Read the online edition of The National –
Monday, January 05, 2009
The National for all the news from Papua New Guinea
What a terrible way for Papua New Guinea to start the year!
What a terrible way for
Terrorism has indeed come to
Murders! Rocket launchers and grenades being found on planes!
At least that’s what went through my mind this morning as I glanced at the front pages of both newspapers.
The National led on its front page with the story of
The five suspects – one of them a PNG Defence Force soldier based at Taurama Barracks - are all from the the Kombe area of West New Britain province, are at the Boroko police cells and will appear in court this week.
They will all be charged with willful murder, which carries the death penalty.
Mr Houji was of mixed
He was just 26 years old and just four days shy of his 27th birthday.
He was a first officer on the F100 fleet and was heading towards command training to become a captain of a Dash 8 aircraft this year.
The other frightening story on the front page of The National was that of
A suspect from Nipa in Southern Highlands province was transporting the items on a flight from Kikori, Gulf province, into
The suspected was arrested.
The Post-Courier led with the story of the munitions haul in Mt Hagen plus Air Niugini management confirming that a grenade had been found in a passenger seat pocket on a flight between Buka, Rabaul, Lae and Port Moresby.
The national airline has immediately taken steps to boost the checking of planes and luggage in the interests of passenger safety, including sending marshals on every flight to and from Buka.
The National for all the news from Papua New Guinea
Read the online edition of The National –
Sunday, January 04, 2009
Papua New Guinea culture affecting its growth
This article was first published in The National newspaper on November 26, 2007, but its subjects are very relevant as we start off 2009...
By SOLOMON KANTHA
WHEN PNG gained its independence in 1975, there was a lot of optimism that our mineral resource wealth would come to offset the aid dependence and bring about increased growth and development to all sectors of the economy.
PNG’s mineral resources were seen as a reservoir that would catapult the economy forward with higher rates of economic growth, leading to improved standards of living.
The country’s declining social and economic indicators tell us otherwise.
Resource developments did not result in significant improvements even in the lives of those that have resources on their land.
The notion of “development” perhaps has been erroneously equated with having rich natural resources.
East Asian economies have proven that even without an abundance
of natural resources, a country can be economically well-off.
It is therefore important for us to understand that improvements in the well-being of a society and hence the economic success of nations requires small yet crucial intangible factors such the right attitude, values and a culture that spurs growth.
After 32 years of independence, it is fitting to reflect upon some of the crucial factors that underlie our development trajectory.
The economic successes and failures of nations have been attributed to a number of factors including their economic policies, resource endowments, type of political regime, quality of leadership and even the culture of these societies.
Culture is one of the subtle yet crucial issues tied to economic growth and is arguably one of the determinant factors that either impedes or spurs economic growth and development.
How does culture affect the economic growth of countries?
A prominent scholar argues that the success of Confucian societies such as Japan, South Korea and Taiwan can be attributed directly to their cultures.
He argues that:
*Confucian societies universally promote a high level of education;
*Have a desire for accomplishment in various skills (academic and cultural);
*Have a seriousness about tasks, job, family and obligations; and
*Have much less emphasis on advancing individual (selfish) interests.
Another scholar suggests that there are ties between cultural values and economic development and that cultural values help spur growth.
Culture is a system of basic common values that help shape the behaviour of the people in a given society.
It is argued that cultural values significantly shape economic and political institutions and Confucian-influenced economies of East Asia were seen to outperform the rest of the world by a wide margin.
Cultural factors are equally important as economic and political factors in determining economic development.
According to the cultural thesis punctuality, hard work, achievement and “other” individual values are the keys to unlocking the economic potential of poor countries.
Such values can be inculcated through deliberate efforts.
While some of these claims may be disputed when looking at other Confucian societies such as China, they help us understand how the cultural dynamics of a society may affect how the people and political decision-makers behave.
They are also valid in the sense that tribal allegiances, nepotism, and ethnic animosity which is prevalent in tribal and ethnically-diverse societies such as PNG have proven to impact significantly on how institutions function and public officials and political representatives behave which consequently encroaches on the economic performance of a country.
While the tribal societies in PNG have some of the positive attributes such as the communal ownership of land and the ethnic allegiances which creates a form of social capital, the “tribalism”, “regionalism” and “provincialism” that exist among the different groups hinder development.
Tribal allegiance has greatly influenced modern day politics in PNG and tribal fights continue to blight the lives of many.
Perhaps the biggest impact that this process of transition has in PNG’s governance system is the conflict between the traditional and modern institutions, practices and norms which have significantly impacted on contemporary PNG politics.
The strong ethnic allegiances are still deeply rooted and have often led to many unmeritorious appointments to public offices based on ethnicity.
Ethnic cleavages can also have adverse effects on the economic performance of countries and PNG tends to exhibit certain characteristics of this factionalism mainly in terms of appointments to public office.
More so, the big-man system appears to have a significant impact on the role of political leaders as representatives of the people.
Most leaders have taken on the role of a traditional big-man when they assume political office which consequently affects the way they behave as political representatives and carry out their leadership duties and responsibilities.
It is indisputable that our culture is a significant contributory factor to the development enigma in PNG.
That does not mean our traditional cultures are obstacles to growth but rather the evolution of a culture that has unwittingly developed over the years and has become a norm in our society.
This culture is more related to our habits, attitude and everyday practices that have come to form an integral part of our daily lives and have impacted significantly on shaping our society today.
This recent culture can be seen in the lack of respect for fellow citizens evident in an absence of simple courtesy like “excuse me”, “please”, “sorry”, etc, in our day-to-day interaction.
Other examples can be seen in the little regard people in high offices pay to simple security checks at airports and terminals.
When someone is robbed or being attacked there is usually a large number of spectators without anyone stepping in to help the victim.
These are just few examples of this regressive culture.
NCD Governor Powes Parkop recently identified a major regressive habit – betelnut chewing.
It has become so acceptable that the authorities do not haul up anyone who defaces public properties, bus-stops, walkways, roads, buildings and even government offices with betelnut spit.
Betelnut chewing habit affects work ethics, cleanliness, and hygiene and the red stains have become an eye-sore on our streets, roads, airports, shops, markets and office buildings.
Some years ago, Singapore banned chewing gum when it became a problem with proper disposals. Anyone caught doing so faced a fine.
Governor Parkop’s message to rid Port Moresby of the eye-sore betelnut stains and careless spitting habits should be seriously adhered to by all concerned citizens to see changes not only in our capital city’s image but the country in general.
And this should be taken seriously by all citizens in other provinces as well and not just Port Moresby residents.
As we recently celebrated our 32 years of independence, we should pause for a moment and reflect upon our habits, attitudes and behaviour which form a crucial part of development and progress.
It does not require a lot of resources or money to see changes in our society but the right attitude that will generate a culture that spurs growth to see meaningful changes in our society.
It is time we should start having the right attitude in order to see changes in PNG.
Note: The writer holds a Masters degree in political science and is a lecturer in international relations at the University of PNG
By SOLOMON KANTHA
WHEN PNG gained its independence in 1975, there was a lot of optimism that our mineral resource wealth would come to offset the aid dependence and bring about increased growth and development to all sectors of the economy.
PNG’s mineral resources were seen as a reservoir that would catapult the economy forward with higher rates of economic growth, leading to improved standards of living.
The country’s declining social and economic indicators tell us otherwise.
Resource developments did not result in significant improvements even in the lives of those that have resources on their land.
The notion of “development” perhaps has been erroneously equated with having rich natural resources.
East Asian economies have proven that even without an abundance
of natural resources, a country can be economically well-off.
It is therefore important for us to understand that improvements in the well-being of a society and hence the economic success of nations requires small yet crucial intangible factors such the right attitude, values and a culture that spurs growth.
After 32 years of independence, it is fitting to reflect upon some of the crucial factors that underlie our development trajectory.
The economic successes and failures of nations have been attributed to a number of factors including their economic policies, resource endowments, type of political regime, quality of leadership and even the culture of these societies.
Culture is one of the subtle yet crucial issues tied to economic growth and is arguably one of the determinant factors that either impedes or spurs economic growth and development.
How does culture affect the economic growth of countries?
A prominent scholar argues that the success of Confucian societies such as Japan, South Korea and Taiwan can be attributed directly to their cultures.
He argues that:
*Confucian societies universally promote a high level of education;
*Have a desire for accomplishment in various skills (academic and cultural);
*Have a seriousness about tasks, job, family and obligations; and
*Have much less emphasis on advancing individual (selfish) interests.
Another scholar suggests that there are ties between cultural values and economic development and that cultural values help spur growth.
Culture is a system of basic common values that help shape the behaviour of the people in a given society.
It is argued that cultural values significantly shape economic and political institutions and Confucian-influenced economies of East Asia were seen to outperform the rest of the world by a wide margin.
Cultural factors are equally important as economic and political factors in determining economic development.
According to the cultural thesis punctuality, hard work, achievement and “other” individual values are the keys to unlocking the economic potential of poor countries.
Such values can be inculcated through deliberate efforts.
While some of these claims may be disputed when looking at other Confucian societies such as China, they help us understand how the cultural dynamics of a society may affect how the people and political decision-makers behave.
They are also valid in the sense that tribal allegiances, nepotism, and ethnic animosity which is prevalent in tribal and ethnically-diverse societies such as PNG have proven to impact significantly on how institutions function and public officials and political representatives behave which consequently encroaches on the economic performance of a country.
While the tribal societies in PNG have some of the positive attributes such as the communal ownership of land and the ethnic allegiances which creates a form of social capital, the “tribalism”, “regionalism” and “provincialism” that exist among the different groups hinder development.
Tribal allegiance has greatly influenced modern day politics in PNG and tribal fights continue to blight the lives of many.
Perhaps the biggest impact that this process of transition has in PNG’s governance system is the conflict between the traditional and modern institutions, practices and norms which have significantly impacted on contemporary PNG politics.
The strong ethnic allegiances are still deeply rooted and have often led to many unmeritorious appointments to public offices based on ethnicity.
Ethnic cleavages can also have adverse effects on the economic performance of countries and PNG tends to exhibit certain characteristics of this factionalism mainly in terms of appointments to public office.
More so, the big-man system appears to have a significant impact on the role of political leaders as representatives of the people.
Most leaders have taken on the role of a traditional big-man when they assume political office which consequently affects the way they behave as political representatives and carry out their leadership duties and responsibilities.
It is indisputable that our culture is a significant contributory factor to the development enigma in PNG.
That does not mean our traditional cultures are obstacles to growth but rather the evolution of a culture that has unwittingly developed over the years and has become a norm in our society.
This culture is more related to our habits, attitude and everyday practices that have come to form an integral part of our daily lives and have impacted significantly on shaping our society today.
This recent culture can be seen in the lack of respect for fellow citizens evident in an absence of simple courtesy like “excuse me”, “please”, “sorry”, etc, in our day-to-day interaction.
Other examples can be seen in the little regard people in high offices pay to simple security checks at airports and terminals.
When someone is robbed or being attacked there is usually a large number of spectators without anyone stepping in to help the victim.
These are just few examples of this regressive culture.
NCD Governor Powes Parkop recently identified a major regressive habit – betelnut chewing.
It has become so acceptable that the authorities do not haul up anyone who defaces public properties, bus-stops, walkways, roads, buildings and even government offices with betelnut spit.
Betelnut chewing habit affects work ethics, cleanliness, and hygiene and the red stains have become an eye-sore on our streets, roads, airports, shops, markets and office buildings.
Some years ago, Singapore banned chewing gum when it became a problem with proper disposals. Anyone caught doing so faced a fine.
Governor Parkop’s message to rid Port Moresby of the eye-sore betelnut stains and careless spitting habits should be seriously adhered to by all concerned citizens to see changes not only in our capital city’s image but the country in general.
And this should be taken seriously by all citizens in other provinces as well and not just Port Moresby residents.
As we recently celebrated our 32 years of independence, we should pause for a moment and reflect upon our habits, attitudes and behaviour which form a crucial part of development and progress.
It does not require a lot of resources or money to see changes in our society but the right attitude that will generate a culture that spurs growth to see meaningful changes in our society.
It is time we should start having the right attitude in order to see changes in PNG.
Note: The writer holds a Masters degree in political science and is a lecturer in international relations at the University of PNG
Painting the town red
I was on the bus this morning when I noticed the number of people chewing betelnut and spitting without a concern for the world.
This is a major regressive habit that has been declared as public enemy No. 1 by National Capital District governor Powes Parkop.
It has become so acceptable that the authorities do not haul up anyone who defaces public properties, bus-stops, walkways, roads, buildings and even government offices with betelnut spit.
Betelnut chewing habit affects work ethics, cleanliness, and hygiene and the red stains have become an eye-sore on our streets, roads, airports, shops, markets and office buildings.
Some years ago, Singapore banned chewing gum when it became a problem with proper disposals.
Anyone caught doing so faced a fine.
Governor Parkop’s message to rid Port Moresby of the eye-sore betelnut stains and careless spitting habits should be seriously adhered to by all concerned citizens to see changes not only in our capital city’s image but the country in general.
And this should be taken seriously by all citizens in other provinces as well and not just Port Moresby residents.
This is a major regressive habit that has been declared as public enemy No. 1 by National Capital District governor Powes Parkop.
It has become so acceptable that the authorities do not haul up anyone who defaces public properties, bus-stops, walkways, roads, buildings and even government offices with betelnut spit.
Betelnut chewing habit affects work ethics, cleanliness, and hygiene and the red stains have become an eye-sore on our streets, roads, airports, shops, markets and office buildings.
Some years ago, Singapore banned chewing gum when it became a problem with proper disposals.
Anyone caught doing so faced a fine.
Governor Parkop’s message to rid Port Moresby of the eye-sore betelnut stains and careless spitting habits should be seriously adhered to by all concerned citizens to see changes not only in our capital city’s image but the country in general.
And this should be taken seriously by all citizens in other provinces as well and not just Port Moresby residents.
Port Moresby morgue stinks
I was about to have dinner with my children last night when I saw this story on EMTV that made me want to throw up.
It was about the deteriorating state of the Port Moresby General Hospital morgue to such a state that the many bodies there are literally decomposing.
The morgue is basically a shipping container!
Relatives of the deceased are also to blame as they do not collect the dead bodies of people who die.
Television footage showed people with their hands to their noses at the morgue.
What a shame, given that the Papua New Guinea government has so much money in trust accounts, and yet cannot have a good morgue in its captal city.
My gut feeling now is that if the government does not do something drastic about our deteriorating health and education facilities this year, our social problems are going to get worse and worse.
So rich, and yet so poor!
Meantime, yuck, yuck, yuck at the Port Moresby General Hospital Morgue!
It was about the deteriorating state of the Port Moresby General Hospital morgue to such a state that the many bodies there are literally decomposing.
The morgue is basically a shipping container!
Relatives of the deceased are also to blame as they do not collect the dead bodies of people who die.
Television footage showed people with their hands to their noses at the morgue.
What a shame, given that the Papua New Guinea government has so much money in trust accounts, and yet cannot have a good morgue in its captal city.
My gut feeling now is that if the government does not do something drastic about our deteriorating health and education facilities this year, our social problems are going to get worse and worse.
So rich, and yet so poor!
Meantime, yuck, yuck, yuck at the Port Moresby General Hospital Morgue!
Mythbuster about climate change debate?
THE official figures are not yet in, but 2008 is widely tipped to be the coolest year of the century.
WHILE the official figures are not yet in, 2008 is widely tipped to be declared the coolest year of the century.
Whether this is a serious blow to global warming alarmists depends entirely on who you talk to.
Anyone looking for a knockout blow in the global warming debate in 2008 were sorely disappointed, The Australian reports.
The weather refused to co-operate, offering mixed messages from record cold temperatures across North America to heatwaves across Europe and the
Even in
A cool 2008 may not fit in with doomsday scenarios of some of the more extreme alarmists. But nor, meteorologists point out, does it prove the contrary, that global warming is a myth.
In
Last year it was 22.48C. In 2006 it was 22.28C, and in 2005 22.99C.
Senior meteorologist with the National Meteorological Centre Rod Dickson said that based on data from January to November, 2008 might be the coolest this century but it was still Australia's 15th warmest year in the past 100 years.
"Since 1990, the Australian annual mean temperature has been warmer than the 1961-1990 average for all but two years, 2008 being one of those years," he said.
In
Worldwide, 2008 was expected to be about 0.31C higher than the 30-year average to 1990, of 14C.
Read more on this story at The Australian
Article from: News Digital
A need to review our policies
The following article, written by young Madang-based businessman Allan Bird, appeared in the letters page of The National newspaper on Tuesday, December 30, 2008, and reflects on the various problems affecting
By ALLAN BIRD
LAST month, I was privileged to speak at a business and Government leaders summit at the
I wondered what it was that kept Sir George here when many of our well-off nationals, including politicians, were buying homes in
A man of few words; his great deeds and achievements will outlive him.
Will our Government ever deal with the root cause of this problem?
Are we going to forget this after we laid this great man to rest?
After all, this is what we do in PNG, isn’t it?
We all have very short memories: we are masters of the art of knee-jerk reactions.
Sadly, many lawyers are already rubbing their hands with glee, knowing full well the cash cow is waiting to be milked at Tete now that our well meaning, hard working police officers have razed it.
I sympathise with the police commissioner and his men whose job was to remove a viper’s nest.
To begin with, our laws were written to protect criminals, not the innocent.
Criminals know this; that is why they are emboldened and, to some extent, empowered to do what they do. There is no doubt most settlements are the perfect breeding ground for criminals.
I know as I grew up in a settlement 30 years ago. It was only through divine intervention that I did not choose a life of crime like the many friends I grew up with.
Illegal settlements full of young men with little or no education, no skills and little chance of getting a job are going to turn on the rest of us eventually unless we do something about their situation.
Razing the settlements will only move the criminals to another location.
In addition, the police action has given those animals one more reason to make our lives more terrifying; we have destroyed their homes and put their families on the streets.
Quite simply, they will be back to kill some other poor soul in the same manner in some other location.
Today, it was Tete. Tomorrow it could be Morata, Nuigo, Sisiak, Bumbu or Papua compound.
There are many more places with young men who have no jobs, no life, no hope and no future.
To them their life has little value, so why should your life or that of our loved ones be worth anything?
They have nothing to lose while we have everything to lose.
It is my hope that what happened to Sir George will end there but I am not confident because, in this country, we have a poor record of solving problems.
For starters, we need to plan resettlement areas for people in settlements. Such areas need to be properly zoned, have services like schools, health centres and so on.
These places need to be located in areas where the population density is low. These people need to be engaged productively so that they can pay for the land they have been given over a period of time.
This will give them meaning and a chance at a future, better than no future at all.
We need to make drastic changes to our education system. We have to decide how to train our young people. Should we train all of them for a life in urban areas or rural areas? For as long as I can remember, we have been training people for life in towns. But we have not been able to generate employment opportunities.
When that fails, we try to solve the problem by relocating our half-educated, non-skilled young citizens to the villages and expect them to become farmers.
They have no rural skills, having just spent eight to 10 years in a classroom. They don’t know the meaning of hard work, sweat and toil and we expect them to become farmers?
We need to change the way we educate our children and be more honest about their chances of getting jobs in towns and cities.
We should take a hard look at how we distribute wealth in this country.
Since independence, we continue to spend 80% of PNG’s wealth in the National Capital District and, to a lesser extent, Lae city. I am not aware of plans to change this anytime soon.
How are we to provide opportunities for our people, direct them away from crime and make them useful citizens when we lack the will to move a fair share of the nation’s wealth outside NCD and Lae?
I have not seen coffee or cocoa plantation, a mine or even an oil well anywhere in NCD, yet the best part of the PNG cake is consumed there.
How do our policy makers expect to make even the tiniest amount of difference in this country when they lack the courage to move sufficient resources elsewhere?
We have 20 provinces in this country, not two.
The riches of Bougainville, Ok Tedi, Misima, Porgera, Lihir and Kutubu are miles from NCD. This situation needs to change.
We need to toughen our laws so that murderers and rapists are summarily put to death.
Just because other nations say it does not work is a lame excuse not to exercise this punishment here.
My people used to put murderers and rapists to death in the past; it was part of our culture and we accepted it.
Such crimes were unheard of in the past but now they are common.
We are not Europeans. We are Melanesians; we should act like one and hold onto those facets of our culture that served us well in the past.
Even the least educated of our people understand this.
Lastly, the leaders of this land need to lead by example.
How can we expect our people to live life away from crime when our leaders live lives that leave little to the imagination?
Every nation on Earth succeeds or fails as a direct result of leadership or lack thereof.
It is ironical that Sir George, a man who strived to create work for so many less fortunate, it was those very people he tried to provide opportunities for who took his life.
The nation owes him a great debt. PNG is now a poorer nation because one of our giants was cruelly taken from us.
Allan Bird
Madang
Friday, January 02, 2009
Condolence for death of Tim Hauji, Air Nigini pilot
Fellow citizens,
Sad beginning of the year 2009 where the country is deprived of a young professional through a very unnecessary and tragic situation (see story below).
Everyone in PNG citizens need to have a drastic change of mind set.
Planti ol jealous pasin istap namel long ol "professionals" na ol lain olsem policeman na soldiers, which we all have seen and experienced one way or another.
Another is the general "mi tasol no care attitude" to our other fellow citizens and visitors. One just needs to travel to Melanesian countries like Solomons,
We are all Melanesians, and God has made us all the same with same intelligence etc, but we in PNG still have this very bad attitude and of course the result is the generally bad image of PNG citizens.
May God Bless his soul and give courage to his wife and other family members
Regards
Max Kuduk
Post Courier, Thursday 02 Jan. 2009
Bloody New Year
By TODAGIA KELOLA
THE killing of an Air Niugini pilot and the murder of a father trying to rescue his daughter from criminals were among five New Year deaths reported by police in
NCD operations superintendent Chief Inspector Andy Bawa said the pilot was stabbed to death as he was leaving a major hotel in
According to the police brief, there was an argument inside the hotel between the pilot and some others guys gathered there to celebrate New Year.
After witnessing the New Year, he left and was walking to his vehicle when he was allegedly stabbed. The man, whose parents were from Manus and
Another wilful murder occurred at the Erima Wildlife settlement when a man from Enga was attacked after 15 men went to his house and tried to abduct his daughter.
He went to rescue his daughter but the mob turned on him and bashed him to death.
Two other people who tried to help him were also attacked.
Both are in a critical condition at the
The third murder was reported at Vanapa along the
The other two deaths are a result of two separate motor vehicle accidents in NCD and
Police say the one at Waigani was allegedly caused by drink driving. The driver of the vehicle did not stop for the red light, police say, and ran into another vehicle.
One person died instantly and three others were admitted to the
A police officer, who declined to be named, said most of these deaths could have been avoided if there had been a total ban on alcohol during this festive period because most of these deaths were linked to alcohol consumption.
Meanwhile,
Many flocked to nightclubs in the city and partied all night with friends and relatives while some treated it as just another night of the year and slept through the noise and revelry of the New Year celebrations.
Antelope-1 gas strike
InterOil has struck gas at its Antelope-1 well in the Gulf Province.
The top of the subterranean reservoir was intersected at 1,748 metres with gas being encountered at the same depth.
It’s the third gas strike made by InterOil during drilling at its Elk-Antelope prospecting site.
Previous test results from the Elk-1 and Elk-4 sites have shown the existence of a major gas reservoir of “potentially substantial deliverability”.
Rates of up to fifteen million cubic feet per day have been achieved while circulating out gas kicks during drilling operations in the upper section of the structure.
Further testing will be required before the exact size and potential capacity of the Antelope-1 find can be fully assessed and determined.
InterOil President Bill Jasper said the company is “most encouraged” by the initial test results.
“I am extremely pleased with the confirmation of gas and the associated gas flow”.
“It bodes well for the potential of Antelope-1”.
Mr. Jasper said Antelope-1 is currently being evaluated by independent experts.
“Based on what we’ve seen to date, we are hopeful that Antelope-1 (an appraisal well) will eventually go on to become a significant gas discovery”.
“This recent find is in line with our initial expectations of this field”.
It is expected that gas from the Elk-Antelope structures would feed the proposed Liquid Niugini Gas project (of which InterOil is a foundation partner) should it proceed.
For further in formation please contact
Susuve Laumaea
Senior Manager Media Relations InterOil Corporation
Ph: 321 7040
Mobile: + (675) 684 5168
Email: susuve.laumaea@interoil.com
Sepik Blu Longpela Muruk
-738003.jpg)
I was please to receive an electronic version (e-book) of the novel Sepik Blu Longpela Muruk, written by Australian David Hall (pictured), a former resident of the East Sepik province, recently.
I’m currently going through the e-book and will do a book review as soon as I complete reading it.
Below are details of the book and the author:
In the seclusion of pre-independent and post-independent
grabbing John Pietro.
Among them is James Ward, an Australian Malaria Control Officer in the East Sepik District where this story begins.
James Ward, in confronting his own values and those of the New Guineans, is on a humorous path of life, at once real and imagined.
Tortured by religious scruples and sexual desires, James’s life becomes a trajectory of impulses and aspirations without lasting resolutions.
In this novel, the many personalities are scrutinised, as it were, in a fishbowl, exposing the traits and attributes that distinguish them in their frontier society.
Some cope and endure, while others simply enjoy life.
They are at times like the haughty and elusive cassowary or muruk of the jungle; at other times, they are attractive and tender like the Sepik Blue orchid or Sepik Blu.
In the colonial Sepik District, many expatriates had an adventurous lifestyle in their personal relationships, and in implementing administration policies of justice, political education, health and
commerce.
The expatriate legacy, for better or worse, is part of the history of
The characters of Sepik Blu Longpela Muruk are portraits of people formed by the time and place they lived in.
There are no easy answers to the complex question of the morality of colonial rule in the lives of many of the expatriates.
For James Ward, he embarks on a quixotic adventure in early independent
About the Author
David Andrew de Bérigny Wall was born in
After leaving school, he worked in
In the 1970s he returned to
He resides in
They have two grown-up children, Andrei and David Augustus.
The years he lived in
Malum, thanks for the piece on my novel. I would be happy to send an online copy to anyone; just email me: mahal362000@yahoo.com.au or there is a version available on my blog: http://deberigny.wordpress.com/I read your blog with interest. Kind regards, Dave
A Happy and Prosperous New Year
A Happy and Prosperous New Year to the many readers and followers of this blog from all corners of the world.
I spent Christmas Eve with my four children at home.
We all stayed until midnight to watch the fireworks explode all around us.
On New Year’s Day I took them for a spin in a taxi, bought some food, and brought it home to cook.
I’m back at work with The National newspaper where I am supplements editor.
It looks like it’s going to be a very busy year for me.
Malum
Poker machines: luck or computer programmes?
By PANU KASAR
The human brain is still by far the most advanced phenomena in the whole universe. Most people deny that fact. That is why many couldn't learn about computers. They are afraid to learn. Always remember that humans created computers. That's why when I teach my technicians on repairs I make sure they have confidence in themselves. Human also using their brains created computers to even trick other humans. Poker machines are standardised systems used to make profit. Computer games such as pokies are simply custom built computers made for generating profit. To think of it a poker machine is calibrated to make money for its owner. Even though how hard you try you can never win. Of course you will win but that will be after the machine gets what it wants. It is designed to let you get only a small percentage of what it collects. Say it collects 95% and you get 5% of its takings. You don't realise that because players who came before you already gave the 95% that it wants and you came in time to collect the 5%. Why would pub owners' waste money on equipment that uses electricity all night making a lot of noise? Simply because it helps them by making you give them your money. They know it and will never tell you. Most of the time you are so drunk to figure that out.
The poker machine runs on a microchip integrated with a computer program written by programmers. Usually it's what programmers call a loop. A loop is a string of codes that run in a repeating sequence to execute its code. The poker machine is a computer program designed to make you contribute to the gaming industry. The machine simply executes how its code is written. The loop executes sequence of its code in many ways some times in random order. The codes are long and can last for months before it repeats making it hard for people to study the winning pattern. Of course the programmers know that nobody will work out the code because usually most players will be drunk. Now you know why the pub is close by the poker and they serve you jugs while you play.
Some follow random codes where they pay out on a spree then start collecting to make up their program percentage. Therefore poker players may notice that some machines don't pay for some time even longer periods. Simply because they are executing the program loops where the takings are being collected.
In large casinos the owners knows exactly how much a single poker machine will make in a year. Whether you win or lose it doesn't matter a machine will still give its owner how much it is programmed to make. Just like you buying a new radio and realizing that it will produce 200 Watts of sound power output. Poker machines are like that it just give its owner according to how it is designed. Some generate up to K500, 000 per year. When a buyer wants a machine he can choose to buy according to the output. You shocked? Yeah and some of that money comes from you. So if say you own five poker machines in your water hole that keeps spinning the whole year you are a millionaire.
The music from the poker machines also plays a part. Of every invention there is psychology involved. The music teases the mind and the color from the display develops an inviting lust for the drunken victims. Therefore as for the victims it's a matter of winning a game getting hooked and even losing sometimes but managing to win back. The winning then suddenly stops but the memory of the wins keeps the gambling going. The losses are not remembered by the way. As one gambler said "In all the time I've spent in the proximity of poker machines, I've never seen one taking anything from anyone who didn't willingly give it. I have never seen a poker machine preventing someone from doing what they want to do, or imposing its own personal will or preference on a single inhabitant of planet Earth".
Usually the maximum payouts are a fraction of the annual profit generated by the machine. A machine having a maximum payout of K5, 000 may have an annual profit of K500 000 but when it makes the payout the music and the lights celebrate with you making the small payout a grand event. These figures are just an illustration of the revenue concept of poker machines they real figures may never be known. Well kept secret of the industry.
Game programming is a lucrative trade; the industry employs the best computer programmers to design the best profit making machines. That is why poker machines are perfectly designed to lure money. The new designs do not have gears or matching slots like you see on the screen. They are just visual representations. When you open a machine you only see a main board with an integrated micro chip.
The gaming sector is simply the cash cows of the entertainment industry. That is why the government cannot get rid of it. To them it is simply a way of making people willingly pay their taxes. A person will criticise huge tax cuts in salary then retire to the pub to play poker.
On our path we help you realise that as far as computers are involved there is no such thing as luck. Computers work on a chip programmed to execute code and just that. In pokies your wins are set ups. You get so hooked that you forgot how many times you lost. In fact the losses were more than the couple of wins. What a sad story, being fooled by a machine which was designed to exploit hard earned salaries.
In Australia about 90% of clients who attends Wesley Gambling Counseling services are addicted to poker machines. ''Most of the people we counsel have hit rock bottom and about 10 per cent have thought about suicide,'' said Wesley Mission, Sydney superintendent, Reverend Keith Garner. These counseling services fortunately are funded by the gaming industry. Just like the warnings on cigarette packs.
In Papua New Guinea most people in the working class who frequent pubs are hooked into poker machines. It is the main cause of domestic financial strains. I think by now you all should know how mean these machines are. This article is my New Year gift to the citizens of this country, hope it helps those resolutions you have in mind. Happy New Year 2009. Keep those emails coming: pkasar@mail.com
King tides force fuel rationing in Wewak
Fuel rationing has been introduced in Wewak because of a "critical shortage" at InterOil's regional terminal.
The situation follows recent king tides that caused widespread disruption to northern coastal areas and damaged port facilities at Wewak.
On two occasions, InterOil's supply vessel has been unable to berth.
The company is now low on all fuels including gasoline and diesel.
InterOil Products Limited General Manager Peter Diezmann said, despite the current situation, the company intended to provide all its customers with limited supplies of fuel until regular deliveries can resume.
"We will do our best to keep our customers operational, at least to some degree, during this difficult period".
Mr. Diezmann said he believed that "careful management of fuel stocks" was the most responsible course of action.
"It will help ensure that everyone receives some fuel until the next scheduled delivery midway through January".
Regular deliveries, into the area, were disrupted prior to Christmas when sea swells damaged wharf and unloading facilities.
"The damage was quickly repaired but continued swells made the berthing of the fuel tanker extremely hazardous".
A pre-Christmas delivery voyage was diverted away from Wewak, by the master of the vessel, on the grounds of safety.
"Since then, only a single shipment of fuel has been received", Mr. Diezmann said.
"It came via a tanker vessel that was able to come alongside during a break in the unfavourable conditions".
Because the seas had temporarily abated, the vessel was able to discharge its cargo of fuel.
However a second planned berthing, over the Christmas weekend, had to be aborted because of conditions.
Mr. Diezmann said the next scheduled cargo vessel is not due to arrive in Wewak until January 14th.
"Until then, we will have to make the fuel we have go as far as possible", he said.
For further information
Susuve Laumaea
Senior Manager Media Relations - InterOil Corporation
Ph: 321 7040
Mobile: 684 5168
Email: susuve.laumaea@interoil.com
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
A Happy New Year
A Happy New Year 2009 to all readers and followers of this blog from all corners of the world.
Thank you for your support in 2008 and I look forward to that continuing in 2009.
I would like to have more feedback from you readers so that I can make this blog even bigger and better in promoting
Thank you and God Bless You All Real Good!
Malum Nalu
PS: That’s me in the red shirt and the bushy beard which I’ve been growing since Easter Sunday this year, when my wife Hula passed away so suddenly and tragically, leaving me and the four young children all alone. On my shoulder is my eldest son Malum, aged eight, and to the right in the background is my only daughter Moasing, aged four. The other two children Gedi, six, and Keith, one, are not in the picture.
The year of Barrack Obama while in PNG, the Chief celebrates 40 years in politics
Brrack Obama on Capitol Hill...the first black man in history to be elected UP President
Sir Michael Somare and two 10-year-old Manus twins watch the first screening of National Television Service on Independence Day - September 16, 2008, in Wewak - East Sepik province.By DANIEL KORIMBAO
Editor In Chief
The National newspaper
A number of political events make the 2008 political calendar worth another peek before we turn our back on the year that has been, and look to the promises 2009 hold for each of us.
2008 had its ups and downs, and its share of forgettable and most memorable moments.
At home Prime Minister Sir Michael celebrated his 40 years in politics, an achievement unrivaled in the Commonwealth. The nation celebrated this milestone achievement by the chief, culminating in the launch of a local TV station Kundu, a gift from the Chief to his beloved people.
The year also saw Australian Labour Prime Minister Kevin Rudd visit PNG. Relationships between PNG and Australia had reached new lows with the Howard Government before Rudd took over at Kiribili house in a landslide election victory.
Embracing Somare in Parliament House during his visit in March, Rudd announced his new deal for the Pacific, and presented the Chief a Brisbane Broncos Rugby league jersey to mark the start of a new era in relationship. The Howard and Downer ways were gone.
The man at the centre of the soured relationship between the two countries, Julian Moti, is now answering sex charges in Australia.
The findings of a PNG Defence Force Board of Inquiry into how Moti escaped from Port Moresby to Honiara in a PNGDF plane on Oct 10, 2006, and who gave the orders at the political level has been released.
But it cannot be published or its recommendations implemented because of a judicial challenge by Sir Michael which is pending in the Supreme Court. Somare has reportedly been implicated in the Inquiry’s final report, but many believe those he trusted and appointed to senior positions within government betrayed him and did not tell the truth about the whole affair.
Another issue that will stick with the PM heading into the New Year will be his referral by the Ombudsman Commission for alleged misconduct in office, which is being challenged by his lawyers in the Supreme Court. The alleged misconduct relates to his annual returns dating back some 15 years. This case is expected to be resolved this year.
The grand old man of politics leaves public life in 2012, and the question being asked is who takes over. There have been a lot of speculations in the media, but as the year draws to a close the chief has not appointed a successor.
Within his National Alliance party, there are four deputy leaders who include Patrick Pruaitch, Don Polye, Puka Temu, and Paul Tiensten. One of them could take over, and whoever it is, the NA convention will decide when it meets to deal with this agenda.
There has been talk the Chief could hand over the baton to his son Arthur, the Public Enterprises Minister, but this scribe is reliably informed Mr Somare is not interested in the job at this stage of his political career.
Then there is Peter O’Neill, the leader of PNC, who has forged a close working relationship with Sir Michael even as Opposition leader in the last Parliament. He has a close relationship with a good number of NA members, including Pruaitch.
United Resources Party leader William Duma and party founder Anderson Agiru are also on the radar. It would be foolish to rule anyone out in PNG politics, so Bart Philemon and Sir Mekere Morauta, who are in the Opposition, must also come into contention.
The 18-months grace period protecting the Prime Minister from a vote of no confidence expires at the end of February next year. That’s the time even the most protected specie constantly look over his shoulder in case someone, even from within the camp, is lurking in the dark with that dagger.
With 85 MPs in Government, its unlikely Somare five-year term will be interrupted, unless his seemingly impregnable coalition implodes from within.
When he walks away into the sunset, he leaves behind huge shoes to be filled.
But let there be no doubt 2008 belongs to Barrack Obama.
Americans turned to Obama with a sweeping mandate at a time when the global financial crisis spurred by the sub prime mortgage crisis in the US is crippling economies around the world.
Who would ever forget that evening of Nov 4, when Obama stepped onto the podium in a stadium in Chicago to deliver a powerful speech, accepting the calling of the American people to serve them as their first ever black President?
Obama has a huge task on hand. The US and other major global economies are in recession, and his job is to turn that around. He has work to do to improve US relations with a lot of countries around the world, especially countries that resent Bush foreign policies, and his administration’s attitude to the two wars and global warming.
Papua New Guinea stands to gain a lot from the Obama Administration. We believe the government can capitalise on the Clinton influence in the White House to expand existing bilateral relationship, gain access to resources available in the US to fight the growing HIV/AIDS epidemic, and tackle global warming, an issue Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare has spoken keenly about on various regional and global forums.
As 2008 pass, let’s look to build on the promises we know are abound in this beautiful country PNG.
Editor In Chief
The National newspaper
A number of political events make the 2008 political calendar worth another peek before we turn our back on the year that has been, and look to the promises 2009 hold for each of us.
2008 had its ups and downs, and its share of forgettable and most memorable moments.
At home Prime Minister Sir Michael celebrated his 40 years in politics, an achievement unrivaled in the Commonwealth. The nation celebrated this milestone achievement by the chief, culminating in the launch of a local TV station Kundu, a gift from the Chief to his beloved people.
The year also saw Australian Labour Prime Minister Kevin Rudd visit PNG. Relationships between PNG and Australia had reached new lows with the Howard Government before Rudd took over at Kiribili house in a landslide election victory.
Embracing Somare in Parliament House during his visit in March, Rudd announced his new deal for the Pacific, and presented the Chief a Brisbane Broncos Rugby league jersey to mark the start of a new era in relationship. The Howard and Downer ways were gone.
The man at the centre of the soured relationship between the two countries, Julian Moti, is now answering sex charges in Australia.
The findings of a PNG Defence Force Board of Inquiry into how Moti escaped from Port Moresby to Honiara in a PNGDF plane on Oct 10, 2006, and who gave the orders at the political level has been released.
But it cannot be published or its recommendations implemented because of a judicial challenge by Sir Michael which is pending in the Supreme Court. Somare has reportedly been implicated in the Inquiry’s final report, but many believe those he trusted and appointed to senior positions within government betrayed him and did not tell the truth about the whole affair.
Another issue that will stick with the PM heading into the New Year will be his referral by the Ombudsman Commission for alleged misconduct in office, which is being challenged by his lawyers in the Supreme Court. The alleged misconduct relates to his annual returns dating back some 15 years. This case is expected to be resolved this year.
The grand old man of politics leaves public life in 2012, and the question being asked is who takes over. There have been a lot of speculations in the media, but as the year draws to a close the chief has not appointed a successor.
Within his National Alliance party, there are four deputy leaders who include Patrick Pruaitch, Don Polye, Puka Temu, and Paul Tiensten. One of them could take over, and whoever it is, the NA convention will decide when it meets to deal with this agenda.
There has been talk the Chief could hand over the baton to his son Arthur, the Public Enterprises Minister, but this scribe is reliably informed Mr Somare is not interested in the job at this stage of his political career.
Then there is Peter O’Neill, the leader of PNC, who has forged a close working relationship with Sir Michael even as Opposition leader in the last Parliament. He has a close relationship with a good number of NA members, including Pruaitch.
United Resources Party leader William Duma and party founder Anderson Agiru are also on the radar. It would be foolish to rule anyone out in PNG politics, so Bart Philemon and Sir Mekere Morauta, who are in the Opposition, must also come into contention.
The 18-months grace period protecting the Prime Minister from a vote of no confidence expires at the end of February next year. That’s the time even the most protected specie constantly look over his shoulder in case someone, even from within the camp, is lurking in the dark with that dagger.
With 85 MPs in Government, its unlikely Somare five-year term will be interrupted, unless his seemingly impregnable coalition implodes from within.
When he walks away into the sunset, he leaves behind huge shoes to be filled.
But let there be no doubt 2008 belongs to Barrack Obama.
Americans turned to Obama with a sweeping mandate at a time when the global financial crisis spurred by the sub prime mortgage crisis in the US is crippling economies around the world.
Who would ever forget that evening of Nov 4, when Obama stepped onto the podium in a stadium in Chicago to deliver a powerful speech, accepting the calling of the American people to serve them as their first ever black President?
Obama has a huge task on hand. The US and other major global economies are in recession, and his job is to turn that around. He has work to do to improve US relations with a lot of countries around the world, especially countries that resent Bush foreign policies, and his administration’s attitude to the two wars and global warming.
Papua New Guinea stands to gain a lot from the Obama Administration. We believe the government can capitalise on the Clinton influence in the White House to expand existing bilateral relationship, gain access to resources available in the US to fight the growing HIV/AIDS epidemic, and tackle global warming, an issue Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare has spoken keenly about on various regional and global forums.
As 2008 pass, let’s look to build on the promises we know are abound in this beautiful country PNG.
Armed robberies and Sir George murder leave an infamous scar
William Kapis' accomplices at the Boroko Police Station Cell.
William Kapis in custody at the Boroko Police Station cell after being caught and shot on July 18 this year.
Sir George Constantinou (left) with his young family before his brutal murder, which shocked Papua New Guinea and the world.
By CLIFFORD FAIPARIK
Armed robberies of Bank South Pacific branches in Kerema, Madang and Kimbe and the killing of Sir George Constantinou has made an infamous scar for this year.
Papua New Guineans will never forget these incidents, just like the Americans will never forget the assassination of their President John F Kennedy on November 22, 1963, in Dallas, Texas.
These separated incidents were done by intelligence criminals (for BSP robberies) and just petty criminals (for the late Constantinou’s murder)
The robberies of the BSP branches have woken Papua New Guineans up to face the latest trend of violent crime involving armed robbery.
This trend involves kidnapping and demanding ransom.
The trend is also made easier by the use of the latest communication technology to mobilise manpower, resources, and logistics to execute shrewd tactics –that is the use of the mobile phone.
Currently, the main suspect William Kapis Nanua and his associates are facing various charges in connection with the robberies before the court, and are being remanded at Bomana prison outside Port Moresby.
This review will not detail the robberies of Madang and Kimbe but only for Kerema as it was the first branch to be hit.
Also similar tactics were used to organise the other BSP branch robberies.
Gulf police suspect that the former Kerema branch manager, who has now been charged, was involved in robbing K830, 498.45 last May 17 from the bank.
Noah Karo, 49, from Hula village, Central province was accused of the robbery by organising with Kapis, Jack Frost Kivare and Ivan Kaini for his daughter, grandson, son-in-law and three sons to be picked up at Five-Mile and to be kept as hostage in an undisclosed place in Port Moresby last May 15.
Police alleged that Nanua, Kivare and Kaini then flew to Kerema on May 16 and were picked up at the airport by Karo.Karo, threatened at gunpoint, then proceeded to give in to the demands of the accused and his accomplices or else they would “kill his children”.Police said that on Saturday, May 17, between 7am and 9am, Nanua and an accomplice got into a branch vehicle and went to meet loans officer Gabriel Ori inside the bank premises.A short briefing was held among them including Mr Karo.Mr Karo was instructed to go and get the safe combination numbers from his deputy’s house.The deputy, against her will, was taken to the bank and used the combination numbers to open the safe, with Nanua and his accomplices allegedly helping themselves to K825, 714 in cash.Nanua and his accomplices then escaped by boat to Sapeaharo Bridge where they got on a vehicle and came to Port Moresby to proceed on to rob Madang BSP on June 5, 2008, using similar tactics.
He was later recaptured by police along the Magi Highway enroute to Aroma in the Central province at about 2.30am last July 18 and allegedly shot in both feet’s.
In another infamous incident, one of the nation’s leading citizen and businessmen Sir George Constantinou was killed by just petty criminals outside the notorious Tete settlement at Gerehu on December 16 after inspecting his timber yard.
These opportunity criminals just made up their mind to rob and kill the 78-year-old knight only at that moment by just seeing a Whiteman coming their way in a vehicle.
They commit this incident using the old crime trend by using homemade gun and lethal hard objects.
Police have now detained and charged seven suspects.
The late knight came to PNG in 1954 and ventured into building and road construction and hotel industries.
These industries provided employment for thousands of locals to contribute to the national economy for almost 55 years. And it will still be doing so for years to come through the Constantinou group of companies.
In retaliation, police went in and demolished the settlement to fulfil what the Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare had warned about in November 2003.
Sir Michael had warned that one more killing would have this settlement removed.
Sir Michael issued this warning after 15 people were killed in the settlement .It was after the killing of his fellow knight that his warning was fulfilled.
Armed robberies of Bank South Pacific branches in Kerema, Madang and Kimbe and the killing of Sir George Constantinou has made an infamous scar for this year.
Papua New Guineans will never forget these incidents, just like the Americans will never forget the assassination of their President John F Kennedy on November 22, 1963, in Dallas, Texas.
These separated incidents were done by intelligence criminals (for BSP robberies) and just petty criminals (for the late Constantinou’s murder)
The robberies of the BSP branches have woken Papua New Guineans up to face the latest trend of violent crime involving armed robbery.
This trend involves kidnapping and demanding ransom.
The trend is also made easier by the use of the latest communication technology to mobilise manpower, resources, and logistics to execute shrewd tactics –that is the use of the mobile phone.
Currently, the main suspect William Kapis Nanua and his associates are facing various charges in connection with the robberies before the court, and are being remanded at Bomana prison outside Port Moresby.
This review will not detail the robberies of Madang and Kimbe but only for Kerema as it was the first branch to be hit.
Also similar tactics were used to organise the other BSP branch robberies.
Gulf police suspect that the former Kerema branch manager, who has now been charged, was involved in robbing K830, 498.45 last May 17 from the bank.
Noah Karo, 49, from Hula village, Central province was accused of the robbery by organising with Kapis, Jack Frost Kivare and Ivan Kaini for his daughter, grandson, son-in-law and three sons to be picked up at Five-Mile and to be kept as hostage in an undisclosed place in Port Moresby last May 15.
Police alleged that Nanua, Kivare and Kaini then flew to Kerema on May 16 and were picked up at the airport by Karo.Karo, threatened at gunpoint, then proceeded to give in to the demands of the accused and his accomplices or else they would “kill his children”.Police said that on Saturday, May 17, between 7am and 9am, Nanua and an accomplice got into a branch vehicle and went to meet loans officer Gabriel Ori inside the bank premises.A short briefing was held among them including Mr Karo.Mr Karo was instructed to go and get the safe combination numbers from his deputy’s house.The deputy, against her will, was taken to the bank and used the combination numbers to open the safe, with Nanua and his accomplices allegedly helping themselves to K825, 714 in cash.Nanua and his accomplices then escaped by boat to Sapeaharo Bridge where they got on a vehicle and came to Port Moresby to proceed on to rob Madang BSP on June 5, 2008, using similar tactics.
He was later recaptured by police along the Magi Highway enroute to Aroma in the Central province at about 2.30am last July 18 and allegedly shot in both feet’s.
In another infamous incident, one of the nation’s leading citizen and businessmen Sir George Constantinou was killed by just petty criminals outside the notorious Tete settlement at Gerehu on December 16 after inspecting his timber yard.
These opportunity criminals just made up their mind to rob and kill the 78-year-old knight only at that moment by just seeing a Whiteman coming their way in a vehicle.
They commit this incident using the old crime trend by using homemade gun and lethal hard objects.
Police have now detained and charged seven suspects.
The late knight came to PNG in 1954 and ventured into building and road construction and hotel industries.
These industries provided employment for thousands of locals to contribute to the national economy for almost 55 years. And it will still be doing so for years to come through the Constantinou group of companies.
In retaliation, police went in and demolished the settlement to fulfil what the Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare had warned about in November 2003.
Sir Michael had warned that one more killing would have this settlement removed.
Sir Michael issued this warning after 15 people were killed in the settlement .It was after the killing of his fellow knight that his warning was fulfilled.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Wet, wet, wet Christmas 2008 as waves strike
Giant waves hit Vanimo, West Sepik (Sandaun) province
Refugees in Wewak flee their homes in Wewak, East Sepik province
Damaged house in Wewak, East Sepik province
Vehicle drives through seawater-covered road in Wewak, East Sepik province
It was a wet, wet, wet 2008 Christmas for over 30, 000 struck by severe sea swells in the maritime provinces of Papua New Guinea.
Severe sea swells were reported in New Ireland, East Sepik, Manus, Bougainville, West Sepik, Morobe and isolated parts of Madang.
A majority of the affected populations were found in Manus, East Sepik, New Ireland and Bougainville.
New Ireland reported 118 internally-displaced persons when the population on Tench Island had to be evacuated to neighboring Emirau Island with some Tench islanders, especially students, taken back to Kavieng.
New Ireland also reported the most number of houses damaged or destroyed.
This year will be the second year in two years when disaster struck at about the same time.
In November 2007, Tropical Cyclone Guba devastated Oro province, leaving thousands homeless with major infrastructure including roads and bridges washed away.
The maritime provinces are not an isolated case as parts of the Highlands region also had their fair share with landslides along the Simbu section of the Okuk Highway, which cut off supply routes to Western Highlands, Enga and the Southern Highlands.
Unlike the Oro experience, no state of emergency was declared in the maritime provinces.
In fact, this event and its aftermath were managed as a national disaster under the auspices of the Disaster Management Act.
The Government of Papua New Guinea (GoPNG) coordinated disaster response activities through the National Disaster Centre in Port Moresby and the respective provincial disaster centres.
Minister responsible for disasters Job Pomat MP, chairman of the national disaster committee Manasupe Zurenuoc, and acting director of the National Disaster Centre Martin Mose were instrumental in coordinating GoPNG, donor, and both NGO and INGO assistance.
Provinces coordinated disaster response activities in partnership with the National Disaster Centre and through their provincial disaster centres, and under the leadership of their provincial administrators.
A majority of the response agencies worked through the provincial disaster centres.
Disaster response activities were supported by UN agencies, AusAID, USAID, NZAID, and JICA. Response agencies included provincial administrations and provincial disaster centres, the PNG Red Cross, and national and international NGOs such as CARE, WVI, SC, Oxfam, ADRA, and Caritas PNG.
All agencies were also involved in undertaking damage and needs assessments.
On December 17, 2008, Mr Zurenuoc expressed confidence in the way provinces had managed their response activities and hinted to the media cease of the response phase sooner than expected.
At a small ceremony on December 22 to receive emergency relief items from the Japanese Ambassador H.E. Hajime Hishiyama, Mr Zurenuoc announced the end of disaster response and encouraged partners to shift to early recovery.
Although this year’s sea swell disaster was short lived, its effects were extensive as can be seen by the demand for rehabilitation and reconstruction activities in New Ireland and Manus.
As soon as sea swells hit, the National Disaster Centre received firsthand reports on December 9, 2008, from witnesses in Kavieng, Buka, and Bogia in the Madang province.
Each province has a provincial disaster committee with the provincial administrator as chairperson.
In some provinces, this committee went to work immediately and operated out of its provincial disaster centre.
The National Executive Council met on December 11, 2008, and approved up to K50 million, with which K20m was to be made available for disaster relief, response, and recovery purposes.
The K20m was released to the Department of Provincial and Local Government Affairs on December 14, 2008.
This amount was later transferred to the National Disaster General Trust Account after scheduled closure of all government accounts on December 16.
Affected provinces have now begun drawing down on this funding, and in close consultation with the National Disaster Centre.
Provinces have done so after providing extensive damage and needs assessment reports together with an expenditure budget.
Severe sea swells were reported in New Ireland, East Sepik, Manus, Bougainville, West Sepik, Morobe and isolated parts of Madang.
A majority of the affected populations were found in Manus, East Sepik, New Ireland and Bougainville.
New Ireland reported 118 internally-displaced persons when the population on Tench Island had to be evacuated to neighboring Emirau Island with some Tench islanders, especially students, taken back to Kavieng.
New Ireland also reported the most number of houses damaged or destroyed.
This year will be the second year in two years when disaster struck at about the same time.
In November 2007, Tropical Cyclone Guba devastated Oro province, leaving thousands homeless with major infrastructure including roads and bridges washed away.
The maritime provinces are not an isolated case as parts of the Highlands region also had their fair share with landslides along the Simbu section of the Okuk Highway, which cut off supply routes to Western Highlands, Enga and the Southern Highlands.
Unlike the Oro experience, no state of emergency was declared in the maritime provinces.
In fact, this event and its aftermath were managed as a national disaster under the auspices of the Disaster Management Act.
The Government of Papua New Guinea (GoPNG) coordinated disaster response activities through the National Disaster Centre in Port Moresby and the respective provincial disaster centres.
Minister responsible for disasters Job Pomat MP, chairman of the national disaster committee Manasupe Zurenuoc, and acting director of the National Disaster Centre Martin Mose were instrumental in coordinating GoPNG, donor, and both NGO and INGO assistance.
Provinces coordinated disaster response activities in partnership with the National Disaster Centre and through their provincial disaster centres, and under the leadership of their provincial administrators.
A majority of the response agencies worked through the provincial disaster centres.
Disaster response activities were supported by UN agencies, AusAID, USAID, NZAID, and JICA. Response agencies included provincial administrations and provincial disaster centres, the PNG Red Cross, and national and international NGOs such as CARE, WVI, SC, Oxfam, ADRA, and Caritas PNG.
All agencies were also involved in undertaking damage and needs assessments.
On December 17, 2008, Mr Zurenuoc expressed confidence in the way provinces had managed their response activities and hinted to the media cease of the response phase sooner than expected.
At a small ceremony on December 22 to receive emergency relief items from the Japanese Ambassador H.E. Hajime Hishiyama, Mr Zurenuoc announced the end of disaster response and encouraged partners to shift to early recovery.
Although this year’s sea swell disaster was short lived, its effects were extensive as can be seen by the demand for rehabilitation and reconstruction activities in New Ireland and Manus.
As soon as sea swells hit, the National Disaster Centre received firsthand reports on December 9, 2008, from witnesses in Kavieng, Buka, and Bogia in the Madang province.
Each province has a provincial disaster committee with the provincial administrator as chairperson.
In some provinces, this committee went to work immediately and operated out of its provincial disaster centre.
The National Executive Council met on December 11, 2008, and approved up to K50 million, with which K20m was to be made available for disaster relief, response, and recovery purposes.
The K20m was released to the Department of Provincial and Local Government Affairs on December 14, 2008.
This amount was later transferred to the National Disaster General Trust Account after scheduled closure of all government accounts on December 16.
Affected provinces have now begun drawing down on this funding, and in close consultation with the National Disaster Centre.
Provinces have done so after providing extensive damage and needs assessment reports together with an expenditure budget.
Quotation of The Day
It is a painful thing to look at your own trouble and know that you yourself and no one else has made it.
Sophocles (496 BC-406 BC)
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