Milne Bay community improves its farming

By JAMES LARAKI of NARI

COMMUNITIES in the Rabaraba sub-district of the Milne Bay Province will now have access to improved crop and livestock varieties, thanks to a collaborative effort of PNG Sustainable Development Programme Ltd, National Disaster and Emergency Services and National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI).




Project signboard erected at the multiplication site at Rabaraba station


Under this collaborative project, NARI is introducing improved crop and livestock varieties in an effort to encourage farmers to adopt the improved materials to diversify their food production.
This project provides an opportunity for the community to grow a variety of crops and livestock for their own consumption with training on crop and livestock production, and on simple processing techniques provided by NARI.
This food security project is aimed at alleviating the food shortages and malnutrition problems by improving crop and livestock production on a sustainable basis as the area is prone to drought and flooding.
NARI-released technologies to be transferred under this project include African yam, taro, drought-tolerant and high-yielding cassava varieties, rice, corn, lowland early maturing sweet potato varieties, Muscovy ducks, village chickens and other suitable vegetables.

Community members planting NARI taro at the multiplication site at Bogaboga village

Distribution of the improved material started last September and multiplication sites have been established at Rabaraba station, Yoguba village and Bogaboga in the Cape Vogel area.
Project co-ordinator James Ernest said communities in the three areas had shown great interest and had assisted the project in establishing the multiplication sites.
He said due to logistic problems, multiplication sites were being developed on a small scale as the improved materials were being supplied from NARI Southern regional centre at Laloki, outside Port Moresby.
“Distribution of materials to farmers and the options to expand the sites would be considered once sufficient material is generated from the respective sites,” Ernest said.

Some of the corn and taro growing in the multiplication garden at Rabaraba station 

The project is being implemented in partnership with the provincial Department of Agriculture and Livestock, and community leaders who have volunteered to oversee the sites at Yoguba and Bogaboga.
Establishing a resource centre at a central location is planned from where planting materials and other information will be distributed from.
It is hoped that the outcomes of this project will also benefit other communities towards the inland and along the coast, as well as neighboring communities in the Cape Vogel area of the Makamaka local level government area.
NARI is carrying out two other similar projects on M’Buke Island in Manus and Morehead in Western.

Members of the community preparing land at the multiplication site at Yoguba village

Big darkness in Goroka…and other power stories from PNG

By MALUM NALU

Amidst the gloom, doom and despair of another series of blackouts in Port Moresby, I felt a sense of déjà vu, as I remembered a big darkness in Goroka in 2000.
The good thing is that I wrote about the experience for The National in the Monday, May 15, 2000 edition for posterity and can always refer back to it for a memorable trip down blackout lane…and reflect on how things have taken a turn for better or worse over the last 10 years.
I was then working for the Coffee Industry Corporation in Goroka, still had no children, and lived with my late wife Hula in North Goroka overlooking the roaring Zokozoi River, where we had so much fun.
Those were the good old days when there were no mobile phones and no internet access like today.
On any other day, it wouldn’t have mattered.
But on State-of-Origin night, it amounted to a scandal.
It would have been Armageddon!
Angry fans could have ripped Goroka – infamous for rioting and where rugby league is a matter of life or death – apart.
Conspiracy theories about Elcom (now PNG Power) and Telikom playing a joke on the residents of Goroka abounded that fateful Wednesday, May 10, 2000 during the opening State-of-Origin clash.
The Bee Gees sang about the lights going out in Massachusetts.
In Goroka that night, State-of-Origin time, it was worse: first the TV went off, then the power.
From my hilltop abode overlooking the Zokozoi River, I could hear the whole of Goroka town erupting in protest.
I know Goroka, and was bracing myself for all hell to break loose, all along putting my own words into the refrain of that revered Bee Gees’ hit… “and the lights all went out in Goroka”.
No Blues, no Maroons!
What are we going to do?
This was State-of -Origin night, one of the most-important dates on the PNG calendar!
It’s a time when the grog flows, when mate goes against mate from plush hotels in Port Moresby to an impromptu club on the slopes of Mt Wilhelm; when large amounts of money trade hands.
And we weren’t going to watch it in Goroka!
It all started after the 6pm EMTV news when there was an electricity surge and then, horror of horrors, the TV went off.
The groans, needless to say, were deafening!
The immediate theory, going from house to house, was that landowners had blown the repeater station on Mt Otto.
Oh well, I thought to myself, at least we have the temporary reprieve of radio.
But to rub salt into the wound, in a classic case of Murphy’s Law, the power went off at about 7pm.
 And by this time, tempers were flaring, Elcom and Telikom being mercilessly pilloried for this torture of Goroka residents.
Origin blues had hit Goroka!
I brought out the candles, lay down with Hula, and was settling into Tolstoy’s War and Peace (help, there’s going to be a riot in Goroka tonight) when at 8pm sharp – just as the game was about to begin – the power and TV were back.
Oh, those roars of delight – which resounded through Goroka – would have drowned the 60,000-plus crowd at Stadium Australia.
Or, was it divine intervention (for in my estimation, those tipsy fans in the many roadside clubs around Goroka could have found something to vent their frustration on, had it not been for the power and TV coming back on)?
Miracles still happen, and they did, as the power and TV returned and my good old Blues won 20-16 with my favorite player David Peachey scoring the winning try in the 76th minute. 
“…and the lights were shining in Goroka”.
Ten years on, residents of Port Moresby and Lae will have to put up with ongoing electricity blackouts in the short-term, says PNG Power chief executive officer Tony Koiri.
They have been experiencing a spate of blackouts since last year, resulting in business houses and individuals losing million in business and private property such as electrical appliances, as well as experiencing security problems and many others.
Koiri says while the blackout problem in Port Moresby will be somewhat alleviated by the end of this month with a new gas turbine at the privately-owned Kanudi power station in Port Moresby, Lae residents will have to be patient as the main station at Yonki in Eastern Highlands, Ramu 1, needed a complete refurbishment, similar to what was done at Rouna 2 outside Port Moresby.

This is a picture of the new Kanudi gas turbine power station, which is expected to be operational by the end of this month and help to alleviate ongoing blackouts in Port Moresby.-Picture courtesy of PNG POWER

He says K50 million will be needed for refurbishment at Ramu 1 as PNGPPL looked to set up a new power station at Malahang in Lae to replace the outdated Milfordhaven station.
No time frame for refurbishment work at Yonki, or when the new power station at Malahang would be built, were given.
Koiri says Port Moresby currently needs 100 megawatts of power, however, only 54 MW are currently being supplied by Rouna, Kanudi and Moitaka power stations.
“The main contributing factor is the huge growth in demand of electricity with all the developments,” he tells me.
“Growth is running at about 10% (electricity demand) per annum.
“That’s the highest.
“On average, when you look at the past 20 years, the growth rate was about 2.5%
“This is a five-fold increase in electricity demand over the last two years.
“We never envisaged that the growth would be that much.
“All our planning was based on very conservative estimates.
“A lot of cities around the world don’t even have 10% growth, maybe in countries like India and China, but not the others.
“We need to quickly look at what generations options we have.
“Things like, for example hydro projects, take about four years to bring on line.
“Large thermal power stations take about two to three years.
“For us, this can’t solve our problems, so we go for expensive options like putting up gas turbines, like the one installed at Kanudi.
“We are hoping that this comes on line at the end of February.
“As far as the city is concerned, we are meeting demand now, but for us to properly manage the huge power supply system, we need to build up redundancy.
“We need about 24 megawatts of additional supply reserves to properly manage the power supply system in the city.
“With the gas turbine in February and redundancy units, we should have enough to meet demands, at least for the next six to eight month.
“By the end of this year, PPL needs to put in an additional 30 megawatts of diesel generation, just to meet increased demands and to have the reserves that we need.
“In the long term, we are looking at developing Naoro/Brown River hydro project which will give us 80 megawatts.
“We are anticipating, come 2015, for the power station to be up and running.
“We are also hoping that by 2014, some gas from the first LNG project will be made available for power generation.
“With these two projects, power supply in the city of Port Moresby will be secure from a generation point of view.
“Obviously, network type improvements will have to be invested in, including upgrading, and new lines.”
Koiri says in Lae, the main problem is that PNGPPL’s main station at Yonki, Ramu 1, needs a complete refurbishment, similar to what was done at Rouna 2.

Transmission lines at Golden Pine Bulolo.-Picture by ROCKY ROE

“We are about to sign a contract with a company for K50 million as soon as financing arrangements are in place,” he says
“The refurbishment project should take two years.
“Short-term solutions to the ongoing power outages in Lae are required.
“We are investigating acquisition of a new power station at Malahang.
“The power station will be sufficient to meet all of Lae’s requirements.
“We need to put that out quickly.”
“The issue of funding is now being discussed with patrons like Nambawan Super, in conjunction with IPBC.”
Koiri says PNGPPL is hoping to sign a memorandum of understanding with Nambawan Super for some assistance.
Meantime, stock up on the candles, and sing along with the Bee Gees!

PNG Power Ltd Hamata sub-station

No special law for Sir Michael

 ‘Supreme Court May 2010 ruling applies in prime minister tribunal’

 

By JULIA DAIA BORE

 

THE Supreme Court has spoken and that the Prime Minister, Sir Michael Somare, stands suspended from office, senior private lawyer Loani Henao told the NBC Talkback Show programme, The National reports.

Citing the decision of the court last May in the matter of former finance minister Patrick Pruaitch (SCA 7 of 2010), Heano said a precedent had been set that the law in this matter had been decided upon conclusively and that there was no room for ambiguity.

He said going by the ruling of the Supreme Court in that case, Sir Michael was effectively suspended and for him to continue to hold office as prime minister was “unlawful and illegal”.

Henao said the PM’s suspension should have immediately taken effect the instant he was referred by the Ombudsman Commission via the public prosecutor and, ultimately, when the chief justice appointed a leadership tribunal on Monday.

“This is a clear interpretation – and clear – precedence set by the highest court of the land, the Supreme Court, in the matter of Patrick Pruaitch last May.”

He added that that decision had made reference to all leaders, and made no exceptions, “because that is what the law says relating to the leadership code”.

Quoting the three-judge Supreme Court decision last May, with references to sections 27 (appointment of tribunal members) and 28 (suspension of the leader), which stated: “In our opinion, this is consistent with the thrust and the Spirit of the Constitution that a leader, who has been found guilty of misconduct in office by the Ombudsman Commission, should not be allowed to continue to perform as a leader after his integrity is or has been called into question, and after a tribunal is named to inquire into allegations of misconduct in office.

“In our opinion, once the Ombudsman Commission finds a prima facie case against a leader, and refers him to the public prosecutor for prosecution under the leadership code, he should not continue to perform his leadership responsibilities once an appropriate tribunal is appointed to inquire into his alleged misconduct in office, for the reason that a finding of prima facie case against him by the Ombudsman Commission over the matter shows that the commission must have good reason to conclude that the leader is guilty of misconduct in office.”

Henao acknowledged the reference made by the Prime Minister’s Department chief of staff Paul Bengo in a full-page advertisement, which the chief justice also acknowledged when announcing the tribunal, and pointed out section 142(6) of the Constitution, which make exception for a PM, and stated: “The prime minister may be suspended from office by the tribunal under an Organic Law made for the purposes of section 28, pending an investigation into a question of misconduct in office” but, Heano said, the Supreme Court decision last May had set the precedence for all leaders holding public offices.

In reference to the statements made by Bengo, first legislative counsel Hudson Ramatlap and the chief justice, Henao said: “With the utmost respect (to them), I take issue with the attributes made by Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia (relating to section 142(6) of the constitution.

“In my respected view, the issue of whether the PM is suspended has been dealt with by the Supreme Court (Pruaitch vs Manek – last May).”

He also urged Ramatlap to read that decision (SCA No.7 of 2010).

Henao said by continuing in office, the leader in question would also frustrate the work of the tribunal.

In the Pruaitch vs Manek case last May, the Supreme Court had ruled: “The duly appointed tribunals will be left frustrated and unable to perform the tasks for which they are appointed – inquiring into matters of alleged misconduct in office against the people referred.

“The leaders, meanwhile, will continue to perform their official duties by taking out stay orders at will against the tribunals from inquiring into their alleged misconduct.

“This will make a mockery of the leadership code.

“The inquiries will continue to be stalled and the leaders, whose integrities are already called into question, will continue to discharge leadership responsibilities. This will also make a mockery of the constitution and the leaders will continue to act in contempt and defiance of the constitution.”

The chief justice, when announcing the leadership tribunal, said the “question of suspension pending an investigation into the charges of misconduct in office against the prime minister will be determined by the tribunal”.

The three-member tribunal, comprising court judges from abroad, will start on March 10.

The prime minister continues in office.

 

 

Parliament opens doors today to swear in governor general

PARLIAMENT will meet this morning for the swearing-in of Governor-General-elect Michael Ogio after the Supreme Court dismissed a stay application yesterday, The National reports.

The swearing-in would be the only business today when the chamber’s doors open at 10am.

The office of the clerk of parliament said yesterday members of parliament would enter the chamber at 10am to be followed by the Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia.

The governor-general-elect would then, by procedure, be invited by acting Speaker Francis Marus to enter the chamber to be sworn into office.

After the swearing-in, the new vice-regal would be escorted out of the chambers to take up his post at Government House.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Government House officials were making arrangements for Ogio to travel to Buckingham Palace to present his credentials to the Queen.

Leader of government business Paul Tiensten had stated that the swearing-in ceremony would be the only government business and parliament would be adjourned to May 10 for the normal session.

An attempt by one of the GG candidates, Ronald Rimbao, to stop the swearing-in was rejected by the Supreme Court yesterday.

In rejecting the application, the court said there was no legally arguable case and that Rimbao had abused the process in the proceedings.

The Supreme Court bench comprised Deputy Chief Justice Gibbs Salika and Justices Derek Hartshorn and Ere Kariko.

Rimbao had relied on his proposal for nomination which he had submitted to the clerk of the parliament on last May 28 when the position became vacant after former GG Sir Paulias Matane’s term expired.

Sir Paulias was reappointed but a Supreme Court hearing ruled against it.

New nominations were called but Rimbao did not submit any, thinking that his May 28 proposal for nomination would hold ground.

The Supreme Court yesterday rejected Rimbao’s stay application citing the appellant’s failure in submitting a new proposal and that it was not the clerk’s duty to hand out forms to candidates.

Outside the court, Rimbao’s lawyer Philip Ame said he would be seeking further advice from his client whether to pursue the matter on other relevant grounds, adding that the matter was obviously “down but not out”.

Ame said for the parliament to allocate less than two days to nominate candidates was still another questionable matter in court.

“Constitutional processes are being bulldozed for unknown reasons by the government and is dangerous for the country,” Ame said, while referring to the alleged speedy nomination that saw Ogio elected.

Prime minister and attorney general must stop lying

The sacking of acting public prosecutor Jim Wala Tamate by attorney general Sir Arnold Amet has the fingermarks of prime minister Sir Michael Somare all over it, opposition leader Sir Mekere Morauta said today.

“Sir Arnold’s explanation that the decision to sack Mr Tamate was made by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission based on incompetence of Mr Tamate was an insult to the intelligence of Papua New Guineans,” Sir Mekere said.

“That explanation is designed to camouflage the real reason from the public.

“The public perception is that the real reason Mr Tamate was sacked was because he had the guts to refer Michael Somare to the chief justice with a request to establish a leadership tribunal.

“That is the reason for his sacking, pure and simple.”

The opposition leader said many people were surprised by a series of advice that the attorney general had given to the Government so far.

“First, it was apparently Sir Arnold Amet advised the prime minister on the so-called re-election of Sir Paulias Matane as governor general without following the process set out under the Constitution and used since Independence.”

“How could the prime minister forget this when he participated in the election of every single governor general since independence? 

“It is incredible how some people can do anything, knowingly, just to hold onto power.

 “When that decision was challenged in the Supreme Court, by an aggrieved party, it was Sir Arnold, again, who advised the prime minister and the government that the court had no power to direct the parliament to be recalled or to interfere with the business of parliament.

“The attorney general for some reason forgot to advise the prime minister that the court was interpreting the law.

“The court is empowered by the constitution to carry out that role. 

“The attorney general appeared to have conveniently forgotten this basic fact.”

“Many people are beginning to see the attorney general as a puppet for the prime minister.

“He is being pushed and pulled into positions and postures predetermined by the prime minister. 

“The prime minister’s plan is of course just to hold onto power, at any cost.”

The opposition leader said that with Sir Arnold’s appointment, many people hoped that he, with his knowledge and experience, would put a halt to Somare’s highly developed and well-oiled practice of abusing the processes and role of the state institutions.

Sir Mekere said that the general public remained hopeful that Sir Arnold would do something about fighting the growing corruption and abuse taking place in the public sector.

“Sir Arnold’s performance to date gives little hope.

“It is increasingly evident that Sir Arnold has become an active player in paralyzing and destroying the legitimate powers of the institutions of state.”

Sir Mekere said the public should salute Mr Tamate for his courageous decision to refer Sir Michael to answer alleged misconduct charges. 

“All he was doing in requesting the chief justice to establish a tribunal was fulfilling his constitutional duty and obligation. 

“Mr Tamate was legally required as the acting public prosecutor to do so. 

“He had no choice. 

“All his predecessors have failed spectacularly to do what he did. 

“Mr Tamate is a true professional, who has practised his profession without fear and favour.

“He has set a good example for other public servants to follow.

“It is sad that he has paid a very high price for carrying out his duty to the country honestly and fairly.

“He should remain a proud Papua New Guinean who has been a true public servant.

“It is clear that Mr Tamate brought integrity, professionalism and sense of public duty to the office of Public Prosecutor.”

Sir Mekere urged the prime minister to act like a true leader and allow the institutions of state and public servants to carry out their duties without fear.

He urged the prime minister to stop appointing people who are expected to be puppets and blindly dance to strengthen and preserve Somare’s power base.

“People are fed up with Somare and his puppets. 

“How long can they put up with this nonsense is the question?”

 

 

Judge: Arms of state failed

By SAMUEL RAITANO

 

A NATIONAL Court judge in Papua New Guinea has blamed the failure by state agencies on individuals operating the systems of government, The National reports.

Justice Ambeng Kandakasi said the finance and legal offices were no exception to this sad fact, which is a shame for the country.

These sentiments were expressed while hearing a complaint by PNG Defence Force ex-servicemen against the state and its finance office for declining to release the complainants’ 8% interest on their retirement claims.

Counsel for the ex-servicemen had told the court that a resolution had not been reached during the mediation process because the state had changed its stance in the negotiations.

The court was told that while the state had agreed to pay the 334 claimants their entitlements, with some yet to be paid, the 8% interest would not be entertained.

The 8% interest, the Department of Finance said, would only be paid if there were further submission of claims.

Kandakasi said he thought the matter was straight forward and that both parties had reached a consensus; instead of a stalemate.

He added that the financial arm of the state seemed to be functioning for a few people and millions of kina had been released without delay upon their requests while the ordinary people were given a run-around.

The judge told the ex-servicemen to check with the office of the state solicitor to make sure they were paid their entitlements.

On the 8% interest, Kandakasi said the matter could be raised in court later if the ex-servicemen wished to do so.

 

Prime Minister sends condolence to New Zealand counterpart

Grief-stricken ... Fifteen-year-old Kent Manning (left) and his sister Libby, 18, reacting with their father, who asked not to identified, after they were told by police yesterday that there was no hope of finding Kent and Libby’s mother alive in a collapsed building following a 6.3-magnitude earthquake on Tuesday in Christchurch, New Zealand. – APpic

PRIME Minister Sir Michael Somare yesterday wrote to his counterpart and New Zealand prime minister John Key, expressing deep sorrow and regret over the loss of lives and property as a result of an earthquake that struck Christchurch on Tuesday, The National reports.

“On behalf of the government and people of Papua New Guinea, I convey our deep sorrow and condolence on the terrible loss of lives and destruction caused to properties and public infrastructure following the devastating earthquake that struck the city of Christchurch.

“As your people mourn this tragic loss, we pray that the Almighty God will guide, console and grant strength to the immediate families and relatives affected by this catastrophe during this time of bereavement.

“I am confident that the strength of spirit and resilience of the New Zealand people, which has seen them overcome previous natural disasters, will see them through this tragedy,” he said.

He said PNG valued its bilateral ties with New Zealand.

“We are friends in every sense of the word. As a token of expression of our solidarity, profound sorrow and regret, my government stands ready to offer whatever assistance your government might require towards the recovery efforts in Christchurch.”

A number of PNG students are studying in New Zealand, but it could not be ascertained yesterday whether any attended colleges in the Christchurch or Canterbury region.

However, latest Radio Australia report said a night-time curfew came into force yesterday across much of quake-ravaged Christchurch, with the grim likelihood of a rising death toll hanging over rescuers desperately searching for survivors.

The number of confirmed dead from Tuesday’s 6.3-magnitude quake remained at 75 with more than 300 missing, officials said.

Radio Australia reported that for the first time in its history, New Zealand was in a state of emergency.

Military and police personnel were patrolling the centre of the city.

There have been more than 110 aftershocks since Tuesday’s quake and the cost had been estimated to be as high as US$16 billion – double the damage bill of the quake that hit Christchurch last September.

Zurenuoc: Guns fight has started

THE national government has already started implementing the guns committee report, acting Chief Secretary Manasupe Zurenuoc said yesterday, The National reports.

Zurenuoc said contrary to a claim by Transparency International (PNG) in the media this week, the report recommendations were being implemented with the Department of Prime Minister and National Executive Council the lead coordinating agency.

“The Police Department has already started implementing some of the recommendations concerning the issuing of firearm licences, the transfer of licences and updating of firearms databases,” he said.

“It would be amiss of the watchdog to allege that nothing is being done when a team comprising representatives from a cross-section of society, which includes representatives from civil society groups, has already been set up to further elaborate on the implementation of the recommendations.

“We have already started the ball rolling.

“The team is currently reviewing the recommendations of the guns committee report and has been collaborating with civil society groups on an implementation strategy.”

Zurenuoc said the biggest problem facing the government was not so much the use of licenced weapons but the containment of illegal firearms that are currently in use.

“The Department of Prime Minister and National Executive Council is preparing a critical analysis of crime statistics for 2009 and 2010 to determine baseline data of crimes committed using firearms.

“This will help in the implementation of the recommendations,” he said.

This week, TIPNG claimed that the government had failed to act on the recommendations, leaving the people open to gun violence.

It said because of this failure prominent people had been seen to be involved in disputes in which weapons had been discharged.

“The problem reaches all sections of the community with far too frequent examples of privileged and intelligent people carrying and using weapons in public places,” TIPNG said.

Climate change and food security

By JAMES LARAKI of NARI


A model resource centre on display at Bubia outside Lae

 GLOBAL climate change poses great risks to poor people whose livelihoods depend directly on agriculture, forestry, and other natural resources.
Global organisations and governments have already taken steps to change their focus to assess, adapt and mitigate these risks.
Strategies and policy reforms to enhance human welfare in an equitable and sustainable ways are taking centre stage.
Programs and projects are being undertaken at various levels to analyse the complex interrelations between climate change and agricultural growth, food security and sustainable use of natural resources.
The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) is one such organisation that is focusing its efforts to identifying the key drivers of climate change and how these drivers will impact on food and agriculture systems, and food security.
IFPRI is identifying solutions to these challenges by focusing its research agenda on reducing poverty, hunger, and malnutrition is in a sustainable way.
Through its analysis on the factors influencing climate change and policy on food production systems and ongoing research, regions and sectors that are more likely to be vulnerable to climate change are determined.
And the Pacific Islands countries have been identified among the vulnerable regions to climate-driven environmental changes.
As such, the Washington-based Institution has extended its research to the Pacific to examine the linkages that connects the environmental change to the welfare of the people, to reveal the impact and develop possible adaptation strategies to reduce vulnerability.
Through its Environment and Production Technology Division, it has launched a project titled “Climate Change and Food Security: Adaption Mechanisms and Policy Recommendations for Sound Economic Livelihood in the Pacific” covering Fiji, Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea.
The project which started last October and ends in September 2011 will assess the impacts of climate change on food security, availability, and accessibility, and how this influences the livelihood of Pacific island communities.
Funded by the Pacific Department of the Asian Development Bank, it will determine potential adaptation mechanisms and coping strategies that will ensure food security and enhance livelihoods for the rural communities.
The project will recommend policy options for agriculture, fisheries, and food security to strengthen the support from national governments.
The recommendations could also be used to seek technical and financial assistance from regional and international organisations to assist rural communities facing climate change.
Research Analysts, Ms Rowena Valmonte-Santo and Ms Catherine Chang were in the country early this month to start the Papua New Guinea leg of the study and held preliminary discussion with various agencies including the: National Fisheries Authority, Department of Agriculture and Livestock, National Statistical Office, National Weather Bureau, Office of the Climate Change, and the National Agricultural Research Institute.
The research will be carried out by developing country case studies.
It will involve survey of experts, farmers, fishers, community groups and relevant agencies. Suitable secondary data on agriculture and fisheries and other related information to food security and climate change at country level will also be identified and compiled.
Data on land use and land cover, biophysical (fluctuation in sea level, soil fertility, water availability, elevation), socioecomic indicators (crop prices, population, poverty, nutritional information, consumption) and other related data will be compiled.
The data compiled would then be used to analyse the impacts of climate change on agriculture and fisheries.
Team leader, Ms Rowena Valmonte-Santos said the responses to climate need to occur on several levels, including crop and farm-level adaptations, national level agriculture-related policies and investments, and regional and global policies and investments.
She said to indentify both short and long-term adaptation measures that reduces the impacts of global change, her team will work with local partners and stakeholders to characterise their vulnerability through focus-group interviews and household surveys.
“A series of workshops will also be organised to bring together partners to develop and analyse scenarios for vulnerable communities and assess the effectiveness and relative costs, and benefits of response options and adaptations strategies.
“From there, regional-level and country-level adaptation strategies and policy reform options would be developed.”
IFPRI would also assist to enhance regional and national adaptive capacity by facilitating exchange of insights and experience among researchers, and by building capacity in national research institutions, Ms Valmonte-Santos added.
In PNG, the Office of the Climate Change was created to take lead in matters relating to climate at the national level.
It is hoped that some of the policy recommendations generated by this study to tackle food security threats will be bulit into the national plans.
National Agriculture Research Institute (with other agencies) and NGOs have developed initiatives aimed at increasing awareness, generation and adaptation of appropriate technologies. NARI is taking the lead in mitigating the impact of climate change on agriculture and food security.
All these initiatives and those of others need to be supported.
As a country, PNG has to move forward.
Concerned agencies need to come together and discuss adaptation strategies.
There is a need to identify and discuss the issues of difficulties the country face in adopting sensible policy options, and how these issues and political obstacles can be overcome, if possible.
Policy interventions are required to combat climate change, improve agricultural and fisheries production, and alleviate the socioeconomic conditions of the rural communities and vulnerable groups, especially women.
Hopefully, useful recommendations generated from this study will provide policymakers and stakeholders with the tools for making informed decisions on adaptation mechanisms and coping strategies.

Yasause refused bail

By JACOB POK and SAMUEL RAITANO

 

FORMER executive director of the office of climate change Dr Theo Yasause’s application for bail has been refused yesterday by the Waigani National Court, The National reports.

Yasause, charged with the murder of former rugby league star Aquila Emil, is in remand at Bomana prison.

Justice Ere Kariko refused the bail application on the basis that there was insufficient evidence on the grounds pleaded in the bail application by Yasause and his lawyers.

In Yasause’s application for bail, he claimed he was innocent and blamed the print media for painting a bad picture of him as the suspect in the killing.

He claimed the media publicity had forced him to surrender to police that resulted in him being arrested and remanded.

He also claimed that his first visit to the prison was a nightmare, as he was subject to intimidation, harassment and abuse by Correctional Services (CS) officers.

He claimed that he was at one stage stripped naked by three CS officers and was assaulted and booted on his private parts, adding that he was subject to continuous ill- treatment and was in fear for his life.

Yasause further submitted that the welfare of his family would be jeopardised since he was the sole provider as well as his consultant firm, which assisted landowners in the negotiation process of the LNG project, would collapse if he remained in prison.

However, Kariko found most of Yasause’s grounds in the application to be too general, since there was no medical report provided on the allegations of assault, there were no photo evidences on the assault which Yasause said he would show the court and he failed to specify which landowner groups he was assisting.

He said the constitution did allow bail for wilful murder for exceptional circumstances, but Yasause’s case was not such, adding that a family and business can suffer as a result of a crime.

Yasause, 43, from East Sepik’s West Yangoru is married with four children.

Kariko also said assault on any remandee by CS officers was a serious matter that could be pursued in court by the aggrieved.

He said no remandee was to be mistreated or assaulted regardless of their crime, given that they were already in the hands of the law when they enter prison, which is their punishment.

Kariko said remandees had the right to file proceedings against CS officers who assault them.

 

Gas owners fight over K115 million

By ISAAC NICHOLAS

 

LANDOWNERS from gas fields in the Hela region are still fighting for tens of millions of kina from the state, this time a hefty K115 million promised by ministers to them, The National reports.

Last December, the finance and planning headquarters in Port Moresby was closed and workers could not access buildings after landowners demanded K120 million in business development grants promised them.

The current tussle is over promises made by ministers to landowners at the umbrella benefits sharing agreement (UBSA) reached at Kokopo, East New Britain, and the licence-based benefits sharing agreements (LBBSA) which were reached at the project sites.

Treasury and Finance Minister Peter O’Neill gave directions for the payment of more than K115 million to various landowner companies to honour ministerial commitments for the LNG project last November.

However, to date, the K115, 494,772.17 had not been released, raising the ire of landowners who were promised the funds and, also, inviting a second lot of landowners who claimed that the first group were only “paper landowners” and were not legitimate.lFrom Page 1

The second group, who had missed the list, claimed that the K115.5 million ministerial commitments were promised to “paper landowners” living in Port Moresby.

O’Neill said in a statement late yesterday that the UBSA financial commitments were landowner entitlements for project infrastructure development in the PNG LNG project areas.

“In order to get the LNG project up and running smoothly, the Somare government felt the meaningful participation of landowners in this massive life-changing project is crucial.

“The government, therefore, made a number of important UBSA commitments during the landowner development forum in Kokopo in July 2009.”

O’Neill said in the supplementary budget handed down last November, K170 million was allocated to meet UBSA and LBBSA commitments.

“Because of a lot of disputes and infighting among landowner factions, no funds have been paid to anyone,” O’Neill said.

The treasury secretary has been tasked to pay the following groups:

*Kilo 760 Oil and Gas Pipeline Ltd (Kutubu) – K6.079 million;

*Tubo Enterprise Ltd trading as Tubo Lodge (Kutubu) – K6.5 million;

*Gusomu Society Ltd (Kutubu) – K20 million;

*Akita Investments Ltd (Moran – K5 million;

*Kiki Investments (Northwest Moran) – K9 million;

*Balana Resources Ltd (Moran) – K5 million;

*Kaipte Ikopi Parikewa Investment Ltd (Gobe-Gulf) – K10.56 million;

*Isawari Landowners Association (Kutubu) – K5 million;

*JPPK Hides Association Inc (Hides) – K434, 772.17;

*Wita Arua Holdings (Hides PDL1) – K6 million;

*Petroleum Exploration Joint Venture Ltd – K18 million;

*Hides Tuguba Ltd (Hides PRL12) -– K2 million;

*Para Health Centre Ltd (Hides PRL 12) – K2 million;

*Bosaru-Sisa Landowners Association (SE Mananda-Onabasulu) – K5 million;

*Bosavi-Sisa Landowners (SE Mamanda) – K5 million; and

* Juha Joint Venture Ltd (Juha) – K5 million.

However, Hiwa Corporation Ltd Holdings chairman Peter Purani and Tuguba Petroleum Development Licence (PDL 1) Ltd chairman Howard Lole said these groups did not own sites hosting LNG infrastructures and facilities.

They said their companies represented 15 clans that owned PDL1 sites hosting the main gas producing activities

Prime minister's tribunal to cost K1 million

By JULIA DAIA BORE

 

THE leadership tribunal, probing misconduct charges against Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare, will cost more than K1 million, The National reports.

The tribunal had been scheduled to begin on March 10, and would go on for about six weeks.

Government insiders said funding for the tribunal would come out from the judiciary’s K69.6 million recurrent budget.

The National could not verify the budget report with the office of the chief justice and other judiciary administrators.

Preparations for the tribunal were nearing completion.

Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia announced the tribunal panel on Monday, comprising three pre-eminent retired judges from Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.

The panel would be chaired by Australian Roger Gyles, who was a former judge with the federal court of Australia, the supreme court of Australian Capital Territory and the supreme court of New South Wales.

Members on the tribunal included a former judge of the federal high court of New Zealand who is now serving in Vanuatu and Samoa Sir Bruce Robertson and Sir Robin Auld, president of the court of appeal of Solomon Islands. Auld was the former lord justice of the court of appeal and high court of England and Wales and a former judge of the high court of justice of the Queen’s Bench division of England and Wales.

The prime minister had been cited for the alleged non-acquittal and late acquittals of annual returns between 1994 and 1997.

On Dec 16 last year, acting Public Prosecutor Jim Wala Tamate wrote to the chief justice requesting for a leadership tribunal to be appointed to look into these allegations. The prime minister was referred to the public prosecutor by the Ombudsman Commission in 2006.

In an interview on Monday, Tamate said: “I did what I had to do, without fear or favour, in the course of performing my duties as the acting public prosecutor.

“I performed my duties in making this referral (to the CJ) and, in doing so, as a service to the people of PNG.”

 

Tamate awaits official notice

By JULIA DAIA BORE

 

ACTING Public Prosecutor Jim Wala Tamate is still waiting for an official notice to be served on him over his reported removal from office, The National reports.

Tamate was allegedly sidelined by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission (JLSC) last week.

His removal had brought mixed reactions from throughout PNG because he was instrumental in referring Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare to a leadership tribunal over misconduct in office allegations.

Tamate told The National yesterday that he had not been officially informed of his sidelining by the authorities.

He became aware of the move though the media last weekend, and would await an official notification before stepping aside.

Acknowledging the commission for appointing him in an acting position for the last two years, Tamate said he was satisfied that he had successfully implemented a department white paper decision to make the office of the public prosecutor autonomous.

He said through this implementation process, the public prosecutor’s office had become a self-accounting unit separated from the Department of Justice and Attorney-General.

His biggest satisfaction, the last two years, was in ensuring the smooth running of the office in prosecuting many criminal cases that the office was charged with performing.

Tamate said the division tasked with matters relating to proceeds of crimes had also been very effective in the last two years, netting more than K10 million.

The money had been put back into the national government’s consolidated revenue.

“During my term, we have reached full autonomy. I have brought about integrity and improved work performance within the office of the public prosecutor, for which I am happy and thank God that the office is now geared towards delivering services to our people.

“I have no regrets for what I have done during my term here,” Tamate said.

Both Tamate and his reported replacement and one of two deputy public prosecutors, Camillus Sambua, had not been officially informed of the JLSC decision.

Sir Michael first prime minister in Papua New Guinea to face tribunal

THE appointment of a leadership tribunal to investigate a reigning prime minister, although provided for in law, has no precedent in Papua New Guinea, The National reports.

The referral process, which culminated yesterday in the appointment by Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia of a tribunal comprising three retired pre-eminent judges from Australia, New Zealand and England, has itself been muddled, confusing and torturous for the majority of people.

It all began in 2006 when the chief ombudsman at the time, Ila Geno, informed Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare of his decision to refer him to the then public prosecutor Chronox Manek.

The OC’s grounds for referring the prime minister was alleged misconduct in office as a leader in that he had allegedly failed to lodge with the Ombudsman Commission his annual leadership returns for a number of years, between 1994 and 1997.

Submission of annual returns is a mandatory requirement under the leadership code to establish each member’s earnings.

The OC brought three counts of failure to lodge his annual leadership returns on time against the PM.

This initial OC’s moves were vigorously contested by the PM who began court proceedings, seeking to stop the referral on the grounds that the way in which the OC’s decision was reached to refer him was a contestable matter before the courts.

The matter sea-sawed between different judges.

Firstly, it came before Justice Derek Hartshorn in June 2008 when it was ruled in favour the OC, enabling the OC to exercise its constitutional and legal rights to prosecute the PM.

The OC referred the prime minister to the public prosecutor for immediate prosecution on June 26, 2008, and made public its intention the next day.

Then the PM, through his counsel Kerenga Kua, appealed to stay that decision and began another round of court battle; and that matter is still before the courts.

In the interim, the court got the public prosecutor’s undertaking, that when it chose to refer the substantive matter to the chief justice to appoint a tribunal, to give a three-day notice to the PM.

That undertaking, in a form of a letter dated Dec 8, 2010, was served on the PM in early December by acting Public Prosecutor Jim Wala Tamate.

Kua sought lto stop the public prosecutors from requesting the chief justice to set up a leadership tribunal.

However, the hearing did not eventuate and by 4.06pm that day, Tamate served the referral letter to the CJ seeking the appointment of a leadership tribunal to look into the allegations.

Sir Salamo announced the formation of a leadership tribunal yesterday

Panel to probe prime minister appointed

By JULIA DAIA BORE

A LEADERSHIP tribunal has been named to inquire into misconduct charges against Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare, The National reports.
The tribunal would begin its inquiries on March 10.
Sir Michael was not automatically suspended from office as was the case with other leaders, and was at liberty to remain in office until the matter was decided by the tribunal.
Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia yesterday named a three-member tribunal comprising pre-eminent retired judges from Australia, New Zealand and England to inquire into allegations that Sir Michael had failed to submit his leadership annual returns to the Ombudsman Commission.
The tribunal was unprecedented in the history of PNG in that no prime minister had ever faced such a fate in the past. The process required Sir Salamo to seek the concurrence of the Judicial and Legal Services Commission, again unprecedented, to approve his going outside PNG to appoint judges to be members on the tribunal.
The prime minister’s office said the process was taking its course and that there was no comment from the prime minister, only that he would “continue to fully comply by the law”.
On March 10, the public prosecutor would formally present to the tribunal the PM’s alleged misconduct charges relating to his acquittal of annual returns.
The three overseas high court judges from three separate common law jurisdictions were tribunal chairman Roger Gyles, a former judge of the federal court of Australia (at the first instance and on appeal), the supreme court of Australian Capital Territory and the supreme court of New South Wales; and tribunal members Sir Bruce Robertson of New Zealand and Sir Robin Auld of England.
Robertson is a former judge of the Court of Appeal and High Court of New Zealand who currently presides as judge of the Court of Appeal of Vanuatu and Judge of the Court of Appeal of Samoa.
Sir Robin was the former lord justice of appeal of the court of appeal of England and Wales. He was also the former judge of the high court of justice, Queen’s bench division of England and Wales and current president of the court of appeal of the Solomon Islands.
Making the announcement, Sir Salamo said: “The membership of the tribunal wholly comprises former judges from other common law jurisdictions, namely Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.
“The appointments were made in consultation with the chief justices of those countries. Their appointments are provided for in section 27(7)(d)(iii) and (8) of the Organic Law on Duties and Responsibilities of Leadership.
“The importance of the high office Sir Michael holds prompted me to appoint eminent former judges from the high courts of the three well-established common law jurisdictions.”
The PM was yesterday informed of the appointment of the tribunal.
On whether or not the prime minister would be suspended following the set-up of the tribunal, Sir Salamo was emphatic that he would not.
He said, to avoid doubt, “the question of suspension pending investigation into the question of misconduct in office of the prime minister is to be determined by the tribunal”.
That may well be the first matter of business when the tribunal convenes at court room 1 at 9.30am on March 10 at the Supreme Court building in Waigani.
The request to appoint a leadership tribunal was made by acting Public Prosecutor Jim Wala Tamate on Dec 16 last year following allegations that Sir Michael had failed to lodge with the Ombudsman Commission his annual leadership returns between 1994 and 1997.

Yasause says he was assaulted in prison

By JACOB POK

FORMER executive director of the office of climate change Dr Theo Yasause has claimed that he was assaulted, harassed and abused by Correctional Service (CS) officers while in remand at Bomana prison outside Port Moresby, The National reports.
Yasause’s lawyers raised this as one of the grounds in an application for bail before Justice Ere Kariko at the Waigani National Court last Friday. 
Yasause was charged with the wilful murder of former rugby league star Aquila Emil and was remanded at the Bomana prison when the district court, which he first appeared in, allowed him only to make a bail application at the National Court pending further prosecutions.
Yasause, through his lawyers, claimed that he was at one stage stripped naked and assaulted by CS officers when first taken to Bomana prison, adding that he was subject to continuous ill-treatment and was in fear for his life.
Yasause’s lawyer also submitted that the applicant had no knowledge of the allegations against him and blamed the print media for painting a bad picture of him as being the alleged suspect in the death of Emil.
He also claimed in his submission that he had to surrender to police because of statements published in the print media that police would hunt him down if he failed too surrender.
It was also submitted that Yasause held a doctorate in political science and held number of senior positions in government departments prior to his arrest.
He was recently involved as a leading consultant in assisting landowners in the negotiation process of the multi-billion kina LNG operations at the time of his arrest.
Yasause’s lawyer further submitted that Yasause was married and had four children who attend school and he was the only provider of the family, adding that bail must be granted as the welfare of the family would be in jeopardy if he remained in prison.
However, state lawyers opposed the bail application on the basis that the suspect had used a firearm and did not co-operate with police during investigations into Emil’s death.
The state submitted that police found bookings of air tickets under the name of the applicant after the shooting.
The state also submitted that the handgun and the suspect’s car were not surrendered.
In rebutting some grounds in the bail application, state lawyers submitted there was no medical report provided by the appellant on his allegations of being assaulted by CS officials.
State lawyers also said that the applicant did not specify or name the landowner groups he claimed to assist as a consultant, adding that the LNG projects would still proceed without the appellant’s providing the said assistance.
The court’s ruling on Yasause’s bail application would be given today.

 

Music lessons for children

This is a plug for my old mate Aaron Murray, of Sanguma fame, who is running musical classes for children where they can learn to play the piano, guitar, flute, recorder, saxophone, et all.

We’ve got so much hidden talent among our children!