Sir Mekere supports call for commission of inquiry into Department of National Planning and Monitoring

Former Prime Minister Sir Mekere Morauta said today that he agreed with the call by Minister Peter O’Neill for the acting Prime Minister to set up immediately a commission of inquiry to investigate the K1.9 billion allegedly misappropriated this year from the development budget, including the K10 million handed out to Eremas Wartoto. 

“In fact, the terms of reference of such a commission of inquiry should reach back to cover previous years and all trust fund monies, as allegations of similar abuse have been made many times before,” he said.

“Papua New Guineans are simply fed up.

“Every day new revelations of theft and abuse are spelled out in the newspapers. 

“And nothing happens. 

“In the last eight years the Somare government through inaction and indifference has allowed corruption to overwhelm the public sector and, in turn, inflict the private sector.

“There is now truly systemic corruption practised by virtually everyone in the government along with their associates.

“I urge the acting Prime Minister to show leadership, leadership that is different from Somare, leadership that listens to the people and takes action. 

“This is Abal’s turn to make a mark if he wants to show people that he can run the nation differently from Somare. 

“He will get support if he acts on behalf of the people. 

“Papua New Guineans cannot take it anymore. 

“We are all just sick in the stomach hearing and seeing what is going on.

“ And the most annoying thing is that no action is taken. 

“Instead, thieves are rewarded.”

Sir Mekere said:  “Minister Tiensten says that all the expenditure is in order. 

“We need the details, not just his words.  

“For instance, the K10 million that he allegedly handed out to Mr Wartoto to buy aeroplanes.

“Where is this in the 2011 Budget? 

“We did not hear anything about it last November when the budget was presented to Parliament.  

“And what is the development rationale to give subsidy to this company, and not others? 

“How was this one selected? 

“What are the criteria? 

“Can he spell it out so that other Papua New Guinean businesses can apply for these free government subsidies?

“Can Paul Tiensten and Arthur Somare tell us why the Government should hand out millions to a private airline, when Arthur is the lord and master of Air Niugini, which is struggling to provide domestic services. 

“I am sure every member of the travelling public has experienced delays or had flights cancelled when travelling on Air Niugini.

“Why not give the K10 million to Air Niugini for new aircraft?

“Many stories abound that certain influential members of the Kitchen Cabinet are silent beneficial owners of Travel Air, and of other businesses which have benefitted from these indiscriminate hand-outs from trust funds and the development budget, which is under the control not of Cabinet as in the National Executive Council, but of the Kitchen Cabinet.

“Only a commission of inquiry has the legal power to dig out and reveal the truth. 

“Unfortunately, despite the good honest work of many police officers, the tentacles of the Kitchen Cabinet appear to strangulate sections of the Police Force and we can no longer rely on the outcome of police investigations. 

“Let a commission of inquiry undertake the appropriate investigation and refer any matters that might be criminal to the police for prosecution.

“I urge the acting Prime Minister to close his ears to the protestations of his ministers, and listen to and act for the people.” 

Sir Mekere said:  “The (acting) Prime Minister has the sole power and authority to establish a commission of inquiry. 

“Mr Abal, Papua New Guineans await your action.”

 

K1.9 billion probe on

Special police unit to investigate fraud claims at National Planning

 

POLICE Commissioner Tony Wagambie yesterday announced an investigation into the purported misapplication of K1.9 billion of the development budget, The National reports.

At the same time, Works Minister Peter O'Neill broke with tradition by calling for the establishment of a commission of inquiry into the use of the development budget.

A police fraud investigation and a commission of inquiry are separate processes.

The man in the hot seat, National Planning and Rural Development Minister Paul Tiensten, denied the allegations of mismanagement yesterday, claiming K1.8 billion had been paid out of the development budget for legitimate and budgeted programmes and projects over the first six months of the year.

Wagambie announced yesterday that he has established and commissioned a special unit within the crimes directorate at police headquarters in Port Moresby to look into the allegations of the billion-kina fraud made by former secretary of National Planning Joseph Lelang.

A report compiled by a private law firm, Korowi Lawyers, as part of investigations to support Lelang's court battle against the state, had alleged K1.9 billion had been paid out over three months, much of which was paid to political cronies and for unbudgeted items.

The report named several individuals and companies involved in these alleged illegal dealings.

Wagambie, who is also chairman of the National Anti-Corruption Alliance (Naca), had made known his intention to convene the board of Naca to initiate separate investigations into the fraud allegations.

O'Neill last week told an audience in Kerema, Gulf, that Acting Prime Minister Sam Abal should establish a commission of inquiry into the management and disbursement of the development budget.

While addressing the launch of that province's development plans, the former finance and treasury minister said: "The development budget constitutes half of the national budget. The people need to know how funds are used.

"We have serious concerns that budget appropriations are being misdirected so as to raise serious breaches of the Finance Management Act.

"The breaches are so frequent and the amounts that are stated are quite large and the country deserves to know.

"In all fairness, this requires an independent commission of inquiry to establish the facts."

NCD officers stop work

By ALISON ANIS

 

COUNTING for the nine zones in the National Capital District was affected when more than 1,000 census officers chose to take a day off in protest over the non-payment of their daily field allowances, The National reports.

And a ward councilor for Rigo Inland has condemned their decision to leave their posts over the delay in the payment of allowances, saying officers working outside the urban centres had a tougher task to perform but never complained.

Frustrated zone coordinators had to leave their "control centres" at noon yesterday after receiving complaints from field officers wanting to know why the payments had been delayed.

The National spoke with field coordinators and officers from the four zones in NCD, who said some were frustrated and left for home while a few chose to continue the enumeration.

"There was a sit-in protest yesterday by our officers who refused to carry out the enumeration until they received their payments. They waited until 1pm for the payments and left the field when they were advised the payments were not ready," NCD zone two chairman Phillip Tiki said.

Zone three coordinator Julius Bakaman said: "The daily allowances are supposed to cover for our lunches during the enumeration."

Zone two covers Waigani, Gerehu, Morata, UPNG, Ensisi and Erima. Zone three covers Tokarara and Hohola.

Field officers in zone eight, covering 6-Mile and Boroko, were told to do as they pleased after they also raised similar complaints.

Counting was aborted in Bomana, 8-Mile, ATS Compound, Laloki, Tete settlement and Fisherman Island.

A senior officer with the NCD census team said the cheques had been released yesterday and the officers would be getting paid soon.

Ward councillor for Rigo Inland Alex Apore criticised the NCD officers for abandoning their work "when they were in a privileged position to do the counting".

"I cannot believe these people are crying out for daily allowances when they have access to everything, including transport," he said.

"Here, in the most difficult part of Central, our coordinator and his officers walk 40-50km everyday to collect people's data and not even a single complaint had come from them," Apore said.

He said for places such as Doro-Bisoro and Mt Maria, which could not be reached by vehicles, interviewers and their supervisors had to walk for up to three days.

"Allowance is not an issue here because that will come later. We want to do the job for our country and, if people can use that kind of thinking, everything will progress well," Apore said.

Wartoto defends K10 million subsidy

caption: The 'K10 million' aircraft – Mangi Lo Peles ... Owner Eremas Wartoto yesterday admitted he had applied for and received government funding of K10 million following due process and denied any fraudulent dealings. The  money was used to buy five Fokker 50 aircraft.

 

By JEFFREY ELAPA

 

A Kokopo-based businessman, who obtained K10 million under the development budget to set up an airline, said yesterday the money was a government budgeted subsidy and not a bogus claim, The National reports.

Eremas Wartoto, a successful Papua New Guinean businessman who has invested more than K100 million in the airline industry, and has bought five Fokker 50 aeroplanes, has several other business interests including travel services, hire cars, construction and hotel and shipping industries locally and abroad.

He said since venturing into the airline industry, he needed infrastructure to be in place and applied for a government grant as a citizen to get the buildings and "other necessary things" in place before the planes were flown into the country to begin operations.

He said the government had helped his company, Travel Air, with K10 million "which was just 10% of the K100 million investment over the next five years".

Wartoto said the government was shown the investment plan and approved the subsidy through the public-private partnership programme to help with setting up infrastructure to start operating his five Fokker 50 aeroplanes.

"I submitted the application on behalf of the company last year and went through the normal government screening procedures," he said.

"There was nothing sinister about the payment.   

"It was not a bogus claim as reported. It is a significant development that the government saw fit to support and I am grateful for the help.

 "We appreciate the government's vision to at least subsidise 10% of that investment.

"This investment will be based in Madang, replacing the Airlink ser­vice which was servicing much-needed air routes that are not currently serviced on a daily basis," Wartoto said.

He said his airline would open up air routes that had not been served by other airlines. These routes included Aitape, Kandrian and Aropa.

He said two of his planes were sitting in Maastricht, in the Netherlands, awaiting Casa PNG clearance at the end of this month for delivery early next month.

Wartoto said three other aircraft in Malaysia were being prepared to be delivered around the same time.

He said he had signed up on two additional aircraft in Maastricht that would be ready for delivery in October.

Meanwhile, another internationally known and established consultant company, David Consultants and Associates which received K4.1 million, denied receiving bogus payments.

Managing director David Pondoros, who was also named in the newspaper report, said his company was engaged to do two important national projects; the Abaca study and the diesel-free rural electrification programme.

He said the first payment of K500,000 was for the Abaca project, an important project that would be­-nefit the country while the other

K3.6 million was for the air compressor generator "to light up rural communities".

"Lawyer Philemon Korowi failed to do a proper research and had compiled a report based on the payment print to destroy my name and that of my company when everything, including the acquittals, was in place."

ISP, IT firms get operating licences

By ANCILLA WRAKUALE

 

PAPUA New Guinea’s internet and information technology providers were issued operating licences by the National Information and Communications Technology Authority (Nicta) yesterday, The National reports.

The licences covered the ISPs’ migration to Nicta of licences from the previous licencing agency Pangtel and the Independent Consumer and Competition Commission.

This was in line with reforms in the ICT sector under the national ICT Act 2009 and subsequent creation of Nicta last Octover.

As part of the reforms to make the sector competitive, Nicta was now the sole licencing and regulatory body and was spearheading the migration of licences issued by the  defunct Pangtel/ICCC.

Chief executive officer Charles Punaha said it had taken a while for Nicta to undertake the process due to ongoing consultation process with the ICT operators.

Telikom was issued   the individual network licence, the international gateway licence and the individual applications licence.

Daltron was issued an individual network licence and an individual applications licence.

The other ICT service providers like Daltron, Global internet, DataNets, MiCom and Comserve were also issued individual applications licences.

Punaha said Daltron was the only company that requested for the network licence apart from Telikom and Punaha.

He told other ICT operators to submit forms early so that they could work on their request.

Punaha also urged them to comply with the terms and conditions outlined in the licence.

He said the deadline for the consultation process with the ICT operators is Aug 5 and urged the operators to provide them with feedback as the information gathered would go towards setting conditions for the licence which would apply to them.

Census hiccup

Shortage of interview manuals and pads delay counting

 

By ALISON ANIS

 

COUNTING for the national population and housing census has faced hiccups since Monday, most notably the shortage of census pads for data entry, according to an official, The National reports.

Some officers yesterday claimed they were still to be paid their K40 daily allowances.

Kila Geberi, the census coordinator for the Southeast region which included Central, Northern, Milne Bay and NCD, said most census teams around the country had stopped working because there was a shortage of 5,000 census pads.

They also needed another 1,000 manuals to guide interviewers.

“There is a shortfall of census pads throughout the country and we also need more interviewers’ guides or manual,’’ Geberi said. “We may have underestimated the workload and distances in earlier assessments of workload formation.”

Geberi said: “The number of people in the household has grown over the 10-year period and, because there are many small villages scattered across remote areas, most of our field officers are now facing that (problem) during their operations.”

He said the workload was spread between 40 and 50 families after considering the distance and the time needed by each provincial census coordinators.

“We are advised by Moore Printing that 5,000 copies of the census pad would be ready for delivery at the end of today (yesterday) or tomorrow (today),” Geberi said.

The census pad contains 65 census questionnaire forms and a single form can cater for seven people.

He said counting in some parts of Milne Bay, Northern and Central began on Monday while counting in other parts were held up because of the shortage of census pads.

Geberi said some interviewers and supervisors were still conducting their training this week.

“Counting in NCD started on Monday and is progressing well despite some minor setbacks.

“In some parts of Central, Northern and Milne Bay, counting may be delayed as some officers are doing their training.

“That means counting will begin on Saturday and throughout next week,” Geberi said.

He said he had been advised that Safia and Keva LLGs in remote Northern had not started counting because the field officers were still undergoing training.

He said there were some delays with funding for the training.

Meanwhile, some NCD field officers were still complaining yesterday about the non-payment of their K40 field allowances.

As of 5pm yesterday, there was no confirmation from the census coordinators in NCD that the officers had received their allowances.

The funds were still with the Department of Finance and Treasury.

Chief magistrate denies knowledge of bail bid

CHIEF Magistrate Jack August has denied media reports that he had directed a District Court magistrate to hear and approve bail for National Planning and Monitoring secretary Joseph Lelang, The National reports.

Lelang had been charged with breaking and entering into his former office, an offence he allegedly committed days before he was reinstated.

On Monday, The National had reported that Lelang’s lawyer, Philemon Korowi, had turned up at the Port Moresby court house early last Friday morning to pursue a bail application for his client.

The lawyer’s action, however, was contrary to a direction by magistrate Rossie Johnson for all parties to be at the Waigani District Court.

Korowi had claimed that he was directed by the chief magistrate to appear before magistrate Josephine Niduwe in town and successfully posted a K1,000 bail for Lelang.

However, August yesterday denied giving such directions for the matter tobe heard in town.

He said the claims by Korowi “may amount to a serious professional misconduct” and he could be referred to the PNG Law Society.

In a media statement, August said he did not direct any magistrate to hear Lelang’s bail application last Friday.

He said Niduwe had just joined the Magisterial Services and “Lelang’s lawyer may have taken advantage of her recent appointment to push his own agenda”.

“The counsel for Lelang has misled the Waigani Committal Court. This is totally false and unbecoming of a member of the legal fraternity and may amount to a serious professional misconduct.”

August said he was officially on tour to Kimbe and left last Thursday. He returned to Port Moresby on Monday.

He said it was impossible for him to sanction a bail hearing as he was in Kimbe last Friday.

 

 

Landslip leaves 200 homeless

By ZACHERY PER

 

MORE than 200 families from three major clans in Yongomugl, Chimbu, have been displaced by a major landslip, The National reports.

The Gena, Kindiku and Sunagaumo clans have lost homes, coffee trees, garden produce and animals in the landslip at the Porol Mountain.

The landslip started three weeks ago about a kilometre away from the major Gera landslip that occurred in 2008 and cut the Highlands Highway off, stopping the flow of basic services into the hinterlands of the highlands region for a month.

The National visited the displaced families last weekend and saw them covered in mud as a sign of mourning for their land, homes, gardens, ceremonial grounds, cemeteries, coffee trees and livestock.

The people are living in makeshift shelters.

A local, Naire Kawagle, who was one of the first to see the landslip, said it started on June 26 and, since then, the land had been slipping continuously.

He said it had destroyed property and homes worth thousands of kina.

Ward councillor Kuike Kowane, who spoke on behalf of the affected clans, said more than 200 families were now living in makeshift shelters.

He said there had been no response from the Chimbu provincial government and politicians after they were alerted.

“Our children cannot go to school and we are missing out on this coffee season.

“Our gardens are destroyed and we are without food and are severely affected,” Kowane said.

Speaking on behalf of the women, Esther Andy said all their food gardens had been destroyed and they did not know who to turn to for help.

 “When the landslips were occurring, we ran off with our children and left our gardens, houses and properties to be destroyed,” she said.

Spokesman John Aina called on the National Disaster Centre, Chimbu provincial government and local MP Jeffery Nape to step in and help.

Opposition concerned about controversies against Abal

The opposition today expressed serious concern about the accumulating controversies against the acting prime minister Sam Abal which he seems to ignore in pursuit of the nation’s top post.

Deputy leader of opposition Sam Basil said that the people have had enough of controversies, legal blunders and ill-repute against the top post.

“They deserve a government led by a prime minister they can depend on and have confidence in,” Basil said.

“In any other country, any impropriety by a member of an acting prime minister is sufficient cause for resignation to protect the integrity of the public office.

“In PNG, we describe it as a police matter and refuse the perception that if a leader cannot manage and mentor those in his household to be good citizens, what qualification does he have to lead a nation?”

Basil, who is also Bulolo MP, slammed the latest revelations of questionable funding management in relation to the acting prime minister’s district funds.

“The integrity with which a leader handles district finances indicates his qualification to handle national finances,” he said.

“ An acting prime minister,  regardless of who is in that post and especially one who is actively pursuing a permanent election into that position of prime minister,  should be squeaky clean.

“Sacking cabinet ministers like Don Polye and William Duma because they are likely contenders for the prime minister’s post demonstrate insecurity and an unhealthy early hint on the attitude to wielding of power by Mr Abal.

“The Opposition is calling on all right-thinking MPs – in Government and in our ranks – to completely halt the Somare era and the negative leadership legacy that has tarnished our leadership quality and capability.

“Now is the time to act.

“Let’s mobilise; align aright and begin the re-alignment process of leadership before it is too late.”

 

Singapore’s off limits

Sir Michael's doctor has no practising rights in Singapore

 

By FRANK SENGE KOLMA

 

THE legal process, which began two weeks ago to determine the medical fitness of Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare, has hit a snag, The National reports.

Sir Michael's long-time physician, Dr Isi Kevau, who was scheduled to fly to Singapore today, does not have jurisdiction to perform any medical examination on the ailing prime minister, a medical doctor claimed yesterday.

Specialist surgeon Dr Kristoffa Robert Ninkama said from Australia that Kevau, or any other PNG doctor, could not produce a legally binding report on the prime minister because none of them were registered on the Singapore Medical Council and, so, they have "no practising right of whatever kind at any Singaporean health facilities".

Moreover, Kevau discharged his responsibilities of care over Sir Michael when he referred him to the doctors at the Singapore hospital who accepted him.

Doctor-patient confidentiality forbid that Kevau can just charge in there and return with a report.

Ninkama said: "This effectively means he has no jurisdiction of care to Sir Michael as a doctor in Singapore other than an ongoing interest of his care as a second or third party.

"This means Kevau cannot perform a physical examination on Sir Michael while in Singapore for it will be deemed illegal.

 "He, therefore, cannot produce an independent primary medical report and make recommendations on the health status of Sir Michael from any Singaporean hospital because he ceases to exist as a doctor within Singaporean jurisdiction," Ninkama said.

"Any primary report from Kevau from Singapore would be deemed illegal and may not be legally-binding."

Kevau had himself cited jurisdictional and doctor-patient confidentiality issues when he addressed the National Executive Council last week and reported that he would not be able to produce a medical report as directed by cabinet.

Acting Prime Minister Sam Abal revealed on Sunday that Kevau was due to fly to Singapore today to see the PM.

Ninkama said this must follow set processes to avoid unnecessary ethical and legal repercussions.

He suggested getting the chief physician in charge of Sir Michael in Singapore, or his delegate, to write a fully informed interim medical report and recommendations on his patient to Kevau.

"This primary report, and what is observed at ground zero in Singapore of Sir Michael's physical state of health, together with his personal and family's wishes, will form the basis for Kevau and another PNG colleague to formulate an informed and independent secondary report and recommendations for the acting PM, NEC and PNG," Ninkama said.

A medical report from two recognised medical practitioners is a requirement under section 142 of the Constitution to remove any sitting prime minister for reasons of physical or mental incapacity to carry out the duties of their office.

Census officials want pay

By ALISON ANIS

 

THE national census in the nation's capital went well yesterday despite a complaint by some officials in the two main NCD zones that they were not paid their daily K40 field allowance, The National reports.

NCD census co-ordinator Jacklyn Tarawu, however, said many of the interviewers had visited homes to obtain the information required for the census.

Tarawu admitted that there were a few logistical problems including the delay in the payment of allowances.

"Most of the officials in the NCD conducted the census yesterday but a few people refused to work because of the non-payment of allowances from the department of Finance and Treasury," Tarawu said.

She said more than 100 census supervisors and interviewers in Zone Eight, which included 8-Mile and 9-Mile, Bomana, Tete settlement, Laloki, ATS compound and Fisherman Island, refused to conduct the national survey because of the allowance problem.

Some officials confirmed with The National yesterday morning that they refused to conduct the census because there were security, logistics and allowance problems which had not been resolved.

The census team from Zone Two which covered Gerehu, Waigani, Erima, Morata, Ensisi and UPNG  made similar complaints.

According to the National Statistical Office, the funds to cover daily allowances for the census officials were being held up at the Finance office.

Tarawu said it was "beyond our control".

She said the census headquarters had been advised that the Finance Department would release the money either by the end of yesterday or today to pay the census teams.

"We have advised the census co-ordinators in each zone that they would receive their payments by tomorrow (today)," she said.

 

 

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.