Kandrian-Gloucester leaps into digital age

Remote Kandrian-Gloucester in West New Britain, one of the most-isolated and difficult districts in the country, has taken a giant leap into the digital age with three communication towers to be installed there by National Broadcasting Commission.

 Kandrian-Gloucester MP Joseph Lelang last Wednesday signed documents with NBC managing director Memafu Kapera for K3.3 million worth of communication infrastructure to be installed and bring television, radio, mobile phone, and Internet accessibility to the district.

Kandrian-Gloucester MP Joseph Lelang signing documents with NBC managing director Memafu Kapera.

The occasion was witnessed by representatives from Kandrian-Gloucester as well as district budget committee representatives.

“In my electorate there are large black spots where people can’t have access to communication signals,” Lelang said. 

 Kandrian-Gloucester MP Joseph Lelang and NBC managing director Memafu Kapera with the signed documents.

“The project will take eight months for completion so by early next year we should be able to launch everything that we signed for today.

“The total cost of this project is K3.3 million, and upon signing today, we will release K2 million to NBC for them to start procuring towers, and we will pay the rest after that according to the payment schedule.”

 Kandrian-Gloucester MP Joseph Lelang presenting the K2 million payment to NBC managing director Memafu Kapera.

Lelang said NBC had been requested to bring in Kundu 2 Television services into Kandrian-Gloucester by the end of this year.

Kapera said NBC was are rolling out a new concept of telecommunication services in Papua New Guinea between itself, government entities, and the private sector.

“We know that communications is fast changing the lifestyles of many people right across the country, including the rural areas, where the majority of our people live,” he said.

“It’s a concept that we are developing  specifically to partner with the government in setting up district authorities and make them self-reliant in terms of generating revenue and facilitating projects in localities around the country.

“This is the first time this concept has been launched and will be branched out to other areas.”

Lelang, a Secretary for National Planning in his past life, said one of the 2015 Millenium Development Goals was reducing poverty.

“One of the goals is to do with reduction of extreme poverty,” he said.

“Poverty comes in many shapes, sizes, and forms.

“The definition of poverty in this country is one of access problems.

“When people don’t have access to basic services like water, roads, telecommunication, radio services, that’s poverty.”

Agriculture Minister Tommy Tomscoll grows, produces, and exports his own coffee

Agriculture Minister Tommy Tomscoll has showed that he is one who practices what he preaches by growing, producing, and exporting his own brand of coffee.

Tomscoll, his wife, and children attracted a large crowd at Gateway Hotel on Sunday, September 21,  when they showcased their brand-new product, Simbai Coffee, which is premium organic coffee from this remote part of Madang which borders Jiwaka and Enga provinces.

 A proud Tomscoll family of Simbai with their new Simbai Coffee. At back (l-r) are Sibona, Tommy, and Elizabeth. Middle row are Josephine, Vernetta, and Stephne. Front are are Tristan and Junior.

The packed Simbai Coffee ready for export and supermarket shelves.

Tomscoll family members showcasing Sibai Coffee at last week's  cupping competition

The occasion was the launching of the weeklong inaugural PNG Coffee Growers’ Cupping Competition at Gateway Hotel which is being attended by smallholder coffee growers from throughout the country as well as international coffee tasters.

“I’m a coffee and cocoa farmer and exporter as well,” Tomscoll said,

“Simbai Coffee is grown by the people of Kalam tribe, who all live in Simbai, on the border with Jimi in Jiwaka and Kompiam in Enga.

“Simbai people live along the border, and this is the coffee we grow organically, on family blocks, and then sell.”

Tomscoll said only coffee grown in Simbai was used to produce Simbai Coffee to maintain its originality and premium.

Selected beans are then bagged and airlifted by light aircraft on the short 20-minute flight to Mt Hagen where it is processed and mixed with other beans for flavor, and then exported

He said he only started producing Simbai Coffee about three months ago.

“We grow coffee, and we also buy coffee from all our farmers, which is then converted into green bean using our new machine, and then turned into ground coffee.

“Our first market is in Cairns.”

Tomscoll said he also grew and exported cocoa out of Madang.

“We might also go into oil palm soon,” he said.

Tomscoll’s wife and children also took part in the week-long cupping competition where they showcasde their very own Simbai Coffee.

Polye joins Opposition

 Kandep MP and Triumph Heritage Empowerment (THE) Party leader Don Polye on Sunday confirmed that his is now in the Oppsition ranks.

He confirmed this to reporters at a press conference he held on Sunday but declined to comment on whether on he wanted to take up the position of Opposition Leader.

“That’s not an issue,” he said of the Opposition Leader’s position.

“Why are people making this as an issue?

“The issue is economic management and the conduct of the Prime Minister.”

He maintained that THE Party was intact despite several of its MPs, including Deputy Prime Minister Leo Dion, leaving en masse for Prime Minister Peter O’Neill’s ruling People’s National Congress.

“Look at the Organic Law on Intergrity of Political Parties and Candidates (OLIPPAC),” Polye said.

“It says that the party constitution regulates MPs and other members.

“The constitution says that if you want to resign from THE Party and join another party, you have to give your reasons to THE Party council.

“THE Party council determines that and says, ‘OK, we’re releasing you, you can join another party’.

“In this case, none of these people (who joined PNC), have written any letter.

“I only find out in the newspapers that m MPs have joined the PNC Party.

“These MPs are technically and legally still members of THE Party.”

Tomscoll: Coffee best opportunity for rural farmers

Agriculture Minister Tommy Tomscoll says growing and harvesting coffee remains the best opportunity for smallholder rural farmers to work their way out of poverty.

He said this at the awards night for the week-long inaugural PNG Coffee Growers’ Cupping competition in Port Moresby on Friday.

Agriculture Minister Tommy Tomscoll, Kabwum MP Bob Dadae, PNG Coffee Growers’ Cupping Competition winner Jonah Anagoh from the Kanite Kirapim Association of rural Okapa in Eastern Highlands, Daulo MP and a former Coffee Industry Corporation CEO Ron Ganarafo, and acting CIC CEO Anton Benjamin on Friday night.

“Smallholder coffee farmers work in the informal sector of our economy,” Tomscoll said.

“They make up 85% of the workforce in this sub-sector.

“They generate K400 million annually in revenue and account for the livelihood of three million people.

“Very easily, because smallholders work in the informal sector, they are neglected by government policies, decisions, and actions, as opposed to registered companies that operate in the informal sector of the economy.”

Part of the large crowd of coffee growers, their families, and supporters who packed the Gateway Hotel on Friday night.

Tomscoll said the government had already provided assistance through freight subsidies, establishment of district nurseries and seed gardens, increasing quality assurance programmes, and undertaking partnership with the World Bank.

“From early this week, the government sponsored the first international cupping quest staged in Papua New Guinea,” he said.

“This quest has facilitated communication and education between farmers, and farmers and exporters, measured the quality of coffee beans, and most importantly, put monetary value to the cup of coffee.

“It is during cupping quest that new alliances, networks, and business opportunities are founded.

Family members of Agriculture Minister Tommy Tomscoll showcasing their brand-new Simbai Coffee which is produced from coffee grown by Tomscoll himself as well as smallholder growers from rural Simbai in Madang.

“The government believes that through the distribution of new coffee seeds for planting, it should lead directly to increased production, should bring new income, and create new employment for the unemployed youths and rural people.

“Coffee farming is the most-powerful lever for reducing hunger and poverty, and improving quality of lifestyle for our people.”

Tomscoll to “think global, acting local” by planting coffee gardens in small family sizes.

“When we depart from here after tonight, I want us to go away having belief in ourselves that we are collectively the future of the coffee industry.

“We will plant coffee gardens in small family size – and we will think big – and as individual families we will act local.

“As families acting together, and collectively, we will create a global business inspired by the idea of family farming and district marketing.”

PNG coffee to be promoted at all airports

Coffee Industry Corporation and National Airports Corporation have entered into a deal to promote Papua New Guinea coffee at all major airports in the country.

The deal was signed by acting CIC chief executive Anton Benjamin and NAC CEO Joseph Tupiri at the awards night of the inaugural PNG Coffee Growers’ Cupping Competition in Port Moresby on Friday.

Acting CIC chief executive Anton Benjamin and NAC CEO Joseph Tupiri  are all smiles after signing the agreement at the awards night of the inaugural PNG Coffee Growers’ Cupping Competition in Port Moresby on Friday.

The winner of the competition, Kanite Kirapim Association of  remote Okapa in Eastern Highlands, will have exclusive rights to sell coffee at all of NAC’s 23 airports including Jackson International Airport in Port Moresby.

Benjamin said CIC would work together with NAC to promote PNG coffee both locally and internationally.

“What’s an airport guy doing here at a coffee cupping competition?” Tupiri said.

“I had an idea to promote PNG coffee at our airports throughout Papua New Guinea.

“The winner of tonight will have exclusive rights to sell at NAC’s 23 airports in PNG.

“Extending the (Jackson) Airport terminal building at the moment, we are creating a coffee house, which will be opened next July.

“The winner of tonight will have exclusive rights to sell coffee at the airport.

“We are partnering with CIC to promote coffee where National Airports Corporation goes in the world.

“In 10 years time, that story might lead to something greater.

“We might have people buying coffee big time from Papua New Guinea.”