Once here, they can cause a lot of trouble

By JOHN PASQUARELLI in The Australian

February 19, 2011 12:00AM

IN 1978, Malcolm Fraser established the Australian Institute of Multicultural Affairs, which had Petro Georgiou as its director for 1980-85. In the blink of an eye, the multicultural die had been cast and, while ordinary Australians didn't know it then, their once stable and ordered society would never be the same again.

Those Liberals and Nationals who supported Fraser share the responsibility and the shame for selling out mainstream Australia, betraying those whose safety and security is supposedly the chief priority of all politicians.

Between 1975 and 1982 Fraser oversaw 200,000 migrants arriving from Asian countries, including nearly 56,000 Vietnamese refugees as well as 2059 boatpeople also from Vietnam, who arrived without permission and without documents. Fraser gave us the double whammy when, in 1976, his government allowed thousands of Lebanese Muslims in despite his own immigration department warning against this.

In a short time, Labor's immigration minister Al Grassby and then Fraser, striking at the heart of the core Australian society of Anglo-European heritage and the First Australians, laid the foundations for a multicultural industry. It quickly attracted a vast circus of academics, students, politicians, journalists and the chattering classes with its departments, committees, boards and faculties.

Hot on their heels were the self-appointed spokesmen for ethnic groups, cunning enough to understand the rush for the ethnic vote by MPs and the taxpayer-funded hand-outs that accompanied this disgraceful direction in politics.

The Labor Party was quickly out of the starting gates with its branch-stacking of Muslims in Sydney's west, exposed by Paul Keating's revocation of Sheik Taj Din al-Hilali's deportation order.

Multiculturalism spread like wildfire. Ordinary Australians were denied any opportunity to debate the policy that would change their nation irreversibly. Just to question multiculturalism brought accusations of racism from practically every politician and journalist in the land.

In 1996, Pauline Hanson arrived on the scene and said what she thought about issues such as multiculturalism, foreign aid and the then Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission. Hanson gave the mainstream a voice.

John Howard dropped the multicultural portfolio, nervously confirmed by Labor after last year's election but Chris Bowen dropped a bombshell a few days ago when he announced the restoration of the portfolio and full-on multiculturalism, including anti-racism strategies and other mechanisms that will require taxpayer dollars. Politicians and the media live mainly in safe, leafy suburbs, away from dangerous ethnic ghettoes that were once white working-class suburbs. Who cares for those who have been killed by ethnic criminals who are the direct product of multiculturalism?

Australians now face a new era of uncertainty, and who will defend them against those who are determined to destabilise more than 200 years of cultural history? Labor is in tatters, but would an Abbott government be any better given the multicultural apologists that abound in the Coalition?

John Pasquarelli is a former Papua New Guinea territorial MP and an adviser to Pauline Hanson.

Whopping K500 million for Bougainville

By JEFFREY ELAPA

 

BOUGAINVILLE has received a massive K500 million from the national government to use in key infrastructure projects over the next five years, The National reports.

The government’s assistance was aimed at reviving the economy of the strife-torn region.

An agreement was signed in Port Moresby yesterday between the Autonomous Bougainville Government and PNG government to seal the deal.

Also included in the agreement were resolutions to transfer several national government powers, including education, health, lands, forest, and agriculture and teaching service.

Earlier, the ABG had demanded that the national government pay the K30 million (K15 million each) for the 2009 and last year’s budget allocations before they could agree to sign the agreement.

However, an agreement was reached and the K500 million financial package would be paid to Bougainville starting next year in K100 million per year installments.

 The arrangement was outside of the national government budget.

Projects to be covered under the restoration and development financial package included the reopening of the Aropa airport, Arawa hospital, Buka airport and the relocation of the administration headquarters from Buka to Arawa.

Co-chair and Deputy Prime Minister Sam Abal, when announcing the K500 million package, said the agreement signalled a new chapter for PNG and the ABG to develop the region.

He said the Bougainville people had suffered a lot during the 15-year crisis and the PNG government was doing what it could to restore peace and harmony through this infrastructure financial package.

Abal also invited international donors and investors to provide counterpart funding to also assist Bougainville through it restoration period.

President of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville John Momis, as co-chair, said the meeting was a success which had dealt with situations confronting Bougainville.

“Today can be described as a cultural paradigm to mutual understanding and, if we can manage the cultural momentum, then we can address the challenges faced by Bougainville and the K500 million financial package is welcome news in Bougainville.”

 

Parliament to meet for a day

By JEFFREY ELAPA

 

PARLIAMENT will be recalled for a day’s sitting next Friday to swear in the governor-general-elect, Michael Ogio, The National reports.

Cabinet sources said the government’s only agenda would be the swearing-in of Ogio. The house would then adjourn to May.

At the moment, Ogio could not assume the office of the governor-general or present his credentials to the queen until he had been sworn in.

This will be the second time parliament would be recalled, since it was adjourned (to May 10) last November, to deal with matters concerning the office of the governor-general.

Parliament was first recalled on Jan 11 after the Supreme Court voided the election of Sir Paulias Matane and ordered parliament to meet within 40 days to elect a new governor-general. Ogio was elected on Jan 14 beating rival Sir Pato Kakaraya 65-23. Eight votes were declared informal.

Parliament was ill-advised and elected to resume in May. However, realising that Ogio could not take up office until he was sworn in, arrangements had been made for the house to meet next Friday.

Speaker of parliament Jeffery Nape is acting governor-general.

Upon his election as GG, Ogio automatically lost his political representation as member for North Bougainville and minister for higher education, science and technology in cabinet. The ministerial portfolio had been vested in the Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare

 

 

Explain K4 billion 'daylight robbery'

The National Editorial - Thursday, February 17, 2011

 

ACTING Deputy Police Commissioner operations Fred Yakasa again gave us a stark reminder of corruption in Papua New Guinea when he said on Tuesday that a mammoth 50% of its budget annually is lost to fraud.

This works out to a whopping K4 billion a year, which Yakasa bluntly said had gone into the hands of corrupt public servants and senior bureaucrats, many of whom he alleges have invested these gains overseas.

On top of that, PNG fails to collect more than half of the taxation revenue that is due to it.

Internal Revenue Commission has admitted that hundreds of millions have been lost through tax evasion, false declarations and companies hiding their books from authorities.

Hundreds of millions are lost annually through non-compliance by companies in submitting their tax returns while IRC, because of capacity constraints, limits its checks to major corporate entities operating in the country.

Yakasa’s words should be taken note of by every citizen of PNG if we want to see our country develop.

We can only hope that the recent meetings in Crowne Plaza between the acting Prime Minister Sam Abal and senior public servants from Waigani and the provinces will stop this daylight robbery of public funds.

Apart from fraud, there is an element of ineptness among public servants, which they cover up with meetings, workshops, and meaningless junkets, exploiting their travelling allowance without achieving any results to better the lives of our people.

The most critical issue the Somare government must address is the performance of the public service, and especially that of the heads of government departments and agencies.

 The minister and secretary of National Planning and Monitoring, the first assistant secretaries as well as all heads of associated agencies, and the minister and secretary for Finance and their line managers have to explain the K4 billion fraud allegations.

Are the allegations true or false? We must know and they are the only persons who can answer these questions.

Each one of them is affected by and stands accused by the words of Yakasa: “PNG has the wealth to provide each and every one of us with first – world quality of life.

“Where does the money go?

“It disappears into the pockets of corrupt public servants; it disappears into real estate properties in Australia and Vanuatu, into bank accounts in Singapore and it disappears in the form of minerals and timber in foreign ships that foreign businesses have bribed our politicians to avoid paying for.”

If the accusations are false then the onus is on the relevant senior public servants and their political leaders to come out and defend the good names of their various offices.

The nation’s top planners admitted last December that there was a highly-organised syndicate operating with the bureaucracy who preys on recipients of government cheques.

They included public servants, bank workers and police personnel who may have milked the state of millions of kina over the years.

These people cannot be operating in isolation. Somebody must know of somebody involved in this. Why is nobody speaking out?

Transparency International PNG (TIPNG) recently expressed disgust at the collapse of the government’s financial management systems as Public Account Committee reports clearly showed a complete lack of accountability within the public service.

TIPNG says that it was very sad to learn from that from the 1,000 enquiries carried out by the PAC into the operations of various government agencies, hospital boards, and trust accounts most have not complied with lawful requirements.

The PAC has sounded the alarm bells and the national executive council must address this situation as the highest priority.

We understand the various PAC reports have been sitting with the NEC gathering dust, if this is true then this is indeed an indictment on the members of the NEC.

It is totally unacceptable that government, and particularly the NEC, turns a blind eye to reports submitted by the PAC.

From the point of view of the people, when government does not bother to respond to theft and malpractice, it becomes an accomplice of those who are stealing and misusing the people’s resources.

This state of affairs suggests the government has no respect for the people it is sworn to serve and is certainly not serious about ensuring that proper procedures and regulations, particularly the Financial Management Act, are adhered to by all agencies in a transparent manner.

Lack of action by the government continues to feed and encourage more unlawful practices, translating into non-delivery of goods and services for the ordinary people.

 

Farewell to a hero

By KEVIN TEME

PAPUA New Guinea rugby league star Aquila Emil epitomised rugby league as an ambassador, as a mentor, a leader and a player, The National reports.

Pallbearers and former Kumuls Stanley Haru (from left), Joshua Kouoru, Ronald Tovue, Kera Ngaffin, Philip Boge and Richard Wagambie with the cacsket of the late Aquila Emil during the funeral service at at Reverend Sioni Kami Memorial church in Port Moresby yesterday.-Nationalpic by EKAR KEAPU

And as his son, Junior Aquila Emil made his way to the altar (pulpit) to read his father’s eulogy, he broke the hearts of the congregation who shed tears freely at the funeral service at the Reverend Sioni Kami Memorial church yesterday.
For some they had seen him as an inspiration to their own lives.

Widow Marieta (second from right), eldest son Aquila Emil Jr  and eldest daughter Vavine (left) weep as members of the great 1992 Kumuls carry the casket of Aquila Emil into church

Fighting back tears, Junior said: “My dad was a great mentor, he gave his best a father could ever give and he would always support us.”
“The death of my father will leave a lot of pain in our hearts but he had left many lessons for us to learn and many memories that we will never forgot.
“We thank God that you had been a wonderful father to us,” Junior said.

Aquila Emil's casket against the backdrop of grieving family members

NCD Governor Powes Parkop, who attended the funeral, said: “He was a true ambassador of rugby league and his charisma will be a turning point for all.
“They should put their differences aside and work for the common good of the game Emil loved. Emil had done that so we must continue to carry on the good work he had left.
“He is a true ambassador not only in rugby league but for his family and those who were around him,” Parkop said.
Parkop was among others, including former PNG Rugby Football League chairman Albert Veratau, the PNGNRL Bid team, former PNG Kumuls coach John Wagambie, who flew in from Alotau, former Kumuls mentor Mark Mom and the chairman of selectors Arnold Krewanty who attend the church service.
The others were Stanley Haru, Richard Wagambie, Philip Boge, Kera Ngaffin, Joshua Kouru, Ronald ToVue, Charlie Wabo, Jessie Joe, Nigel Hukula and Johnson Kuike.

Former Kumuls Joshua Kouoru (left), Tuksy Karu and Ronald Tovue laying wreaths on the casket of the late Aquila Emil yesterday

Emil’s death had inspired many within the rugby league fraternity, his family, friends and those around him.
His fame in the rugby league arena would leave a lasting legacy and footprints in the hearts of the rugby league administrators, players and, more importantly, the upcoming juniors.
Many spoke highly of him as one of the best league players of all-time. One of the best coaches in PNG and a former teammate Adrian Lam in memory of Emil has named his junior scholarship programme, the Aquila Emil scholarship scheme under the banner of the Adrian Lam Foundation.

Junior rugby league players whom Emil helped to develop pay their last respects

The late Aquila Emil’s body will be flown out to his village, Meteui, New Hanover, New Ireland, today.
His death had also brought everyone within the PNGRFL together for the first time since the in-house conflict surfaced in 2009.
Emil has shown the light for all PNGRFL stakeholders to work together for the good and development of the game.
He would be keen to see the work he left behind continue to develop so that the nation could love watching andreading about rugby league

Till we meet again...Aquila Emil's inlaws from Babaka village sing a last song of goodbye

Potato grows well in Chimbu

By BUSTIN ANZU

CHIMBU province is geographically isolated in social and economical development due to its positioning.
The land is mostly unfertile and filled with rocks.
Coffee seems to be the only crop that generates income for the Chimbu populace with kaukau (sweet potato) being the main staple food.
English potato is a crop that has attracted the attention of some Chimbus.

Harvested potatoes ready for market

It is harvested three times a year and one can budget between coffee and potato: when to pick coffee and when to harvest potato, so that there is a continuity of income to a household.
People around PNG’s highest mountain, Mt Wilhelm, and the surrounding Gembogl area grow good potato and other vegetables.
The soil is fertile and ideal for these vegetables, including broccoli and cauliflower.
Other places like Kerowagi and Kup to the east; Gumine, Sol Nomane and Kilau to the south; Sinasina to north east; and Chuave to the west and sharing border with Eastern Highlands, are other areas where potato and other greens grow well.
When Wally and Barbra Yegiora saw huge potatoes in their backyard at Irmil village near Koge, Kamtai district, they could not believe their eyes.

Wally Yegiora (centre) with his tribesmen displaying potatoes that were harvested at Irmil village, Chimbu province

They purchased three 16kg bags of potato seedlings at K30 each, and fertiliser worth K200 to get into business.
They bought those seedlings from National Agriculture Research Institute (NARI) at Tambul in Western Highlands province.
They also collected information and advice from potato technicians.
From this, they were able to gather 20 bags weighing 50kg each.
It was beyond all expectation and they were overwhelmed.
They are planning to extend their backyard to plant more seedlings and supplement their livelihood.
“It’s a new find for us,” said Wally Yegiora.
“We have been living with coffee alone all these years and we are trying to venture into new crops to supplement our living.

Harvested potatoes of Irmil village

Valuable agricultural information now available online

By JAMES LARAKI of NARI

AGRICULTURAL planners, researchers, extension officers and others involved in agricultural production will now have access to altitudinal range of over 200 economical crops in Papua New Guinea.
This is possible after the publication of a paper titled Altitudinal limits of 230 economic crop species in Papua New Guinea published by the Australian National University E-Press in the Terra Australia series.
Recorded and written by well-known agronomist and geographer, Dr Mike Bourke, the publication is a result of research work he started in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

Dr Mike Bourke during the national development forum in August 2009.-Picture by MALUM NALU

Dr Bourke, who has been involved in agricultural research and development activities in PNG, the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu for the past 38 years, said the paper was important because it defined the altitudinal range of all major and many minor crops in PNG.
He said this was useful information for planners, extension officers, researchers and others involved in agricultural production.
Dr Bourke, who served as an agronomist and principal research horticulturalist with Department of Agriculture and Livestock between 1970 and 1983, said that because the data was recorded about 30 years ago, it provided baseline information on temperature change associated with climate change.
”Because of the close relationship between temperature and altitude in PNG, data on crop limits are a surrogate for temperature recordings,” he said.
“Historical data on where crops grow provides a baseline to gauge the impact of temperature changes associated with global climate change.
“Altitude, as a surrogate for temperature, also influences the rate of crop development, as well as setting limits to growth.
“Only a limited amount of information exists on the influence of altitude on crop development and yield in PNG.”
Dr Bourke added that the information was also useful to those involved in transferring agricultural technology as they required basic information about where certain crops would grow.
He has strong research interest in village agriculture in the Pacific and has recorded the altitudinal ranges of these crops based on numerous field observations over a period of three years covering all regions of PNG.
The record classified the crops as food, export commodities, shade and time, stimulants, decorations, body covering, cover crops, fish poison, and weeds.
Dr Bourke, who has extensive experience on agriculture development in the Pacific, has published many books and papers to capture his experiences in the region.
The paper is available on-line and can be downloaded free-of-charge, along with other papers in this volume of the Terra Australia series.
It is available at: www.http://epress.anu.edu.au/terra_australis/ta32/pdf/ch27.pdf  and Bourke can be contacted on mike.bourke@anu.edu.au.

Billions lost to fraud, says Yakasa

PAPUA New Guinea loses about 50% of its budget directly to fraud, The National reports. “This is equivalent to K4 billion a year which has gone into the hands of corrupt public servants and senior bureaucrats, many of whom have invested these gains overseas,” acting deputy police commissioner Fred Yakasa  said this week at a workshop in Port Moresby.

Fred Yakasa

Yakasa told participants to take on different measures of investigation as opposed to the traditional process of, arresting, charging, and prosecuting, which had failed in the past 15 to 20 years.
The workshop, themed “Proceeds of Crime”, is being organised by the anti-money laundering assistance team from the Australian justice and attorney-general department in conjunction with the Papua New Guinea financial intelligence unit.
The workshop participants are drawn from members within the Royal PNG Constabulary, auditor-general’s office; finance inspection branch and the PNG Securities Commission.
Yakasa also said PNG had the wealth that could provide each and every citizen with a world-class quality lifestyle yet it currently suffered from a level of financial crime common in many African nations.
He said PNG could provide its people with the best health care, good roads, schooling and a good standard of living but “the criminal among us; our own people, are stealing money from government accounts and avoiding taxes”.
Yakasa also said PNG failed to collect more than half of the taxation revenue that was due because public office holders decided not to pay.
“Where does that money go? It disappears into the pockets of corrupt public servants,”
“If you want health care, roads, public infrastructure and services that we Papua New Guineans deserve, then now is the time to stand up and stop the fraud and corruption that is destroying our nation,” Yakasa said

Sex, drugs and alcohol thrives in Papua New Guinea schools

By DULCIE OREKE

A RESEARCH has found that about 10% of Grade 7 students take marijuana, the symposium on alcohol abuse in Port Moresby was told yesterday, The National reports.
During his presentation, acting secretary for education Dr Joseph Pagelio said the findings had revealed that the percentages of students taking these illegal substances also increased as they move up the grades.
He said 7% female and 24% male students interviewed in the research also admitted to having sex within their own age group after taking drugs or alcohol.
The research, conducted by the Department of Education guidance and counselling branch, indicated that 20% of students in Grade 9 had taken marijuana while 11.17% admitted to drinking alcohol.
Pagelio told the symposium that in many cases, the students had admitted to starting off with alcohol.
“Those who could not afford it settled for homebrew on a regular basis,” he said, revealing a 37% consumption rate among Grade 9 and Grade 11 students in their quest for life’s pleasures.
The education secretary said the researchers also noted that another 10% either ingest or inhale other substances like laboratory (methylated) spirits and other drug-like bush plants or they sniff petrol, glue, paint and other chemicals.
Pagelio told the symposium that addiction to drugs and alcohol had often resulted in criminal acts and irrational behaviours, which were further boosted with other drugs and illegal substances sold on the street.
He also pointed out that between 2005 and last year, anti-social behaviour – drug and alcohol abuse; student violence; unplanned pregnancies; pornography; bullying and cult activities – were “frequent in our secondary and upper primary schools”.
Teacher absenteeism was also another major problem.
However, Pagelio said the Education Department had developed new mechanisms to address drug and alcohol abuse in schools.
He said the introduction of a new behaviour management policy would change the way schools manage and respond to student behaviour.
“It is a whole school approach to promoting positive student behaviour,” Pagelio said.
“It is about creating an environment where students are valued and learn the acceptable ways of behaving.”
The strategies included effective discipline techniques and sanctions, fair suspension and expulsion processes and counselling. The other strategies contained in the policy included supporting a healthy learning environment, effective class and school management and teaching of life skills.
Pagelio said the policy also outlined the mandated responsibilities of everyone including parents and guardians, local communities, teachers, school counsellors and guidance officers, head teachers, standards officers and Tvet inspectors, school boards, the Teaching Service Commission and Department of Education and the national education board.

 

Attacks on Australians in Papua New Guinea continue

By ILYA GRIDNEFF, AAP Papua New Guinea Correspondent

PORT MORESBY, Feb 15 AAP - Papua New Guinea police are investigating allegations a brutal attack on an Australian aid worker is linked to his work exposing corruption.

A spate of car-jackings in the capital, Port Moresby, has given rise to a climate of fear among some Australian officials, so much so Australia's High Commissioner to PNG, Ian Kemish, last week met with police chiefs to discuss their concerns.

One of these incidents included a male aid adviser working in PNG's National AIDS Council Secretariat (NACS) who suffered "serious injuries" in an attack last month during a car-jacking that required him to be flown to Brisbane for treatment.

AAP understands another Australian adviser with NACS ended her contract shortly after her colleague's car-jacking. She had suffered repeated violent threats.

NACS boss Wep Kanawi, who is overseeing controversial reforms and restructures within the organisation riddled with corruption, suffered serious wounds when car-jacked outside his Port Moresby home on Sunday night.

 Port Moresby Metropolitan Police Commander Joseph Tondop told AAP he is aware of the Australian officials' concern.

"Police are looking into the car-jackings and if there is something to do with corruption then we will pursue this," he said.

 Australia's opposition foreign affairs spokeswoman Julie Bishop told AAP the incidents were "extremely damaging" for Australia's efforts in PNG.

"If the allegations are correct it raises very serious concern about the safety of our aid workers and the issue of corruption within the aid system.

 "The Australian government must call on the PNG government to assure our aid workers can operate in a safe environment and are safe to report any issue they have with the aid program," she said.

 A spokeswoman for the Foreign Affairs Minister Kevin Rudd said in a written statement: "there is currently no evidence to confirm such allegations."

"Australia is strongly committed to supporting PNG to address corruption," she said. 

 Australia's $457 million annual aid program to PNG focuses on tackling widespread corruption, but the realpolitik means little can be done when advisers actually discover wrongdoing.

A lack of political will on the PNG side, underfunding for police, the jails and court system means most crimes go unsolved in the country.

Now, there are new concerns scant police numbers are being sent from the capital to remote parts of PNG for a massive ExxonMobil-led resource project.

Despite Australian Federal Police assistance in Madang, on PNG's northeast coast, police are still yet to arrest anyone in relation to the rape of a young Australian volunteer whose group was car-jacked, tied to tree and robbed in November last year.

No one has been charged for the shooting of Queensland businessman John Ramshaw, 61, who was killed during a robbery in June last year.

 PNG police have not arrested anyone for the brutal murder of Victorian transport adviser David Nicholson, 53, who was found dead after two young men accompanied him back to his Port Moresby flat in September 2008.

Trawen: Roll full of errors

By JEFFREY ELAPA

 

THE electoral roll contains flaws and is inconsistent, Electoral Commissioner Andrew Trawen has said, The National reports.

He said this had been the case in the last 35 years and it needed correction before next year’s general elections.

Trawen was speaking at the closing of a week-long electoral managers’ workshop at a village resort outside Port Moresby last Friday.

He said the focus this year would be on preparing for next year’s election, with the priority on maintaining and updating the electoral roll.

The electoral roll maintenance programme had started throughout the country.

“The family order listing, which was trialled in Lufa and Manus late last year, has been recommended for use in updating the electoral roll, particularly in the highlands,” Trawen said.

The commission’s efforts were further boosted with the national government’s allocation of K24.7 million in the recurrent budget and K25 million from the development budget.

“For the first time, PNGEC has been recognised as a major player in the country’s democratic, economic and social development.

“We must embrace this opportunity and deliver our products and services, and putting together credible electoral rolls for the conduct of free, fair and transparent elections next year,” Trawen said.

On the proposed Hela and Jiwaka provinces, the electoral commissioner said there were still holes in the legislation that needed fixing before their boundaries could be finalised

 

K70 million demand for InterOil refinery land

By JEFFREY ELAPA
LANDOWNERS from Napanapa in NCD yesterday blocked off access leading to the InterOil oil refinery outside Port Moresby in protest over the non-payment of a promised K70 million payment of a total K286 million land compensation, The National reports.

Napanapa locals displaying a banner citing 12 years of suffering

The villagers also demanded that they sign a memorandum of agreement (MoA) with the company.
The more than 50 people, including women and children, claimed they were forcefully removed by police with warnings against a repeat blockade.
Acting NCD metropolitan commander Supt Jim Namora last night said he was not aware of the forced removal of the villagers.
It was understood that some of the protesters, especially men, were arrested but later released following requests by InterOil.
The resource developer could not be reached to confirm these incidents.
A visit by The National to the site late yesterday afternoon found some of the villagers and their families still camped near the blockade. They had chopped down a tree and placed it in the middle of the road. They said the blockade had resulted from the government’s failure to pay them the K70 million approved by the prime minister on Nov 4 last year.
According to a letter sighted by The National, the prime minister had written to Petroleum and Energy Minister William Duma and Finance Peter O’Neill on Nov 4 last year to settle the K70 million owed to the landowners.
This did not happen and the landowners issued a seven-day notice which lapsed last Friday. They then resorted to blocking off the road, denying traffic access to and from the refinery plant.
Landowner spokesman Moale Haira claimed that the landowners had not seen any benefits in the 12 years that InterOil had been in operation.
He said a provincial lands court had granted them ownership of the refinery land and they should be paid accordingly.
Work at the project site was progressing normally yesterday

People's power is latest tool

“Enough is enough”

Letter to the editor in The National Monday, Feb 14, 2011

To those who have been following the recent uprising in Egypt and other parts of the Middle-East, I believe many would agree with me that these events marked the dawn of a new era in the 21st century’s socio-political life – people’s power.

Egypt’s uprising against the ruling regime was inspired by a lone act of a Tunisian street vendor who set himself on fire after his stalls were raided by the Tunisian police.

His death led to massive protest and bloodshed, eventually ousting Tunisia’s corrupt regime.

Egypt was ruled for the last 30 years by another iron fist leader who did many things including altering the constitution to suit his interest.

The massive protests, which claimed some 300 lives, were an attempt to be free from oppression.

Papua New Guinea is no different to these countries.

For years, our resourceful land has been exploited by self-interested regimes and so-called politicians leaving us with nothing but scarred landscapes.

Most of our resources are being sold cheaply to foreign companies in deals that lack transparency and integrity, while our own people suffer from the low standard regulatory framework and conditions.

We speak of “development” only to realise that after nearly 40 years of independence, the word is political rather than technical, good at giving hope but no substance.

Our leaders are more concerned with power than the people’s welfare and we are being poisoned by the venom of regionalism, crime and ignorance as we struggle to make ends meet within a vicious cycle of suffering.

Tunisia and Egypt are breaking free from their yoke of suffering because people held their head up and say “enough is enough”.

When will the people of Papua New Guinea stand up?

We have suffered for far too long.

Unless we do something, we will continue to die in silence.

Australian pilot missing in chopper crash off Manus

AN Australian pilot is missing, feared dead, after his helicopter crashed into the sea between Manus and Madang on Sunday, The National reports.
Radio Australia reported last night that the wreckage had been found but there was no sign of the pilot who was identified as Lloyd Lester, 57, from Queensland.
He was the only person on board the helicopter when it crashed into the Bismarck Sea on Sunday morning.
His employer, Pacific Helicopters, told the radio service that the wreckage of the chopper has been spotted about 50km from Manus Island.
Floating among it was the helicopter’s emergency life raft, which had not been deployed.
A company spokesman said the state of the wreckage indicates a high-impact crash.
Pacific Helicopters said it would continue its search today for Lester in the hope that he may have swum to an island.
An air and sea search had started on Sunday morning.
Lester was flying from Madang to Manus Island and was the only person on board the helicopter when it crashed.
Pacific Helicopters managing director and Eastern Highlands Governor Malcolm Kela-Smith told Radio Australia that Lester was about 50km from Manus when he activated an emergency switch.
“He still might be alive. It’s a hope by me,” he said.
“I know he is a very fit person and there was a small nearby island he could have swum to, but at this stage it’s just a hope.”
Lester’s daughter, who wanted to remain unnamed, told News Limited: “He is an amazing father.”
“It’s just a waiting game. We’re hoping they don’t just give up on the search anytime soon.”
An Australian department of foreign affairs spokeswoman said the Australian high commission in Port Moresby was liaising with local authorities and Pacific Helicopters

 

Who??...is w-Hu? Hilarious cartoons on how China will own America some day soon

Sustainable use of wetlands

By JAMES LARAKI of NARI

Wetlands are all about water, the continuous supply of water and its natural resources.
It is an area where water covers the soil, or is present either at or near the surface of the soil all year or seasonally.
Wetlands eco-systems are found in wide range of environments from coastal deltas, oxbow lakes, mountain lakes, to high altitude inland swamps.
Wetlands eco-systems are among the world’s most productive systems.
They are essential for the supply of fresh water, maintenance and use of biodiversity, mitigation of the effects of climate change, natural water cycle, and sustenance of livelihoods of local communities who depend on them.
Wetlands include coral reefs, coastal eco-systems, peat lands, swamps, lakes and rivers.
There are many benefits that we all derive from these wetlands.
Simple things that we do everyday involve water.
Recent studies suggest that wetlands occupy in excess of 12.8 million sq km globally; although this may be an underestimate due to variations in the definitions used when identifying different types of wetlands.
In Papua New Guinea, wetlands provide tremendous economic and conservation benefits through marine and fresh water food resources, flood control, maintenance of shoreline stabilisation, estuarine systems for coastal fisheries, water quality, provide recreational opportunities, and natural habitats for some important food crop resources like sago, mangroves and water lilies.
The global community recognised the significance of wetlands and signed the International Convention on Wetlands of International Importance on February 2, 1971, in the Iranian city of Ramsar.
Papua New Guineaa signed up to the convention in 1993.
The Ramsar Convention is now observed as the World Wetlands Day every February 2, since 1997 when it was first celebrated.
The Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) is the custodian of our vast wetlands.
It is tasked with their conservation and sustainable use.
People have been associated with wetlands from prehistory to the present day.
Wetlands have been among the most-attractive areas in the landscape, satisfying a variety of needs for hunting and gathering, spirituality, water resources and agriculture.
Wetlands and agriculture are closely linked together and both have greatly influenced humankind.
Available evidence suggests that human settlements started in and around the wetlands. Long before humans learned to grow food, they depended, at least partly, on wetlands for their sustenance.
Agriculture is said to have its beginning in the wetlands and grew at the expense of wetlands (and forests).
Wetlands have been, and will remain, important agricultural resources for people in many parts of the world including PNG.
The most-common form of agriculture in wetlands is paddy rice cultivation.
Evidence of rice culture dates back to the earliest age of humans and domestication of rice started in shallow swamps.

Transplanted rice field

With the growing demand for food, seasonal marshes were modified into paddy fields as man-managed wetlands.
While there are no evidence to suggest the exploitation of wetlands for agriculture in PNG, various types of foods are sourced from it.
Sago, for example, is a common wetland plant and a stable food crop to many communities in the Sepik, Gulf, Western, Madang and Manus provinces.

Growing  rice field

With increase demand for food together with issues of climate change, people will turn to cultivating wetlands.
With such situation and other resource developments like mining, the ecosystem of wetlands is threatened.
DEC is already concerned that some wetlands have been lost through impacts of mining and urban expansions.
The department is already developing its capacity to promote research and education on the wise use of wetlands in PNG.
On the occasion of World Wetlands Day early this month, DEC has called on all citizens to value the importance of wetlands preservation, its uses and its significance to our livelihood.
Awareness on its importance is required in line with the technical plan of the Ramsar Convention to conserve and sustainable use the wetlands.
They should not be considered as wasteland, rather their importance to the local communities who depend on them should be considered before any development.
In view of the objectives of DEC, mechanisms should be in place to promote the synergies between agriculture, wetlands and water resources management.
This can be achieved by developing and implementing guidelines to jointly manage agriculture and wetland eco-systems for food production in a sustainable manner.
Food security is a universal goal and it is linked with sustainable level of food production.

Fish pond

The limits to food production are dictated both by the availability of land and water resources and our capacity to increase the productivity of these resources without depleting or degrading them.
The potential contribution of wetlands resources to food security is vast and varied.
Mobilising this potential depends largely on our ability to understand the many interactions which ultimately determine the functions of a wetland and its eco-system.
Development and use of appropriate technologies could lead to effective utilisation of these resources sustainably to meet our needs.
To utilise their potential, there is a need to understand its complex yet fragile ecosystem.
It is believed that agriculture has grown at the expense of natural wetlands.
The wetland eco-systems are being threatened today due to various human interventions. Therefore, conservation of wetlands requires an integrated, balanced, and coordinated approach to the management of water resources whereby the impacts of agriculture on wetlands are minimised without compromising agricultural production.
Appropriate policies needs to be developed to strike a balance between agriculture and wetland conservation.
With these in place agriculture should be a partner in wetland protection.

NARI now has full council

The National Agriculture Research Institute (NARI) now has a full council with the appointment of representatives from the University of Papua New Guinea (UPNG) and the University of Technology (Unitech) early this month.

The national executive council (NEC) appointed Prof Chalapan Kaluwin and Philip Stagg upon recommendation by the Public Services Commission after they were recommended by their respective university councils.

The duo who will serve in the current term, bring with them a wealth of experience and knowledge to the NARI council.

Stagg, who is an electrical engineer by profession, served in various capacities in both the public and private sector before going private.

He is currently the chancellor of Unitech, serving in the council since 1986.

He replaces former representative and academic, Dr Samson Akoitai.

Prof Kaluwin, who has received a number of academic and research awards, has widespread experience in teaching, administration and management, undertaking research projects and served as consultant.

With specific experience in environmental sciences and geography, and as head of environmental science and geography, school of natural and physical science, he brings valuable experience in his field of expertise to the NARI council. 

He replaces former dean of Science at UPNG, Prof Lance Hill, who has retired.

The make-up of the NARI council covers all geo-political regions of PNG, major stakeholder groups, key government agencies, and educational and scientific institutions. The current members including UPNG and Unitech representative consists of head of the Department of Agriculture and Livestock, head of the Department of Treasury, three smallholder farmers’ representatives, and one member representing growers’ association, nominated by a legally-recognised association and NARI represented by its director general.

The new appointees will serve the current term under the chairmanship of Dr John Kola, which expires in October 2012.

With the all required representatives on board, the council will now be able to direct the affairs of NARI in its efforts to promote innovative agricultural development in PNG through adaptive scientific research, knowledge creation, and information exchange.

 

University of Goroka kicks 0ff 2011 academic year

Performers from Raun Raun Theatre entertaining guests during the opening

The University of Goroka last week launched its academic year for 2011, with a week of student registration activities.
An official welcome was held on campus as part of registration and included a prayer asking for guidance and blessing for the year.
The national anthem was sung along with recitals of the national pledge and the UOG pledge.
Special guest for the occasion was chancellor of the university Benais Sabumei (MBE).
This was the first time the UOG council had been present at student registration.
Sabumei gave the official welcome and address to the student body, explaining the role and authority of the university council; student dormitory project; catering changes on campus; improvements to IT communication; new music building; academic restructure; performance based criteria for staff; improvements in the university; and community relations.
Sabumei reminded the students of their obligations while studying at UOG; the zero tolerance policy to drugs, alcohol and indecent material on campus; and encouraged them to be responsible and to seriously commit to their studies as they would be “shaping the lives and characters of many children when teaching after graduation”.
Sabumei said the challenge was for all to work together collectively for the betterment of UOG and the community.
Council members Thompson Haroqkaveh MP (speaker’s nominee) and Dr Sam Kari (academic staff representative) spoke to the students on disciplinary matters, academic rules and regulations and how to maximise their potential whilst studying.
The day was also a chance for students to be introduced to various staff members from each of the faculties of the university.
Light entertainment from Raun Raun Theatre performers enlightened proceedings and ended the programme on a high note.

Charity does begin at home

By JOHN PASQUARELLI

Charity does indeed begin at home. 

Liberal Senator Eric Abetz  commenting on the alleged split between Tony Abbott and Julie Bishop, said, 'I would absolutely expect the shadow foreign affairs minister(Julie Bishop) to make strong arguments for foreign aid' – wrong! 

Our MPs' first priority is supposed to be looking after the interests of Australians and   ensuring that their taxes are not splashed up against that proverbial wall.  

Pauline Hanson has been the only  politician to speak out about the rorts in our foreign aid but as I write this, Kevin Rudd is promising to give  more of our money away.Australians wonder why they have to fund Indonesian schools when that country has armed forces that took over West Papua and had to be forced out of East Timor. 

There are many very wealthy people in Indonesia yet we have to fund their schools,  having no idea how our $500,000,000 is administered. 

 

We send money to African countries where monsters like Mugabe are in power and we are told that Papua New Guinea 'powerbrokers' are buying up property in Australia. 

 

Julie Bishop needs to tell Australian flood and cyclone victims why they have to join the handout queue behind Africans and Indonesians.

Prime Minister's leadership tribunal of national interest

The opposition has urged chief justice Sir Salamo Injia to decide speedily on prime minister Sir Michael Somare’s referral by the public prosecutor for a leadership tribunal to be set up to hear alleged misconduct charges relating to declaration of annual returns by the grand chief.

Leader of PNG Party Belden Namah said the matter was of national interest and the citizens of Papua New Guinea were entitled to get a decision.

Namah said Sir Salamo had a constitutional duty to the nation to announce the setting up of the tribunal without any unnecessary delays.

“Any delay in appointing the tribunal will cause the public to becoming suspicious,” he said.

“It is judiciary’s interest to bolster the public confidence in the judiciary.”

The pending leadership tribunal stem from allegations by the Ombudsman Commission (OC) that Sir Michael failed to lodge annual returns for the periods 1994/5, 1995/96 and 1996/7, his lodgement returns for the periods 1998/99, 1999/2000, 2000/01, 2001/02, 20003/04 and incomplete statements for periods 1992/93, 1993/94, 1997/98, 1999/2000, 2000.01, 20001/02 and 20002/03.

The OC referred Sir Michael to the public prosecutor for it to ask the chief justice to appoint a leadership tribunal to deal with the allegations, but Sir Michael went to court seeking orders to stop the OC from investigating him.

On June 24, 2008, National Court judge, Justice Derek Hartshorn rejected an application by Sir Michael for a temporary injunction to stop the OC from investigating him.

When rejecting Sir Michael’s temporary injunction, Judge Hartshorn ruled that it was not in the interest of the justice of the general public that lawful authorities should be prevented from performing their legal and constitutional duties.

He went to the court asking it to grant him certain declarations and a permanent injunction preventing the OC from continuing its investigations.

Sir Michael had contended that the OC lacked jurisdiction to continue the investigations.

The conduct of their investigations was oppressive, subject to excessive delays and breached the rules of natural justice to act fairly reasonably and in good faith.

He also alleged that the decision not to engage an independent examiner under section 19 of the Organic Law on Duties and Responsibilities of Leadership, as requested by him was decided by an individual and not the majority quorum of three independent constitutional office holders despite bias allegations raised by his client against the commission.

However, Judge Hartshorn in a seven-page decision stated that Sir Michael did not have a strong case to stop the OC from continuing its investigations.

“It is not in the interest of justice or the public interest that lawful authorities should be prevented from carrying out their lawful investigations.

“Any such prevention should only occur in very clear cases of abuse,” Judge Hartshorn said.

The judge was satisfied given the evidence before him that the PM’s appeal was not serious and the OC be allowed to continue its investigations.

Effectively, the ruling meant that the public prosecutor could proceed to ask the chief justice to appoint a leadership tribunal to determine the charges against the prime minister.

On June 30, 2008, the PM’s lawyers refiled their appeal matter in the Supreme Court to be heard that afternoon.

The appeal matter related to the refusal of the National Court to grant an order restraining the OC from investigating the PM on an alleged breach of the Leadership Code.

PM’s lawyers filed a notice of appeal basically appealing the whole of the judgment of Derek Hartshorn in dismissing their notice of motion.

In the notice of appeal,  they relied on seven grounds saying that in respect of each and every grounds, the National Court erred in the exercise of its discretion which if not overturned would result in the unlawful actions of an authority going unscrutinised by the court and causing serious injustice to the appellant.

The Supreme Court rejected the appeal.

Section 4 of the Organic Law on the Duties and Responsibilities of the Leadership require every person who is subject to the Leadership Code to furnish the OC every year details of assets, income and other required information.

Namah stressed that he was merely asking the chief justice to perform his constitutional duty and role in the public interest.

“The chief justice owes it to the nation and people to make an effort to set up the leadership tribunal in the national interest.

“It is not my intention to interfere with the work of the chief justice, but expect him to do his job speedily.”