Reports claim cops shot 10-year-old

A BOY, 10, is among three males allegedly shot by Madang’s elite police mobile squad – the Rapid Response Unit (RRU) – in the early hours of Saturday, The National reports.

The unit, which was on night patrol, entered a residential premises and fired gunshots on the three males at close range, it was claimed.

According to one of the victims, Bade Soko, 30, from Manam, he, along with Jeffery Moiga, 10, from Goroka, Eastern Highlands and Menei Gaven, 16, from Liap, Manus, were enjoying card games and listening to music at his house on Luan Street at Milyok, when police arrived.

Soko was shot twice in both legs while Moiga and Gaven were both shot on their right legs.

The three are awaiting surgery at the Madang General Hospital emergency ward.

“They did not explain why they shot at us when they came up to my doorsteps and opened fire. There were plenty of them, we didn’t know what was happening, we were all shocked by the gunshots to our legs,” Soko claimed.

He added: “They then told us to sit down and said we were making too much noise so they entered my home.”

Jeffery Moiga’s mother, Alice Moiga, recalled that the mobile squad went to Soko’s home after returning from the hospital and cut down all of Soko’s banana plants growing in the yard, destroyed his market house and searched his home for illegal weapons, claiming that Soko was illegally in possession of a gun.

“They also accused Soko of building his house from stolen money. After what they did, we went to the Jomba Police Station seeking answers but all we heard was that they filed a police report accusing the boys of swearing at a police man,” Alice said.

The father, Dick Moiga, added that they were asked by Jomba police to file their complaints with the Madang police internal investigation unit for further investigation.

“This is not the first time. We have so many victims shot by police. It has gone too far, these officers are criminals in uniform, renegade police who swore an oath to protect and serve the community. They are hurting innocent residents and we are living in fear because we have policemen patrolling our streets with guns,” said Moiga.

A community meeting for ward seven, where the incident occurred, with neighbouring ward six and nine of Madang urban local level government was held yesterday afternoon at Jomba to seek the community’s views on police using firearms while patrolling residential areas.

Moiga said the outcome of the meeting would determine their next course of action, which, he added, would be taken up with higher authorities if need be.

Attempts by The National to get a response yesterday from Madang police station commander Senior Insp Steven Kaipa were unsuccessful as the inspector was preparing to attend church service and could not comment, howeve, he assured that he would respond today.

Madang police commander could not be reached for comments, however, Madang CID sources, last night confirmed the attacks.

 

 

9 New Year babies delivered in Goroka

By ZACHERY PER

 

GOROKA Base General Hospital, Eastern Highlands, has delivered a total of nine babies on the New Year’s Day, The National reports.

Staff at the labour ward confirmed nine babies were born to mothers from different parts of the province

The heaviest was a baby girl that weighed 3.9kg and was born to a young mother Gahame Tatape from upper Bena in Unggai-Bena district, Eastern Highlands.

She was delivered at around 8.30pm on Saturday. No complications were encountered for the nine babies, however the staffer did not disclose how many baby boys and girls were born.

The first baby to be delivered after the clock struck midnight was to mother Kokoe Moxy of Arufa village on an eastern outskirts village of Goroka towards upper Bena.

Moxy delivered a baby boy weighing 3.3kg at 2.40am.

When The National was at the labour ward in the morning on the New Year’s Day, staff at the ward were waiting for a long time before delivering the next baby after delivering the first one at 2.40 am.

It is understood a good number of New Year babies were born in some of the rural health centres in the eight districts in the province.

Numerous attempts to confirm the number of New Year babies at Kundiawa General Hospital, Chimbu, were unsuccessful.

 

Happy New Year Wish

My Happy New Year wish for you

Is for your best year yet,

A year where life is peaceful,

And what you want, you get.

A year in which you cherish

The past year’s memories,

And live your life each new day,

Full of bright expectancies.

I wish for you an exciting year

With happiness galore;

And when it’s done, I wish for you

So many more.

Somare may be back as prime minister

Sideline Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare may be back sooner than you thought, according to the weekly Sunday Chronicle newspaper.

The paper quoted reliable sources with Prime Minister’s and National Executive Council as saying that “Sir Michael was ill-advised by his legal team to step aside at the first place”.

“He has been wrongly advised by his legal team,” the source said.

Sunday Chronicle said: “Sir Michael stepped aside last Dec 17 after public prosecutor Jim Wala Tamate referred him to the Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia to set up a leadership tribunal to inquire into charges that Sir Michael did not submit financial returns over a number of years.

“However, it has now come to light that legal advice may have been wrong for the Prime Minister to step aside before the Chief Justice’s action to set up the tribunal.”

 

Governor Amet visits Manam

By MALUM NALU

Following the surveillance carried out on Boxing Day with Herman Tibong, the resident volcano observer for Rabaul Volcano Observatory (RVO), Sir Peter flew Governor Sir Arnold Amet, Peter Torot and Tibong for a further inspection of Manam to assess the danger of people remaining on the Island.

Smoke billows from Manam volcano.-Pictures courtesy of Sir PETER BARTER

“The Governor and Peter Torot visited Dugalava, Border, Bien and Tabele to guage the reaction of the people, most of whom were concerned about a catastrophic eruption and their concerns were put at rest that no immediate danger exists, but they were warned not to walk into valleys or tend gardens on the slopes,” Sir Peter said today (Sunday).

Madang Governor Sir Arnold Amet (centre) talking to Manam islanders

He said he had purchased a replacement battery for the seismic equipment and when installed it would allow the RVO to monitor the activity of Mamam more scientifically.
“The battery and charger was given to Herman Tibong,” Sir Peter said.

Sir Peter Barter’s helicopter against the backdrop of the smoking Manam volcano

“The situation remains much the same at Level 3 being declared by the RVO.”

Kickboxer Arang calls it a day

By MALUM NALU

03mnarang: Kartu Arang (right) with his Sydney-based manager Glick Lambea

Australia-based Papua New Guinea professional kick boxer/boxer Kartu ‘Wantok Warrior’ Arang has decided to hang up his gloves after an outstanding career spanning 12 years.
Arang, from Kabwum in Morobe province and a product of the Stanley Nandex stable, had his last fight in Melbourne on Nov 26 last year.
“I decided to hang the gloves after my last fight in Melbourne on Nov 26, 2010, which I won after after six brutal rounds against Irish champion Scott McLoughin,” he said.
“This was an opportunity to bring my career to an end with style.”
Southern highlander Glick Lambea, employed by Westpac in Syndey and who has been Arang’s manager in Australia, is proud of his achievements.
“I’ve been Kartu’s manager for the last three years and I’m proud to have led a very talented and patriotic Papua New Guinean,” he said.
“I’m helping Kartu to manage the transition from his boxing life into a new chapter in his life.
“In the 12 years during Kartu’s fighting career he has won the following titles:
• Australian WKA Title;
• Australian ISKA Title;
• New South Wales State Title;
• PNG Kick Boxing Title; and
• World WKBF Title
“Additionally Kartu participated in 54 non \-title fights including professional boxing and kick boxing of which he won 35 fights, eight draws and 11 losses.’
“These are exceptional achievements and that shows the level of commitment and passion Kartu has for what he does in his life.
“I’m helping Kartu to leverage that passion and commitment to be successful in what ever he sets out to do in his post boxing life.”

Volcano erupts on Manam Island

By SIR PETER BARTER

Smoke emanates from Manam Island volcano on Dec 30, 2010.-Picture courtesy of SIR PETER BARTER

Manam Island in Madang province began a series of eruptions on Christmas Day and activities continued up until Dec 30 when larger eruptions occurred resulting in some panic by people that have returned to Manam Island.
At Dugalava, a spokesman for the people told the provincial disaster office and Sir Peter Barter that more than 1, 000 people needed to be evacuated and similar stories emerged from other villages right around the Island.
Sir Peter released funds to purchase petrol and diesel and the provincial disaster office drove the fuel to Bogia overnight so that evacuations could take place at day break if necessary.
Both the Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare and acting Prime Minister Sam Abal were advised and contact was made with the director of the PNG National Disaster service, Martin Mose, who has since despatched the operations manager to coordinate activities in Madang.
Due to heavy rain, Sir Peter delayed departure from Madang, but flew to Bogia to pick up the Rabaul Observatory officer Herman Tibong together with a representative of the provincial disaster and Bogia administration and flew to Manam for an aerial inspection.
Whilst there was evidence of lava flow in two valleys, most of the villages were intact and the eruption had subsided.
The Rabaul Observatory increased the level to “3” which basically warns people not to climb to higher gardens or walk into or across the valleys in fear of lava flow.
The team accompanying Sir Peter advised the people that there appeared no immediate danger providing precautions were followed and the people were assured that the situation would continue to be closely monitored.

Villagers surround Sir Peter's helicopter on Manam Island

Following the visit to Manam, returning the officials to Bogia, Sir Peter made quick stops at Asuramba, Malala, Mangem to assure the people there was no immediate danger but the National Disaster Office along with Rabaul Observatory would consider further actions if and where necessary.
Sir Peter has recommended that Radio Madang be put back on air immediately so people on Manam could be kept advised.
Clearly they were frightened, many demanding to be relocated to the mainland.
Sir Peter said that unless some arrangements were made for shelter and food evacuating people could result in serious problems, especially given the fact it was a holiday weekend and it would be difficult to get services delivered.
The Manus Border barge was placed on alert in the event it was necessary to evacuate Manam.

Australia-Papua New Guinea relations in 2011

By JOHN PASQUARELLI

John Pasquarelli

2011 will deliver more of the same and nothing will change unless ordinary Australians step up to the plate.

It’s a desperate time for those flooded-out Australians but not a squeak from any politician about the need for revolutionary water infrastructure measures that would reshape our population and agriculture policies before the next drought arrives.
Kevin Rudd has committed Australian taxpayers to billions of dollars of foreign aid hand-outs while many home-grown Australians go under.
The plight of outback Aboriginal Australians is perpetuated by continuing lunatic separatism while a new generation of ‘paler’ Aborigines compete for the generous spoils handed out by the Left.
Australia’s most immediate foreign policy concerns are very close to home – in Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Fiji and other struggling Pacific Island countries.
There is not one MP who can speak with knowledge and authority about the problems that are becoming more urgent involving our close neighbours and all we ever get is regurgitated waffle from some DFAT bureaucrat.
Australia must reassess its relations with PNG as the distribution of the huge wealth that abounds in that country is jeopardised by an increasing influence from China and a continuing disintegration of law and order and the health of its citizens.
Australia can still play a major role in the training of PNG nationals at all levels and as they say – the sooner the better.

Up north, there's another boatpeople issue

By MICHAEL MCKENNA of The Australian

Papuan border crossers raise the flag on Cape York last week. Picture: Jonathan Baure Source: The Australian

FROM his dingy, overcrowded cell in Port Moresby's Boroko prison, Jonathan Baure is already plotting his next assault on Australia's border.
It has been 10 days since he stood on the shore of Daru Island, along the southeastern tip of Papua New Guinea, to see off 16 dinghies, carrying 119 PNG nationals - including 13 children - headed across the Torres Strait to reclaim their "birth right" of Australian citizenship.
Baure, a former tile salesman, had planned and openly promoted the voyage for weeks.
There was no shortage of willing passengers.
Despite November's cholera outbreak on Daru, which killed 32 people, more than 400 supporters from all over the country flooded the island, paying Baure to join the unwieldy flotilla of banana boats.
Leader of an emerging group of "Australian Papuans", Baure has for a decade waged a losing battle with Canberra to recognise that people from the former Australian territory of Papua were not given the choice to remain Australian when PNG gained independence in 1975.
Two High Court cases have been lost in Australia over the issue, and Baure unsuccessfully launched his own case in PNG, which was thrown out in 2009.
Several months ago, Baure and his group, which claims to have 700 registered members, decided to take the fight to the Australian mainland. "I was born in Papua in 1967, before independence, and like many others, my birth certificate is stamped 'Australian'," Baure tells The Weekend Australian after his arrest on fraud and immigration charges this week. "Nobody has listened to us, so our plan was to go to Australia, get arrested, raise awareness of the issue and have our cases heard in the courts like the asylum-seekers. We knew they couldn't stop us."
He was right.
On December 22, as the boats were about to leave, Australian and PNG customs and immigration officials rushed to Daru, alerted by the influx of people who had emptied the local shops of diesel and other supplies.
One Australian official from the high commission in Port Moresby pleaded with Baure and his supporters, warning they would be flown back to Daru without seeing the inside of a courtroom and the boats - the source of income for scores of families - confiscated.
Undeterred, Baure, who stayed behind to "handle the media", and the authorities then watched as the packed boats disappeared over the horizon. Within hours, the vulnerability of Australia's northern borders was exposed again.
Last year, Torres Strait councils told a Senate inquiry PNG nationals were pouring onto the islands to live, flouting immigration laws, running drugs and overwhelming health services in the region.
Despite a customs helicopter and patrol boat shadowing and then intercepting Baure's flotilla, one of the boats seemingly landed undetected on the tip of Cape York. At one stage, the customs vessel came alongside the lead boat, with the commander inviting Baure's offsider Laura Rea onboard to take a phone call from one of Immigration's most senior officials. "It was somewhere near Zagai Island (about 100km south of Daru), and the man on the telephone said we had no claim, that our case had already been lost in the High Court years ago," Rea tells The Weekend Australian. "He said that unless we turned back, we would lose our boats and be sent back immediately, but everyone wanted to go on."
Darkness started to fall and the boats were tied up to the Customs vessel, with the children brought aboard as the rest of the party slept on the dinghies. The next day, they were led to Horn Island, off the northern tip of Cape York, where they were detained before being flown back to Daru last weekend on a chartered plane.
Australian Immigration spokesman Sandi Logan said the incident could end up costing taxpayers $500,000. Logan says many of the passengers were not born before 1975, and could not qualify under even the criteria of the group's claims to citizenship.
"Customs, Queensland police, doctors and immigration were all involved when many of them were preparing for the floods and they had to deal with this prank, this protest."
The voyage has also come at a great cost to the passengers. Rea says the boat owners are devastated their vessels have been confiscated despite being warned before they left that it would happen.
She claims Immigration officials later assured the group on Horn Island their boats would be returned. "But Australia has confiscated their banana boats, and that is devastating to them and the families they support," she said.
Baure is facing up to three years' in jail, after being arrested in Daru as the passengers were being flown back. PNG police allege the 400 people who travelled to Daru had paid a minimum 200 kina ($77) to Baure for membership of his group and a document that purported to prove each of their claims for Australian citizenship.
Baure has been charged under section 96 of PNG's criminal code, relating to "false assumption of authority", as well as offences under the Migration Act.
He denies duping anybody into believing they were guaranteed citizenship with the documents.
"The documents that the police are calling a fake visa was actually just a pass so that the boat owners knew who was legitimately entitled to be on the boat," he says.
"I wanted to raise money for the group but also make sure that drug runners and other people didn't slip onto the boats."
Baure says his arrest is an attempt to destroy his group and put an end to the simmering issue. "We are already making plans, there will be other boats.
"There are many people still on Daru wanting to make the voyage. They can confiscate our dinghies but we will come back with canoes and if they take them we will make more and return.This is a fight about our civil rights being denied, not all of us want to move to Australia and people shouldn't think there are going to be hordes of Papuans arriving to live off welfare.
"I have the information that will win the case. Why is Australia so fearful of facing a bunch of uneducated Papuans in court?"

CEO under scrutiny

 Papua New Guinea Sports Foundation chief executive officer Iamo Launa has come under fire from staffers within her own organisation for what they claim are numerous breaches of mismanagement and misappropriation of funds, The National reports.

The log of evidence collected and documented by her subordinates is hefty.

Speaking on the condition of anonymity, a well-placed source at the PNGSF head office in Port Moresby claimed the list of questionable practices was sizable and warranted investigation.

These are serious allegations and if they were not backed by documented evidence then one would think that the CEO would have taken immediate legal recourse to defend her reputation.

But that has not happened.

Initially when the “file of complaints” was circulated to the PNGSF board chairman Graham Osborne and Sports Minister Philemon Embel, as well as various other institutions, including the media earlier in the month, Launa, was called in by Osborne to explain – which she did.

Osborne came out publically this week backing the PNGSF CEO and stating that he still has faith and confidence in her to lead the government body.

He is currently reviewing the file and Launa’s acquittals and will decide if further action needs to be taken.

Osborne said the allegations originated from within the PNGSF office from individuals who were unhappy with Launa’s leadership.

He claimed that these persons had themselves been subject to investigation for various improprieties and, as such, had suspicious motives.

Regardless of the issue of motive, the fact remains that Launa must answer for actions pertaining to the use of funds and, in some cases, taking liberties with her position.

The instigators have also questioned Osborne’s authority in the matter claiming his stewardship of the board is in effect null in deliberating on the issue.

They said because the board’s term expired seven months ago, his acting position did not preclude him to decide Launa’s fate as would be the case if he were the fully fledged chairman.

The point though seems moot as Osborne is all but certain to retain the chairmanship once the national executive council meets next month to make a raft of decisions, which have hitherto been delayed.

The question now is if Osborne finds no reason to take further action, after reviewing the file and is satisfied with the acquittals, should the matter be pursued?

It should not, because Osborne is the chairman whose job it is to handle that area of executive management.

Attention should then focus on just how the PNGSF, a lesser known institution than its more popular partner the PNG Sports Federation, is being run by the current executive, namely Iamo Launa.

Being liked by your subordinates, however, is not a prerequisite for the top management position.

But having a good rapport with those under you and, more importantly, having their respect goes a long way in achieving not only the bigger goals of the institution but indeed the everyday running of the PNGSF office.

Several sources within and outside the foundation claim that Launa “is hard to get along with” and portrays a demeanor that is not easily liked.

Furthermore, her leadership skills have been criticised by some observers who claim that she simply does not have the acumen to run a national body.

However, there could also be a cultural aspect at play here with the unease from certain pockets of the PNGSF workforce emanating from the fact that she is, a woman in charge.

When Launa was appointed to the position in 2008 she had beaten out two other male candidates with the backing of the then Sports Minister Dame Carol Kidu.

Although her ascension raised a few eyebrows at the time she was more or less given the benefit of the doubt.

Will she be given a pass this time or should she earn it?

 

City nurse contracts cholera from patient

 By ELIZABETH MIAE

 

A STAFF member at the Port Moresby General Hospital’s cholera treatment centre (CTC) reportedly became ill after coming into contact with a patient’s faeces and vomit on Wednesday, The National reports.

This happened as people with cholera-like symptoms from the city and parts of Central continue to go in numbers to the CTC for treatment since last Friday.

The 12-bed centre has been full since the start of the long weekend with patients experiencing severe diarrhoea.

Staff had to work around the clock to treat those patients and attend to new admissions.

With the New Year tomorrow, health workers expect more patients as cholera was now widespread in the city.

The centre said at this time, the main mode of transmission would be through contaminated food as celebrations continued from last week.

NCD cholera task force team leader Dr Timothy Pyakalyia said the size of the ward inside CTC allowed for an extra five or six patients but it would be a struggle for staff if there were more than 18. 

He said they were bracing themselves for the worst as people feast and drink to welcome the New Year.

Pyakalyia added that by now people should be aware that cholera was present in the city and all they had to do was practice safe hygiene to prevent contracting it.

As of yesterday morning, nine people were admitted, bringing the number of admissions to 273 for this month.

He said the problem with cholera was that 80% of people who carried the bacteria did not show symptoms while the other 20% showed all the symptoms requiring treatment.

Pyakalyia cautioned people as the 80% group could easily infect them through their ignorance of safe hygiene.

 

28 houses go up in flames following magistrate's death in Madang

By JEFFREY ELAPA

 

TWENTY-eight houses were burnt down at Keng and Mater villages by angry youths, following the death of a village court magistrate on Karkar Island in Madang, The National reports.

The villagers blamed the death of the person on sorcery.

The youths then went on a rampage and razed houses of those suspected to be involved.

Provincial police commander Supt Anthony Wagambie Jr said the incident occurred a day before Christmas and the houses were all semi-permanent and build from bush materials.

He said that police on Karkar had attended to the incident.

Members of the rapid response unit from Madang were later send to the island to ensure the situation did not get out of hand.

Wagambie said the situation was under control as police investigations continued.

Leaders from other villages on the island had mediated for peace and more talks would start after the New Year.

Wagambie said police had also arrested two youths for break and enter and stealing.

A home-made gun and a substantial amount of marijuana were also found in their possession. 

On the Christmas operations, the Madang police commander said roadblocks along the north and south coast roads had netted a large amount of smuggled alcohol.

Many unregistered and non-road worthy vehicles were also impounded.

Police also arrested and charged many drunkards and homebrew consumers along the North Coast Road.

Wagambie said police foot patrols along streets and in settlements ensured residents celebrated their Christmas peacefully

 

'Aussie' Baure still in lockup

 SELF-proclaimed “Australian citizen” Jonathan Baure, whose followers managed to sneak past Australian security in the Torres Strait to reach the Cape of York last week, is still in police custody in Port Moresby with no hope of bail – at least for the remainder of this year, The National reports.

Yesterday was his fifth day in the lockup at the Boroko police station after he was arrested on Daru Island last Saturday, flown to Port Moresby and charged with breaches of immigration and customs laws in organising a flotilla of boats, with 122 Papua New Guineans, to travel to Australia to protest that they should be recognised as Australians.

Baure’s lawyer Robbie Kanison Kone, of Poro Lawyers, failed yesterday to find a magistrate to grant him bail.

But Kone said later he was hopeful that his client would get a fair hearing in court.

Police had refused bail since Baure appeared in court.

Yesterday, at an impromptu hearing at the residence of magistrate Lawrence Kangwia, police rejected Kone’s application for bail.

However, the magistrate ruled that the matter should be heard at a Waigani Committal Court this morning.

Baure told The National at Boroko that he did not understand why he had not been released on bail on his own recognisance.

He had been charged with false assumption of authority and impersonating a public officer.

Police prosecutor Aibare Bosing said Baure had been charged with false pretense under section 97(1) (b) of the Criminal Code.

Baure’s “victory”, though, was being able to organise at least 10 people from his original group of 122 to reach Cape York Peninsula and raise a Papuan “flag” on Australian mainland soil.

The stunt was part of the group’s ongoing struggle for recognition that Papuans were not given a choice to remain as Australians when PNG gained independence in 1975.

Papua covers the southern half of the PNG mainland and the group claimed its members were still Australian citizens because there was no referendum to legally sever ties with Australia.

Other members of the group were rounded up in Australian waters around the Torres Strait islands and airlifted back to Daru last weekend.

 

Ipatas slammed

Politics heats up with house due to sit to elect Governor General

 

A COALITION partner of the National Alliance party-led government came under attack from a key figure of the ruling party yesterday, underlining the tension and distrust that exist within the different factions in government, The National reports.

NA stalwart and Minister for Labour and Industrial Relations Sani Rambi yesterday attacked Enga Governor and People’s Party leader Peter Ipatas in a media statement, describing him as someone who cannot be trusted.

Rambi fired the broadside after Ipatas reportedly took offence at not being credited with the rise of Wabag MP Sam Abal to deputy prime minister, and then acting prime minister, at the expense of Kandep MP Don Polye.

It was suggested the move to demote Polye and promote Abal was cleverly done to destabilise and destroy NA in the highlands.

Ipatas later denied this, saying he did not set out to destabilise or destroy NA.

But, Rambi said Ipatas’ denial of having any part in the recent reshuffle “only reveals the cynical and sinister person that he (Ipatas) is”.

He said Ipatas was out to cause instability and destabilise the government.

“Everyone who follows politics in PNG knows Ipatas is the one who sponsored the opposition’s drive to overthrow the government when he led members of the current opposition to nail their shoes to a post at his Bluff Inn Motel last year.

“He has always been planning and scheming to change the government since 2007 after failing miserably in his campaign to become the next prime minister,”

Rambi said: “For him to now say that he is a ‘friend’ of NA, and will continue to support the government, is quite difficult to believe. His kind of friendship is one that NA, as an institution, cannot afford to trust.

“I urge Ipatas not to meddle into the NA party affairs because NA is simply too big an institution for him to play his self-centred politics with.

“While we respect and value the support of coalition partners, we will not tolerate those with sinister motives as, we believe, is the case with People’s Party and its leader.”

Rambi said NA was intact under the leadership of deputy leaders Polye (highlands), Patrick Pruaitch (Momase), Ano Pala (Papua) and Fidelis Semoso (New Guinea Islands) and would return to form the government after the elections in 2012.

Ipatas could not be reached for comments last night.

There were speculations that Ipatas and others outside NA were involved in convincing Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare to remove Polye as deputy prime minister.

Polye’s removal and the promotion of Abal created tension within NA, and a distrust for members of the coalition, and this had fuelled speculation the opposition would capitalise on this to remove the prime minister through a vote of no-confidence when parliament sits on Jan 11 to elect a new governor-general.

The opposition had said it would introduce a motion for a vote of no-confidence despite acting Speaker Francis Marus insisting he would not entertain any such motion

 

MMJV on the way to achieving community health post concept

It is a health service only to be dreamed of by most rural communities in Papua New Guinea, where typically one busy aid post orderly struggles to meet the needs of a long line of patients, with a short supply of medicines.

The new model is a community health post (CHP) manned by three health professionals, one specialising in the health needs of mothers and children, another in public health and one focused on healthy living programmes.

Morobe Mining Joint Ventures (MMJV) under its health infrastructure programme is on the way to achieving this ideal arrangement, meeting targets announced recently by the National Department of Health.

The department said in a public announcement last month that rural health system strengthening would occur through the rollout of the CHP concept.

The NDoH said the CHP was not all about building new infrastructure, but refurbishing and maintaining existing aid-posts and meeting standards and status set for a community health post.

Each CHP will ideally be manned by three health workers.

The department said the CHP was not a new concept as some provinces already had similar arrangements under different names.

It is about strengthening what is there already.

MMJV, the operator of the Hidden Valley mine and the developer of the Wafi project, is already working towards achieving the CHP concept through the construction and maintenance of a number of aid posts in the area of its operations in the Bulolo and Huon Gulf districts of Morobe province.

The company is constructing four new aid posts for its landowner villages near the Hidden Valley mine, at Nauti, Kwembu and Winima and the Wafi-Golpu project at Babuaf.

There are also plans to maintain existing aid-posts.

The national government’s plan is to strengthen rural health services in all 89 districts by 2020.

MMJV’s health infrastructure programme is aligned to support the plan within its area of operations.

MMJV is committed to providing improved medical services to the many thousands of people living not only in the communities located in its footprint of operations but throughout the district.

The company is working closely with the provincial health division to achieve this outcome.

 

 

Sack slack lawyers: Namah

Leader of PNG Party Belden Namah has called on acting Prime Minister Sam Abal to sack incompetent Government lawyers to prevent further embarrassment as Parliament scrambles to convene next month to elect a new Governor General.

Namah blamed the Government’s legal experts for the current constitutional crisis, which he said would not have come about if they did their jobs well to advise the Government properly.

As well, he urged state law-enforcing agencies to investigate and refer all involved: politicians, bureaucrats and political cronies who were responsible for the blunders.

He said the blunders included Parliament not sitting to meet the required 63 days in a year, illegal re-appointment of Sir Paulias Matane as Governor General last June, attempts by sidelined Prime Minister Sir Michael to stop the Ombudsman Commission from investigating him and Sir Michael stepping aside from duties before a Leadership Tribunal was set up to hear his alleged misconduct charges.

Namah said in all these instances, Government legal experts failed miserably, causing constitutional blunders, much to the embarrassment of the over six million Papua New Guinean citizens.

“What advice did our legal experts and new Attorney General Sir Arnold Amet provide? He said.

“Why didn’t they advice the Government properly to save the embarrassment and millions of kina that will cost the taxpayers.”

Namah said as a direct result of bad advice, taxpayers would meet the legal costs and recalling of Parliament.

 He urged law-enforcing agencies to take immediate remedial action, including prosecution and referral of individuals to relevant authorities to be dealt appropriately.

“Politicians, bureaucrats and private advisor responsible must face the consequences,” Namah said.

“They must account for their action and inaction. 

“Those in trusted and responsible positions must not be allowed to continue abusing processes and breaking laws.

“Bad decision based on stupid advice is costing PNG millions.

“This money should be used to improve much-needed health, education and other basic services PNG-wide.

“It is incumbent on Mr Abal to crack the whip and start sacking incompetent individuals to save millions of taxpayer funds spent on huge legal bills.”

 

Cyclone havoc

Power stations hit, 3-hr rationing starts

 

CYCLONE Tasha, which hit Queensland last Saturday bringing its worst flooding in decades, has also caused chaos in coastal areas of Central and the National Capital District in the past two days, The National reports.

Torrential rain and strong winds, since the weekend, caused power blackouts in the city and surrounding areas as PNG Power announced that its four power stations at Rouna were affected by excess water and debris blockages.

It also announced emergency load shedding of three-hour duration as its technicians work to get the hydro stations operational again.

At Laloki settlements outside Port Moresby, more than 500 people were forced to evacuate as their food gardens were destroyed when the Laloki River burst its banks.

Flood waters also cut off the Hiritano Highway, stopping traffic until yesterday morning.

Police were also keeping a close watch on the Bomana jail, which sits on the south bank of Laloki, in case they needed to evacuate the 600-odd prisoners.

The jail had been flooded in the past but not serious enough to force mass evacuation.

Several coastal Motuan villages reported that roofs were blown off their homes by strong winds but no structural damages were reported.

 

Gau, Fairweather in race for top post

By JAYNE SAFIHAO

 

EAST Sepik Regional MP Sir Michael Somare and acting Prime Minister Sam Abal are backing Rai Coast MP James Gau for the position of Madang governor, The National reports.

Abal travelled to Madang on the government’s Falcon jet from Wabag on Tuesday where he was met at the Madang Resort hotel by local businessman and former politician Sir Peter Barter, Attorney-General Sir Arnold Amet and Sir Michael.

After making their intentions known, Sir Michael and his wife, Lady Veronica, left for Wewak later that day.

Another likely candidate for the governorship is Sumkar MP Ken Fairweather.

Observers said local level government presidents from Sumkar, Rai Coast, Usino-Bundi, Madang and upper and lower Ramu were with Gau, a Madang local.

Only 17 months as a politician, Gau said: “This is basically what the national government has promised to Rai Coast, and there are many outstanding issues to be dealt with such as the Ramu nickel mine and the Manam-Bogia resettlement issues among other things.”

Fairweather was, however, also confident on Monday of taking the governorship, claiming that he

had the support of 16 LLG presidents.

“I am the best man to do the job.

“I have the support of these presidents and even open members.

“I will fix the law and order and money problem in the province.

“I am the best and the tough one to do the job.

“If they do not think so, then, I will be happy to go back to Sumkar where I love it. But, if any presidents think they will get any money from me for their support, they can forget me. I am not paying anyone,” Fairweather said.

High on the LLG presidents’ list is the provinces K97m budget breakup and the disbursements of its funding portions to high priority programmes in the district’s medium-term development plan (MDTP) areas.

The provincial assembly was likely to meet sometime next week to vote in a new governor and deliberate on Madang’s 2011 budget.

 

Flood destroys houses, food gardens

By ANGELINE KARIUS

A child standing knee-deep in floodwaters in front of his home at Laloki in Central after it subsided at around 10am yesterday. The Laloki River burst its banks yesterday morning and destroyed food gardens and many other properties. Many families, especially mothers and children, were brought to Port Moresby for their safety. – Nationalpic by ANGELINE KARIUS

More than 500 people have been displaced and food gardens destroyed at Laloki, outside Port Moresby, due to heavy rains experienced recently in the nation’s capital city, The National reports.
According to locals in the area, heavy downpour in the late hours of Tuesday continued until early Wednesday morning.
Women and children have been reportedly taken at first light immediately into the city by relatives.
A mother from the area said around midnight, water began seeping into their homes.
She said everyone evacuated to higher ground with their children in tow.
“We were scared for our lives.
“All our food gardens have been destroyed in the flood,” she said.
She added that the entire highway was flooded that vehicles could not even pass until 10am yesterday.
“Only our immediate families have come to assist us to evacuate to safer grounds,” she added.
NCD metropolitan commander Supt Joseph Tondop advised the families to immediately evacuate the area.
He said with the weather pattern experienced recently, it might cause other problems if they remained.

Abal pressured to detain me: Namah

Leader of PNG Party Belden Namah has expressed grave concern over a directive from acting Prime Minister Sam Abal for his arrest and detention before next month’s Supreme Court-directed session of Parliament.

Namah said he was reliably informed during the long Christmas weekend of the confidential executive directive for his arrest over the Border Rangers issue.

 “The Border Rangers in Vanimo was merely set up to carry out similar functions of the City Rangers in Port Moresby - to keep the Vanimo town clean and prevent people from selling cheap smuggled goods form Papua province of Indonesia,” he said.

“This matter has been competently dealt with by appropriate state law-enforcing agencies in Vanimo and does not require political directives from the nation’s highest office for my arrest,”

Namah said he was reliably informed by government insiders that Abal was pressured by powerful political forces from with the government for his arrest.

“I’m told that Mr Abal has directed acting police commissioner Tony Wagambie and acting deputy commissioner operations, Fred Yakasa to arrest and detain me before the 11th January 2011 session of Parliament,” he said.

“I urge the Mr Abal to let common sense to prevail and not to compromise his position to be used by those who have vested interests, including heavily-implicated politicians and their cronies to do their dirty work.

“The perpetrators are merely using the Border Rangers issues to silence me because I know too much about the rotten and corrupt deals that they are involved in.

“Mr Abal should not listen to such people because now that I’m in the Opposition.

“I’m more determined to be critical and fight for accountable, transparent and good governance.”

Namah also said that the plot was aimed at silencing leaders and citizens who were critical of the current government’s dismal failure to address head-on the issue of corruption.

“It is a dangerous and very frightening plot devised by desperate politicians to cling onto power because they know that if the current government is ousted, they will be in serious trouble, including prosecution and imprisonment,” he said.

“I’m fully aware of this sinister plot to have me arrested, not because I’ve broken any law, breached the Leadership Code or the Constitution.

“It is not because I’m indifferent with the law.

“It is merely because I’ve been most vocal and critical on corruption that is evidently rampant in the current government.

“It is common knowledge that corruption in PNG has reached unprecedented levels, yet this government has miserably failed to address it head on, starting from its very own backyard.

“I’ve never tried to seek relief from the courts to prevent the Ombudsman Commission and the Public Prosecutor from performing their constitutional mandated duties.

“I do not go around ordering citizens to be kidnapped or assaulted. I don’t steal or use public funds to build expensive properties in PNG and abroad or acquire wealth.

“During my working life, I have fought to save thousands of Papua New Guinean lives as well as fought hard to ensure that forestry resource owners gained maximum benefit for their forest resources.

I will continue to fight for the rights of the over six million PNG citizens.

“I will not be silenced by the executive directives for my arrest and urge Mr Abal to allow common sense to rule over ill-conceived advice from those who have personal and hidden motives.”