Pacific Islands Forum-Fiji Joint Working Group on the Situation in Fiji

AGREED OUTCOMES

 

The Working Group held its thirty-second meeting at the Forum Secretariat Headquarters in Suva on 6 November 2008, attended by senior officials from Australia, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Republic of the Marshall Islands and Tuvalu.

The Working Group expressed its regret at the withdrawal from the Working Group, due to other work commitments, of the Permanent Secretary for the Prime Minister’s Office, Mr Parmesh Chand. 

The Working Group thanked Mr Chand for his considerable work in facilitating relations between the Forum and the Interim Government to date. 

The Working Group welcomed Ratu Isoa Gavidi, Permanent Secretary of Foreign Affairs, as the new leader of Fiji’s delegation to the Working Group, and looked forward to continued open and constructive communication between the Working Group and the Interim Government through the Permanent Secretaries of Foreign Affairs and Justice.

The Working Group noted the letter of 19 September 2008 from Interim Prime Minister Bainimarama to the Forum Chair, Premier Talagi of Niue, advising that Fiji was prepared to re-engage with the Working Group, and would welcome a visit by the Ministerial Contact Group before the end of 2008.

The Working Group welcomed the Interim Prime Minister’s willingness to re-engage with the Forum, and expressed its readiness to engage in dialogue and to work constructively toward a way forward, reaffirming the good will of all members of the Forum to assist each other in challenging times. 

The Working Group acknowledged that the Forum process is a key means by which Fiji can be assisted to return to parliamentary democracy in the shortest practicable time.

The Working Group discussed recent developments in the situation in Fiji, particularly the political parties’ meeting convened by the Fiji Interim Government on 27 October.

 The Working Group welcomed the commitment of the Interim Government and the political parties to the process, recalling Forum Leaders’ support for independent and inclusive dialogue, without preconditions, as an essential element in resolving the Fiji situation, complementary to the implementation of Fiji’s commitments to the Forum on elections. 

Working Group members encouraged all concerned to continue working on the development of a credible political dialogue process, with the greatest possible momentum.

The Working Group discussed the Interim Prime Minister’s request that the Group develop new terms of reference, and received a proposed addendum from Fiji to the Working Group’s Terms of Reference. 

The Working Group noted the issues raised in Fiji’s proposal, and agreed to consider possible revision of the Terms of Reference for further discussion at its next meeting.

The Working Group discussed initial preparations for the proposed visit by the Ministerial Contact Group in December 2008.

The Working Group will hold its next meeting on 20 November 2008.

 

Forum Secretariat, Suva

6 November 2008

 

Frank Sinatra tribute concert at Airways

Australian crooner Max Miller is wowing them at Airways Hotel’s Bacchus Restaurant with Ol’ Blue Eyes, a 10^th anniversary tribute concert to the great Frank Sinatra.

The show started at Bacchus on Wednesday night, continued last night (Thursday) and the finale is on tonight (Friday).

If you sat back and closed your eyes, you would have sworn you were in the Sands Casino Hotel Las Vegas.

Frank Sinatra, centre stage amidst a bevy of black tuxes, gleaming brass and a shiny black piano, is cradling the audience in the palm of his hand as he croons his way through some of the best songs ever written.

But Sinatra’s been gone for 10 years.

And this wasn’t Las Vegas.

From the opening bars of My Kind of Town, to Summer Wind, Strangers in the Night and Sinatra’s trademark My Way – the favorite of our former Prime Minister Sir William Skate – Miller’s show is all class.

So if you want entertainment of a different kind, complemented by great food and wine, drop into the Bacchus Restaurant tonight.

 

 

Lutheran University of Papua New Guinea website

The Lutheran University of Papua New Guinea - new and exciting Lutheran University for Papua New Guinea committed to excellence in tertiary education and service to the church - will open in 2010.

It has a detailed website http://lupng.org/ which contains basically all the information one may want to know.

 

Mission Statement:

 

The mission of the Lutheran University of Papua New Guinea is to conscientiously provide a Christian education for individuals through “Teaching”, “Researching”, and preparing them for “Service” in the church and community as servant leaders.

 

Vision Statement:

 

The Establishment Committee of the Lutheran University Papua New Guinea (LUPNG) has a compelling vision to establish a new Lutheran University at Lae and to unify under that umbrella the distinctive institutions of Martin Luther Seminary and Balob Teachers College. LUPNG will insure a sound, Lutheran Christian quality and model-educational tertiary institution for the citizens of Papua New Guinea.

 

Tabubil women's fellowship group travels to Malalo, Morobe province

By ANDY MAIE

A letter of appeal for donation was written by Evangelical Lutheran Church Malalo circuit gejamsaoc (women’s group) to Tabubil Lutheran church women’s fellowship to support them in their dream to build a women’s resource centre.

The Tabubil women’s fellowship agreed to support this project and with the help of the executive of the Tabubil Lutheran church sent a delegation of 12 women and three men leaders.

On October 10, the group traveled to Lae by plane from Tabubil, and then by sea to Buakap village.

The visit also coincided with the ELC Malalo Circuit Wokmeri conference which was held at Kisiwaga Parish, Busamang village.

Upon arrival at the resource centre at Buakap, the gejamsaoc group from Buakap congregation welcomed the delegation with a traditional dabol singsing through a gate set up on the beach.

On the Saturday, October 11, the delegation was invited to Kisiwaga parish, Busamang village, to attend the women’s conference with the rest of the Malalo circuit.

Upon arrival at Busamang village by dinghy, the delegation was welcomed by the Kisiwaga parish gejamsaoc group with mulmul and siac singsings.

In the evening, the Tabubil women’s fellowship group gave K2, 700 to Malalo circuit hetmeri, who reciprocated with 15 bilums.

On Sunday, October 12, the delegation had Sunday service hosted by Buakap.

In the evening, the delegation was entertained to a siac singsing by the villagers.

On Monday, October 13, the delegation climbed up the hill to visit Malalo circuit mission station to see the centennial plaques that were set up in October 2007.

The Tabubil Malalo group and the Tabubil Lutheran congregation contributed funds towards the celebration and the memorial plaques last year.

When the delegation returned from the mission station, a small shake handshake offer was performed between the delegation and the executive of the Malalo circuit gejamsaoc which raised K300 for the centre.

In the afternoon, the delegation took two dinghy trips to Laugui, Salamaua, to visit the Laugui gejamsaoc group.

The delegation was surprised to be welcomed by the Laugui women’s singsing group through a gate followed by exchange of speeches, and then presentation of bilums.

The delegation left Laugui for the conference centre at Buakap to a traditional welcome of sea water showering by the circuit gejamsaoc group.

A pig was then slaughtered for a feast.

Almighty God has Blessed the trip as everything was executed as planned without any major problems.

Lutheran health services thrive in PNG

Captions: 1. A Lutheran missionary doctor at work in Braun Hospital. People from all over PNG flock to Braun to seek the 'healing hands' of these missionary doctors. Picture by NMZ Mission. 2. A mother seeking treatment for her child at Braun Hospital. Picture by NMZ Mission. 3. Braun Memorial Hospital in Finschhafen, Morobe province. Picture by NMZ Mission. 4. Lutheran health services secretary Abraham Yapu...bearing the cross of Jesus.

Braun Hospital in Finschhafen, Morobe province, is a hive of activity every day as patients flock in from all over Papua New Guinea to seek the services of specialist missionary doctors.

These doctors, Lutheran volunteers from Germany, pray over each patient before treating them and there is a huge success rate.

Lutheran health services secretary Abraham Yapu conservatively estimates that Braun treats more than 10,000 patients a year.

“… Braun alone treats over 10,000 patients a year,” he tells me.

“We have a specialist surgeon, physician, gynaecologist and paeditrician at Braun Hospital.

“That’s why it attracts patients from all over the country.

“We have very good facilities, including up-to-date operating facilities.

“We have very hardworking missionary doctors who are fully committed to their jobs.”

The Evangelical Lutheran Church of PNG, apart from its core task of spreading the Word of God, is also involved in many development activities such as health.

It runs four hospitals around the country at Braun, Yagaum in Madang, Gaubin on Karkar Island in Madang and Etep at Wasu in Morobe province.

“Most of our hospitals are staffed by overseas doctors, mainly from Germany,” Mr Yapu explains.

“There is an organisation called South South Programme which also provides doctors.

“At the moment, we have two doctors in PNG under this programme, which is working very well.

“We have two Bavarian doctors at Gaubin, four at Braun and one at Etep.

“There are missionary doctors sent in for a four-year term.

“We have two local doctors, one at Yagaum and one at Etep.”

Apart from these hospitals, ELCPNG runs 28 health centres through the whole country, 14 aid posts and 14 two-man aid posts.

“We have a health project called District Health Project in Menyamya (Morobe province),” Mr Yapu adds.

“Due to remoteness, this project was created so that we can have direct funding from our partners.

“This idea came from Bavaria and New Zealand.

“That was back in the 80’s.

“ELCPNG is a major contributor in funding.”

The ELCPNG also runs three health schools, the nursing school in Madang which is now affiliated with Divine Word University, and community health workers’ schools at Gaubin and Braun.

“We have almost 300 staff ranging from doctors to community health workers,” Mr Yapu says.

“We have about 250 or more casual workers, depending on areas where they work.

“Staffing would be about 50 for the three schools.

The ELCPNG’s Lutheran health services department was created in 1988; however, health services were already established long before this under the evangelism department.

“At the Ialibu synod in 1988, it was agreed that the Lutheran Health Services must become a department of its own,” Mr Yapu recalls.

“The first national health secretary was Mr Wilson Waesa.

“Changes were made and Vincent Michaels (now Tewai-Siassi MP) became the second national health secretary.

“At that time, we had two hospitals: Braun Memorial Hospital in Finschhafen and Yagaum Hospital in Madang.

“Gaubin (Madang province) became a hospital after Yagaum.

“In 2000, Etep Rural Hospital in Wasu, Kabwum district (Morobe province) was created.

“I don’t have exact figures for the number of patients for the whole country, but Braun alone treats over 10,000 patients a year.

“In the administration structure of the department, we have the national secretary, and then we have regional secretaries.

“I am the national health secretary, Don Kuda is the regional health secretary in Madang, Nena Nag is regional health secretary in Morobe, and Reverend James Koi is regional health secretary in the Highlands.

“We have a senior management team which meets every year to advise the Lutheran health services board.

“Lutheran health services board endorses what projects and programmes and it goes to the church council for endorsement and implementation.

“Lutheran health services comes under the churches medical council like other churches.

“Churches medical council, through the national government, gives grants.

“From churches medical council, the funding goes straight to the regional offices.

“Regional secretaries take care of that funding.

“It covers infrastructure, health programmes and salaries of the workers.

“In one year, funding for the three regions goes up to K6 million.

“Apart from churches media council, regional offices also get assistance from their respective provinces, districts and LLGs.

“ELCPNG is the main source of funding.

“Donations also come in from believers.

“In Morobe, we get a lot of assistance from the Morobe provincial government.

“Recently, we started receiving funding from MPs for health facilities in their electorates.”

Evangelical Lutheran Church of PNG's 'Vision 2020'

Captions: 1. ELCPNG general secretary Isaac Teo…mapping out plan for Vision 2020. 2. ELCPNG headquarters at Ampo in Lae.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea (ELCPNG) is preparing policy framework and guidelines for programme formulation for its strategic planning called the ELCPNG Vision 2010-2020.

The policy framework and guidelines will direct planning in each department and district of the church to formulate their respective mission statements, value statements and programme details.

Vision 2010-2020 concept paper was presented at the 26th general synod of the ELCPNG in January of this year.

The late Bishop Reverend Dr Wesley Kigasung highlighted the vision statement - “Sharing the Faith, Building the Church” - and the concept for planning together with the guiding principles that will enable planning to achieve the objectives, mission and vision of the church.

 Rev. Dr Zirajukic Kemung of Martin Luther Seminary discussed the human development criteria and elaborated on the need for Vision 2010-2020 to focus on the “household”.

 The message was loud and clear that the planning process aims to achieve balanced human development addressing both physical and spiritual development needs of every human person.

Mr Isaac Teo, general church secretary of ELC-PNG discussed the state of the socio-economic development challenges that the country is facing today.

He highlighted issues with regards to education and health such as HIV/AIDS, sexually transmitted diseases, tuberculosis and malaria which have encouraged both the government and non-government sectors to develop programmes aimed at addressing these problems.

“ELCPNG as a Christian church empowered by the Word of God with a ministry to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ, has been actively involved in promotion of health and education program over the past 122 years of establishment,” Mr Teo said.

“The Ogelbeng Synod endorsed the timeframe to Vision 2020 with separation and extension of planning and implementation periods to cover 2008–2010, 2011–2015 and 2016-2020.

“These will enable planning set realistic and achievable short-term and medium term goals with proper design of impact evaluation and assessment on term basis.

“ELCPNG departments will continue with their implementation of the current programmes, and carryout timely review so that the programs will be fine tuned in line with the new Vision, Mission and Objectives of the ELC-PNG Vision 2020.

“As a guiding principle of a strategic planning process,  this policy framework and programme formulation guidelines should help ELCPNG departments to re-focus planning on priority areas, starting with a department mission statement and value statement and of course re-formulation of program objectives and strategies for implementation through out the planning period.

“The Vision 2020 strategies of ‘integral mission’,   ‘leadership focus’,  ‘area focus’ and ‘household focus’ places much greater emphasis on the multi- level planning capacities within the existing church’s institutional and organisational hierarchy.”

  It also calls for reorganisation of the existing institutional arrangements that will cater for programs on leadership focus and training of evangelist for proclamation of the Gospel in new strategic mission areas.

“There is also greater need for ‘devolution’ of administrative function and responsibilities with readily-available resources and capacities at the ELCPNG districts to support holistic ministry program in the parishes, congregations and the household,” Mr Teo continued.

“Since the ‘overseas missionaries’ had left in the late 1980’s these functions have slowly come to a halt and are of non-existence at the present time.

“The overall objective of Vision 2010-2020 is to provide a clear and consistent policy framework for promotion and development of holistic ministry planning and programming of ELCPNG Vision 2010-2020.

“The ELCPNG institutional framework is ‘people empowerment’ structure that needs to be consolidated and made to function effectively.

 “The starting point is obviously the ‘reorientation’ of the existing seven programmes of ELCPNG inline with the Vision 2010-2020 concept of ‘household focus’.

“The idea is to emphasise the main programme groups - build life, empower life, support life - which will form the main pillars of the church ministry, a force that would drive the mission statement in realising the purpose of Vision 2010-2020.

“Reformulation of current programmes and projects should start with the definition of goals and by putting it into its right context and perspective for a holistic ministry program.”

 

Lutheran youth programme gaining momentum

Caption: Lutheran youth director Faen Mileng

The Evangelical Lutheran Church of PNG’s youth programme is rapidly gaining momentum, according to national youth director Faen Mileng.

This includes an agreement with the National Law and Justice Committee Secretariat whereby it provides funding for Lutheran youths to distribute law and order awareness material.

“The church has this youth programme called five-star programme,” Mr Mileng explained.

“The five stars are strongim bilip (strengthen the faith), kirapim gutpela sindaun (create wellbeing), mekim work sios (do the work of the church), skruim save (learn more) and gutpela hamamas (happiness).

“Under this programme, we try to work with the young people in things such as Bible study, which are very important.

“We also have leadership training.

“One of the things we are trying to encourage is the ‘Christ in culture show’, where we have traditional activities, but with the message of Jesus.

“We are working on carrying out the programme effectively in all the districts.

“Recently, we met an official from the National Law and Justice Committee Secretariat, Mr Joe Kanekane, and they will provide us with funding to distribute their law and order material.

“This is one of our major achievements.”

Mr Mileng said each church district had its own conference starting from congregation level to circuit, district and national.

He solely runs the youth office at ELCPNG headquarters at Ampo in Lae with the assistance of volunteers.