Magistrate cleared

By JACOB POK

 

A SENIOR district court magistrate, who was charged and convicted for judicial corruption seven years ago, had his conviction quashed by the Waigani Supreme Court recently, The National reports.

Rakatani Mataio, from Porebada village, Central, was sentenced to six years in jail on Aug 6, 2004, by the Waigani National Court after the court found him guilty of receiving bribes from a complainant while serving as a magistrate.

According to court documents, Mataio was alleged to have received monies from the complainant on numerous occasions when presiding over the complainant’s case.

Mataio, while serving his sentence, appealed to the Supreme Court to review the decision of the National Court.

The Supreme Court on Sept 3, 2010, ruled in favour of Mataio and quashed the National Court decision that had him convicted.

Mataio, who is married with six children, served as a magistrate for 26 years in the Magisterial Services before he was convicted in 2004.

During Mataio’s Supreme Court appeal, the Magisterial Services dismissed his employment.

Meanwhile, after his recent court victory, Mataio told The National that his dismissal from work by the Magisterial Services was not proper as because it was effected when the matter was still pending in court.

He said the Magisterial Services took the National Court decision as final and dismissed him from work, which he said was not proper according to the public service laws.

Mataio said he had enquired with the Magisterial Services for his reinstatement on numerous occasions but had received no response.

He raised concern that the highest court of the land had cleared his charges and found him not guilty and therefore, was seeking reinstatement.

“The truth has prevailed and the Magisterial Services must show justice to me as I have suffered enough,” Mataio said, adding that one of the pillars of law was that “Justice must not be done, but must be seen to be done.”

He said he had loyally served the Magisterial Services as a magistrate for more than 20 years.

“The Magisterial Services must at least consider the fact that the allegations against me was cleared by the highest court and must reinstatement me as I have suffered for too long with my family,” Mataio said. 

He said he was assisted financially by friends and Kariku Hiri MP Paru Aihi during his trial.

Attempts to get comments from the Magisterial Services yesterday were unsuccessful.

 

 

Biep: WP cholera funds not misused

By ELIZABETH MIAE

 

THE cholera outbreak in Western has been brought under control, coordinator of the provincial cholera response committee Dr Sibak Biep said yesterday, The National reports.

He said despite people presenting cholera like symptoms at the treatment centre and oral re-hydration points, no more deaths have been reported since last Nov 26.

He told The National that the committee had formed rapid response teams that have been going into areas affected every two weeks to carryout awareness and provide medical assistance to those infected.

Biep also said that the committee had not misused any funding that was given by the provincial government.

He was responding to media reports last week quoting Western Governor Dr Bob Danaya stating that K1 million was misused by the committee.

He said the committee was shocked to read about it in the two dailies and were confused as to where that information came from.

Biep added that K650, 000 was given by the provincial government last Dec 10 in response to the outbreak and K350, 000 was given by South Fly MP Sali Subam.

He said that the K650, 000 had been used to combat the outbreak of the disease in the province and the effect of what they were doing was already evident.

“We have a transparent and accountable committee in place and we will be providing a financial report (on the usage of the K650, 000) to the provincial executive council meeting on Jan 10.

“As the coordinator, I state that there is no misuse of funding,” he said.

 

 

Cut the hocus-pocus Abal: Namah

The Opposition has described as highly contradictory and confusing the announcement by acting Prime Minister Sam Abal on Monday that sidelined Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare was on holiday and would resume anytime.

Leader of PNG Party Belden Namah said Abal’s announcement directly contradicted Sir Michael’s statement last December that he was “stepping aside” after the Public Prosecutor had asked the Chief Justice to appoint a Leadership Tribunal to hear his alleged misconduct charges.

“The nation is fed up Mr Abal’s hocus-pocus,” he said.

“It is yet another deliberate and desperate attempt by the acting Prime Minister to defend the Sir Michael with meaningless words to deceive the public.

“No one, not even elementary school kids and the illiterate will be fooled.

“The nation is well and truly aware of the many stupid decisions of the sidelined PM and the controversies he is alleged to be involved in.

 “Everyone knows that Sir Michael will face a Leadership Tribunal on alleged misconduct charges.

“He told the nation he was stepping aside.

“The Opposition and many Government Ministers and backbencher know very well that when Sir Michael stood aside, he walked off his job and a vacuum was created in the office of the Prime Minister.

“The position of Prime Minister is currently vacant.

“It is incumbent on elected representatives of the people to elect a new PM during this month’s Parliament session, which begins next Tuesday.

 “Apart from electing a new Governor General, a new PM must be elected.” Namah stressed.

The former forest minister also called for a mass exodus of all concerned Ministers and Government backbenchers to join the Opposition to elect a new Prime Minister.

“The Opposition has solid 22 members and we invite the various conflicting factions and groups in the Government to combine with the Opposition to elect a new PM,” Namah said.

“It is in PNG’s national interest that a new PM is elected.

“The disgraced PM must not be allowed to continue in office, especially when he is heavily implicated in a number of high profile scandals.

“There are many well educated, intelligent and mature leaders who are capable of bringing PNG to greater heights.”

 

Lae caught in gunfight

By PISAI GUMAR

 

A TWO-hour gun battle, allegedly between settlers from Mt Hagen in Western Highlands and the Lufa people from Goroka residing at Four Mile in Lae yesterday morning, marred what has been a peaceful festive season in the Morobean capital, The National reports.

Lae metropolitan commander Supt Nema Mondiai could not confirm the seriousness and the cause of the battle, including deaths, as he was awaiting a situation report from the police task force sent to contain the situation.

Reports said the incident had stemmed from an ongoing ethnic clash, which led to some deaths on both sides and the burning down of houses, last year.

Mondiai said it had become obvious that in today’s city ethnic conflicts, rival parties had resorted to the use of unlicensed firearms.

“People in communities are not reporting the suspects to police,” he said.

“To ensure justice, peace and harmony prevail within our families, neighbours and the community, let us all be responsible and work with agents of law and report people who possess unlicensed firearms to police.”

Meanwhile, armed hold-ups and sexual offences against women were rated the highest among other crimes in Lae last year.

This was followed by breaking and entering commercial buildings and shops, including planned robberies.

Mondiai noted that most robberies were inside jobs involving staff. Based on crime scene investigations, most of the robberies happened outside banks.

He called on companies to use police for security purposes when delivering daily or weekend takings for banking.

Lae ended last year with one reported wilful murder, two suspicious deaths, two armed hold-ups and two rape cases at various city locations.

Mondiai said a 45-year-old man from Gumine in Chimbu was murdered and dumped at the Markham Bridge.

A man was also shot and another wounded after police intervened and saved a man who was held at gunpoint at Three Mile.

Police said two girls were also raped at Five Mile and one of thesecondary schools in the city.

 

 

Volcanologists issue warning to villagers

By ELIZABETH VUVU

 

THE Rabaul Volcano Observatory has confirmed the level three alert for the Manam Island volcano in Madang, The National reports.

Volcano experts yesterday said despite a decline in eruptive activity, people on the island had been advised to stay away from the four main radial valleys.

They said people should refrain from working on the upper slopes of the volcano because they might be affected by falling lava fragments and scoria from strong explosions.

“The depositions of new loose eruptive material on the upper slopes of the volcano, and the rainy season, have the potential to trigger mudflows,” the observatory said.

It said people must take precaution by staying away from places where mudflows occurred in the past, and other potential water flowing catchments areas where mudflows could easily form.

Officials said a stage three alert allowed for voluntarily evacuation from the island.

However, due to ongoing eruptive activity and the sporadic phases of strong activity and the possibility of more catastrophic events as observed in 2004-05, experts recommended that the national and provincial disaster committees consider evacuating people from critical locations on the island at an appropriate and convenient time.

Last Saturday, mild eruptive activity picked up again at the southern crater after a short lull following strong activity last Thursday. These included weak to moderate volumes of dark grey ash clouds rising about 200-300m above the summit crater.

RVO said no audible noises were heard and, at night, very bright continuous red was visible.

The main crater released weal to moderate volumes of grey ash clouds and low booming noises were heard for a brief period.

Power problems prevented data transmission to RVO since 6pm last Thursday due to a faulty fuse and battery.

 

 

 

Acting Prime Minister clears air on top job

By JEFFREY ELAPA

 

PRIME Minister Sir Michael Somare can resume work at any time, acting Prime Minister Sam Abal said yesterday, The National reports.

He said what mattered was that the programme of government must and would continue.

Abal said in order to realise Vision 2050, the government’s plans and strategies, like the medium-term development plan 2010-15, must be implemented in line with the government’s 2011 budget.

The acting prime minister said at his Morauta Haus office that the implementation process would start with the recalling of all departmental heads and government ministers for a briefing on Friday and Saturday.

A meeting with all governors was also scheduled for next Monday. Parliament will resume next Tuesday to vote in a new governor-general.

Abal said the prime minister was on leave after stepping aside when he was referred to a leadership tribunal.

“We must understand that stepping aside and resigning are two different things.

“We must understand that the prime minister is on leave and can come back and take up his substantive post when he feels like it.

“He can start at anytime,” Abal said.

He also brushed aside claims that the National Alliance highlands branch was shaky after his elevation to deputy prime minister and acting prime minister while demoting fellow Engan and Kandep MP Don Polye.

The deputy prime minister said all coalition partners were intact.

 

 

 

 

Four killed, two knifed in Western Highlands

By JAMES APA GUMUNO

 

FOUR people were killed and two men were stabbed between Christmas and New Year in the Western Highlands, The National reports.

Two women were killed after having domestic arguments with two other women over their husbands at Kindeng and Kaiwe in the South-Waghi and Hagen districts respectively.

One man was killed at Bunowau, North Waghi, after an argument with another group over a piece of land while a young man from Lenki village in the Wabag, Enga, who worked as a waiter at the Highlander Hotel in Mt Hagen city was killed by some drunken youths at Mt Hagen Tee School.

Provincial police commander Supt Kaiglo Ambane said yesterday that two women who killed the other women over their husbands surrendered to the police and were now in police custody.

Ambane said police are still investigating the two other murders that occurred at Tee School and at Bunowau.

He said that one man from Moge tribe living at the back of Holy Trinity Teachers college was stabbed with a knife in a drunken brawl while another drunken man was stabbed at Kaiwe market after he smashed a windscreen of a 15-seater bus owned by Togoba people living outside the city with a beer bottle.

He said the two stabbed men were now in stable condition and recovering at the Mt Hagen General Hospital.

Ambane said that two deaths were caused as a result of domestic argument, one through land dispute and another committed by youths under the influence of alcohol.

He said that so far the province was quiet during the New Year and Christmas periods.

He said that police carried out foot patrol in the city and the city was quiet.

Ambane said that police detained about 15 men for drinking in public and put them behind bars. They released the men later when they became sober.

He said that there was not much celebrations on the road and commended the people for their cooperation to make the New Year trouble-free.

He added that majority of the people celebrated the New Year peacefully in their homes or residential areas.

 

 

 

 

Drunks can contribute to disease spread

By ELIZABETH MIAE

 

DRUNKENESS during the festive and New Year period played a part in the spread of cholera, The National reports.

According to NCD cholera task force leader Dr Timothy Pyakalyia, when there were celebrations that involved the consumption of alcohol, people were bound to get drunk and pay no attention to good hygiene and proper waste disposal.

He said despite continuous awareness people in the city were playing up and continuously taking the risk that led to the contraction and spread of the disease.

However, he commended his staff at the Port Moresby General Hospital’s cholera treatment centre who had been working very hard since the outbreak in the city in April last year.

He said a total of 295 admissions had been recorded at the centre last month which was the highest since the outbreak.

Pyakalyia told The National Pari village in Moresby South was the only village that did not record any case.

He said this was something commendable for a village that had been facing problems with water supply for more than 20 years.

He added that when the outbreak first occurred, Pari recorded a few cases then afterwards, no more cases was reported from that area.

“We are dealing with a major cholera issue in the city and I don’t know how loud we can speak,” he said.

“We cannot blame those people selling cooked food on the road sides. You have to think before you put something into your mouth.”

He said Eda Ranu and city authorities are well aware that they have a major challenge in their hands to improve water and sanitation in the city to prevent cholera.

 

If the 20th Century was American, will the 21st Century be Chinese?

By BOB VINNICOMBE

 

At the beginning of the last century US Historian and Senator Albert J Beveridge said "The twentieth century will be American, American thought will dominate it.American progress will give it color and direction. American deeds will make it illustrious".

 If this was so will the 21st century be Chinese?

When nearly all Western economies went down in a screaming heap in the GFC, Communist China with its state-run regulated banking system, slave labour and pegged currency didn't bat an eyelid, in fact it has been calculated that now the US owes China is $2905 per head of population. 

While the West wastes billions on wind farms and other futile projects  to generate "alternative power"  due to  the global warming hoax China builds three  new nuclear power stations a year and still can't get enough of  our coal to fire its fossil fuel power stations.

China already has 97 per cent of the world's rare earth elements, vital for modern electronic components, and   buys the mining rights to them in other countries who have them. 

They buy the arable land in other countries so they can guarantee their own food supply, while the natives of those countries starve.

Millionaire Chinese buy whole streets of houses in Australia for investment, and mansions in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs to live in that most Australians could never afford. 

The CCP has set up so-called Confucius Institutes in overseas universities, to promote the aims of the CCP.

While America fritters away billions of dollars on the pointless wars that it sends its sons to die in, the two million strong Chinese army hasn't seen a shot fired in anger in 30 years (except in Tibet or in the Tiananmen Square massacre) and Beijing simply does deals with any corrupt dictator who can sell them the resources they want.

Every manufactured product you buy comes from the factories of China while we de-industrialise our own country and call China a developing nation.

The Chinese Communist jackboot came down on Tibet, thanks to the cave-in by the West with its gibberish about Tibet being part of China, so now as Tibet is the source all the major rivers of Asia, China controls all mainland Asia's water.

 Yet the Chinese Empire expands, not by military force, but because they have the money to buy anything and anybody,

However, it will only be a matter of time before Beijing with its two million strong standing army, weapons of mass destruction and a gargantuan navy, uses its military might to perform necessary “regime change" in countries where its interests are threatened just as the United States did in Panama, Granada, Iraq and Afghanistan, and no-one will stand in their way.

China has leapt to economic super-power status because the west is infected with the mass-hallucination that free trade and de-regulation are good, yet China doesn't practice either free trade or de-regulation.

Every commercial enterprise in China is an arm of the Chinese Communist Party, the currency is pegged to suit Beijing's interests and no overseas entity can run a business in China except as a joint venture.

What sort of a world will it be dominated by China?

While the Americans,  in some sort of a way, stood for democracy and  freedom of the individual,  the Chinese Communist Party stands  for the total subjection of the individual to the State and  the debasement of human beings to the status of  a commodity to such an  extent that political dissidents there  are killed and "recycled"  by cutting them up and selling their organs for transplant and women who violate the one child policy are dragged to clinics and forced to have late term abortions.

Australian politicians and the Australian media should therefore stop grovelling to the Beijing regime and live up to the liberal and humanitarian  ideals they give lip service to by blocking, instead of assisting, the path of the Chinese Communist Party to the position of Superpower of the 21st Century.

 

Statement released January 3rd, 2011 by Bob Vinnicombe, 16 Kara St Sefton NSW

More information Bob Vinnicombe 0407949963 / 02 96454910

www.chinainformation.com.au

 

Expose: Migrant Saffirs Living in Australia

By A SOUTH AFRICAN EXPATRIATE

I’m not quite sure who coined the novel yet politically incorrect term Saffir but it seems oddly appropriate and has a certain resonance about it. I suspect that bitter and twisted migrants, wholly disillusioned with what they have left and now come to, invented this colourful term. It’s definitely a non-racist, non-sexist and non-sense term applied to all South Africans who have migrated to Oz (not to be confused with the Oswald State Penitentiary or any other penal complex, but a ready reference to Australia) in recent times. 

What follows is a tongue-in-cheek expose of how ordinary Saffirs adjust and manage multi-faceted life in an extra-ordinary country. In many respects, it’s a piece on cultural appreciation, nostalgia and fondness of dinge or things, both lost and found. It’s a journey that should be shared and will, hopefully, infuse would-be travellers with humility and encouragement to undertake similar opportunities that may present themselves.   

Lingua franca

Conversational Aussie is best described as “minimalist.” Whereas South Africans would use any number of superlatives to describe something noteworthy or memorable (eeish, befok, pragtig, radical, kiff) Aussies tend to opt for a modest “very good.” If feeling generous and demonstrative, the very best you’ll get is AWESOME!

In keeping with the frenetic pace of Aussie life (I’m too busy mate, can’t talk now), general interactions are curt, often one-way and purely functional. One way to really confuse an Aussie is to actually respond to the perfunctory

“Good day mate, how are you doing?” by throwing in a pleasantry “Fine thank you, and by actual engaging through a “How are you doing?”

There are exceptions, of course, and I’ve had wonderful discussions with cabbies (taxi drivers), workmen and women, the odd professional and elderly people. The youth and young adults appear to be lost in their own world of electronic gadgetry and gizmos (ipods, mp3 players, gameboys, and hi-tech mobiles). A perpetual glazed stare seems to suggest that they do, indeed, derive some form of pleasure and nourishment from the surrogate umbilical cords – headphones that attach them to their “alternative” life force – electronic devices. When required, out of absolute necessity, to engage in verbal intercourse it’s a form of undecipherable code and gibberish that does little to promote healthy respect and understanding between successive generations.

Affluence

A liberal, affluent Aussie society has spawned, what seems to be, a generation of ill-mannered, over-zealous hedonists. Mind you, this could merely be the Green, bleeding-hearted, silly old-fart in me that is genuinely concerned with global warming, environmental degradation and carbon credits.   Aussies are generally well-heeled, financially, and have huge carbon footprints in this part of the world – not surprising because they do “own” the Australian land mass and surrounding waters. Multiple vehicles (4x4s, AWDs, SUVs, jet-skis, water craft, utes aka bakkies), multiple and a huge array of electrical appliances - televisions, fridges, air conditioners, water coolers, coffee making machines and the list goes on and on…. Pretty much a case of I’m all right mate…. no worries…. we’ll do something about our planet another day. Of course, in an election year everyone hops on the ossewa and suddenly everyone is crowing of the same “green sheet” from our revered leaders and pollies (politicians) to big business.

Another interesting observation is that Aussies are generally well and continuously shod – perhaps a product of being well heeled. Except when on the beaches, they always seem to wear shoes and this has, seemingly, little to do with the abundance of ugly biting or stinging creepy crawlies – especially ants! (quite unlike those found at the bottom of countless swimming pools in SA). One way to pick out a Saffir and his or her offspring, in a public place, is to spot the shoeless wonders or the kaalvoet klontjies – Shame!

Saffir-spotting and “perving” prove to be interesting pastimes being a John-come-lately, fresh meat, or straight of the boat ie new migrant. Talk about flaunting it or letting it all hang out – that’s were the ogling or “perving” comes in… Recollections of my first summer in Oz centre around tits, bums, and tats (tattoos) constantly in your face because, more often than not, the tats always seem to be “strategically” placed in or on the mammary or nether regions.   

Aussie Icons

Qantas Airlines is regarded as one of the “untouchable” Aussie icons. Troubled in recent years with declining maintenance and passenger service standards, Aussies appear to be fiercely loyal and protective towards their own national carrier. No different, perhaps, from SAA which has been propped up by the SA government in recent years. The Asian Tigers are beginning to” muscle in” on international routes in the region and I’ve become an ardent Singapore Airlines supporter, preferring customer service that is understated but highly rated, genuine in warmth and commitment.

Aussie barbecues – barbies and SA braais are up there as national icons and favourite pastimes. Barbies are a phenomenon on there own and I tend to think of them in sexual terms as “quickies.” Little or no lead up, but down to business immediately. Vivid recollections of braais, on the other hand, (Naasism intended) include a tantalising slow but steady build up. Wood fires fuelled by sweet-scented soetdoring blazing away whilst moderate amounts of alcohol, familiarity and conversation wash over everyone. It’s all about age-old rhythms and timing and just when the desire (for some inyama) reaches fever pitch – the coals are ready. On go the boerie, sosaties, steak, chicken and toebies – toasted cheese, onion and tomato sandwiches.

Most South African males are very good at it – (give credit where credit is due) - braais that is. Smoke hardened eyes and lungs, they stand, calmly, Castle in hand, tongs in the other expertly appraising the offering before them. It’s all in the wrist action, so they say, and within the blink of an eye, the entire contents of the rooster have been turned. The odd splash of beer and errant flames are tamed.

My Aussie mates – boys and their toys – struggle to domesticate their gas-fuelled cookers….. too many knobs and settings, hood up or down, wok on or off…. gas incinerating snags (sausages), kebabs (sosaties) …burnt offerings. What a let-down……one can’t help but salivate at the thought of a damn good braai!

They say that rugby is played by men with odd shaped and sized balls…. never a truer word was spoken and this is certainly the case in Oz. In the spirit of being BIGGER and BETTER, the Aussies have footy! Three distinct codes of rugby where the only similarity is the shape of the balls and experts will argue ……that size does count!

Of the three codes, Australian Football League (AFL) is played with the smallest of the three sized balls and has the greatest following in Oz. True “footy” is played on a huge park – field by high flying and prancing, testosterone-charged (hopefully of the natural form) men. Clad in “second skin” fitting sleeveless tops and “ball-busting” short shorts, it’s little wonder that players prance and float around the park like Duracell-powered bunnies. Not quite my cup of tea.

In my time in Oz, I’ve become a National Rugby League (NRL) convert and follow the opposing National Rugby Union (NRU) code with less fervour. It’s true to say, despite my personal bias, that all codes are played by exceptional athletes displaying true grit – yakka, high levels of fitness and uncanny ball control.

Besides the annual NRL premiership competition and an international Tri-Nations fixture featuring the Aussies, Kiwis and the Brits, the mother-of-all NRL events is the State of Origin. Contested between the states of New South Wales (blues) and Queensland (maroons), the best of three game fixture is the holy grail of NRL. Despite being a national fixture, it has huge international following in all NRL playing countries. Deserving players “originating” by birth, from the respective states qualify to play in the competition and the rivalry verges on all out war.

Conventional, 15-man rugby union completes the trio. This code struggles to compete with the others in terms of popularity, sponsorship and revenue generating capacity and is only played in a few Oz states. Seemingly, forever in the shadow of Kiwis and the Bokke, South Africans would be more familiar with both the on and off field antics of some of its better know personalities including David “Goose Stepping” Campese’s coaching involvement with the Sharks; Georgie “The Lip” Gregan’s refereeing skills; Wendell “White Powder” Sailor’s SA night club dust ups and Clyde “Born in the RSA” Rathebone’s love affair with the SA media.

Spare a thought for some of the former Wallaby “whinging wannabes” who have returned to the game “recycled” as visually and linguistically “challenged” rugby commentators. Their bias and parochial views are worn on their sleeves alongside the branding of the sport’s primary “high-low flying” sponsor.

Friday afternoon drinks and nibblies (snacks) are an institutionalised work place arrangement where drinks and eats are enjoyed within work time and are gratis – nogal! These civilised sessions are fairly sociable and it’s exceptionally rare for them to descend into protracted drunken orgies and or violent dispute resolution exercises – BORING!

What more can one say about Aussies and life in Oz – fok maar voort or carry on regardless….its a strange amalgam of contradictions…..   belonging and alienation; acceptance and intolerance; love and hate; humility and arrogance but that’s LIFE, I guess. What’s really important is to get on with it!!

Ex-pollie wants Somare back in chair

PRESSURE is mounting from groups within the National Alliance party circles for the return of Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare to lead government, The National reports.

Sir Michael, who voluntarily stepped aside as prime minister to challenge his referral by the Ombudsman Commission to the public prosecutor, may have been wrongly advised, legal sources said.

There had been pressure from within government also for Sir Michael to return as prime minister, and he has been in regular consultation with his government, which included a lunch-hour meeting with acting Prime Minister Sam Abal yesterday.

However, the prime minister’s office said yesterday that Sir Michael was still on holiday.

“He has been getting a lot of calls to resume as prime minister and we will release a statement if he decides to return,” an officer said.

Former Southern Highlands’ governor Hami Yawari had taken cue, saying Papua New Guinea was faced with a constitutional crisis and urged Sir Michael to immediately resume duties to steer the ship.

“The prime minister has not been suspended.

“The chief justice is yet to appoint a leadership tribunal. Once the CJ appoints the tribunal, then the prime minister is automatically suspended,” Yawari said yesterday.

“Today, I want to call on Sir Michael to resume duties. Our big LNG project is under serious threat by landowners.

“The LNG is your project and we want you to take charge and clear the path for the project to be realised.”

Yawari said the country would be thrown into crisis, citing the example of frustrated landowners who left Port Moresby last week to return home after failing to get their seed and MoA payments.

“These frustrated landowners may pose a problem for the government and we are demanding Sir Michael to resume duties to navigate these issues.”

Cholera in East Sepik spreads

By DUNCAN WILLIS

 

THE cholera outbreak in East Sepik has spread to Ambunti district’s Iniok village and neighbouring villages from the Tunap sub-district, The National reports.

At least 10 people have been confirmed dead since last Friday with unconfirmed reports of more casualties.

Ambunti-Dreikikir district administrator Solomon Hopkos confirmed this last Friday after being alerted by community affairs officers of Xstrata Copper Company which is developing the Frieda River copper-gold project in the district.

Its helicopter flew health officials and necessary medical drugs from the Burui health centre to the affected communities.

“I have mobilised health officials from Maprik and Burui health centres and a medical team has already been sent to the villages by the company’s helicopter,” Hopkos said.

He said he had tried to contact the provincial health office in Wewak but was unsuccessful since everyone was out for the Christmas and New Year holidays.

“I have sent them a fax and I am still awaiting their response.”

District health officer Dominica Wain, who is currently in the affected villagers to assess the situation, said: “As of last Wednesday and Thursday, more people are being affected and the death toll is increasing.”

Xstrata Copper Company has been assisting the district with logistics while waiting for the government to intervene and assist them to help fight the outbreak.

Since cholera is waterborne, contaminated waste in the river will prove fatal because there are many villages along the banks of the Sepik River and it could spread to villages downstream.

Hopkos and the district medical team are currently assessing the situation with very little funding and is appealing to the government and Health Department to take action and move in as soon as possible.

“I have a VHF radio operating 12 hours a day that we are monitoring constantly with Iniok, but we are requesting provincial and national health support,” he said.

“Health officials from Ambunti, Burui and Maprik are on the ground and are currently dealing with the situation.”

 

 

 

Reports claim cops shot 10-year-old

A BOY, 10, is among three males allegedly shot by Madang’s elite police mobile squad – the Rapid Response Unit (RRU) – in the early hours of Saturday, The National reports.

The unit, which was on night patrol, entered a residential premises and fired gunshots on the three males at close range, it was claimed.

According to one of the victims, Bade Soko, 30, from Manam, he, along with Jeffery Moiga, 10, from Goroka, Eastern Highlands and Menei Gaven, 16, from Liap, Manus, were enjoying card games and listening to music at his house on Luan Street at Milyok, when police arrived.

Soko was shot twice in both legs while Moiga and Gaven were both shot on their right legs.

The three are awaiting surgery at the Madang General Hospital emergency ward.

“They did not explain why they shot at us when they came up to my doorsteps and opened fire. There were plenty of them, we didn’t know what was happening, we were all shocked by the gunshots to our legs,” Soko claimed.

He added: “They then told us to sit down and said we were making too much noise so they entered my home.”

Jeffery Moiga’s mother, Alice Moiga, recalled that the mobile squad went to Soko’s home after returning from the hospital and cut down all of Soko’s banana plants growing in the yard, destroyed his market house and searched his home for illegal weapons, claiming that Soko was illegally in possession of a gun.

“They also accused Soko of building his house from stolen money. After what they did, we went to the Jomba Police Station seeking answers but all we heard was that they filed a police report accusing the boys of swearing at a police man,” Alice said.

The father, Dick Moiga, added that they were asked by Jomba police to file their complaints with the Madang police internal investigation unit for further investigation.

“This is not the first time. We have so many victims shot by police. It has gone too far, these officers are criminals in uniform, renegade police who swore an oath to protect and serve the community. They are hurting innocent residents and we are living in fear because we have policemen patrolling our streets with guns,” said Moiga.

A community meeting for ward seven, where the incident occurred, with neighbouring ward six and nine of Madang urban local level government was held yesterday afternoon at Jomba to seek the community’s views on police using firearms while patrolling residential areas.

Moiga said the outcome of the meeting would determine their next course of action, which, he added, would be taken up with higher authorities if need be.

Attempts by The National to get a response yesterday from Madang police station commander Senior Insp Steven Kaipa were unsuccessful as the inspector was preparing to attend church service and could not comment, howeve, he assured that he would respond today.

Madang police commander could not be reached for comments, however, Madang CID sources, last night confirmed the attacks.

 

 

9 New Year babies delivered in Goroka

By ZACHERY PER

 

GOROKA Base General Hospital, Eastern Highlands, has delivered a total of nine babies on the New Year’s Day, The National reports.

Staff at the labour ward confirmed nine babies were born to mothers from different parts of the province

The heaviest was a baby girl that weighed 3.9kg and was born to a young mother Gahame Tatape from upper Bena in Unggai-Bena district, Eastern Highlands.

She was delivered at around 8.30pm on Saturday. No complications were encountered for the nine babies, however the staffer did not disclose how many baby boys and girls were born.

The first baby to be delivered after the clock struck midnight was to mother Kokoe Moxy of Arufa village on an eastern outskirts village of Goroka towards upper Bena.

Moxy delivered a baby boy weighing 3.3kg at 2.40am.

When The National was at the labour ward in the morning on the New Year’s Day, staff at the ward were waiting for a long time before delivering the next baby after delivering the first one at 2.40 am.

It is understood a good number of New Year babies were born in some of the rural health centres in the eight districts in the province.

Numerous attempts to confirm the number of New Year babies at Kundiawa General Hospital, Chimbu, were unsuccessful.

 

Happy New Year Wish

My Happy New Year wish for you

Is for your best year yet,

A year where life is peaceful,

And what you want, you get.

A year in which you cherish

The past year’s memories,

And live your life each new day,

Full of bright expectancies.

I wish for you an exciting year

With happiness galore;

And when it’s done, I wish for you

So many more.

Somare may be back as prime minister

Sideline Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare may be back sooner than you thought, according to the weekly Sunday Chronicle newspaper.

The paper quoted reliable sources with Prime Minister’s and National Executive Council as saying that “Sir Michael was ill-advised by his legal team to step aside at the first place”.

“He has been wrongly advised by his legal team,” the source said.

Sunday Chronicle said: “Sir Michael stepped aside last Dec 17 after public prosecutor Jim Wala Tamate referred him to the Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia to set up a leadership tribunal to inquire into charges that Sir Michael did not submit financial returns over a number of years.

“However, it has now come to light that legal advice may have been wrong for the Prime Minister to step aside before the Chief Justice’s action to set up the tribunal.”

 

Governor Amet visits Manam

By MALUM NALU

Following the surveillance carried out on Boxing Day with Herman Tibong, the resident volcano observer for Rabaul Volcano Observatory (RVO), Sir Peter flew Governor Sir Arnold Amet, Peter Torot and Tibong for a further inspection of Manam to assess the danger of people remaining on the Island.

Smoke billows from Manam volcano.-Pictures courtesy of Sir PETER BARTER

“The Governor and Peter Torot visited Dugalava, Border, Bien and Tabele to guage the reaction of the people, most of whom were concerned about a catastrophic eruption and their concerns were put at rest that no immediate danger exists, but they were warned not to walk into valleys or tend gardens on the slopes,” Sir Peter said today (Sunday).

Madang Governor Sir Arnold Amet (centre) talking to Manam islanders

He said he had purchased a replacement battery for the seismic equipment and when installed it would allow the RVO to monitor the activity of Mamam more scientifically.
“The battery and charger was given to Herman Tibong,” Sir Peter said.

Sir Peter Barter’s helicopter against the backdrop of the smoking Manam volcano

“The situation remains much the same at Level 3 being declared by the RVO.”

Kickboxer Arang calls it a day

By MALUM NALU

03mnarang: Kartu Arang (right) with his Sydney-based manager Glick Lambea

Australia-based Papua New Guinea professional kick boxer/boxer Kartu ‘Wantok Warrior’ Arang has decided to hang up his gloves after an outstanding career spanning 12 years.
Arang, from Kabwum in Morobe province and a product of the Stanley Nandex stable, had his last fight in Melbourne on Nov 26 last year.
“I decided to hang the gloves after my last fight in Melbourne on Nov 26, 2010, which I won after after six brutal rounds against Irish champion Scott McLoughin,” he said.
“This was an opportunity to bring my career to an end with style.”
Southern highlander Glick Lambea, employed by Westpac in Syndey and who has been Arang’s manager in Australia, is proud of his achievements.
“I’ve been Kartu’s manager for the last three years and I’m proud to have led a very talented and patriotic Papua New Guinean,” he said.
“I’m helping Kartu to manage the transition from his boxing life into a new chapter in his life.
“In the 12 years during Kartu’s fighting career he has won the following titles:
• Australian WKA Title;
• Australian ISKA Title;
• New South Wales State Title;
• PNG Kick Boxing Title; and
• World WKBF Title
“Additionally Kartu participated in 54 non \-title fights including professional boxing and kick boxing of which he won 35 fights, eight draws and 11 losses.’
“These are exceptional achievements and that shows the level of commitment and passion Kartu has for what he does in his life.
“I’m helping Kartu to leverage that passion and commitment to be successful in what ever he sets out to do in his post boxing life.”

Volcano erupts on Manam Island

By SIR PETER BARTER

Smoke emanates from Manam Island volcano on Dec 30, 2010.-Picture courtesy of SIR PETER BARTER

Manam Island in Madang province began a series of eruptions on Christmas Day and activities continued up until Dec 30 when larger eruptions occurred resulting in some panic by people that have returned to Manam Island.
At Dugalava, a spokesman for the people told the provincial disaster office and Sir Peter Barter that more than 1, 000 people needed to be evacuated and similar stories emerged from other villages right around the Island.
Sir Peter released funds to purchase petrol and diesel and the provincial disaster office drove the fuel to Bogia overnight so that evacuations could take place at day break if necessary.
Both the Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare and acting Prime Minister Sam Abal were advised and contact was made with the director of the PNG National Disaster service, Martin Mose, who has since despatched the operations manager to coordinate activities in Madang.
Due to heavy rain, Sir Peter delayed departure from Madang, but flew to Bogia to pick up the Rabaul Observatory officer Herman Tibong together with a representative of the provincial disaster and Bogia administration and flew to Manam for an aerial inspection.
Whilst there was evidence of lava flow in two valleys, most of the villages were intact and the eruption had subsided.
The Rabaul Observatory increased the level to “3” which basically warns people not to climb to higher gardens or walk into or across the valleys in fear of lava flow.
The team accompanying Sir Peter advised the people that there appeared no immediate danger providing precautions were followed and the people were assured that the situation would continue to be closely monitored.

Villagers surround Sir Peter's helicopter on Manam Island

Following the visit to Manam, returning the officials to Bogia, Sir Peter made quick stops at Asuramba, Malala, Mangem to assure the people there was no immediate danger but the National Disaster Office along with Rabaul Observatory would consider further actions if and where necessary.
Sir Peter has recommended that Radio Madang be put back on air immediately so people on Manam could be kept advised.
Clearly they were frightened, many demanding to be relocated to the mainland.
Sir Peter said that unless some arrangements were made for shelter and food evacuating people could result in serious problems, especially given the fact it was a holiday weekend and it would be difficult to get services delivered.
The Manus Border barge was placed on alert in the event it was necessary to evacuate Manam.

Australia-Papua New Guinea relations in 2011

By JOHN PASQUARELLI

John Pasquarelli

2011 will deliver more of the same and nothing will change unless ordinary Australians step up to the plate.

It’s a desperate time for those flooded-out Australians but not a squeak from any politician about the need for revolutionary water infrastructure measures that would reshape our population and agriculture policies before the next drought arrives.
Kevin Rudd has committed Australian taxpayers to billions of dollars of foreign aid hand-outs while many home-grown Australians go under.
The plight of outback Aboriginal Australians is perpetuated by continuing lunatic separatism while a new generation of ‘paler’ Aborigines compete for the generous spoils handed out by the Left.
Australia’s most immediate foreign policy concerns are very close to home – in Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Fiji and other struggling Pacific Island countries.
There is not one MP who can speak with knowledge and authority about the problems that are becoming more urgent involving our close neighbours and all we ever get is regurgitated waffle from some DFAT bureaucrat.
Australia must reassess its relations with PNG as the distribution of the huge wealth that abounds in that country is jeopardised by an increasing influence from China and a continuing disintegration of law and order and the health of its citizens.
Australia can still play a major role in the training of PNG nationals at all levels and as they say – the sooner the better.

Up north, there's another boatpeople issue

By MICHAEL MCKENNA of The Australian

Papuan border crossers raise the flag on Cape York last week. Picture: Jonathan Baure Source: The Australian

FROM his dingy, overcrowded cell in Port Moresby's Boroko prison, Jonathan Baure is already plotting his next assault on Australia's border.
It has been 10 days since he stood on the shore of Daru Island, along the southeastern tip of Papua New Guinea, to see off 16 dinghies, carrying 119 PNG nationals - including 13 children - headed across the Torres Strait to reclaim their "birth right" of Australian citizenship.
Baure, a former tile salesman, had planned and openly promoted the voyage for weeks.
There was no shortage of willing passengers.
Despite November's cholera outbreak on Daru, which killed 32 people, more than 400 supporters from all over the country flooded the island, paying Baure to join the unwieldy flotilla of banana boats.
Leader of an emerging group of "Australian Papuans", Baure has for a decade waged a losing battle with Canberra to recognise that people from the former Australian territory of Papua were not given the choice to remain Australian when PNG gained independence in 1975.
Two High Court cases have been lost in Australia over the issue, and Baure unsuccessfully launched his own case in PNG, which was thrown out in 2009.
Several months ago, Baure and his group, which claims to have 700 registered members, decided to take the fight to the Australian mainland. "I was born in Papua in 1967, before independence, and like many others, my birth certificate is stamped 'Australian'," Baure tells The Weekend Australian after his arrest on fraud and immigration charges this week. "Nobody has listened to us, so our plan was to go to Australia, get arrested, raise awareness of the issue and have our cases heard in the courts like the asylum-seekers. We knew they couldn't stop us."
He was right.
On December 22, as the boats were about to leave, Australian and PNG customs and immigration officials rushed to Daru, alerted by the influx of people who had emptied the local shops of diesel and other supplies.
One Australian official from the high commission in Port Moresby pleaded with Baure and his supporters, warning they would be flown back to Daru without seeing the inside of a courtroom and the boats - the source of income for scores of families - confiscated.
Undeterred, Baure, who stayed behind to "handle the media", and the authorities then watched as the packed boats disappeared over the horizon. Within hours, the vulnerability of Australia's northern borders was exposed again.
Last year, Torres Strait councils told a Senate inquiry PNG nationals were pouring onto the islands to live, flouting immigration laws, running drugs and overwhelming health services in the region.
Despite a customs helicopter and patrol boat shadowing and then intercepting Baure's flotilla, one of the boats seemingly landed undetected on the tip of Cape York. At one stage, the customs vessel came alongside the lead boat, with the commander inviting Baure's offsider Laura Rea onboard to take a phone call from one of Immigration's most senior officials. "It was somewhere near Zagai Island (about 100km south of Daru), and the man on the telephone said we had no claim, that our case had already been lost in the High Court years ago," Rea tells The Weekend Australian. "He said that unless we turned back, we would lose our boats and be sent back immediately, but everyone wanted to go on."
Darkness started to fall and the boats were tied up to the Customs vessel, with the children brought aboard as the rest of the party slept on the dinghies. The next day, they were led to Horn Island, off the northern tip of Cape York, where they were detained before being flown back to Daru last weekend on a chartered plane.
Australian Immigration spokesman Sandi Logan said the incident could end up costing taxpayers $500,000. Logan says many of the passengers were not born before 1975, and could not qualify under even the criteria of the group's claims to citizenship.
"Customs, Queensland police, doctors and immigration were all involved when many of them were preparing for the floods and they had to deal with this prank, this protest."
The voyage has also come at a great cost to the passengers. Rea says the boat owners are devastated their vessels have been confiscated despite being warned before they left that it would happen.
She claims Immigration officials later assured the group on Horn Island their boats would be returned. "But Australia has confiscated their banana boats, and that is devastating to them and the families they support," she said.
Baure is facing up to three years' in jail, after being arrested in Daru as the passengers were being flown back. PNG police allege the 400 people who travelled to Daru had paid a minimum 200 kina ($77) to Baure for membership of his group and a document that purported to prove each of their claims for Australian citizenship.
Baure has been charged under section 96 of PNG's criminal code, relating to "false assumption of authority", as well as offences under the Migration Act.
He denies duping anybody into believing they were guaranteed citizenship with the documents.
"The documents that the police are calling a fake visa was actually just a pass so that the boat owners knew who was legitimately entitled to be on the boat," he says.
"I wanted to raise money for the group but also make sure that drug runners and other people didn't slip onto the boats."
Baure says his arrest is an attempt to destroy his group and put an end to the simmering issue. "We are already making plans, there will be other boats.
"There are many people still on Daru wanting to make the voyage. They can confiscate our dinghies but we will come back with canoes and if they take them we will make more and return.This is a fight about our civil rights being denied, not all of us want to move to Australia and people shouldn't think there are going to be hordes of Papuans arriving to live off welfare.
"I have the information that will win the case. Why is Australia so fearful of facing a bunch of uneducated Papuans in court?"