Abel: Progress made on Hela and Jiwaka

MINISTER for State Assisting the Prime Minister on Constitutional Matters Charles Abel says the Electoral Boundaries Commission review of the proposed provinces of Hela and Jiwaka is in progress, The National reports.

He said this would enable the people of Hela and Jiwaka to have a political representation after next year's general election.

"The boundaries review to address Hela and Jiwaka is in progress," he said.

"It will specifically review the open electorate boundaries within the provincial boundaries of Hela with Southern Highland and Jiwaka with Western Highlands," Abel said.

He said the Electoral Boundaries Commission would meet next Tuesday.

"Following the meeting, the commission will formulate a proposal for review and, on July 25, the proposal and maps of the two provinces will be put on public notices in the media.

"The public will have two weeks to assess the electoral boundaries' proposals and, on Aug 8, the commission will conduct a public inquiry into the new provinces," Abel said.

He said a second meeting would be held at the end of August to review the proposals.

In the first week of September, the boundaries commission would go back to Hela and Jiwaka to conduct a public inquiry.

He said on Sept 19, a third meeting to review the proposals would be held.

Electoral Boundaries Commissioner Andrew Trawen was in Kokopo yesterday and could not be reached for comments.

Any changes to electoral boundaries will require an absolute majority of parliament with two consecutive meetings held two months apart.

Abel said at the end of September, the commission would prepare the first electoral boundaries report for presentation in parliament.

He said a national boundaries review for all provinces would be conducted after the elections.

History of Evangelical Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea

By LEROY BATIA

 

The dawn of the Lutheran Christian faith in Papua New Guinea came on July 12, 1886, through Johann Flierl when he sailed into the quiet beaches of Simbang in Finschhafen, Morobe province.

God instilled the courage, the wisdom, the strength, and the perseverance into the life of pioneer German missionary, Rev Johann Flierl.

Together with all the other early missionaries in the likes of Rev Karl Tremel, Rev Georg Bamler, Rev Georg Pfalzer, Rev Korad Vetter, Rev Adam Hoh, Rev Johann Ruppert, Rev Johann Decker, Rev Andreas Zwangzer, Rev Friedrich Held, Ms Frieda Goez (nurse), Rev Ernst Hansche, and Rev Christian Keysser, Rev Johann Flierl (Senior) did set foot on Simbang on July 12, 1886.

Simbang, a village at the mouth of the Bubui (Mape) River in Langemak Bay was the first site of the first mission station.

In 1890, he moved the mission station from Simbang to a nearby hill called Gaigeresa that was also known as Simbang II.

 That same year (1886), Johann Flierl was joined by Karl Tremel in and they moved into Simbang village to set up the first mission station.

In 1888, Mrs Louise A Flierl later joined her husband at Simbang, Finschhafen.

At that time it was known as German New Guinea - Kaiser-Wilhelmsland.

All the above mentioned missionaries that came to this newly-found mission field and established the mission stations also came with their spouses.

As this famous saying goes, behind a great man, there is a great woman, so in the case of these early missionaries who came to our land, their wives accompanied them and endured the life of being a missionary's wife taking very good care of their missionary husbands.

To name just a few of them,  Rev Johann Flierl (Senior) and Louise A Flierl, Rev Karl Tremel and Christine Tremel, Rev Georg Bamler and Frieda Bamler, Rev Georg Pfalzer and Mathilde, Rev. Konrad Vetter andMaria Vetter, Rev Adam Hoh and Else Hoh, Rev Johann Decker and Emilie, Rev Andreas Zwangzer and Margarete Zwangzer.

The first mission station was established in Simbang, October 8, 1886.

The first missionaries were Rev Johann Flierl (Senior), Rev Karl Tremel, Rev Georg Bamler, Rev Georg Pfalzer, and Rev Konrad Vetter.

The second mission station was established on Tami Island, November 1889.

The missionaries that were assigned to establish it were Rev Karl Tremel and Rev Georg Bamler.

The third mission station was established at Sattelberg with careful planning and proper preparations.

Toward the end of 1892, the missionaries and their families moved into the newly-established mission station.

Rev Flierl (Senior) and family, Rev Andreas Ruppert, Rev Johann Decker, Rev Andreas Zwangzer, Rev Friedrich Held, Ms Frieda Goez, (nursing sister), and Rev Ernst Hansche.

In 1899 the fourth mission station was established at Deinzerhill through the initiative of Rev Georg Bamler, at Tamigidu in the Bukawa area.

On the opposite side of the Huon Gulf, missionaries Karl Mailaender and Hermann Boettger established Malaclo mission station in 1907.

In 1907, two new mission stations were established, one at Malaclo and Sialum respectively.

After 13 long harsh years of tough missionary work in the northern coast of Morobe province of what is now known as the Finschhafen district, in 1899 the first baptism took place in Simbang.

Two local mission workers were baptised.

Kaboing was baptised with the name Tobias, and Kamunsanga was baptised with the name Silas.

These gentlemen became the first fruits of what would determine the destiny of a Christian church in this nation, Papua New Guinea.

Rev Georg Pfalzer administered their baptism at Simbang mission station.

In the next five years,  36 more people from Tami Island and from the nearby coastal villages of Simbang were added to their number.

A tribute to Bishop Reverend Dr Wesley Kigasung

By MALUM NALU

 

The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea, one of the largest mainline churches in the country with up to 1.2 million followers, is still reeling from the sudden death of its charismatic leader – the American university educated Bishop Reverend Dr Wesley Kigasung (pictured) – who passed away on Wednesday, May 15, 2008, aged 57.

He is remembered by Lutherans all over the country for his skills as a preacher of the Word of God.

Wesley Waekesa Kigasung came from Aluki village in the Bukawa area of Morobe province. 

He was born on July 16, 1950, and was married to Susie Manempen Kigasung of Mindere village in the Rai Coast area of Madang province. 

The Kigasungs were blessed with two daughters and two granddaughters.  

The young Wesley Kigasung received primary education in remote Menyamya and later on Siassi Island where he did secondary schooling at Gelem High School (now Siassi High School) from1966 to 1968. 

He completed High school at Asaroka Lutheran High School in Goroka, Eastern Highlands in 1969. 

Kigasung attended Martin Luther Seminary from 1970-1975 and graduated in 1975 with Diploma of Theology and Bachelor of Theology. 

He received further studies at the University of Papua New Guinea in Port Moresby from 1976 – 1978 and graduated from the University in 1979 with the degree of Master of Arts majoring in history of PNG). 

From 1979 to 1980 he served as circuit pastor in remote Kaintiba, Gulf province. 

In 1981 Kigasung was called to teach at Martin Luther Seminary in Lae until the end of 1982. 

In March 1983 he left with his family for Germany for language studies. 

Towards the end of 1984 he again left for further studies in Chicago, USA, where he graduated in 1986 with the degree of Master of Theology at the Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago. 

Kigasung continued studies for his doctoral degree and completed all doctoral work in 1989, when he received the degree Doctor of Theology from the Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago. 

He resumed work as Lecturer at Martin Luther Seminary towards the end of 1989. 

In 1991 he was appointed Principal of Martin Luther Seminary and served as Principal until 1997. 

In January 1998 Kigasung was elected Head Bishop of the church at the Kimbe Synod.

Kigasung is widely respected as an intellectual and a leading preacher of the word of God in this country.  

“I believe it is a special gift from God,” he told me in a rare interview in 2006.

“From my early years in school, I already developed the skill of speaking in front of my peers. 

“Through the years I have challenged myself to develop my abilities in order to serve well. 

“I like to read a lot and I have read lots of books on leadership and other books that help to develop my skills in working and communicating with people. 

“My philosophy in life is to do well in a given task; to face life and responsibility without fear and doubt; to take criticisms and face difficult situations with humility and respond with positive attitude and be more proactive rather than being reactionary.”

Kigasung says being the spiritual leader of all Lutherans is not an easy task but he finds so much joy in serving God. 

 “It is not easy,” he says frankly of his job.

“Very challenging and very demanding. 

“But there is much joy and satisfaction in serving God's people. 

“I find much joy in meeting people of different cultures and different works of life and back ground and of different nationalities. 

“You see and experience God's wonders and life in the faces of these different people in the church.

 “I leave my future in God's hand. 

“This is my last term as Head Bishop. 

“I hope and pray that the Lord will grant me good health and strength to serve him in another role after this final term as bishop.”

 From January 9 to 13, 2006, the ELCPNG held its 25^th Synod at remote Wasu in Morobe province, where Dr Kigasung was reelected for a third four-year term.

 The first Synod was held in 1956 at Simbang, Finschhafen, the site of the first landing of the pioneer German missionary Johannes Flierl in 1886. 

It was at this Synod that the Church adopted its Church Order (or Constitution)

The first Head Bishop of the newly founded Church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of New Guinea (ELCONG) was elected in 1956.

He was an American missionary, the Reverend Dr John Kuder. 

The three Head Bishops preceding Dr Kigasung were Bishop Dr John Kuder (1956 – 1972); Bishop Sir Zurewe Zurenuoc (1973 – 1981) and Bishop Sir Getake Gam (1982 – 1997).

Dr Kigasung was reelected at a time where there is splintering within  the church through the Lutheran renewal movement; when there are criticisms from within the Church itself that it has become sluggish and has been sidetracked from fulfilling its greatest mission of spreading the word of God; that it has become so vocal on business matters without paying any attention to evangelism, ministerial training, health, education and the welfare of its pastors and evangelists; and there has been talk about the creation of a Lutheran university in Lae.

So what of the future?

“The major plans for the future of the Church is to revisit the mission of the church; to revitalise the church to become more responsible and accountable in financial matters; improve leadership  responsibility; improve  pastoral responsibilities as well as addressing the concerns of the pastors and other church workers. 

  “I encourage all Lutherans to share their faith in the many gifts and talents that they possess to help build the church. 

“I want to introduce to the church the theme for the new period of this church for the next 50 years. 

“I want to challenge all genuine and committed Lutherans with the theme: ‘Sharing the Faith, Building the Church’. 

“All Lutherans are asked to come forward in support of their church by ‘Sharing their Faith in Building the Church’.”

Abal vies for top NA post

By FRANK SENGE KOLMA

 

ACTING Prime Minister Sam Abal will put up his hand to be leader of the National Alliance after Sir Michael  Somare when the NA party caucus meets later this month, The National reports.

"I will put my hand up.

"I have to and let the people decide,"  Abal said last night.

The position is vacant by operation of the NA constitution which stipulates that a leader (parliamentary) shall serve for no more than two terms which Sir Michael has done continuously from 2002.

If Sir Michael recovers fully from his heart surgery in Singapore, he can still remain prime minister until next year's general election but he will not be the NA leader.

Sir Michael instructed the party executive in February to begin the process of electing a new leader.

President Simon Kaiwi said last week the process was well advanced and that a meeting of the party caucus, comprising the 42-member parliamentary wing this month in Minj, Western Highlands, would elect a new leader.

Abal has an immediate hurdle to face, however, before he could be nominated for the top post of the party.

He has yet to be a regional deputy, another requirement of the National Alliance constitution, and has to topple current NA highlands leader Don Polye.

That process was to have started last week when a majority of highlands NA MPs met on three separate occasions and asked its current deputy leader, Polye, to call a meeting and put the leadership question to the vote.

Polye is yet to respond.

Meanwhile, the pro­cess to ascertain the health status of Sir Michael Somare to satisfy the requirements of the Constitution was progressing, albeit slowly, with Sir Michael's physician Dr Isi Kevau flying to Singapore tomorrow to talk with the prime minister.

He does so without producing a report as requested by cabinet.

Kevau had written to the acting prime minister last Friday to explain that the inviolable medical tradition of doctor-client confidentiality forbade that he produced a report until after he had permission from Sir Michael to do so.

Since he has not talked to Sir Michael, he was unable to meet the cabinet direction.

Abal said last night that Kevau's trip to Singapore was fraught with similar confidentiality issues.

Sir Michael is now a patient of the Raffles Hospital in Singapore.

Population and housing census starts nationwide

By ALISON ANIS

 

TODAY marks the beginning of the national population and housing census, a significant national event this week, The National reports.

This is a time when Papua New Guineans, including babies born last night, will be included in the nationwide population tally executed through the National Statistical Office (NSO).

The population census is held every 10 years. This year's census starts today and ends on Sunday.

That means all 37,000-odd interviewers and supervisors, comprising the census team, would travel to all corners of the country, over mountains and through valleys, and to more than 600 small outer islands of the country, going from house to house to do a national body count.

They, in their white census T-shirts and caps, would be the key players in the event.

The NSO management team is appealing to communities nationwide to welcome them, cooperate with them by providing information required during the enumeration process.

National statistician Joseph Aka and his team had promised at the provincial census coordinators' workshop in May that the census would go ahead this year "come rain, hail or shine".

This was to dispel doubts that the census could again be delayed because of funding and logistical problems as was the case last year.

There have been no reports of hiccups in regards to the moving of census materials from provincial headquarters to the districts, local level governments or wards. It had been the team's biggest worry from the start given the tough geographical locations and problems created by sub-standard infrastructure and transport system.

Aka had assured his team at the outset: "It has been done before and it can be done again."

National Census director Hajily Kele had pointed out before the main enumeration that while most of the census materials had left their "control room" in Waigani, the responsibility was left to the provincial census co-ordinators to move the materials from provincial headquarters to the LLG and wards.

Borneo Pacific Pharmaceutical Ltd was engaged by NSO on a K5 million contract to take care of census logistics.

The last enumeration conducted in 2000 recorded a population of more than five million, with females outnumbering males in the country.

NCD, as the capital, was among provinces which had the highest number of people. Manus and Bougainville had a smaller number of people compared to the rest of the country.

Other independent surveys have placed the population mark at 6.5 million.

But much has happened over the last 10 years. Amid the economic boom, there have been reports of a baby boom, with more than 1,000 babies born in PNG hospitals around the country each month. 

Health statistics however reveal that the country has poor health indicators, including high infant and maternal mortality rates, in the Pacific region.

According to the demographic health survey of 2006, five women die everyday during childbirth in PNG.  

The statistics also revealed that we have the highest prevalence rate of HIV/AIDS in the Pacific. HIV/AIDS had taken a toll on many families nationwide. Many are infected and many have died, or are dying from the disease.

The country had also battled diseases such as cholera from natural disasters.

There had many accident-related deaths in recent years, and killing has soared due to increased lawlessness.

Search for 15 missing in New Britain waters

By ELIZABETH VUVU

 

A SEARCH is underway in waters off New Britain for a missing boat carrying 15 adults heading for East New Britain last Monday, The National reports.

East New Britain disaster officer Elias Babate said the 60hp 23-footer dinghy and a 40hp dinghy were both travelling to Rabaul from West New Britain.

They are both owned by the Solwara Meri group of boats in Namatanai, New Ireland, and were headed for Lungalunga on the north coast of East New Britain.

The two boats were hired by a church group in the Wide Bay area to transport them from Lavo in Bialla to Kokopo to make a connection to Namatanai for a church gathering.

Babate said the two boats left together but, because the 60hp dinghy was faster, it left the 40hp dinghy at Lolobau Island and Point Takis in the Wide Bay area at around 1.30pm.   

The 40hp dinghy reportedly ran out of fuel and sought help from a fishing vessel nearby.

They stayed with the fishing boat overnight. It was assumed that the 60hp dinghy had reached its destination the same day.

Babate said the 40hp boat was rescued last Tuesday morning by the organiser of the church group that hired the two boats.

He said on arriving at Lungalunga, they realised that the 60hp dinghy had not reached its destination and raised the alarm.

An urgent message had been dispatched to the National Maritime Safety Authority and National Disaster Centre to alert international aircraft and coastal ships to look out for the dinghy.

He said the people of West New Britain, Watom Island, Djaul and New Hanover, in New Ireland, and Manus were alerted to look out for the dinghy as the south-easterly winds were becoming stronger.

Babate said as of last Friday, they had not received any reports of sightings but were still talking to all concerned stakeholders.

He said Solwara Meri had engaged three of its boats for the search last Tuesday.

"We are keeping our fingers crossed that they are alive and must have gone into international waters by now and, hopefully, fishing boats or aircraft may locate them."

Bulolo MP welcomes Aitsi as new boss of Newcrest Ltd

Member for Bulolo Hon Sam Basil today welcomed the appointment of former Transparency International (PNG Chapter) chairman Mr Peter John Aitsi as Country Manager of Newcrest Ltd.

“Mr Aitsi, as former chairman of TI-PNG, and as former President of the Media Council of Papua New Guinea, brings a great wealth of experience in corporate governance issues with a good measure of issues that make news from his time as General Manager of NauFM,” said Mr Basil, who is also Deputy Leader of Opposition.

“His appointment signals hope to resolve outstanding issues within the Hidden Valley and emerging Wafi Gold memorandum of association.

“As Member for Bulolo, I want to welcome him into his new post and serve notice that I will be engaging with the Newcrest Management under his leadership to resolve these outstanding matters.

“There is no questions about the common desire between Newcrest Ltd as developer and the Bulolo District especially at customary landowner level to have these projects succeed as they would stimulate economic grown necessary for better living standards.

“But the monetary and economic benefits must be weighed fairly against the disruption of landowners’ traditional way of life, the social, and the usual long-term environmental, impacts of mining.

“These issues need to be incorporated in fairer, sustainable returns to the landowners who will live with these byproducts of mining projects long after mine closures.

“I trust that Mr Aitsi while representing the developer’s interest, and I representing landowners’ and district interest, will find mutual, common and reasonable beneficial grounds for all stakeholders,” said Mr Basil.

 

 

Woman dies in Origin violence

Suspect implicated in another 'kill' case

 

By ZACHERY PER

 

A MAN allegedly killed a woman at a remote highlands village after an argument over the result of the State of Origin rugby league clash on Wednesday night, police said, The National reports.

Acting Chimbu provincial police commander Insp Mazuc Rubiang yesterday said the man was also wanted by police for questioning over an earlier homicide case where one of his brothers had died.

Rubiang said the suspect had been on the run from police since the death of his brother.

The dead woman had been identified as Dema Numabo, 22, from the Salt-Nomane area in Karimui-Nomane district, Chimbu.

Her body was discovered by villagers early yesterday morning.

Rubiang said residents of the Hidden Valley settlement and those living near the National Broadcasting Corporation were shocked when the naked body of the woman was found in the backyard garden of one of the villagers.

Rubiang said the woman sustained multiple stab wounds on her body.

He was at the murder scene yesterday morning with his officers to start their investigations and take the body to the Kundiawa General Hospital.

Eyewitnesses told police that the woman had an argument with the man, who is believed to be from the Dom area in the Gumine district, over the result of the State of Origin match.

The match was won by the Queensland Maroons 34-24.

"The suspect (name supplied) committed the offence while on the run for another alleged murder case.

"He is now the main suspect in the two murder cases," Rubiang said.

He said other major settlements in Kundiawa town including G Block, Hap Wara, Sikrap, Yuai, Pepek Wara and End of the World were relatively quiet on Origin Games' night.

"This is what happens when people with sick minds come to live among law-abiding citizens," he said.

"I strongly appeal for public cooperation in the arrest of the man."

Sir Arnold hits out at court ruling

By JEFFREY ELAPA

 

ATTORNEY-General and Minister for Justice Sir Arnold Amet has described the Supreme Court decision to suspend two government ministers as unethical, unjurisdictional and inappropriate, The National reports.

Sir Arnold criticised the Supreme Court decision to view the cases of Patrick Pruaitch and Arthur Somare to be the same as Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare's.

"This is unethical, unjurisdictional and inappropriate.

"The party to that case was Sir Michael and that had no­thing to do with Patrick and Arthur," he said.

He said Sir Michael had the constitutional right and was at liberty to challenge the case in court whether as the country's leader or as an ordinary citizen.

However, he said ethically, the two ministers were not given an opportunity to be heard.

He said there were three different Supreme Court decisions.

The first ruling was to suspend Pruaitch as soon as he was referred by the public prosecutor, the second was when he was granted leave to take up office while waiting for a tribunal to be set up and, the third, was when Pruaitch and Arthur were suspended.

However, he said there had been inconsistencies when a three-man Supreme Court bench over-ruled ano­ther Supreme Court ruling.

Sir Arnold said that the rulings were differently constituted and was inconsistent in the process of law.   

However, he said he was looking at the possibility of getting a higher Supreme Court review to look at the issues of inconsistencies in the ruling.

The higher Supreme Court review would have to be a five- or seven-man bench with the powers to over-rule the decisions of a three-man bench.

He said the chief justice had been asked to set up a higher court and was in the process of doing that.

 

 

Family okays plan to assess PM’s health

By JEFFREY ELAPA

 

THE government has consulted the family of Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare to allow two selected doctors to report on his health condition, The National reports.

Attorney-General and Justice Minister Sir Arnold Amet told a media conference that Sir Michael's doctor, Isi Kevau, had met with the National Executive Council to discuss the process allowing two appointed medical doctors to assess Sir Michael's condition.

"As respect for the Grand Chief, the family has to be consulted first before the assessment process, as required under the constitution, is followed," he said.

Sir Arnold, accompanied by Foreign Affairs Minister Ano Pala and Public Service Minister Moses Maladina and other members, said discussions with the Somare family had been positive.

He said it meant that the head of state could go ahead and ask the PNG Medical Board to appoint two practising doctors to go to Singapore to, in consultation with doctors at the hospital, assess the prime minister's condition.

He said the doctors had 28 days to complete the report and forward it to the head of state.

He said if the report indicated that Sir Michael could not resume duties within three months, then the head of state would inform the speaker to convene parliament and elect a new prime minister.

He said if the report concluded otherwise, the head of state would not need to inform parliament.

Sir Michael's son, Arthur, had revealed two weeks ago that the family wanted to retire the Grand Chief to allow him time to recover at his own pace.

However, Sir Michael is required by law to formally and personally make known his intention to step down from office.

Sir Michael is reportedly out of his hospital bed and walking a few steps each day with assistance, and speaking to those around him.

On Monday this week, he was visited at the hospital by Fiji's interim Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama, who is the current head of the Melanesian Spearhead Group of which PNG is a member.

Lae is on the road to nowhere

By MALUM NALU
Morobe Governor Luther Wenge, true to style, opened up a can of worms with a savage attack on regional works manager Brian Alois in The National on Monday this week.
The grand Songang and his right hand man, Lae-based Highlands businessman Peter Honale, condemned a Weekender article in this paper last Friday which criticised the state of roads in Lae.
He said the article, based on information provided by Alois, was a setback to efforts by the national and provincial contractors to get rid of potholes on Lae roads for many years.
Wenge, however, miserably failed to see that Alois has the support of so many people in Lae and Papua New Guinea, judging by the number of phone calls and emails I received.
Just last December, acting Prime Minister Sam Abal dished out more than K100 million to a handful of contractors to fix up Lae roads, however, cracks are already appearing in the concrete and water is spilling out from drains

Truck along Markham Road, opposite Lae Showground. Concrete here is already cracking.-Pictures by MALUM NALU

Contractors are working willy-nilly on their assigned stretches, in an unplanned, haphazard fashion, and there seems to be no uniformity all over the city.



Cracks already appearing in the concrete along Markham Road opposite Lae Showground.

 Compare that to a decade ago when AusAid-funded Barclay worked on the Lae roads?
The Department of Finance, seemingly, has appointed overseas contractor NME International as its engineering supervising consultant for Lae roads with no input whatsoever from Department of Works.
Alois and the works guys, even the city engineer, have no say whatsoever in the Lae roads project.

Project signboard along the hill leading up to town.Works Department and Lae City Council, however, have no say in the project.

“I am not against concrete roads and I believe they are great,” he explains.
“But I do not believe it is the solution for our roads here in Lae.
“We have not exhausted the other methods and importantly, we do not have specifications for concrete roads here in PNG, let alone specification for maintenance of concrete roads.
“The K100m allocation is a lot of money and given the fact that Lae has just over 140km of road length, this money if applied through approved processes using conventional and improved designs, can transform close of 50% of these roads.
“That concrete section done earlier in front of Admin Compound is going, and falling apart, after five years!
“Take a drive down there and take a closer look, there are cracks everywhere and that is not a good sign.

Huon Road between Town and Eriku, the first concrete road in Lae, commissioned by Morobe Governor Luther Wenge. Concrete is already cracking.

“Furthermore, surface run‐offs from the newly-constructed section done by Dekenai will flow down and water will seep into those cracks in the concrete and sooner or later, there will be differential settlement between the individual concrete sections and that would be catastrophic; it is already happening – try driving at over 60kph and you will feel the undulations.
“The surface texture is also fading and like I said before, maintenance is near difficult.”
Alois has observed a number of faults in the current Lae road works.
“Firstly, all the designs are different and each contractor has its own,” he said.
“The consultant was supposed to do the design and pass it onto the contractor, instead the contractors did the design and requests approval from the consultant.
“This is a terrible joke!
“Secondly, I do not believe any traffic survey/count was done on the sections of the roads before the contractors started their works.
“How do the contractors know the volume and type of traffic that uses the road?
“Assumptions again, that is bad, very bad.
“Roads are designed to carry axial loadings and that can only be calculated from traffic counts.
“Thirdly, we are removing the pavement material by digging down onto the sub-grade and after that we are replacing with concrete.
“If we are going to build concrete, it would be wise to build on solid foundations and not on weaker material.
“Take a drive around and you will see what I mean and worse still, the beddings were not sufficiently compacted – we are building on loose materials too!

Driving down the steep Huon Road Hill, a lesson in how not to build roads.

“Apart from planning and classification of roads to match traffic, traffic management during construction is also an essential element especially when we are working in town where there is significant volume of traffic.
“Without this, there will always be chaos and I do not need to comment any more on this.”
Alois said at the completion of the first Lae roads project back in 2001, AusAID funded a comprehensive study that recommended two important elements for Lae City Council and the Morobe provincial administration to implement before any future funding could be considered: Construct various drainage outfalls from the previous works; and provide continuous funding for routine maintenance.
“Two drainage outfalls were constructed and these were (i) Bumbu A (near the main wharf, old Ai Gris Market) and (ii) Marsina (adjacent to the cement factory),” he said.
“The Didiman Creek (running down the old airfield) was also lined.
“Now the only reason why extensive work was done to improve the Didiman Creek was to cater for future drainage to feed into it.
“A purposely-constructed spillway was built for overflows from the Raun Wara. There are seven other drainage outfalls that need construction and unless this is done, run‐offs from our roads will have no facility to assist in the discharge.
“So basically, all these water and those from the buildings/houses just simply flow around until they eventually seep into the ground, hence the reason why the soil under us is water‐logged.”
Then there’s the issue of provision of continuous funding for routine maintenance.
“We have seen the result of negligence and it is not going to help us if we do not cater for routine maintenance year‐in year‐out,” Alois said.
“The roads previously reconstructed are beginning to fall apart right before our eyes and we have not even made any attempt to repair them.
“Those small cracks have widened and potholes have emerged simply because we have not attended to them while they are still small.
“Culverts are blocked and during heavy rain, they overflow onto the road and that contributes to rapid pavement deterioration.”

Wife-bashing cop dismissed

CONSTABLE Simon Bernard, who was at the centre of media attention last December over the torture of his wife, Joy Wartovo, was dismissed from the police force on June 27, The National reports.

Police investigators found that:

*On Dec 7 last year, at the Gordon police singles barracks in NCD, Bernard tortured his wife, causing severe injuries to her body by using a hammer, an axe, pliers and hot iron by cutting her fingers and burning her on her left arm and left leg;

*Bernard acted in a manner that was prejudicial to good order and discipline in the force; and

*On Dec 21 last year, in Port Moresby, Bernard acted in a manner that discredited the force by being featured in a media report on his continuous beating and torture of his wife.

Police said no written explanation was received from Bernard.

"While he did not submit any explanation, the evidence produced by state witnesses, including photographs of the injuries sustained by Wartovo, showed clearly that he did commit the offences of family and sexual violence against his wife."

Bernard was found to have breached the police commissioner's circular No.06/2007 in relation to family and sexual violence.

Police said Bernard's dismissal "is intended to serve as a deterrent penalty".

 

 

Kina value up against US dollar

FOR the first time since April, Papua New Guinea's currency kina, has increased its value against the US dollar, The National reports.

On average, K1 could now buy US$0.43, compared to previous months' daily exchange rates.

Central Bank Governor Loi Bakani explained in the bank's first quarter report that the kina's average daily exchange rates have continued to appreciate against the US dollar, UK pound sterling and the euro, but have been depreciating against the Australian dollar and Japanese yen.

By June 27, the local currency had reached a high of US$0.4330 and A$0.4154.

This means the kina had appreciated against the US dollar by 2.9% to 0.3895, pound sterling by 5.0% to .02419, and euro by 11.2% to 0.2753.

It depreciated against the Australian dollar by 6.9% to 0.3770 and Japanese yen by 5.6% to 32.2400.

The report said that the increase of the kina value was due to the high inflow of foreign exchange, associated with the mineral tax receipts for the government and high commodity export earnings.

This was brought on by the high prices set by the international demand for mineral and agricultural exports, resulting in 21.5% increase in the weighted average kina price of mineral exports.

The weighted average kina price of agricultural, logs and marine product exports increased by 31.1% and was attributed to higher kina prices of cocoa, coffee, copra oil, palm oil rubber and marine products.

Meanwhile, the report said the level of gross foreign exchange reserves had increased from K7,982.9 million at the end of March to K8,441.4 million as of last month.

The increase was also attributed to the high mineral tax receipts made in foreign exchange.

The economy's continued growth during the first quarter was supported by business sales, private sector employment, private sector credit and higher prices and production of most agricultural and mineral export commodities.

 

 

Abal confident of advice by AG

ACTING Prime Minister Sam Abal is confident of the advice provided to the government by Attorney-General and Justice Minister Sir Arnold Amet and his department, The National reports.

He said the advice given by Sir Arnold "is based on his experience as a former top lawyer and chief justice and cheap politics should not be used to degrade his integrity".

Abal was responding to a call by the opposition for Sir Arnold to be sacked for poorly advising the government on major issues of contention.

Opposition leader Belden Namah claimed "so many blunders are costing taxpayers millions of kina on legal advice provided to the government and parliament".

He said such advice had resulted in the government and speaker "jointly destroying the independence of parliament".

But Abal said Westminster parliamentary democracy "allows for freedom of expression and opinion and, of course, it caters for the opposition and its role in bringing issues and opinions before government".

While he had no issue with that, Abal said: "What I take issue with is their ability to allow their sly and cheap gutter political motives to engage, yet again, on a personality hunt.

"Sir Arnold is no doubt a man of integrity and public standing.

"He has been PNG's outstanding lawyer and has risen in much of his public life to the post of chief justice of PNG.

"He is a renowned and eminent jurist and scholar of the Commonwealth prior to him becoming a member of parliament.

"The people of Madang recognised this fully and gave him the mandate to serve them as servant leader in parliament.

" With full cognisance of his outstanding professional background and personal achievements, and contributions to legal policy development towards the progress of this nation, Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare, as prime minister, had full and total confidence in him and appointed him as attorney-general and justice minister in his cabinet.

"He is one of the PNG's proud knights in shining armour, someone we all must show goodwill and respect to.

"Many of us aspire to be like him. Not many of us can be like him.

"There is no reason for such a cheap, gutter and childish call by the opposition for Sir Arnold to resign from cabinet simply on narrow assertion that his advice to cabinet should all the time be true and correct in law," Abal said.

 

MP asks tribunal for time to travel

By SAMUEL RAITANO

 

THE Leadership Tribunal will decide today whether to allow suspended Angoram MP Arthur Somare the time he needs to obtain the information from his electorate required for the hearing, The National reports.

On Monday, Somare's lawyer Kerenga Kua said his client had a total of 105 allegations made against him.

He said the Ombudsman Commission had also claimed that Somare had facilitated 57 cheques to the recipients in Angoram.

He said the issuing and use of those cheques were matters to be raised at the tribunal.

But the time  they were  requesting was what they needed  to travel to East Sepik and talk to the  reci­pients.

Kua said that Angoram was a vast electorate with the recipients of the cheques scattered along the Sepik River and its numerous tributaries.

This is why they needed more time to travel there and obtain the needed information.

On Monday, the public prosecutor's office had submitted the necessary documents needed by the tribunal to start the hearing.

 Initially on Monday, both parties had asked the tribunal for a month's adjournment on the grounds that both parties needed time to file the necessary documents for thee hearing.

But on Monday afternoon, after a brief adjournment, the public pro­secutor's lawyer, Katua Umpake, told the tribunal that he had the ne­cessary documents to start the hearing.

The documents were the statement of reasons from the Ombudsman Commission and the statement of charges from the public prosecutor.

This triggered the Organic Law provision which required that So­mare be suspended immediately.

The three-man tribunal will comprise chairman Justice Salatiel Lenalia, and  magistrates Orim Karapo and Noreen Kanasa.

The ruling  today will determine if Somare will be allowed time to visit and talk to the recipients in his electorate.

Abal: Pruaitch still in

Supreme Court causing confusion, says minister

 

FINANCE and Treasury Minister Patrick Pruaitch yesterday accused the Supreme Court of abusing its judicial powers and creating confusion and uncertainty in PNG laws, The National reports.

Pruaitch made his accusation in regards to last Friday’s Supreme Court decision which had been portrayed in the media as an automatic suspension for him from office.

In a three-page letter yesterday to Acting Prime Minister Sam Abal, Pruaitch said legal opinions he had sought advice that he was still minister and that Friday’s decision was a separate matter between Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare and the Ombudsman Commission.

“The Supreme Court was not asked to deal with the issue of suspension from office.

“The fact that it proceeded to consider the issue of suspension at its own choosing is a matter of grave concern bordering on abuse of judicial powers and in contravention of the courts’ rules and principles of precedents and finality in decision-making,” he said in his letter.

Abal affirmed Pruaitch as his minister last night.

Abal said: “He is still a minister in cabinet.

“He remains a minister until officers of the court have served legally binding decisions of the court on him.

“We will respect court decisions but he is a leader and must be respected too.”

Pruaitch told Abal that the parties before the Supreme Court case were Sir Michael and the Ombudsman Commission, thus, any decision arising out of that case “can only bind those parties and not me”.

“The implications of the Supreme Court opi­nion on the issue of suspension is to add further confusion and uncertainty in our laws.

“The Supreme Court presided by a panel headed by Justice Kirriwom suspended me on the interpretation that a leader is automatically suspended when the public prosecutor refers the leader to the chief justice.

“The second Supreme Court headed by Justice Sakora reversed and discharge that decision and made orders reinstating me as leader and minister.”

“The Supreme Court panel headed by Justice Sakora specifically made orders reinstating me as leader and minister.

“This court order is binding for all intents and purposes. Since the Supreme Court order of March 31,  no other Supreme Court order has been expressly made setting aside the March 31 Supreme Court order.

“Any action in contravention of the attached Supreme Court order would amount to contempt of the Supreme Court order.”

Last Friday’s Supreme Court decision did make direct references to the Pruaitch case (No.2)  claiming it “does not correctly represent the law” and that it “runs against the spirit and intent of section 271 (6) of the Constitution and the whole scheme of making leaders accountable for the sake of good leadership, good administration and good governance”.

Elsewhere, the decision stated: “For avoidance of doubt, we reiterate that suspension is triggered or takes effect from the moment a decision is made to refer a leader to a leadership tribunal by the public prosecutor.”

Yasause explains disappearing act

By SAMUEL RAITANO

 

THE case of the “disappearance” of murder suspect Theo Yasause was solved yesterday – by the good doctor himself, The National reports.

Yasause phoned The National newsroom from his Boroko police cell to say he had been there all the time; since April after all his application for bail was refused by the district, national and supreme courts.

There was confusion in court on Monday when neither the prison officers nor police could tell Justice Nicholas Kirriwom where Yasause was after he had failed to appear in court.

But, when he did turn up yesterday, the former director of the Office of Climate Change told Kirriwom, through his lawyer Canute Nidue, that they were not aware of a hearing the previous day.

Kirriwom did not question him further.

Nidue also apologised for not notifying the court that he would be representing Yasause in place of Copland Raurela.

Bomana jail commander Michael Mondia said Yasause had been remanded at Bomana in April after being charged with the wilful murder of former rugby league star Aquila Emil.

He said after initial court appearances, Yasause was removed from prison and kept at the Boroko police station.

Mondia said last week, he wrote a letter NCD metropolitan commander Supt Joseph Tondop to return him to Bomana but did not receive a reply.

The District and National courts had recommended that Yasause be remanded at Bomana while his case was pending in court.

Yesterday, Public Prosecutor Marriane Zurenuoc asked the court for a month’s adjournment to allow both parties to file pre-trial statements.

The court agreed to that and issued a fresh warrant for Yasause to be further remanded in custody.

Police, meanwhile, had blamed the public prosecutor’s office for failing to get a warrant from the National Court to have Yasause sent to Bomana after his court case two weeks ago.

Police said Yasause was at the Boroko police station all this time.

Zurenuoc, on Monday, told the court that they could not locate Yasause when asked by Kirriwom why he was not present for his hearing.

Zurenuoc also told Kirriwom that Yasause could not be located at the Boroko police cell on Monday.

 

Namah slams AG for giving poor advice

OPPOSITION leader Bel­den Namah says the country needs a new prime mi­nister and accuses Attorney-General Sir Arnold Amet of giving misleading advice on important constitutional matters, including the health status of the Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare, The National reports.

Namah, with the support of Rabaul MP Dr Allan Marat, Sir Puka Temu and Jamie Maxtone-Graham, said at a media conference that  the country lacked leadership and parliament must be recalled to appoint a new prime minister or dissolved the position to allow for fresh elections.

He said Acting Prime Minister Sam Abal was illegally occupying the position and called on the government to invoke section 142 (5) (c) of the Constitution to vote in a new prime minister.

Namah raised concern over legal advice given to the National Executive Council and parliament on important issues affecting PNG, including constitutional matters.

He raised the concern following the decision by a three-judge bench Supreme Court last Friday which cited Sir Michael for preventing a proper legal process from taking its course.

“The Supreme Court decision clearly indicates that some leaders can go to the extent of abusing the process to deliberately delay justice to protect personal interests,” he said.

Namah said the judiciary and the courts should not tolerate such tactics, especially cases involving parliamentarians “who are the lawmakers”.

“Politicians and people with legal background who are found to be abusing processes should be dealt with appropriately,” he said.

Namah was critical of the legal advice provided by the state lawyers.

“With Sir Arnold, a former chief justice, as the government’s chief legal adviser, it is hard to understand why there have been so many blunders,” he said

“It is such blunders that are costing the taxpayers millions of kina for legal advice provided to the government and even parliament.”

He said some high profiled cases included:

*Government ignoring fiscal processes in fiscal agreements over landow­ner benefits and local company content for the LNG project;

*Illegal re-election of Sir Paulias Matane as go­vernor-general;

*Continuous failure by government to meet the required 63-day (nine-week) parliament sittings;

*Sir Michael’s efforts in preventing the Ombudsman Commission from investigating him on official misconduct charges;

*Public Enterprises Minister Arthur Somare’s endless court attempts to stop the OC dealing with him for alleged misconduct charges;

*The failure by the government to appoint two medical doctors to report back in 28 days the condition of the prime minister; and,

*Failure by Abal to immediately appoint two new ministers after the suspension of Arthur Somare and Patrick Pruaitch.

“The Constitution, laws and independence of the judiciary are essential for democracy to survive,

This government and parliament Speaker have jointly destroyed the independence of parliament.”

 

Mitchell: K125m bills parked with Nasfund

By ALISON ANIS

 

NATIONAL Superannuation Fund (Nasfund) chief executive officer Rod Mitchell yesterday confirmed the controversial K125 million so­vereign community infrastructure treasury bills (SCITB) have been parked with Nasfund, The National reports.

“Nasfund is holding onto 125 million treasury notes issued under the Treasury Bill Act (2002). The notes won’t be released until the state clears its side,” Mitchell said.

He said that Nasfund had followed legal procedures but the state had not and must find a way correct that.

He said this following media reports yesterday where Minister for Communication Patrick Tammur announced that the K125 million was with Nasfund.

Mitchell argued that the information that came out in the media, including findings from the study conducted by National Research Institute which categorised the treasury bills as illegal, were incorrect.

In its report released last month, the NRI said the deal was done without the approval of parliament as required by the PNG Constitution sections 13 and 14, was not in line with the Public Finance Management Act and Bank of PNG Act, which limits government borrowing.

“The Public Management Act and Finance Act do not apply to treasury bills. This is different and as far as I know Nasfund has gone through legal process and I have all the legal documents with me to prove that,” Mitchell said.

 “The purchase of 125 million treasury notes was guaranteed by the state.

“Nasfund has invested based on that fact and plays no part in how the funds are to be used and for what purpose since the bill was issued for and on behalf of the state.”

In a press statement, the Nasfund board has sworn to no secrecy when arguing and justifying the legitimacy of the deal.

Treasury bills, the board argued, was issued under the Treasury Bill Act by signature and authority of the Treasurer and Minister for Finance Patrick Pruaitch, co-signed by the Minister for National Planning and Development Paul Tiensten with the sponsorship of Tammur.

The board, which includes John Jeffery, Reginald McAlister, Dr John Nonggorr, Lady Wilhemina Siaguru, Hulala Tokome, Graham Ainui and Murray Woo, said the superannuation fund’s contribution in the treasury bill “will yield 7.05 % if rolled annually”.

“All indications from the state are that the treasury note will be rolled over through the Central Bank which is normal for such instruments.

“This has been confirmed in recent NEC deliberations,” the statement read.

The board and Mitchell assured contributors that all was okay and that reports in the media were incorrect and lacked accuracy.

Somare suspended

Angoram MP and Public Enterprises Minister Arthur Somare (right) was yesterday suspended from office by a leadership tribunal hearing allegations of official misconduct against him, The National reports.

 The three-member tribunal is chaired by Justice Salatiel Lenalia. Somare's suspension was in accordance with section 27(2) of the Organic Law on Duties and Responsibilities of Leadership.

 It also consolidated the provision of section 28 of the Organic Law that a leader, once referred to a tribunal, is automatically suspended from office. The tribunal will, on Thursday, rule on applications for an adjournment until Aug 16 to give both parties time to prepare themselves. – Nationalpic by AURI EVA