Concern at rundown state of Angoram

By MALUM NALU

Pioneer East Sepik politician and Frieda River discoverer John Pasquarelli has expressed shock at the rundown state of Angoram, along the Sepik River.

John Pasquarelli as a cadet kiap (patrol officer) at Angoram along the Sepik River in 1960

Pasquarelli, 74, a kiap (patrol officer) who first came to PNG in 1960, crocodile hunter and Member of the first House of Assembly for Angoram from 1964-1968, said this in light of development of the Frieda River project.

 He beat Sir Michael Somare’s father, Ludwig Somare Sana, to become Angoram MHA in 1964.

 Sir Michael’s son, Arthur, is now Angoram MP but is under suspension.

 “I flew into Angoram as a cadet patrol officer in 1960 and four years later I was the MHA for Angoram Open, elected by the Sepiks over several other candidates including Michael Somare’s father, Sana, who was a friend of mine,” Pasquarelli said.

 “Angoram was once a thriving outstation with the Sepiks making plenty of money from crocodile skins,  carvings,  tourism, logs for the sawmills at Angoram and Marienberg and sending lots of saksak (sago)  into Wewak and Madang as well as providing labour for plantations and the mining and forestry at Bulolo.

 “That most of the aid posts no longer exist and the Angoram police station was burnt down is beyond belief. 

 “Who visits Sepik villages these days to check what is going on in respect of health, the economy and law and order? 

 “It was government policy to get rid of the kiaps and their ‘nasty’ colonial history but who replaced them? 

 “Who is speaking out for the Sepiks to make sure they get the best possible deal if the Frieda River project goes ahead? 

 “Where is the current MP for Angoram when he’s needed?”

A dream come true for journo, artist

By MALUM NALU

A DREAM comes true for journalist and artist, Joycelin Leahy, when her  new art gallery, Beyond Pacific Art, featuring Papua New Guinea and Pacific art,  opens in Brisbane on March 17, The National reports.
 The gallery is located 20 minutes from Brisbane.
Owner, arts entrepreneur Joycelin Leahy from Wagang village in Lae, says it will be the first time a gallery is opened in Australia to exclusively retail and promote PNG and Pacific arts.
Beyond Pacific Art (BPA) was originally established in PNG as Beyond Art by journalist and artist, Joycelin Leahy,  in 1991.

Joycelin Leahy

 It was a place for art retail and exhibition, providing the only retail gallery for PNG artists.
From its simple beginnings, BPA grew into a multi-facetted business for art, culture, and heritage projects and art advice.
BPA was also a manufacturer of PNG prints, local textile and furnishings.
Under clothing label KalemKollections, BPA set a new trend in PNG for corporate uniforms with indigenous art motifs.

 Suki baskets will be among other PNG and Pacific crafts to be sold at the gallery

Meri Simbu - artwork by Joycelin Leahy

Infinity - artwork by James Mason Lee, Fijian artist

 On interior and architectural work, BPA was responsible for wall features and wood carvings in the Bank of PNG.
BPA also sponsored and assisted in producing a number of major art shows for the Miss PNG Quest and PNG Red cross; the annual Waigani Art show; PNG Manufacturer’s show;  and Department of Trade and Industry business events and trade fairs.
BPA represented PNG internationally in the Festival of Pacific Art and World Festival for Island cultures.
In 2004, Leahy relocated to Brisbane to pursue a masters in museum studies.
 While studying, she continued her work in promoting handicrafts and contemporary arts of PNG and the Pacific Islands.
She wrote her thesis on how climate change affects intangible cultures in the Pacific Islands.
Her case study area was Tami Islands, in her home province of Morobe.
 With her business knowledge in the arts and, her traditional knowledge, she was regularly consulted on a number of reports and studies on cultural industries in PNG and the Pacific Islands through the Secretariat of Pacific Community and the Pacific Islands Trade and Invest.
Her interest remained in promoting sustainable cultural industries in PNG and the Pacific islands in order to protect and preserve intangible cultures such as language, dance, music, weaving and painting.
While completing her masters, she created Pacific Storms, a contemporary art exhibition in Australia which features key works from Pacific islanders.
“Pacific Storms is known as the only art exhibition that attracts the largest collection of contemporary artworks and the highest number of indigenous Pacific Island artists to Australia,” she said.
“Pacific Storms creates awareness on how climate change, globalisation and other contemporary issues affect Pacific Island cultures.
“The exhibition shows contemporary artwork whilst combining performances, music, story-telling, food and other intangible skills of the Pacific people.
“This first exhibition in Bundaberg Regional Art Gallery, Queensland, attracted over 4, 000 people and later in Brisbane city, 12,000 people visited the show.
“It was opened by rugby legend Mal Meninga. “
The third Pacific Storms, with new artwork, curated by Leahy was shown to over 3, 000 in Logan Art Gallery from May to June last year.
“Pacific Storms 2013 has been invited to show in Pacific Islands Ethnic Art Museum in Los Angeles,” Leahy says.
There were three publications from Pacific Storms.
In addition, Leahy under Beyond Pacific Art was a major contributor to the 2009 Festival of Pacific Arts Report.
“This consultation project was undertaken to evaluate the festival and make recommendations on how it could be improved with economic benefits to the 27 Pacific islands state and territories,” she says.
“It was sponsored by UNESCO and SPC.
“Beyond Pacific Art’s current task is to build capacity for weaving and handicraft export in the mine closure project areas: Suki, Fly and Gogodala as well as Middle Fly.
“Under the Women and Children’s Plan 2009-2019, aimed at empowering and increasing women’s participation in social and economic development in the region, women leaders in the trust region undergo capacity building skills and learn how to transit from traditional to commercial production for income.
“The workshops will lead to local, national and international exhibitions to promote the region’s art, culture and heritage in order to generate other income opportunities.”
Beyond Pacific Art’s role covered a large field of expertise in arts, heritage and culture.
This is due to Leahy’s own traditional knowledge, qualification, local and international art knowledge, her own art skills and her large network consisting of artists, the grassroots, government and the private sector in PNG and the Pacific.
Contact: beyondart@tpg.com.au Joyce­lin Leahy, 23 Lather Rd, Bellbowrie. QLD 4070. Australia

Fuel products costlier

By BOSORINA ROBBY

PRICES of fuel products in Port Moresby continued to increase due to high crude oil prices in the world market, The National reports.
 This time, consumers will be paying K3.51 per litre of petrol, up from last month’s price of K3.43.
Diesel and kerosene prices had also increased by 3 toea and 5 toea respectively.

A service station attendant pumping diesel to a client at a service station along Waigani Drive yesterday.-Nationalpic by MALUM NALU

Diesel is now selling at  K2.99 per litre, up 3 toea, from K2.96 per litre; kerosene cost K2.87 per litre, from last month’s K2.82.
Independent Consumer and Competition Commission Commissioner Dr Billy Manoka said the price of crude oil had steadied slightly during the last months of 2011 from September.
He said however crude oil prices increased significantly last January and remained above US$110 per barrel on ave­rage.
Domestic retail prices in PNG normally follow the directions of the movements in international prices of crude oil.
However, the extent of the change in domestic prices would depend on the movement in the exchange rate of the kina against the US dollar and the quarterly freight rate submissions from major domestic oil companies.

ANZ chief: Bright future for PNG

By MALUM NALU

ANZ PNG chief executive Vishu Mohan has painted a bright picture for Papua New Guinea, The National reports.
 He however cautioned that good political leadership and governance were preconditions.
“I think the future augurs very well for the country, with good political leadership and governance,” he told The National.

ANZ PNG chief executive Vishu Mohan...optimistic of a bright future for PNG

“I think this country has the potential to become one of the highest per capita GDPs in the region.
“Nothing will stop this country going even further.
“There are a lot of good things happening for the country.
“All it needs is stable leadership and good governance.”
Mohan said ANZ PNG was doing very well with the favourable economic climate.
“We had a good financial year last year,” he revealed.
“This year, generally, we started off very well.
“Our market is still highly liquid, so borrowers are not borrowing as much as we want.
“The good news is that the PNG economy is doing very well.”
Mohan said ANZ PNG currently employed about 600 staff at its 13 branches around the country, and had 56 ATMs and EFTPOS.
He said ANZ Lae branch would move to Second Street this month after the fire at Fourth Street last July, which forced it to leave ANZ Haus for the main market.
A new branch will also be opened on gold-rich Lihir Island this month.
“After the fire we transferred operations to Lae market,” he said.
“We are almost ready to move into temporary premises opposite Melanesian Hotel, which should open up this month.
“We are also opening a branch on Lihir,” he said.
They are hoping to commission the unit next week with a formal opening soon.
Mohan said ANZ PNG was also working on other developments, announcements which would be made soon.
“We are very committed to investing in this country with our products and services,” he said.
Mohan said the bank was also expanding its distribution channels

Judges to meet over arrest of Chief Justice

By JACOB POK

JUDGES of the National and Supreme Court are expected today to meet in Port Moresby to discuss among other things, the arrest and charging of Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia, The National reports. Advice went out from the office of court registrar, Ian Augerea, for all judges in the provinces to fly in yesterday for the meeting.
Also yesterday, Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia briefly appeared at the Waigani Committal Court for mention following a charge against him of perverting the course of justice.
Sir Salamo appeared before magistrate Cosmos Bidar and stood in the witness dock when his charges were read to him.
The court adjourned the matter to May 7 to give time to the prosecution to prepare evidence.
Sir Salamo was released on his own recognisance after he was arrested by police on his way to the chambers on Tuesday morning and taken
for questioning at the police headquarters.
Police alleged that Sir Salamo disobeyed a court order and illegally redirected a payment of K213,000, which was meant for the adopted son of the late Justice Timothy Hinchliffe, to the court’s trust account.
They alleged that Sir Salamo and others had “conspired” and ignored a National Court order of 2009 issued by former judge, Justice Mark Sevua, ordering the National Judicial Staff Services to pay Hinchliffe’s entitlements to Hinchliffe’s adopted son Timothy Morere Sari Junior.
However, the payment was instead redirected to the court’s trust account on Sir Salamo’s instruction.
Police alleged that the actions of the chief justice to circumvent a valid order of the court were contemptuous and criminal in nature.
Police, therefore, carried out investigations and made the arrest.
All National and Supreme Court matters listed for hearing before Sir Salamo yesterday were deferred to tomorrow.
Matters before other judges were understood to be deferred as well.
Opposition leader Dame Carol Kidu said the implications of the action could shake the very foundation of government in PNG.
She was reported on ABC as saying: “It had better be pretty sound reasons for this, I think, for the sake of Papua New Guinea if they are going to be questioning the head of the judiciary.
“Because that does shake the very foundation of our democracy and our separation of powers.”
Former chief justice Sir Arnold Amet was also reported as saying that the timing of arrest and charging of Sir Salamo “smacked of being politically-driven” and the arrest of Sir Salamo by armed police was “heavy-handed”.
Sir Arnold, a member of the Sir Michael Somare faction, said the government’s handling of the matter was most inappropriate

New Guinea Energy sells PNG licence to Exxon, Oil Search for A$14.2 million

New Guinea Energy has sold one of its six Western province, Papua New Guinea, exploration licences to ExxonMobil and Oil Search for US$15 million (A$14.2 million).

PPL 227 is located next PRL 11 and PDL 8, which holds the Angore gas field, and is also close to PNG LNG infrastructure.

The sale of PPL 277 reduces New Guinea’s risk and capital obligations associated with working in the country’s highlands and provides it with high side exposure and a source of ongoing revenue in the event of commercial development.

The company is entitled to an additional US$20 million if a petroleum development licence is granted and will receive a royalty over all revenue if commercial production occurs.

This could be worth between US$48 million and US$312 million to New Guinea depending on discovery of petroleum and its size, commercial viability of any development, timing of production, LNG pricing at the time of production and other economic and financing contingencies.

New Guinea has received unsolicited offers for its acreage in the past and the acquisition of PPL 277 is a clear indicator of the value of its portfolio.

ExxonMobil subsidiary Esso PNG Exploration and Oil Search will drill the Trapia-1 well on the border of PPL 277 and PRL 11 during the first half of 2012.

Trapia is a large structure within PRL 11 close to the PNG LNG infrastructure and east of the Hides and Angore fields and may overlap into PPL 277.

New Guinea had recognised this possibility earlier and had rescheduled a seismic programme originally planned for the third and fourth quarters in 2011 to the middle of this year to investigate the eastern Trapia structure.

However, it is not known if the new owners of PPL 277 will proceed with the seismic shoot.

Both ExxonMobil and Oil Search will each hold 50% in PPL 277.

Newcrest in PNG deal with Frontier

Gold miner Newcrest will take a small stake in junior gold and copper explorer Frontier Resources and become its joint venture partner in Papua New Guinea.

Newcrest, Australia's biggest gold miner, has agreed to take a 2.3% interest in Frontier with the purchase of $750,000 worth of shares at 10.67 cents each, the two companies said in a statement on Tuesday.

Shares in Frontier closed up half a cent, or 4.76 per cent, at 11 cents after reaching in intraday high of 13 cents.

Newcrest shares backtracked 67 cents, or 2.06%, to $31.82.

The companies also said that Newcrest may earn a 60% interest in the Mt Andewa project on the island of New Britain by spending $15.25 million on exploration over four years.

Newcrest may also earn the same interest in Frontier's nearby Mt Schrader project by spending a further $4 million on exploration.

Newcrest has an option to acquire an additional 12% in Mt Andewa.

It can also choose to withdraw from the joint venture but first must spend at least $2.5 million on exploration over a period of about 18 months.

Frontier chairman Peter McNeil said the agreement was an endorsement of the potential of the Mt Andewa project.

“Frontier will benefit from Newcrest's expertise and capability in the ongoing efforts to unlock this potential,” McNeil said.

Newcrest executive general manager of minerals Colin Moorhead said the deal was in line with the miner's strategy of seeking early-stage entry into high-quality gold projects in the Asia Pacific region.

Newcrest's existing joint venture in PNG with South Africa's Harmony Gold Mining Company, the Wafi-Golpu project, is expected to underpin the company's production growth beyond 2015/16.

In 2008, Frontier's then main asset, the Kodu copper and gold project in PNG, was expropriated by the PNG government because it was near Kokoda Track.

PNG Prime Minister says internet threat idle

AAP

Papua New Guinea's prime minister Peter O'Neill says his government has no intention of setting up investigations into what's said in the press or online about his administration.

The prime minister's comments come a week after his chief of staff Ben Micah printed a public notice in the daily newspapers vowing those who spread "malicious and misleading" information would be "dealt with."

When asked at a press conference in Port Moresby to clarify the statement, Mr O'Neill said his government had no intention of quashing debate in PNG's media and blogosphere.

"There is no intention on the part of government to do that," he said on Tuesday.

"But we just want to urge all those who participate in these sites to be a bit more responsible, to be a bit more careful, when you have malicious lies about persons, not policies."

"You are not arguing policies of what government is doing."

In his newspaper statement, Mr Micah called on "patriots" to turn into the authorities those who were publishing material online and via text message information "subversive to the overall security of the nation."

"All patriots and law-abiding citizens are required to be vigilant," the statement said.

"The military, police and the National Intelligence Organisation and other pro-government civilian networks are monitoring all attempts to destabilise the government's firm control of the country."

In a rare interjection during Mr O'Neill's usually tightly run press conferences, Mr Micah said the statement was aimed at people spreading rumours of military coups.

"This is not a Stalinist regime," Mr Micah said.

"We will be using normal government apparatus to monitor policy information."

Approximately 1.5 per cent of Papua New Guinea's seven million people use the internet, according to the World Bank.

Both the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the Pacific Media Centre (PMC) say the announcement raises deep concerns over free speech and the rights of individual privacy.

 PNG has just emerged from a period of intense political turmoil after the Supreme Court ordered the return to power of ousted prime minister Sir Michael Somare without the backing of the majority of parliament.

Mr O'Neill and his supporters have been running the country since August last year, and maintained control of the nation during a failed bloodless mutiny attempt at the behest of Sir Michael's ousted cabinet in January.