Government asked to explain extra K73 million for Pacific Games

By MALUM NALU

 

A concerned advocacy Group, Good Governance Advocacy Forum (GGAF), has asked why Papua New Guinea is paying out a massive K73 million in additional costs for the 2015 Pacific Games Village at the University of PNG.

Spokesman, Joe Poeo, said in a letter to Prime Minister Peter O’Neill that Cabinet had been misled and awarded the K263m contract to China Railway Construction Engineering (CRCE), when it was only worth K190m.

“People of Papua New Guinea will have to fork out a massive K73m on top of what has been estimated by the state-engaged and fully-paid consulting firm,” he said.

“Our investigation reveals that there were other reputable construction and engineering firms that tendered for this project.

“Their bid pricing were around the vicinity of the price estimated by the engineer of K190m, yet, the government has seen fit to simply add another massive K73m on top of the engineer’s estimate and awarding the contract.”

Poeo called on Sports and Pacific Games Minister, Justin Tkatchenko, to explain the inflated job.

“It is in the best interest of the people of this country that the Minister for Sports and Pacific Games to inform them the reason in inflating that figure over and above the professional engineer’s estimate,” he said.

“It is not a numerical figure, but actual cash that is being inserted into some submissions to eventually get the nod of the ministers in cabinet.

“Whether the state ministers were misled or merely forced to support and give approval to such an outrageous submission is a matter for the good minister to explain to the nation.

“He has a fiduciary obligation to do so.”

Poeo said O’Neill had an obligation to explain to the people of PNG.

“We ask through your office to ensure that the money that was added to the scoped figure is clearly explained in a more-transparent manner before any clearance is given,” he said.

“You are obligated to ensure that the people of this country know how their money is being managed by the executive government of the day.

Tkatchenko: 'Nothing sinister about Pacific Games contract'

By MALUM NALU

 

Sports and Pacific Games Minister Justin Tkatchenko says said there is “nothing sinister” about the awarding of a K263 million contract to China Railway Construction Engineering (CRCE) to build the 2015 Pacific Games Village at University of PNG.

He said this when asked by The National as to how and why CRCE was awarded a contract worth more than K263 million to build the village, despite the job being valued at only K190m by New Zealand engineering consultancy firm, Warren and Mahoney.

This is also despite CRCE failing to meet annual turnover requirements, not providing information on working capital, liquid assets and/or credit facilities, and no certificate of compliance to confirm payment of tax to the Internal Revenue Commission, disqualifying it from further evaluation for the contract.

“There is nothing sinister,” Tkatchenko said.

“I see nothing wrong.

“It’s gone through every process possible to come up to this final action.

“People will find nothing out of it.

“At the end of the day, we’ve recommended the best possible contractor to do the job on time.

“The most important thing for us is to get the job done on time.”

Asked about CRCE failing to come up with a certificate of compliance from the IRC, Tkatchenko said: “I wouldn’t have a clue.

“I’ve never heard about that.

“They (CRCE) must have complied if they are awarded the contract.

“Central Supply and Tenders Board (CSTB) made their evaluation from the current circumstances.

“That’s Central Supply and Tenders Board’s job.

“I had no issue with that.”

Fletcher Morobe Construction was recommended by the tender evaluation committee (TEC) to the CSTB ahead of nine other bidders to be awarded the contract at a cost of K191, 453, 553.80, however, this was somehow given to CRCE.

Tkatchenko, however, said Fletcher Morobe was willing to do that Aquatic Centre at 3-Mile so the village contract - with a deadline of March 2015 - was given to CRCE.

He said he asked the TEC why CRCE was given the village contract, despite Fletcher Morobe winning the bid.

“The answer that they (TEC) gave me was that Fletcher Morobe was happy to do the Aquatic Centre,” Tkatchenko said.

“They were more than happy to do the Aquatic Centre.”

Tkatchenko said the tender bids went through the TEC, CSTB, State Solicitor, on to Cabinet to make a decision, back to State Solicitor to draw up the contracts, and then on to Governor-General to sign.

He said CRCE was working with New Zealand engineering consultancy company, Becca, on behalf of the government as project manager, with Curtain Brothers doing the groundwork

Chinese company awarded inflated contract to build Pacific Games Village

By MALUM NALU

 

A Chinese company, China Railway Construction Engineering (CRCE) PNG, was awarded a contract worth more than K263 million to build the 2015 Pacific Games Village at University of PNG, despite the job being valued at only K190m.

Documents provided to The National show that CRCE was not in the top three of the 10 companies that bid for the contract, however, was approved ahead of the rest at an additional cost of more than K73 million to Papua New Guinea.

Sports and Pacific Games Minister Justin Tkatchenko, when contacted for comment, said there was “nothing sinister” about the awarding of the contract to CRCE.

A government source said a professional New Zealand engineering consultancy firm, Warren and Mahoney, did the scoping and estimation for the project which it said was worth K190m.

Moreover, the tender evaluation committee (TEC) of the Central Supply and Tenders Board (CSTB), disqualified CRCE from further evaluation, however, it was somehow awarded the contract.

The 10 companies that bid and their respective prices were China Railway Construction Group PNG (K149, 549, 896.90), China Railway Construction Engineering PNG (K263, 973, 822.56), Associated Builders (K389, 699, 629.50), J4J Construction & Hardware Supplies (K179, 550, 813.20),  China Harbour Engineering Ltd (K153, 307, 006.19), PNG Construction Ltd (K223, 437, 500), Digara Construction Ltd (K226, 479, 798.16), Fletcher Morobe Construction (K191, 453, 653.80), JIC Niugini Engineering (K173, 236, 504.02), and China Railway Group (K189,033, 309.98)

Fletcher Morobe Construction was recommended by the tender evaluation committee (TEC) of the Central Supply and Tenders Board (CSTB) to be awarded the contract at a cost of K191, 453, 553.80.

The other two top companies after that were China Harbour Engineering Ltd (K153, 307. 006.19), and JIC Niugini Engineering Ltd (K173, 236, 504.02)

“Members of the TEC assessed individual bids according to the evaluation criteria for technical scores out of 100, and average totals established to determine the ranking of the bids,” according to the TEC report.

“Emphasis was placed on technical scores for ranking individual firms, while financial capacity was assessed based on the available working capital.

“China Railway Construction Engineering failed to meet the annual turnover requirements and his (sic) failure to provide the working capital, liquid assets and/or credit facilities information, and no certificate of compliance to confirm payment of tax to the IRC, disqualifies him for further evaluation

Fletcher Morobe topped with 84 out of 100 followed by CRCE (77.3), China Harbour Engineering (77.2), JIC Niugini (76.7), China Railway Construction Group (76.5), China Railway Group (74), PNG Construction (63.5), J4J Construction & Hardware (70.5), Digara Construction (61.3), and Associate Builders (61.2).

Members of the TEC were chairman Gabriel Tomtai and members Simon Vai, Rayu Frank, Iammo Launa, Veari Hitolo, and Phillip Tabogani.

Tracing the footsteps of their Taiwanese grandfathers

By MALUM NALU

It is a very little known and sad story of World War 11 in Papua New Guinea, that many of the Japanese soldiers were in fact Taiwanese.

The Takasago Giyūtai (Taiwanese Volunteers) were forcefully-conscripted volunteer soldiers in the Imperial Japanese Army, recruited from the Taiwanese aboriginal tribes during WW11because of their hunter-gatherer culture, and sent to the jungles of far-off New Guinea to fight in a war that was not theirs.

Now, almost 70 years after the end of WW11 in 1945, a Taiwanese academic is in PNG to follow the footsteps of his grandfather in Wewak, East Sepik, as well as conduct traditional rituals to bring back the spirits of the Takasago Giyūtai who lost their lives there.

Tsai…a man on a mission

Prof Futuru Tsai, an academic at National Taitung University in Taiwan, left for Wewak yesterday (Thursday) with research student Yavaus Gling, artist Siki Sufin, and documentary filmmaker Siaman Zhang Yehai, on a special mission to retrace the footsteps of their grandfathers and bring their spirits with them back to Taiwan, as well as foster new bonds with the people of Wewak East Sepik, and PNG.

Prof Futuru Tsai with artist Siki Sufin, Taiwan Trade Mission representative Daniel Hu, research student Yavaus Gling, and documentary filmmaker  Siaman Zhang Yehai.-Pictures by MALUM NALU

He estimates that of the more than 4,000 Takasago Giyūtai brought by the Japanese to fight in PNG, up to 3,000 lost their lives here.

Tsai’s grandfather, Roeng, died two years ago aged 90, but his stories about WW11 in PNG, which included that of starving Japanese being forced to eat human flesh to stay alive in the jungles, have always intrigued his grandson, who had already published his biography.

This is his second time in PNG, having first come here four years ago with his father and younger brother, to retrace Roeng’s footsteps.

“There were more than 4,000 Taiwanese indigenous people who were conscripted by the Japanese to go to the battlefields, especially in Papua New Guinea, like Wewak, Madang, Lae, and Rabaul,” Tsai told The National yesterday.

“Four years ago, I traced the footsteps of my grandfather with my father and my younger brother.

“At that time, we made many, many new friends around Wewak and Angoram.

“This time, four years later, I bring with me one of the most-famous indigenous artists in Taiwan, a documentary filmmaker, and also one of the students from my graduate institute.

“This time, we want to bring our ancestral spirits from around the battlefield, back home to Taiwan.

“We also want to establish new connections.

“We want to create new understanding between Taiwan society and Papua New Guinea.”

Tsai admitted that the story of the Takasago Giyūtai was one of the little-known and saddest in the WW11 history of Taiwan, Japan, and PNG, and hopes that something positive will come out of his visit to Wewak and East Sepik.

Scotland to play Papua New Guinea

SAM VILLER

21 Aug 2013

Love Rugby League

  Scotland will play Papua New Guinea on Saturday 19 September at Big Fellas Stadium, Featherstone, in a full international as a warm-up ahead of the Rugby League World Cup.
It will be Scotland's only match this year before their RLWC2013 campaign kicks off against Tonga at Workington on Tuesday 29 October.
Papua New Guinea are in Group B at the World Cup along with New Zealand, Samoa and France. With Super League players such as prop Jason Chan from League Leaders Huddersfield, Wakefield hooker Paul Aiton, along with Championship players Jessie Joe Parker of Whitehaven, former Hull KR forward Makali Aizue now with Dewsbury Rams and Sheffield's Menzie Yere, PNG are contenders for a quarter-final place.
"We're delighted to secure the game against PNG," said Scotland coach Steve McCormack. "We've been working on it for weeks and all the pieces have fallen into place thanks to the tremendous efforts of the two countries' boards and Featherstone Rovers, who have been fantastic in making this happen. It should be a tremendous game and the perfect preparation for us ahead of the Tonga game."
Scotland will go into camp a couple of days before the PNG clash, having trained several times a week for the previous six weeks. They will depart for their RLWC2013 base at Workington immediately after the PNG game (kick off time to be confirmed).
Kumuls general manager Matthew Matusch had this to say: "PNG are excited by the prospect of playing their League Brothers from the far north. We are really looking forward to this opportunity as this is the first time, to our knowledge, that Papua New Guinea and Scotland have played each other.
"We are aware that we will be in for a good strong clash with the Bravehearts. Scotland looks as though they have a very good line up with the calibre of players which they have at their disposal. It should be a great match with two Warrior Nations coming together! We're hoping for a nice warm afternoon!"

Asylum seeker seeks to join PNG legal case

SBS

Papua New Guinea's Supreme Court is considering whether to allow an Afghan asylum seeker on Manus Island to join the legal challenge to centre.

A lone asylum seeker looking to join a constitutional challenge against his detention on Manus Island will have to wait until September for a decision from the Papua New Guinea courts.
Rawed Reza, an Afghan asylum seeker who has been housed on Manus Island since January 4, wants to join the challenge mounted by PNG opposition leader Belden Namah to Australia's tough new border policy.
Mr Namah's lawyer, Loani Henao, on Tuesday applied to Justice Stephen Kassman to add Mr Reza to the list of applicants, and pushed to visit Mr Reza at the detention centre.
"We are seeking orders from the court to have access to the assessment centre at Lombrum Naval Base on Manus, to obtain instructions from Rawed Reza, one of the persons who is seeking settlement in Australia," Mr Henao told the court.
Later, he told reporters Mr Reza was sent to Christmas Island in November last year.
"He's been in Manus since January 4," Mr Henao said.
"His wife and five-month-old son were killed in Afghanistan in December 2011."
PNG has agreed to temporarily detain all asylum seekers who try to arrive in Australia by boat.
This is the second challenge against the centre brought by Mr Henao and Mr Namah - their first was dismissed two months ago after it was found the correct legal procedure wasn't used.
At the time, the court ordered Mr Henao be allowed to go to the centre. However, Mr Henao said he was prevented by government officials from doing so.
When asked if email was the only way he had communicated with Mr Reza, Mr Henao replied, "That's why we want to go and see him."
The government was also ordered to present its response to the question of whether Mr Namah has the standing to bring the challenge.
Meanwhile the Australian government says it will continue to transfer detainees to Manus Island despite a similar challenge in the Australian courts.
PNG's department of immigration has said it is considering fitting resettled asylum seekers into available jobs in the public and private sectors.
More details of how a potential resettlement scheme will work are expected at the end of the month.
There are currently 223 asylum seekers being housed on Manus Island.
The court will resume on September 10

Palmer says he's found huge PNG gas field

From: AAP

August 21, 2013

 

QUEENSLAND mining magnate Clive Palmer says he has discovered one of the world's largest gas fields, a $35 billion deposit off Papua New Guinea.

Privately-owned company Palmer Petroleum, which he chairs, says the offshore gas field is in the Gulf of Papua, west of Port Moresby.
"The results of the studies are extremely favourable," Mr Palmer said on Wednesday.
"The asset could be worth in excess of $US35 billion and is potentially one of the world's largest gas fields."
He said the gas deposit is located near Exxon Mobil's $US19 billion LNG project in Papua New Guinea, on the northern end of the Gulf of Papua.
Mr Palmer said his company spent more than $50 million to explore an area of more than 3000 square kilometres.
Drill hole analysis and 3D surveys were conducted with British geological company Robertson, which belongs to the world's largest seismic surveyor of oilfields, CGG.
Analysts declined to comment on the discovery.
Earlier this year, Oil Search, which operates all of Papua New Guinea's oilfields, said it found modest quantities of gas in the Gulf of Papua, which led to its decision to pursue further exploration

Rabaul Queen owner Peter Sharp to face PNG court over ferry sinking

By PNG correspondent Liam Fox

The owner of a ferry that sank in Papua New Guinea last year is due to appear in court on today, charged with more than 160 counts of manslaughter.

Police yesterday arrested Captain Peter Sharp, the managing director of Rabaul Shipping, the operator of the Rabaul Queen that sank in February last year.
The expatriate Australian has been charged with negligence, operating an unseaworthy ship and 162 counts of manslaughter, one for every fatality that police have confirmed.
Tommy Yep's son was one of the lucky survivors and he says Captain Sharp's arrest is long overdue.
"We will at least get some sense of closure knowing that the person responsible for this disaster is going to face his day in court," he said.
"That goes towards the healing process."
Last year, a Commission of Inquiry found the ferry was unsafe, unseaworthy and overloaded.

Abbott seizes on PNG's rejection of key planks of asylum deal

by: Joe Kelly

From: The Australian

August 17, 2013

 

 

TONY Abbott has seized on Papua New Guinea's denial of key elements of Labor's asylum-seeker policy, accusing Kevin Rudd of being prepared to say anything to get elected.

Speaking in Western Australia, the Opposition Leader said PNG leader Peter O'Neill had "flatly contradicted" Mr Rudd's declaration that PNG would settle all asylum-seekers deemed to be refugees and that none would make it to Australia.
"You just can't trust this prime minister," Mr Abbott said during a visit to the seat of Hasluck, held by Liberal MP Ken Wyatt.
Mr O'Neill said there was no agreement for PNG to re-settle genuine asylum-seekers after processing on Manus Island and that many would end up in Australia.
"There is no agreement that all genuine refugees will be settled in PNG," he said.
PNG would work with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees to engage with other countries willing to take part in resettling those refugees, Mr O'Neill said.
"That includes Australia, New Zealand and all the other countries who are signatories to the UN conventions on refugees."
Mr O'Neill said he believed Australia had an annual quota to settle about 20,000 refugees.
"Under that process, they will get some and New Zealand has indicated they would take some."
Mr Rudd has insisted there is "one simple principle" in his new regime - that all asylum-seekers arriving by boat would be diverted to PNG and settled there if found to be genuine refugees.
Mr Abbott said Mr O'Neill's comments showed that Mr Rudd had broken the trust of voters.
"Prime Minister Peter O'Neill of PNG has flatly contradicted Mr Rudd on the PNG arrangements," Mr Abbott said.
"Many of those who go to PNG will ultimately have to come to Australia. You just can't trust this Prime Minister. You just can't trust this Prime Minister.
"He will say anything if he thinks it's going to get him a headline tomorrow.
"But when you look at the fine print, when you listen to people actually explain what it all means, it turns out to be very very different from what the Prime Minister said."
Mr O'Neill also derided federal opposition claims that refugees would seek to use PNG as a pathway to Australia.
"It is certainly an overreaction," he said.

with AAP

Rudd stands by asylum-seeker deal after call to PNG leader O'Neill

by: Sid Maher and Joe Kelly

From: The Australian

August 17, 2013

 

KEVIN Rudd has declared his Papua New Guinea asylum-seeker policy stands after a phone call with his PNG counterpart Peter O'Neill this morning.

The Prime Minister called Mr O'Neill after the PNG leader was reported as casting doubt on key elements of the policy.
Mr O'Neill had said there was no agreement for PNG to re-settle genuine asylum-seekers after processing on Manus Island and that many would end up in Australia.
Tony Abbott seized on Mr O'Neill's apparent denial of the central planks of Labor's policy, accusing Mr Rudd of being prepared to say anything to get elected.
Speaking in Western Australia, the Opposition Leader said Mr O'Neill had ``flatly contradicted'' Mr Rudd's declaration that PNG would settle all asylum-seekers deemed to be refugees and that none would make it to Australia.
``You just can't trust this prime minister,'' Mr Abbott said during a visit to the seat of Hasluck, held by Liberal MP Ken Wyatt.

Start of sidebar.

Mr Rudd today reaffirmed that Labor's policy was that no-one who arrived by boat in Australia without a visa would be settled in Australia.
It is understood the two leaders spoke by phone again this morning.
``Our policy is clear cut,'' Mr Rudd said.
He said the policy was supported by both the governments of Australia and PNG.
``I draw your attention to the regional resettlement arrangement which says persons found to be refugees will be settled in PNG and other participating regional states, including Pacific Island states.
``That what we agreed to. That's what we support now. That support continues to the present and that has been confirmed as late as today.''
He said Australia and PNG had spent more than a month negotiating the detail of the agreement.
And the government of PNG had confirmed again today that it stood by the agreement.
Earlier Mr O'Neill had said PNG would work with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees to engage with other countries willing to take part in resettling those refugees, Mr O'Neill said.
``That includes Australia, New Zealand and all the other countries who are signatories to the UN conventions on refugees.''
Mr O'Neill said he believed Australia had an annual quota to settle about 20,000 refugees.
``Under that process, they will get some and New Zealand has indicated they would take some.''
Mr Rudd has insisted there is ``one simple principle'' in his new regime that all asylum-seekers arriving by boat would be diverted to PNG and settled there if found to be genuine refugees.
Mr Abbott said Mr O'Neill's comments showed that Mr Rudd had broken the trust of voters.
``Prime Minister Peter O'Neill of PNG has flatly contradicted Mr Rudd on the PNG arrangements,'' Mr Abbott said.
``Many of those who go to PNG will ultimately have to come to Australia. You just can't trust this Prime Minister. You just can't trust this Prime Minister.
``He will say anything if he thinks it's going to get him a headline tomorrow.
``But when you look at the fine print, when you listen to people actually explain what it all means, it turns out to be very very different from what the Prime Minister said.''
Mr O'Neill also derided federal opposition claims that refugees would seek to use PNG as a pathway to Australia.
``It is certainly an overreaction,'' he said.

Talks fail between Exxon, InterOil for stake in PNG fields - report

Aug 16 (Reuters) - Shares of InterOil Corp fell 6 percent after a news website said the company's negotiations with Exxon Mobil Corp to develop liquefied natural gas fields in Papua New Guinea ended without a deal.

Exxon, the world's largest publicly traded oil company, failed to close a deal to buy into InterOil's license in Elk and Antelope fields, PNG Industry News reported on Friday, citing sources

 

InterOil was in talks to sell a stake in its license to ExxonMobil Papua New Guinea Ltd, potentially expanding Exxon's $19 billion Papua New Guinea liquefied natural gas (PNG LNG) project.
Exxon spokesman Patrick McGinn told Reuters the company does not comment on commercial discussions. InterOil could not be reached for comment.
Queensland, Australia-based InterOil received the license in November 2010, which covers nine blocks surrounding the Elk and Antelope fields. The company has petroleum licenses covering about 3.9 million acres in the country.
The talks also included funding of InterOil and its partner Pacific LNG to drill additional delineation wells in the fields

InterOil says talks with Exxon ongoing over PNG gas fields

Aug 16 (Reuters) - InterOil Corp and ExxonMobil Corp remain in talks to jointly develop InterOil's Elk and Antelope natural gas fields in Papua New Guinea, InterOil said on Friday after a website reported negotiations had ended without an agreement.
InterOil's shares fell as much as 12 percent following the report in PNG Industry News
The news service, citing an unidentified source, said the talks were "dead" and that ExxonMobil's exclusive period for negotiations had ended.
InterOil, responding to a query from the New York Stock Exchange, said its policy was to not comment on market speculation or negotiations. But it added: "Negotiations with ExxonMobil Papua New Guinea Ltd regarding an agreement to monetize the Elk and Antelope fields are ongoing."
ExxonMobil spokesman Patrick McGinn declined to comment.
ExxonMobil needs gas for its $19 billion Papua New Guinea liquefied natural gas (PNG LNG) project.
InterOil, which has its headquarters in Cairns, Australia, was awarded the license to develop the fields in November 2010. The license covers nine blocks surrounding the Elk and Antelope fields.
The talks also included funding of InterOil and its partner Pacific LNG to drill additional delineation wells in the fields.
InterOil shares were down 5 percent at $70.38 in early afternoon trading.

PNG denies Labor's refugee claims

Nine MSN

August 17, 2013

Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O'Neill with Australian PM Kevin Rudd. (AAP)

PNG Prime Minister Peter O'Neill has told Fairfax Media he has not agreed to settle all asylum seekers who are found to be refugees after processing on Manus Island.
And he says Australia will need to take back a share of them.
"There is no agreement that all genuine refugees will be settled in PNG," he said.
PNG would work with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees to engage with other countries willing to take part in resettling those refugees, Mr O'Neill told Fairfax.
"That includes Australia, New Zealand and all the other countries who are signatories to the UN conventions on refugees."
Mr O'Neill said he believed Australia had an annual quota to settle about 20,000 refugees.
"Under that process, they will get some and New Zealand has indicated they would take some."
Mr Rudd has insisted there is "one simple principle" in his new regime - that all asylum seekers arriving by boat would be diverted to PNG and settled there if found to be genuine refugees.
Mr O'Neill derided federal opposition claims that refugees would seek to use PNG as a pathway to Australia.
"It is certainly an overreaction,'' he said.

Why hasn't any action been taken against this person?

NEC decision stands (Post-Courier, April 17, 2012)

By PATRICK TALU

THE National Executive Council decision to reject InterOil Corp in developing the Gulf LNG project is final.
Prime Minster Peter O’Neill yesterday denied releasing any statement in support of the project.
Mr O’Neill was surprised to read of himself being quoted as “PM: NEC has not rejected LNG’s 2nd LNG project’ on this paper and “PM says development will go ahead’ as quoted in The National yesterday.
The Post-Courier understood that the statement was released by Susuve Laumaea who is on the Prime Minister’s staff and indicated that it was approved for release by Prime Minister Peter O’Neill.
The statement which was released by Mr Laumaea read “Prime Minister Peter O’Neill says Interoil Corporation’s LNG project development in PNG’s Gulf Province will go ahead when all pre-conditons set by government and the 2009 Project Agreement are fully satisfied.
Mr O’Neill said yesterday there is no National Executive Council decision rejecting the Gulf LNG project.
He reiterated his earlier statement in August last year that the government under his watch would assist InterOil to secure a strategic operating partner, re-scope the project agreement to enable phased LNG development, and to locate the project in Gulf Province.
Mr O’Neill has directed the Ministry and Department of Petroleum and Energy to cooperate with InterOil and desist from confusing the investment community and Gulf Province government and landowners with media statements about rejection of the project.”
It was understood Mr O’Neill was furious with Mr Laumaea, who is a former employee of InterOil, for framing the statement without the knowledge and authorisation of him.
A copy of the NEC decision No NG37/2011 in which Mr O’Neill himself signed as the NEC Chairman stated, “on the 21st of September 2011, National Executive Council, rejected the Gulf Project as proposed by LNGL/InterOil as it would be an inefficient use of the State’s gas resources and is inconsistent with the Project Agreement.”
The NEC decision further stated, “endorsed the views of the Minister for Petroleum and Energy in relation to the status of the Project Agreement, the PPFL, the PDL and PRL 15; endorsed the actions taken to date by the Minister for Petroleum and Energy,
Department of Petroleum and Energy and Petromin to ensure that LNGL/InterOil develop the LNGL Project in accordance with the Project Agreement; and endorsed the actions proposed to be taken by the Minister for Petroleum and Energy to ensure that the gas resources of PNG are developed according to the Project Agreement, in particular, if LNGL/InterOil proceeds with the Gulf Project, and takes a final investment decision in relation to any of the projects that make up the Gulf Project or otherwise commits a repudiatory breach of the Project Agreement.
A spokesperson of an interested party in the project also expressed concern that the project has taken too long saying; “we have put in money for this project as well and it’s not good being dragged on for a long time.

The National: Still PNG’s No.1 daily

Source: The National, Friday August 16th, 2013

THE National has taken a giant leap ahead of Post Courier in the April-June period of the year, increasing by more than 11,000 copies a day over the previous quarter.
Our circulation in the April-June period averaged 63,331 copies a day while the Post Courier dropped to 25,387 copies from 27,032 in January-March.

In the first quarter, we averaged 52,234 copies as we rationalised our distribution and reporting procedures.
The second quarter figures were recently released by Australia’s Audit Bureau of Circulation, which independently verifies and reports on the performance of media organisations.
The National has been Papua New Guinea’s number one daily newspaper for the past five and a half years and remains the undisputed leader in all of the urban centres.
We now outsell the Post by 2.5 copies to one.
Transportation, mostly via air, continues to be the biggest obstacle to more robust growth. Despite this The National has maintained the same cover price since the first newspaper rolled off the press in November 1992 with only one adjustment to cover freight charges.
The National sells for K1 in Port Moresby and K1.50 in all other centers.
We publish five times a week, printing simultaneously out of two presses in Port Moresby and Lae.