PUBLIC AFFAIRS BY SUSUVE LAUMAEA

Rich land of luckless majority

PAPUA New Guinea is a nation we all fondly call home. For the majority of us it’s “our” only home. There’s no other home offshore or a real estate or permissive residential status in a second, third or fourth country. Yes, we are diehards true and true. We live here; travel the world a bit for education, business or pleasure and come straight back home. At least I can say that for myself without fear or favour. The important consideration, though, is that we must all work at getting the place we call home attractive, comfortable and free from unwanted lawlessness and disharmony. We must improve our health and education system so that there is no need for privileged individuals like politicians and business people to go looking for better health services and education for their children offshore. The best services can be created here for all of us to share. Our leaders, decision-makers and planners have to get the nation’s priorities right. We have to work at adding value to our lives b y providing world class basic life support services for every man, woman and child of PNG. We must live a full, healthy and prosperous life and in peace and harmony. We must change our traditional mindsets of “mob rule and domination” and we must learn to respect other Papua New Guineans’ right to ownership of land, property etcetera and we must respect everyone else’s rights and freedoms as enshrined in our National Constitution. In truly making PNG a place we all can proudly call home, it is crucial for the majority of loyal and patriotic Papua New Guineans to understand the diversity of the society we live in and work at getting the body politics of this country right. We have a lucky country. We have a rich land. But sadly enough, we are also a land of the luckless majority. Only a handful of powerful and influential politicians and business people dominate the economic life of our country. They are the ones with the fat bank accounts, the glass houses on the hill or a second or third home offshore. There is opportunity galore for wealth creation for all of us but a lot of the time our own naivety and ignorance of the intricacies of conducting and participating competitively in modern business, commerce and trade defeats us or the windows of opportunity close as fast as they open to let in the unscrupulous already well to do minority. Not fair at all even if it is a case of the “early bird gets the worm”. Many economic, political and social commentators describe PNG as the last natural resources frontier and the land of milk and honey. But milk and honey for who? The vast majority of Papua New Guineans remains passive by-standers and completely denied of partaking in the consumption of the so-called milk and honey. The laws are made in such a way that it favours the finders of the treasure or finders become keepers and owners. In oil and gas projects the State optionally gets to acquire up to 22.5% equity on behalf of people and nation – no more. In mining the State optionally acquires up 25 percent equity – nothing more. Is that fair split of the milk and honey? A great many things in this country have to be put right. Oil, gas and mining resources laws have to be radically looked at to ensure a fair and equitable regime of benefits accrues to the people of PNG. That is one area that requires critical appraisal. Health is another and education -- where that “simmering volcano of denial” continues to rise higher and higher each year as more and more young people are spewed out of the formal education system to join the tens of thousands before them at the bottom of the unemployment pyramid. As I write this article I am mindful of the fact that another school year has come to pass. Education Department statistics show the total number of schools nationwide to be near 10,000, the number of children attending school to be around 1.5 million annually out of a youth population of around 3.5 million with National Government annual financing at around K500 million. The statistics speak volumes. Education is not a priority in reality. Why not? Read on. With the ending of the 2008 school year, an educational chapter has ended forever for tens of thousands of young people at Grades 6, 8, 10 and 12 and a new one may open for a minority of “lucky” ones to continue on to Grades 9, 11 and to universities and other tertiary colleges of higher learning and skills training. Is it a fair system of education that spews out tender aged young people year after year at Grades 6, 8, 10 and 12 with zero worldly skills to fend for themselves in a harsh, employment opportunity-starved, fast-paced, modern and complex monetary economy? Right now in Papua New Guinea, the number of available decent paying jobs for persons with Grade 6, 8, 10 and 12 education levels is negligible. Even college and university educated young Papua New Guineans cannot get decent jobs. The threateningly increasing groundswell of young people without trade skills and qualifications to give them a fighting chance in the employment market is a serious national problem. Be wary Government. Do not plead ignorance when one fine day – if not soon – the youth of this nation will vent their anger and loss of opportunity, time and space by resorting to anti-social activities. Their reality is not about economic or political stability. Their reality is not about multi-billion dollar liquefied natural gas project developments or the government “cash-flushed” bank account. Their reality and that of their parents is about how to solve or break the suffocating cycle of their abject poverty and their  “hand to mouth” existence in the face of numerous adversities that include unemployment, overcrowded housing, high-priced basic food and consumables at supermarkets, trade stores and local fresh food markets, high cost of transportation, unreliable electricity and water supplies, law and order problems in their respective communities and – in the case of those that are long term urban residents -- domination and dispossession of “their space” by the never ending flight of humanity from poor, trouble-proned or opportunity-starved rural provinces to urban centres. There is a huge simmering, restless, bored and ungainfully engaged build-up of tens of thousands of productive and reproductive youth generation waiting to be gainfully drafted into national development service. No one in authority – it seems -- is serious enough or is truly committed to take up the plight of the unemployed youth population constrictively and decisively. A nation’s wealth is not measured only by money in the bank and the abundance of renewable and non-renewable natural resources in the ground, in the sea and on the land. A nation’s wealth and its perpetual sustainability is guaranteed big time by the health, wealth and level of education and sophistication of its people. The higher the level of health, wealth education, sophistication, literacy and numeracy, the higher shall be the productive input of people to the overall gainful development, prosperity creation and progressive outcomes for the nation. There is a serious lack of commitment by relevant agencies and ministries of government to human resource development, health and education of Papua New Guineans as the basis upon which this nation shall be developed and shall prosper in the long run. Right now, the nation’s most productive and reproductive generation is being rendered unproductive by a system of education that claims to be “outcome based” rather than being “objective driven”. Change of mindset and the way we deliver education is necessary and urgently needed – now, not later. The reality of today is that we in Papua New Guinea becoming a dysfunctional nation of functional illiterates. What does that statement mean? Simple. Majority of Papua New Guineans claiming to be educated can speak English, Tok Pisin and Motu but they do not know how to read, understand and write what they speak. We have young people between the ages of six year-olds up to say 30 year-olds receiving various categories and levels of education from elementary level right through to university but are not receiving skills in reading, comprehension and writing. They are not receiving higher quality education than the generation of Papua New Guineans who went through the education system up to around 1980. Let’s be realistic and be self-critical. Standards of education – teaching and schooling – have fallen dramatically. Anyone who wants to defend the present system of outcome based education is merely supporting a system that is not user-friendly or objective-driven.  Listen to young and not so young people in conversation groups, on radio or television and hear how they pronounce the English language. The pronunciation is atrocious and you begin to wonder what sort of English teachers are teaching our young people at schools and universities these days. Okay, English is not our first language but at least we can learn to speak and write it with some degree of perfection. It is a major international language for trade, finance, law, diplomacy, commerce and industry. Our National Constitution and our laws are all written in English and us as a people must learn, read and understand English in order to proficiently comprehend what the Constitution and the laws are about and what they mean to each of us as citizens. Take this example for instance: A young man who called himself Peter Doe gave the United States education system a bad case of the shakes. In 1974 he sued the San Francisco Unified School District for half a million dollars (US$500,000) because it awarded him a high school Diploma/Certificate even though he was barely literate.  Tested both before and after graduation allegedly indicated that he could hardly read and write when he received his school certificate.  He contended that, in the outside world of work, he quickly found himself handicapped by deficiency in writing and reading skills.  He wanted to work as a clothing salesman but, in applying for jobs, he found that he could not cope with application forms. Peter Doe was white, middle class student who attended his classes regularly and was not considered a disciplinary problem. What should worry parents, employers and educators today in Papua New Guinea is how many Peter Doe’s does our education system produce every year?  There are probably thousands and thousands of high school graduates, like Peter Doe who can barely read and write. Peter Doe’s case illustrates a broad worrisome trend for us in PNG. It is a matter of reality that there is general low state of literacy and the ability to read and write clearly among our young people graduating from high schools.  And this state of affairs prevails at this time when the complexity of our institutions calls for ever higher literacy just to function effectively.  We must cope with employment and insurance application forms, application for visas and medical coverage forms, application for credit cards, auto licensing forms and so on.  If we cannot then we become what are known as functional illiterates. This scribe cannot stress enough the point that Papua New Guinea is at risk.  Our once unchallenged pre-eminence among fellow developing Pacific Island nations in commerce, industry and science is being overtaken by competitors throughout this region.  While we can take justifiable pride in what our education system has historically accomplished and contributed to PNG and the wellbeing of its people, the educational foundations of our society are presently being eroded by the rising tide of mediocrity that threatens our very future as a nation and people.  What was unimaginable a decade ago has begun to occur - our neighbours are matching and surpassing our educational attainments.  If unfriendly foreign power had attempted to impose on PNG the mediocre educational performance that exists today, we might have viewed it as an act of war. As it stands we have allowed this to happen to ourselves. We have even squandered the gains in students achievements made in the wake of sputnick challenge. Moreover, we have dismantled essential systems which helped make those gains possible -- the removal of grammar from English language course.  We have since independence, in effect been committing an act of unthinkingly, unilateral educational disarmament. The Department of Education and its entire educational system seem to have lost sight of the basic principles of schooling and of the high expectations and disciplined effort needed to attain them.  We must reform our educational system in fundamental ways and review our nation’s commitment to our schools and colleges throughout the length and breadth of our land. Writing with easy clarity is crucial to our capacity to formulate our thoughts or communicate on the job.  How many of our graduates can easily do that today?  Yet ineptness at writing is found at all levels of our educational system. Just take a look around you and what do you see on the streets of our main urban centres, at urban PMV stops, in shopping centres, city informal markets and designated markets or sprawled out and fast asleep under leafy shady trees in public parks? These are unemployed Papua New Guineans “pushed out” by the education system without basic life-support skills to do anything worthwhile except eat and sleep, buggerize around or plot and execute illegal and anti-social pursuits that go against the law, good order and community harmony. Exploitation by unscrupulous business owners in the night club, fast food and tardy retail businesses is widespread. They work long hours as  security attendants, waiters and waitresses, cleaners, barmen and barmaids and just to get paid the urban minimum wage of K90 per fortnight with no contributions made on their behalf to superannuation funds or overtime for extra work hours and or for working during public holidays. That’s criminal and Labour Department investigators are nowhere to be seen to correct the work place injustices and when they do turn up they are enticed and hoodwinked into submission by the unscrupulous business owner. Government leaders and decision-makers cannot and must not remain inactive and silent when our young people are being mistreated this way. They are this nation’s productive and reproductive generation who – through no fault of theirs – are pushed out by an erratic education system at Grades 6, 8, 10 and 12. Help them to become constructive and useful citizens of PNG. They must not become this nation’s “lost generation”. Go to any Port Moresby night club or cheap fast food outlets run by one dominant group of people from the north of the equator to see how badly and poorly young Papua New Guineans are treated by people who can hardly speak or write a word of English. A young Papua New Guinean – even with a grade 8, 10 or 12 education -- is far more conversant and maybe literate to a degree in the English language than the “parasitic fly-by-night” owner of a night club or cheap imported goods merchant or the fast food entrepreneurs. Don’t get this scribe wrong. There are some exceptionally well meaning business people from up north who have good money to invest in our national development and have worthy technology and skills to pass on to Papua New Guineans. But the trashy opportunity-seekers and predators – which cheat our people with their cheap fast food recipes and substandard clothes, shoes, jewelry with imitation labels, electronic gadgets, CDs and DVDs – should never be allowed to take a hold on micro-economy of this country. They should never be allowed unscrupulously exploit our way of life, our standard of living, our dignity as humankind or our gullibility. Domination of a nation and its people by unscrupulous business predators is the most intolerable form of injustice, inequality and denial ever. Decent high quality education supported by top level human resource development and skills acquisition stand out as an effective insurance against exploitation of our children’s and their children’s future inheritance by unscrupulous aliens. Outsiders must never take advantage of our innocence, ignorance, identity, dignity, subservience, passiveness, rights and opportunities. The present generation has a duty and responsibility to ensure that our children and their children’s future is not mortgaged, enslaved or irrevocably transferred to aliens for a song and a dance. But take heed. The “volcano” of unemployed youth is growing higher, getting a lot more restless and worst is yet to come if the pressure is not released soon rather than later.

• Share your thoughts and comments with the writer at mailto: suslaumaea@gmail.com or send SMS to: B-Mobile #: 684-5168.

 

PUBLIC AFFAIRS BY SUSUVE LAUMAEA

Prospect of politics without Somare

POLITICAL scrimmaging in Papua New Guinea without Michael Somare is a prospect that might not be too far off. The Grand Chief of PNG and the Pacific’s elder statesman is well and truly in the sunset years of his political life. He’s been at it continuously since 1968. Rank and file members of his ruling National Alliance Party opening talk about Sir Michael’s eventual departure from active politics and all agree that his departure and the subsequent succession of leadership within his party must be smooth. No real time line has been set for the Grand Chief’s departure. But there are those within his party that claim Sir Michael may call it quits a year before the next scheduled national general election in 2012. That’s a likely scenario if what strategists and schemers are working on to force and earlier departure does not materialise. It will be a sad day for PNG and the many Somare loyalists if the outcome was a forced departure rather than a voluntary handover of the leadership baton by the Grand Chief to his successor with all his blessings. Judging by how things have been shaping up behind the scene and from hints spilled here, there and all over it would appear that an elaborate exit strategy is in the pipeline to retire PNG’s longest serving parliamentarian from active politics or optionally to make him a life member of the PNG parliament with the status of “Senior Minister” similar to the role Singapore’s founding father and first prime minister Lee Kwan Yu plays. Should such an option come into play earlier than the expiry of the present five-year term of parliament then the prime ministerial and National Alliance leadership succession  will be spirited four-way or even five-way contest between the four regional party deputies and possibly Somare’s son Arthur. In the seniority pecking order, Arthur is the second most senior National Alliance MP after Sir Michael. By tradition Arthur would be the next in line to succeed but that’s not going to be served to him on a golden platter. While he’s serving his third continuous term and the rest of the party’s MPs are in their first and second terms, the four deputy party leaders consisting of a lawyer, an economist, a medical doctor and a civil engineer are also capable men, well educated and professionally experienced former public service and private sector managers. The older Somare’s departure is inevitable. And the leadership succession issue within the National Alliance Party is a popular discuss topic inside and outside of the party circles. No lesser persons than two regional deputy parliamentary leaders of the ruling National Alliance Party – Treasury and Finance Minister Patrick Pruaitch (Momase) and National Planning and Rural Development Minister Paul Tiensten (New Guinea Islands) have spoken with this scribe about the potential leadership succession within NA in the “not too distant” future. They were frank and spoke confidently about strengthening and institutionalizing their political party and its future leadership succession. Hovering somewhere in the background but in the same room were two other NA heavyweights – Forest Minister Belden Namah and Public Accounts Committee chairman Timothy Bonga – a senior prime ministerial advisor. Tiensten and Pruaitch’s message was simple and to the point. “There is no problem of leadership succession in NA now,” Tiensten said. “We have resolved some arrangements internally and at the Momase and NGI leadership levels. “You can write about the NA leadership succession. It is not a secret. Momase and New Guinea Islands have agreed to jointly put up one nominee for the party leadership after the Grand Chief chooses to retire. Arthur (Somare – Angoram MP and Minister for Public Enterprises and Development Aid) is with us and supports the Momase-NGI joint initiative. “Arthur has the greatest respects for his regional deputy leader. “As long as I am NGI region deputy leader of NA, I will make sure that NGI will support the Momase nominee for the party leadership. “On that basis and with Arthur’s support we will put up Momase deputy leader Patrick Pruaitch as the next NA parliamentary leader,” Tiensten said. Both Tiensten and Pruaitch are powerful performers in their own right within the hierarchy of National Alliance Party. They are also the chief drivers of the government’s economic and rural development policy. They are in-charge of the national purse, oversee public expenditure, monitor public investment and have been responsible for the shift of development focus to the districts. Pruaitch, Tiensten and Arthur are among a strong NA youthful and not so youthful core group of first and second term MPs sprinkled with professionally-qualified and entrepreneurially-skilled leaders of the calibre of Deputy Prime Minister Dr Puka Temu, Tourism Minister Charles Abel, Foreign Minister Sam Abel, Transport, Works and Civil Aviation Minister Don Polye, Police Minister Sane Rambi, former department heads, Phillip Kikala and Ano Pala and others also serving in the ministry, in parliamentary committees or are marking time as vice-ministers. The party’s parliamentary wing, national executive, regional and provincial branches and its foundation members know that the parliamentary leadership succession from Sir Michael to one of his four regional deputies or an entirely new person from among the party’s present parliamentary rank and file is inevitable and shall happen any time before PNG goes to the polls in 2012. Just how soon the succession takes place is anybody’s guess. Tiensten and Pruaitch are saying they are merely “positioning” their respective regions to be in a state of preparedness to contest the vacancy when it arises. They have made their respective positions abundantly clear and that is that they are not “individually or collectively” plotting the Grand Chief’s early political exit nor do they harbor any intention of forcing the issue. Speaking on behalf of Pruaitch and himself, Tiensten said: “The Grand Chief (Somare) has groomed and mentored us, given us ministerial responsibilities, accepted us as his regional deputies and has always encouraged us to be ready to take on a feature leadership role when the call came. “We regard and respect Sir Michael with the highest esteem as a father figure to us and as Father of the Nation. “We are not here to rock his boat or to steal the Grand Chief’s thunder. “We are young. Our time will come. We have the future ahead of us.”

Fine. We shall wait and see. Only time will tell. The speculation about the Grand Chief’s retirement from active politics over the last 20 or so years is a tired one. This columnist has heard similar speculations over the years about the Grand Chief giving it all away and nothing eventuated. So let me beg to differ – for the time being any way – and take this latest round of rumors with a grain of salt.  The grand old man of PNG and Pacific politics will eventually retire from active political and public service but at his own time. It’s a development – as inevitable as it has been for some time –that Papua New Guineans and friends of PNG further afield in the Asia-Pacific region will take, albeit, with great admiration for the man who has strutted PNG’s political centre-stage for over 40 continuous years. Sir Michael will leave a legacy – good or bad -- which critics can dissect for what it’s worth at their pleasure. One factor in whatever legacy he leaves behind will always stand out. The man is truly a political champion, a PNG and Pacific political icon with a name that is easily recognisable and institutionalised across the length and breadth of Papua New Guinea. But yes, serious moves towards leadership succession – sooner rather than later -- are afoot within the ruling National Alliance Party. There is no timeframe being given to the succession date yet. And such a situation may create too much uncertainty in too many places that matter. It may happen mid term of Parliament, a year before the next national general election or when the present five-year term of Parliament expire. Whatever is the case, Treasury and Finance Minister Patrick Pruaitch has already put his hand up to be groomed by the grand old man of PNG politics, Prime Minister Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare and thereafter succeed him as National Alliance parliamentary leader. That’s the spill from at least two regional deputies of NA – Treasurer and Finance Minister Patrick Pruaitch (Momase NA Deputy) and National Planning and Rural Development Minister Paul Tiensten (New Guinea Islands NA Deputy). Both admitted to this scribe that they are positioning their regions in a state of readiness to contest the party leadership. They claimed to have the support of Sir Michael’s workaholic parliamentarian son Arthur whom many have predicted as a likely successor to his father. “Arthur Somare supports his regional deputy,” Tiensten said. Both Tiensten and Pruaitch know that Arthur Somare’s support is crucial. Arthur – already in his third term as MP -- is the next senior NA MP after his father who is serving term number nine. Pruaitch and Tiensten are mindful and acknowledge Arthur’s influence as the valued “numbers man”, strategist and the prime mover and shaker within NA. Pruaitch on the other hand is respected as the emerging leader of youthful professionals who form the “core group” at present within the NA ranks. This is the group that will become entrenched and on who’s back NA will become the strongest, biggest and most institutionalised political party in Papua New Guinea. Although not on good terms with a certain media organisation Pruaitch is also a respected politician who is impatient with incompetents and who does not entertain bureaucratic red-tape. He is credited within NA as the man who has stubbornly committed himself to rural development as a priority of government and has driven the direct development funding program for PNG’s 89 districts against the advice of bureaucrats; World Bank; International Monetary Fund and Asian Development Bank advisors. So far the District Support Grants – which are monies appropriated directly from the National Budget to the districts – to each district this year was K10 million. Pruaitch appropriated a further K4 million apiece to each district under the 2009 National Budget. This is the first time PNG’s 89 districts are receiving development money directly from Waigani. Pruaitch, Tiensten, Arthur Somare and the rest of the members of the National Economic Planning Committee have to rise up a few more notches and not limit their role to merely dishing out money to the districts but allocated skilled workforce that can run with the money and make development happen – be it roads, schools, health centres or whatever. That’s what being good leaders is all about – service to the people first before self.  The NA leadership succession scheme has interesting dimensions. Pruaitch will be nominated for the leadership job – should the position become available -- jointly by Momase and NGI branches of NA. Pruaitch, Arthur Somare and Tiensten have already discussed agreed on “how-to” strategy. The renewed interest in the NA leadership succession has been fueled by inside stories about how Sir Michael Somare – now 70-something years old --  is understood to have confided in people closest to him that he is “a little tired” and that time is near for him to hand over the leadership and eventually exit from politics. Momase and New Guinea Islands are not the only regional branches putting their hands up for the job. There are the Highlands and the Papuan blocs to be considered. Both regions will not allow the opportunity to go by uncontested. The Highlands branch has been rather passive for some time especially since fire-brand deputy leader Don Polye got himself “snowed under” with the weight of his election dispute court case. It has been a taxing time for him and understandably that case has taken up much of his time and attention. And the Papuans believe the will not outdone or overlooked. Two Thursdays ago the main speech by Deputy Prime Minister Dr Puka Temu at the fundraising dinner of Southern region branch of the party hinted about how NA can be institutionalised in the region and how the party shall continue in government beyond 2012 on the back of Southern region numbers. That’s a statement that spoke volumes. It was a statement that put Momase, NGI and the Highlands on notice to also deliver the numbers in 2012. It was a statement that implied that NA leadership might need to be considered on the basis of which regional deputy delivered the most elected party candidates from a national general election. Dr Temu is no dreamer. He has got a foot in the door already as DPM and he has been singing all the right hymns from the NA hymn book. Dr Temu believes that PNG can be developed into the greatest and richest black nation in the world. He foresees PNG becoming a happy, healthy and wealthy nation on the back of Papua’s abundant natural wealth. The two multi-billion kina liquefied natural gas project developed respectively the ExxonMobil and Oil Search Limited group and by the InterOil-led consortium are the starters of an exciting era in the Southern region. PNG will rise and shine from the doldrums, says Dr Temu. All it requires is the political will to mobilize the people, the right type of leader to lead the masses by good example and mentoring qualities. The Grand Chief was in attendance at the dinner and heard what was said.  Southern region at present has 12 NA MPs. Dr Temu wants to build the numerical strength by capturing all 24 Papuan seats by 2012. That will make him – with his current ranking as Deputy Prime Minister – the strongest contender to succeed Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare as NA leader.  Let’s wait and see. And when the music stops we shall know who will be sitting in which chair.

Share your views with the writer at B-Mobile#: 684-5168 or send email to: suslaumaea@gmail.com

 

Fuel prices continue a downward spiral

PORT MORESBY: Retail fuel prices have continued their downward spiral in the wake of the global economic crisis.

It is the fifth consecutive month pump prices have fallen throughout Papua New Guinea.

The current economic downturn has seen reduced consumer confidence and a subsequent easing of demand for crude oil and refined products worldwide.

As a result the price of crude oil fell to less than $US50 a barrel in recent weeks.

In the past few days it hit $US 47 a barrel … less than a third of what it was during July’s peak.

InterOil President Bill Jasper said that during the past month alone crude has fallen by about twenty-five percent or almost $US18 a barrel.

“There has been a corresponding reduction in the price of refined product”, he said

 “This includes diesel, gasoline, kerosene, Zoom and the aviation fuels”.

“The falls have been sudden and virtually unpredictable and, as such, reflect the uncertain nature of the current international economic situation”, he said. 

“Again we see the extent to which domestic fuel prices are determined by global forces”.

Mr. Jasper said tumbling fuel prices had given some relief amid fears of a worldwide recession.

“It’s the one bright light in an otherwise gloomy economic outlook”.

“Lower fuel costs will benefit businesses and help many companies cope in a tough economic environment”, he said.

“PMV operators especially will appreciate the trend away from the higher fuel prices of earlier this year”.

“Likewise, our domestic customers will notice the effect on the family budget”

Mr. Jasper stressed that falling fuel prices could be a double-edged sword.

“The fuel price determinant of supply and demand cuts both ways, for and against the interests of consumer”.

“At the moment prices are down”.

“However, when world economies become stronger it is probable demand for fuel products will increase, forcing the prices back up”.

“But predicting when this will happen is an inexact science.”

“We should enjoy the current lower fuel prices but remember we live in volatile times for the end of the year festivities”, Mr. Jasper said.

For further information and to arrange media interviews contact:

Susuve Laumaea

Senior Manager Media Relations InterOil Corporation

Ph: 321 7040

Mobile: 684 5168

Email: susuve.laumaea@interoil.com

 

 

Best Buy Lae goes up in flames

Best Buy Shop in Lae, one of the city’s landmarks, went up in flames at about 12am today and the fire was finally put out by 4am.

This was the site of the historical Burns Philip store which was an icon of Lae for many years.

By about 1am looters were already drunk and looking for more liquor till daybreak.

Before the fire reached the rear where the liquor shop is, looters were already breaking down the windows and doors and helping themselves to anything they could lay their hands on.

They included street people to security guards.

Lae town streets were chock-a-block with people this morning.

Many of them were drunk from the cold and boiled beer.

 

PRIME MINISTER OF PAPUA NEW GUINEA AND FIJI INTERIM LEADER SEARCH FOR A WAY FORWARD ON FIJI

The Grand Chief, Sir Michael Somare used the opportunity of the transit through Port Moresby of the Interim  Prime Minister of Fiji, Commodore Bainimarama, to have a one-on-one meeting to discuss the Fiji political situation and exchange views on how best to restore Parliamentary democracy in that country last Friday.

The Interim Prime Minister was returning from Qatar en route to Nadi via Honiara.

The Grand Chief sought briefings from the Interim Prime Minister on the progress of preparations leading up to the scheduled elections in 2009.

The Interim Prime Minister explained that the political dialogue process within Fiji was well underway to agree on a way forward to enable elections to be held.

He advised that the Draft Peoples Charter for Change, Peace and Progress was being taken to the people of Fiji to gauge their views on it. 

He emphasised that basically the electoral reforms being proposed seek to remove the current race-based electoral provisions in law and replace it with a one-person, one-vote system – representing equal rights of all Fijians.

The Grand Chief, on his part, reaffirmed to the Interim Prime Minister the readiness of PNG to provide whatever electoral assistance was needed, both in cash and kind, to the Interim Government in its preparations to hold elections.

Both leaders agreed on the desirability of the engagement by the President of Fiji for both the United Nations and the Commonwealth in the political dialogue process and preparations towards the elections.

The Grand Chief stated that the meeting was frank and very useful, in that it allowed him to get first hand briefing on the political situation in Fiji and the preparations and challenges in relation to restoring democratic rule in Fiji.

The Interim Prime Minister of Fiji departed for Nadi that afternoon on PX 84.         

 

 

Papua New Guinea Institute of Directors fellowship awards

Three prominent Papua New Guineans have received fellowship awards from the PNG Institute of Directors.

They are South Pacific Insurance Advisors chief executive officer Henry Kila, Nambawan Super chairman Sir Nagora Bogan and Bank of PNG governor Wilson Kamit.

All three men are distinguished business leaders who are widely respected in the country.

The awards were conferred during the PNGID gala awards dinner last Thursday night at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Port Moresby.

Mr Kila and Sir Nagora received their awards while Mr Kamit received his in absentia as he was away in Sydney for the PNG mining and petroleum conference.

PNGID is the country’s membership institute for directors.

Its charter is to promote professional directorship and good governance at all board levels in PNG.

Anyone who is a director is strongly encouraged to seek PNGID membership.

Through membership with the PNGID, a strong peer network is established which provides valuable opportunity for directors and or advisors to boards, to meet and interact with other decision makers to build strong business relationships.

The PNGID also provides training for directors in the field of directorship, whether it is for the season director seeking to refresh their knowledge or the new director just starting out.

For a developing country like PNG where crucial decisions can have a major impact on the economy, it is important the role and responsibilities of directors is clearly understood and respected.

Meanwhile, former president of PNGID and NasFund joint CEO Ian Tarutia announced that the institute planned to introduce a chairman-of-the-year, a director-of-the-year and annual report-of-the-year awards in 2009.

“The awards will recognise individuals who have demonstrated the ideals of the role and responsibility of a chairman and director,” he said.

“Likewise, the annual report award will recognise the organisation that produces a report that meets the assessment criteria that the PNGID board sets out.”

 

Christmas greetings from Big Pat

Hi blogger kings of PNG

 

Just a little wishing for kirisimasis

 

Big Pat

THE GREATEST THREAT TO GLOBAL PUBLIC HEALTH: HIV/AIDS EPIDEMIC

By MICHAEL KUKNE

Papua New Guinea like the rest of the world has commemorated the World AIDS Day on Monday, December 1, 2008. 

University of Vudal officials took part in the awareness in and around the Gazelle area.  The theme was ‘Leadership – Stop AIDS.’ 

We have seen on media millions of people around the world have been observing this important event. 

Leaders and representatives of different organisations have written and spoken their perspective of the incurable disease.

The question we, as individual should ask as citizens of Papua New Guinea when we saw hundreds and thousands of people in red walking the streets of our provinces on Monday December 1, 2008 is: “What have I learned from that great event (World AIDS Day) in the history of my life?”

The global HIV/AIDS epidemic has taught us many important lessons.

It has confirmed the importance of socio-economic and cultural factors in health.

 It has shown that when human rights are not protected, people are more vulnerable to disease.

 And also HIV/AIDS epidemic is a rapidly changing phenomenon. 

Statistics are in constant flux.

Perhaps the most sobering lesson of the past 10-plus years is that the HIV/AIDS epidemic has not turned out to be a disease outbreak that science can quickly bring under control.  Both a vaccine and a cure remain elusive. 

There are no quick fixes, technological or other wise, to prevent new infections or eliminate the lingering societal impact of millions of AIDS deaths among individuals in their peak productive and reproductive years.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) has been a personal tragedy for millions of people throughout the world – both those who have suffered with and died from AIDS as well as those who struggle with it still. 

It is these men, women, and children who have borne the brunt of the epidemic, often with inspiring dignity and courage.

Not only a personal tragedy, AIDS has also proven to be a social challenge, a cultural catharsis, a political quagmire, and a scientific puzzle.

 Perhaps more than any other threat to the public health in modern times, the AIDS epidemic has entangled not only individuals but also families and friends, cultures and communities, cities and nations throughout the world.

 It has cut across race and ethnicity, class and education, age and religion, gender and sexual orientation, challenging the compassion and ingenuity of humankind at every turn.

In knowing that the leaders of this beautiful country should take this issue into serious consideration because HIV/AIDS issue has become the greatest threat to the global public health. 

Therefore, HIV prevention cannot be viewed as a one-time intervention; it must be accepted as a continuous, multigenerational effort that extends well into the lifetimes of our children and their children. 

Thinking long – term and remaining committed are the key characteristics needed in both science and prevention in order to maximise the chances of conquering HIV.

The fact that HIV and its repercussions will be with us for generations implies the need for a sustainable response, one that encourages openness about the epidemic among individuals and communities and that builds up their coping capacity.

 Among other things, coping means lifelong acceptance and inclusion of people with HIV/AIDS in the household or community and the adjustment of personal behavior to the lifelong risk of HIV infection.

Government agencies should work with nongovernmental organisations as we all realise that community involvement would be a necessary component of successful prevention efforts.

 Governments and community-based organisations should collaborate to provide services in the area of prevention and in providing medical care and social services for the increasing numbers of people with HIV – related disease.

 Sadly, many of the hundreds of thousands of people hidden below the iceberg’s trip became ill and died – those who were infected during the first five years of the epidemic but didn’t know it.

In terms of future challenges, what we do about AIDS depends on how we look on the epidemic – as a mere disease, a failure to respect religious codes, an outcome of differentials in sexual behavior and sexual decision making between men and women, a human rights issue, or another tragic correlate of poverty and deprivation, to name but a few of the paradigms that have evolved since the start of the epidemic.

The most hopeful lesson is that, even thou our approaches are imperfect; we are not powerless against the epidemic.

 Communities in the developing world, and even some industrialised nations as a whole, have managed to stabilise or reduce the rate of new HIV infections, provide care and support for those infected or affected, and combat fear and rejection of people living with HIV and AIDS. 

We can do the same here in our country (Papua New Guinea).

HIV/AIDS is a devastating disease that prematurely robs people of their health and lives.

 

 

• The writer earned both bachelors and master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from the United States of America and is currently working as the Director of Students Services at the University of Vudal, East New Britain province, Papua New Guinea.

 

 

Use local trekking companies to walk the Kokoda Trail

Hi Malum

My brother and I walked the Kokoda Track at the beginning of November 2008 using a local guide and two local porters from Kokoda Station.

The trip took the commercialism feel of the Ozzy companies away from the trip and gave us a more natural and relaxed trek, which we both found to be much more enjoyable.

Our contact was Edric Ogomeni eogomeni@bankpng.gov.pg, who arranged the contacts for us.

Tony was a very capable guide and Ray and François were a pleasure to trek with

The Kokoda boys are setting up their own trekking company called 'Foot Steps, Kokoda', and I strongly recommend that if you want to go native then trekkers should get in touch with these boys.

Looking forward already to the Black Cat in 2010

Regards

Dave Jackson
Baggi
AGSL
1st Herford Scout Group
BFPO 15

http://www.justgiving.com/baggi2

More pictures of University of Vudal, East New Britain province

 

Bitapaka War Cemetery creates strong feelings

Caption: 1. Grave of an Unknown Solider at Bitapaka War Cemetery. 2. Bitapaka War Cemetery. 3. Entrance to Bitapaka War Cemetery.

I visited Bitapaka War Cemetery, not far from Rabaul, East New Britain province, last weekend.

This peaceful and beautiful cemetery contains the graves of over 1, 000 Allied war dead and the Rabaul Memorial commemorates those who have no known grave.

The cemetery is maintained by the Office of Australian War Graves, Department of Veterans' Affairs, on behalf of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

It is located near the site of the first Australian action of World War I when the Australian Naval & Military Expeditionary Force (AN&MEF) captured a German wireless station on September 11, 1914.

Each grave is marked by a bronze plaque set on a low concrete pedestal with 500 marked 'Known to God'.

As well as Australians, the cemetery contains the graves of Indian and British prisoners of war who were transported to New Britain by the Japanese as a labour force.

The peace of the setting and the enormous number of white crosses shocked me with the contrast.

It was here that I began to grasp the sacrifice made by those who give their lives for their country.

Bitapaka War Cemetery respects and honors those who made the supreme sacrifice for their people.

It also serves as a reminder that war kills, not just a few, but many hundreds of thousands, and on both sides.

Bitapaka – like other war cemeteries in Papua New Guinea – offers an opportunity to create goodwill amongst all the living so that the same tragedies may not be repeated.

It creates strong feelings of sacredness, tranquility, spaciousness, peace and beauty, and is immaculately maintained by devoted staff.

Bitapaka is a village in East New Britain which, in 1914, was the site of a German radio station and thus a target for the troops of the AN&MEF.

After landing at Kabakaul on the morning of September 11, 1914, troops from the AN&MEF were involved in a series of skirmishes with German forces, mostly local Melanesian troops, along the track to Bitapaka.

The radio station was finally secured at 7pm at a cost of seven Australians killed and five wounded.

One German and 30 Melanesians had died in the effort to defend it.

Bitapaka War Cemetery contains 1, 111 burials of WW11: 12 from the Navy, 1,042 from the Navy, 55 from the Air Force and two civilians.

Of these, 35 are British, 420 are Australians, one is a New Zealander, 614 are Indians, 34 are Fijians, two are Western Solomon Islanders, and five are Allies.

The memorial commemorates 1,113 Australian soldiers, 104 airmen and eight Papua New Guineans who have no known grave.

The Indian soldiers were prisoners of war from the Malayan Campaign, while the remainder of the burials and all the names on the memorial are of men who died in New Britain and New Ireland.

The cemetery also contains 28 burials of WW1: 27 Australian and one British.

The cemetery and memorial were constructed and are maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

 

Singsing at Vudal

Captions: Kampalap villagers from Siassi Island, Morobe province, leading graduating students at the University of Vudal in East New Britain province last Friday.

 

Vudal graduates urged to fight corruption

By LYTHIA SUITAWA

Graduates of the 12^th graduation of the University of Vudal have been challenged to develop anticorruption behaviours and habits.

The call came from tropical agriculture degree graduate Nason Gene, who spoke as student respondent during the ceremony last Friday.

Mr Gene said corruption was hindering the progress of tangible development in the country causing people to suffer and urged his fellow graduates to practice anticorruption habits at all levels of their professions.

He said nationalists often spoke of transparency and accountability and formulated strategies against corruption but these often did not address the root cause of the problem.

“We need to look at what builds a person and build into the system of a person from inside out. We need a change from inside out and that is to build in us now, a habit of anticorruption and get addicted to it,” he said.

“If we get addicted to anticorruption from within us, only then shall transparency and accountability transpire and we can move our country forward,” Mr Gene said. 

He told his fellow graduates that success would be within their reach if their characters were correct.

“The key to achieving it is not our personality, our temperament, our natural talents or even our present circumstances. The key is our character,” he said.

“If our attitudes and behaviours are correct, we can break through any barrier, overcome any obstacle, transcend any limitation and maximise any opportunity that comes our way.”

Speaking of the university they were graduating from, Mr Gene said it was one of the best higher education institutions in the country.

He added he was proud that the university was a well-disciplined institution.

“In fact, Vudal University is a better place to study without intimidation and discrimination of any sort towards our study, either from students (regionalism) or from surrounding communities,” he said.

He commended graduating students for their conduct during their time at the university and called on continuing and new students to maintain the same trend of discipline.

Mr Gene particularly mentioned the students’ approach towards the university administration when matters of concern arose.

“Students act professionally and where matters of concern arise, we practice professionalism in our approaches towards our administration, with understanding, and not take matters into our own hands,” he said.

Mr Gene said the graduands had witnessed many positive rehabilitative changes during their time at the University such as course reviews and diversification of academic programs that would benefit continuing and new students.

However, he urged the National Government through the university administration to better furnish learning facilities such as laboratories with equipment and materials that would improve student learning.

The student respondent also called for the involvement of students in research and publications, which he said would be an added bonus for students as well as build the reputation of the university.

 

Solomon Islands HC commends Vudal

By VERONICA MANUK and LYTHIA SUITAWA

Solomon Islands High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea Bernard Bata’anisia (pictured) has paid special tribute to the University of Vudal for its contribution to the human resources manpower of his country.

Speaking at the University of Vudal’s 12^th graduation ceremony as guest speaker last Friday, Mr Bata’anisia said his government was indebted to the institution for educating and skilling many Solomon Islanders who now hold senior and responsible positions in the country’s government and private sectors.

The contribution by the University was made between the 1960s and 1980s through its campuses in East New Britain and Oro provinces when they were still known as Vudal Agricultural College and Popondetta Agricultural College respectively.

Mr Bata’anisia said graduates from the then colleges continued to make an impact on the lives of the people and communities in Solomon Islands because the training they received had equipped them to better serve their people, communities and country.

One such graduate is Sir George Lepping, the second Governor General of the Solomon Islands, who graduated from Vudal in the late 1960s.

Mr Bata’anisia said visiting Vudal was a privilege because of the special relationship the institution had with his country.

“It is proper and fitting that I stand here before you here on behalf of the Government and people of Solomon Islands to say thank you to this institution which has done so much for my country,” he said.

“Thank you Vudal for contributing towards the manpower and human resources development of Solomon Islands.”

The High Commissioner said education and training had strengthened bilateral relations between Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea over the last 40 years and thanked the Government and people of Papua New Guinea for forging this relationship, particularly through the education grant assistance to Solomon Islands that had benefited many young Solomon Islanders.

Addressing the 125 graduands, Mr Bata’anisia challenged them to make good use of their qualifications in the environment they found themselves in after graduating.

“Your people, community and country will be watching you and demanding nothing less than total commitment and service in whatever field you are in,” he said.

The diplomat said like any country, Papua New Guinea had its own difficulties and challenges, and these could only solved by the country itself.

“Outsiders do not have all the answers to your challenges and problems but Papua New Guineans yourselves,” he said, when calling on them to take an active interest in the affairs and development of the country.

Mr Bata’anisia said he saw the role of the graduands as partners in nation building and urged them to contribute effectively to the country’s socio-economic development with the intention to make a difference for people and their communities.

“I urge you to remain faithful and strong to your beliefs and principals and to do what is right for the people and your communities,” he said.

The High Commissioner’s visit to the University’s ENB campus last Friday was his second one this year.

His first visit in July was to collect information on the University and begin dialogue on the re-entry of Solomon Islands students to the institution.

 

Government must support universities

By VERONICA MANUK

THE National Government must provide financial backing to universities if it is serious about contributing positively to the growth and national development of the nation.

Former Prime Minister and senior statesman Sir Rabbie Namaliu made these remarks at the 12^th graduation ceremony of the University of Vudal last Friday.

Sir Rabbie, who is Chancellor of the university, said universities could not continue to rely on the goodwill of bilateral partners or donors for their growth and expansion.

“The National Government must put money where its mouth is if it is serious about training skilled and professional people to meet the growing demands of both the public and private sectors,” he said.

He said the government must provide adequate financial resources to universities to ensure that they offered a standard of education and training that was recognised in PNG and internationally as well.

The Chancellor said this would attract well-qualified and experienced staff and students both locally and abroad.

Sir Rabbie said universities like University of Vudal needed proper libraries, proper laboratories, adequate resources with relevant information materials and computer friendly facilities.

For instance, he said the granting of a temporary license to universities by PANGTEL to pilot broadband for a short period was welcomed, but it was not a solution to the long tem demand.

“We would much rather see universities licensed to use this modern mean of communication on a permanent and sustainable basis,” Sir Rabbie said.

“It would improve the quality of teaching and learning immeasurable as well as research in this modern day and age.”

He said broadband would boost the capacity of the library literally overnight because staff and students would have access to sources of information including books from anywhere in the world.

The Chancellor said the Government had made a good start in the 2006 supplementary budget when it allocated K50million to the four state universities for maintenance and rehabilitation and this was appreciated even though University of Vudal and University of Goroka only received K4million each.

Sir Rabbie said as the youngest of the four universities, University of Vudal was striving to find its rightful place as an institution of higher learning and research after many years of training agricultural specialists not only in PNG but also in Pacific as a college.

 

University of Vudal's new restaurant is opened

Captions: 1. Sir Rabbie officially opens the Kairak Restaurant at the University of Vudal.2. Guests at the Kairak Restaurant.

By VERONICA MANUK

THE University of Vudal’s Kairak Restaurant was officially opened last Friday by University Chancellor Sir Rabbie Namaliu.

The opening coincided with the University’s 12^th graduation ceremony which saw 125 students receiving various qualifications and awards.

Sir Rabbie, who unveiled a wooden plaque bearing the restaurant name, said its establishment was a welcome initiative by the University as it continued to expand.

The opening was witnessed by Solomon Islands High Commissioner to PNG Bernard Bata’anisia, University Vice Chancellor Professor Philip Siaguru, Registrar Henry Gioven, invited guests, staff and students.

The restaurant is located at the University’s Kairak Vudal Resource Training Centre (KVRTC) and according to Professor Siaguru it was set-up to raise funds to sustain the centre’s Integrated Agriculture Training Program.

Kairak Restaurant complements KVRTC’s guesthouse, which is frequently used by visitors to the University and Kerevat plateau.

Catering services for various functions such as luncheons, parties, birthdays, conferences and workshops are available.

Patrons have the option to dine-in or take-away.

 Those that do choose to dine-in, will do so in a beautiful room painted with murals depicting life in East New Britain.

A variety of dishes are available at very reasonable prices. For more information call 983 9144 or 983 9736.