European Union rules to benefit Papua New Guinea tuna sector

PNG can now export to EU markets fish caught anywhere, says Pokajam

 

By SHEILA LASIBORI

 

THE inclusion of PNG on European Union (EU) competent authorisation list of the illegal unreported and unregulated (IUU) regulation 1005/2008 is a boost to the country’s fish exports to EU markets, The National reports.

Prior to this official inclusion last Feb 4 (2010), under the then Cotonu Agreement, PNG (and others) could only export to EU markets duty-free on fish caught only in archipelagic and territorial waters,  Na- tional Fisheries Authority (NFA) managing director Sylvester Pokajam  said.

With the inclusion, PNG can now export to EU markets fish caught anywhere in the world and not just restricted to archipelagic and territorial waters, he said.

Archipelagic waters are those internally-owned by sovereign nations such as ownership of land, while territorial waters are those located 12 nautical miles from archipelagic waters to the start of the 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ). 

The economic partnership agreement (EPA) currently being negotiated replaces Cotonu Agreement and the interim EPA (IEPA) was signed by PNG last July.

Fiji signed the same document recently.

The IEPA also gave rise to PNG’s authorised status pertaining to the IUU regulation which came into effect last Jan 1.

“After we signed that agreement, we are now qualified to export globally-sourced fish as long as it qualifies the IUU regulation and the sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS),” he said.

The IUU regulation aims to improve traceability of all fishery products traded with the EU markets.

And for every EU-market destined canned fish and loins exports, copies of the documentation of the IEPA must accompany the catch (authorisation) certificate.

Head of the EU delegation to PNG Ambassador Aldo Dell’ariccia had said what now stood to be done by third countries including PNG was to validate the catch certification for products exported to the EU as long as the products came from catches that complied with conservation and management measures.

According to Mr Pokajam, the certificate would be issued only for the fish that was processed and not necessarily for every catch by fishing vessels.

He said this was the latest change by EU which he supported.

 

PNG reciprocity - Is this being applied evenhandedly?

From PAUL OATES

During a past APEC forum, Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare attempted to water down the intense frowning of Western countries on "gifts in Melanesia" seen as bribery. Sir Michael revealed his thoughts at a press conference on his return from the APEC meeting in Santiago, Chile, South America. The APEC member countries include those on - and within the - Pacific rim and include the United States, China, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand and all the Pacific Island countries.
Speaking in the context of structural reforms to achieve good governance, a pursuit of many APEC member-countries, Sir Michael said the issue of corruption was one of the concerns that was raised. Referring to PNG and other Melanesian country's gift-giving, Sir Michael said "sometimes people take us wrongly".
"I explained that sometimes the Westerners think that this is buying the right. It is not buying the right. It's appreciation of each other," he said.
Using the example of pig-giving, the ultimate gift in many PNG cultures, he explained that the giving of a pig is likely to be reciprocated by another later.
"That's not my buying you or you buying me. That's just our custom - and I tried to explain that," Sir Michael.
But he told the press conference he disdained the public servants' attitude of waiting for a "six-pack" in order to do jobs that they would be paid for by their employment in the public service. Could this be Sir Michael saying "Do as I say, not as I do!'?
Now on the subject of reciprocity, should one wish to be discerning, one could suggest that the Australian taxpayers have been paying out millions of dollars to assist PNG since Independence and yet apparently not demanding anything much in return. The possible rorting of AusAID funds and 'Boomerang Aid' aside, PNG government has directly and indirectly received many millions in Australian tax dollars with no established agreement about accountability and responsibility for the expenditure of these funds. The Australian culture of giving without expecting a comensurate exchange could possibly be at fault here. Yet if the PNG government happily accepts these yearly 'lumps of largese' why wouldn't the PNG government expect to give back something of an equivalent value return if Sir Michael evenhandedly applied his stated principle of Melanesian culture of 'appeciating each other'?
When a program of Enhanced Co-operation (ECP) was introduced to actively assist PNG police, Morobe governor Luther Wenge claimed he saved PNG by effectively torpedoeing the program, just as the program was starting to achieve positive results with law and order. While the ECP implementation could have been better handled, it was patently clear that Sir Michael and his government didn't lift a finger to try and find a solution to keep the program alive. One wonders why not, given the huge amounts of untied aid that his government had previously received?
PNG people are perfectly familiar with the theory of reciprocity. The only problem is that if PNG politicians start 'giving' presents involving taxpayer funds to people who then reciprocate by giving presents back, where do the real owners of the presents, (i.e. the PNG people) come into the equation? Swiss bank accounts don't seem to feature in most villages but of course no one would dare suggest any actual impropriety. That would require an open an transparent financial record as proof. Recent claims by the PNG Opposition that foreign millions helped Somare retain political power are or should be extremely worrying. What could these possible payments demand in return?
Speaking on a totally unrelated matter, the report that Sir Michael and some other government politicians have inadvertently forgotten to lodge their tax returns for many years does seem a trifle lax. The PNG people are also still waiting to hear who was involved in the Taiwan millions. These matters should be quickly and thoroughly investigated as soon as possible to clear any misgivings about any wrongdoing that some might hold. Unfortunately, it seems to take forever to investigate any suggested breaches of PNG law by PNG authorities. It would be very disappointing to find that the release of the results of these investigations were delayed, like those of the recently released Moti Report, until any period of no confidence votes came into operation.
Until the PNG Ombudsman Commission and the PNG Police Force investigate and publically advertise their findings on all donations, gifts, interests and any benefit derived while in public office, no start can be made to creating and graft and corruption free PNG. Charges must immediately follow any revelation of misconduct.
The rot always begins at the top. Effective leadership must set the example to be followed.
"Corruption thrives on secrecy... the only way to battle corruption is to bring it out in the open . ". (quoted in a Victorian Newspaper.)
______________________________ __________________

(The following chant is set in iambic pentameter, mostly...)
______________________________ ________________


Sapos mi laik givim samting,
Husat imas save tingting?
Em samting bilong mi,
Ino samting b'long PNG,
Emino bagarapim yumi?


Ol pipol isave lukluk,
Watpo yu krai olsem kokaruk,
Mi sandap olsem Gren Sif,
Mi singaut, mi bilip,
Emi gutpela pasin bilong yumi.


Trabel istap long ol raskol tasol,
Kain save istap long ol pipol,
Lain bilong mi ino mekim,
Kain olsem mi no sekim,
Dispela tok ilaik daunim yumi?


PNG ikamap gutpela hap nau ia,
Nogat wari na belhevi istap a?
Yu mas bihainim dispela singaut,
Maski tingting igo wokabaut,
Yu tok tasol; 'PNG i nambawan kantri.'


Kain olsem yu noken wari long moni,
Benk bilong mi igat dispela save,
Bihainim tok bilong mi,
Bai yumi girapim PNG,
Nau tasol, tiket bilong balus istap we?

Papua New Guinea's rape victims get help from vital clinic

DISGRACEFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/society-and-culture/on-the-medical-frontline-where-the-numbers-are-very-raw-20100308-pqs9.html

Papua New Guinea - Where are you now?

From PAUL OATES

On Emmanuel Narakobi's 'Masalai' blog site, there has been an interesting debate that started out about the world's most corrupt countries.
The subject of corruption seems to be a topical one and for some reason, the  discussion turned to corruption in today's Papua New Guinea.
The question of what is corruption seems to be in the eye of the beholder.
In order to define a corrupt practice, there needs to be a commonly accepted benchmark or yardstick. Illegal activities are, or should be very easy to spot and prosecute. Unethical activity however is or can be a very grey area. A recognised and agreed Code of Ethics is therefore required.
Now on the subject of recognised ethics, it seems there could be many interpretations of ethical behaviour. A recent decision, by an Australian government minister, that was announced on the same day as he was skiing with someone who stood to benefit from that decision by a reported $250 million could be merely coincidental. Certainly the minister thought and said so irrespective of what the Australian media seemed to suggest. But if there is reportedly 'no such thing as a free lunch', at what point does a reciprocal favour become unethical and therefore in an official view, 'corrupt'?
Many countries throughout the world have a recognised culture of reciprocity. In an Australian context, reciprocity is sometimes difficult to
appreciate. Australians are traditionally taught to give without expecting anything in return. Yet this does not always apply in many other cultures. Prior to working in PNG, part of our training required learning about the theory of reciprocity and how one might actually give offence to someone by giving them something they had no way of repaying on an equivalent level. This was a new concept for many just as the expectation of paying and receiving a 'tip' is, or used to be, totally foreign to an Australian. Yet in the United States, this practice is expected as a necessary way of ensuring good service and helping the employee augment a limited salary.
Australia has an essential part of most Federal and State governments, an internal audit function. This audit function is also augmented by an external audit authority and in many cases, there is also an equivalent of an Ethics Commission or Investigation Authority to which possible breaches by government officials of the law and ethical behaviour, can be referred.
In PNG, the official body tasked with investigating and reporting on possible breaches of the law and recognised standards is the Ombudsman Commission. PNG's Chief Ombudsman came to the forefront recently when an attempt was made on his life. This attempt amazingly seemed to coincide with some very high level investigations into PNG's political leaders. Reports just tabled in the PNG Parliament by the Ombudsman clearly indicate that some unlawful activities have been made by some high level PNG government
people. There is an indication that some illegal decisions were made that need proper investigation. The report into the Moti affair clearly requires a police investigation yet at the point where the investigation was about to be presented to Parliament, PNG's Prime Minister peremptorily closed the Commission of Inquiry down. The PNG PM seemed unaware of any apparent conflict of interest with this decision. Now it seems there are indications that the PM himself gave the illegal direction to fly Moti out of PNG. Yet a
spokesperson for the PM now reportedly claims that as Mr Moti's case in Australia collapsed due to a technicality, there doesn't seem to be any reason to continue with any investigation. In a post on the Masalai bog, a person claims everyone involved in the Moti flight knew it was illegal but left it up to the 'higher ups' to sort out. As the Americans are want say:"Go figure!'
Now in PNG, there has been slowly increasing culture of unofficial 'tipping' or as it is locally referred to as a 'six pack' culture. This terminology refers to the practice that in order to get a government official to actually do something, a six pack of beer or equivalent, is required. PM Somare is on record as saying that he believes the PNG public service is corrupt yet apparently, he is either unable or unwilling to do anything about it. Recent claims have now surfaced that even the PNG PM is accused of accepting monetary incentives worth many millions from a foreign country in order ensure he maintained political power in the 2007 general election. It is claimed that by reportedly 'buying' members of parliament to vote with his government with this money, Somare was able to keep in power. There is
now a worrying claim by a qualified mining engineer on a 'mine watch' web site recently raised concerns that a giant mine in PNG owned and run by the same foreign country that reportedly gave the millions to the PNG PM has been grossly undervalued to PNG's disadvantage. The foreign owners of the mine have now reportedly blacklisted the 'minewatch' site to all employees.
PNG's ethical standards are set out in the Constitution and subsequent legislation. This legislation was influenced by an Australian and PNG perspective prior to PNG Independence that was and has been accepted by successive PNG governments. The traditional PNG culture of reciprocity doesn't feature specifically in the PNG Constitution. This aspect has allowed some to believe that no stated mention means it isn't illegal under Melanesian culture.
So what benchmark for corruption is acceptable in today's PNG? Surely those elected to the PNG Parliament are elected to serve and look after the PNG people rather than themselves? At the apparent behest of PM Somare, the PNG Speaker of Parliament, who is supposed to be impartial, last year effectively closed down Parliament to prevent a vote of no confidence in the
government. When the Parliament opened again this month, the PNG Opposition moved a vote of no confidence in the Speaker. The Speaker then reportedly had no idea what to do and deferred to the Clerk of the House who also had no clear idea of what to do. The Speaker then ruled that a vote couldn't be taken.
So if those in the PNG government from the PM through the Speaker of Parliament down to all the members are not prepared to permit the PNG Parliament to operate as it was designed to do, then PNG democracy is at an end. It is suggested by a PNG blogger on the Masalai site, that PNG dictatorship has now effectively commenced.

Mystery woman 'lawyer' arrested

Caption: Mystery 'women lawyer' Helen Mark Kuipa at the MOSIC office at the Boroko police station during her questioning yesterday

City top cop shocked as suspect is a wantok and relative

THE woman "lawyer" who helped suspected bank robber William Nanua Kapris and 11 others escape from the Bomana maximum security facility on Jan 12 was arrested in a house at the Talai settlement in Badili, NCD, on Saturday, The National reports.

What shocked NCD metropolitan commander Chief Supt Fred Yakasa was that she happened to be from the same village as his and is a relative.

"That showed that people from everywhere and anywhere can get involved in this sort of thing, and not just from one area," he told a media conference yesterday.

The woman was identified as Helen Mark Kuipa, 26, from Kupalis village in Wabag, Enga province.

Chief Supt Yakasa said she maybe educated to Grade 11 or 12, or maybe first year at the university.

But she was not a lawyer, he said.

She was caught between 8pm and 10pm at Talai settlement following a tip-off.

Prior to that, she had been moving around from Gerehu to Morata and Nine Mile.

Chief Supt Yakasa said after the Jan 12 escape, Helen had spent one-and-a-half weeks with the fugitives, including Kapris, in and around Sogeri before they made their way back into the city and went separate ways into hiding in various locations.

He said Helen was flown from Lae to Port Moresby in December to play her role in the scheme, to go in and take out the prisoners.

He said her role to pose as a human rights lawyer for prisoner John Siko Wel was planned for her.

He said after her admission to helping the prisoners to escape from Bomana prison, police found that the escape was alleged to have been engineered through her "very close" relationship with BSP bank robbery suspect Kapris.

Helen has been charged with one count of aiding the escape of Siko Wel. She was charged under section 138(a) chapter 262 of the Criminal Code. She faces 11 other charges under this section for the 11 other prisoners who escaped.

She is likely to be charged with armed robbery, impersonating a lawyer and deprivation of liberty. She faces a total of 14 charges.

Chief Supt Yakasa said the Major Organised Crime Investigation Team (MOSIT) was still interrogating Helen on her involvement in the escape and to verify any alleged connection she may have had in relation to the BSP bank robberies of 2008.

He said Helen was cooperating well with police investigators.

He said they were piecing together clues to the puzzle.

"We are getting information about the whole drama. Members of the public with information should come forward."

Five escapees from the Jan 12 breakout still remain at large. On Friday, five escapees who broke out from Bomana last September surrendered to police.

Court bars inquiry report

THE Government has been barred from implementing the recommendations of the final report of the Commission of Inquiry into the Finance Department.

The National Court issued this order on Saturday, a day after Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare tabled the 800-page report in Parliament.

The interim injunction issued by Justice Bernard Sakora prevents the Chief Secretary and his task force team from implementing the recommendations of the report.

The order prevents the Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare, Chief Secretary Manasupe Zurenuoc, their agents, servants or instruments of the State from implementing, discussing, debating, or giving effect to the report compiled by retired judge Maurice Sheehan and his Commissioners.

The order also bans the media from reporting the recommendations of the report.

The orders were issued under section 155(3)(a) of the Constitution. The orders remain in force pending the hearing of the judicial review challenge on the entire report itself.

The orders were obtained by former Solicitor General Zachery Gelu and Paul Paraka, principal of Paul Paraka Lawyers, the biggest law firm in the country.

Paul Paraka Lawyers, through its Alotau branch, approached Justice Sakora to hear this application. Because of its urgent nature, the judge agreed to hear it on Saturday.

The plaintiffs allege that the final report of the inquiry contains certain adverse findings and recommendations against a number of organizations and individuals without any foundation.

They contend that the report is flawed I many respects, and breaches certain legalizations and the Constitution. They contend that the final report is not only unprofessionally done, but also done illegally outside the terms of reference of the inquiry.

"Such illegal report cannot be allowed to be debated, discussed, or acted upon. Adverse findings and recommendations made in a flawed report cannot be allowed to find its way into the public domain," Gelu contended.

Gelu and Paraka contend that of the 43 specific cases reported in the final report, only 18 were within the terms of reference and had been properly inquired into. They said 25 were illegally inquired into as they were outside the terms of reference, and in most of these cases, no payments were made by the Finance Department.

After a four hour hearing, Justice Sakora issued the orders. The judge also ordered that the matter be listed for a judicial review hearing in Waigani.

 

 

Somare changes tact

ANGORAM MP Arthur Somare has decided not to refer the two daily newspapers to the Parliamentary Privileges Committee to force the names of two ministers and a MP allegedly involved in the escape of wanted criminal William Kapris to be made public, The National reports.

Mr Somare has now changed tact, and has now moved a motion for the Speaker to request the newspapers to publish those names.

The Public Enterprises Minister explained his change of tactics last Friday.

“At that time, I believed that such action would provide an ideal opportunity for those who felt that they were wrongly accused, to defend themselves and avail themselves to whatever legal remedies they saw fit.”

“Since then, the advice that I have received suggests that such action would not achieve that outcome and the privilege would in fact thwart any legal recourse that a wrongly accused member or minister may have against the author of such newspaper reports.”

“My Motion therefore now, is to move that this Parliament through the Office of the Speaker, request the newspapers that ran the stories mentioned, to name those “government ministers, members of Parliament and High-Ranking Officials” named in the affidavit and be published as a matter of Public Interest.”

He said he was responding newspaper reports: The National, February 10^th & 11^th 2010 Edition [Front Page], “Politics Involved In Bomana Escape”, The National, March 2^nd 2010 Edition [Front Page] “Three Politicians Funded Escape”, The Post Courier, March 3^rd 2010 Edition [Front Page] “Ministers, Members of Parliament and High-Ranking Officials Were Involved”

“General and ‘sweeping’ allegations about “government ministers, MPs and High-Ranking Officials” being involved in criminal acts like the Kapis robberies, in my view, constitute reckless and malicious journalism intended to make everyone of us a suspect and thereby call into question our personal integrity and innocence, as long as you or I fall into the category of being a government minister, member of Parliament or a High-ranking official.”

But sources told The National Mr Somare felt pressured to change tactics because some MPs within government were questioning the motives behind his move.

“Some Members were wondering what Somare or the Government would achieve in this exercise. It is not in the interest of government to have names extracted from a police investigation that is still under way. Whose interests will this serve?” one source said.

 

 

 

More questions raised at Kapris

From PAUL OATES

Well may Mr Kapris, or is it Kapis, claim to have been acting in conjunctionwith some high profile figures. But the point must surely be, if such a claim was made, to what extent would it benefit Mr Kapris? There can only be  one good reason why Mr Kapris would want to 'spill the beans' on any high  level accomplices. He wants to have a record made of his testimony BEFORE anyone tries to get to him and rub him out.

The example of Lee Harvey Oswald, the accused killer of US President Kennedy, readily comes to mind. The fact that it took over a year for Jack  Ruby, Oswald's killer, to be brought to trial reeks of conspiracy and corruption at a high level. Ruby died in custody before he could appear in court. It doesn't take much imagination to work out that Kapris was sprung for a reason or that there were powerful and influential backers behind the scenes. It begs the question of why Kapris was sprung if he had nothing to offer anyone?
The PNG Police Commissioner should indeed be taking a personal interest in the case and ensuring a full and legally water tight testimony is extracted from Kapris before any further information is 'leaked' to the public. The question of who leaked the Kapris confession should be the subject of a full investigation along with how Kapris was sprung from a maximum security  establishment. Nothing less than a full judicial review should be made and  quickly at that. The best evidence is always the freshest.
One cannot but observe the apparent duplicity of Mr Arthur Somare who has insisted the three high level helpers who assisted Mr Kapris escape must be publically named. Why would this be done before anyone has been charged? It would only help destroy the case against them by the Prosecution. On the other hand, Mr Somare jnr. has been amazingly quiet about getting to the
bottom of such other issues as the Motigate affair, the Taiwan millions and any amount of official corruption claims. Why is he so insistent about knowing who the claimed three accomplices are?
It could be speculated that if there had been a high level deal going, anyone who had been left out of the action might want to know who was involved? Whether that was to keep them quiet or to get a cut of the loot might also be a matter of conjecture?
_______________________

Who is threatening our national security?
March 2, 2010

By Kumbit Aivi

The recent highly publicised prison walk out and the subsequent recapture of suspected bank robber and notorious criminal William Nanua Kapris and his cohorts has brought to the fore at least two serious issues facing our country. While this walk out continues to pose a temporary physical security issue, the real issues that underlie a threat to our national security are vested in the circumstances surrounding the walk out and the state's ongoing responses to our law and order challenges.
Kapris has been adamant since his capture and detention that some benefactors of the activities for which he is accused, especially the two daring bank robberies, are high profile people in the community and that these people have since profited from the loot. If his claims are true, then this country is in serious trouble. That there are indeed people of high standing who occupy positions of great trust and responsibility are behind Kapris' life of crime is indeed a great cause for concern. This is the first
real national security issue that needs addressing immediately.
Police and other authorities within our justice system will be well advised to take heed of Kapris' allegations and do everything within their powers to disprove him. His revelations, if he did disclose anything at all, may well be a case of sour grapes since the law caught up with him and left him high and dry while his passive partners enjoyed the loot in relative peace and
security. Whatever his motive is for the attempt to now 'spill the beans' on his cohorts, a thorough investigation is required to get to the bottom of his claims.
Certain members of the disciplinary forces are clearly deeply entrenched in this particular case judging by the police uniforms and equipment that were used in the robberies and the unusual lapses in security protocol that lead to the walk out at the Maximum Security Unit at Bomana last month. These must be carefully investigated and the perpetrators brought to face justice
together with Kapris. There have also been insinuations about a possible involvement by certain politicians and bureaucrats which must also be investigated and the individuals responsible rounded up and made to face the law. It is in the interest of our long term security and well being that the state must act judiciously and swiftly to properly prosecute this case and set up a good deterrent precedent for the future.

Free phone calls over the Internet

If you want to make free phone calls over the Internet, drop me a line at malumnalu@gmail.com or 76849763 and I'll set you up.

Today's Farm Report

From PAUL OATES
While we are getting some rain there's not enough runoff yet to fill the dams. Not like out west where the desert will bloom this year and Lake Eyre will probably fill.

Fungi are sprouting up everywhere and the cattle are doing well after only 12 years of drought.

Return of the Wau girl

BY OSEAH PHILEMON in The National

 

SHE paid her own way to fly from Brisbane to Lae to observe the first-ever Women in Business Expo held in the Morobean capital last weekend.

And she was impressed.

Sulam Abdelsamie comes from Wau in the Morobe Province.

She is married to an Egyptian agriculturalist that used to work for the Department of Agriculture and Livestock in PNG many years ago.

They both now live in Brisbane where Sulam runs two family businesses: one farming cooking herbs and the other a boarding lodge in the heart of Brisbane.

The couple has lived in Australia for the past 30 years after leaving PNG.

Her first business was a piggery but that did not last.

When the hydroponic herb farm came up for sale they grabbed the opportunity and are now producing all kinds of herbs for cooking.

Their main clients are the Coles supermarket chain all around Brisbane and North Queensland as well as northern New South Wales.

It has been a business she has been working on for the last two years.

Sulam also moved into the accommodation business running a small boarding lodge for travellers who wish to stop over for a short time or weekends.

“With family business you have to commit yourself 100% to it,” she said.

Sulam decided to come to Lae for the expo after hearing about it.

She said she happy that she did.

“I am very impressed.

“Times are changing and there are many opportunities for women to get out there and get themselves involved in business,” she said.

Next year the women in business expo will be staged in Port Moresby and Sulam says she will come back.

Motigate cover-up

Ombudsman wants Prime Minister, Polye investigated

 PRIME Minister Sir Michael Somare covered up the Motigate Affair, according to the Ombudsman Commission, The National reports.

The Ombudsman recommended that Sir Michael and his former deputy prime minister, Don Polye, be referred to the Police Commissioner to be investigated for possible Criminal Code charges.

Also recommended for police investigations are acting chief of staff of the Prime Minister Leonard Louma, deputy commissioner of police (administration) Toami Kulunga, police lawyer Hodges Ette and four senior Defence Force personnel.

It said this in its 70-page final report into the Julian Moti Report Affair which was tabled in Parliament by Deputy Speaker Francis Marus today.

Ombudsman commissioners John Nero and Phoebe Sangetari compiled the report, noting with concern that the procedures of the arrest of Moti, then the Solomon Islands attorney-general, were flawed from the outset when he was taken out of Jackson International Airport transit lounge, en route to Honiara, on Sept 29, 2006.

The Ombudsman said the police and the courts misinterpreted the Extradition Act and the Migration Act while PNG Defence Force air squadron acted out of line in eventually flying Moti to Munda, in the Solomon Islands, breaching PNG Civil Aviation procedures in the process.

It said the Prime Minister had used a national security provision of the Organic Law of the Ombudsman Commission on Nov 2, 2006, to prevent Mr Louma and then chief secretary, Joshua Kalinoe, giving evidence to the Ombudsman Commission and a separate Government inquiry into the Moti affair.

The Ombudsman said "this is seen as a means of protection, or cover-up" which prevented Mr Kalinoe, departmental heads and public servants from giving any information, answering questions or producing documents and other matters to the Ombudsman.

“In the opinion of the Ombudsman Commission, the direction to transport Mr Moti to the Solomon Islands came from the Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, Sir Michael Somare, which was facilitated by key government officials,” it concluded.

 

Irregularities cited in arrest, transportation of Moti

THE Ombudsman Commission said in its final report into the Motigate Affair that there many irregularities and technical/legal flaws surrounding the initial arrest, detention, bail and transportation of Julian Ronald Moti, The National reports.

It said his initial arrest and detention was unlawful because the arrest was made without a provisional warrant of arrest.

The bail, it noted, was unlawful because Moti was not allowed to be bailed under the Extradition Act of 2005, unless on special circumstances.

The Ombudsman also noted that the provisional warrants of arrest issued were not applicable under the Extradition Act.

"Despite the fact that there was no NEC decision to transport Moti to the Solomon Islands, key Government officials directed and facilitated the transportation. Their actions were contrary to the order of the court that Moti be arrested and brought before it."

It said, overall, there was lack of proper awareness of the laws and procedures under the Extradition Act of 2005 among relevant Government bodies which caused confusion in the implementation of the extradition process.

It said that as far as it was concerned, Moti's entry into PNG did not breach the Migration Action (ch.16).

"The initial arrest and detention of Moti (by the police) was unlawful and in breach of the Extradition Act.

"The direction from the then deputy Prime Minister, Don Polye, to acting police commissioner Toami Kulunga to have Moti released from police custody was wrong."

The Ombudsman Commission said in its executive summary that the actions of Joseph Assaigo (late), then director general of OSCA, to direct the PNGDF to fly Moti to Munda (Solomon Islands) was wrong.

Also, the PNGDF hierarchy and the air transport command were wrong in complying with "an unsanctioned operation" and in breach of the Civil Aviation Act of 2000.

 

Retired army chief warns of serious security threat

THE build-up of illegal firearms in the country is seriously threatening to destroy Papua New Guinea, former PNGDF commander and National Guns Control Committee (NGCC) chairman retired army general Jerry Singirok has said, The National reports.

"PNG's national security faces an extremely serious threat.

"The National Government's failure to deal with the threat posed by the build-up of illegal firearms is threatening national security," he said.

Speaking in Lae today, Gen Singirok said the Government should urgently debate in the current Parliament sitting the NGCC report and take immediate action to deal with the crisis.

"The Government received the NGCC report in September 2005 and yet, to date, it has shown no real political will to deal with this increasingly serious threat.

"The report contains 244 recommendations for affirmative action," he added.

"Our national security is at stake and I do not say this lightly.

"We are in a far more serious situation now than ever before and the future does not look any better as long as illegal firearms are being supplied freely nationwide without any deterrent or action," Gen Singirok said.

He said the NGCC's warning to the Government and politicians in 2005 about the rapidly increasing influx of illegal high-powered firearms being brought into PNG "is now happening".

"It is no longer an academic finding or conclusion nor a rumour. It is real and it is real throughout the Highlands region, Lae, Mamose, Islands and Port Moresby.

"The people have spoken; they told my committee in 2005 that they want all illegal guns removed from society.

"They told the committee their lives are in grave danger; the mothers came forward and told of how their husbands had been killed by guns in tribal fights, yet their stories were not bad enough to move the Government into action.

"I want to tell the Government and Parliament that the consequences of lack of control by them are evident, already in state institutions such as the police and Correctional Services.

"As chairman of the NGCC, I am calling on the Government as a matter of urgency and of national importance to immediately debate the 2005 NGCC report," he said, urging the ministers of Justice and Internal Security to take the lead in the debate and implement the NGCC's recommendations.

 

Air Energi now here

Caption: Air Energi Pacifica Ltd staff and management from the Air Energi offices in Brisbane, Singapore, Perth and PNG.  – Picture courtesy of Air Energi

THE reputation set by recruitment company Pacifica HR for high service delivery will continue now that global recruitment company Air Energi has acquired the outfit, The National reports.

Now known as Air Energi Pacifica Ltd, the group commercial director for Air Energi Graeme Lewis says there will be no staff changes or in the range of services offered by Air Energi.

The new company was officially launched last Thursday at Crowne Plaza in Port Moresby.

Air Energi is an international global manpower and recruitment services provider with regional headquarters in Manchester, Doha, Calgary, Houston, Singapore and Brisbane and a network of 30 offices worldwide, which now includes the Port Moresby office.

Air Energi said in a statement the Port Moresby office comprised 20 staff that fell in line with the Air Energi values of being innovative, passionate, pragmatic, knowledgeable and inclusive in what they did.

Mr Lewis, in his speech, talked about Air Energi’s proud record for providing support to some of the most prestigious energy projects around the world for the last 25 years.

Matthew Smith, vice-president for Air Energi Australasia, formally launched the business with Bank South Pacific chairman Noreo Beangke.

Mr Smith said Air Energi was happy with its decision to acquire the PNG-based human resource organisation, to further build on the existing business and pledged his full commitment to the development of the staff.

TWL offering 35% of equity in company

Caption: Staff of TWL in front of  hauling trucks at Moro. –  Nationalpic by SHEILA LASIBORI

 By SHEILA LASIBORI

 

SOUTHERN Highlands-based transport company Trans Wonderland Ltd (TWL) is offering an un-acquired 35% equity to landowner companies (lancos), according to managing director Larry Andagali, The National reports.

So far, 65% has being taken up by existing lancos, the latest being Moran Ina Naga Ltd, which paid K240,000 for its 10% equity share covering areas in petroleum development licence (PDL) 5 and 6 (each have 5% interest in the purchase).

Witnessed by some company directors, Moran chairman Tony Kila made the cheque payment to Mr Andagali on last night in Port Moresby during the deal signing between Hides Gas Development Corp (HGDC) and Business for Millennium Development (B4MD).

TWL, which started operating last June but formally launched only in July, has 21 earth-moving equipment to date from the initial 17 and employees over 120 staff.

According to Mr Andagali, the Moro-based company with offices in Lae for LNG cargo coordination would go into shipping and aviation.

“TWL will also move into aviation and shipping … we are having discussions and are still working on it,” he said, adding with the support of Moran and other lancos, they would reach their investment goals.

 “So everyone in Hides, Kutubu and Moran … we still have 35% that is available,” he said as he called on landowners in areas along the LNG pipeline, Angore, Juha, Komo airfield, PDL 1 and 5 to form their companies and buy shares in TWL.

Mr Andagali said starting from Moran at the border of PDL 6 into Juha, Angore and Hides would take up 50% in TWL while Kutubu, Upper Foe and Lower Foe including Poroma access road landowners would own the other 50%.

He said TWL was also working with Gobe and Kikori landowners who owned a transport company.

“We are in discussions for a joint venture tie-up to provide transportation services from Kopi all the way to Hides so there is no interruption.

“TWL is to be one-stop-shop transport and logistics company … we are working towards that aim to build up to 100-300 truck-fleet but working towards 100 trucks,” he said.

TWL’s six-monthly meeting for shareholders is due this month end.

Mitsui wins gas plan deals

 THE PNG liquefied natural gas (LNG) project has awarded Japanese transport company Mitsui OSK Lines Ltd (MOL) two long-term charters, The National reports.

The charters are for MOL’s two existing 177,000 cubic meter capacity LNG carriers with the state-of-the-art tri-fuel-diesel electric propulsion systems built in Korea at Hyundai yards this year and co-owned by Itochu Corp (Itochu) (MOL 70% and Itochu 30%).

The vessels are to be operated by MOL.

Simultaneously, MOL has entered into two heads of agreement, one with the PNG LNG project and one with an ExxonMobil affiliated company in the Gorgon project. Here, MOL will construct and long-term charter a total of four LNG vessels to the projects, all of which are planned to be built in China.

Deliveries will start in 2014-16 timeframe.

According to the statement, MOL has a proven track record of providing first class transportation for large scale LNG projects in the Asia Pacific and Middle East regions for over 30 years.

MOL also acknowledged ExxonMobil for their long association and their affiliates and joint ventures and was looking forward to working with them and their partners in the years ahead.

 

InterOil profit US$6.1m

INTEROIL Corp recorded net profit of US$6.1 million (K17 million) as against a net loss of US$11.8 million (K32 million) for the same period in 2008, The National reports.

The company said it was its first posting of annual profit.

Profits from InterOil’s refining and distribution businesses more than offset losses incurred in its developing upstream and liquefaction businesses.

This profit figure for the period ending Dec 31 included a significant expense item amounting to US$31.7 million (K87 million) for a “loss on extinguishment of indirect participation interest liability”.

This relates to an exchange transaction entered into with certain indirect participation interest (IPI) holders when their interests were exchanged for a certain number of InterOil’s common shares.

InterOil petroleum products sold in PNG totalled 6.5 million barrels for fiscal year last year compared with 6.6 million barrels in 2008, a steady result in light of the global economic backdrop.

Total revenue last year was US$693.1 million (K1.904 billion), compared with US$919.7 million (K2.527 billion) for 2008.

“The difference is primarily explained by lower crude oil prices, giving rise to commensurately lower product pricing in the current year,” InterOil said in a statement.

InterOil’s earnings before interest taxes, depreciation and amortisation (Ebitda) for the year was US$19.3 million (K53 million), down US$3.1 million (K9 million) from US$22.4 million (K62 million) in 2008.

This Ebitda figure would be US$51 million (K140 million) if the US$31.7 million (K87 million) ‘loss on extinguishment’ of the IPI liability was excluded.

 

Small reforms make big sense

Issued by the APEC Secretariat

 

Hiroshima, Japan, 3 March 2010 – The number of days it takes to start a business can have a direct impact on economic growth, says the World Bank.

According to Yara Salem, Private Sector Development Specialist at the World Bank, simple streamlining of processes can have a dramatic impact on economic performance:

“On average, reducing business-related processes by ten days leads to a 0.4 percent economic growth.  For some it is even more.  For Singapore, reducing the cost of starting a business has increased economic growth by about one percent and for Peru by 2.57 percent.”

In addition, she says, making it easier to start a company can also have a positive impact on employment.  She notes, as an example, the dramatic 28 percent increase in the number of businesses registered in Viet Nam following reforms in 2005.

Of course, economies should not stop at registration processes.  The benefits of one-dimensional reform are easily undone.  Salem specifies that to achieve enduring results demands coordination among institutions:

“You don’t want people just to register businesses.  You also want them to pay taxes, protect workers and know about the services that exist to help them.  You want to analyse the results and monitor them.”

Mexico is an excellent example of an economy that has created a synergy among agencies so that businesses can follow procedures at a “one-stop shop.”  A reduction of red tape has led to a five percent increase in newly registered companies and employment growth of almost three percent.

According to Salem, the five most important things that economies can do to increase the ease of establishing a business are:

• Provide one-stop shop service: reduce the number of offices a business must visit to establish itself legally. 
• Simplify registration formalities: make the process easier and make it purely administrative.
• Introduce or improve online processes so that they are interlinked.
• Simplify post-registration procedures at local levels.
• Abolish minimum capital requirements.

Only five out of APEC’s 21 members maintain minimal capital requirements for starting a business and APEC economies account for five of the ten world economies in which it is easiest to start a business.  These economies have standardised forms that are simple and in which answers are not subject to interpretation.  Registration fees are fixed and there is a very simple publication requirement to announce the creation of new companies. 

These topics were discussed by regional policy-makers and international experts at this week’s Ease of Doing Business Seminar, organised by the APEC Economic Committee.

As per the direction of APEC Leaders, economies are developing strategies for growth that is balanced, inclusive, sustainable and knowledge-based.  Specifically, they aim to create conditions that are conducive to business and which, by extension, lead to increased employment and economic growth.  Trade facilitation is one of APEC’s fundamental goals and APEC economies continue to address barriers to trade, including the time, cost and frustration associated with starting and operating a business. 

For more information, contact:

Carolyn Williams at cdw@apec.org or at (65) 9617 7316

Linda Carroll at lac@apec.org or at (65) 9647 4847

 

 

 

PNG carbon trader joins forces with Australian technolgy group

By Ilya Gridneff

PORT MORESBY, March 2 AAP – ASX-listed m2m Corporation Ltd has dropped a $10 million merger with Carbon Planet and gone into business with a man accused of running a carbon “cargo cult” in Papua New Guinea. 

Former disqualified Australian horse trainer and Philippine cock-fighting syndicate operator Kirk Roberts, and his company Nupan, is now working fortechnology investment group m2m to develop carbon trading projects in PNG. 

At a volatile meeting between PNG government and forest landowners on Monday Mr Roberts, who is also under investigation by the PNG’s Forest Authority (FA),was accused by PNG’s Forest Minister Beldan Namah of promoting a carbon “cargo cult”. 

But Mr Roberts, who received $1.1 million from Adelaide-based Carbon Planet in 2008, shrugs off widespread criticisms and is adamant he represents numerous PNG landowner groups who want lucrative carbon projects developed under a voluntary system. 

PNG authorities are worried Mr Roberts is undermining existing forestry laws, possibly misleading landowners in remote areas all while exploiting PNG’svacuum of national legislation and policy covering carbon trading where companies can offset emissions by supporting forest growth. 

East Pangia, in PNG’s rugged Southern Highlands region, is the latest carbon battle ground as Mr Roberts promises what many PNG villagers call ’sky money’because he appears to be selling air. 

At Monday’s meeting with divided Pangia landowner groups some argued for Nupan’s carbon trading, some argued for logging while a raft of governmentofficials and ministers criticised Mr Roberts’ carbon scheme. 

PNG’s FA managing director Kanawi Pouru last month took out a newspaper advertisement outlining an investigation into Mr Roberts while remindinglandowners Pangia had been allocated for logging since 2002. 

In July 2009 m2m announced a merger as a way for a back-door listing for Carbon Planet but the deal fell through in January this year, a month after m2mannounced that Mr Roberts’ Nupan would become their “rainforest developer”. 

“It is very important for shareholders to note m2m’s existing carbon credit business will not be affected by the Carbon Planet transaction not proceeding,”an m2m statement said. 

Nupan will generate about 10 million scientifically approved and verified carbon credits from 15 forestry projects in PNG over the first half of 2010,m2m said.   “Completion will allow m2m to recognise about $1 million in revenue in the first quarter of next year (2010). Further trading from the 15 projects isanticipated to deliver in excess of $4 million revenue by December 2010 and positive earnings,” another statement said. 

Ian Clarkson, m2m executive chairman, told AAP he would call back with a response but did not.   Paul Barker director of PNG’s think tank Institute of National Affairs said PNG does not need any more carbon trade scandals. 

“One would like options for the landowners other than logging operations, which have ruled the roost for years with many bad results,” he said. 

Mr Roberts is linked to last year’s sacking of a top PNG climate change official and is tied to an ongoing government investigation of PNG’s nowdefunct Office of Climate Change. 

Carbon Planet has replaced former CEO Jim Johnson with Dr Ross Williams while executive director Dave Sag declined to comment on recent developments”due to the confidentiality clauses that persist in our contracts”. 

m2m’s current market capitalisation is about $6.7 million and its shares last traded at 0.3 of a cent.

Source AAP