Papua New Guinea's future: Em ol wanlain bilong yu ia; yu mas trastim ol

From John Fowke

IN AN EARLIER contribution, I suggested that the social, developmental and fiscal malaise which holds PNG in an unbroken grip, proceeds from something deeper and more elemental than the existence of public service, fiscal, and political corruption.

The implication I intended was that the situation is due to an inherent weakness in Papua New Guinean society.

Whilst this view was contested both in posted commentary and by Reginald Renagi in one of his opinion-pieces, I'm afraid it holds true, no matter how humiliating or irritating the suggestion may be.

As a foreigner who has spent by far the major part of his life in rural PNG, I well know the sensitivities and have always tried to avoid the habits of the 'Ugly Expatriate', to borrow from Graham Greene.

In that nice old Motuan phrase, I have always endeavoured to be tauna mai manada. In other words, a gentleman.

But having been urged by our revered Blogmeister to contribute a succinct prediction of "things that'll happen" in PNG in the coming year, I am going to spoil any good impression I may have left behind and be provocative.

The coming year needs to be the year in which the educated PNG middle class stands up, stops hiding behind pen names, overcomes residual cultural fears of offending clan and family or attracting 'payback', and speaks with one voice, bound together by a strong but hitherto unrecognised common interest.

The educated middle class must - loudly and forcefully - state what it wants for itself, its families and its descendants. It is long past time for this to happen.

Come on PNG, grow up, stop hiding and complaining and putting forward pie-in-the-sky solutions. Put your shoulders to the load, men and women, coastals, islanders, highlanders, all the educated middle-class together!

You will make it happen. Just do it. You are the Party of Power!

All of you who read and contribute to various blogs and who read the PNG papers, you are the ones who must get up and be the first on the dance-floor, the first to speak, embarrassing as it may be.

Stop whingeing and making covert comments about each other. Stand up and say what you want to be done to get the nation going. If you act as one, forgetting all residues of cultural antipathies and suspicion, you'll be surprised how fast things will change.

I thought for a while that the Christians would get it together in the last couple of elections, but they didn't. Perhaps they too are weakened by that old, old characteristic of PNG, the 'people over the hill syndrome' - "em ol lain nogut ia – noken trastim ol!"

This weakness is shown in the currently fashionable view that a split into semi-autonomous regions will solve the problems. Be real, blokes; it'll be even more disastrous than the present set up.

No, you, the well-educated, largely urban dwelling middle class of PNG, you are the future.

You have influence back home in the village because you are members of a support-group. Make your position in life, your ambitions for yourselves, your kids, and the bubus to come the glue that forms another, far more influential and fruitful commonality. Forge a huge linkage of common interest of class and aspirations for the future, as opposed to the bonds of common ancestry that help perpetuate the problems.

This is the future. Mini-states are meaningless states in the context of the wider world.

Make PNG the paradise it should be. It'll be hard, it'll take long, but remember…only you (with the others) can do it. If you love your country, you must raise your voice and show your face without fear.

Christmas Day drug bust

Caption: Inspector Michael Periwanga (5^th from right) and members Operation Bright Star with the marijuana plants they uprooted in an early morning raid on Christmas Day at Vunapalading No. 3, East New Britain. The plants will be destroyed.

 

By LYTHIA SUITAWA in Kokopo

 

A FATHER and his two sons are now in police custody in East New Britain after more than K300, 000 worth of marijuana plants were found in their family garden during a police raid in the early morning hours of Christmas Day (Friday).

The raid which took place at Vunapalading No. 3 was part of a special Christmas New Year Operation code named Bright Star by Kerevat and Livuan police with assistance from Tomaringa’s Mobile Squad 18.

Acting Police Station Commander (Kerevat) Inspector Michael Periwanga who led the raid said the marijuana plants were inter-planted with the family’s food crops such as peanut and Chinese taro.

Inspector Periwanga said the family even had a nursery for the marijuana plants.

Police uprooted 30 matured plants ranging between 1.5 to 2m and weighing a total of 19kg.

Officers from National Agricultural Research Institute’s Islands Regional Centre in Kerevat estimated the local street market value of the plants to be around K310, 000.

Inspector Periwanga said the successful raid was a result of a drug and illegal substance abuse community awareness that he and his men conducted at the start of the operation.

“I am glad that the awareness we conducted encouraged people to come forward with information about these illegal activities but there is still more to be done,” he said.

“More people must realize the damaging effects of these substances and inform us so that we stop the use of these drugs.”

Inspector Periwanga also voiced concerns that the use of marijuana and homebrew are becoming more and more prevalent within Papua New Guinean communities.

“Particularly in East New Britain, in the past, people sourced marijuana from the highlands but now they are growing it themselves and this is quite alarming,” he said.

More than 30 people have been arrested and charged for drug related offences since Operation Bright Star commenced on December 18.

The three and two other suspects are in custody at Kerevat Police Station waiting to appear in court.

Report from an observer at Copenhagen

From The Guardian

Copenhagen was a disaster. That much is agreed. But the truth about what actually happened is in danger of being lost amid the spin and inevitable mutual recriminations. The truth is this: China wrecked the talks, intentionally humiliated Barack Obama, and insisted on an awful "deal" so western leaders would walk away carrying the blame. How do I know this? Because I was in the room and saw it happen.
China's strategy was simple: block the open negotiations for two weeks, and then ensure that the closed-door deal made it look as if the west had failed the world's poor once again. And sure enough, the aid agencies, civil society movements and environmental groups all took the bait. The failure was "the inevitable result of rich countries refusing adequately and fairly to shoulder their overwhelming responsibility", said Christian Aid. "Rich countries have bullied developing nations," fumed Friends of the Earth International.
All very predictable, but the complete opposite of the truth. Even George Monbiot, writing in yesterday's Guardian, made the mistake of singly blaming Obama. But I saw Obama fighting desperately to salvage a deal, and the Chinese delegate saying "no", over and over again. Monbiot even approvingly quoted the Sudanese delegate Lumumba Di-Aping, who denounced the Copenhagen accord as "a suicide pact, an incineration pact, in order to maintain the economic dominance of a few countries".
Sudan behaves at the talks as a puppet of China; one of a number of countries that relieves the Chinese delegation of having to fight its battles in open sessions. It was a perfect stitch-up. China gutted the deal behind the scenes, and then left its proxies to savage it in public.
Here's what actually went on late last Friday night, as heads of state from two dozen countries met behind closed doors. Obama was at the table for several hours, sitting between Gordon Brown and the Ethiopian prime minister, Meles Zenawi. The Danish prime minister chaired, and on his right sat Ban Ki-moon, secretary-general of the UN. Probably only about 50 or 60 people, including the heads of state, were in the room. I was attached to one of the delegations, whose head of state was also present for most of the time.
What I saw was profoundly shocking. The Chinese premier, Wen Jinbao, did not deign to attend the meetings personally, instead sending a second-tier official in the country's foreign ministry to sit opposite Obama himself. The diplomatic snub was obvious and brutal, as was the practical implication: several times during the session, the world's most powerful heads of state were forced to wait around as the Chinese delegate went off to make telephone calls to his "superiors".

Shifting the blame

To those who would blame Obama and rich countries in general, know this: it was China's representative who insisted that industrialised country targets, previously agreed as an 80% cut by 2050, be taken out of the deal. "Why can't we even mention our own targets?" demanded a furious Angela Merkel. Australia's prime minister, Kevin Rudd, was annoyed enough to bang his microphone. Brazil's representative too pointed out the illogicality of China's position. Why should rich countries not announce even this unilateral cut? The Chinese delegate said no, and I watched, aghast, as Merkel threw up her hands in despair and conceded the point. Now we know why - because China bet, correctly, that Obama would get the blame for the Copenhagen accord's lack of ambition.
China, backed at times by India, then proceeded to take out all the numbers that mattered. A 2020 peaking year in global emissions, essential to restrain temperatures to 2C, was removed and replaced by woolly language suggesting that emissions should peak "as soon as possible". The long-term target, of global 50% cuts by 2050, was also excised. No one else, perhaps with the exceptions of India and Saudi Arabia, wanted this to happen. I am certain that had the Chinese not been in the room, we would have left Copenhagen with a deal that had environmentalists popping champagne corks popping in every corner of the world.

Strong position

So how did China manage to pull off this coup? First, it was in an extremely strong negotiating position. China didn't need a deal. As one developing country foreign minister said to me: "The Athenians had nothing to offer to the Spartans." On the other hand, western leaders in particular - but also presidents Lula of Brazil, Zuma of South Africa, Calderón of Mexico and many others - were desperate for a positive outcome. Obama needed a strong deal perhaps more than anyone. The US had confirmed the offer of $100bn to developing countries for adaptation, put serious cuts on the table for the first time (17% below 2005 levels by 2020), and was obviously prepared to up its offer.
Above all, Obama needed to be able to demonstrate to the Senate that he could deliver China in any global climate regulation framework, so conservative senators could not argue that US carbon cuts would further advantage Chinese industry. With midterm elections looming, Obama and his staff also knew that Copenhagen would be probably their only opportunity to go to climate change talks with a strong mandate. This further strengthened China's negotiating hand, as did the complete lack of civil society political pressure on either China or India. Campaign groups never blame developing countries for failure; this is an iron rule that is never broken. The Indians, in particular, have become past masters at co-opting the language of equity ("equal rights to the atmosphere") in the service of planetary suicide - and leftish campaigners and commentators are hoist with their own petard.
With the deal gutted, the heads of state session concluded with a final battle as the Chinese delegate insisted on removing the 1.5C target so beloved of the small island states and low-lying nations who have most to lose from rising seas. President Nasheed of the Maldives, supported by Brown, fought valiantly to save this crucial number. "How can you ask my country to go extinct?" demanded Nasheed. The Chinese delegate feigned great offence - and the number stayed, but surrounded by language which makes it all but meaningless. The deed was done.

China's game

All this raises the question: what is China's game? Why did China, in the words of a UK-based analyst who also spent hours in heads of state meetings, "not only reject targets for itself, but also refuse to allow any other country to take on binding targets?" The analyst, who has attended climate conferences for more than 15 years, concludes that China wants to weaken the climate regulation regime now "in order to avoid the risk that it might be called on to be more ambitious in a few years' time".
This does not mean China is not serious about global warming. It is strong in both the wind and solar industries. But China's growth, and growing global political and economic dominance, is based largely on cheap coal. China knows it is becoming an uncontested superpower; indeed its newfound muscular confidence was on striking display in Copenhagen. Its coal-based economy doubles every decade, and its power increases commensurately. Its leadership will not alter this magic formula unless they absolutely have to.
Copenhagen was much worse than just another bad deal, because it illustrated a profound shift in global geopolitics. This is fast becoming China's century, yet its leadership has displayed that multilateral environmental governance is not only not a priority, but is viewed as a hindrance to the new superpower's freedom of action. I left Copenhagen more despondent than I have felt in a long time. After all the hope and all the hype, the mobilisation of thousands, a wave of optimism crashed against the rock of global power politics, fell back, and drained away.

In defence of Regi Renagi

From PAUL OATES in Queensland, Australia

Anonymous said...

Reg Renagi writes about everything and nothing and long ago turned himself into the sourest grape who should not be given serious consideration. This man carries a huge chip on his shoulders against people who succeed in life or outmanouvre him. He also carries a equally huge hangover from his less than colorful military tenure. Get real, Reggie Boy.

______________

Paul Oates said...

 

While Reg's military career is a matter of the past, his comments appear to many to be a very pertinent view on PNG today. They provide an excellent perspective on his country after 34 years of PNG Independence. They also appear to be based in fact. So when the issue of reality is considered, one must logically ponder on just who is in the REAL world and who is off in one of their own fantasy? Err.. Wouldn't you agree Mr Anonymous? At the very least, Reg has the guts to make his comments public under his own name. That's more than the person who made these comments about Reg is prepared to do. It therefore begs the question of why?

Potential for vegetable production in mid altitudes of New Britain

NARI staff harvesting potatoes at Wildog, Sinivit LLG in East New Britain

A Wildog Mine field worker showing off potatoes harvested at Wildog, Sinivit LLG in East New Britain .-Pictures by NARI Keravat

By SELWYN HARIKI of NARI

Introduced vegetables like potato, broccoli, carrot and cauliflower are important food and cash crops in the highlands of PNG.
The cool climate in the higher altitude and central highlands allow for the cultivation of these crops by farmers.
The demand for these vegetables in the lowlands, particularly the New Guinea Islands region, is high presently.
Together with transportation costs, the prices are relatively high in most supermarkets. Andersons Foodland in Kokopo, East New Britain province (ENBP), sells its potato, broccoli, carrot and cauliflowers produces at prices ranging from K4 to K7 a kilogram. Papindo is selling cauliflower at K6.40/kg, broccoli at K8.80/kg, and carrots at K4/kg. Most of these products are transported in from the highlands of mainland PNG.
However these crops can also be grown in the mid-altitude areas of PNG’s Islands provinces, ranging from 300 metres above sea level and higher.
Preliminary research by NARI in 2006 has proven that potato, broccoli, carrot and cauliflower varieties can be produced in the region.
These crops did well in the study, giving yields of 5-8 tones per hectare.
These are short-term crops which take three to four months to mature and are highly nutritious.
However they are hardly found in everyday meals of people or in the local markets.
With the current demand for potatoes and other introduced vegetables and the opportunity for their production in the mid-altitude areas of the islands provinces, NARI is currently carrying out more research work on these crops in the region for further development.
More information can be sought through NARI Islands regional centre at Keravat, ENBP.

Merry Christmas to one and all

A Very Merry Christmas to followers of this blog from all over the world, and thank you for your unwavering support, which has seen this blog be named by the Papua New Guinea Media Council as the '2009 Papua New Guinea Blog of the Year'.
Also yesterday, the number of visitors to this blog soared past the 100,000 mark since I installed a counter in July 2008.
On behalf of my four young children, I wish one and all a Blessed and Very Merry Christmas.
You can contact me on email malumnalu@gmail.com.

GOVERNMENT OF PAPUA NEW GUINEA SIGNS INTEROIL'S LNG PROJECT AGREEMENT

GOVERNMENT OF PAPUA NEW GUINEA TO TAKE 22.5%

 

InterOil Corporation (NYSE: IOC) (POMSoX: IOC) yesterday announced that the PNG National Government has signed the Company’s Project Agreement for the construction of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant in Papua New Guinea.

Following approval of the Project Agreement by the National Executive Council on December 10, the Minister for Petroleum Hon William Duma and acting Governor-General Dr Allan Marat signed the Agreement securing PNG’s second LNG project.

The signing was witnessed by the Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare.

The Agreement sets fiscal terms for a twenty year period, which include a 30% company tax rate and certain exemptions applicable to large scale projects of this nature.

 It also provides for a 20.5% ownership stake to be held by the Government of Papua New Guinea’s nominee, Petromin PNG Holdings Limited.

A further 2% ownership stake will be taken by landowners directly affected by the plant.

As previously announced, the proposed LNG project would be developed by InterOil and its joint venture partners Pacific LNG Operations Ltd. and Petromin PNG Holdings Limited. The project targets a $5 to $7 billion LNG facility, with multiple trains.

Additionally, the Agreement provides for the expansion of the plant up to 10.6 million tons per annum (mmtpa).

While current plans call for first production of LNG towards the end of 2014 or beginning of 2015, InterOil is progressing a proposed liquids stripping plant, to be located in Gulf Province, in late 2011/early 2012, which would provide an attractive revenue stream prior to the commissioning of the LNG plant.

Sir Michael Somare, Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, stated, “The government of Papua New Guinea, through its long standing partnership with InterOil, has secured an ownership stake across the entire value chain from wellhead to LNG offtake in a world class energy development project that will significantly contribute to national prosperity and fiscal security for many years to come.

“The national equity interest, to be held by the state’s nominee Petromin PNG Holdings Limited, aligns the Country’s economic interests with its partners and provides strategic assets for national security.”

Phil Mulacek, Chief Executive Officer of InterOil, commented, “The Government of Papua New Guinea has firmly demonstrated its commitment to delivering a stable, long-term supply of energy to a growing Asian market.

“The recent agreements set the stage for PNG to become a significant new Asian

energy hub.”

 

About InterOil

InterOil Corporation is developing a vertically integrated energy business whose primary focus is Papua New Guinea and the surrounding region. InterOil’s assets consist of petroleum licenses covering about 3.9 million acres, an oil refinery, and retail and commercial distribution facilities, all located in Papua New Guinea. In addition, InterOil is a shareholder in a joint venture established to construct an LNG plant on a site adjacent to InterOil’s refinery in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. InterOil’s common shares trade on the NYSE in US dollars.

About Petromin PNG Holdings Limited

PNG Holdings Limited is an independent company created by the State of Papua New Guinea to hold the State's assets and to maximise indigenous ownership and revenue gains in the mineral and petroleum sectors. It is empowered as the vehicle to better leverage the State's equity holdings and encourage more production and downstream processing of oil, gas and minerals in PNG through proactive investment strategies either wholly or in partnership with resource developers. Petromin provides real opportunity for Papua New Guineans to increase ownership of their resources in mineral & petroleum assets.

Copenhagen a big waste of money for PNG

BY REGINALD RENAGI

THE DAILY news is very discouraging to the people of PNG. They hope for a better future for their children and grand children one day. But that one day is a long way off.
There are many problems affecting their livelihood and want the government to address their immediate needs. But the mass media hype in recent months is mostly about the UN climate change conference in Copenhagen and what we will tell other world leaders.
It’s no big deal. Everyone's being hoodwinked - ordinary people that is, but not intelligent PNGeans. It is one big cop out by the people running this country.
We have many important national priorities to address. Lately, however, these are being constantly overshadowed by a smokescreen of public statements about the Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (or REDD) scheme, a global plan to slow down or eliminate the deforestation responsible for 20 percent of global emissions., as if it is the only viable policy option available.
REDD is only one aspect of a complex global phenomenon. PNG's delegation in Denmark seemed to have no real fall-back position if REDD was not acceptable to the world's developed nations who are the biggest biggest polluters.
In the past two weeks, critics have accused the PNG delegation of not being fully prepared for this conference. They are right.
The PM and his men forgot what is the position of our parliament and Opposition. We should have included the opposition’s stance on climate change to come up with a good bipartisan paper for Copenhagen.
We also did not need a big delegation of over 40 when half a dozen people should have been sufficient. It was morally wrong for the government to extravagantly burn several millions for this conference.
Considering the alleged eight million Kina for this conference, PNG has nothing beneficial to show for it.
The public should by now be in an uproar over their government’s spending millions for some greedy people to attend a conference that will not even reach any viable agreement. This is a total waste of money.
The people could have used this money in many needy areas. Our women have been crying out for a cancer machine for years. Teachers and nurses need a pay rise to meet the rising cost of living. PNG’s national security situation is appalling and needs much improvement.
With a tough year about to end, the people could do with some spare money now to enjoy a nice Christmas roast in this festive season.
Come on, Papua New Guineans, can’t you see they are laughing at our expense? Let us get rid of these greedy people in 2012.

Why can't I get a job?

Something you may not have seen recently.....

From PAUL OATES boonah.vista1@bigpond.com

Playing hide & seek with a Polar Bear -

Next time, get in the truck, stupid!

Good Thoughts & Dreams For A Better PNG

Hello Malum,

 

I have been reading your blogspot a lot and find the articles very interesting and also excellent pictures of PNG. You are a great journalist and I send this email for your valuable input and thoughts about the idea of raising awareness amongst the general community through word of mouth and usage of regular media sources to promote good habits, attitudes and values.  

 

Another year is shortly coming to a close and a new year soon to begin and instead of the usual "New Year Resolutions" that most of us (rarely) achieve e.g. quit smoking, quit binge drinking, stop chewing buai, lose weight or save some money, let us look forward to fulfilling dreams that we all wish to chase to improve our lives...

 

I believe we all have good thoughts in our dreams to see beautiful PNG moving ahead with the rest of the world and this could be by simply applying good thoughts that will not cost us an arm or a leg, but through genuine effort of telling others to change their undesirable habits and attitudes for the better. Advising them to be more respectful, showing honesty and courtesy, and caring and sharing, reminding them of good old-fashioned values and ways that we had learnt from our parents, from our village elders, from school, from church and from our neighbours. To get the message across to the masses, we could ask the media to help out by contributing some free space in their newspapers, radio and television. Worthy discussions could be rotated or offered on a voluntary basis from reputable persons in the community, from church pastors, from political leaders, from senior members of the disciplined forces and senior public servants and also business people. 

 

Simple messages could be conveyed to the people to obey the laws of the country, to respect others and the community, and settling problems and differences peacefully to avoid unnecessary confrontation and violence. Also telling people to stop doing deliberate acts of defacing (ugly graffiti and red buai spit) or damaging government and private property etc. These topics can be constant reminders in the newspapers, radio and television to everyone at least twice or three times a week. Also good suggestions could be discussed in a meaningful and wholesome way to engage the general public in participating for change and improvement to their lifestyles whether living in a town, city, settlement or village. Women could also use this opportunity via the media to voice their concerns on a whole lot of issues such as education, child health care, high cost of food, better housing, clean drinking water, fair employment, and be able to walk freely and safely without being harassed and so on.

 

Chasing those dreams would surely make PNG a great place to live, work and to do business and also more travellers would want to visit our lovely country, also investors would want to set up businesses to create more jobs and training opportunities. Our dreams can come true if everyone could spare a moment to listen to good thoughts from various reputable persons and apply those good thoughts or dreams. Young ones will grow up happy to enjoy a better and healthy future and they will pass on those dreams or values to their children...

 

Have a merry Xmas and a Happy New Year! 

 

James Derbyshire

Brisbane, Qld    

 

Twas the Night before Christmas

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads.
And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below.
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tinny reindeer.

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!

"Now Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! On, Cupid! on, on Donner and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!"

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of Toys, and St Nicholas too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.
A bundle of Toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack.

His eyes-how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly!

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself!
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk.
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose!

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ‘ere he drove out of sight,
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!"


Clement Clarke Moore (1779 - 1863) wrote the poem Twas the night before Christmas also called “A Visit from St. Nicholas" in 1822. It is now the tradition in many American families to read the poem every Christmas Eve. The poem Twas the night before Christmas has redefined our image of Christmas and Santa Claus. Prior to the creation of the story of Twas the night before Christmas St. Nicholas, the patron saint of children, had never been associated with a sleigh or reindeers! The author of the poem Twas the night before Christmas was a reticent man and it is believed that a family friend, Miss H. Butler, sent a copy of the poem to the New York Sentinel who published the poem. The condition of publication was that the author of Twas the night before Christmas was to remain anonymous. The first publication date was 23rd December 1823 and it was an immediate success. It was not until 1844 that Clement Clarke Moore claimed ownership when the work was included in a book of his poetry. Clement Clarke Moore came from a prominent family and his father Benjamin Moore was the Bishop of New York who was famous for officiating at the inauguration of George Washington. The tradition of reading Twas the night before Christmas poem on Christmas Eve is now a worldwide institution.

Source: http://www.carols.org.uk

JK returns to mum's home

By Newman Cuthbert

Children of mix parentage have the benefit of being from two or more provinces or even nationalities but there are times when some of these children are never given the opportunity to visit home provinces of either one of their parents.

This in itself is a sad state of affairs mainly because they miss out on the richness of the cultural heritage they inherit from either parent.

We refer to most of these as city kids who identify themselves with a province only by name.

For my son Joel, it has taken 20 years, but this Christmas he is fulfilling on his mums’ wishes and that is to have her own son return to the island of her birth.

“It is a wonderful feeling to have  this young man go ashore at my  home, wonder through the forests, watch the sunset from the mountains, swim in the same rivers, fish the creeks  for fresh water prawns  as I did in my teens and  get to understand  the life I  left  behind ,” Stephanie says.

Joel is of mix Oro and Siassi parentage and has spent most of his time growing up in Port Moresby and Eroro with a bit of time in Toowoomba in between.

But this Christmas he has decided to book a flight to Lae and get on a coastal ship for the one and half day sea journey which will take him to Finchhchafen and on to Siassi.

“Mum is from Gasam village and I have never been there so this will be quite an experience for me,” JK said.

Years ago Stephanie ventured from her home on Siassi like all other youngsters from the island and arrived in Port Moresby to train as a dentist at the Six Mile Dental College.

Some years later she moved on and joined the department of Post and Telegraph which later separated to become Telekom PNG.

Stephanie raised two girls who now have their own families and her baby boy JK is now a young man of 20.

“It is nice that my own son should decide to retrace my journey to Siassi to see where I come from, she said.

The prospect of travelling to Lae on an F100 is a far cry from the usual Dash 8 flights to and from Popondetta.

He is going home in the company of his mother’s younger brother Jerry who just as excited to have him.

“It is going to be one hell of a home coming and everybody is excited about this,” Jerry said.

Joel is named after his maternal grandfather the late Joel Som Kamia (Yolex).

In his prime this great man stood tall and elegant. He was descended from great warrior chiefs and took over on the death of his own father to be head of the Aslem Ngaivon clan.

But early in life he answered the calling of the Lord which took him and a young family away from home to spread the word of God in far off Sirunki valley of the Enga province.

Siassi is a small island just off the coast of West New Britain but is part of the Morobe Province.

It is rich in it cultural heritage for which the Sia dance is known throughout the country.

The people are spiritually linked to the land and the sea and they depict this relationship in their arts and crafts and their dances and demonstration of their hospitality to visitors.

It is a culture where the eagle, the fish and the  snake feature prominently while Bunrailum the fair fairy of the lakes who appears occasionally and  weeps as a sign that a member of the clan is about to pass on.

Joel will not be an ordinary visitor because he is the son of a woman who herself is an elder of her clan.  He will be treated with respect because of his mother’s status and his peers will hold him in high regard and relatives will go out of their way to make his stay as comfortable as possible.

But for JK the protocols of customs will not dampen the reasons for his own pilgrimage to Gasam village.

All the children’s stories he heard from mum while she was nurturing him will no longer be just stories but real people and places.

The many bays and lagoons protected by coral reefs  which as a young girl she would collect coral to process into lime and, the  white sandy  beaches, crystal clear waters  from  mountain streams cascading over rocks and pebbles.

It is an island of magic, beetle nut pepper fruit and lime where the taro and fish is plentiful and the mountains gently roll onto the ocean forming a picturesque coastline from which you can take in distant lands as far off as Madang, West New Britain and Rambutso on Manus.

Joel is crossing a bridge his mum built years ago that linked her people of Siassi with her in-laws thousands of kilometres away at Eroro village on the Oro Coast many years ago.

It will be a whole new   ball game and for the first time to experience his mother’s side of his life and his uncle Jerry will take him by the hands and guide him, educating him in the knowledge of customs and their ways and he will show him clan boundaries of land and the sea and help the young man conduct himself and induct him to be part of his mother’s culture.

A Christmas Carol has strong lessons for Papua New Guinea

Ebenezer Scrooge (right) sees Ignorance and Want in a scene from a Christmas Carol

Ebenezer Scrooge visits his own grave in a scene from A Christmas Carol

A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens, is one of the classic works of literature featuring the inimitable Scrooge and how his selfish and miserly life is transformed by the Three Christmas Ghosts.
It has many lessons for Papua New Guinea, especially when we are so resource-rich, and yet, we are so poor; when the rich seem to be getting richer and the poor seem to be getting poorer.
In writing A Christmas Carol Dickens was motivated by real concern for the welfare of the poorest section of the population.
He had suffered considerable personal hardship and poverty during his upbringing and echoes of this can be seen in descriptions throughout the book: "Alleys and archways, like so many cesspools, disgorged their offences of smell and dirt, and life upon the straggling street; and the whole quarter reeked with crime, with filth, and misery”.
Dickens was keenly interested in the welfare of poor children in the cities and believed that education was the key to improving the childrens' lives.
This interest is reflected in his descriptions of Ignorance and Want, depicted as two children huddled for protection beneath the cloak of the Ghost of Christmas Present –
Scrooge is warned especially to beware of Ignorance.
Dickens became a supporter of the Ragged Schools in which the children of poor families received education without being charged fees, though compulsory education for all was not introduced until 1870, the year of Dickens' death.
“I have endeavored in this Ghostly little book to raise the Ghost of an Idea which shall not put my readers out of humour with themselves, with each other, with the season, or with me,” he writes in the foreword to his great book.
“May it haunt their house pleasantly, and no one wish to lay it.
“Their faithful Friend and Servant, C.D. December, 1843.”
A Christmas Carol, describing the redemption of the wretchedly miserly Ebenezer Scrooge, is the best known of Charles Dickens' works and has become a Christmas tradition loved by children and adults alike.
It is composed in five staves, of which the central three describe Scrooge's visitation by three Spirits - the Spirit of Christmas Past, the Spirit of Christmas Present, and the Spirit of Christmas Yet to Come.
The remaining staves act as prologue and epilogue.
Dickens began writing the Carol in October 1843 and had finished it by the end of November so that it could be published for the Christmas season of that year.
The author took special pains to ensure that it was produced of the best quality but priced at a level that enabled it to be enjoyed by the widest possible audience.
This meant that, although the book was popular from the start, it produced relatively modest revenues for the author who had arranged the finances of the publication himself.
We are introduced to Ebenezer Scrooge, miser and man of 'business' (though the exact nature of the business is never made explicit) in no uncertain terms - "Oh! But he was a tight-fisted hand at the grindstone, Scrooge! A squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous old sinner”!
Scrooge is the surviving partner of the firm Scrooge and Marley, following the death of Jacob Marley exactly seven years previously - "Old Marley was as dead as a door-nail... There is no doubt that Marley was dead. This must be distinctly understood, or nothing wonderful can come of the story I am going to relate”.
In life, Jacob Marley had been as miserly and self-absorbed as Scrooge and as a direct consequence he had suffered great torments in the afterlife.
Marley's ghost visits Scrooge to offer him a chance of salvation, an opportunity to avoid the same fate as Marley if he is prepared to change his lifestyle.
Initially reluctant to believe his senses, Scrooge blames the spirit's appearance on indigestion - "You may be an undigested bit of beef, a blot of mustard, a crumb of cheese, a fragment of an underdone potato. There's more of gravy than of grave about you, whatever you are”!
Finally convinced, Scrooge is told to expect three Spirits...
The first spirit, the Ghost of Christmas Past, shows Scrooge scenes from his past including a Christmas party held by Mr Fezziwig for whom he worked as an apprentice.
The pleasure generated by the party was considerable yet the financial outlay to Mr Fezziwig was relatively modest.
Scrooge is deeply affected - "His heart and soul were in the scene, and with his former self. He corroborated everything... and underwent the strangest agitation”.
Scrooge wonders whether he should not have treated his clerk, Bob Cratchit, more kindly at Christmas.
The second spirit, The Ghost of Christmas Present, takes Scrooge to the house of his ill-treated clerk Bob Cratchit.
Despite this family's poverty, the household derives joy from simple pleasures - though a sense of impending darkness is provided by the description of Cratchit's crippled son, Tiny Tim.
"I see a vacant seat," replied the Ghost, "in the poor chimney corner, and a crutch without an owner, carefully preserved. If these shadows remain unaltered by the Future, this child will die”.
Scrooge is distraught (again we witness signs of his transformation) but the Spirit uses Scrooge's earlier words against him - "If he be like to die, he had better do it, and decrease the surplus population”.
At the end of the third stave, the Spirit draws aside his cloak to reveal two piteous children - "This boy is Ignorance, This girl is Want”.
Scrooge recoils in disgust, asking whether there is no refuge for the two waifs, and again is rebuffed by the Spirit using his own words against him - "Are there no prisons? ...Are there no workhouses”? The Ghost of Christmas Past makes way for the third, and most disturbing, Spirit.
The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come is the spirit which Scrooge fears the most, and it has an appropriately troubling appearance - "draped and hooded, coming like a mist along the ground towards him”.
In his company, Scrooge is shown the reactions of various groups to the death of an unidentified man.
No one appears to show any sympathy for his death and Scrooge wonders whom they may be discussing, though there is a suggestion that he may have his suspicions - "The case of this unhappy man might be my own. My life tends that way now”.
In contrast to the un-mourned death of this unnamed man, the Spirit shows Scrooge the household of Bob Cratchit where Tiny Tim is no longer present.
The scene is described with the utmost poignancy by Dickens, but Scrooge's reaction to the scene is not recorded.
Instead the Spirit draws Scrooge to a neglected grave - "choked up with too much burying; fat with repleted appetite".
As Scrooge confronts his own name on the grave, he promises that the intercession of the Spirits has changed him - "I am not the man I was. I will not be the man I must have been but for this intercourse”.
The final stave sees the complete, and sustained, transformation of Scrooge - "...to Tiny Tim, who did NOT die, he was a second father. He became as good a friend, as good a master, and as good a man as the good old City knew, or any other good old city, town, or borough in the good old world”.

Wonderful Walindi

 Walindi Plantation Resort lies on the shores of Kimbe Bay in West New Britain province, Papua New Guinea. 

The surrounding gardens are lush, tropical and give the visitor a feeling of tranquillity, relaxation and appreciation of nature.

Established since 1983, Walindi celebrated 25 years of operation in 2008.

The resort accommodation has 12 beachfront bungalows plus four ensuited plantation rooms, a large central area for meals, recreation, bar facilities, air conditioned library, media room, boutique and pool.

The main emphasis of the Resort is on diving and snorkelling.

A recent coral count of Kimbe Bay revealed an incredible 413 species of hard corals.

This is over half the total world species (799) in one Bay, a truly remarkable statistic which makes Kimbe Bay the “Coral Capital of the World”.

Comfortable boats carrying guests operate out of the Walindi Dive Centre to visit reefs for scuba diving, snorkelling and bird watching in the Bay on a daily basis.

The extraordinary underwater beauty of Kimbe Bay has lead to many prestigious international prizes for photography.

Over the last 18 years, marine images from Kimbe Bay have won prizes on 10 occasions at the Festival Mondial de L’image Sous-Marine, Antibes, France, considered the world championship of underwater photography.

These successes have helped establish Papua New Guinea’s international reputation as one of the greatest dive destinations in the world.

mv Stardancer (16 passengers) and mv Febrina (12 passengers) operate out of Walindi Plantation Resort on 7 to 10 day charters throughout the year.

They visit the Witu Islands  off shore to extend the diving adventure and the Father’s reef systems on the north coast of West New Britain.

Visits and packages are available through your nearest Air Niugini sales outlet or contact Walindi Plantation Resort direct on telephone (675) 9835441, fax (675) 9835638 or e-mail Walindi@online.net.pg 

New coffee CEO assured of support

A contestant for the position of chief executive officer of the Coffee Industry Corporation has welcomed new CEO Navu Anis and vowed to work closely with him for the development of the industry.

Former CIC chief scientist Potaisa Hombunaka, who was in the running for the position together with Mr Anis and former CEO Ricky Mitio, urged Mr Mitio and the CIC board not to take legal action against last week’s National Executive Council decision.

“As a contender for the position, I wish to congratulate Navu Anis,” Mr Hombunaka told me from Goroka today.

“I’m looking forward to working with him and see the coffee industry grow to the next level.

“I also pay tribute to my former boss, Mr Mitio, for his heart for the industry and for driving the industry for the last 33 years.

“However, I suppose it’s now time for new blood to take over, and drive the industry to the next level.”

Commenting on the Regulatory Statutory Authorities Act, which Mr Mitio had complained about, Mr Hombunaka said: “The National Executive Council has made the appointment and the CIC board should work with Navu Anis to drive the industry forward.

“I’ve read the RSA Act, and as far as I’m concerned, the acting Agriculture Minister Andrew Kumbakor has acted in his powers to sponsor the NEC submission.”

Mr Hombunaka, a career coffee officer, said his services would be available if the CIC required.

“My Christmas and New Year greetings to all coffee industry stakeholders in the country,” he said.

“If the CIC requires my services, I’m available.”

 

Papua New Guinea is best diving destination in the world

Papua New Guinea is located in the coral triangle of marine biodiversity with the highest diversity of tropical fish and coral in the world.

PNG occupies the eastern portion of the island of New Guinea, the second largest island in the world.

Situated directly north of Australia, it consists of a mainland with some 600 islands, of which New Britain, New Ireland and Bougainville are the largest.

PNG is recognised internationally as one of the best dive locations in the world with twice as many marine species as the waters of the Red Sea and up to 10 times as many as the Caribbean.

It has become known as an ‘underwater photographers’ paradise’ with many international award-winning photos being taken in PNG waters.

The country is surrounded by the Bismarck, Coral and Solomon seas whose constant movements feed and enrich the marine environment.

With 17,000 km of coastline and 45,000 sq km of reef systems, divers can enjoy minimal contact with other dive groups.

The immense diversity of sites include barrier reefs, coral walls, coral gardens, patch reefs, fringing reefs, sea grass beds, coral atolls and wrecks.

All dive operators offer dive instruction, scuba gear hire and a range of other services, with Nitrox offered by most operators.

Diving is possible all year round, the optimal season generally being from mid-April to mid-June and mid-September to mid-December.

Water temperature ranges from 26°C along the edge of the Coral Sea and up to 31°C in the Bismarck Sea, with visibility from 50 to 150 feet.

PNG has its own hyperbaric recompression facility located in Port Moresby.

The facility is situated within a private hospital and is operated and maintained to international standards by Hyperbaric Health Australia.

Further information about diving in PNG can be obtained from the PNG Dive website http://www.pngdive.com/.