Court refuses to drop Lelang's charges

By SAMUEL RAITANO

 

THE Waigani Committal Court last Friday rejected an application by former National Planning and Monitoring secretary Joseph Lelang to have certain charges against him dismissed, The National reports.

Lelang, through his lawyer Philemon Korowi, was responding to a charge of break-in, entering and stealing.

Korowi claimed that the charge was pre-meditated and orchestrated by people who wanted Lelang removed from office.

He was alleged to have broken into his office last month.

In the application, Korowi referred to certain letters and correspondence between the Department of Personnel Management, Public Service Commission and the ministers for Public Service, Finance and Treasury and National Planning.

The court was referred to a press release by the applicant of payments in billions of kina within the three months that he was suspended.

Magistrate Rossie Johnson said the applicant had committed an indictable offence, from which the charge of break-in and entering stemmed, and the argument entwining political and bureaucratic vested interest to the substantive matter did not hold any water.

“What has that got to do with the charge of break and enter and stealing? I do not see a connection of premeditated scheme orchestrated by persons with vested interest to oust the applicant, who was already at some stage suspended from office,” Johnson said.

She said there were no evidence as yet to commit the matter to a higher court and that the standard three months for completion and submission of police file had not lapsed yet.

“This motion is premature, out of context, waste of court’s time and frivolous and of no merits. This motion is dismissed,” Johnson said.

NCD ends counting

By ALISON ANIS

 

Counting for the national population and housing census for the National Capital District and most parts of the country ended yesterday, The National reports.

The NCD coordinating team confirmed that officers in the district last Thursday received lump-sum payments of K280 for the K40 daily field allowances from July 11–17.

However, some officers in NCD, doing final evaluation of completed workload yesterday, admitted “not everyone living in the nation’s capital had been counted”.

Team leader for Waigani and Morata area in NCD’s zone two said his officers had not covered all the houses because the sketches from listings last year were unreliable and contained many errors, especially for the most dangerous suburbs in the city.

Jimmy Peter blamed security and the clash with the common roll update for the national elections, as “the two events which happened simultaneously and created a lot of confusion for the people”.

Peter claimed the sketches and listings for census units were inaccurate.

“When we did the actual census, we found out that some houses were not included and that certain areas on the map where it says there were no houses actually revealed there were houses and people living there.

“We found out that there were some ghost names on the listings and that the descriptions of the houses were made up,” Peter said.

He said this was evident for places like Morata 4, Baruni and some parts of Waigani.

He said in some places, the number of people living in one house was more than what was on the listings.

“Some of our officers were shouted at and chased by residents at Morata next to the swamp.

Other residents, including some of Asian origin, simply shut their doors in our face when we approached them.

“Some residents in Waigani have complained that the census people did not visit their house to get data and wanted to know why,” Peter said.

National Statistician Joseph Aka said last week they would introduce a mop-up exercise for units that were left out during counting week.

He said the mop-up would take place after results were submitted and evaluated by provincial census coordinators who would properly identify which census units had missed out.

Tiensten queries K26.2m

By JEFFREY ELAPA

 

A GOVERNMENT minister has questioned how K26.2 million of the development budget was allocated when Joseph Lelang was reinstated as secretary of the Department of National Planning and Monitoring by the court early this year, The National reports.

Minister for National Planning and Monitoring Paul Tiensten said K26,287,777.75 was drawn from the development funds and paid to two organisations within three days after Lelang, who was on suspension, was reinstated by the court.

He said within two days, three separate cheques of K235,925.25 each were raised to be paid to the Korowi law firm as legal costs.

Altogether, K707,775.75 was paid to the law firm.

The cheques (000509 and 000512), for K235,925.25, were raised on June 23 this year.

A cheque (000514) for the same amount was raised the next day and addressed to Korowi Lawyers.

Tiensten said another cheque (000513) for K290,000 was paid to Vigilant Ltd for security services provided on June 24 this year.

Another cheque (000522), dated June 27, for the same amount was paid to the same company.

Tiensten also revealed a move to refer lawyer Philemon Korowi to the PNG Law Society for unprofessional conduct and for illegally obtaining development funds.

He said Korowi Lawyers was not engaged by the state, through the Department of Justice and Attorney-General, to provide legal services.

“No efforts will be spared by the government to recover all payments fraudulently paid to this Vigilant security firm and a company called Niugini Ltd belonging to Lelang and Jeffrey Yakopia,” he said.  

Tiensten said according to last year’s development budget expenditure report, two of Lelang’s political associates (named) had illegally obtained development funds totalling more than K25 million.

The matter is under investigation.

“I am of the view that Korowi Lawyers and its principal Philemon Korowi be referred to the police fraud squad and the law society for his unethical and unprofessional behaviour.

“Such actions by the government will minimise such practice by lawyers using the judiciary and court system to defraud the state,” Tiensten said.

However, Korowi yesterday welcomed Tiensten’s move to refer the matter to the police fraud squad and the law society.

He said he had no idea of three payments allegedly made to him.

“I only know of one cheque of the said amount and I do not know of the other two cheques.

“How can I be paid three times for the same amount?

“I was only owed one amount for legal fees and trying to get double payment is not my style.”

Lelang said Tiensten was trying to divert attention from the real issue of fraud of public funds by officers from his office and the department’s senior management.

He said the payment made to Korowi was in accordance with a court order in which the National Court ordered the state to pay for legal fees toget­her with the orders of his reinstatement.

Lelang said the payment made to Vigilant Ltd was done in accordance with the Public Finance Management Act, which allowed him to exercise his powers to make payments of less than K300,000.

He said the procurement processes were met and there was nothing sinister about the payments.

He said the security firm was picked because it gave the lowest quotation from the three received.

He also denied making any payments to the two people named.

Pregnant woman dies in accident

By YVONNE HAIP

 

A PREGNANT woman, a Pentecostal church pastor and another man reportedly died while others were injured during a road accident in Western Highlands yesterday, The National reports.

They were travelling in a 15-seater PMV bus to Mt Hagen from Chimbu at around midday when the accident occurred near the Nazarene Bible College at Wara Tuman along the Highlands Highway.

Police investigators were yet to confirm the details of the accident.

However, eyewitnesses, who were at the roadside, said the bus went off the road after a front tyre had burst.

The Kudjip and Mt Hagen hospitals received the victims and confirmed that three had died while others were being hospitalised.

Mourners who turned up the hospital, including a female pastor who had been travelling in the same bus but got dropped off earlier at her village in Kumbal, near the Chimbu and Western Highlands border, said they were returning from a religious gathering in Chimbu.

Gabriel Kuk, who helped health workers transfer the injured from the bus to a waiting ambulance, claimed the bus had been travelling at high speed when one of its front tyres burst.

He said the vehicle ended up in a nearby drain.

Kuk said there were 12 passengers and most of them were taken to the Kudjip Hospital for treatment. Two were transported in an ambulance to Mt Hagen.

Hospital staff transporting the injured told The National that a pregnant woman, a church pastor and another man had died during the accident.

Staff at the accidents and emergency ward at the Mt Hagen Hospital said the pastor died on arrival while the bus driver was in critical condition.

In Kudjip, more patients were being treated. A church pastor and a youth were in critical condition.

Lutheran church in rural development

Caption: A motivator under Yangpela Didiman Wokabaut in Alkena, Hagen ELC-PNG district, displaying her piggery project. - Picture by JACOB SIMINGING of YANGPELA DIDIMAN

 

By MALUM NALU

 

As the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea (ELC-PNG) celebrated 125 years of the Miti (Word of God) on Tuesday this week, so too did Lutheran Development Service (LDS), an ELC-PNG department whose emphasis is on sustainable livelihood of the people, especially the marginal in many rural Lutheran communities.

“LDS believes people need not just motivation, but opportunities and knowledge,” says acting LDS Secretary Bonnie Keoka.

“It embraces God’s teaching in Hosea 4:6:  ‘My people are destroyed because of lack of knowledge’.

“Food security and basic necessities are the focus in the role of LDS. 

“Therefore, LDS ensures in its programmes to empower people to seek, find and live in the Kingdom of God.” 

Outreach programme content of LDS is classed in three areas:  Yangpela Didiman (agriculture); financial literacy (managing and living within financial means); and basic infrastructure support (water supply, sanitation facilities).

“Agriculture, as the core of all LDS programmes, promotes sustainable agricultural activities and community development through Yangpela Didiman or basic agricultural projects, as well as chicken, poultry and cash cropping in cocoa,” Keoka explains.

“This programme caters for the growing population, the uncertainty of weather in climate change, and land potential to support the people’s demands. 

“This programme has reached over 20,000 farmers in the last 10 years.

“It has expanded into remote areas of Kabwum, Finschhafen, and Boana in Morobe province; Rai Coast, Amele and Begesin in Madang and the highlands provinces of Western Highlands, Chimbu and Eastern Highlands, along with a savings of over K115,000 with a loan portfolio of over K60,000.

“The Yangpela Didiman or agriculture programmes are carried out through efforts of 40 staff. 

“Twenty are scattered in Morobe, Eastern Highlands, and Western Highlands. 

“Chimbu branch was recently closed for shortage in funding and expertise.”

Keoka said over 5, 000 people in the marginal community were enabled to access savings facilities through the financial literacy programme also in the last 10 years.

“LDS has, within the last years, witnessed a different perspective of funding rural development projects with people’s participation,” he said.

“Infrastructure was lately introduced to LDS activities because of people’s needs.

“Over 100 water supply projects in Morobe province are now accessed by over 1,000 people in rural communities for clean water and sanitation aspects.”

LDS operates out of its main office at Malahang in Lae, Morobe province, about 2km from ELC-PNG head office at Ampo.

“With a staff of 16, six are water and sanitation officers who are on ongoing travel to implement these projects,” Keoka said.

“Ten other LDS staff made up of ancillary staff and management including a department secretary as the head, technical expertise and consultants are drawn locally and assisted through funding and expertise by Lutheran Overseas Church partners of ELC-PNG in Europe, America and Australia.

“The community projects are managed and supervised from four regional bases for the Highlands in Banz and Jiwaka; Lae is out of Malahang; Madang at Amron; and FISIKA for Finschhafen, Siassi, and Kabwum areas is coordinated from Finschhafen.”

Keoka said last December, LDS began the process of restructuring and revitalising its functions to fit the demands in this changing time.

“Such changes are necessary to accommodate requirements of the church’s strategic plan in the Vision 2020 with a household focus in achieving the church’s vision in ‘revisioning, renewing and re-vitalising the church to become missional’,” he said.

“We call on prayers, support and understanding by all Lutheran members, stakeholders and partners to walk with us in this transition into another 125 years for a better and effective service to the marginal in many disadvantaged areas of our beautiful country.

“We are grateful to the financial backing in making a difference in people’s lives by our donors – EED, Bread for the World, Lutheran overseas church partners and back donors, European Union, AusAID and the PNG government.”

Sir Mekere supports call for commission of inquiry into Department of National Planning and Monitoring

Former Prime Minister Sir Mekere Morauta said today that he agreed with the call by Minister Peter O’Neill for the acting Prime Minister to set up immediately a commission of inquiry to investigate the K1.9 billion allegedly misappropriated this year from the development budget, including the K10 million handed out to Eremas Wartoto. 

“In fact, the terms of reference of such a commission of inquiry should reach back to cover previous years and all trust fund monies, as allegations of similar abuse have been made many times before,” he said.

“Papua New Guineans are simply fed up.

“Every day new revelations of theft and abuse are spelled out in the newspapers. 

“And nothing happens. 

“In the last eight years the Somare government through inaction and indifference has allowed corruption to overwhelm the public sector and, in turn, inflict the private sector.

“There is now truly systemic corruption practised by virtually everyone in the government along with their associates.

“I urge the acting Prime Minister to show leadership, leadership that is different from Somare, leadership that listens to the people and takes action. 

“This is Abal’s turn to make a mark if he wants to show people that he can run the nation differently from Somare. 

“He will get support if he acts on behalf of the people. 

“Papua New Guineans cannot take it anymore. 

“We are all just sick in the stomach hearing and seeing what is going on.

“ And the most annoying thing is that no action is taken. 

“Instead, thieves are rewarded.”

Sir Mekere said:  “Minister Tiensten says that all the expenditure is in order. 

“We need the details, not just his words.  

“For instance, the K10 million that he allegedly handed out to Mr Wartoto to buy aeroplanes.

“Where is this in the 2011 Budget? 

“We did not hear anything about it last November when the budget was presented to Parliament.  

“And what is the development rationale to give subsidy to this company, and not others? 

“How was this one selected? 

“What are the criteria? 

“Can he spell it out so that other Papua New Guinean businesses can apply for these free government subsidies?

“Can Paul Tiensten and Arthur Somare tell us why the Government should hand out millions to a private airline, when Arthur is the lord and master of Air Niugini, which is struggling to provide domestic services. 

“I am sure every member of the travelling public has experienced delays or had flights cancelled when travelling on Air Niugini.

“Why not give the K10 million to Air Niugini for new aircraft?

“Many stories abound that certain influential members of the Kitchen Cabinet are silent beneficial owners of Travel Air, and of other businesses which have benefitted from these indiscriminate hand-outs from trust funds and the development budget, which is under the control not of Cabinet as in the National Executive Council, but of the Kitchen Cabinet.

“Only a commission of inquiry has the legal power to dig out and reveal the truth. 

“Unfortunately, despite the good honest work of many police officers, the tentacles of the Kitchen Cabinet appear to strangulate sections of the Police Force and we can no longer rely on the outcome of police investigations. 

“Let a commission of inquiry undertake the appropriate investigation and refer any matters that might be criminal to the police for prosecution.

“I urge the acting Prime Minister to close his ears to the protestations of his ministers, and listen to and act for the people.” 

Sir Mekere said:  “The (acting) Prime Minister has the sole power and authority to establish a commission of inquiry. 

“Mr Abal, Papua New Guineans await your action.”

 

K1.9 billion probe on

Special police unit to investigate fraud claims at National Planning

 

POLICE Commissioner Tony Wagambie yesterday announced an investigation into the purported misapplication of K1.9 billion of the development budget, The National reports.

At the same time, Works Minister Peter O'Neill broke with tradition by calling for the establishment of a commission of inquiry into the use of the development budget.

A police fraud investigation and a commission of inquiry are separate processes.

The man in the hot seat, National Planning and Rural Development Minister Paul Tiensten, denied the allegations of mismanagement yesterday, claiming K1.8 billion had been paid out of the development budget for legitimate and budgeted programmes and projects over the first six months of the year.

Wagambie announced yesterday that he has established and commissioned a special unit within the crimes directorate at police headquarters in Port Moresby to look into the allegations of the billion-kina fraud made by former secretary of National Planning Joseph Lelang.

A report compiled by a private law firm, Korowi Lawyers, as part of investigations to support Lelang's court battle against the state, had alleged K1.9 billion had been paid out over three months, much of which was paid to political cronies and for unbudgeted items.

The report named several individuals and companies involved in these alleged illegal dealings.

Wagambie, who is also chairman of the National Anti-Corruption Alliance (Naca), had made known his intention to convene the board of Naca to initiate separate investigations into the fraud allegations.

O'Neill last week told an audience in Kerema, Gulf, that Acting Prime Minister Sam Abal should establish a commission of inquiry into the management and disbursement of the development budget.

While addressing the launch of that province's development plans, the former finance and treasury minister said: "The development budget constitutes half of the national budget. The people need to know how funds are used.

"We have serious concerns that budget appropriations are being misdirected so as to raise serious breaches of the Finance Management Act.

"The breaches are so frequent and the amounts that are stated are quite large and the country deserves to know.

"In all fairness, this requires an independent commission of inquiry to establish the facts."

NCD officers stop work

By ALISON ANIS

 

COUNTING for the nine zones in the National Capital District was affected when more than 1,000 census officers chose to take a day off in protest over the non-payment of their daily field allowances, The National reports.

And a ward councilor for Rigo Inland has condemned their decision to leave their posts over the delay in the payment of allowances, saying officers working outside the urban centres had a tougher task to perform but never complained.

Frustrated zone coordinators had to leave their "control centres" at noon yesterday after receiving complaints from field officers wanting to know why the payments had been delayed.

The National spoke with field coordinators and officers from the four zones in NCD, who said some were frustrated and left for home while a few chose to continue the enumeration.

"There was a sit-in protest yesterday by our officers who refused to carry out the enumeration until they received their payments. They waited until 1pm for the payments and left the field when they were advised the payments were not ready," NCD zone two chairman Phillip Tiki said.

Zone three coordinator Julius Bakaman said: "The daily allowances are supposed to cover for our lunches during the enumeration."

Zone two covers Waigani, Gerehu, Morata, UPNG, Ensisi and Erima. Zone three covers Tokarara and Hohola.

Field officers in zone eight, covering 6-Mile and Boroko, were told to do as they pleased after they also raised similar complaints.

Counting was aborted in Bomana, 8-Mile, ATS Compound, Laloki, Tete settlement and Fisherman Island.

A senior officer with the NCD census team said the cheques had been released yesterday and the officers would be getting paid soon.

Ward councillor for Rigo Inland Alex Apore criticised the NCD officers for abandoning their work "when they were in a privileged position to do the counting".

"I cannot believe these people are crying out for daily allowances when they have access to everything, including transport," he said.

"Here, in the most difficult part of Central, our coordinator and his officers walk 40-50km everyday to collect people's data and not even a single complaint had come from them," Apore said.

He said for places such as Doro-Bisoro and Mt Maria, which could not be reached by vehicles, interviewers and their supervisors had to walk for up to three days.

"Allowance is not an issue here because that will come later. We want to do the job for our country and, if people can use that kind of thinking, everything will progress well," Apore said.

Wartoto defends K10 million subsidy

caption: The 'K10 million' aircraft – Mangi Lo Peles ... Owner Eremas Wartoto yesterday admitted he had applied for and received government funding of K10 million following due process and denied any fraudulent dealings. The  money was used to buy five Fokker 50 aircraft.

 

By JEFFREY ELAPA

 

A Kokopo-based businessman, who obtained K10 million under the development budget to set up an airline, said yesterday the money was a government budgeted subsidy and not a bogus claim, The National reports.

Eremas Wartoto, a successful Papua New Guinean businessman who has invested more than K100 million in the airline industry, and has bought five Fokker 50 aeroplanes, has several other business interests including travel services, hire cars, construction and hotel and shipping industries locally and abroad.

He said since venturing into the airline industry, he needed infrastructure to be in place and applied for a government grant as a citizen to get the buildings and "other necessary things" in place before the planes were flown into the country to begin operations.

He said the government had helped his company, Travel Air, with K10 million "which was just 10% of the K100 million investment over the next five years".

Wartoto said the government was shown the investment plan and approved the subsidy through the public-private partnership programme to help with setting up infrastructure to start operating his five Fokker 50 aeroplanes.

"I submitted the application on behalf of the company last year and went through the normal government screening procedures," he said.

"There was nothing sinister about the payment.   

"It was not a bogus claim as reported. It is a significant development that the government saw fit to support and I am grateful for the help.

 "We appreciate the government's vision to at least subsidise 10% of that investment.

"This investment will be based in Madang, replacing the Airlink ser­vice which was servicing much-needed air routes that are not currently serviced on a daily basis," Wartoto said.

He said his airline would open up air routes that had not been served by other airlines. These routes included Aitape, Kandrian and Aropa.

He said two of his planes were sitting in Maastricht, in the Netherlands, awaiting Casa PNG clearance at the end of this month for delivery early next month.

Wartoto said three other aircraft in Malaysia were being prepared to be delivered around the same time.

He said he had signed up on two additional aircraft in Maastricht that would be ready for delivery in October.

Meanwhile, another internationally known and established consultant company, David Consultants and Associates which received K4.1 million, denied receiving bogus payments.

Managing director David Pondoros, who was also named in the newspaper report, said his company was engaged to do two important national projects; the Abaca study and the diesel-free rural electrification programme.

He said the first payment of K500,000 was for the Abaca project, an important project that would be­-nefit the country while the other

K3.6 million was for the air compressor generator "to light up rural communities".

"Lawyer Philemon Korowi failed to do a proper research and had compiled a report based on the payment print to destroy my name and that of my company when everything, including the acquittals, was in place."

ISP, IT firms get operating licences

By ANCILLA WRAKUALE

 

PAPUA New Guinea’s internet and information technology providers were issued operating licences by the National Information and Communications Technology Authority (Nicta) yesterday, The National reports.

The licences covered the ISPs’ migration to Nicta of licences from the previous licencing agency Pangtel and the Independent Consumer and Competition Commission.

This was in line with reforms in the ICT sector under the national ICT Act 2009 and subsequent creation of Nicta last Octover.

As part of the reforms to make the sector competitive, Nicta was now the sole licencing and regulatory body and was spearheading the migration of licences issued by the  defunct Pangtel/ICCC.

Chief executive officer Charles Punaha said it had taken a while for Nicta to undertake the process due to ongoing consultation process with the ICT operators.

Telikom was issued   the individual network licence, the international gateway licence and the individual applications licence.

Daltron was issued an individual network licence and an individual applications licence.

The other ICT service providers like Daltron, Global internet, DataNets, MiCom and Comserve were also issued individual applications licences.

Punaha said Daltron was the only company that requested for the network licence apart from Telikom and Punaha.

He told other ICT operators to submit forms early so that they could work on their request.

Punaha also urged them to comply with the terms and conditions outlined in the licence.

He said the deadline for the consultation process with the ICT operators is Aug 5 and urged the operators to provide them with feedback as the information gathered would go towards setting conditions for the licence which would apply to them.

Census hiccup

Shortage of interview manuals and pads delay counting

 

By ALISON ANIS

 

COUNTING for the national population and housing census has faced hiccups since Monday, most notably the shortage of census pads for data entry, according to an official, The National reports.

Some officers yesterday claimed they were still to be paid their K40 daily allowances.

Kila Geberi, the census coordinator for the Southeast region which included Central, Northern, Milne Bay and NCD, said most census teams around the country had stopped working because there was a shortage of 5,000 census pads.

They also needed another 1,000 manuals to guide interviewers.

“There is a shortfall of census pads throughout the country and we also need more interviewers’ guides or manual,’’ Geberi said. “We may have underestimated the workload and distances in earlier assessments of workload formation.”

Geberi said: “The number of people in the household has grown over the 10-year period and, because there are many small villages scattered across remote areas, most of our field officers are now facing that (problem) during their operations.”

He said the workload was spread between 40 and 50 families after considering the distance and the time needed by each provincial census coordinators.

“We are advised by Moore Printing that 5,000 copies of the census pad would be ready for delivery at the end of today (yesterday) or tomorrow (today),” Geberi said.

The census pad contains 65 census questionnaire forms and a single form can cater for seven people.

He said counting in some parts of Milne Bay, Northern and Central began on Monday while counting in other parts were held up because of the shortage of census pads.

Geberi said some interviewers and supervisors were still conducting their training this week.

“Counting in NCD started on Monday and is progressing well despite some minor setbacks.

“In some parts of Central, Northern and Milne Bay, counting may be delayed as some officers are doing their training.

“That means counting will begin on Saturday and throughout next week,” Geberi said.

He said he had been advised that Safia and Keva LLGs in remote Northern had not started counting because the field officers were still undergoing training.

He said there were some delays with funding for the training.

Meanwhile, some NCD field officers were still complaining yesterday about the non-payment of their K40 field allowances.

As of 5pm yesterday, there was no confirmation from the census coordinators in NCD that the officers had received their allowances.

The funds were still with the Department of Finance and Treasury.

Chief magistrate denies knowledge of bail bid

CHIEF Magistrate Jack August has denied media reports that he had directed a District Court magistrate to hear and approve bail for National Planning and Monitoring secretary Joseph Lelang, The National reports.

Lelang had been charged with breaking and entering into his former office, an offence he allegedly committed days before he was reinstated.

On Monday, The National had reported that Lelang’s lawyer, Philemon Korowi, had turned up at the Port Moresby court house early last Friday morning to pursue a bail application for his client.

The lawyer’s action, however, was contrary to a direction by magistrate Rossie Johnson for all parties to be at the Waigani District Court.

Korowi had claimed that he was directed by the chief magistrate to appear before magistrate Josephine Niduwe in town and successfully posted a K1,000 bail for Lelang.

However, August yesterday denied giving such directions for the matter tobe heard in town.

He said the claims by Korowi “may amount to a serious professional misconduct” and he could be referred to the PNG Law Society.

In a media statement, August said he did not direct any magistrate to hear Lelang’s bail application last Friday.

He said Niduwe had just joined the Magisterial Services and “Lelang’s lawyer may have taken advantage of her recent appointment to push his own agenda”.

“The counsel for Lelang has misled the Waigani Committal Court. This is totally false and unbecoming of a member of the legal fraternity and may amount to a serious professional misconduct.”

August said he was officially on tour to Kimbe and left last Thursday. He returned to Port Moresby on Monday.

He said it was impossible for him to sanction a bail hearing as he was in Kimbe last Friday.

 

 

Landslip leaves 200 homeless

By ZACHERY PER

 

MORE than 200 families from three major clans in Yongomugl, Chimbu, have been displaced by a major landslip, The National reports.

The Gena, Kindiku and Sunagaumo clans have lost homes, coffee trees, garden produce and animals in the landslip at the Porol Mountain.

The landslip started three weeks ago about a kilometre away from the major Gera landslip that occurred in 2008 and cut the Highlands Highway off, stopping the flow of basic services into the hinterlands of the highlands region for a month.

The National visited the displaced families last weekend and saw them covered in mud as a sign of mourning for their land, homes, gardens, ceremonial grounds, cemeteries, coffee trees and livestock.

The people are living in makeshift shelters.

A local, Naire Kawagle, who was one of the first to see the landslip, said it started on June 26 and, since then, the land had been slipping continuously.

He said it had destroyed property and homes worth thousands of kina.

Ward councillor Kuike Kowane, who spoke on behalf of the affected clans, said more than 200 families were now living in makeshift shelters.

He said there had been no response from the Chimbu provincial government and politicians after they were alerted.

“Our children cannot go to school and we are missing out on this coffee season.

“Our gardens are destroyed and we are without food and are severely affected,” Kowane said.

Speaking on behalf of the women, Esther Andy said all their food gardens had been destroyed and they did not know who to turn to for help.

 “When the landslips were occurring, we ran off with our children and left our gardens, houses and properties to be destroyed,” she said.

Spokesman John Aina called on the National Disaster Centre, Chimbu provincial government and local MP Jeffery Nape to step in and help.

Opposition concerned about controversies against Abal

The opposition today expressed serious concern about the accumulating controversies against the acting prime minister Sam Abal which he seems to ignore in pursuit of the nation’s top post.

Deputy leader of opposition Sam Basil said that the people have had enough of controversies, legal blunders and ill-repute against the top post.

“They deserve a government led by a prime minister they can depend on and have confidence in,” Basil said.

“In any other country, any impropriety by a member of an acting prime minister is sufficient cause for resignation to protect the integrity of the public office.

“In PNG, we describe it as a police matter and refuse the perception that if a leader cannot manage and mentor those in his household to be good citizens, what qualification does he have to lead a nation?”

Basil, who is also Bulolo MP, slammed the latest revelations of questionable funding management in relation to the acting prime minister’s district funds.

“The integrity with which a leader handles district finances indicates his qualification to handle national finances,” he said.

“ An acting prime minister,  regardless of who is in that post and especially one who is actively pursuing a permanent election into that position of prime minister,  should be squeaky clean.

“Sacking cabinet ministers like Don Polye and William Duma because they are likely contenders for the prime minister’s post demonstrate insecurity and an unhealthy early hint on the attitude to wielding of power by Mr Abal.

“The Opposition is calling on all right-thinking MPs – in Government and in our ranks – to completely halt the Somare era and the negative leadership legacy that has tarnished our leadership quality and capability.

“Now is the time to act.

“Let’s mobilise; align aright and begin the re-alignment process of leadership before it is too late.”

 

Singapore’s off limits

Sir Michael's doctor has no practising rights in Singapore

 

By FRANK SENGE KOLMA

 

THE legal process, which began two weeks ago to determine the medical fitness of Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare, has hit a snag, The National reports.

Sir Michael's long-time physician, Dr Isi Kevau, who was scheduled to fly to Singapore today, does not have jurisdiction to perform any medical examination on the ailing prime minister, a medical doctor claimed yesterday.

Specialist surgeon Dr Kristoffa Robert Ninkama said from Australia that Kevau, or any other PNG doctor, could not produce a legally binding report on the prime minister because none of them were registered on the Singapore Medical Council and, so, they have "no practising right of whatever kind at any Singaporean health facilities".

Moreover, Kevau discharged his responsibilities of care over Sir Michael when he referred him to the doctors at the Singapore hospital who accepted him.

Doctor-patient confidentiality forbid that Kevau can just charge in there and return with a report.

Ninkama said: "This effectively means he has no jurisdiction of care to Sir Michael as a doctor in Singapore other than an ongoing interest of his care as a second or third party.

"This means Kevau cannot perform a physical examination on Sir Michael while in Singapore for it will be deemed illegal.

 "He, therefore, cannot produce an independent primary medical report and make recommendations on the health status of Sir Michael from any Singaporean hospital because he ceases to exist as a doctor within Singaporean jurisdiction," Ninkama said.

"Any primary report from Kevau from Singapore would be deemed illegal and may not be legally-binding."

Kevau had himself cited jurisdictional and doctor-patient confidentiality issues when he addressed the National Executive Council last week and reported that he would not be able to produce a medical report as directed by cabinet.

Acting Prime Minister Sam Abal revealed on Sunday that Kevau was due to fly to Singapore today to see the PM.

Ninkama said this must follow set processes to avoid unnecessary ethical and legal repercussions.

He suggested getting the chief physician in charge of Sir Michael in Singapore, or his delegate, to write a fully informed interim medical report and recommendations on his patient to Kevau.

"This primary report, and what is observed at ground zero in Singapore of Sir Michael's physical state of health, together with his personal and family's wishes, will form the basis for Kevau and another PNG colleague to formulate an informed and independent secondary report and recommendations for the acting PM, NEC and PNG," Ninkama said.

A medical report from two recognised medical practitioners is a requirement under section 142 of the Constitution to remove any sitting prime minister for reasons of physical or mental incapacity to carry out the duties of their office.

Census officials want pay

By ALISON ANIS

 

THE national census in the nation's capital went well yesterday despite a complaint by some officials in the two main NCD zones that they were not paid their daily K40 field allowance, The National reports.

NCD census co-ordinator Jacklyn Tarawu, however, said many of the interviewers had visited homes to obtain the information required for the census.

Tarawu admitted that there were a few logistical problems including the delay in the payment of allowances.

"Most of the officials in the NCD conducted the census yesterday but a few people refused to work because of the non-payment of allowances from the department of Finance and Treasury," Tarawu said.

She said more than 100 census supervisors and interviewers in Zone Eight, which included 8-Mile and 9-Mile, Bomana, Tete settlement, Laloki, ATS compound and Fisherman Island, refused to conduct the national survey because of the allowance problem.

Some officials confirmed with The National yesterday morning that they refused to conduct the census because there were security, logistics and allowance problems which had not been resolved.

The census team from Zone Two which covered Gerehu, Waigani, Erima, Morata, Ensisi and UPNG  made similar complaints.

According to the National Statistical Office, the funds to cover daily allowances for the census officials were being held up at the Finance office.

Tarawu said it was "beyond our control".

She said the census headquarters had been advised that the Finance Department would release the money either by the end of yesterday or today to pay the census teams.

"We have advised the census co-ordinators in each zone that they would receive their payments by tomorrow (today)," she said.

 

 

Abel: Progress made on Hela and Jiwaka

MINISTER for State Assisting the Prime Minister on Constitutional Matters Charles Abel says the Electoral Boundaries Commission review of the proposed provinces of Hela and Jiwaka is in progress, The National reports.

He said this would enable the people of Hela and Jiwaka to have a political representation after next year's general election.

"The boundaries review to address Hela and Jiwaka is in progress," he said.

"It will specifically review the open electorate boundaries within the provincial boundaries of Hela with Southern Highland and Jiwaka with Western Highlands," Abel said.

He said the Electoral Boundaries Commission would meet next Tuesday.

"Following the meeting, the commission will formulate a proposal for review and, on July 25, the proposal and maps of the two provinces will be put on public notices in the media.

"The public will have two weeks to assess the electoral boundaries' proposals and, on Aug 8, the commission will conduct a public inquiry into the new provinces," Abel said.

He said a second meeting would be held at the end of August to review the proposals.

In the first week of September, the boundaries commission would go back to Hela and Jiwaka to conduct a public inquiry.

He said on Sept 19, a third meeting to review the proposals would be held.

Electoral Boundaries Commissioner Andrew Trawen was in Kokopo yesterday and could not be reached for comments.

Any changes to electoral boundaries will require an absolute majority of parliament with two consecutive meetings held two months apart.

Abel said at the end of September, the commission would prepare the first electoral boundaries report for presentation in parliament.

He said a national boundaries review for all provinces would be conducted after the elections.

History of Evangelical Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea

By LEROY BATIA

 

The dawn of the Lutheran Christian faith in Papua New Guinea came on July 12, 1886, through Johann Flierl when he sailed into the quiet beaches of Simbang in Finschhafen, Morobe province.

God instilled the courage, the wisdom, the strength, and the perseverance into the life of pioneer German missionary, Rev Johann Flierl.

Together with all the other early missionaries in the likes of Rev Karl Tremel, Rev Georg Bamler, Rev Georg Pfalzer, Rev Korad Vetter, Rev Adam Hoh, Rev Johann Ruppert, Rev Johann Decker, Rev Andreas Zwangzer, Rev Friedrich Held, Ms Frieda Goez (nurse), Rev Ernst Hansche, and Rev Christian Keysser, Rev Johann Flierl (Senior) did set foot on Simbang on July 12, 1886.

Simbang, a village at the mouth of the Bubui (Mape) River in Langemak Bay was the first site of the first mission station.

In 1890, he moved the mission station from Simbang to a nearby hill called Gaigeresa that was also known as Simbang II.

 That same year (1886), Johann Flierl was joined by Karl Tremel in and they moved into Simbang village to set up the first mission station.

In 1888, Mrs Louise A Flierl later joined her husband at Simbang, Finschhafen.

At that time it was known as German New Guinea - Kaiser-Wilhelmsland.

All the above mentioned missionaries that came to this newly-found mission field and established the mission stations also came with their spouses.

As this famous saying goes, behind a great man, there is a great woman, so in the case of these early missionaries who came to our land, their wives accompanied them and endured the life of being a missionary's wife taking very good care of their missionary husbands.

To name just a few of them,  Rev Johann Flierl (Senior) and Louise A Flierl, Rev Karl Tremel and Christine Tremel, Rev Georg Bamler and Frieda Bamler, Rev Georg Pfalzer and Mathilde, Rev. Konrad Vetter andMaria Vetter, Rev Adam Hoh and Else Hoh, Rev Johann Decker and Emilie, Rev Andreas Zwangzer and Margarete Zwangzer.

The first mission station was established in Simbang, October 8, 1886.

The first missionaries were Rev Johann Flierl (Senior), Rev Karl Tremel, Rev Georg Bamler, Rev Georg Pfalzer, and Rev Konrad Vetter.

The second mission station was established on Tami Island, November 1889.

The missionaries that were assigned to establish it were Rev Karl Tremel and Rev Georg Bamler.

The third mission station was established at Sattelberg with careful planning and proper preparations.

Toward the end of 1892, the missionaries and their families moved into the newly-established mission station.

Rev Flierl (Senior) and family, Rev Andreas Ruppert, Rev Johann Decker, Rev Andreas Zwangzer, Rev Friedrich Held, Ms Frieda Goez, (nursing sister), and Rev Ernst Hansche.

In 1899 the fourth mission station was established at Deinzerhill through the initiative of Rev Georg Bamler, at Tamigidu in the Bukawa area.

On the opposite side of the Huon Gulf, missionaries Karl Mailaender and Hermann Boettger established Malaclo mission station in 1907.

In 1907, two new mission stations were established, one at Malaclo and Sialum respectively.

After 13 long harsh years of tough missionary work in the northern coast of Morobe province of what is now known as the Finschhafen district, in 1899 the first baptism took place in Simbang.

Two local mission workers were baptised.

Kaboing was baptised with the name Tobias, and Kamunsanga was baptised with the name Silas.

These gentlemen became the first fruits of what would determine the destiny of a Christian church in this nation, Papua New Guinea.

Rev Georg Pfalzer administered their baptism at Simbang mission station.

In the next five years,  36 more people from Tami Island and from the nearby coastal villages of Simbang were added to their number.

A tribute to Bishop Reverend Dr Wesley Kigasung

By MALUM NALU

 

The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea, one of the largest mainline churches in the country with up to 1.2 million followers, is still reeling from the sudden death of its charismatic leader – the American university educated Bishop Reverend Dr Wesley Kigasung (pictured) – who passed away on Wednesday, May 15, 2008, aged 57.

He is remembered by Lutherans all over the country for his skills as a preacher of the Word of God.

Wesley Waekesa Kigasung came from Aluki village in the Bukawa area of Morobe province. 

He was born on July 16, 1950, and was married to Susie Manempen Kigasung of Mindere village in the Rai Coast area of Madang province. 

The Kigasungs were blessed with two daughters and two granddaughters.  

The young Wesley Kigasung received primary education in remote Menyamya and later on Siassi Island where he did secondary schooling at Gelem High School (now Siassi High School) from1966 to 1968. 

He completed High school at Asaroka Lutheran High School in Goroka, Eastern Highlands in 1969. 

Kigasung attended Martin Luther Seminary from 1970-1975 and graduated in 1975 with Diploma of Theology and Bachelor of Theology. 

He received further studies at the University of Papua New Guinea in Port Moresby from 1976 – 1978 and graduated from the University in 1979 with the degree of Master of Arts majoring in history of PNG). 

From 1979 to 1980 he served as circuit pastor in remote Kaintiba, Gulf province. 

In 1981 Kigasung was called to teach at Martin Luther Seminary in Lae until the end of 1982. 

In March 1983 he left with his family for Germany for language studies. 

Towards the end of 1984 he again left for further studies in Chicago, USA, where he graduated in 1986 with the degree of Master of Theology at the Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago. 

Kigasung continued studies for his doctoral degree and completed all doctoral work in 1989, when he received the degree Doctor of Theology from the Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago. 

He resumed work as Lecturer at Martin Luther Seminary towards the end of 1989. 

In 1991 he was appointed Principal of Martin Luther Seminary and served as Principal until 1997. 

In January 1998 Kigasung was elected Head Bishop of the church at the Kimbe Synod.

Kigasung is widely respected as an intellectual and a leading preacher of the word of God in this country.  

“I believe it is a special gift from God,” he told me in a rare interview in 2006.

“From my early years in school, I already developed the skill of speaking in front of my peers. 

“Through the years I have challenged myself to develop my abilities in order to serve well. 

“I like to read a lot and I have read lots of books on leadership and other books that help to develop my skills in working and communicating with people. 

“My philosophy in life is to do well in a given task; to face life and responsibility without fear and doubt; to take criticisms and face difficult situations with humility and respond with positive attitude and be more proactive rather than being reactionary.”

Kigasung says being the spiritual leader of all Lutherans is not an easy task but he finds so much joy in serving God. 

 “It is not easy,” he says frankly of his job.

“Very challenging and very demanding. 

“But there is much joy and satisfaction in serving God's people. 

“I find much joy in meeting people of different cultures and different works of life and back ground and of different nationalities. 

“You see and experience God's wonders and life in the faces of these different people in the church.

 “I leave my future in God's hand. 

“This is my last term as Head Bishop. 

“I hope and pray that the Lord will grant me good health and strength to serve him in another role after this final term as bishop.”

 From January 9 to 13, 2006, the ELCPNG held its 25^th Synod at remote Wasu in Morobe province, where Dr Kigasung was reelected for a third four-year term.

 The first Synod was held in 1956 at Simbang, Finschhafen, the site of the first landing of the pioneer German missionary Johannes Flierl in 1886. 

It was at this Synod that the Church adopted its Church Order (or Constitution)

The first Head Bishop of the newly founded Church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of New Guinea (ELCONG) was elected in 1956.

He was an American missionary, the Reverend Dr John Kuder. 

The three Head Bishops preceding Dr Kigasung were Bishop Dr John Kuder (1956 – 1972); Bishop Sir Zurewe Zurenuoc (1973 – 1981) and Bishop Sir Getake Gam (1982 – 1997).

Dr Kigasung was reelected at a time where there is splintering within  the church through the Lutheran renewal movement; when there are criticisms from within the Church itself that it has become sluggish and has been sidetracked from fulfilling its greatest mission of spreading the word of God; that it has become so vocal on business matters without paying any attention to evangelism, ministerial training, health, education and the welfare of its pastors and evangelists; and there has been talk about the creation of a Lutheran university in Lae.

So what of the future?

“The major plans for the future of the Church is to revisit the mission of the church; to revitalise the church to become more responsible and accountable in financial matters; improve leadership  responsibility; improve  pastoral responsibilities as well as addressing the concerns of the pastors and other church workers. 

  “I encourage all Lutherans to share their faith in the many gifts and talents that they possess to help build the church. 

“I want to introduce to the church the theme for the new period of this church for the next 50 years. 

“I want to challenge all genuine and committed Lutherans with the theme: ‘Sharing the Faith, Building the Church’. 

“All Lutherans are asked to come forward in support of their church by ‘Sharing their Faith in Building the Church’.”

Abal vies for top NA post

By FRANK SENGE KOLMA

 

ACTING Prime Minister Sam Abal will put up his hand to be leader of the National Alliance after Sir Michael  Somare when the NA party caucus meets later this month, The National reports.

"I will put my hand up.

"I have to and let the people decide,"  Abal said last night.

The position is vacant by operation of the NA constitution which stipulates that a leader (parliamentary) shall serve for no more than two terms which Sir Michael has done continuously from 2002.

If Sir Michael recovers fully from his heart surgery in Singapore, he can still remain prime minister until next year's general election but he will not be the NA leader.

Sir Michael instructed the party executive in February to begin the process of electing a new leader.

President Simon Kaiwi said last week the process was well advanced and that a meeting of the party caucus, comprising the 42-member parliamentary wing this month in Minj, Western Highlands, would elect a new leader.

Abal has an immediate hurdle to face, however, before he could be nominated for the top post of the party.

He has yet to be a regional deputy, another requirement of the National Alliance constitution, and has to topple current NA highlands leader Don Polye.

That process was to have started last week when a majority of highlands NA MPs met on three separate occasions and asked its current deputy leader, Polye, to call a meeting and put the leadership question to the vote.

Polye is yet to respond.

Meanwhile, the pro­cess to ascertain the health status of Sir Michael Somare to satisfy the requirements of the Constitution was progressing, albeit slowly, with Sir Michael's physician Dr Isi Kevau flying to Singapore tomorrow to talk with the prime minister.

He does so without producing a report as requested by cabinet.

Kevau had written to the acting prime minister last Friday to explain that the inviolable medical tradition of doctor-client confidentiality forbade that he produced a report until after he had permission from Sir Michael to do so.

Since he has not talked to Sir Michael, he was unable to meet the cabinet direction.

Abal said last night that Kevau's trip to Singapore was fraught with similar confidentiality issues.

Sir Michael is now a patient of the Raffles Hospital in Singapore.