ...

From JAMES WANJIK

 

The feature story by Harlyne Joku "Hope for dying Ok Tedi River ...” Weekend Courier, Saturday, June 26, 2010 pp. 20-21 is a very one-sided

report.

I would have thought Post-Courier would have been a leading light but not so.

Perhaps the funding for the trip and the discussions with the polluters may have overly swayed the reporter and the Post-Courier.

Several clarifications must be made to the story.

1. Law on Mineral Resources Authority is unconstitutional. MRA is operating illegally. MRA is also collecting illegal tax in illegal production levy from the miners including Ok Tedi mine. Post-Courier has not shown how it wants news readers to believe its story when it has not shown how ethical journalism is to their receiving payment for the trip and discussions only with the polluters. Lot of people know truth about Ok Tedi mine. All the journalist could have done was see one and ask.

2. Big dredging operations are not new. What would have been new are how much beneficial impact the dredging operations have meant for the river, off river water bodies, food sources and on lives of people who rely on the river, off river water bodies, and resources for living.

3. Dredging operations is primarily to serve Ok Tedi's interest. The sedimentation on the river bed is making Ok Tedi's copper barges having difficulty navigating the Fly River.

4. BHP Billiton has not gone away yet. They are still at Ok Tedi. They are there through PNG Sustainable Development Program. And PNGSDP is not a PNG company. It is a Singapore-based company holding BHP's 52% interest for the benefit of PNG. PNG only owns 30% in Ok Tedi mine.

5. Environment management has never been a serious matter for Ok Tedi mine at any time. Not even now. Law has been used to protect Ok Tedi mine since its tailings dam collapsed in 1984. Acceptable Particulate Level (APL) was the first environmental regime. It resulted in higher copper level in fish stock in the Fly River. Sedimentation saw huge areas under water longer than normal causing dieback.

6. Legislation was used to continue riverine tailings and waste disposal. Let us be honest and truthful so that we can be judged by our readers fairly and justly.

Mendi Muruks edge out Masta Mak Rangers

 Muruks player Roderick Puname (with ball) being sandwiched in a tackled by Rangers Samuel Maniat (right) and Francis Ray. – Nationalpic by AMOS KAKA ANDAWE

Hooker Baine gets Muruks home with last-gasp try

By PETER PIA

MENDI Muruks edged Masta Mak Rangers 10-6 in round eight of the bemobile Cup in Lae yesterday thanks to a last-minute try to hooker Andrew Baine, The National reports.
In the other games, Port Moresby Vipers beat Lae Bombers 20-10, Mt Hagen Kuris zilched Simbu Warriors 30-0 and Rabaul Gurias rode roughshod over Enga Mioks 44-10 in the 2009 grand final replay.
Baine scored the match winner in the 76th minute after both sides were locked at 6-6 for most of the second half .
The Lae-based Muruks were first to score in the opening 40 minutes when halfback Joshua Molsi jinked his way through several defenders from 30m out for a brilliant solo effort.
The try was converted by Kiwa Kili for a 6-0 lead to the home side.
The Muruks, with representative prospect Norbert Kembo and Jackson Undi at the helm, matched the Rangers in the ruck and the game soon turned into an arm-wrestle.
Muruks play-makers Kili, Molsi and Baine combined to send Undi over the line only to be denied by a try-saving effort from Rangers’ Nathan Anjo, that dislodged the ball.
Rangers forwards began to muscle-up as the game progressed with hardworking Johnson Kuike, Francis Ray, Simon Young, Aaron Mulunga and Anjo gaining yardage and asserting themselves in defence.
Anjo controlled the Rangers surges effeciently from his dummy-half role but the Port Moresby franchise lacked the finishing touch in the backline with several scoring chances gone begging.
Rangers’ rookie winger Michael Keith came close to scoring in the latter stages of the  half when running off a Mulunga short ball only to be pushed into touch and the score remained 6-0 to the Muruks at the break.
The tempo increased in the second half when both teams exchanged some hard hits in defence.
The visitors eventually found the tryline in 60th minute when five-eighth Mark Mexico put up a bomb which bounced fortuitously for substitute Samson Ene to score out wide. Samuel Maniat successfully converted to level the scores at 6-6.
Rangers created more chances when forwards Ray, Mulunga,  and Anjo broke the Muruks defence at different stages but were let down by a disjointed and complacent backline.
Luckless wingers Joel Ambrose and Keith’s efforts from the dummy-half only highlighted Rangers’ lack of coordination in attack.
Muruks made the most of their opportunity with Baine’s individual effort.

It's time: the day of Papua New Guinea's middle class has dawned

 From JOHN FOWKE

 

The word of Christ was brought to Papua New Guinea in the 19th century.

Evangelists came armed with an ideal, both institutional and individual, which meant commitment to the task in hand above any other.

A task of conversion of a society and its fundamental belief-systems to a radically-different view of mankind’s origin, of the human race’s place in the world and the cosmos, and of individuals’ responsibilities, one to another.

Soon after the initial impact of the early missionaries another foreign force devoted to the imposition of new ways of social management and interaction arrived.

But these men were not driven by a long-term philosophy or objective.

The first colonial governors were driven by a simple imperative; a political one, primarily.

To occupy and to claim sovereignty.

Followed by a secondary concern for sources of trade and the management of what might follow.

The indigenous social-management systems which the foreigners, missionaries and governors alike, encountered were geared to the daily survival, within a situation of competition, of hundreds of mutually-antagonistic micro-societies.

To that extent the system worked well, but the level of enmity shown to outsiders would not permit of any assumption of sovereignty, of rule, without recourse to force, or at least of a demonstration of force.

This was accomplished simply by the aggressive or the defensive, or simply by the demonstrative deployment of the multi-chambered firearms which the newcomers possessed.

The existence of peace within society was thus procured.

 Within this altered situation new ideas grew and spread.

Nevertheless, more than a century later, in 2010, kastom tumbuna or its remnant ideals and attitudes are still manifestly present in all sorts of ways.

 In particular in terms of continuing tribalism- with its echoes of racism- so deeply imbedded that people often describe themselves as being “ of mixed Madang/East Sepik parentage” etc., etc.,. For heavens sake!

Are people so ashamed of their native country that they shy away from identifying as citizens of it, and instead cite the provinces in which their parents were born?

This feeling of being a member of a restricted ethnic group rather than a citizen of an independent constitutional national commonwealth has resulted in the confused, jealous and distrustful, and thus largely incoherent and weak society which exists in PNG today.

Is this because PNG’s modern leaders have never been able to empower the nation and drive it to any peak of widely-recognised achievement in social development or in living-standards, resulting in some sense of national pride?

 Is this why league football, the only international arena within which PNG has demonstrated any continuing level of talent and success, is almost a holy icon to the ordinary people of this nation?

Such an indecisive, weak society will never push and empower the triumphant raising of the democratic and independent nation of PNG as an exemplary developing peoples’ commonwealth where honesty and positivism governs the life and the rights of the multitude.

 But we do have a thriving, ambitious and largely-dissatisfied middle-class in PNG; a class consisting of the wage-and-salary earners, the professionals of all types, and the entrepreneurs in all areas of business from big to small.

These people, many of them in their 'fifties today, remember the sort of education and medical attention they received as kids forty years ago, and look at what is now available to their own children and grandchildren; services often to be paid for first, and then found to be wanting in performance and result.

These people are potentially the source of the emergence of a loud, unified and informed voice in the electorate.

A voice sounding from a great many throats across the nation, and a voice which by virtue of its issue from the educated members of each family, each clan, each community is a voice which will be respected, listened to.

A voice whose recommendations and evoked desires and principles will be taken up across the country among the villages, among the settlements, among the illiterate and the impoverished of each and every province as well as among the educated and aware.

 As I’ve said before, its time for the re-emergence of the LLGS as an effective community-based control over district resources, over planning and over the restoration of basic health and education systems in the provinces.

 But it’s also now time for a leader to step up and adopt the middle-class of PNG as his or her own constituency.

 

 

 

 

Governor General is also a greedy person

By NEWMAN CUTHBERT

 

I was of the view that you needed to do a small amendment to the PNG constitution to enable a Governor General to run for a second term.

The wording of Somare motion that the house resolves to have Matane  continue in the position I thought is actually seeking parliament’s endorsement of Matane’s nominations  one of the candidates for the post.

Only after parliament agreed to that motion by Somare which was seconded by Temu that the house should move to the second part of the voting process which is the exhaustive secret ballot.

Australia is only about 50km from its top end to our Western end, and less than 48 hours earlier they showed us clearly and without any reservations that public opinion on their leaders, government policies and the principals of democracy is an important consideration for those in power.

They made the changes in the party room and took it to parliament to make the announcement for the good of all Australians.

They did it for the good of the country and brought home that age old message that government is the people and by the people.

Isn’t there any body within the party room of the ruling coalition that has any consideration at all for this country or are they all in the game together?

For too long we have sadly allowed the principals of democracy to be compromised by a political group of individuals who have absolutely no intention to part with the privileges they enjoy and GG’s reelection indicates that even Matane wants to hold onto his little kingdom within the comforts of the palace on the Konedobu hills.

We in the media should open the forum to discuss democracy and good governance.

We need to address what constitutes a dictatorial government and authoritarian rule and open up debate on whether those elements have been deliberately allowed and legally manipulated to undermine the constitution and all things constitutional in PNG. .

If the tone of Ano Plala’s statement saying there should be no more debate on the environment policy amendments is in fact removing our rights to freedom of expression, how far do we have to look?

The way all this is unfolding, I wonder if we will have a general election in 2012.

If the value of the Kina does not change between now and after 2012, we are what the world is really saying about us.

 

Sir Paulias returns as Governor General amid controversy

GOVERNOR-General Sir Paulias Matane has been “appointed” to a second term in office under very controversial circumstances in Parliament last Friday, in an act likely to be challenged in court, The National reports.

Parliament was a scene of chaos and confusion, with conflicting advice from the speaker and the prime minister as to how PNG’s 9th governor-general was to be appointed.

In an orchestrated move, the government succeeded in moving swiftly to appoint Sir Paulias, using section 87(5) of the Constitution, arguing that the absolute majority secured for Sir Paulias meant that the exhaustive secret ballot vote was not required.

Members who were supporting the other candidates were up in arms, and there were exchanges of shouts and abuses, bringing the whole Parliament House into a state of confusion.

The members watching from the public gallery, incensed by what they believe was an abuse of parliamentary democracy, shouted down the chambers resulting in an exchange of words between the public and MPs including Works, Transport and Civil Aviation Minister Don Polye and Community Development Minister Dame Carol Kidu.

It all started after Speaker Jeffery Nape announced the names of the nominees – Sir Makena Geno, Sir Pato Kakaraya, Sir Paulias and Ronald Rimbao.

He then said since Sir Paulias was being proposed, section 87(5) of the Constitution required Parliament to determine by two-thirds absolute majority vote of 73 members the eligibility of Sir Paulias for re-appointment for a second term.

Members were surprised when Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare moved a motion for Parliament to resolve that Sir Paulias be supported for a second term as governor-general.

Confused, Enga Governor Peter Ipatas raised a point of order, asking the speaker to clarify the prime minister’s motion.

But the speaker, without clarifying, ordered the vote to proceed, even though Ipatas interjected again that the prime minister’s motion was not in line with the process the speaker had explained.

Other point of orders and interjections were rejected by the speaker.

The eligibility vote was taken by open ballot where MPs were required to stand up to vote, which resulted in an 84-13 in favour of Sir Paulias.

The speaker then informed Parliament that Sir Paulias was eligible for appointment as governor-general for a second term, prompting East Sepik Governor Peter Wararu to raise another point of order.

Wararu said there was confusion in what the speaker was saying, as section 87(5) was clear in that no person was eligible for appointment as governor-general more than once unless the Parliament, by an absolute two-thirds majority, approves the appointment for a second term.

Wararu said taking that into account, the speaker needed to make a ruling.

Nape suspended the sitting for lunch to make a ruling, taking into account Wararu’s point of order.

The speaker reconvened the House at 3pm and declared Sir Paulias as elected.

Polye was confused, and raised a point of order, asking Nape to clarify whether Sir Paulias was elected or became eligible to contest.

Nape stated that he was elected, drawing shouts from Morobe Governor Luther Wenge that “democracy has been hijacked”, and Ipatas, shouting, “why are you hijacking this House”.

Leader of government business Paul Tiensten adjourned Parliament to July 20.

Prime Minister appoints Somare as acting Treasurer

PRIME Minister Sir Michael Somare has appointed Angoram MP Arthur Somare the acting Finance and Treasury Minister, The National reports.

Government insiders told The National the prime minister signed the instrument for the appointment of Somare last Friday, and a public announcement on this change is expected this week.

This portfolio became vacant after incumbent Patrick Pruaitch was suspended from office because of his referral to a leadership tribunal over allegations of misconduct in office.

Pruatich is challenging his referral in court, and the case is pending.

There has been a lot of jostling and lobbying for this job since Pruaitch vacated it, and a number of ministers and backbenchers were hoping the job would go to them. But, insiders said, the job had to remain in the Momase region under the Kokopo Agreement that the National Alliance and its coalition partners agreed to after the general elections.

“A number of eligible and qualified candidates have missed out, but that is the nature of these political agreements,” an insider said when confirming the appointment of Somare.

Somare will double up as Public Enterprises Minister as well.

But the appointment raised eyebrows in some circles, with Somare also confronting misconduct allegations of his own.

The public prosecutor last week asked the chief justice to appoint a judge to head a leadership tribunal to inquire into allegations of misconduct in office which were referred in 2006.

Somare continues to hold office because he had taken out an injunction against his suspension, and is challenging his referral in court.

 

 

Mt Hagen journalist shot dead

A MT Hagen-based newspaper journalist was shot dead, allegedly by a relative, at his village outside the city on Saturday, The National reports.

Police are investigating the death of Sent Timbi at his Ogugulben village at about 7.30pm.

Police said the man who pulled the trigger of the self-loading rifle was on the run after firing three shots – the first in the air, the second at a house showing videos and the third at Timbi.

He was killed instantly after the bullet penetrated his chest and went through the village store that he was standing beside.

Timbi’s immediate family of the Yamka tribe were confused and shocked, saying they did not know the motive behind the killing but were helping police with their investigations.

A relative Pang Pawa said the father of an 11-year-old boy was gunned down as he was talking with his tribesmen in front of the shop.

According to Pawa, the suspected gunman had called Timbi twice on Saturday night, telling the journalist that he had a problem with his employees at his coffee plantation and needed Timbi’s assistance to solve it.

He said Timbi was a devout SDA who had just returned home from church service and was making his way to the video premises, about 300m away, when the suspect drove towards their ceremonial ground close to the video site.

Pawa said three shots were then fired, the third being the fatal one which also went close to wounding the storekeeper inside.

Timbi’s body is now at the Mt Hagen General Hospital morgue.

He started his journalism career as a stringer with The National in 2007 before joining the Post-Courier last year.

Pawa said the family would allow justice to take its course.

Yet another mercy dash in Madang

Late yesterday (Saturday) another medevac was undertaken by the Melanesian Foundation helicopter piloted by Sir Peter Barter in Madang (pictures below). 

Gideon Ningende, a young man aged about 30,  was cut badly on the neck with a bush knife  following an argument at Watung Village near Saidor. 

He was rushed to  Saidor Health Centre, stabilised then taken by helicopter to Modilon Hospital.

His condition was serious but provincial health Adviser, Markus Kachau met Sir Peter and rushed the patient to the emergency ward.

"We need to expose these medevacs which occur numerous times a week  in order to get some funds to purchase avgas for the helicopter," Sir Peter said.

 "All  these medivacs are done free of charge."

Barter suspects “mystery” Manam disease to be cholera

 By MALUM NALU

Former Madang Governor Sir Peter Barter tonight confirmed that 15 people had died on Manam Island from an unconfirmed disease, believed to be cholera.

Dr Sibauk Bieb, the co-ordinator for operations of the cholera taskforce in Madang was flown to Dugalava and Bien on Manam by Sir Peter in his helicopter, where it was confirmed that 15 people had died and several more remained at Bien health centre, which is now downgraded to an aid post.   

 Dr Sibek Bieb (centre) talking to villagers on Manam Island yesterday.

 “Dr Bieb was advised that a family of four had visited Dangale village last week and upon their return to Dugalava No.2, they got sick and within three hours they were dead,” Sir Peter said.

 “All those dead are from Dugalava and Dr Bieb feels that those who have become ill have probably contracted cholera as it appears all the people affected are people who may have handled the bodies of the deceased.”

 The people in villages on Manam were quite hungry.

 Sir Peter was told the gardens were not producing and the only food they had was banana, which the people claimed were very dry.

 All the rice given to them had gone complained, a mother of four from Dugalava No. 1.

 Sir Peter flew to Bogia to where Dr Bieb advised the staff of Bogia health centre not to send any more bodies back to Manam and arrange to have them buried in Bogia.

 “He (Dr Bieb) also advised the staff to practice caution themselves when handling those that were sick and bodies of those who had died,” Sir Peter said.

 “Before returning to Madang, further stops were made at Malala High School, Asurumba and Mangem care centres to advise the people from Dangale and Dugalava of the situation and advise that a further medical team was on the way to Bogia and warn them not to take any further bodies back to Manam.

Dr Sibek Bieb (right) meeting with Manam islanders at Asuramba care centre on mainland Madang yesterday.-Picture courtesy of SIR PETER BARTER

 “It is expected that Dr Bieb will make a full report to the provincial health office and National Disaster Office so that action be taken to stop any further spread of the sickness that will be most likely diagnosed as cholera.”

15 dead from 'mystery' disease on Manam island

By MALUM NALU

 

Fifteen people from Manam Island on Madang province have died from a mysterious disease.

However, Sir Peter Barter, who today flew to the island on his helicopter, said tonight the disease could be cholera although this was yet to be confirmed.

The deaths were initially confirmed by local councilor Paul Mabora from Bogia today.

He said two children and 13 adults (five women and eight men) had died since Thursday June 17.

As Mabora spoke to from Bogia Hospital, the sound of weeping relatives could be heard in the background, as the mystery ailment claimed its latest victim.

All victims are from Duguluba village on the volcanic island.

Mabora said all victims, some of whom had fronted up to the Bien health centre on Manam  and Bogia Hospital on the mainland, had complained of having initial symptoms of  a cold sensation which started from the soles of their feet and began to works its way upwards the upper part of the body.

By the time the cold feeling reached the abdomen and stomach of each of the victims, the feeling of hunger then became so intense and by the time the cold reached the heart, he or she collapsed and was pronounced dead.

Of the 15 people who died, 10 died in the village, three at Bien health centre and two at Bogia hospital.

Today a team of specialists from the Madang provincial health office and Modilon Hospital was dispatched by road to Bogia and then by sea over to Manam Island where they will be for the next couple of days.

A small team was today flown by Sir Peter Barter on helicopter to the Island to determine what the disease may be and how to prevent more deaths.

Mabora said he had approached health authorities in Madang last week for assistance but to no avail.

All the villagers living in Dugulaba are now panic-stricken and are making their way to live with relatives in care centres on the mainland.

Duguluba villagers had been living at Daigul care centre on the mainland until March this year when they were forced out by local landowners

Mabora said the first confirmed death from the disease was on Thursday June 17, and up to yesterday, when five people died, the total number of people who died was 15.

“Some people are in hospital at Bogia while some are at Bien health centre on Manam Island,” he said.

“We do not know what kind of disease it is.

“If it is cholera, you have diarrhoea, but with this disease, you have no diarrhoea.

“Your legs go numb and it spreads up to the heart and you die.

“The victims felt cold in their legs and the feeling spread throughout the body.

“They then say they feel hungry and then drop dead.”

Mabora said the first victim on June 17 was a young father of three children named Raphael Jawa, who started complaining of the cold sensation and later died in his own house.

“Right now, all my people are fleeing from the island and are coming to Potsdam care centre on the mainland,” he said.

“They are saying that they want me to get them to Mangem care centre, which is towards Madang.

“I’ve talked with the Bogia district administrator about this but he said he had no funds.

“I’ve also talked with Pais Ikumar, the provincial director for disaster, but he said he had no funds.

“I do not know where my people will stay or get food to eat.

“This is a life-and-death situation.”

Mabora said Duguluba villagers lived a very hard life on Manam.

“We don’t have proper water supply on Manam,” he said.

“We get water from underground wells, but there is volcanic dust in the wells, so who knows?

“On the island, we can’t grow vegetables and we can’t get meat,

“The government only gives us rice and noodles.”

Mabora appealed to the people of Papua New Guinea as well as overseas donors to assist the Duguluba villagers.

“I am appealing to the people of PNG to help move our people to the mainland,” he said.

“I am also appealing for help from overseas donors.”

 

Papua New Guinea government trying to suppress resistance and protest

By TIFFANY NONGORR

Ano Pala, the new Attorney General,  has not read his job description in the Attorney General Act (it is really a very short Act and it is beyond me why he couldn't manage it !) and so has stepped WAY beyond his powers and issued the letter to the media last week.

I enclose my clients/the referrors' official response (published in full below).

 Trying to tell the media they couldn't even print letters to the editor on the environment amendments and trying to tell the police to cancel or not grant permits for protests !  What is going on !  This is SERIOUS !!!!

We the Referrors in the Supreme Court Reference SCR 3 of 2010 and the plaintiffs in the Ramu Nickel tailings case note the purported “directions” or “orders” to the public, police and media by the Attorney General Ano Pala and comment as follow: 

1. The Reference asks the Supreme Court to give its opinion on whether the Environmental (Amendment) Act 2010 contravenes the Constitution;
2.  The Supreme Court will decide this on a construction of the Act against the provisions of the Constitution raised in the Reference. Its function is one of interpreting the two laws;
3.   The issue before the Supreme Court is therefore - is the Act constitutional? That is all, nothing more and nothing less. 
4. A Reference seeking the advisory opinion of the Supreme Court does not involve a dispute in the strict sense where sub judice applies. Example - the Organic Law on the Integrity of Political Parties and Candidates is challenged as being unconstitutional. But, debate has been going on upon this. Indeed, there is a conference to be held in Alotau on it advertised in the newspapers. A party to the Reference raised the issue of sub-judice there. But, this has not stopped discussion of that law! Lawyers acting for the Attorney-General in that case - argued that conferences and discussions on that law were not sub-judice. Why the double standard by the Attorney General?
5.  
   There is nothing before the Supreme Court in this Reference that prevents the MEDIA or ANYONE else from discussing whether or not it is a good piece of legislation as a matter of public policy. There is nothing preventing the MEDIA or ANYONE from discussing - if the Act is constitutional as the Attorney General and government are saying and will likely argue before the Court - if that is a good piece of legislation.  
6. There is nothing preventing the MEDIA or ANYONE else from discussing – if the Act does take away landowners right to go to court and sue as the Referror landowners will maintain - if that is a good policy. 
7. The Attorney General's "advice" to MEDIA and others is extra-ordinary. Why has he not given this advice to NEC the Parliament so that all the Parliamentary debate on it this week should not have taken place? 
8. The Attorney General has no power to direct police what to do as he does in the second last paragraph of his letter. Section 197(2) of the Constitution says that no one outside the Force has power to direct police on laying and prosecuting charges which necessarily includes the power of arrest that he is threatening people with. 
9. We understand that Mr Pala is new to the role of Attorney General and we respectfully request he should take the time to read the Attorney General Act to find out what his job description is.  He is the principal legal adviser to NEC, and that is the extent of his authority  
10. The AG, instead of advising the government on legal matters, is attempting to usurp the powers of the police and stop people from expressing themselves - which is guaranteed by the Constitution. This in itself is unlawful conduct.

Sama Melambo

Eddie Tarsie

Farima Siga

Peter Sel