Outsiders warned to stay away from LNG wastes

By ISAAC NICHOLAS

 

A LANDOWNER company from the LNG project area in Southern Highlands is up in arms over the recent announcement of a new joint venture to manage wastes in the project area, The National reports.

Chairman of Hides Waste Management Company (HWMC) Thomas Potape had written to Esso Highlands Ltd warning of possible disturbances if project landowners were bypassed in spin-off businesses.

He said the HWMC is a legitimate landowner company, sanctioned by the Hides Gas Development Company (HGDC), to participate in spin-offs from the LNG project.

Potape said HWMC is registered with IPA and is in advanced stage of permit application with the Department of Environment and Conservation to be involved in waste treatment and disposal activities in Hides PDL 1, Hides PDL 7, Angore and Juha.

Potape said the four major LNG gasfields are located within the geographical boundaries of Komo with a population of 27,000 people.

He said the early works, including the Komo International Airport, major roads from Tari to Komo and from gasfields to Komo station and construction phase of LNG facilities, had started and there was evidence of huge volumes of wastes being generated.

“The local people, who have lived generations in these beautifully pristine environments, are not used to large volumes of wastes in all forms which will be created by a project of this scale, which will seriously affect their lifestyles.

“As a local landowner company, HWMC must be recognised by Esso Highlands to be involved in project spin-off activities as outlined in the national content plan.

“We have reputable overseas joint venture partners who are well placed to enable HWMC vision of waste management in the project areas.

“We have the capacity, the partners and technological know-how to realise our vision, and we believe Esso Highlands and its partners will have to take note of our intentions,” Potape added.

“We will be spending more than K7.5 million for the purpose of contending the environmental effects that may occur as a result of the developments at the LNG project fields and the surrounding communities.”

He said this would include the costs of construction of landfills and other waste treatment plants, storage facilities and other equipment and materials required to effectively manage all waste streams that would be created.

“It is important to note that early works have started with huge volumes of wastes to be produced daily.”

Potape said environmental approvals, which had been granted for early works activities, were conditional to the project developer following approved waste management practices.

“To date, there is no proper permitted company associated with the project to effectively deal with waste management and, as such, our proposed set-up will have to be recognised and considered by the proponent of the LNG project.”

He said recent media reports of Eco Care Engineering and Transpacific, a waste management joint venture, was an attempt by outsiders using their contacts in Oil Search to sideline legitimate landowner companies.

“As there is already an existing HWMC, under no uncertain terms an outside company will be allowed into the project areas of Hides PDL 1, Hides PDL 7, Angore, Juha airport facility and Hides conditioning plant area.” Potape warned.

APEC Ministers' Meeting - Upcoming

APEC Ministers to meet in Beijing on September 16-17

Issued by the APEC Secretariat

 

Singapore, 9 September, 2010 – Ministers responsible for Human Resources Development from APEC member economies will meet in Beijing next week to address issues such as unemployment and improving social safety nets to protect the vulnerable following the global financial crisis.

The 5^th APEC Human Resources Development Ministerial Meeting will tackle the importance of achieving inclusive economic growth so that all sectors of society can share the benefits of free trade and investment and economic integration in the Asia Pacific region.

The meeting, to be held on September 16-17, will be chaired by China’s Minister for Human Resources and Social Security, Yin Weimin, and will provide valuable input to the work of developing APEC’s Growth Strategy, which will be presented to APEC Leaders meeting in Yokohama, Japan in November this year.

The Asia Pacific region is the world’s engine of growth and many member economies are leading the recovery from the global financial crisis. But common concerns remain, including the need to foster job creation, improve social protection and enhance education and training. Many member economies also face long-term challenges such as ageing populations and demands for flexible and adaptable workforces.

During the two-day meeting, Minister Yin Weimin will give a key note speech at the Great Hall of the People. Ministers from member economies will also make presentations and they are expected to adopt and release a joint statement and action plan at the conclusion of the meeting.

The meeting will be attended by Ministers responsible for Human Resources Development, officials and support personnel. The ministerial will follow a meeting of APEC HRD Senior Officials in Beijing on September 15.

For more information, contact Trudy Harris at th@apec.prg or +65 6891 9671.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Where is justice?

From IAN TAUKURO

 

I've been following the story in the Post-Courier of the young man who was charged with killing another young man about four years ago through that absolutely stupid male cult practice called 'skelim bros' and was shocked today to learn that the court has now ordered a four year suspended sentence on the perpetrator.

 

The newspaper did not report on the reaction to this sentence from the deceased's parents/family but I'm sure they must be feeling a real sense of injustice right now.

 

Where is justice being served for a boy, who was probably talked into skipping school that fateful day by boys older than himself, forced into drinking homebrew as part of the 'skelim bros' rite of passage nonsense, then held up against a wall and punched to death violently and repeatedly in the chest by the perpetrator, another boy, probably older and who was also drunk not just from the alcohol, but from the sense of power that all bullies possess when they target the weak.

 

And, bullying is what 'skelim bros' is all about. It's protectionism for male teenagers. If you don't get punched in the chest until your sternum/ribs snap or bend inward, at least, you are not considered man enough to be part of the crowd. You are an outsider whom others can ignore and prey on, because you are viewed as being different - and lord knows that is not a feeling you want to have when you're a teenager. It's not exactly a nice feeling when your peers ridicule you or, worse, belt you up.

 

Whilst following the articles, I thought the courts were presented with a good opportunity to send out a strong message that 'skelim bros' and bullying in general, which is, unfortunately, common place in most schools, is wrong and if you punch someone in the chest so hard that the impact collapses the chest cavity, snapping the ribs in the process and causing the broken bones to tear flesh, pierce the heart or lungs and thereby cause a very painful death, you, the bully, will go to jail because you have killed someone deliberately.  

 

But, alas, today, I read that the courts have imposed a slap-on-the-wrist sentence and you can just imagine the relief and happiness that the perpetrator would have felt as he was embraced by his equally relieved family as they walked out of the court room into the fresh air and warm sunshine. It was a beautiful day for them.

 

Meanwhile, the soul of the poor deceased boy, despatched so ruthlessly to the sheer blackness of eternity, roams the great void angrily, restlessly, eternally. And, somewhere, at a school in this country, some poor male student, the child of parents of have worked hard to put their son in school, is either preparing to undergo 'skelim bros' or is either being considered for 'skelim bros' by his peers. The cycle of violence rages on restlessly, eternally.   

 

Tagis queries varsity’s security

By JULIA DAIA BORE

THE director-general of the Office of Higher Education (OHE), Dr William Tagis, has questioned the effectiveness of the security management of the University of Technology in Lae, The National reports.

He said there had been student deaths in the past five years, with the recent one last Thursday when a first year engineering student from East Sepik was killed, allegedly at the hands of a highlands student or students.

“A death or deaths, even injuries, of any student at a university campus, is a very serious matter,” Tagis said yesterday.

“No university should allow ethnic groupings.

“Such activities must be stopped because they are not helping anyone,” he added.

Tagis said Unitech should instead encourage “academic groupings” which he said were more healthy as they were made up of mixed groupings of students from all cultural and ethnic backgrounds.

Tagis said about a year or two ago, there was another killing of a highlands student, followed by heightened unrest on that campus with another student being badly-injured.

Last week, the first year engineering student was killed.

“A university that is allowing such continuing unrest brings about questions about the executive management of the institution; particularly, its management of security system of all living on campus – students and staff like.

“Students must feel safe to study and move about on a university campus.

“With the continuing deaths of students, there must be questions as to the effectiveness of its administration, particularly security.

 “It brings to my mind why there is no disciplinary control in a university campus,” Tagis said.

He pointed out that “ethnic groupings” must not be allowed and called on the Unitech administration to immediately do away with such practices by its students on campus.

He said it encouraged the breeding grounds of the current on-going ethnic clashes leading to killings of innocent students whose reasons for being in a higher education institution was to gain valuable education which would benefit PNG.

Tagis dispatched one of his senior officers to the university on Monday and expected him to return with information of what was really going on.

He said based on this information, his office would make its next moves to assist Unitech to reach a long-term objective on better control of the safety of students on campus.

Papua New Guinea businesswomen off to China

Councillor Elizabeth Gonoua of Central (from left), Julie Keni of East Sepik, Sophie Kaupa of Chimbu, PNG Women in Business president Janet Sape, Lari Fareho of Port Moresby and vice president of the People’s Action Party Martha Kaia showing off their passports for a trip to the Shanghai 2010 world trade expo.

By BOSORINA ROBBY

FIVE Papua New Guinean businesswomen will be going to China to celebrate the country’s independence at the Shanghai 2010 world trade expo this weekend, The National reports.

The women, who are engaged in small to medium-sized businesses, were the winners of the PNG Women in Business (WIB) expo held in Lae earlier this year.

The trip to Shanghai was one of the incentives of WiB.

The women are Kuni/Mekeo councilor Elizabeth Gonoua, who is a rubber farmer; Julie Keni, a guest house proprietor in East Sepik; Sophie Kaupa, a tailor with branches in Lae and Chimbu; Lari Fareho, a local jeweller in Port Moresby; and bilum wear specialist Florence Jaukae. 

In a small ceremony yesterday, PNG WiB president Janet Sape thanked the women and their families for their commitment to support the organisation which aims to equip mothers who are venturing into small businesses.

Sape said many women in PNG were very skilled but did not have anywhere to go to further their skills and market to expose their products.

She had encouraged all interested women to visit the PNG WiB office at the DCI Textile building at Gordon to know more about how they can participate in moving PNG forward through their own business ventures.

She also acknowledged Minister for Commerce and Industry Gabriel Kapris and his department for supporting this incentive and assisting to set up WiB and sponsoring the trip.

The women were presented with their passport by People’s Action Party vice-president Martha Kaia, on behalf of Kapris.

Jails to buy 1,500 semi-automatic weapons, 50,000 rounds from Australia

CORRECTIONAL Services Minister Tony Aimo has confirmed overseas media reports that the Correctional Services will buy non-lethal weapons worth more than K9 million for its jails from Australian defence technology company Metal Storm Ltd, The National reports.

The Brisbane-based company announced separately on its website that the Correctional Services planned to have about 1,500 of these weapons in service starting next year.

Aimo said CS had placed orders worth US$3.364 million (K9.1 million) but no payments had been made as arrangements were being done on a government-to-government level.

The minister, reinstated CS commissioner Richard Sikani and deputy commissioner operations Henry Wavik will travel to Brisbane next week to check on the weapons.

Metal Storm said this week it would supply 500 weapons and 50,000 rounds of ammunition in a deal signed with Aimo.

The semi-automatic weapons would be used with non-lethal ammunition and would be deployed to CS officers in charge of security at jails throughout the country, providing non-lethal response capabilities that could be lifted to immediate lethal response if necessary.

 “PNG is delighted to be able to source weapons at the leading edge of shotgun technology and we hope in due course to have about 1,500 of these weapons in service,” Aimo said.

He said he expected ratification of the urgent purchase through the usual government protocols shortly and the first 50 weapons to be delivered by next February.

Aimo said CS would be getting non-lethal weapons while the police and defence would be beefing up their firepower with lethal weapons.

He said orders had been placed and were going through the normal procurement process.

“If things go well, Correctional Services will be the first to get non-lethal weapons that is aimed at injuring rather than killing of escapees.

“We do not want to kill prison escapees, the message we want to get across is for escapees to go back and serve their jail term, and we (CS) will rehabilitate you into the community as a reformed person.”

Aimo said that CS saw the capacity of the weapon to deliver a rapid and escalating response as exactly what was necessary for security in PNG jails.

Metal Storm CEO Dr Lee Finniear said the production contract was a watershed for the company after many years of research, development and testing.

He said that an additional advantage for the CS was that weapons that were lost or stolen could not be used with conventional illegally obtained ammunition.

“Illegal arms possession is a big problem in PNG and the government are determined to tackle the issue on a variety of fronts.

“By purchasing Metal Storm weapons, the PNG Correctional Services is contributing to government arms control by ensuring that, if stolen, its new weapons cannot be used effectively by criminals,” Finniear said.

 

 

CS Minister: Sikani's reinstatement lawful

THE reinstatement of Correctional Services Commissioner Richard Sikani to the top post is lawful and in line with all public service rules and regulations, minister Tony Aimo said yesterday, The National reports.

He told reporters that all internal and external investigations had cleared Sikani of any wrongdoing into the escape of serial bank robber William Kapris and 11 others from the Bomana prison early this year.

Based on these findings, the minister said cabinet saw fit to give the CS top administrative post back to Sikani.

“Sikani was not personally involved or responsible for aiding and abetting the escape of Kapris and 11 other hardcore prisoners from the Bomana maximum security unit on Jan 12,” Aimo said.

He said the jail commander of the corrective institution was responsible for the day-to-day administration and management of the prison, including the maximum unit.

“It is clearly spelt out in his duty statement,” he added.

He said two prison warders, Abiang Kera and John Weka, had been charged with the offence with their cases now before court.

“My department, through the commissioner, has in place security procedures and protocols, standing orders and operational orders in the management of the maximum security unit.

“The underlying rules and command must be observed and managed by the jail commanders and all their officers at CS institutions throughout the country.

“It is not the task of the commissioner, or even the minister, to stand at the Bomana maximum security unit gate or the CS gate to check every client visiting prisoners,” Aimo said.

“Security protocols of all security units must be strictly executed in all our correctional institutions.”

The minister said an internal investigation into the escape of Kapris and 11 others did not, in any way, implicate the commissioner.

“Having considered all these facts, I, as minister for CS, seeking advice from Public Service Minister Peter O’Neill and the chief secretary to government, Manasupe Zurenuoc, sought cabinet’s approval to reinstate Sikani as CS commissioner.”

The approval was granted on Aug 27.

Aimo urged the commissioner to ensure command and control mechanisms were put in place to get the department up and running.

Sikani’s first task would be to implement the prison industry authority concept, a vehicle aimed at driving the rehabilitation of rundown institutions and the rural lock-up programme that had grinded to a halt in January.

Sikani promised to do his best.

 

 

Wright’s farewell gift to Telefomin

By JEFFREY ELAPA

Telefomin MP Peter Iwei (left) with chief pilot Gerard Conron near the plane at the Jackson International Airport yesterday.-Nationalpic by JEFFREY ELAPA

FOUR local level governments in West Sepik’s Telefomin district have become the first local level government (LLG) to own a plane to serve their people, The National reports.
And they have much to thank TransAir co-owner Les Wright  for making it possible.
Unfortunately, Wright could not witness the handover yesterday, as he was one of four people killed in the Misima, Milne Bay, plane crash in bad weather last Tuesday.
Telefomin MP Peter Iwei said the nine-seater Cessna 206 was bought for K300,000 using his district support grants which were approved by the district planning and budget priorities committee.
The plane was bought in Cairns, Australia, under an arrangement with Wright before last Tuesday’s tragic plane crash.
Iwei said that the plane would be leased to the Frieda River copper mine in his electorate so that it was sustainable in the long run, allowing the district to collect revenue.
He said Telefomin was one of the most isolated districts, which was only accessible by air, and the plane would ease many transportation problems.
He noted that the plane was small, however, it was appropriate for serving his people whose travel had been restricted for many years.
Iwei thanked third-level airlines like MAF that had served his remote area, and the purchase of the plane was not to compete but for service delivery to his people.
The launching of the plane will take place in Telefomin after it is registered as P2PIW Min Airways.
Villager Collin Tandamat, who turned up to see the plane at the TransAir hanger at the Jackson International Airport, said he was pleased to see the little people owning a plane to serve themselves.
Iwei returned from Telefomin yesterday to learn of the Misima tragedy and passed his condolences to Wright’s family

Ramu tailings case date set

By SINCLAIRE SOLOMON

 

THE trial date for the deep sea tailings placement (DSTP) legal battle against Ramu NiCo management (MCC) and state stakeholders has been confirmed for Sept 21-Oct 1 at the Madang National Court, The National reports.

At directions hearing yesterday, defendants Ramu NiCo, Mineral Resources Authority, Environment and Conservation Department and the state maintained that the trial date should be kept and the trial preparation should be fast-tracked while the plaintiffs should file and serve any affidavits to prosecute their claims.

Justice David Cannings heard three applications which were returnable yesterday:

* First defendant Eddie Tarsie’s application for an expedited trial and related matters;

* Sama Melambo and Pommern ILG’s application to withdraw from the proceedings; and

* Plaintiffs Tarsie, Farina Siga and Peter Sel’s application to have the matter referred to the alternate dispute resolution (ADR) courts for mediation.

Cannings ruled that the plaintiffs should file and serve additional affidavits and notices by Sept 13 and the defendants by Sept 17.

He also expressed concern that the application for mediation was too late in the litigation process; however, he would hear the notice of motion on Friday.

Cannings also accepted an invitation, in principle, from Ramu NiCo to visit the DSTP site at Basamuk, Rai Coast, but not before the trial.

He said the site visit could take place after the close of the submissions but before he hands down his decision.

The plaintiffs had been granted an interim injunction since March, halting work on the DSTP offshore facility construction claiming that the tailings were environmentally damaging to marine life and their livelihood.

Yesterday, Cannings granted leave for Melambo and Pommern ILG to cease the litigation proceedings.

Outside the court, Ramu NiCo said yesterday it would make good preparations for the trial while always ready to start the settlement discussion with the plaintiffs any time this week.

It had sent a letter to all parties on Sept 5 but had not received an indication from the remaining three plaintiffs.

 Ramu NiCo also said that it was seeking legal advice and would be making applications to seek cost and undertakings on damages from third parties who were believed to have financed the litigation.

In a separate but related move last week, four LLG presidents and a magistrate of the area filed affidavits in the Waigani National Court saying that they had not authorised Tarsie, Siga and Sel to be party to the proceedings initiated in March against Ramu NiCo and the state.

The K3.1 billion project was due to go into production at the end of this year.

Headstone for Mum

Friends, especially those in Lae or those who will be in Lae over the independence weekend, we'll be putting up Mum's headstone on Friday September 17 followed by kaikai on Saturday September 18, at our house at Butibam village in Lae, so please feel free to drop by.

 

Malum

Police move into Unitech

Eastern Highlands students studying at the University of Technology waiting in front of the Yanepa building for Governor Malcolm Kela-Smith to present their petition yesterday.

Sepiks turn on students from other provinces

THE University of Technology, despite further intimidation and threats by provincial groups against each other, is assuring safety and appealing to students to return to classes next Monday, The National reports.

The administration said last night that it had also beefed up security with more police presence at the Taraka campus.

Police have been given orders to arrest and charge anyone breaking Unitech rules and regulations and disrupting peace.

On Monday night, Sepik students searched all lodges and dormitories and attacked students from other provinces.

University workers said the Sepiks had retaliated following an attack by Western Highlands students late in the afternoon.

Police were forced to fire warning shots into the air to disperse the unruly group, an academic said.

The Sepik students continued the threats and intimidation yesterday morning and attacked a Central student in front of the union canteen at midday.

Students said the Sepiks were attacking anybody “who is not a Sepik”.

They said the Sepiks were angered when they learnt of a discussion on Monday night by all other provincial groups. They viewed the meeting as collusion to team up against them.

“They thought that everyone is against them,” the students said.

In Goroka, Unitech students from Eastern Highlands yesterday petitioned Governor Malcolm Kela-Smith to assist them to return to complete their studies.

The students fled the Taraka campus last weekend along with other highlands students in fear of attack from Sepik students following a clash that resulted in a death.

President of the Unitech Eastern Highlands Students Association Solomon David petitioned Kela-Smith in front of the Yanepa provincial government building yesterday.

The students called for maximum security to be provided for them to return and complete the remaining five weeks of their academic year.

They also called for financial assistance for transport and political intervention to address the current situation on campus.

The students claimed that the university’s senior management had failed to deal with the problem, resulting in a death, injuries and chaos.

In Mt Hagen, Western Highlands students said they were not involved in the clash.

They said the fight was between the Chimbu and Sepik students, and no Western Highlander had part took in it.

The National, yesterday, reported that the Sepik students were angry that a Western Highlands student, known to them, was instrumental in the fight at the student mess.

The fight reportedly began after a Sepik student was assaulted at the university gates at Taraka.

Meanwhile, Enga students who boarded a PMV bus from Lae to Wabag were allegedly attacked along the Highlands Highway last weekend.

First-year student Terry Kandiu said they were attacked and robbed at Kindeng, but they did not know who the attackers were and why they were attacked.

Police in Mt Hagen confirmed that they had received reports of the incident but had not made any arrests.

Storm wreaks havoc

By PISAI GUMAR

 

NEARLY 500 people have been left homeless in the Huon Gulf district of Morobe after a freak thunderstorm on Monday night flattened their homes, The National reports.

Villagers of Maiama on the coast of the Morobe patrol post lost 32 homes and the remainder of their food gardens in the strong winds and heavy rains.

Women, children and the elderly were pleading for help from relatives in Lae for food supplies and medication.

Fears of flooding and landslides had also been raised for villages along the coast to the border of Northern and in the hinterlands.

It is the second disaster to have affected the village in a week after last Wednesday’s 2m-high flooding of the Masira River that swept away 25 homes and lowland gardens, Morobe patrol post sub-district manager Essing Ulam said last night.

He said last week’s devastation left more than 100 people homeless and Monday night’s had worsened the situation with more than 300 people without either food or shelter.

He said a southeasterly wind lashed the village at 1am on Monday.

Cash crops of vanilla vines and cocoa trees and food gardens were all destroyed.

Ulam said the phenomenon was described by villagers as “some strange wind”.

Ulam and his Department of Agriculture and Livestock officer have compiled a latest report to the Morobe provincial disaster and emergency office for assistence.

They had been visited at the weekend by Huon Gulf district administrator Tony Ase.

Ase said last night that he had requested relief supplies from the disaster office.

In the meantime, the people are scouring their gardens for food.

 

 

Pyrethrum a re-emerging cash crop for high altitudes for Papua New Guinea

By ENOPA LINDSAY of NARI

A farmer planting pyrethrum in Maltaka, Enga

Pyrethrum offers an alternative income earning opportunity for farmers in the high altitude highlands of Papua New Guinea.

It is re-emerging as a cash crop due to innovations in research and development through collaborative efforts among partners.

With the establishment of markets, improved planting materials, production suitability, technical support and new information, farmers should fully capture this income-earning potential.

Pyrethrum is a daisy-like plant of the Chrysanthemum group of the Compositae family. An active constituent, extracted from dried flower heads, known as ‘pyrethrin’, has economical importance.

Pyrethrum flower

Most of this active ingredient is used as additives in pharmaceuticals (body and household sprays), insecticides, mosquito coils and many more.

Pyrethrum grows well in some patches of areas within altitudes ranging from 1800 – 3000 meters above sea level.

Such altitudes have the suitable temperatures and humidity with optimal rainfall, and other environmental conditions conducive for pyrethrum production.

In the 1950s, the national Department of Agriculture and Livestock introduced and evaluated high-yielding seeds from Congo and Kenya to determine its adaptability under PNG conditions.

Research work commenced in Aiyura (Eastern Highlands) in the early 1950s but due to poor performance, further work was moved to Tambul (Western Highlands) in 1966 and continued further up the highlands to Sirunki in the Enga province.

From results obtained during these trials, 30 pyrethrum clones with high pyrethrin content, superior agronomic yield parameters with some level of tolerance to floral fungal diseases were selected for further assessment.

The 30 promising clones were further multiplied at the Sirunki Sub-Research DPI Station and distributed to farmers around Sirunki and other pyrethrum-growing areas in the Enga province.

From the 1960s to the late 1980s, the pyrethrum industry played a major role in sustaining the livelihood of some 65-85,000 people.

Unfortunately, the clones were lost in farmers’ fields.

 The loss was beyond a retraceable point as farmers lost interest in the crop.

 This contributed to delivery of fewer flowers by farmers to an extraction factory and thus resulted in the fall of the industry in 1995.

The pyrethrum industry was worth K350, 000 to K400, 000 with annual production of 300 tonnes in the early 1970’s until the closure.

However, since 2003, NARI Tambul has recollected available pyrethrum clones that were found in farmer fields in the Sirunki area and established a germplasm collection at the Taluma Research Station.

This was done with the aim to improve pyrethrum clones by poly-crossing among them. It was also a step forward for reviving the pyrethrum industry with the identification and selection of improved clones.

In addition, NARI has also worked on addressing crop husbandry in relation to improvement in flower yields through assessment on cultural husbandry practices such as plant spacing, slashing off tops, fungal disease severity and improved drying methods. This includes generation and production of technical information for dissemination to farmers and stakeholders.

For the pyrethrum industry to be fully re-commercialised, the farming communities need to be well equipped with technical knowledge and skills on pyrethrum crop husbandry which are adopted into their farming systems.

 This has been the main focus of various collaborators now involved in the re-commercialisation of the pyrethrum industry in PNG.

The industry has picked up since recently due to a sound partnership arrangement between the extension team of the Enga Pyrethrum Company and the NARI Tambul research team in terms of production and dissemination of technical information through distribution of posters, information leaflet and improved planting materials.

 Farmers and farming communities have cultivated 18 improved pyrethrum clones which were distributed as preliminary released planting materials since early 2006 through the collaboration.

As a result there is significant increase in production of more than 145 tonnes in 2008, compared to less than 40 tonnes in 2005.

Currently, the Enga Pyrethrum Company Holdings Ltd (EPC) is purchasing dried flowers from farmers and selling its product, oleoresin, in crude, to Botanical Resources Australia based in Tasmania, Australia.

EPC started off with the purchase of 40 tonnes in 2005 and gradually increased to 145 tonnes in 2008.

According to the pyrethrum extraction factory at the outskirt of Mt Hagen City, the extraction efficiency of the plant has improved mainly due to high pyrethrin level of dried flowers, improvement in farmers’ level of understanding of the crop husbandry through awareness and availability of improved planting materials.

With the improvement in the level of understanding of the crop by growers and farming communities, the industry would serve as a giant sole cash earner in the marginalised sketches of high altitude highlands of PNG.

Hereafter, the industry would foster downstream processing and farmers can be paid much higher price for their produce.

 It can be paid on the pyrethrin content and not dried weight as it is at present.

The industry has great potential in subsequently establishing multiple export markets overseas for selling of raw materials as well as processed products.

Pyrethrum crop is a sustainable and viable industry for rural marginalised farmers in the high altitude highlands of the country.

The industry has a great potential, having had the most-conducive environmental conditions, production cycle all year round, availability of improved clones with more than three years of expanded life span of the farm, and multiple established overseas markets for the produce and processed products.

Counting down to crowning day

Seven young contestants for the Hiri Hanenamo crown, led by 22-year-old Wari Gou from Barakau (from left) yesterday lined up at the Botanical Gardens in Port Moresby to strut their stuff for photographers, The National reports. With Gou are 18-year-old Mary Kone from Tubusereia; Hebou Morea, 22, Porebada; Sese Boge, 20, Gaire; Bele Nou, 18, Manumanu; Venessa Vagi, 17, and 23-year-old Carolyn Sabadi both from Boera village. The contestants will line up to be judged during the Hiri Moale Festival on Sept 16, coinciding with the country’s Independence Day celebrations. – Nationalpic by AURI EVA

Students quit Unitech campus

By ELLEN TIAMU

 

MOST students at the University of Technology in Lae have left the campus and apparently abandoned the six final weeks of the academic year, The National reports.

While the Unitech administration was counting on normal classes to resume today, only a handful of students from other provinces, along with those from Enga and international students, mainly from the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu, were left at the Taraka campus along with the East and West Sepik male students.

Many students from other highlands provinces had left the campus with six bus and truckloads of Chimbu students, out of fear of retribution, hurriedly leaving for Kundiawa last Saturday, courtesy of their provincial administration and the Morobe provincial government.

Many other students, not wanting to be caught in the crossfire between Simbus and Sepiks, were living off campus awaiting resumption but dreading that the Unitech council may not extend the school year.

Sepik students at the campus were adamant the academic year should not resume unless the Chimbu student perpetrators, allegedly involved in the killing of a first-year applied physics student last Thursday night, were arrested and prosecuted and the university administration gave them assurances to safeguard their lives. 

The Sepiks met with Unitech registrar Allan Sako and acting vice-chancellor Prof Mohammed Sater yesterday morning in relation to a petition they presented to the university administration last Saturday evening which, among other things, called for the investigation, arrest and prosecution of Chimbu students alleged involved in the clashes and the death.

The petition also demanded the removal of Kuima Security, which guards the campus premises, saying they failed to maintain peace during the fights.

The university administration was also blamed for not doing enough when the fights first started last Tuesday, resulting in the hospitalisation of a student.

Sepik students were angered that the university had failed to report last Tuesday’s initial fight to Lae police which, they said, could have deterred further clashes last Thursday evening. 

In response, the administration said police investigations were underway with Sepik and Chimbu students, security personnel and university officers being interviewed.

Sako said the Unitech council would meet to consider security measures at the campus.

He said Chimbu students, allegedly involved in the fight, would be identified and dealt with under existing university rules and regulations with termination a possible option.

The same course of action, the university said, would apply to students from East and West Sepik who were found to have breached these same regulations.

There was a slight altercation at the student mess yesterday afternoon when Western Highlands students, prevented from eating at the mess, stoned an Engan student who was allowed to use the facilities.

The Sepik students were angry that a Western Highlands student, known to them, was instrumental in the fight at the mess last Thursday resulting in the death of a Sepik student.

Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare, who is also East Sepik MP, had insisted that a report on the campus killing and fight be sent to him by yesterday afternoon.

Meanwhile, Morobe Governor Luther Wenge said he was saddened by the events and offered to assist Sepik students “in any way possible”.

Security measures on campus were being beefed up with heavy mobile police presence.

 

Agiru, Tiensten prefer SDP over Vision 2050

THE National Government’s 20-year strategic development plan (SDP) is set to take off as the medium term development strategy nears its 10-year cycle.

Key players in the government preferred the SDP to the Vision 2050, arguing it was properly costed and had realistic targets, The National reports.

The SDP was conceptualised by Planning Minister Paul Tiensten, who foreshadowed the 20-year plan when he delivered a stinging attack on the 40-year plan (later named Vision 2050) during the mining and petroleum conference in Sydney in December 2008.

The SDP is costed around K250 billion over 20 years,

starting next year.

The medium term development plan will take up the first five years of SDP, and a growth concept Southern Highlands Governor Anderson Agiru would kick-start next year is called PRAEC (petroleum resource area economic corridor).

“I want to champion PRAEC for the next five years,” Agiru said yesterday.

Under PRAEC, various projects would be developed and funded along the corridor area.

These projects are expected to spur growth in these areas, which will mostly be affected by the petroleum projects now under way.

“Under PRAEC, Southern Highlands and Hela will be the envy of the rest of PNG. Gulf, Western, Enga and Central will also benefit from this concept,” Tiensten said when commenting on the move by Agiru.

Agiru said he believed Vision 2050 was only a dream.

He said the ideals of 2050 were already captured in the constitution.

“Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare envisaged this and captured it in our constitution. It has been there for 35 years.

“We do not need Vision 2050. It is not costed. We do not know where it will start and finish,” Agiru said.

While Agiru kick-starts PRAEC, other parts of PNG will also have their own growth concepts under this plan.

For the funding commitment of the SDP to be fully realised, the government may relax restrictions, placed by the medium term fiscal strategy and other laws or policies, so government can access funds to inject into the 20-year plan.

Government sources said the government might borrow against future earnings, given the national debt to GDP ratio had fallen below 50%, to fund this strategy since most of the programmes were development-oriented and would trigger economic growth and create wealth in the 20 years.

 

Report gives warning signs of flaws

THE Misima crash that killed three Australians and a New Zealander last Tuesday has also exposed serious concerns about Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority’s (CASA) handling of Trans Air’s operations and anger about the allegedly poor performance of some of the parties involved in Australian investigations into the Kokoda disaster last year, The National reports.

Popular Australian website Crikey, reported that while the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) had agreed to a Papua New Guinea invitation to assist in its investigation at the site where the operator’s Citation II jet crashed off the runway on Misima Island, its involvement is being kept at levels Port Moresby considers appropriate to an aviation accident rather than a political circus.

Information given to Crikey said a massive and costly inquiry by Australian authorities – including the department of environment, water, heritage and the arts as well as the ATSB, CASA and department of foreign affairs and trade – into the crash of a PNG Airlines Twin Otter while descending toward the Kokoda airstrip last Aug 11 produced a report “so badly flawed that it was withdrawn without a detailed release after the PNG authorities objected to what they regarded as factual errors and mistakes within it”.

Crikey said: “That crash killed 13 people, including nine Australians about to embark on the Kokoda Track walk.

“An official and detailed PNG report into the tragedy is in preparation for public release on a date to be announced.

“The anger in Port Moresby over CASA’s alleged ‘persecution’ of Trans Air and one of its co-owners, Les Wright, who died in last Tuesday’s crash is not about Wright’s numerous offences against Australian safety regulations while chief pilot and part owner of the earlier Transair, which went out of business after the crash of its Metroliner turbo-prop while approaching Lockhart River in far northern Queensland on May 7, 2005, killing all 15 people on board.

“Rather it is about a perceived vendetta against the PNG Trans Air operation, in which Wright had no role in its management of safety, and which officials in Port Moresby saw as an attempt by CASA to deflect blame for its complicity in the Lockhart River crash.

“To summarise from privileged documents, the ATSB in its inquiry in the 2005 crash blamed inadequate and ineffective CASA oversight of Wright and Transair as a contributing factor, in that if CASA had done its job the accident would never have happened.

“These claims, subsequently pursued by the relatives of the Lockhart River dead through senate committee hearings into CASA and aired in a coronial inquest, are well supported.

“The CASA ‘vendetta’ against Wright and Trans Air failed after the administrative appeals tribunal in January reversed the regulator’s refusal to issue a certificate of approval for its medical evacuation and related flight activities between PNG and Australia.

“Those flights used the same jet that was destroyed on Tuesday after it was observed to aquaplane off the Misima Island airstrip in heavy rain and crash into trees.

“Wright is now dead, and following the comments about him and Trans Air made by CASA, which sought to leverage positive spin on its failures to deal with Transair in 2005, so is its reputation in PNG.”

Rare pictures of the Wau/Bulolo gold rush

Some rare, never-before-published pictures of the Wau/Bulolo gold rush http://bulololive.blogspot.com/2010/09/historical-pictures-of-bulolo-during.html

 

Papua New Guinea crash victims return home

ABC

 

The bodies of three Australians and a New Zealander killed in a Papua New Guinea plane crash have arrived in Brisbane, ABC reports.

All four were on board a Trans Air charter plane when it crashed into trees and burst into flames on Misima Island, off the south-eastern tip of PNG, last week.

The Queensland coroner took possession of the remains just before midday (AEST) yesterday and will carry out post-mortem examinations.

The sole survivor of the accident - the plane's 25-year-old co-pilot Kelby Cheyne - has been discharged from a Townsville hospital.

The Australian victims were marine pilot Chris Hart, Trans Air co-owner Les Wright and Darren Moore, who was believed to be working for PNG's Civil Aviation Authority.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau has sent three experienced investigators to PNG following a request from local authorities

Esso's big outlay on goods, services

LNG project operator spent K460m in Q2

 

PNG LNG project operator Esso Highlands Ltd (EHL), the subsidiary of ExxonMobil, spent more than K460 million (US$170 million) on goods and services during the quarter from April to June this year, The National reports.

It also employed a total of 2,300 nationals, representing 80% of the total workforce during the period in review, while training new workers, of whom 17% of the graduate trainees were women.

These were contained in a report covering the second quarter period which also showed the company’s environmental activities.

EHL managing director Peter Graham, in his executive summary report, said recruiting and training local citizens was another key component of the project’s national content plan.

Graham said the project would require a peak of approximately 12,000 workers, about one-third of which would be locals.

He said the workers were sourced across the project region including Gobe, Kopi, Kantobo, Hides, Komo, Moro and the LNG plant site areas as well as other areas of the country.

Graham also said the project’s approach to environment protection began with a thorough understanding of the physical surrounding and operating environment with the goal of minimising the project footprint.

He said to continue the effort in this area, “this quarter the project environment field team was expanded to enable site verifications across al the active construction worksites”.

“At the end of this quarter, approximately two-thirds of the overall survey programme and one-third of the onshore pipeline survey were completed.

“The pre-construction survey reports addressing archeological and cultural heritage, ecology, weeds and water quality were submitted to the Department of Environment and Conservation in which acceptance was secured,” Graham added.

 

 

K54 million lost in highway fraud

By PEARSON KOLO

 

THE government lost K54 million to fraud and bogus claims disguised as compensation for the Highlands Highway rehabilitation project, an expert has claimed, The National reports.

Consultant Mori Resources said the fraud was perpetrated by the absence of legislation on road corridor managements.

The fraud and bogus claims were pushed by public servants colluding with dishonest villagers, the firm said.

Further claims lodged by villagers with the Department of Works escalated to K68 million, compelling the state to put on hold the Highlands Highway rehabilitation project.

This had abruptly disrupted all rehabilitation and upgrading work on the Highlands Highways and other major roads in the country.

The Asian Development Bank, which loaned the money to fund the project, has pulled out.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Transport and Works Don Polye received the report of this fraud last Friday by the consulting firm which was engaged to undertake structural mapping, verification and valuation.

Mori Resources said less than K10 million should have been paid to the landowners if proper procedures were followed with only those structures within the 40m corridor of the highway being pulled down, and their owners compensated.

The minister was not impressed with the involvement of public servants into the rod.

“This is corruption by state agents and contractors who are collaborating with the people,” Polye said.

“Everyone in society entangled themselves and willingly participated in this act of corruption to rob the country.”

Polye said immediate actions would be taken against those involved once all the evidences were put together.

Identifying and persecuting those involved, including the landowners, would be fairly easy because Mori Resources had used the GIS structural mapping system linked to a satellite precisely identified who were genuine claimants and who were not.

During the structural mapping process, Mori Resources discovered that of the total K54,067,338 paid out for structures either outside the legal 40m road corridor or were non-existent, only K8,957,175.35 worth of structures were recorded within the 40m corridor.

The minister said he would present the report of the finding to cabinet for deliberation.

 

 

Freeway claims life of politician's son

HOUSING Minister Andrew Kumbakor has described the Poporena Freeway as a “death trap” that needs to be redesigned before more lives are lost, The National reports.

Kumbakor is mourning the loss of his young son Malakai, 13, who was killed in an accident along the highway on Saturday evening.

Malakai was in a sedan with four others, heading back from town after a basketball training session.

The driver, believed to be his elder brother, lost control and shot off the highway at Hohola.

Malakai was thrown out of the car. He suffered injuries to his head and other parts of his body, and was pronounced dead on arrival at the Pacific International Hospital.

Police are investigating the accident.

“There have been a lot of deaths on the Poreporena Freeway over the years.

“Most of these deaths are preventable if safety was considered during its construction. For example, there is no way of controlling speed on this highway,” the minister said.

The lack of speedometer, or any gadget to control speed, meant motorists were travelling at high speed on the highway.

“There is no speedometer, or speed humps. There are so many vehicles on the road today.

“The lack of policing is such that people with dangerous habits are allowed to drive on the road,” he said.

“Our roads and their use are so unregulated here,” Kumbakor said.

Malakai was a Grade 6 student at the Kopkop College in Gerehu. He is survived by six brothers and four sisters.

Also over the weekend, a pioneer SDA pastor in Enga was killed in Boroko when he was hit by a vehicle.

He was identified as Pr Paul Piari. Details of his death were not released, but police are also investigating.

Last year, two brothers were killed at Konedobu, along the freeway, when a vehicle which had spun out of control slammed into them.

The two were sons of government lawyer David Lambu.