Taiwan scholarships available for Papua New Guineans

The Trade Mission of the Republic of China (on Taiwan) in Papua New Guinea has the honor to announce the Pacific Islands Leadership Program with Taiwan (PILP) is now accepting applications for the 2014 PILP Fellowship cohort.

This is the second consecutive year to run the Program. 

These are the three promising young PNG leaders Clement Hurae Dusava from Department of Health, Dr Jane Awi from University of Goroka, and Bill Minjikul from Department of Prime Minister and National Executive Council, who benefitted from the Pacific Islands Leadership Program with Taiwan (PILP) last year.

The objective of the PILP Fellowship is set to empower up to 125 young leaders from across the Pacific Islands region to exercise leadership and promote cooperation in a variety of cultural, geographical and institutional environments. This program seeks to attract candidates possessing outstanding intellectual promise, high leadership potential, and commitment to serve the development needs of their countries. It is intended to strengthen participants’ knowledge and understanding of key economic, social, political, health, educational and environmental issues affecting the region, and enable them to cultivate the leadership skills, approaches and networks to make meaningful contributions to the Pacific region throughout their careers.

Starting in August and ending in November 2014, participants will spend two months engaging in experiential learning exercises at the East-West Center’s campus in Hawai‘i, followed by a month of field study in Taipei at the Taiwan Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Institute of Diplomacy and International Affairs (IDIA). The program curriculum includes such topics as applied leadership skills, future scenario planning, social entrepreneurship and risk analysis, climate change and environmental stewardship, international relations, and public health. 

Regarding eligibility, citizens from the Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, French Polynesia, Kiribati, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu are eligible for these competitive, merit-based fellowship awards. Early- to mid-career professionals, spanning the ages of approximately 25-38, from all professional backgrounds (government, business, environment, NGOs, health, media, agriculture, education and others) are encouraged to apply.

The fellowship provides funding for tuition and course materials, residence hall room costs, health insurance, a living stipend, round-trip airfare to Honolulu, roundtrip airfare from Honolulu to Taipei, Taiwan. Please visit the website at www.eastwestcenter.org/pilp for application forms, instructions and answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs).  Applications must be completed before February 1, 2014 in order to be considered.

Inquiries should be sent to the PILP@eastwestcenter.org email account.          

  For more information about the Taiwanese delegation, please contact:

Trade Mission of the Republic of China (onTaiwan) in Papua New Guinea

Level 8, Deloitte Tower, Douglas St., Port Moresby, NCD, Papua New Guinea

Tel: (675) 321-2922 / Fax: (675) 321-3510 / Email: png@mofa.gov.tw

PM announces appointment of Toropo as new commander of PNG Defence Force

Prime Minister Peter O’Neill on Wednesday announced the appointment of Colonel Gilbert Toropo as the new commander of the Papua New Guinea Defence Force.

The National Executive Council met today and appointed Toropo, 51, from the Southern Highlands province.

Toropo replaces Brigadier General Francis Agwi, whose term expired in December last year.

“Colonel Gilbert Toropo is a highly trained professional soldier who has demonstrated leadership and discipline, rising to the rank of Colonel in 2012.

“He is an all-rounder who has held various command positions, including commander of the First Royal Pacific Island Regiment. He is currently the commander of the Joint Task Force, providing excellent security operations in support of various strategic assets in the country.

“I’m very confident that Colonel Toropo will provide the vision and leadership the PNG Defence Force needs as the force begins to implement the Defence White Paper and the National Security Policy which were launched a few weeks ago,” the Prime Minister said.

General Agwi will take up a new post as High Commissioner to New Zealand.

The NEC also appointed Colonel Jeffrey Wiri as the new Chief of Operations of the PNG Defence Force.

Have footy jumper will travel

Contributed by: Wesley Hull
World Footy News

Being a quiet time of the year for footy across the world, a good old-fashioned feel-good story can often plug the hole. The following story is of an event last year, but on reflection deserved to be told then. Instead, we will tell it now.
Mid-way through last year’s footy season, Elliott Takolu from the Salamanda Port Powers club in Lae, Papua New Guinea, put out a call on Facebook. He was seeking a set of football jumpers if any clubs had a set to spare.
Elliott contacted me direct as my club, Pyramid Power, had already established many links with clubs across the world through their Brother Club Project.

Immediately our club swung into action, amplifying Elliott’s message and calling out to any of our friends who may be able to assist. Within the hour a response came back from our good friend, Gab Donnelly, from the Baulkham Hills Junior Football Club in the north-western suburbs of Sydney.
Gab offered, on behalf of her club, a set of unused Baulkham Hills Hawks jumpers. The set of 20 garments was in the mail later that week en route to Cairns.
As soon as I received them, I raced to Cazaly’s, as had been planned, to do a promotional set of photos showing off the jumpers. From there the jumpers headed off again to Lae, the second largest city in Papua New Guinea in the Morobe Province.

There was a period of time where the jumpers seemed to have vanished from the face of the earth. For a month no trace could be found as enquiries were made in both countries as to the whereabouts of the recalcitrant jumpers. Eventually, the jumpers appeared, none the worse for wear, and a delighted Elliott was humbled as he took this donation to his players ready for their first match. Prior to this, Elliott had informed us, their players turned up to training and matches wearing an eclectic assortment of sports tops and singlets to play in. He assured us the boys would be thrilled and proud to wear the hawk colours, even though the club had the Power nickname and the closest thing to a jumper set was a few Richmond jumpers here and there.
Soon after, the mighty Salamanda Port Powers took to the field wearing their new jumpers, and the brown and gold stripes proudly decorated their home ground for future games throughout the 2013 season.
Those jumpers had completed a journey from Sydney to Lae, with a Cairns stopover, and changed the image and history of a club many miles away from the source of the jumpers. Additionally, this exchange of requests and responses has bought together three clubs separated by many miles, but bought together by a love of Australian Rules football, as well as a novel way of uniting clubs across the world: the Brother Clubs Project.
If there is a point to this story, it is to prove that there are ways and means for clubs from all over the world to come together to support each other. It would be an absolute delight to hear more stories like this as communication methods continue to make the world smaller and bring clubs into greater

contact with each other.
Gab Donnelly, on behalf of the Baulkham Hills Hawks, summed it up best with her comment at the time, “Happy to help!”

Rain, glorious rain in Port Moresby

All pictures @MALUM NALU

After a hot dry spell since Christmas, the drought was finally broken in Port Moresby yesterday with a heavy downpour complete with thunder, lightning, and the whole works.
It was just what the doctor ordered for Port Moresby.

Dark clouds at RH Hypermart Gordon

At 8-Mile looking towards Port Moresby.

At 8-Mile looking towards 9-Mile.

And I arrive home soaked to the bone.

PNG Power Ltd reponds to public outcry on electricity tariff increase

Press Statement

The electricity industry is a capital intensive industry, requiring huge capital to put in equipment and power plants.
The lead time to order and install major equipment and diesel power plants is more than 12 months.
For these reasons improved electricity services cannot be expected immediately as this benefit can only be seen sometime after new equipment and diesel power plants are installed.
PNG Power suffers from legacy issues where power plants on average are more than 25 years old, past their economic and technical life and distribution networks are more than 30 years old.
The problems we are facing today did not occur overnight but took many years to manifest itself.
As power facilities age, technology changes and the cost of maintenance and replacement goes up and since PNG Power had financial problems in the past (in the nineties and early 2000) it could not carryout important maintenance and replacement programs when they were due.
With delays in maintenance of power facilities the consequence is accumulation of problems that have created a huge backlog of maintenance and replacement programs.
We are in a catch up mode trying to resolve 20 years or more of neglect in the maintenance and replacement programs of PPL and it will take some time for customers to notice improvements in the supply of electricity.
PPL has a huge investment portfolio and a significant portion of this is to improve existing assets.
PPL will also be encouraging partnerships with the private sector to provide generation facilities in some areas of PNG.
However, this program will not be completed in a single year and therefore customers will not see any drastic improvements in supply service this year.
PPL is also obligated to meet reliability targets set by ICCC so our efforts this year will aim at achieving this requirement.
The recently approved tariff increase of 5.9% by the Regulator is part of the strategy to raise internal income to assist PPL fund power projects, particularly to improve performance of existing assets and this tariff increase is based on PPL’s projected capital works program over the next five years.
A significant component of PPL’s capital works program is debt funded and the major lenders are the Domestic Banks and Super Funds, ADB and JICA.
If PPL did not get debt funding, the increase in tariff would be higher or if fuel costs came down significantly, say to 2008 levels, PPL would not need to increase tariffs by this much, in fact it may not have to increase tariffs at all.
To recap, customers will not see huge improvements in service this year but may see this benefit some years later.
The tariff increase helps with funding of capital projects but PPL relies also on loan finance to fund projects.
These projects take time to implement because of their long lead time. PPL cannot just go to the local market to get equipment or power plants it needs and therefore has to bring them from overseas. This takes time

PNG's Whitehaven bound World Cup star Marabe gets visa

• News & Star
• Sport
• Haven

Whitehaven's latest World Cup star Larsen Marabe has received his visa and the countdown to his arrival at the Recre is underway.

Larsen Marabe

The 27-year-old featured in two of Papua New Guinea’s three matches in the end-of-year tournament, and Haven are now looking at flight availability from capital Port Moresby. “We are keen to get him over as soon as possible,” said chief executive Barry Richardson.
“He has been on the phone practically every day and I’m really pleased that is has all been sorted out fairly quickly.
“It’s really refreshing that he seems so excited about coming to Whitehaven. By all accounts he is a strong, robust forward, and he has been prominent for Papua New Guinea over recent years.”
His PNG team-mate Jessie Joe Parker is still awaiting his visa but as a seasoned international who proved one of his country’s top performers in the World Cup, no delays are anticipated.
Ideally, coach Dave Woods would like both players on board ahead of forthcoming friendlies against Gateshead and St Helens.
Thunder look set to be without ex-Haven second-row Rhys Clarke for their Recre visit after he suffered a broken leg.
Clarke made 27 appearances for Haven in 2013, missing just three games, and he was given the chance to extend his stay. But the Geordie opted to play closer to home to focus on his RL coaching business.
“He has been training really well and I had seen a few things in him to suggest that he would be a really good player this season,” said Gateshead coach Stanley Gene.
“His attitude had been spot-on and hopefully he will heal up quickly and be back soon.

Visa problem may wreck Hull KR signing of PNG pair Francis Paniu and Enoch Makihit

By Hull Daily Mail 

Exclusive by Charlie Mullan

PAPUA New Guinea pair Francis Paniu and Enoch Maki are in jeopardy of seeing their moves to Hull KR derailed by visa problems.

Hull KR unveiled their new signings, Francis Paniu, left, and Enoch Maki, right, at Craven Park in October.

The duo remain stuck in their homeland and have been told it will be a further two months at least before any possible arrival.
Rovers announced they had signed the 24-year-old pair on one-year deals during the recent World Cup, subject to the proviso they would be granted the relevant paperwork.
Obtaining that necessary paperwork is, however, proving a stumbling block, with the proposed moves in real danger of falling down as a result.
Prop Maki featured in two of the three games the Kumuls played at the World Cup, but winger Paniu didn’t feature as they bowed out of the competition at the first hurdle.
Although they arrived in the UK as members of the PNG squad, the duo are struggling to get through the red tape which will allow them to be employed as Super League players.
Those difficulties mean they have yet to check in at Craven Park.
While the rest of the Robins’ squad are being put through their paces ahead of the start of Super League, Maki and Paniu remain in their homeland trying to sort their visas.
One of the most significant dates in the application process will arrive next month when the pair have to undergo an English test.
If they pass the written and spoken test, they will stand a far higher chance of being allowed to work in the UK.
Even if they do pass, the duo will be a long way behind the rest of their team-mates in terms of fitness when they eventually land.
Maki has a number of quality props ahead of him in the pecking order, including Mick Weyman and Justin Poore, who have both played State of Origin during their NRL careers.
Paniu is in a similar, as he has Dave Hodgson, Super League’s fourth most prolific try scorer, ahead of him, as well as the returning Ben Cockayne.
Coach Craig Sandercock is fully aware of the obstacles in front of the PNG pair regarding their visas, and has not planned them into his thoughts for the new season.
If they do arrive, Maki and Paniu are expected to spend their early days playing for partner club Gateshead, who will be coached next season by Stanley Gene in the Championship.
Gene was one of the first PNG players to pull on a Rovers shirt back in 1996 following a string of appearances in the World Cup.

Read more: http://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/Visa-problem-wreck-Hull-KR-signing-PNG-pair/story-20415955-detail/story.html#ixzz2pwwIGcgC

Animal Planet presents landmark series ‘The Coral Triangle’

Press release and photos from Animal Planet

 THE CORAL TRIANGLE is a landmark series that unlocks the hidden secrets of the Ocean’s Amazon – a six million kilometre square area spanning Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Timor Leste and the Solomon Islands, that is considered to be the global centre of marine biodiversity. Premiering every Tuesday at 9 pm., starting January 14, this three-part documentary – captured with the grandeur of blue-chip cinematography and featuring some of the world’s foremost experts on the region – reveals THE CORAL TRIANGLE as a place of unrivalled marine diversity, beauty and biological significance. Explore previously uncharted depths of the ocean, discover species new to science, meet an assortment of local people whose livelihoods depend on THE CORAL TRIANGLE, and uncover why the region holds a vital key to the future of the world’s oceans and human sustainability. Encores every Wednesday at 4 pm. and Sunday at 6 pm.



THE CORAL TRIANGLE lies deep in the volcanic Indo-Pacific region, where two great oceans merge, and is bordered in the north by the Philippines, the west by Indonesia and Malaysia and the east by the Solomon Islands. It is a cauldron of biological variety, with the greatest assortment of aquatic species found anywhere in the world. We journey into the Ring of Fire, sending divers over 90 metres deep to reveal how THE CORAL TRIANGLE has emerged into a dynamic crucible of geo-evolution, a veritable hot spot of life enriched by volcanic activity, shifting tectonic plates and changing sea levels. This nutrient-rich, grand central station connects great deep sea wanderers like the whale sharks, manta rays and sperm and blue whales. Marine biologist Dr Benjamin Kahn studies and tracks the migration of these whales to understand what draws them to this region and why it is a critical path in their life journey. Renowned underwater explorer, Valerie Taylor, and marine scientist, Naneng Setiasih, then take viewers to remote Raja Ampat, the Indonesian gateway to THE CORAL TRIANGLE, to understand what makes it so biologically-rich and why its future health is critical to the well-being of other underwater ecosystems globally.

The series ends with acclaimed anthropologist, Dr Lawrence Blair taking viewers on an closer look at THE CORAL TRIANGLE  and  the  intimate connection  its  diverse  people – such as the bajau laut or sea gypsies –  have  with  the  rich  marine environment  that  surrounds  them. This place is not simply a biological wonder but also an economic epicentre. A new study1 called The Economics of Fisheries and Aquaculture in the Coral Triangle – commissioned by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and co-financed by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the Australian Agency for International Development – estimates that reef fishes in THE CORAL TRIANGLE are worth US$3 billion, comprising 30 percent of the total value of commercial fisheries in the region. This figure is probably an underestimate as it does not include the value of small reef fish species eaten by tunas, estimated at US$150 million. The study also estimates that coral reef ecosystems in the region support employment of about 15 million small-scale fishers.

Science has only recently begun to understand the extraordinary significance this region has on the sustainability of the world’s ocean life and the millions of human beings who rely on it, just as the burgeoning pressures are manifested by the intense growing demands of global human consumption. The Reefs at Risk Revisited in the Coral Triangle report2 released in July 2012 by the US-based World Resources Institute, has raised the flag that more than 85 percent of reefs in THE CORAL TRIANGLE are directly threatened by local human activities, substantially more than the global average of 60 percent. The report highlighted that the greatest threats to the reefs in THE CORAL TRIANGLE are overfishing, watershed-based pollution and coastal development. When these threats are combined with recent coral bleaching, prompted by rising ocean temperatures, the percent of reefs rated as threatened increases to more than 90 percent.



THE CORAL TRIANGLE is now recognised as an area of acute ecological  importance and of great concern  by  many  governments  including  Indonesia, Malaysia,  Timor  Leste,  Papua  New  Guinea,  the  Philippines  and  the  Solomon  Islands. These countries have come together to form ‘The Coral Triangle Initiative’, which is urgently spreading ideas about sustainable fishing  practices  and  setting  up  marine  reserves  across  the  region  to ensure  pockets  of  this  fragile  ecosystem  are  protected  and  allowed  to  thrive. We follow marine  biologists as  they  fight  to  replenish biodiversity  by  establishing  vital  marine  reserves and sanctuaries,  like  Pulau Sipidan Marine Reserve in Sabah, a sanctuary recently officially protected by the Malaysian government, and a whale shark eco-tourism venture in Oslob, Philippines. But will these initiatives be enough to save THE CORAL TRIANGLE?

PNG has fifth highest smoking prevalence in world: mass media

Arka News Agency

Papua New Guinea is among countries with highest prevalence in tobacco use, BBC reported referring to results of an American research.
East Timor tops the list, followed by Indonesia , Kiribati and Armenia. Papua-New Guinea is the fifth.

The twin Caribbean islands of Antigua and Barbuda are bottom at 5%.
The total number of smokers is growing edging close to one billion, global figures reveal.
In 2012, 967 million people smoked every day compared with 721 million in 1980, data from 187 countries shows, says the report by report from the University of Washington's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME).  Around three in 10 men (31%) and one in 20 women (6%) now smoke daily compared with four in 10 men (41%) and one in 10 women (10%) in 1980, Novosti-Armenia reports referring to RIA Novosti.
"Despite the tremendous progress made on tobacco control, much more remains to be done," study co-author Dr. Christopher Murray, director of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington, said in a statement.

YEREVAN, January 8. /ARKA/. Armenia is the fourth among countries with highest prevalence in tobacco use, BBC reported referring to results of an American research.

East Timor tops the list, followed by Indonesia and Kiribati. Papua-New Guinea is the fifth.

The twin Caribbean islands of Antigua and Barbuda are bottom at 5%.

The total number of smokers is growing edging close to one billion, global figures reveal.

In 2012, 967 million people smoked every day compared with 721 million in 1980, data from 187 countries shows, says the report by report from the University of Washington's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME).  Around three in 10 men (31%) and one in 20 women (6%) now smoke daily compared with four in 10 men (41%) and one in 10 women (10%) in 1980, Novosti-Armenia reports referring to RIA Novosti.

"Despite the tremendous progress made on tobacco control, much more remains to be done," study co-author Dr. Christopher Murray, director of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington, said in a statement. –0--

14:28 08.01.2014
- See more at: http://arka.am/en/news/society/armenia_has_fourth_highest_smoking_prevalence_in_world_mass_media/#sthash.kCzvVkUZ.dpuf

Armenia has fourth highest smoking prevalence in world: mass media

YEREVAN, January 8. /ARKA/. Armenia is the fourth among countries with highest prevalence in tobacco use, BBC reported referring to results of an American research.

East Timor tops the list, followed by Indonesia and Kiribati. Papua-New Guinea is the fifth.

The twin Caribbean islands of Antigua and Barbuda are bottom at 5%.

The total number of smokers is growing edging close to one billion, global figures reveal.

In 2012, 967 million people smoked every day compared with 721 million in 1980, data from 187 countries shows, says the report by report from the University of Washington's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME).  Around three in 10 men (31%) and one in 20 women (6%) now smoke daily compared with four in 10 men (41%) and one in 10 women (10%) in 1980, Novosti-Armenia reports referring to RIA Novosti.

"Despite the tremendous progress made on tobacco control, much more remains to be done," study co-author Dr. Christopher Murray, director of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington, said in a statement. –0--

- See more at: http://arka.am/en/news/society/armenia_has_fourth_highest_smoking_prevalence_in_world_mass_media/#sthash.kCzvVkUZ.dpuf

Rugby player Stanley Gene's boost for Papua New Guinea

BBC News

A former rugby league player has returned to his homeland of Papua New Guinea with donated equipment for schools and hospitals. Stanley Gene set up his foundation in 2005 while playing for the Bradford Bulls.
The charity collects donated items and ships them out to the remote areas of the South Pacific state where Gene grew up.
The latest trip included equipment for local schools and hospitals.

Stanley Gene started his foundation in 2005 with donations from his fellow rugby league players.

Gene described his upbringing the villages as "tough".
"I didn't have any shoes," he said.
"I played my first rugby without any rugby boots, I played barefoot. I used to walk miles to get water from a creek."
Gene played rugby league for more than 13 years in the UK, appearing for Hull FC, Hull KR, Bradford Bulls and the Huddersfield Giants. He is now the head coach at the Championship One side Gateshead Thunder.
'Goosebumps' The charity started with donations from his fellow players to send back to the community.
Since then the Hull-based foundation has expanded and now ships a container of goods each year.
The latest delivery included 1,000 rugby shirts donated by Huddersfield Giants fans, computers and beds for the local children's hospital.
Over the years the foundation has paid for a water supply for more than 1,000 people and has built classrooms at a school in Goroka.
Its long term aim is to build and set up a sports academy with links to rugby league clubs in the UK and Australia.
Gene said each visit with the container of donated items gave him "goosebumps".
"So excited to see the kids get them and make use of it," he said.
"The teachers, the students and even the people in the village are so appreciative of things that we see as pretty ordinary here."

Port Moresby needs to be cleaned up

These are pictures I took of the drain leading into Sir John Guise Stadium - major host of the 2015 Pacific Games in Port Moresby today.
There is still a lot of work that needs to be done to clean up the city.
The clean-up should have started on Day 1 of 2014 and not be left until the last minute.

The shame of Malolo Estate, 8-Mile

All pictures @MALUM NALU

I used to once admire Malalo Estate, 8-Mile, as a top-end housing estate but all that has changed since I moved in next door last year. 
The place is filthy, shops sell beer 24/7, there is no road repair, drains are clogged up, the entrance looks like a pigsty.
 I took these pictures today.
Where are the property managers?

This is one of the streets where beer is sold.

Unsealed roads.

The place needs a massive clean-up.

Driving out of Malolo.

Drains filled with fetid water.

A drain clogged with all manner of plastics.

New developments along the main road.

Looking from Malolo out onto the main road.

Entrance to Malolo, with an almost unreadable sign and potholes to welcome you.

Port Moresby embarks on massive K800 million roads development

All pictures @MALUM NALU

Port Moresby has embarked on a massive roads development which will cost up to K800 million, according to city manager Leslie Alu.

He said these projects included the K318 million four-lane arterial road from Poreporena Freeway to 9-Mile by China Harbour Engineering (CHE), K160 million Kookaburra Street to Erima Flyover by Hawkins, K84 million Gordon Industrial Area by Global, K77 million four-lane road from Erima to 9-Mile by Dekenai, K62 million 6-Mile to Jackson Airport road by Hebou, and K52 million Paga ring road by Curtain Bros.

Work is already progressing at Gordon Industrial Centre, Erima to 9-Mile, 6-Mile to Jackson Airport, and Paga Ring Road.

Construction of the Kookaburra Street – Erima Flyover is set to commence in January 2014 with groundbreaking planned for later this month.

The day after New Year's Day last week, I took a leisurely stroll from 8-Mile to Erima and back to do some exercise, thinking and check on the progress of road works, during which time I took these pictures.

Looking towards 9-Mile.

Looking towards Erima.

The heavily polluted stream over which 8-Mile Bridge runs.

8-Mile Bridge.

Afternoon traffic looking towards 9-Mile.

Task Force Sweep on investigations into Paul Paraka Lawyers

By SAM KOIM

 Chairman                 

Task Force Sweep

This is the Task-Force Sweep’s position on the progress of investigations into alleged fraudulent payment of K71.8 million to Paul Paraka Lawyers (PPL) in light of the recent events. The initial allegations relate to a staggering amount of K71.8 million that was paid to PPL between February 2012 and May 2013.
As you all are well aware, Prime Minister Peter O’Neill is the complainant and initiator of these investigations through a Prime Ministerial Directive he issued on 13th May 2013.
The investigations are carried out by Investigation Task-Force Sweep (ITFS). A number of people including the principal of PPL, Mr Paul Paraka have been arrested and charged. Their cases are going through the normal court process. My officers have been working on the court files since their arrests. Some files have been served whilst others are still being prepared.
Amidst the investigations, the Opposition Leader, Hon Belden Namah laid fresh complaints against Prime Minister O’Neill and Ministers Don Polye and James Marape for their alleged involvement in the payments made to PPL. The complaint was laid with the Police and a copy was served on Task-Force Sweep. In his wisdom, the Police Commissioner viewed that for the proper management of the conduct of these delicate investigations and given that ITFS was at an advanced stage of the investigations, referred the Opposition Leader’s complaints to ITFS.
ITFS has taken steps to exhaust all avenues of inquiry including obtaining records from banks, Department of Finance, Department of Treasury, Department of PM& NEC, Department of Justice & Attorney General and many others. We are interviewing all persons that need to be interviewed in this investigation and have obtained their written statements.
We have sought the advice of Southern Counsel (legal experts) on the sufficiency of evidence. We have involved the office of the Auditor General and other accountants to audit the trail of flow of illicitly obtained funds.
With respect to the alleged letter by the Prime Minister dated 24th January 2012, Prime Minister O’Neill himself publicly denied authoring that letter. However, we have independently interviewed officers from the Prime Minister’s Office and checked their outgoing correspondence register and Officers at the Department of Finance and inspected their manual and electronic incoming correspondence register. We have searched all possible avenues including PM’s Office, Department of Finance, Department of Treasury and banks for the original copy of the subject letter without any success. Nevertheless, we have forwarded a copy of the letter for forensic signature experts to test the authenticity of the signature.
A brief history of payments of legal fees to PPL should enlighten many people as to how this case has come about.
PPL was instructed by the State to act on a number of State civil litigation matters towards the end of 2002. The then Chief Secretary, Mr Joshua Kalinoe issued a stop payment directive in June 2006 on any outstanding legal fees owed to PPL. An internal departmental inquiry was instituted by the then Minister for Justice, Hon Bire Kimisopa in October 2006 concerning the allegations of improper payment of legal fees to PPL. PPL’s retainer brief out contract with the State was subsequently terminated in November 2006.
PPL challenged all these decisions in two separate judicial review proceedings in the National Court. PPL obtained orders in its favour staying those decisions and further for payment of outstanding legal fees. Those orders were then appealed to the Supreme Court by the State. Two separate Supreme Court stay orders were obtained by the State preventing any payments to Paul Paraka Lawyers, the latest being March 2007.
In May 2008, then Prime Minister, Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare instituted a Commission of Inquiry into the Department of Finance concerning alleged improper payments of legal fees and out of court settlements, amongst others. PPL features prominently in that report.
Mr Paraka in a recent paid advertorial he took out on 20th May 2013, claimed that his law firm had outstanding legal fees that were not paid until the beginning of 2012.
We have extended our inquiries to ascertain whether PPL actually had outstanding legal fees and that those fees were not paid until beginning of 2012 as Mr Paraka claimed.
Contrary to the assertion by PPL, documents obtained from Department of Finance and the banks reveal that PPL continued to receive payments since March 2007 through a number of conduit law firms and a nominee company owned by Mr Paraka himself. Payments were also made directly to service providers on account of PPL. The payments which spread over almost seven (7) years runs into hundreds of millions of kina and not just K71.8 million which was paid between February 2012 and May 2013.
I am pointing out all of these to demonstrate that it is a massive investigation that needs a lot of collection and collation of documents, perusal of documents, thinking, analysing, compilation and reaching conclusions before taking penal actions.
We are also mindful of what information we release to the media as sometimes doing so can jeopardise our investigations. ITFS is not just another inquiry team that investigates and releases its findings for public consumption. We investigate and implement our own findings by taking appropriate penal actions using our various combined powers as a multi-agency team.
Although it is taking a bit of time, we are handling this delicate investigation with care. The law places an onerous duty on the State to build a strong case that would ultimately result in conviction. The journey from investigation through to conviction is convoluted with procedural requirements that we need to comply every step of the way.
“I can assure the public that we are doing all we can to see justice for all and we will make sure that no stone is left unturned. Again, I have to reiterate that our focus is not on people. We investigate an offence and the offence leads us to the offender. Whoever is connected by overwhelming evidence of an offence will be held accountable regardless of their status.”
With respect to the warrants that have been taken out by another officer of the Police for the arrest of the Prime Minister, Ministers Don Polye and James Marape, I am not privy to it so cannot say much. I am not in charge of that investigation and I cannot comment. That is a matter for the Police Force.
For your information, we also have a Police team that was seconded to work with us who are carrying out the criminal side of investigations as well.
Thank you and God bless you all.

Authorised for Release by
Sam Koim
Chairman

Arrest warrants issued for Papua New Guinea PM and key ministers

ABC

Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister Peter O'Neill says he has taken out a stay order from the Committal Court against a warrant issued for his arrest.

Arrest warrants have been issued for Mr O'Neill, Treasurer Don Polye and Finance Minister James Marape.
The warrants were sought last November by an investigator with the National Fraud and Anti-Corruption Directorate.

Photo: Peter O'Neill has issued a stay order issued on his arrest, along with Treasurer Don Polye and Finance Minister James Marape. (AFP: Ness Kerton)

They were issued after an investigation into government payments of millions of dollars to a Port Moresby legal firm.
"They are not (the) investigating officers of these files," Mr O'Neill said at press conference on Tuesday afternoon.
"That responsibility lies with the task force."
Papua New Guinea's multi-agency anti-corruption unit, the Investigation Task Force Sweep, charged one of the nation's largest law firms in October with offences including conspiracy to defraud, stealing by false pretence and money laundering.
Mr O'Neill says the Investigation Task Force Sweep is conducting a full investigation into the payments to the law firm.
He says the National Fraud and Anti-Corruption Directorate is not conducting the investigation.
"They have not given in to commands given by their superiors as required by a disciplined organisation like the police force," he said.
He alleges rogue police officers within the force are being directed by opposition leader Belden Namah to conduct a 'Kangaroo Court' in breach of proper processes.
Mr O'Neill has directed the police commissioner to start investigations into how due processes have been sidestepped.
"I have also instructed the police commissioner to investigate all parties including Belden Namah for his role, the way he goes about inducing and contacting police men and women to try and meet his political agenda," he said.
Mr Namah has warned Police Commissioner Tom Kulunga he will face contempt of court charges unless he executes the warrants against the prime minister and two of his ministers.
"I have given them the ultimatum to do so within 72 hours," he said.
"Failure to do so, I have instructed my lawyers to institute contempt of court proceedings against them because this is the high profile corruption case in Papua New Guinea."
Mr O'Neill says Mr Namah should stop trying to involve police in politics.
"Belden Namah needs to be a bit more responsible, he is an alternative prime minister of this country," he said.
"This is another attempt to try and stage a coup to try and overthrow a legitimate government."