Agriculture extension concept needs to be expanded

By SOLDIER BURUKA of DAL

 

An agriculture smallholder extension concept successfully trialled in two provinces should be expanded throughout the country.

The Smallholder Support Services Pilot Project (SSSPP) proved successful during its trial phase in the Morobe and Eastern Highlands provinces through funding support from the Asian Development Bank.

The expansion phase has again been made possible by a K3 million grant provided by the New Zealand government through its aid agency, NZAid.

It will now be expanded to the Chimbu and Central provinces.

A Smallholder Support Services Expansion Project workshop held in Lae recently was told that the concept is a good one and should be expanded to other provinces.

This extension concept has been well received and has improved agriculture extension and agriculture productivity in the Eastern Highlands and Morobe provinces.

Morobe provincial administration deputy administrator Geoving Bilong and his EHP counterpart Solomon Tato told the workshop that they were pleased with the concept which has had a positive impact in the people’s livelihood in the two provinces.

They said that with adequate funding and resources Morobe and EHP were prepared to take the lead in assisting other provinces to implement the extension concept.

They also urged that the concept be taken on board under the auspices of the National Agriculture Development Plan and similar programmes.

Bilong said that the concept can be adopted and incorporated into current extension systems as the way forward to enhance agriculture extension and delivery of agricultural services especially at the district and ward council level.

He thanked NZAID for having confidence in the PNG agriculture sector and placing emphasis on gender participation.

In Morobe more women are becoming involved in agriculture as service providers and all these have been made possible by the new extension concept.

“Many people who have gone through the SSSPP concept have improved their agricultural activities,” Bilong said.

“This is a good project that has the capacity to involve people at all levels of the community and can make a big impact in improving extension services in PNG.”

Tato said the extension concept had assisted in starting up new agricultural initiatives in areas where agriculture delivery services were not effective in the past.

 He said the concept could be adopted into other agricultural programs for maximum impact in the rural communities.

Eastern Highlands agriculture advisor Bubia Muhuju said the concept had improved agriculture extension activities as well as enabling more cooperation and teamwork amongst various stakeholders especially district agriculture services.

It has led to positive impact in agriculture development in the province.

Chimbu agriculture advisor Damien Toki said his province had arranged for staff to be seconded to the SSSEP and organised its new office as well as appointing a Support Services Contract Facility steering committee.

The provincial executive council has approved funding and the project should commence operation in September.

“SSSEP concept is designed to sustain smallholder initiatives,” he said.

“As a province that is smallholder activity driven in all aspects of life, we saw this as the way out and are more than happy to participate in this programme.”

Central province’s deputy administrator Michael Uaiz stressed that awareness and advocacy was essential to progress the SSSEP and related programmes.

 He said the people of Central deserved to be given a fair deal and the SSSEP provided opportunities for agriculture development to move forward.

 

Public servants' pay scales to be reviewed

From PAUL OATES

I see in the recent Papua New Guinea news some statements about reviewing the pay scales of public servants, .... but in the future naturally.
This initiative could well have very advantageous spin offs for PNG where the 'six pack' mentality has become an accepted fact to get anything done.
But 'Old habits die hard'. To accept better pay and conditions, public servants must be offered a legally binding contract to sign with performance benchmarks and guarantees against any corrupt practices (to be spelt out). Failure to meet this legal contract would either lead to a reduction in pay (if due diligence and care is unsatisfactory) or dismissal (if corruption is found or continued).
This type of contract is now standard practice in many public services. Contracts must be negotiated in advance with public service unions and staff associations and then advertised and discussed extensively prior to implementation.
But will PS senior staff and CEO's be diligent themselves?  'Who will watch the watchers'? Will PS supervisors be prepared to act? Will the politicalisation of the PNG public service over the last decade work against any new regime? Will PNG politicians be prepared to act against those they themselves may have found sinecures for? Those who are tasked with the implementation of these contracts must themselves be above reproach.
This whole concept also calls for a lot of 'WILL' power. Has too much 'WON'T power been build up over the last few decades?
If those authorities (the Public Prosecutor, et al), in PNG aren't able to hold their government and its members responsible and accountable, why should the country expect any better from her public servants? The example must start from the top.
______________________________ __

O'Neill promises pay rise for public servants in 2011

THE Government has indicated a pay rise for public servants across the country in next year's budget.
It has also assured of a more stable and consistent public service free of constant changes that suit political and parochial whims.
That promise was made by Treasurer and Minister for Public Service, Peter O'Neill, when addressing a group of bureaucrats this week.
He said negotiations between the Public Employees Association and the Department of Personnel Management were currently underway for a likely rise next year.
In return for this commitment, O'Neill wants public servants to perform their duties with the trust, loyalty and efficiency expected of them so the Government's service delivery to the people is reliable and effective.
Speaking to provincial and district treasurers at the 13th bi-annual conference in Chimbu on Monday, O'Neill said: "I care for the welfare of our public servants, so we might see a (wage) increase in the 2011 Budget."
"There will be no constant changes because stability in the public service is crucial, and we will continue this (approach) during the term of this Parliament," he said.
O'Neill said the PNG economy would be achieving a high growth rate of 8 % this year because of the stability in the public service, in politics and in the economy.
"We have many resource projects opening up, therefore, we need the right political leadership and we need the right public service leadership.
"That is why we need to make merit-based appointments, and the same should happen with political leadership."
He called on the treasurers and public servants maintain their professional and personal integrity by refusing to entertain corrupt political leadership.
"You are holding those positions because of trust and honesty. If political leaders do wrong, learn to say, no. Do not change budgets to suit Members (of Parliament) or contractors.
"You must maintain the integrity of the office you hold and earn the trust of the people. It is the people's right to get health, education and other Government services."
He also assured of the Government's commitment to continue funding of the Department of Finance's district treasuries roll-out programme next year.
The programme, which was started in 2004, has now seen the establishment of fully-functional modern treasury offices, staff houses, logistical back-up and banking and postal services in 58 of the 86 district treasuries.

Autopsies for Papua New Guinea crash victims in Queensland

September 3, 2010 - 1:34PM

AAP

 

The bodies of the four victims of this week's plane crash in Papua New Guinea will be transported to Brisbane for autopsies, after being released by a PNG coroner.

The bodies of the three Australians and one New Zealander will be flown to Brisbane as soon as a large commercial aircraft becomes available, an Australian government source told AAP on Friday.

The New Zealander's body was expected to be repatriated home from Australia at a later date.

Moving farewell

Misima Island authorities preparing to repatriate the dead victims of the plane crash to Port Moresby yesterday.Picture by SINEWATHA ISHMAEL

Islanders turn up in force to send off crash victims

By STEPHANIE ELIZAH

MISIMA Islanders were in mourning as they turned up yesterday at Bwagaioa station to say goodbye to four expatriates who were killed in a plane crash on Tuesday, The National reports.

Government offices, businesses and schools on this Milne Bay island were closed as islanders and public servants paid their respect to the victims of the crash.

The laid-back island has suddenly become the focus of world attention 48 hours earlier when a Cessna Citation jet, with three Australians and two New Zealanders, crashed upon landing in bad weather.

The islanders came in droves, in their best dress, to farewell the four people whom many of them had probably never met.

School children led the farewell entourage, forming a “guard of honour” from the island’s health centre morgue to the airport where a Airlines PNG Twin Otter was waiting to take the bodies to Port Moresby.

The line stretched about 500m between the morgue and the airstrip. All district administration vehicles also lined up for the farewell.

The islanders sang traditional hymns, some shed tears and many threw flowers on the path leading to the waiting aircraft.

The bodies, wrapped in body-bags, were carried by district health and administration workers.

“We were preparing the bodies when school children and public servants lined up to pay their last respect,” Samarai-Murua district administrator Hayden Abraham said from Misima.

Shortly after midday, the Twin Otter left for Port Moresby where the bodies will be treated and handed over to their immediate family members.

In Port Moresby, investigators announced that the Trans Air Citation jet’s black box had been recovered from the crash site.

This instrument, which records operation details of the aircraft, will help investigators better un-derstand the cause of the crash which killed the four and injured the 25-year-old co-pilot of the chartered aircraft.

Civil Aviation Accident Investigation Commission chief executive officer David Inau said five investigators had been assigned to the case.

“I have formally invited the Australian transport safety bureau to assist with the investigations. I have already a team of three on site working with us,” he said.

The Australian High Commission said those who died were Port Moresby-based Trans Air co-owner Lesley Wright, Richard “Chris” Hart and Darren Moore. A New Zealand citizen killed was unnamed.

Co-pilot Kelby Cheyne survived the crash.  

Commission officials and a medical team travelled to Misima to assist with Cheyne’s medical evacuation and to facilitate the repatriation of the remains of the deceased.

It said it was working with police and local authorities to have the remains repatriated to Australia at the earliest opportunity.

The high commission said consular officers in Port Moresby and Canberra were working with the airline company and local authorities to keep the families of those affected by the crash informed on developments.

Officials were also in contact with their New Zealand counterparts.

Papua New Guinea safety inspector among crash victims

CIVIL Aviation Minister Benjamin Poponawa has promised a full and thorough investigation into the air crash in Misima, Milne Bay, that killed four people, The National reports.

He said the Accident Investigation Commission (AIC), under its chief executive officer David Inau, would conduct a thorough and independent investigation in accordance with international civil aviation rules with the help of Australian experts.

“The AIC has invited the technical assistance of CASA PNG, the operator, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau and other independent agencies.

“Onsite component of the investigation will continue for several days and an airspace restriction remains over the crash site.

“It is expected that an interim factual report will be released within 28 days,” Poponawa said in a statement.

He confirmed that Darren Moore, a flying operations inspector with the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, was killed in the crash.

He expressed condolences to the family and friends of those killed.

Poponawa said Trans Air (PNG) had no connection to Transair (Australia).

“The links to the Transair (Australia) Lockhart river accident in 2005 and this accident cannot be ignored.

“The investigation and inquiries into the Lockhart river accident, including the Queensland coronial inquiry, did not hold Transair accountable.”

He said Trans Air (PNG) had an existing air operator certificate (AOC) since 1998, prior to the Lockhart river accident.

 

Farewell to a good mate

Darren Moore and Munchkin, his pet cuscus who lived with him  in Port Moresby

By MALUM NALU

On Monday this week, a day before he died in the plane crash on Misima, Darren Moore posted a message on my Facebook page regarding the summary execution of a teacher in Enga province in cold blood last Friday.

“It makes you want to carry a firearm to ensure your own safety,” he told me.

“Animals like this are really making a bad name for PNG in the world’s eyes.”

These were the last words Moore would ever share with me and words that I’ll always remember when I think about him.

The first time Moore came to PNG was to deliver an old C-172 for a bloke who gave him some bad information about weather and radio communications. Everyone saw the funny side of that - ultimately.

He then posted a message on his own page on Tuesday, saying: “Woohoo.

“Back driving the jet for a few hours today.

“Audit reports can get stuffed, I'm off flying.”

I read that message and presumed that Moore, a qualified pilot and flight operations inspector with the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, was flying some jet.

I heard about the plane crash in Misima on Tuesday, however, had no idea that this good mate of mine was among those killed.

Villagers and curious onlookers, Australian air safety officials and CASA and Accident Investigation Commission investigators at the scene of the crash on Misima Island, Milne Bay, inspecting the remains of the Cessna  Citation on Wednesday.  – Picture by SINEWATA ISHMAEL

In fact, the first thing that came to mind was that Moore would be among those investigating the crash, and that he would be giving me some exclusive information about what really happened.

Just two weeks ago, I met Moore at the Holiday Inn, in which he told me about last month’s air crash in Kabwum, Morobe province, which he had just investigated and was now in the process of putting together his accident report.

Darren Moore in the cockpit of a plane

A couple of times, he had asked me, through my Facebook page, to go and have a “brew” with him at either the Aero Club or Airways Motel at which he would tell me some flying yarns.

I got the shock of my life when I read on the front page of yesterday’s The National that Moore, 44, from Leonora in Western Australia, was among those killed.

I kept on asking myself “why, why, why” when Moore was someone who could offer Papua New Guinea civil aviation so much.

And the saddest irony is that all of those air crashes Moore has been investigating will now not be completed, as he himself became a victim of an air crash.

Just two weeks ago, when we met at the Holiday Inn, Moore was telling me about the August 2008 Kokoda Trail Cessna 2006 crash that killed  pilot Christopher Kaines, the August 2009 Kokoda plane crash, last month’s Kabwum plane crash in which the young Australian pilot miraculously survived, and many others.

He was particularly concerned about the circumstances surrounding Kaines’ crash and wanted to see justice done for the dead pilot’s wives and children.

He was deeply concerned about the level of air safety investigations in the country, and freely admitted that the government must allocate more funding for this.

Moore also raised concerns about the level of air safety in the country, saying that we must never compromise our air safety by lowering standards, or allowing shady operators into the business.

He has been constantly calling me since by telephone and through Facebook about developments within PNG civil aviation.

Fellow aviation mates of Moore, known as Wiz, posted tributes on a popular pilot website to the "rough nut" who was working with PNG's CASA.

Moore has been described by a grieving mate as “a truly great bloke - consummate pilot, with lots of street smarts and common sense - also an extraordinary party animal”.

Moore’s Facebook page has been full of emotional comments since Wednesday when

friend Ryan Hooper confirmed: “Well I am sorry to say yes Darren was killed in the accident.

“He was a true mate and my heart is with you Sue.”

Dave Healey: “Fly high old mate, you've touched the lives of a great many people and will be sorely missed.

“Spread your wings wide and fly into the sun.”

Min Stokes: “This is so sad, condolences to Sue and the family.

“Daz you were one of a kind, true blue.

“Aviation won't be the same without you and your humour, we'll miss ya.”

Leon Garlett: “Thanks for the laughs in Leonora mate.

“You went where angels feared to go

“Condolences to Sue and family.”

Charl Du Plessis: “Hard to accept it.

“He was working on a great future for him and the family and I find it very sad that it had to end this way.”

Eric Galliers: “Darren, your last status says it all about your true passion mate.

“You will be missed by many and I still can’t get it into my mind that aviation took you.

“Very sad old buddy.”

Roz Roulston: “I was just thinking about you yesterday Darren.

“Was hoping you were safe in PNG and how many accidents happen over there.

“I had no idea it was you.

“All my love sympathy to your family.

“I can't believe it's you. R.I.P.”

Michael Anthony: “Darren, from one sky god to another... rest in peace mate.

“Watch over us and know we won't forget ya.”

Killed together with Moore were  were passenger Chris Hart, 61, from Sydney, and Trans Air charter co-owner and pilot Les Wright, 59, from Queensland.

The fourth victim, an employee of medivac company International SOS, was a New Zealander.

The survivor, another New Zealander who is a permanent resident of Australia, arrived in Port Moresby on Wednesday afternoon on a charter flight from Misima Island in PNG's Milne Bay province.

The unnamed 25-year-old co-pilot of the doomed Cessna Citation was immediately whisked on to another plane and flown out of PNG to an Australian hospital for medical treatment for "heavy bruising".

His amazing escape happened on Tuesday afternoon when the Trans Air plane overshot the Misima runway while landing in heavy rain and crashed into trees, bursting into flames.

Australian and New Zealand diplomatic staff flew to the island on Wednesday to supervise the retrieval of the bodies and to inspect the crash site.

They were joined by PNG air accident investigator Sid O'Toole and other officials

Civil aviation authorities in PNG said it was still too early to say what went wrong but guaranteed a full and complete investigation.

Trans Air, which runs a charter and medivac service in PNG, is linked to the now defunct Australian airline Transair, which went into liquidation after a 2005 crash at Lockhart River in north Queensland in which 15 people died.

Diversified managed fund for workers

By REG RENAGI

 

As apart from the traditional pension or superannuation funds in Papua New Guinea, , the government needs to make it a big part of its financial market reforms to also establish other diversified types of ‘managed funds’ with specific benefits products to cater for the overall needs of the majority of income-earners in the country. 

The public needs other alternative investment choices other than just putting their hard-earned savings in the banks and only getting a pittance for it.

While most super funds have grown over the years due to membership increases, fundamentally they have not changed much since being established.

 New managed funds are needed for future investments by the public and should be creatively designed so that the fund benefits also extend not only to members, but also to their spouses, children and immediate families.

The super funds in PNG so far are set up fundamentally for single purposes to generally provide for future needs.

 They are a single old savings scheme to give workers some security at retirement and in their old-age. 

Simply, they are life-long financial plans – an investment vehicle of member’s personal financial planning.

 All in all, they provide a great advantage to the average worker who might otherwise not have the means available for a planned retirement.

The government when designing future managed funds must be careful to ensure inbuilt hedging mechanisms are in place to safeguard against two factors: inflation and increasing life-expectancy. 

For the benefit of citizens, the government will need to introduce other suitable managed funds for all categories of workers and their families to enjoy new fund benefits as:

 

·        Home savings to buy a home;

 

·         Medical bills;

 

·         Children’s tertiary education;

 

·         Invest in shares; and

 

·         Premium for personal and home insurance.

 

The country’s new fund’s products must also cover a wide range of financial instruments from property, insurance to stocks (shares) and unit trusts. 

So upon retirement, workers have a sizeable ‘nest-egg’ to see them through in retirement years. 

What’s more, it must also be made a future government policy to encourage all citizens the importance of long-term financial planning.

 Hence, the future challenge now is for both the government and managed funds trustees to continue introducing innovative, yet conservative savings and investment strategies of allowing its national workforce in all categories to intelligently use their managed funds in meeting their future expectations.

You are always on our minds

Moasing Nalu with a baby whilst a nurse at Buangi hospital, Finschhafen

In loving memory of Mrs Moasing Nalu August 18, 1938 – September 2, 2009

In loving memory of Mrs Moasing Nalu, who passed away at Angau Memorial Hospital in Lae on Wednesday, September 2, 2009, at 10.15am.
Aged 72, she is survived by her children Alison, David, Malum, Lepung and Anna Nalu as well as 14 grand children.
My mum was a committed Christian until the day she died, and worked with my father, the late Mathias Nalu, all over the country in the colonial pre-independence days.

Papua New Guinea losing "millions" from Japanese tourism market

THE Tourism Promotion Authority says Papua New Guinea is currently losing millions in tourism dollars from the Japanese market and all relevant government agencies must quickly work together to address the problem.

PNG TPA chief executive officer Peter Vincent said major tour operators across the country were experiencing large booking cancellations by Japanese tourists following a Level 2 Travel Alert issued by the Japanese government for the interest and safety of its citizens.

The Level 2 Travel Alert prevents group travels by Japanese tourists to PNG however individuals can travel here but “at their own risk”.

Vincent said the Level 2 Travel Alert was issued in August following major security breaches at the Jacksons Airport including the killing of a local businessman and the exchange of gunfire between a disgruntled resource landowner and police.

He said while these incidents may be localised in nature, however, given the existing negative image perception of PNG abroad, that in the overall scheme of things, they caused more damage than good for PNG’s standing overseas.  

He said many PNG tourism operators have expressed their concern to the TPA that they were losing business in the millions because of booking cancellations by Japanese agents and tourists.

“This has now become a government-to-government matter which needs to be addressed immediately to safeguard our growing tourism industry and particularly our local tourism operators,” he added.

Vincent said the Japanese Government was adamant that it would not relax the travel alerts unless it was convinced that the safety of its citizens was guaranteed particularly at Jacksons Airport which is the gateway to PNG.

Vincent said while TPA was already working with police and other relevant government agencies including Civil Aviation and Air Niugini to address the issue, the national government needed to be more proactive in its approach as such incidents can also impact on Air Niugini’s second weekly flight to Tokyo and the billion kina LNG project.

He said as a nation, our people also seriously needed to do away with their attitude problems which gave rise to such issues and they must take responsibility and ownership in the progress and development of this country.

Papua New Guinea losing "millions" from Japanese tourism market

THE Tourism Promotion Authority says Papua New Guinea is currently losing millions in tourism dollars from the Japanese market and all relevant government agencies must quickly work together to address the problem.

PNG TPA chief executive officer Peter Vincent said major tour operators across the country were experiencing large booking cancellations by Japanese tourists following a Level 2 Travel Alert issued by the Japanese government for the interest and safety of its citizens.

The Level 2 Travel Alert prevents group travels by Japanese tourists to PNG however individuals can travel here but “at their own risk”.

Vincent said the Level 2 Travel Alert was issued in August following major security breaches at the Jacksons Airport including the killing of a local businessman and the exchange of gunfire between a disgruntled resource landowner and police.

He said while these incidents may be localised in nature, however, given the existing negative image perception of PNG abroad, that in the overall scheme of things, they caused more damage than good for PNG’s standing overseas.  

He said many PNG tourism operators have expressed their concern to the TPA that they were losing business in the millions because of booking cancellations by Japanese agents and tourists.

“This has now become a government-to-government matter which needs to be addressed immediately to safeguard our growing tourism industry and particularly our local tourism operators,” he added.

Vincent said the Japanese Government was adamant that it would not relax the travel alerts unless it was convinced that the safety of its citizens was guaranteed particularly at Jacksons Airport which is the gateway to PNG.

Vincent said while TPA was already working with police and other relevant government agencies including Civil Aviation and Air Niugini to address the issue, the national government needed to be more proactive in its approach as such incidents can also impact on Air Niugini’s second weekly flight to Tokyo and the billion kina LNG project.

He said as a nation, our people also seriously needed to do away with their attitude problems which gave rise to such issues and they must take responsibility and ownership in the progress and development of this country.

 

Probe starts into air crash

Among 3 Aussies and Kiwi killed was Trans Air co-owner

By STEPHANIE ELIZAH

Villagers and curious onlookers, Australian air safety officials and CASA and Accident Investigation Commission investigators at the scene of the crash on Misima Island, Milne Bay, inspecting the remains of the Cessna  Citation yesterday. – Picture by SINEWATA ISHMAEL

AMONG those killed in the plane crash on Misima in Milne Bay was Les Wright, the co-owner of Trans Air, which ran the charter, The National reports.

Wright, 59, was from Queensland, Australia.

The others were identified as Chris Hart, 61, from Sydney, and Darren Moore, 44, from Leonora in Western Australia, who was a civil aviation flight operations inspector.

The name of the fourth victim, an employee of medivac company International SOS, a New Zealander, was not released.

The survivor, another New Zealander who is a permanent resident of Australia, arrived in Port Moresby yesterday afternoon on a chartered flight from Misima Island.

The unnamed 25-year-old co-pilot of the doomed Cessna Citation was immediately whisked onto another plane and flown to Australia for medical treatment for “heavy bruising”.

Trans Air (PNG), a charter and medivac operator, is linked to the now-defunct Australian airline Transair, which went into liquidation after a 2005 crash at Lockhart River in north Queensland, killing 15 people.

Investigations have begun into the crash, which occurred on Tuesday afternoon.

The bodies of the four are at the morgue at Misima Hospital and would be flown to Port Moresby today.

Around 4pm yesterday, a chartered Airlines PNG Twin Otter arrived in Port Moresby with the injured co-pilot, heavily sedated.

Local and international media were locked out of the Trans Air hangar at the airport by security guards.

Accident Investigation Commission (AIC) chief executive officer David Inau confirmed “that a Cessna Citation jet ran off the end of the runway on landing”.

Inau gave no further details, only stating that  “until all findings have been gathered and finalised, then a formal statement will be made”.

Civil Aviation Safety Authority and AIC investigators were accompanied by Australian officials to the crash site yesterday.

They would try and establish the cause

of the accident.

Australian leaders, including prime minister Julia Gillard and foreign affairs and trade minister Stephen Smith, yesterday expressed sorrow at the loss of their citizens’ lives.

“On behalf of the government, I offer my condolences to the families of the three Australians that will be grieving the loss of a loved one today,” Gillard told reporters in Australia yesterday.

“I also offer our condolences to the New Zealand family that has lost a loved one.

“And, I wish a speedy recovery and a return to good health to the New Zealand citizen, Australian resident who has been injured.”

Smith said the tragedy came just weeks after the first anniversary of the Kokoda plane crash in which nine Australians died.

“This will be a very sad reminder to nine Australian families,” Smith said.

“It follows on very closely from the first anniversary of the Kokoda air crash, so this will be painful not just for the families of the five involved but a painful reminder of the Kokoda air crash.”

Smith confirmed that the plane was chartered by Trans Air and one of those killed was employed by the company but he would not say whether it was its owner Wright.

However, an industry source told AAP: “Les Wright from Trans Air was on board and died.”

The foreign minister said he had spoken to the Australian acting high commissioner in PNG and was told “everything that Australian officials can do is being done both on the ground in Misima and Port Moresby”.

Smith said the Australian Transport Safety Bureau had offered assistance in any formal investigation into the cause of the crash.

“We regrettably have a lot of experience with plane crashes in PNG and we have in the past, and I expect on this occasion, will work closely and successfully with PNG officials,” he said.

Tribute to a 'supreme pro'

A MARITIME pilot who died in the Misima plane crash has been praised as a “supreme professional” and mentor, The National reports.

Father-of-three Chris Hart was a passenger on board a Trans Air plane which slid off the runway on Misima Island and burst into flames on Tuesday afternoon.

The 61-year-old Sydney man was on his way to guide a ship from Misima, about 500km southeast of Port Moresby, through the Great Barrier Reef.

Two other Australians – one believed to be Trans Air owner Les Wright and the other a worker for medivac company International SOS – and a New Zealander also died.

Don Mclay, from Australian Reef Pilots, told reporters in Australia Hart was a “supreme professional” and mentor for younger boat pilots.

The former British navy submariner worked for cruise ship firm P&O, where he met his wife Hilary.

After a secondment to the Maritime Services Board in Sydney, Hart joined Howard Smith and returned to sea in the firm’s merchant shipping division.

He became a coastal pilot with Australian Reef Pilots in 1997.

Mclay said Hart took great pride in his two daughters and son.

“While his duties meant he was frequently away from home, he made sure he always had quality time with them,” Mclay said.

“We have lost a respected friend and colleague.

“We will always remember Chris’ quirky sense of humour, his passion as a chef and his insatiable love for country and western music.”

 

Four Australians killed in air crash

By STEPHANIE ELIZAH and WALLACE KIALA

 

FOUR expatriates were killed in a plane crash yesterday afternoon on Misima Island in Milne Bay, The National reports.

The pilot is seriously injured and has been admitted into hospital.

Reports received yesterday said a chartered Trans-Air Ltd aircraft, with five Australians, including the pilot, en route from Port Moresby to Bwagaoia, crash-landed in nearby sago palm trees as it over-shot the runway.

Misima police chief Sgt Moses Hilibobo told The National bad weather might have caused the accident as it was raining heavily around 4pm when the crash occurred.

He said technical fault had not been ruled out as eye witnesses reported seeing flames coming out from the plane as it was attempting to land.

Hilibobo, who was among the first at the scene, including emergency health personnel from the Misima District Hospital, said the aircraft had its wheels and wings ripped off when it landed.

Hilibobo said: “The passengers were badly burnt when we arrived at the scene, because the main body of the plane caught fire immediately with the passengers still trapped inside.

“The dead were taken to the morgue while the pilot was immediately treated for burns and other injuries. He was conscious when we rescued him from the swamps.

“He might have been thrown off the plane when it crashed,” Hilibobo added.

Meanwhile, Southern region police commander Chief Supt Jerry Frank said in Port Moresby last night that according to the provincial police commander’s office in Alotau, a crash investigation team would be dispatched to Misima today.

Frank said the Australians were on their way to international waters off Misima to resume duties aboard ocean liners via tugboats.

Acting director of Civil Aviation Authority Safety Wilson Segati also confirmed news of the air crash but did not give details.

Works and Transport Minister Don Polye said he was briefed about the accident and was “very sad that lives have been lost in the crash”.

“It is very distressing news.

“I am told that it is a small Cessna jet owned by Trans-Air, and was on a charter run.

“An investigation is underway and I cannot comment further until we get more details,” Polye said.

Meanwhile, Australian Reef Pilots (ARP) told AAP one of their staff members died in yesterday’s crash.

The other Australians on board were not working with ARP.

Acting chief executive officer for PNG Ports Jerome Peniasi told AAP the Australians on the plane were working with ARP near Misima Island.

“We are aware of the accident but we still do not have much information as communication has been difficult,” he said.

ARP chief executive officer Craig Southerwood issued a short statement yesterday evening.

“ARP is shocked and saddened by the loss of one of our marine pilots in a chartered plane crash in PNG this afternoon,” he said. 

“Chairman Don McLay is visiting with the family of our deceased workmate and friend to offer them the company’s sympathy and any assistance at this terrible time.

“We are all shattered by this tragedy.”

ARP provides help for vessels navigating in difficult shipping lanes and provides emergency and temporary port pilots and marine consultancy.

According to ARP’s website, the company has been involved in marine pilotage through Queensland’s shipping channels for more than 100 years.

 

 

British High Commission continues support for anti-corruption body

From left are  Port Moresby Chamber of Commerce & Industry (POMCCI) vice president Ken Dunn, Treasury and Finance Minister Peter O’Neill and BACA coordinator Val Salama look as British High Commissioner David Dunn shakes the hands of POMCCI president Ron Seddon before passing on the cheque for K85,000.
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The British High Commission has continued its partnership with the anti-corruption body Business Against Corruption Alliance (BACA).
British High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea, David Dunn, said the UK government was pleased to be able to partner BACA for a second year and to help in its efforts to tackle corruption.
BACA, is run by business for business and provides its members with concrete advice, best practice and support to more than 100 like minded companies who have chosen to make a stand against corruption.
“Ensuring that the PNG investment climate is transparent, fair and an equal playing field for all is critical for the PNG’s future development,” he added.
BACA is an initiative of the Port Moresby Chamber of Commerce (POMCCI), the British High Commission and the PNG Chapter of Transparency International (TIPNG).
It was established in 2009 to provide anti-corruption awareness, education and support to its membership and their employees.
A recent independent study undertaken by BACA revealed that in the last 12 months 24% of its members have suffered losses between K10,000 to K50,000 from corrupt activities and that 100% favour a confidential whistle blowing service.
The British High Commission’s support for BACA is part of a global UK commitment to fight corruption and encourage fair trade. In support of this UK Prime Minister David Cameron recently announced primary legislation aimed at toughening up further anti bribery and corruption legislation.
The new UK Bribery Act will ensure that the UK stays at the forefront of the battle against corruption and will legally empower British authorities to insist that UK companies operate to the highest standards and that they are able to held accountable not only for their activities in the UK but abroad as well.
For more information on how you can join BACA and its activities please email baca@pomcci.org.png .

The glory days of radio in Papua New Guinea

By MALUM NALU

Like many other Papua New Guinean children of the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s era, I grew up on a constant diet of radio and the voice of that great National Broadcasting commission icon Peter Trist.
Trist, for those who came in late, was the man behind those famous NBC drama and radio programmes of that bygone era.

The great Peter Trist

In those days, before video killed the radio star, Sunday night dramas were a must and every time one of those popular dramas came on, entire families would be huddled around their radio sets.
Many fine actors emerged on radio drama, some from staff of the NBC, others from auditions, including my good mate David ‘Buffalo’ Haro in Lae, Cecily Kekedo, Joseph N’Draliu, Pauline Beni Hau’ofa, Kilore Susuve, Alofa Vaki, Douglas Gabb, Memafu Kapera and – possessing one of the richest radio voices – the late Sevese Morea.
Trist was also the man behind the famous school broadcast programmes of that era, including the unforgettable Peter, Kinibo and Dagu, in which he played the villain Doriga.
The NBC cupboard, sadly, is now bare of those iconic radio programmes.
On Tuesday last fortnight, I had the long-overdue honour of meeting my childhood hero at the University of PNG campus, where he presented a paper at a two-day book workshop in which he discussed the influence of the inimitable Ulli Beier and his wife Georgina on PNG playwriting, poetry prose, performance and publications in the 1960s and 1970s.
Now aged 74, Trist first came to PNG in 1957 and left in 1984, and has not been back since.
As we sit down in the UPNG forum, his old stomping grounds which he first came to in 1966, memories of another day come rushing back.
I am also a product of UPNG, having first come here in 1986, but that was many years later after Trist had left.
“I first came to PNG in 1957,” he tells me.
“I worked with the Australian administration in those days as a clerk with Customs and Department of Native Affairs.
“In 1966, Dr John Gunther (then vice-chancellor of UPNG) invited me to come out and join the administration staff of the university.
“He said that he knew that I’d done a lot of theatre work in Moresby.
“I did the first integrated production with Papua New Guineans and Australian expatriates at the old arts theatre in town.
“It was a product of Gilbert and Sullivan, HMS Pinafore.
“That was controversial and some of the white members resigned in protest, arguing ‘where would the natives get dressed for the show’?
“I issued an ultimatum that unless the Papua New Guinean actors were welcomed, I would refuse to direct the show.
“The play went ahead and was a great success, with mixed audiences enjoying the show.
“Jon Bili Tokome and Cecily Kekedo were among the cast.”
It was then decided that Trist could go ahead and establish a Drama and Arts Society at UPNG.
In 1974, he joined the NBC, and thus began an unforgettable era in the history of PNG radio.
“The (NBC) chairman at that time, Sam Piniau, asked me to form the Drama and Features Department,” Trist remembers.
“I wanted Papua New Guinea material and actors and musicians.
“I arranged for the NBC to pay these artists for their contributions.
“Therefore, it was on a professional, rather than amateur basis.”
The NBC was persuaded to have a clear motivational “carrot” to promote people to send scripts with payments for any scripts used in broadcasting.
There was also payment for actors taking part in radio drama.
Trist remembers that on the day of their “open audition”, after a newspaper advertisement, a long line of hopeful, would-be actors, stretched from the NBC studios almost to Boroko.
Local playwrights such as Russell Soaba, Benjamin Umba, Pius Tikili, Roslyn Bobom, Norah Vagi Brash and the very-prolific John Kolia contributed.
A memorable drama serial based on actual historic events was Albert Toro’s The Sugarcane Days.
This told the story of Molen, who was kidnapped as a young man by the notorious ‘blackbirders’ and conscripted into virtual slavery on a Queensland sugar plantation.
Toro told the events from the perspective of Molen, as an old man, remembering the trials of his servitude as a ‘kanak’.
The great Bougainvillean actor, the late Jon Bili Tokome, played the role of Molen, with strength and sensitivity, while Roslyn Bobom was equally memorable as his mother.
“Cultural programmes were contributed by Ulli Beier at the institute of PNG Studies on topics such as music, folklore, art and customs,” Trist says.
“They were scripted and broadcast.”
Folklore in Melanesia, for example, was a six-part series examining themes in Melanesian myth on topics such as death, creation, the moon, the coming of the Europeans – presented by Beier and Karkah Kais – and was dramatised with acted sequences.
Scripts for this series, and for others, were produced by the institute.
Arts in the Third World, The World through Poetry, and Worship through Music were other successful NBC/IPNGS co-productions.
“I left Papua New Guinea in 1984 to return to Australia to care for my ageing parents,” Trist says.
“In Australia, I continued to direct and produce plays to encourage young people to express themselves through theatre.”
I ask Trist what are the highlights of his 27 years in PNG.
“Highlights would be the formation years at the University of PNG and to witness the very first graduation of qualified Papua New Guineans,” he says.
“It was John Gunther’s vision to get this place going.
“This is my first time back since leaving in 1984, so you can imagine the emotions running through me.”
Trist says that to rekindle those glory days of radio drama and programmes in PNG, there must be strong corporate support.
“It’s time for corporate support,” he says.
“You Papua New Guineans are among the most-creative people in the world.”

Some thoughts on recovering stolen money

BY PAUL OATES

 

ADDRESSING THE annual conference of the Institute of Internal Auditors in Port Moresby last Friday, PNG Ombudsman John Nero raised the prospect of recovering misappropriated funds.

Mr Nero said leadership tribunals should be empowered to order their restitution.

"As it is, a leader can steal millions of kina and is not be obligated to pay back even though found guilty by the tribunal," he told the conference.

"The public prosecutor, in consultation with the police, (needs to) invoke certain provisions of the Proceeds of Crime Act where a guilty verdict is recorded to commence recovery of stolen assets in-country or abroad.

Mr Nero went on to say there was a need for permanent leadership tribunals whose membership could comprise retired judges and magistrates, accountants, lawyers, engineers, business people and the clergy, so members could be drawn at short notice.

This would obviate the strain on judicial and magisterial services in terms of cost and stress on court programs.

He said the chief justice, in consultation with the chief magistrate, should appoint a leadership tribunal within 30 days of receiving a request from the public prosecutor.

Earlier this year the government of the Maldives Republic faced a similar problem of recovering misappropriated government funds that the former Maldives president (who himself had taken over from a kleptomaniac) had reportedly used for personal enrichment.

The previous president, Mr Gayoom, who had held power for 30 years, has now had his extravagant life style audited.

The audit report said in part: "An estimated $9.5 million was spent buying and delivering a luxury yacht from Germany for the president; $17 million was spent on renovations of the presidential palace and family houses. Mr Gayoom built a saltwater swimming pool, a badminton court and a gymnasium, and he bought 11 speed boats and at least 55 cars - including the country's only Mercedes-Benz."

The new Maldives government has asked the World Bank and the UN to help in recovering the funds, said to amount to $US 400 million.

In PNG's case, misappropriated funds recovered could be available for health, education, law and order or any one of a number of areas that desperately need assistance.

An effective audit of trust funds would be an excellent place to start. Bulolo MP Sam Basil recently highlighted the operations of government trust funds as an area needing to be audited and tightened up.

I wonder what might be revealed by an effective audit of government expenditure. Surely those charged with safeguarding PNG's public monies must urgently give thought to Mr Basil's and Mr Nero's suggestions. Who knows, perhaps the PNG Chief Justice, if he were to be sent a copy of this article, might consider these suggestions as a practical way forward? Just the thought that audits will definitely be initiated on Trust funds and those who have been guilty of misappropriation will have to repay the monies and be charged might stop or least slow down the currently reported haemorrhaging. Positive action must start somewhere.