Iruupi villagers continue to suffer from river

The plight of Iruupi villagers in Western province, regarding their Kura River, continues to worsen by the day, according to villager Thomas Ame.

Mr Ame today showed pictures and video clips of villagers with rashes and sores on their bodies, dead fish, as well as food crops affected by the river.

A report by the division of health in Daru dated October 15,  confirms that the villagers are facing food problems as a direct result of the Kura River:

 

•           People were generally lost and wondering what was happening to their environment;

•           Their skin became itchy and swollen after entering the river;

•           Water samples were collected near upstream near a swamp, midstream close to Iruupi and  from Drageli village;

•           Fruit trees including coconut, pawpaw, banana and others were not bearing fruit while taro was not producing; and

•           Fish and other aquatic animals were continuing to die.

The report said people were moving away from the river as this phenomenon was destroying the livelihood they had enjoyed.

It added the problem was a kind of “complicated natural disaster” which nobody knew the cause of at this stage.

The report recommended that private scientific consultants be engaged to carry out studies;  Department of Environment and Conservation must closely monitor the situation;  provincial government and administration must support and fund a detailed study;  and proper and adequate sampling must be done to determine the physical, biological and chemical state of the river.

“Fish and other animals are continuing to die,” Mr Ame said.

“There is no food in the village because the food gardens are beside the river, and now, the villagers are making new gardens near the village.

“They get body pains when they touch the water in the river.

“Boils and rashes start appearing on their bodies

“People survive mainly through selling meat such as deer and wild pigs, and then using the money to buy food from the stores in Daru.

“People are surviving on sago and coconuts.

“People have put a stop to using the water from the river.

“They only use rain water these days.

“About half of the villagers are affected and the Fly River provincial government has taken so serious action to do something about this.”

In September, the villagers raised concerns in a letter to Governor Dr Bob Danaya, South Fly MP Sali Subam, and the Departments of Petroleum and Energy and Environment and Conservation about the increasing number of dead fish being found in the Kura.

At the beginning of October, after no response from relevant government authorities, the villagers again complained about dead fish and crocodiles, as well as birds, pigs, deer and wallaby.

Iruupi, south of Daru near the Torres Strait, is closer to Australia than the Western province capital.

 

FORUM SECRETARIAT SECRETARY GENERAL SIGNS REGIONAL STRATEGY PAPER AND REGIONAL INDICATIVE PROGRAMME

The Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS) Tuiloma Neroni Slade, and the European Commissioner for Development, Mr Louis Michel have signed documents formalising the Pacific Regional Strategy Paper (RSP) and the Regional Indicative Programme (RIP).  

The signing was done at a ceremony held in Strasbourg, France, during the European Development Day on 15th November 2008

The RSP and the RIP form the basis for co-operation between the Pacific ACP States (PACPS) and the European Commission for the period 2008-2013.

Prepared on the basis of intense consultations among regional stakeholders as well as between the PIFS and the European Commission (EC), the RSP identifies two focal sectors for co-operation:

(1) Regional Economic Integration; and

(2) Sustainable Management of Natural Resources and the Environment.

 A non-focal sector for organisational strengthening and civil society participation in the development process is also included in the RSP. 

An indicative allocation totalling €95 million has been made for assistance in the three areas, €45 million for the first focal sector, €40 million, for the second, and €10 million for the non-focal sector.  

Work has already begun on the preparation of projects in each area for 2009.

The intention is to identify two major projects for funding in the first two focal sectors: for the first sector, projects relating to economic integration and trade and human resources; and, for the second sector, projects in areas relating to sustainable management of both marine resources and land resources to cover both the fisheries and agricultural sectors.

Speaking at a round table meeting of representatives of African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) regional integration organisations and Commissioner Michel, organised by the EC and held immediately before the signing ceremony, Mr Slade, the Regional Authorising Officer for the RIP, expressed the region's appreciation for the assistance that had been provided in the past to the PACPS by the EC and the assistance that had been committed by the EC for the coming five-year period. 

Outlining the region's programme priorities under the Pacific Plan, the Forum Secretary General Mr Slade explained how the assistance from the EC would greatly facilitate efforts by the PACPS to deepen their own regional economic integration as well as to conclude an Economic Partnership Agreement with the European Union (EU) as a positive basis for strengthening relations between the region and the EU for many years to come.

For more information, contact Mr Jim Gosselin, the Forum Secretariat's Multilateral Trade Policy Adviser on email: jimg@forumsec.org.fj .

All-in brawl at Papua New Guinea media awards

Simmering tensions mixed with alcohol have been blamed for Papua New Guinea's media night of nights turning into an all-in brawl, Australian Associated Press reports.

The 2008 PNG Media Council awards ceremony on Saturday night erupted in a fight requiring Port Moresby hotel security to step in and pull apart scrapping guests.

The fight came late in the proceedings, after speeches on the importance of media freedom and accurate reporting.

Fighting between staff at PNG's Post-Courier newspaper, owned by News Limited, and colleagues from PNG's National Broadcasting Corporation marred what was generally considered a successful evening.

"It is embarrassing," one attendee said.

"This stuff always happens at this end of year. Everything starts fine, but it all comes out with too much drink.

"It really is the silly season. Staff get drunk and then there will be a fight at the office Christmas party. All the simmering tensions erupt."

The media awards night was the culmination of a week-long Media Council program to raise industry standards.

After calm was restored, the Media Council provided karaoke entertainment.

 

Making ICT more relevant and practical for SMEs in rural areas

Many development practitioners and researchers – including Papua New Guinea - have traditionally regarded the area of communication either as a technical field, or as a means of "delivering messages" and not so much as a tool for enterprise development.

Yet, these assumptions are increasingly questioned, as media and communication tools become more accessible to marginalised people, particularly those in micro and small enterprises in rural areas.

Rural areas such as Memyamya in Morobe province, Marawaka in Eastern Highlands province, Oksapmin in Sandaun province, Karimui in Chimbu province, Kaintiba in Gulf province, and the list goes on and on.

We have to find ways of making Information and Communications Technology (ICT) more relevant and practical for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in rural areas.

Information and Communications Technology can also be used as a powerful weapon in the battle against the scourge of HIV/AIDS that is sweeping the world, including Papua New Guinea, where it now threatens the very livelihood of our people.

Examples can be found in uses of participatory video, community radio, print media such as newspapers and magazines, theatre-for-development, music, Internet, community television, and mobile phones and many other various forms of media.

These are used all over Papua New Guinea but have not been harnessed as much as a tool for enterprise development.

The technology is already there to take Internet to the rural areas of our country, such as Very Short Aperture Terminal (VSATs), but for reasons known to themselves; those in authority seem to be working at a snail’s pace to let our rural areas see the light of ICT.

We have to make ICT affordable and accessible for our people or they will continue to remain in the dark.

All over this increasingly-globalised world, a massive Information Revolution is taking place as economies use ICT as a passport to what economists call the “New Economy”.

Papua New Guinea will continue to remain light years behind the rest of the world if we do not jump on the ICT bandwagon in this globalised world.

Success in this globalised world is predicated on ICT knowledge and successful knowledge-based economies will be based on the efficient and widespread use of ICT by all sectors within any given country.

On the other hand, an increasing number of development projects on promoting mass media for development, such as the International Labour Organisation’s Business Development Services (BDS) Zambia project, are beginning to demonstrate creative and innovative ways of unleashing the power of mass media for accelerating market information services and creating relevant and accessible social dialogue platforms for lobbying for enabling small business environments.

Leap-frogging technologies such as mobile Short Messaging Services (SMS) are enabling Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) in rural areas to access market information and opportunities in real time.

We only need to look within our own country to see the massive improvements in accessing market information and opportunities in real time since the introduction of mobile phone competition through Digicel.

There are real life stories of farmers, fishermen, artisans, PMV owners, trade store operators and many more seeing marked improvements in developing markets through their mobile phones.

The days of yodelling over the mountaintops to broker barter of goods is long over and our rural areas must also reap the benefits of the massive Information Revolution that is sweeping the globe.

Journalists also have a very important role in disseminating information to the bulk of our people in the rural areas rather than the bread-and-butter “shock and horror” stories.

The BDS Zambia project has been facilitating the capacity building of mass media and target MSEs in a few ways:

 

* Building the capacity of media to deliver market information services that are relevant and practical to MSMEs in rural and urban communities;

 

* Training and sensitising journalists on role of media in promoting access to service and commodity markets, creating a business enabling environment and promoting an entrepreneurial culture;

 

* Promoting a community journalism culture among farming communities to talk back to the media and make their views on access to services, information, markets known. And in turn, promote sustainable social enterprises whose business models thrive on harnessing a market of satisfied audiences;

 

* Enhance their participation in social dialogue processes and bottom-up communication on issues that concern micro-enterprise and community development, particularly at local government level by empowering Micro Small Medium Enterprise (MSME) rural and urban business communities to support and work with media that addresses their specific needs;

 

* Helping people in small businesses on how to cope with AIDS through relevant and practical information materials such as the HIV and AIDS Handbook for Entrepreneurs in Zambia.

 

The project has produced short videos highlighting the lessons and experiences of the ILO Business Development Services project in Zambia, working with media to facilitate information services for micro and small enterprises in rural markets.

Perhaps Papua New Guinea can take a leaf out of Zambia’s book as we ponder the future of ICT in our beloved country.

Something to ponder over Christmas/New Year period as we wonder what benefits ICT will bring to us in 2009 and beyond.

 

Post-Courier scoops media awards and causes a drunken brawl!

I notice the Post-Courier came out big today, expect, extolling its own virtues about how good it was.
The fact of the matter is that they nominated themselves for the awards they and their reporters received.
The National could have beaten them any day, in any way, but nominations didn't go in as expected.
I am widely regarded as the best feature writer in the country but I don't go around boasting like some of these drunk Post-Courier journalists last Saturday evening at the Hideaway Hotel in Port Moresby.
Post-Courier journalists cannot behave themselves if their behaviour at the 2008 media awards last Saturday night were any indication.
They caused a big drunken brawl after scooping up the awards!
And don't forget that the Post-Courier is now history as The National is by far Papua New Guinea's leading daily newspaper!

Malum Nalu

Chinese 'living longer than ever'

By Michael Bristow

BBC News, Beijing 

 

A UN report on China says the lives of its people have been vastly improved over the last three decades, BBC News reports.

Poverty has fallen, adult literacy has climbed and Chinese people are now living longer than ever, it says.

But despite rapid economic progress, new problems have emerged, such as the gap between rich and poor.

The United National Development Programme (UNDP), which published the report, says these problems need urgent attention.

The report, entitled Basic Public Services for 1.3 Billion People, comes just weeks before China celebrates 30 years of economic reforms.

During this period, the Chinese government has largely ditched central planning in favour of the free market.

'Stunning achievements'

These reforms, started by the late, former leader Deng Xiaoping, have brought spectacular results, as the report makes clear.

"The speed, scope and magnitude of the improvements… rank among the most stunning achievements in the history of human development," says the UN's chief representative in China, Khalid Malik, in the report.

Between 1978 and 2007, rural poverty fell from 30.7% to just 1.6%, according to the UN.

But new problems have emerged, with not everyone benefiting equally from rapid economic expansion.

Rural areas lag behind urban areas, the east coast is richer that the western hinterland and there is a large wealth gap between different social groups.

Schoolchildren in the wealthy coastal city of Shanghai receive 10 times more funding than some rural pupils, the report says.

Rural registration

According to the UNDP, one problem is the Chinese system that requires all citizens to be registered in one particular place.

People usually receive welfare benefits in the area they are registered, which brings difficulties if they move.

This is a particular problem for the tens of millions of rural people who move to the cities to find work.

Chinese leaders have already acknowledged the existence of some of these problems, and have launched programmes to solve them.

The report makes it clear that the country now has the money to fix some of these problems.

 

 

 

PUBLIC AFFAIRS BY SUSUVE LAUMAEA

No gain in shooting or silencing messenger

TO shoot or to silence the messenger is more and more becoming a copy-cat past-time for governments in the Pacific region. It is a development all supporters of democracy, media freedom, freedom of expression and human rights must strike out against vigorously. It’s a worrying trend especially in Fiji under the interim government of military strongman Frank Bainimarama, in Samoa and is voiced ominously in Papua New Guinea from time to time by “big wigs” in the three arms of government. We must never remotely suggest to shoot or to silence the messenger. No gain will be made for any nation going that way. Such is tantamount to ripping out heart and soul – the very fabric of democracy as system of government of the people, for the people by the people. It was not surprising that this scribe and Frank Senge Kolma, a journalist colleague writing for a daily newspaper also as a columnist have been singled out and warned to walk the “straight and narrow” journalistic path and “take heed that (we) are treading on dangerous grounds” – a reference made by a senior judge on Thursday in relation to respective commentaries we have written in the past week for our respective newspapers about less than convivial “mouthings” coming from the hallowed halls of the judges. There is no bad blood there nor is there loss of respect all round. No doubt there is misunderstanding. But the implied threat against freedom expression and freedom of the press stands out like a sore thumb. At stake is denial of media and journalistic freedom of expression and publication with responsibility of public information, critique, analysis and commentary on prevailing and emerging issues of national interest and concern. Often times this scribe writes about freedom, liberty and human rights, and usually in terms of threats to or the reduction of these precious commodities by officialdom that is usually perceived to suffering or huffing and puffing under the weight of an acute case of insecurity and inferiority complex. We in PNG do not have to go the way of repressive and suppressive regimes elsewhere within our own Pacific region or further afield. Officialdom does not have to be suggesting situations similar to restrictions that have all but eroded freedom of media and freedom of expression by journalists and the public of Fiji. We are nation with a great deal of potential to strengthen our institutions of democracy – a pillar of which is free press, freedom of expression, freedom of thought and freedom to be free. Papua New Guinea’s National Constitution enshrines and bestows freedoms, liberties, rights and social obligations upon every man, woman and child of PNG in the Preamble and in Constitution Sections 32 inclusively through to Section 63. The letter, intent and spirit of the safe-guards provided in the National Constitution are awesome. They’re massive and are a must read for all citizens of PNG.  Lest we all get hoodwinked by those in the know who can manipulate the laws to serve self-interest. The relevant constitutionally-guaranteed freedom that this scribe and Frank Senge Kolma are being warned and threatened – by implication -- not to exercise freely is Section 46 – Freedom of Expression. Constitutional Section 46 stipulates that:

1.      Every person has the right to freedom of expression and publication, except to the extent that the exercise of that right is regulated or restricted by law -

(a)    that imposes reasonable restrictions on public office-holders; or

(b)   that imposes restrictions on non-citizens; or

(c)    that complies with general qualifications on qualified rights

2.      Freedom of expression and publication includes:

(a)    freedom to hold opinions, to receive ideas and information and to communicate ideas and information, whether to the public generally or to a person or class of persons; and

(b)   freedom of the press and other mass communications media.

This freedoms, liberties and rights are as good as how they can be freely exercised. When they are interfered with, obstructed or usurped through a public official’s insecurity or inferior complexes, the chances are that the values that we all take for granted in democratic systems of government come unstuck big time. Having created the premise upon which horns might lock in relation to the latest warning by a senior judge to me and my colleague let me present my case without fear or favour. Some events have overtaken the discussions in publications that have stirred some degree of judicial ire. That’s to be expected. People in high places must always know and appreciate that when they start wagging their tongues or utter a sound they have a willing audience who want to hear them but who are also critical or analytical of what may be said. Journalists – as news hounds – keep the public informed, educated and aware through their print and electronic media writings, commentaries and broadcasts. The role-play of investigative and provocative journalistic commentators, columnists and analysts is a little different from that of the normal news beat journalist or reporter. The commentary column is where the journalist writes analytically and investigatively and with a great deal of care and responsibility. That’s where one calls a spade and spade if evidence justifies the label. For instance, when there is smoke obviously a fire burns. Likewise when there is vomit there is bound to be smell. For both situations, a newshound worth his or her salt does not get the whiff of smell and go back to sleep. An inquisitive newshound – whether from Uritai village on the banks of the Lakekamu River in Gulf Province or from the mountain tops of Jimi in the Jiwaka area of Western Highlands will trace the smell to its origin and investigate it for its news value. That’s basically what the Laumaea and Kolma commentaries were about. The facts stack up. For instance, three judges sitting as a Supreme Court made a ruling that affected another judge presiding over the same case in the National Court. The judge in the National Court felt seriously aggrieved that he had not been fore-warned. He made a statement – more or less – as a personal explanation and also to abundantly register his displeasure to his colleagues. That’s fine. But then there was that other reactionary statement a day later from another judge lending support to the aggrieved judge.  Hello, stand back. The smell is getting stronger. To this newshound the situation became a vomit case. Any dog could smell that. Vomit is contents of the stomach expelled through the mouth. Among many animals dogs are usually drawn to human vomit. They explore the contents of the vomit and consume some or all of it. Watch them sometimes and you will agree. But where is this analogy taking us? The analogy is in relation recent judicial utterances by Justices Bernard Sakora and Mark Sevua -- two of the nation’s senior judges of the National and Supreme Courts. They vented displeasure in no uncertain terms in the media about a certain decision of the Supreme Court. The facts are that on Monday November 3, a three-judge Supreme Court comprising then acting but now confirmed Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia, Justices Nicholas Kirriwom and Sao Gabi removed a stay order on the Commission of Inquiry into the management of public monies by the Department of Finance. The stay order was issued by Justice Sakora who was presiding over a judicial review sought by former senior public servants Zachery Gelu, Isaac Lupari and Tau Liu to disband the commission of inquiry. The Supreme Court also ruled that the judicial review be taken away from Justice Sakora and be given to another judge. On Tuesday, November 4, Justice Sakora – in compliance with judicial protocols -- issued a seven-page judicial statement in court wherein he slammed the Supreme Court decision as “hijacking” a case that was before him and giving it to another judge without informing him. He felt “insulted, abused and denigrated.” It is objectionable and offensive to be treated this way, apart from, of course, the disrespect and nonsense that was perpetrated on the laws and legal procedures that we are bound by,” Justice Sakora said. “In my considered opinion, there has been a blatant interference with my judiciary functions, in the process questioning my judicial integrity and independence.”
He also said the entire proceedings were “hijacked” from him without proper legal processes being followed to remove the matter that was currently before him.
“In my considered opinion, no law or procedure, or combination of both, would support and justify the intervention and interference of the Supreme Court in the way that it did -- (On Monday November 3).
“And the way it did was to ride roughshod over the constitutional powers, duties and functions given to this court by section 155(3) (a).
“In the process, the Supreme Court interfered with my judicial independence, a valuable and cherished doctrine of democracy and constitutionalism.”
He said the Supreme Court decision was “both objectionable and obscene as contrary to the principles under which our independence Constitution was based.
“It is intolerable by any democratic standards.”
He said the law and proper process to disqualify him from hearing this case were not followed.
“Duly appointed authorities exercising people’s powers under the Constitution, be they legislative, executive or judiciary, who ought to know and appreciate the laws and procedures of this country – the principles that the Founders of the Constitution unequivocally adopted to help, guide and govern us – do not appear to have any respect for those principles.
“Some of us who are committed to doing things right by all manner of people, true and faithful to our judicial oath and declaration, not to mention the Lawyers Oath we all took on admission to practice law in this country, are now constantly frustrated.
“Those of us who are duty-bound to enforce the laws of the country, are being constantly frustrated in this very serious task, by those who wish to evade and avoid the requirements of the laws and procedures of the country, by those who wish to cut corners, as it were.”
He added: “There is an assault on the democratic principles adopted on Independence (of PNG). As a necessary adjunct to this is the popular tendency these days to condone and reward mediocrity, irregularity, unconstitutionality, and illegality.
“The unusual become the usual (way of doing things), the unacceptable become acceptable, and the irregular becomes regular.”
The judge said the people’s judicial power was not a “popularity contest” as in the case with the Miss PNG contest. On Wednesday November 5, Justice Mark Sevua -- in support of Justice Sakora -- made a statement denouncing the actions of the Supreme Court.
“I support the comments made by Justice Sakora and endorse his concerns,” Justice Sevua said. The newspaper continued to quote Justice Sevua as having said that such an action of the Supreme Court was indeed “insulting” to a judge whom he described as one of PNG’s leading and most experienced judges on the bench. According to the newspaper Justice Sevua also said it was not the first time such a decision was made in recent times when interlocutory matters were before National Court judges and while they were still pending before those judges (as individual National Court judge hearings), the matters were taken to a higher court and then “hijacked” and given to be heard by another judge.
“This is a very dangerous trend and must be stopped by all means,” Judge Sevua is quoted as having said. He is further quoted as having said the rich and well-to-do could run to the Supreme Court and have matters before judges “hijacked”, but the “little people” could not because they could not pay and that the public should know that such “hijacking” of cases amounted to interference in a judge’s judicial duties.
“It is a blatant interference of a National Court Justice executing his judicial functions,” Justice Sevua is quoted as having said. Wisdom, freedom, restraint and responsibility come with a great deal of self-sacrifice and maturity is how this scribe would sum up this storm in a tea-cup. Here are a couple of quotes as food for thought: "More and more, if you're not in the digital conversation about your community, you're not in a conversation that matters" --   Alberto Ibargüen, President of The Knight Foundation. And former US president and founding father John Adams once said: "You will never know how much it cost the present Generation, to preserve your Freedom! I hope you will make a good use of it. If you do not, I shall repent in Heaven, that I ever took half the pains to preserve it."

·        Share your views with the writer at susuve.laumaea@interoil.com or SMS (675) 684 5168

 

The National confirms status as favourite daily

THE National daily newspaper has again surpassed the 30,000 mark in the third quarter of this year, confirming it as PNG’s favourite English daily and well ahead of the older Post-Courier. The Audit Bureau of Circulation (ABC), in its latest report, said the average daily circulation of The National during the July-September period was 30,053 copies, 6.6% more than the previous quarter’s 28,168.
On the other hand, Post-Courier dropped about 4% from 24,140 to 23,139 copies.
The latest figures, based on 63 days of publication for both newspapers, mean that the average daily circulation of The National is about 6,900 copies or about 29% more than the Post-Courier which started almost 40 years ago.
The National, which marked its 15th year of publication this week, recorded an average daily circulation of 30,632 in July-September last year while Post-Courier’s average was 27,488. Both newspapers enjoyed high circulation during that period due to the country’s general election. The ABC is a worldwide organisation which verifies publishers’ claims on circulation. It audits more than 450 publications in the region.
Meanwhile, Pacific Star, the publisher of The National, recently signed an agreement for the purchase of two presses for the company’s printing plants in Port Moresby and Lae. Both presses are expected to be commissioned before the middle of next year.

Top of the charts

Who’s the top dawg of them all?

 Check out Rob@PNG’s listings of the top PNG websites and I think some very important pointers for successful blogging and on how he hit No.1 on Alexa’s rankings.

Could this be the end for online newspapers?

 

How PNG can benefit from Blogging

In my 20-odd years in journalism, I have written hundreds of stories and taken hundreds of photographs on a vast array of subjects, covering everything from rugby league to politics, from Kavieng to Daru.

Many of these articles were written before the age of computers, in the era of typewriters and fax machines, hence could not be saved.

Only after computers and the Internet came on the scene, in the late 1990’s, could these articles be preserved on floppy disks and CDs.

I couple of years ago, as I was cleaning up my house, I was faced with the dilemma of what to do with this myriad of stories and pictures.

Family and friends, particularly my late wife Hula – my greatest fan – had often encouraged me to compile a book of all that I’d written over the years.

After considering all the possibilities, I decided to set up my own Blog on the Internet, featuring my articles and photographs, and with the express purpose of promoting our beloved country Papua New Guinea.

So, I copied some of what I’d written and photographed over the years on a flash drive, and spent long hours on weekends at Internet cafes posting them on my Blog.

Slowly, but steadily, readership of my Blog grew and I started receiving emails from all over the world.

These came from former PNG residents, tourists who wanted to know more about the country, students doing assignments, academics, researchers, businessmen, writers, book publishers, and many, many more.

Needless to say, I’m proud that my Blog has, in one way or another, served to promote PNG around the world and may have brought in an extra kina or two into our coffers.

At the height of the Taiwan scandal earlier this year, I was surprised to receive an email from a leading TV station in Taipei, wanting to know more about Timothy Bonga and Dr Florian Gubon.

The TV station had apparently found my Blog on the Internet!

A Blog gives you your own voice on the web.

It's a place to collect and share things that you find interesting— whether it's your political commentary, a personal diary, or links to web sites you want to remember.

Many people use a Blog just to organise their own thoughts, while others command influential, worldwide audiences of thousands.

Professional and amateur journalists use Blogs to publish breaking news, while personal journalers reveal inner thoughts.

Whatever you have to say, Blogging can help you say it.

Blogging is about more than just putting your thoughts on the web.

It's about connecting with and hearing from anyone who reads your work and cares to respond.

With Blogging, you control who can read and write to your Blog — let just a few friends or the entire world see what you have to say!

Blogging let anyone, anywhere, to offer feedback on your posts.

You can choose whether you want to allow comments on a post-by-post basis, and you can delete any comments you don't like.

Access Controls let you decide who can read and who can write to your Blog.

You can use a group Blog with multiple authors as an excellent communication tool for small teams, families and other groups.

Or as a single author, you can create a private online space for collecting news, links, and ideas, to keep to yourself or share with as many readers as you want.

Blogging let you find people and Blogs that share your interests.

Your profile, where you can list your blogs, your interests, and more, lets people find you (but only if you want to be found).

Whether you're starting your Blog or just think it's time to give your existing Blog a facelift, user-friendly editing tools help you easily design a great-looking page.

A collection of templates will get you started with an attractive site right away without you having to learn any HTML, though you can edit your Blog's HTML code whenever you want.

When you're ready to take the next step, you can further customise templates to create a design that perfectly reflects you and your Blog.

You can easily upload photos on your Blog.

The fastest way to understand Blogging is to try it out, and in less than five minutes, you could be part of the phenomenon that’s transforming web and media to a participatory approach.  

 

InterOil's September Report Card

PORT MORESBY: InterOil has announced a “modest but highly encouraging” financial outcome for the third quarter of 2008.

The company recorded a pre-tax profit of $US9.3-million for the period.

This compares to a net loss of $US17.9-million for the third quarter of last year – an improvement of $US27.2 million.

The latest figures represent an annual return of less than one percent on InterOil’s major investment in Papua New Guinea.

However, Company President Bill Jasper said he was pleased with the result.

“Despite the volatile nature of the international marketplace and the current financial crisis, we have kept our head above water”.

“It’s a tribute to our dedicated and skilled workforce and our overall business strategy that we are weathering this initial stage of the storm.”

“The September quarter results follow a series of business strategies pursued during the past two years”.

“We have also adopted a number of hedging strategies to help mitigate the risks associated with the international crude oil market”.

Other key aspects of the company’s September report card are:

 

• A 39% increase in sales and operating revenues (when compared to the third quarter 2007) to $US262-million.
• An improved refinery run rate of about 19,000 barrels per day
• Securing a $US57.5-million (K150-million) working capital facility through Westpac PNG and Bank of South Pacific Limited.

 

InterOil also says that its total assets have increased by 31% while total liabilities have decreased by 1% when compared to September 2007.

The latest financial figures follow the recent announcement that drilling has commenced at its Antelope-1 exploration site in the Gulf Province.

Mr. Jasper said the company is continuing its investment position in PNG.

“These latest figures have given us a strong base from which to launch our future activities”.

   “We look forward to continued growth and a strong and vibrant future serving the people and nation of Papua New Guinea”.

For further in formation please contact

Susuve Laumaea

Senior Manager Media Relations InterOil Corporation

Ph: 321 7040

Mobile: 684 5168

Email: susuve.laumaea@interoil.com

 

 

Happy Birthday Malum Nalu Jr

Happy belated 8th Birthday to my eldest son, Malum Nalu Jr, who turned eight years old on Tuesday, November 4, 2008.
Because I was very busy last week, son. I couldn't put anything, however, this is something from the heart.
I love you son, and God Bless You as Your prepare to take your place in this wide, wide world.
Dad

Playgrounds for the children of Port Moresby

Captions: 1. See saw, up and down we go! 2. Gerehu basketball court 3. My children at the Gerehu playground.

Powes Parkop is showing his mettle as Governor of the National Capital District.

He must be supported in his campaign to resume all public parkland in Port Moresby that has been acquired – legally or otherwise – by business interests.

Mr Parkop has flung down the challenge by ploughing a strip of land between the South Pacific Brewery and Boroko Foodworld, opposite Courts store at the brewery roundabout.

This land, and others around Port Moresby, has become a park and children’s playground and Mr Parkop has declared he will go to gaol if necessary to reclaim it for the public.

That’s the kind of determination that has been missing from the NCDC leadership for decades – not empty sabre-rattling, but a refusal to be bullied by businessmen whose dubious deals that have seen them squat on undeveloped parkland for many years.

I live at Gerehu, and whenever I can, I take my children to the playground when they can slide, see-saw, swing, climb like a monkey, or roll on the sand.

Thanks Mr Parkop, and keep up the good work.

 

PUBLIC AFFAIRS BY SUSUVE LAUMAEA

Judicial “bad vibes” not good for PNG

IS the judiciary truly squeaky clean and free from the forces of graft and corruption? Maybe. Maybe not. As a nation we hope not.

This scribe doesn’t claim to know of any instance of wrongful and unethical behaviour by their Honours.

Be that as it may, there are still suspicions galore – unfortunately among judges themselves -- of less than appropriate conduct in those hallowed halls of justice in Waigani. These suspicions are somewhat confirmed in the latest spill of public pronouncements by judges venting their ire and fury over matters that mature and level headed public officials of their calibre would normally deal with and conclude in-house to the satisfaction of all concerned.

Judges of all people should know that well. The fury of the latest judicial “bad vibes” is far from over and it is not good for PNG. The last thing Papua New Guineans want is a disgraced and unstable judiciary that lacks integrity and independence.

Right now, it’s a much divided bench we have at the National and Supreme courts. They have taken their in-house problems out of the court house to the pages of newspapers to be resolved.

Judges are now bad-mouthing and slinging off publicly against each other without alluding to settlement of their disagreement amicably behind closed doors. That type of conflict resolution or dispute settlement – that is, by mediation and mutually agreeing to disagree -- is no longer the norm with our judiciary.

They’ve also become politicians and scramblers for publicity at any cost. Somehow, their Honours are putting credibility to the adage of “Trial by Media” and have gone down the publicity highway to amplify their disgust against each other.

They do not want to keep their dirty laundry in the court rooms -- not any more. They want to wash their dirty laundry and hang them up in full public view. Bad judgment but true.

The writing is very clear. All is not well at the “Hallowed Halls of Justice” in Waigani. They have monumental administrative, financial and ethical problems. It’s now public knowledge that obvious battle lines have been drawn between two or more groups of judges. The trophy at the end of the battle lines is the coveted position of Chief Justice. Assertive

Government intervention is urgently needed in the appointment of a Chief Justice without further ado. To delay the appointment is to further destabilise the judiciary, subject the judiciary arm of government to politicization in the form of political lobby for the job, invite graft and corruption to creep into play wherein interest groups would play “political and financial hardball” to secure the top judicial job.

It’s happened in the past, happens all the time and can be repeated again and again. Judges are human beings who also are not devoid of or immune to the usual human flaws, ambitions and egos of mammoth proportions. Each would do anything to satisfy the ambition of becoming the Chief Justice of PNG by hook or by crook and satisfy the ego of one day sitting down in retirement and boastfully telling the grandchildren how he or she made it to the top – again by hook or by crook. That seems to be the form at present.

From within those hallowed halls of justice allegations and counter-allegations are rife of judges not strictly following highest best practice standards, judicial ethics and due process in justice administration.

The judiciary – it seems – will no longer keep their in-house squabbles in camera. They have actually opened their “can of indiscretions” and all manner of worms are crawling out.

There are implications that the judiciary may not be “straight” after all -- that some of them may have succumbed to external influences of graft and corruption that have tainted accepted judicial conduct and practice.

It would seem that the dignity, integrity and decorum of the judiciary are under serious stress and compromise. Ask experienced long serving judges Mark Sevua and Bernard Sakora and see if their Honours will spill more beans in addition to what they already have spilled.

Both are no nonsense jurists who are vocal against conduct that is beneath the dignity, integrity and decorum of law or judicial officers and practitioners. They are impatient with inappropriately attired lawyers, sloppy presentation by litigation lawyers and will not hesitate to put away lawyers in both private and State employ behind bars for contempt, non-attendance at scheduled trials or for not being punctual.

It came as no surprise last week when the two eminent judges came out firing on all cylinders and sang tunes from the same hymn book serenading and condemning what they saw as “backstab” by a three-judge Supreme Court ruling that effectively prevented Judge Sakora from reviewing a case before him in the National Court.

The Supreme Court judges who made that ruling were Acting Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia and Justices Nicholas Kirriwom and Sao Gabi. Like judges Sakora and Sevua, Justices Injia, Kirriwom and Gabi are also highly respected Papua New Guinean jurists. But there appears to be some bad blood running among them.

Again this scribe and those that are learned legal and judicial observers can only go by the smoke rising from the hallowed halls of justice. When a judge – in this case Justice Bernard Sakora – uses a non-judicial word like “hijacking” to describe an action or judgment by fellow judges, the obvious the obvious implication or reaction arising thereof will be one of wonder as to what is actually going on among appointed judicial authorities.

Justice Sakora was irate over last Monday’s Supreme Court removal of a stay order he had granted the week before on continuation of hearing by the Commission Inquiry probing management of public funds by the Department of Finance. Justice Sakora was furious that he had not been consulted by the Supreme Court of its dealing of a matter that was under review before him in the National Court.

He felt “insulted, abused and denigrated” by his brother judges.

From the bench, Justice Sakora said in a seven page statement: “It is objectionable and offensive to be treated this way, apart from, of course, the disrespect and the nonsense that was perpetrated on the laws and legal procedures that we (judges) are bound by. “In my considered opinion, there has been a blatant interference with my judicial functions, in the process questioning my judicial integrity and independence.

“In my considered opinion, no law or procedure, or combination of both, would support and justify the intervention and interference of the Supreme Court in the way that it did (last Monday). “And the way it did was ride roughshod over the constitutional powers, duties and functions given to this court by Section 155(3) (a).

“Some of us who are committed to doing things right by all manner of people, true and faithful to our judicial oath and declaration, not to mention the lawyers Oath we all took on admission to practice law in this country are now constantly frustrated. “Those of us who are duty-bound, to enforce the laws of the country, are being constantly frustrated in this very serious task by those who wish to evade and avoid the requirements of the laws and procedures of the country, by those who wish to cut corners, as it were.

“There is an assault on the democratic principles adopted on Independence. “As a necessary adjunct to this is the popular tendency these days to condone and reward mediocrity, irregularity, unconstitutionality and illegality. “The unusual become the usual; the unacceptable become the acceptable and irregular become the regular. “Judicial power of the people is to be exercised without fear or favour.

“People’s judicial power is not intended to be used or exercised whimsically, or for personal, private or ulterior motives.”

These are powerful statements indicating something seriously amiss within the judiciary. These are statements that bring the spotlight sharply into focus on presumed “slippage” judicial conduct and erosion of judicial integrity.

The immediate impression one gets is of the “right hand not knowing what the left is doing” and that seems to be the case on this occasion.

Will the public of Papua New Guinea now perceive the judiciary as lacking in dignity, integrity, impartiality and independence? Why are there in-fighting, squabbling and public outbursts of disagreement?

Should the judiciary be investigated and by whom for behaviour that is contrary to accepted judicial standards? Or is the judiciary immune to independent probes?

The judges are people who are highly regarded and respected by Papua New Guineans. They are respected with awe. Their aura and very deity-type presence in their robes on the bench can send an ordinary person unaccustomed to court room procedure and culture into fits or become an absolute nervous wreck.

Their “Honours” – it seems – are not united, not speaking with one voice and not acting collectively in unison and pulling together in the same desired direction. Judicial conduct is no longer a matter of quietly agreeing to disagree and thereafter keeping the mutually agreed disagreement under wraps well out of sight, hearing or knowledge of the public. But increasingly of late, their Honours have jumped on the bandwagon of “publicity seekers” to air their views and disagreements in the public media.

The verdict of this scribe on this trend is: Bad judgment, Your Honours! Are there no other avenues other than the media to discuss issues of judicial integrity, performance, conduct and indiscretions in the administration of justice?

By hanging their dirty linen out in the open for public viewing, members of the judiciary have thrown to the wind their integrity and decorum; sacredness, impartiality and independence and the public’s awe and respect for them.

All of those sacred attributes that make the judiciary the surety, the pillar to be relied on and the last bastion of hope, of defence of democracy and the nation’s constitution in the face of adverse political and executive upheaval are in danger of being usurped, eroded and comprised by corrupt external influences and professional negligence by judges to follow due process in justice administration.

That’s right. The integrity of the judiciary is being usurped – according to certain senior lawyers – by the judges themselves in their selfish quest for one upmanship, avarice and allegedly “scratch-my-back-and-I-scratch-yours” sweet-heart deals.

For a long while there were sporadic bursts of smoke rising from the hallowed sacred halls of the judicial shrine at Waigani. Many judicial observers suspected – and now know – that all has not been well among their “Honours”.

Judicial squabbles among brother judges, highly irregular outbursts and dressing down of lawyers from the bench and purportedly open lobbying for appointment as Chief Justice standout as some of the indiscretions that have tarnished what has been – since independence 33 years ago – a fiercely impartial and independent judiciary that meted out justice administration without fear or favour.

It seems that those days of dealing with court cases impartially, independently and without fear or favour are gone.

For all our sakes and in the perpetual best interest of our nation, those values and ethics that the judiciary has upheld steadfastly since Independence should neither be compromised nor eroded – not even for a song and a dance. No way. I rest my case.

Share your views with the writer at susuve.laumaea@interoil.com or send SMS to (675) 684 5168.

2008 Media Conference (please click to enlarge)

The 2008 Media Conference will be held at the Hideaway Hotel in Port Moresby from Monday November 10 to Friday November 14.

A wide variety of issues will be discussed over the five days.

The conference winds up on Friday with the 2008 Media Awards and Banquet.

I have been invited by the Media Council of Papua New Guinea to speak on Digital (Online) Media together with Emmanuel Narakobi of Masalai Communications

Regional auditing secretariat to be set up

The standard of public auditing within the Pacific region is expected to be improved with the establishment of a Secretariat of the Pacific Association of Supreme Audit Institutions (PASAI) in Suva, Fiji next year.

The 12th Forum Economic Ministers’ Meeting (FEMM) held in Port Vila, Vanuatu 27 – 29 October noted the establishment of a PASAI Secretariat as part of the implementation of the Pacific Regional Audit Initiative (PRAI). 

The PRAI is a Pacific Plan initiative endorsed by Forum Leaders in 2005, and followed-up by the 2006 FEMM which directed the Forum Secretariat to undertake further work on a number of Pacific Plan initiatives related to regional economic integration, in particular, agreed to consider the development of regional support to audit services to improve integrity and financial scrutiny.

“This Pacific Plan initiative has made significant progress in the last two and half years since FEMM mandated this matter. Extensive diagnostic and design work has been undertaken with stakeholder consultation, and development partner support mobilized to allow for implementation of regional and sub-regional programmes from early 2009,” says Tuiloma Neroni Slade, Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat.

Mr Slade adds: “The programmes are aimed to uniformly raise public auditing standards and effectiveness in the region through a package of initiatives including capacity supplementation and augmentation approaches to help overcome the underlying structural and capacity constraints particularly amongst the Smaller Island States.”

The design of PRAI has been developed through an extensive consultation process under the guidance of the 25-member PASAI with support from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), International Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions Development Initiative (IDI) and AusAID. The Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat provided oversight of the process. In April this year, the PASAI Congress which met in the Cook Islands endorsed the PRAI design.

Besides setting up the PASAI Secretariat, the emphasis of PRAI for 2008 - 2012 will be:

•           the setting up a sub-regional audit support programme for Kiribati, Nauru and Tuvalu;

•           designing a long-term structured capacity-development programme; and

•           initiating cooperative performance audit.

During the FEMM in Port Vila, Ministers welcomed the progress made to-date, noted the positive implications for the management of State Owned Enterprises, and lent support to associated implementation of PRAI, with the ongoing support of the ADB, AusAID, IDI, and other development partners.

For more information contact Mr Sanjesh Naidu, the Forum Secretariat’s Economic Adviser, Economic Governance Programme on phone 679 331 2600 or email sanjeshn@forumsec.org.fj .

Somare's properties in Cairns

PNG leader Michael Somare and son asked to explain Cairns property

 

By Peter Michael November 05, 2008 11:00pm

PAPUA New Guinea's most powerful family is being investigated over private deals linked to more than $1 million worth of luxury property in Cairns.
PNG Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare and his son Arthur have been asked to explain how they obtained a luxury inner-city unit and a new $685,000 beach house.
Documents have emerged linking the PNG Grand Chief and his powerbroker son to the real estate.
PNG's anti-corruption watchdog, the Opposition Leader Sir Mekere Morauta, and former finance minister Bart Philemon yesterday said it had to be asked where the money had come from.
Ombudsman Commission legal counsel Vergil Narokobi, one of the top three most senior officials with the anti-corruption watchdog, said they would investigate.
"It is quite possible it is legitimate," Mr Narokobi said.
"We will look to see if there were any breaches of the leadership code.
"To afford such luxuries it is not something ordinary Papua New Guineans can do. It is a situation of unfairness, but that is my own personal view.
"We have to give them the benefit of doubt. On the face of it we will respect our leaders until the contrary is shown."
Documents obtained by The Courier-Mail show Sir Michael obtained a $349,000 three-bedroom executive-style apartment with private plunge pool in inner-city Cairns in April last year, in a deal brokered by a Gold Coast lawyer.
Two months ago, Arthur Somare, who is PNG's State Enterprise Minister and a political heavyweight, bought a $685,000 four-bedroom home with his wife at Trinity Beach.
Mr Somare, who plans to move his family to Australia to live, has just sealed a US$20 billion deal over access to PNG's liquid natural gas reserves with a consortium from the Middle East.
Cairns builder Michael Case, who sold the house to Mr Somare in August, said: "He is a fabulous guy, everything was done above board."
Agents for the unit's sale said it was bought at the time of last year's PNG election after protracted negotiations. The vendor, R & H Constructions (Qld) Pty Ltd, went bankrupt while building the $5 million unit block - with no trace of former directors.
Sir Michael, who was in Cairns last week for a historic address to Queensland Parliament, declined a request for an interview and did not respond to a series of written questions.
His son Arthur also did not respond to questions about his new property.
Sir Michael, who has refused to provide details of his overseas assets since 1992 under the leadership code, is fighting a Supreme Court action against the Ombudsman Commission.
Opposition Leader Sir Mekere said the Somare family owed it to the PNG people to reveal their assets.
"They should both publicly explain how they obtained this real estate," said Sir Mekere, who this year bought a $3.6 million riverfront mansion at New Farm in Brisbane's inner city under his wife Roslyn's name.
Former finance minister and anti-graft campaigner Mr Philemon said: "They have got to tell people in PNG how they funded those properties, otherwise it smells like corruption.
Source: Courier Mail:      http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,24606853-3102,00.html