New book on food and agriculture in Papua New Guinea

By MALUM NALU

Agriculture dominates the rural economy of Papua New Guinea.

More than five million rural dwellers, representing 80% of the population, earn a living from subsistence agriculture and selling crops in domestic and international markets.

Hence, it is only fitting that Food and Agriculture in Papua New Guinea (cover pictured), the most up-to-date and arguably the most-informative publication ever done on the subject in the country, was launched in Port Moresby on  Friday August 6, 2010,  by former deputy prime minister Sir Puka Temu.

The book is edited by Dr Michael Bourke of The Australian National University, a household name in agriculture in Papua New Guinea, and Tracy Harwood, and is a welcome addition to PNG literature when reliable and up-to-date statistics about the country are as rare as hen’s teeth.

Contributing editors apart from Dr Bourke are Dr Bryant Allen, Dr Matthew Allen, Dr Andrew McGregor, Prof John Gibson, Prof Alan Quartermain, Dr Kate Barclay and Dr Jean Kennedy.

Many aspects of agriculture in PNG are described in this data-rich book of 650 pages, which took eight years to research and write from 2001-2008.

Topics include agriculture environments in which crops are grown; production of food crops, cash crops and animals; land use; soils; demography; migration; the macro-economic environment; gender issues; governance of agricultural institutions; and transport.

The history of agriculture over the 50,000 years that PNG has been occupied by humans is summarised.

Much of the information presented is not readily available within PNG.

The book contains results of many new analyses, including a food budget for the entire nation.

The text is supported by 165 tables and 215 maps and figures.

“Basically, we received a grant from AusAID to do a project which was called ‘Information for Rural Development in Papua New Guinea’,” Dr Bourke tells The National.

“And this book is one of the components of the project.

“What we’ve done is we’ve assembled a huge amount of information relevant to agriculture in PNG.

“This covers issues like the physical environment, land and people, and secondly, we’ve got a lot of information on food production, consumption and imports on village food production systems and cash income from agricultural development, policies and governance.

“Some of the things that are in the book include a major section on the history of agriculture in PNG.

“There is a lot of data on the production of staple food crops.

“This date covers all of the cash crops, both in the formal sector such as coffee and cocoa, and in the informal sector such as fresh food, betelnut or firewood.

“We look at the factors that will determine whether a cash crop will be successful or not, and we’ve also examined a number of issues relevant to agricultural development such as rural development projects, gender issues and transport infrastructure.”

One of the outstanding things this book does is to dispel 20 common “myths” about agriculture in PNG, which are:

1.      Food production is not keeping pace with population growth;

2.      PNG is a food-deficit country;

3.      Papua New Guineans live mainly on imported rice;

4.      Imports of rice are increasing rapidly;

5.      The Australian Administration did not promote rice production in PNG and Australians are attempting to stop local rice production to protect the Australian rice industry;

6.      During the 1997-1998 food shortages, Australians saved many Papua New Guineans from starving to death with an emergency famine relief programme;

7.      Imported meat, particularly lamb flaps from Australia and New Zealand, is increasing rapidly in volume;

8.      Lamb flaps are an unhealthy food;

9.      PNG agriculture has not changed for thousands of years. The practices and crops that are used today are traditional and unchanging;

10.  PNG has an abundance of high-quality land for agriculture and any tropical crop will grow well anywhere in PNG;

11.  With the exception of palm oil, production of export cash crops is static (sometimes expressed as: production is the same now as it was in 1975 at independence);

12.  Women do most of the work producing food in PNG;

13.  Villagers have a lot of spare time and it does not matter to them how much labour is used to produce a certain crop;

14.  Agricultural production is seriously constrained by customary land tenure arrangements;

15.  There are few roads in PNG and this reduces agricultural production;

16.  There is little information about PNG agriculture with which to develop sound policy, or for planning;

17.  There is significant potential to export fresh food to New Zealand, Australia and South-East Asia;

18.  Global climate change is now causing significant problem for many people on very small islands;

19.  There is no poverty in rural PNG because there is plenty of food to eat; and

20.  Poor governance of agricultural institutions does not matter because rural people grow their own food and look after themselves.

The good news for PNG is that the book is being distributed freely throughout the country by the University of PNG Bookshop.

“We’ve received a grant from AusAID to publish and distribute 4,000 copies,” Dr Bourke tells The National.

“So the book is being very widely distributed in PNG to universities, government departments, commercial sector, high schools and individuals.

“Extra copies can be obtained by sending an email to Sue Rider at sue.rider@anu.edu.au.

“As well, all the tables in the book will be available as Excel files on the new website PNGweb.com.

“The website is not yet public but will be in about one month.”

The concept for this book was developed by Dr Bourke, Dr Bryant Allen and Prof John Gibson.

The idea was presented to the PNG National Agriculture Research institute, Department of Agriculture and Livestock, and Department of National Planning and Monitoring.

Staff at these institutions including Raghunath Ghodake, Valentine Kambori, Mathew Kanua, Roy Masumdu and Geoff Wiles, supported the idea, commented on the proposal and suggested additional material.

Many people from the commercial sector, industry bodies and government departments in PNG provided data, as did some based in Australia and elsewhere.

Some sections were sent to specialists for comments.

Most of the information on village-sector agriculture was collected from hundreds of people from every district in PNG who willingly gave their time and immense knowledge about their food production and cash crop systems.

The book was produced by members of the Land Management Group, Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies, The Australian National University.

A colourful nation denied of its reward

From MAVARA HANUA

 

One of the joys of growing up in Papua New Guinea is to the big singsings that happen yearly or even the colourful church activities. 

I vividly remember Independence Day and the host of color from all part of the country.

 From the majestic plums drifting on the head pieces of the mighty men and women of the highlands, electrifying rhythmic chants and drums from the New Guinea islands, carvings and dances that depict mystical stories of the Momase people and the spectacular nautical innovations of the tribes from the southern region.

So things are not the same, we have lost some of our old ways and we are sometimes accused of not honoring our culture.

 But we have been progressive and as a result, we have forged an identity that resonates a nation of many tongues. 

From Patti Doi and Betty Toea’s music booming in PMVs that are owned by Highlanders, colorful fabrics that depict tapa patterns from the Orokaiva worn by our sisters and mothers, bilums from the highlands carrying our precious love ones, delicacies rich in nutrients that was only available in the rivers, islands and highlands are now available to everyone.

Our culture indeed transcends our way of life but with the absence of political and policy direction, this resource has been underutilised and in some tragic instances, stolen, abused and lost. 

So the question has to be asked, is it worth investing our resources to protect, promote and preserve our culture and heritage?

 Apart from nostalgic and patriotic excitement, is it worth it? 

Absolutely.

It separates us from the rest of the world, it provides us the unique opportunity to help humanity from fighting diseases to resolving conflicts, and more importantly, to empower our people to move away from poverty.

 Indeed for many years, economic, industry and investment planners have not looked at the possibility of the culture, or to be more generic, the creative industry, as a tool for growth.

A few entities have been burning the torch for this sector. 

From the tireless efforts of the National Cultural Commission in preserving and promoting our culture here and abroad, super artists Jeffery and his brother Mairi Feeger blowing the international scene by storm, legendary musos Auirikeke, Ben Hakalitz, Telek and the darling of the garment industry, Florence ‘Bilum Lady’ Jaukae,  are all making major inroads internationally. 

But guys, this is only a speck of what’s in our country. 

  Take some time and wonder in and out of the craft markets, church activities, clubs, galleries and even the bus stops, you’ll see the talent of our people.

But tragically like anything when it comes to money, those that want to make it ride on the talented and end up sucking them dry. 

From paying them merely nothing for the creativity they’ve done, pirating designs and music and outright theft. 

Many of our people in the creative industry are dying without knowing their rights.

 They live in a cage that their employees, agents and promoters don’t tell them what that they are entitled to.

 From song writers, performers, sound engineers, artisans, dance troupes, cultural groups, weavers, carvers, traditional medicinal owners and many others are being denied of their wealth.

They need to usurp these rights so that they may be rewarded of their creativity and heritage. 

These rights will ensure users are able to pay them fees so that they may feed and clothe their children and more importantly, continue creating their products or preserving culture. 

Whether intellectual property and traditional knowledge protection, our people need to move into this area so that their rights are protected and they are able to utilise it for wealth creation in the market place.

So next time when you purchase a pirated CD, Made In China crap flogging it off as a PNG design, bullshit food that’s not from our land or designs on fabrics stolen, think of the people you have denied that revenue.     

For it is their love of life we bathe ourselves of our identity.  

Black Friday at Weigh Inn Hotel

By GRAHAM POPLE

Manager

 

Friday the 13^th August, 2010, certainly seemed to be aptly named on this most recent occasion.

 Self living at the Weigh Inn Hotel, Konedobu, where I was then Manager.  

Invariably awake at 0400 or thereabouts and have time to have a cup of tea and take my tablet before beginning work at 0500.  

On this occasion had to forego both the tablet and the cup of tea as I slept in till just after 5am.

 A quick shower and shave and dressed and down to the front desk by about 5.15 where once again the Post-Courier had failed to fulfil the order of two copies of the paper.  

Tried to fax complaint through but unable to connect. 

 Eventually sent by email which I had also done the day before and received an assurance that everything had been fixed.  

Friday proved that it hadn’t.

 Opened up the office and storeroom and began counting the floats and mild trouble again and had to re-count both of them but eventually got it right.   

 Sub-conscious helping me to create mistakes??

 Muddled through most of the day with only the usual mild hiccups.

 Friday is our busiest evening as we have a raffle, a patron draw, and a key draw prize for those members who belong to the Jig Saw Club.  

 Patron draw is that everyone attending in the bar is invited to put their name into a hat and then one name is drawn out at 7.30pm and that patron is then given K100 – hopefully to spend here and not take home.

The TV had been turned on in anticipation of everyone wanting to watch the match between the Broncos and the Eels.  

 Just before 7pm. John Young drew my attention to the ceiling over the entrance to the Marsden room where it was getting very damp.

 Raced upstairs to Room 22 where greeted by Paul Kipau whose wife was busy mopping up the floor which had been flooded.  

Paul apologised and explained that their young son had, without their noticing, turned on the tap over the hand basin, which was partially blocked and the water had spilled over onto the floor.

 Back downstairs to find out that, in my absence, the water had flooded into the control room behind the TV and spilled onto the four-socket extension lead, causing everything to short out.

About the same time, Toddy and Doug Booker had turned up and I appealed to them and they came to the rescue.

Eventually managed after a couple of mistakes to find a substitute four-socket extension lead which Toddy and Doug took control of and bingo,  TV and the rugby league match were back in operation.

 However there was further strife as Doug and Toddy told me that water was still leaking down so back to Room 22.   

Here it was noticed that the toilet cistern had jammed and water was spilling out of the cistern.  

Inlet tap closed and Paul advised that when he wanted to use the toilet to turn on the tap again and let the cistern fill and then turn tap off again.

Half an hour or so of very high stress and then the usual raffle, patron and key draw had to be done.  

This was successfully carried out with Geoff Balfour’s name being drawn as the winner of K1, 300 but he had left a couple of days before and you have to be present to win the prize.

 All was not lost, however, as yours truly won a leg of ham in the raffle draw which Kata is supposed to pick up today and use for his family.

 The remainder of the evening was uneventful, everyone enjoying a sing along after the other bad happening which was that Broncos lost to the Eels.

 Fearful of more trouble I decamped to my room at 9pm and managed the rest of the night without further ills.

 Thought you might get some enjoyment out of reading about my troubles.   

After all – ALL IS WELL THAT ENDS WELL.

 I have just noticed that in 2011 there will be another August Friday 13^th.  

Will be wary!!!

 

Happy 6th Birthday Moasing Nalu

Happy Birthday to our Princess, Moasing Nalu, who turns six today.

How so much has happened since August 13, 2004, when you were born.

I still remember that day so clearly as if it was yesterday.

Mum, sadly, won't be with us today but we know she'll be celebrating with us.

Love from 'Baby' Keith, Gedi, Jr Malum and Dad.

We'll have lots of cake and ice cream today.

The going price of loyalty

From PAUL OATES

The going price of loyalty to the Somare regime  - two million kina
It is reported in the PNG media that Prime Minister Somare and his son,Arthur Somare, arranged for members of the their government coalition to be paid K2m each, immediately after Speaker Nape adjourned Parliament in July this year.
Apparently these payments were claimed to be District Support Improvement Programme (DSIP).
Yet it is reported that the Finance Department were instructed not to pay members of the Opposition their DSIP funds.
When challenged by MP Sam Basil, sources at the PNG Department of Finance reportedly confirmed that an unequal disbursement had been made in direct contravention of the PNG Constitution.
The funds were, "to keep the government in power', Department of Finance staff are quoted as saying.
It seems public funds now clearly and openly are being used as bribes to keep Somare and his family in power.

Nau igat wanpla lida,
I tok, 'Nau mi lukim ples klia,
Bai mi baim ol lain,
Na stop longpla taim,
Tasol husat igiamon yumi a?

______________________________________________________

Today's The National
Govt MPs get K2mil each
Source:
By JEFFREY ELAPA
ABOUT 50 members of the ruling coalition government were each paid K2 million to lure support from other members so they could remain in power, sources within the Finance Department revealed yesterday.
The sources said former acting finance minister and treasurer Arthur Somare and Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare allegedly instructed the department to immediately release K2 million each to the 50 members of the government coalition as per their listing soon after parliament ad-journed last month.
The sources also revealed that the department was advised not to release any district support improvement programme (DSIP) funds to the members of the opposition.
According to the sources, the normal transfer process was that the finance secretary would advise  the Bank of PNG to release the funds to the district treasuries after acquittals of previous funds were furnished.
However, the finance and treasury sources admitted that the normal financial management processes of transfer of funds to the district treasuries were not followed.
The funds were dished out to MPs.
Documents revealed that MPs in government were allegedly paid K2 million each straight after Speaker Jeffery Nape adjourned parliament to Nov 16.
Another source confirmed that the funds, from part of the DSIP, were paid out from the Department of National Planning office and collected by individual MPs in person straight after the adjournment.
A bank document obtained by The National showed that national planning deposited K2 million into one member's DSIP account on July 26, five days after parliament adjourned on July 21.
The sources could not confirm if each of the recipients of the funds had submitted their acquittals.
The sources admitted they had to act on political instructions to release the funds, whether or not the processes were followed, as they feared losing their jobs.
However, they said each member of parliament was entitled to K60 million of DSIP funds.
They would receive these funds as and when the secretary gave the approval for the transfer of the funds after receiving their acquittals.
The sources could not confirm when and how much each member of parliament was going to be paid, but it was the secretary's discretion to do so.
Staff at the Department of Finance spoke out after Bulolo MP Sam Basil approached them about his electorate's DSIP funds.
Staff did not divulge much due to the presence of journalists accompanying Basil.
However, the workers did admit that the funds were allegedly not disbursed equally as stipulated in the constitution.
They said many members had not completed their acquittals but were paid the funds to "help the government stay in power".
Basil said as far as he was concerned, opposition MPs had not received any of the K2 million DSIP funds distributed recently.
"We are eager to know when these funds will be released to us in order to implement programmes in our electorates," Basil added.

Kapris pleads guilty

Prisoner says he robbed bank but did not keep loot or kidnap staff

 

TOP robbery suspect William Kapris Nanua yesterday pleaded guilty to robbing the Madang branch of Bank South Pacific in 2008, The National reports.

In a day of drama in court, Kapris broke from 13 other suspects arraigned on similar charges, and pleaded guilty to one count of robbery and one count of conspiracy to commit a robbery.

But he pleaded not guilty to 13 counts of kidnapping, 14 counts of deprivation of liberty, and one count of receiving stolen property.

The others pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

The courtroom in the afternoon was thrown into confusion yesterday when Kapris’ lawyer David Dotaona sought an application to have his client’s matter heard separately after the guilty plea for the two charges was taken.

With Kapris taking his seat first in the witness box, he entertained the courtroom by giving conflicting pleas to Justice David Cannings.

Kapris initially said “yes” when asked by Cannings if he had committed the offences in the 28 counts.

He then had a quick glance across to his lawyer, and changed the answer to “no”.

Dotaona immediately stood to ask leave to speak to his client. After a brief whisper, Kapris said he was sticking with the not guilty plea for the 28 counts.

Earlier in the morning, Dotaona had asked Cannings to allow a two-week extension for him and his client to properly prepare for the defence, but this was refused.

Cannings emphasised that any extension was an unnecessary waste of time and very costly for the state.

“I have considered the cost to the state, the people of PNG having to prepare and get the matter to trial and the security measures in place,” he said.

“I consider it to be in the public interest for the trial to proceed.

“I want a fair trial in an independent court.

“I refuse the application for the two-week extension. The trial will begin now,” he ruled.

It was likely that Kapris could become a state witness despite pleading not guilty to the 27 other charges.

Cannings, when deliberating on the likelihood of having a separate trial, said: “There was no indication given to me during pre-trial. This is a new development.

“I will consider the depositions put ... since he has pleaded guilty, and not being convicted yet ... you want the others to go to trial before another judge?

“I will have to adjourn,” he said as he pondered over the matter.

The Madang BSP robbery occurred on July 5, 2008, when a total of K2,407,315.35 was stolen.

During the robbery, a number of bank workers were allegedly kidnapped and detained in a hotel.

Meanwhile, the court was also advised by Correctional Services officers that Don Aka, Elijah Paul Kapis or Elijah Tinga and Ben Nom, who is also known as “Toi Apet”, were still at large after breaking out of the Bomana prison on Jan 12.

The hearing continues today.

 

 

Government MPs get K2 million each

ABOUT 50 members of the ruling coalition government were each paid K2 million to lure support from other members so they could remain in power, sources within the Finance Department revealed yesterday, The National reports.

The sources said former acting finance minister and treasurer Arthur Somare and Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare allegedly instructed the department to immediately release K2 million each to the 50 members of the government coalition as per their listing soon after parliament ad-journed last month.

The sources also revealed that the department was advised not to release any district support improvement programme (DSIP) funds to the members of the opposition.

According to the sources, the normal transfer process was that the finance secretary would advise the Bank of PNG to release the funds to the district treasuries after acquittals of previous funds were furnished.

However, the finance and treasury sources admitted that the normal financial management processes of transfer of funds to the district treasuries were not followed.

The funds were dished out to MPs.

Documents revealed that MPs in government were allegedly paid K2 million each straight after Speaker Jeffery Nape adjourned parliament to Nov 16.

Another source confirmed that the funds, from part of the DSIP, were paid out from the Department of National Planning office and collected by individual MPs in person straight after the adjournment.

A bank document obtained by The National showed that national planning deposited K2 million into one member’s DSIP account on July 26, five days after parliament adjourned on July 21.

The sources could not confirm if each of the recipients of the funds had submitted their acquittals.

The sources admitted they had to act on political instructions to release the funds, whether or not the processes were followed, as they feared losing their jobs.

However, they said each member of parliament was entitled to K60 million of DSIP funds.

They would receive these funds as and when the secretary gave the approval for the transfer of the funds after receiving their acquittals.

The sources could not confirm when and how much each member of parliament was going to be paid, but it was the secretary’s discretion to do so.

Staff at the Department of Finance spoke out after Bulolo MP Sam Basil approached them about his electorate’s DSIP funds.

Staff did not divulge much due to the presence of journalists accompanying Basil.

However, the workers did admit that the funds were allegedly not disbursed equally as stipulated in the constitution.

They said many members had not completed their acquittals but were paid the funds to “help the government stay in power”.

Basil said as far as he was concerned, opposition MPs had not received any of the K2 million DSIP funds distributed recently.

“We are eager to know when these funds will be released to us in order to implement programmes in our electorates,” Basil added.

 

Kokoda crash report set for November

THE families of the 13 people who died in the Kokoda plane crash last year have been told the report into the investigation should be available to them by November, The National reports.

Some relatives of the nine Australians who died in the Airlines PNG Twin Otter crash travelled to Kokoda yesterday for the first anniversary of the crash. They were accompanied to the site by Community Development Minister Dame Carol Kidu.

PNG’s Accident Investigation Commission said it wanted to assure families that the report was at an advanced stage.

But commission chairman Paulus Dowa said it might not answer the families’ questions and a further inquiry could be called for.

“The company, the relatives, they will also want to dispute the findings of the commission,” he added.

“It is like if a policeman does a report and a witness comes in and says, ‘oh no, I do not agree with the report’, and then they will be required to give their own evidence in other avenues like the court of law or coronial inquest.”

The authority had also made preliminary recommendations about voice recorders and warning systems.

Airlines PNG said its fleet of Twin Otter was undergoing a A$6 million upgrade.

Australian minister for foreign affairs and trade Stephen Smith yesterday extended his condolences to the family and relatives of the 13 who died.

“The anniversary will be a difficult time for the families and partners of those who died. Our thoughts are with them.

“The fact that these nine Australians were looking forward to walking the Kokoda Track, an iconic area of national significance, has made their loss all the more difficult,” the minister said in a statement.

He said Australia was looking forward to the completion of investigations into the crash.

On Aug 11 last year, a Twin Otter plane, captained by Jenny Moala, crashed in Kokoda killing 13 people, including nine Australians who were planning to walk the famous track.

 

 

InterOil secures US$25 million short term credit facility

Pacific LNG Ltd., an affiliate of Clarion Finanz AG, in a vote of confidence in its partner, and immediately following the announcement of the Joint Venture Operating Agreement with Mitsui & Co. Ltd, has advanced US$25 million to InterOil Corp. 

Henry Aldorf, President of Pacific LNG and former President of Marathon International and V.P. Global Upstream Business Development Of Marathon Inc., was quoted as saying “We are pleased to provide additional capital to InterOil in order to accelerate its upstream operations and pre-invest with our partner Mitsui to advance the Condensate Stripping Project (CSP).  Additionally, the company is drilling its second horizontal at Antelope-2. 

“The horizontal well is targeting a higher condensate-to-gas ratio deeper in the reservoir, which can only enhance an already high rate of return project and add resources to the year-end 2009 estimate of 9.1 Tcfe. 

“InterOil’s second rig has arrived and is on the ground at the refinery area in Papua New Guinea and is awaiting deployment to the field in the fourth quarter following modifications for jungle drilling in this now proven basin.”

The term loan facility matures on January 31, 2011 and will be used for upstream development and general corporate expenses.

 InterOil has agreed to pledge to Clarion Finanz a 2.5% interest in Elk and Antelope fields as collateral for the facility. Collin Vissagio, Chief Financial Officer of InterOil commented: “We are pleased to have obtained this facility from Clarion Finanz. It allows us to maintain financial flexibility while seeking potential industry investors in the Elk and Antelope fields.”

 InterOil intends to use the proceeds from the facility to further develop the Elk and Antelope fields in advance of the proposed development of the longer term condensate stripping and liquefied natural gas projects.

We are off target: Abal

FOREIGN Affairs and Trade Minister Sam Abal admits that Papua New Guinea and many Pacific Island countries will not meet the millennium development goal (MDG) targets by 2015, The National reports.

Abal was speaking yesterday on return from Jakarta, Indonesia, where he was involved in a special ministerial meeting on the MDG and the 2nd PNG-Indonesia joint ministerial commission.

He said PNG, along with many other Pacific Islands, would not achieve all the MDG goals by target year 2015.

But, he said, PNG had made significant progress.

Abal said it was now up to the government to shape up and tighten up, making budgetary commitments within the next five years until 2015.

He said PNG could make significant progress in the eight MDG, particularly the goals of reducing maternal health and child mortality and achieving universal basic education, because all were already identified and prioritised in the government’s medium-term development strategy, national strategic plan 2030 and Vision 2050.

He said the K10 million district service improvement programme funds could assist in this regard, but it is the question of getting the work done in the districts by individual MPs.

Abal identified decentralising powers to the provinces, under the provincial government reforms, as a hindrance to achieving the targets, because it blocked plans and policies by the central government trickling down to the districts.

 

Kapris treated like a 'terrorist'

Caption: Suspected bank robber Kapris (right) and his lawyer David Dotaona outside the Waigani court premises in early June. – Nationalfilepic

14 suspected accomplices, all smartly dressed and mingling like in a high school re-union

ALLEGED bank robber William Nanua Kapris told the National Court in Madang yesterday that his rights have been deprived and “I am being treated like a terrorist”, The National reports.

Speaking in court before Justice David Cannings, Kapris said his rights had been deprived since his 25-month imprisonment at Bomana and that his human rights had been abused.

“Even in Madang, I am still under tight security,” he added.

“Our case is a big case. It’s our life, but I have not been allowed access to my lawyer David Dotaona.

“My family and I are willing to pay for travel and accommodation costs. I am being treated like a terrorist,” he told the court, adding: “I want to be treated like a normal state prisoner.”

However, Justice Cannings said: “This is not a human rights abuse case. If you have any human rights complaints, then you can bring it up with your lawyers, the same goes for the others with similar complaints.”

Kapris and 14 others were appearing in relation to the Madang BSP heist in 2008 during which K2 million was stolen and a substantial amount was yet to be recovered. 

Cannings allowed an application by senior state prosecutor Pondros Kaluwin to adjourn the case to this morning.

Kaluwin expressed concern that the 10-day trial period was “not realistic”.

Asked why by Cannings, Kaluwin said this was because the matter had changed hands with different prosecutors as well as the need for him to speak to the defence counsel.

In his response, Cannings said: “We had a series of pre-trial earlier in the year. We originally set this trial for May but, due to your office’s slackness and lack of capability, we have been delayed. I had to personally ring the acting public prosecutor to sort this matter out. So, I will allow for tomorrow (today) at 9am.”

Then Cannings asked Kaluwin: “Do you think you will be prepared then?”                                                                  

 When Kaluwin responded with a “we’ll see”, Cannings said: “That you will.”                                         

Kapris’ suspected accomplices, 14 (named) and all smartly dressed and mingling like in a high school re-union after the court, were represented by Lae-based state solicitor’s office, a private Lae-based lawyer and Dotaona.

The courthouse was cordoned off, including the provincial government building area, disrupting normal business as the public and people living along the Kina Beach residential area tried accessing the nearby offices to have a glimpse of proceedings.                         

Off duty policeman Sgt Joe Mbur said: “The temporary arrangement by concerned authorities is causing unnecessary inconveniences. Kapris should just be treated like any normal prisoner.”                                      

Reporters were not allowed to take photographs of the prisoners outside the court house.                                       

Police are on a 24- hour vigil around the courthouse area as a precautionary measure.

Devete sets new goals for office

A POOR showing by the Office of Solicitor-General has seen millions of kina paid out to claimants against the state, the government’s top litigation lawyer has admitted, The National reports.

Solicitor-General Neville Devete said most of the cases filed against the state were cases that could easily have been defeated, which would have saved the government millions of kina it paid out in the past 10 years.

Inefficiencies and slackness, including lack of manpower, are problems that are known to have existed in the office Devete heads, but little has been done over the years to address this.

The office has often attracted the ire of judges when lawyers fail to turn up to defend cases.

Now, the office aims to minimise this and is conducting workshops around the country to establish good working relationships with government agencies in all regions.

Devete, who is in Kokopo, East New Britain, said with the support of the Attorney-General and Justice secretary Dr Lawrence Kalinoe, they wanted to bring a new focus to the representation of the state with all matters that go to court.

This focus getting government agencies such as police, Correctional Services, health department, provincial works and others to be prompt in referring cases to the office when actions are filed.

Devete said his office was responsible for representing the state in all matters defending the state in the event that it was taken to court by organisations or companies.

The office also files cases on behalf of the state to take other organisations to court.

Devete said two workshops had already been conducted in Mt Hagen.

He said as a result of these workshops, they had seen a big improvement in the response of state agencies based in the province.

He said this minimised many cases, where in the past there had been no one to defend because representatives from the office were not provided instructions, and they could only go to court when they received instructions from state agencies taken to court.

Devete said the office was keen to establish better consultation and co-ordination in order to better represent the state.

The two-day workshop at the Kokopo Village Resort ends today.

 

 

Numapo takes over

Veratau, Juffa to work for the good of rugby league

 

FORMER PNG Rugby League chairman John Numapo will be heading a new interim committee with Gary Juffa and Albert Veratau as members to manage the affairs of rugby league in the country, The National reports.

The interim committee was set up following a decision by the former chairman Veratau to withdraw court proceedings against Juffa and his board challenging their election in Lae at the PNGRFL annual general meeting last November.

Both Veratau and Juffa have agreed to put aside their differences and work together for the good of rugby league in PNG.

The agreement reached between the parties was endorsed by Justice Ambeng Kandakasi on July 29.

The new committee will now replace the previous caretaker management committee comprising of Numapo and Brian Canavan appointed on July 3 by the Rugby League International Federation.

In welcoming the decision, Numapo said: “There are two things that stand out in this outcome.

“Firstly, the initiative taken by both Veratau and Juffa to have the matter resolved amicably between themselves and secondly, for putting aside their differences and agreeing to work together for the greater good of rugby league in PNG.

“Now that the tussle over leadership is put to rest, the committee has some urgent and immediate tasks to attend to as a matter of priority.

“Among others, the selection of the Prime Minister’s XIII for the game against the Australian PM’s XIII next month and the preparations of the Kumuls for the Four Nation in October. Time is against us and we need to move quickly on that,” he said.

A number of sub-committees will also be appointed to assist the new committee to manage the different activities and programmes of the PNGRFL.

The agreement endorsed by the National Court stated that the committee shall perform the functions of the board and management of the PNGRFL in managing and administering the affairs of the PNGRFL and, in particular amongst others:

*           Appoint Gary Juffa to be responsible for the administration and management of representative games for this year, including the review of the selection process and management of representative teams, such as the PNG Kumuls;

*           Appoint Albert Veratau to be responsible for the negotiations and securing of funding from the Australian government;

*           Ensure the continuation of the PNGRFL’s existing programmes;

*           Review and establish the PNGRFL’s relationship with the National Rugby League (NRL) Bid Team;

*           Propose changes and take steps to implement such changes as are necessary in relation to all of the above mentioned matters; and

*           Do anything and everything to promote the interest of rugby league in PNG.

The interim committee will cease to hold office at or after the 2010 AGM which shall take place no later than Nov 30.

The Rugby League International Federation and the Australian Rugby League have been notified of the decision of the Court endorsing the agreement reached.

Critics see REDD over Papua New Guinea carbon schemes

By ILYA GRIDNEFF,

PAPUA NEW GUINEA CORRESPONDENT

August 6, 2010

 

AAP

 

Two carbon trade projects proposed for Papua New Guinea have been hammered by critics who list a litany of inconsistencies, dubious science, legal issues and concerns landowners will be ripped off.

PNG's pilot Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation' (REDD) schemes, which are part of the United Nation's framework for tackling climate change, are in the Kamula Doso forest, Western Province and April Salumei, East Sepik Province.

But documents obtained by AAP show the PNG government does not support the REDD projects and there is a scathing reaction to the Project Development Documents (PDD) that were submitted in July for verification and approval from the Climate, Community and Biodiversity Alliance (CCBA) regulator.

The Kamula Doso venture is led by Nupan, a company run by controversial Australian businessman Kirk Roberts, a former disqualified horse trainer who also ran a Philippines cockfighting business.

Mr Roberts, who is a self-proclaimed "carbon kingpin", has travelled extensively across PNG promising landowners if they stop logging their forests, millions - and potentially billions - of dollars will come via his carbon trade projects.

The April Salumei project is run by the Rainforest Management Alliance (RMA), which did not respond to emailed questions regarding their plans or who they were exactly.

No phone number is listed on RMA's website.

Stephen Hooper is the only name on the RMA site that also lists a connection to Earth Sky, an Australian company previously embroiled in PNG carbon trade scandals and operated by Queensland boilermaker Greg Corby.

The submitted comments to the CCBA show PNG's Office of Climate Change and Development Executive Director Wari Iamo is dead against both REDD proposals.

"The PNG government does not recognise and disavows any partnership, support, endorsement or any form of connection to the proposed projects," he wrote.

Dr Iamo includes legal advice from O'Brien lawyers which equates both schemes to an infamous Pacific land scam from the 19th century.

O'Brien states: "PNG requires extensive legislation to be passed by the parliament before it can implement any system to commercialise carbon sequestration.

"Both projects are legally untenable.

"Until the legal regime in PNG establishes a foundation for such schemes they are little different to a modern day version of the false prospectus for the Port Breton Colonisation Scheme issued by the Marquis du Reys and circulated through Europe in the late 1870s."

World Wide Fund for Nature's Matt Leggett raised concerns that communities within the project areas would suffer.

"The level of community consultation and understanding of the project in the region is insufficient to guarantee the project has ensured free, prior and informed consent of landowners," he wrote.

"The proposal does not adequately recognise or account for existing disputes over land tenure and landowner company representation in the region."

Forest carbon scientist, Sunil Sharma, who worked for Carbon Planet, the Adelaide-based company that recently went bankrupt after investing more than $1 million with Nupan, is also against the April Salumei plan.

"The threat to the forest in the Project Area is not convincing and the PDD contradicts itself."

The only support comes from Theo Yasause, the former head of PNG's climate change office, suspended and under investigation into his dealings with Mr Roberts, including falsely signing carbon deals for Nupan.

"April Salumei will deliver and open the eyes as the vehicle for future development," he writes.

Inap lo kago boi, brukim bus tasol!

By MAVARA HANUA

For the past 100 years, most of our iconic enterprises have been built on a pyramid scheme of bos man and his kago boi. 

From the perched plantations of the Niugini Islands to the cattle valleys of the Whagi Plain, it was all about the kago boi doing loads of work while boss yells every conceivable biological description of the female anatomy, to bring a sense of order.

 No knowledge building, no high end skill transfers, it was all about using our boys and girls as lorries and trucks.  

I’d say not much has changed.

 Ok so we wear trendy clothes, have slick phones and work in air-conditioned offices but guys, we’re still doing so much work for little remuneration. 

We’re still kago boi’ing around. 

But like anything in Papua New Guinea, there are those who are making change in the most PNG way possible: Brukim Bush Tasol.

Several years ago I befriended an influential lawyer who has been a dear mentor to me.  He stands a mere 4, 9 but you knew he was from the bar.

 With a shot gun of a voice and a veneer of nobility, he commanded great respect amongst his peers when he delivered his arguments in court. 

A senior partner in one of PNG’s respected law firms, he had great insight on the daily fights Papua New Guineans endured over the years in the big bad commercial world where the white boys and girls have it all.

 Quite unsurprisingly he’d tell me the web of clienteles that would only exclusively deal with white firms.

  He’d then tell me how they’d farm work out to the folks across the Coral Sea because the black boys couldn’t do shit.

Irrespective of this, they ploughed on and eventually the government, developers and major law firms around the world started working with them. 

I asked him one evening over a glass of scotch, what was his inspiration and he told me the story about his first encounter with his first client. 

He was a typical businessman in the early days of our independence, quite new with business affairs but had shit loads of knowledge on his profession, flying.

 Curious by my mentor, he kept asking him where does he work.

 He indicated the law firm which was a white firm.

 The trailblazing pilot said so you work for these guys.

 If you start your firm tomorrow you’ll get all my work. 

To put into context, this man was making millions just by sitting in his cockpit for an hour. 

His firm was born and over the years, has given my mentor inspiration to go where no PNG lawyers have gone, the world of natural resources and big commercial field.

His weary eyes looked at me and said, our greatest asset is our unpredictability.

“They think just because we have bad body odor, don’t have a dress sense and are woefully untidy, we’re dumb but pikinini, how wrong are they!”

That was what summed up PNG’s persona in the professional world.

 Many of our men and women are insanely intelligent in this great nation of ours.

 From designing industrial technologies in the fields of communications, transport and weapons systems to frontline development in drug discovery for AIDS, TB and malaria, these are our men and women. 

Some manage major mining and petroleum projects around the world while others are formulating dialogue with rouge states that are on the brink of war with their enemies.

Indeed knowledge and the desire to acquire it has become a major investment tool for our people. 

Clans, tribes and families are spending everything so that their children may reach the high echelons of their professions. 

Many die before the first pay and yet they continue.

 Courageous and a sacrifice beyond compression, our people do this every day.

 From stashing away daily sales of kaukau or fish in the markets to fathers selling bottles, they are the backbone of this nation.

Papua New Guineans know their roots and this is why we hate being a kago boi. 

Our families didn’t invest all that money so that carry the trash out when they themselves don’t know how to build a secure firewall using CISCO applications to deter hackers in our major government and financial institutions, to clean the toilets irrespective of the fact that we are able to infuse compounds derived from our genetic materials so as to eliminate the TB bug, to paint the runways, when we have flown the largest airplane in the world or to sweep the floors when in fact we design major highways.

Education is the tool for our security, prosperity and happiness and it is the only way we become mastas of our future and move away from being the kago boi.