Thank God he's gone....................
| 'The vast majority of our imports come from outside the country.'
|
| ||
|
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
SURELY THE IDIOT DIDN'T SAY ALL THESE DAFT THINGS!
Monday, January 19, 2009
Coconut palms - the timber of the future - and a saving grace for Papua New Guinea
The Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) has been conducting a project since 2007 in Fiji and Samoa called 'Improving Value and Marketability of Coconut Wood'.
The project has a budget of AU$520,552 and is anticipated to end in April 2010.
The project addresses key issues relating to the acceptance of coconut wood into the high value flooring market.
It is specifically focused on developing processing systems and profiles for high quality flooring, and defining appropriate grading standards, product specifications and quality control systems.
As the fifth largest coconut producer in the world and by far the largest in the Pacific, PNG is at the doorstep of a lucrative opportunity to become a market leader in cocowood production.
What makes it even more realistic is the fact that PNG has a large number of aging colonial coconut plantations which produce less and less quality coconuts each year for copra and coconut production.
What better way to deal with these senile plantations than to generate new timber industries and create new PNG export and consumer markets, while providing a new source of income for PNG folk from an abundant and locally available resource?
With strong demand for flooring products in Asia, America and Europe, there is a definite market available for cocowood products
Research conducted by the Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries (DPI&F) has found that cocowood produced from coconut palm tree trunks, is suitable for use as high value flooring, bench tops, kitchen cabinets and furniture.
DPI&F senior technician Gary Hopewell said the latest findings from the three-year $520,000 cocowood project showed that processed coconut palm wood was actually superior to many other commercially available timbers.
"A number of Australian flooring product manufacturers are evaluating the material for their domestic manufacturing operations," he said.
"Timber industry representatives from Australia, Fiji and Samoa, including flooring market and production specialists and potential suppliers and processors, are studying drying and processing technologies to ensure strict quality control of the product.
"Even medium density palm logs can be processed to make attractive veneers and plywood.
"The positive results achieved to date support development of palm stem processing in Pacific island countries of origin, with valued added flooring and other products produced in Australia."
Many Pacific island nations including Tonga, Fiji, Vanuatu and PNG have large but ageing coconut palm plantations, where there is declining coconut and copra crop production.
Mr Hopewell said the project was looking at opportunities to use these plantations to generate new timber industries, and create new Australian export and consumer markets, while providing a new source of income for Pacific island peoples from a locally available resource.
"With strong demand for flooring products in Asia, America and Europe, cocowood products could be very lucrative for Queensland and our Pacific neighbours," he said.
"By developing a cocowood industry to provide a range of timber products, we could help reduce the demand for timber from old growth forests in Pacific island nations."
This year the project enters a new stage with the further refinement of cocowood processing for commercialisation and entry to domestic and international markets.
The cocowood project is co-funded by ACIAR).
DPI&F is a partner agency with the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC), the Fiji Coconut Industry Development Authority, (CIDA), Fiji Ministry of Fisheries and Forests, Samoan Ministry for Natural Resources and Environment and Strickland Brothers, Samoa.
"Large areas of mature coconut stems across the Pacific region are now unproductive and are a potential source of wood for high-value flooring and other products," according to the cocowood website http://www.cocowood.net/.
"Engineered coconut 'wood' could provide one solution to waning global timber resources while contributing significantly to local economies.
"Despite this, the stems are uneconomic to harvest until the wood properties are better understood and appropriate processing technologies are developed.
"The ACIAR project 'Improving value and marketability of coconut wood' (The Cocowood Improvement Project) is providing the science to underpin coconut wood production, engineering and marketing initiatives and address gaps in our understanding of cocowood properties and suitable processing technologies.
"The project will develop processing systems appropriate for producing high quality flooring using new approaches relevant to cocowood.
"These will be driven by a greater understanding of cocowood properties and the causes of post-harvest staining and aesthetic downgrade.
"The project will deliver training and guidelines for product standards, grading and quality control.
"Project outcomes will have long term benefits by improving the manufacture and acceptance of coconut wood in the international, high value flooring market.
"Local business and communities will benefit from the development of appropriate technologies that contribute to sustainable, economic management of the cocowood resource in the Pacific region.
"The project runs from May 2007 to May 2010."
Mobile phone setbacks the Papua New Guinea way!
By PANU KASARSeems that these days both Digicel and B Mobile networks do not efficiently connect callers.Digicel has now become frustrating to most users.Calls don’t even seem to connect at all. I tried calling my friend who stood with me by the network said the phone was switched off. Seems like they keep ripping us off using the voicemail charges.There are two possible explanations, probably; the network has grown too big. In other words the number of users is too much for the hardware infrastructure at hand. That is why they switch off a range of numbers to lighten the load. Sort of load shedding!Or simply they are making money off the voicemail prompts to cover up for the huge marketing. There has to be a boomerang somewhere in the marketing strategies.Their race with B Mobile has caused rush for nation wide coverage that they forgot the rules of quality service.I think businesses should move towards walkie talkies. Hand held radios should be the solution for network setbacks.No voice mails, no flex cards and best of all you have a whole frequency to yourself. Like owning your own freeway!Talk until you are hungry! Just a monthly payment!
I’m on my way to getting myself one installed at my office.
Papua New Guinea - truly the land of the unexpected
Two things happened to me in
Last Saturday, I really wanted to eat some fish and vegetables, so my two elder sons Malum Jr (8) and Gedi (6) accompanied me to Rainbow Market at Gerehu.
After buying the fish and veggies, the boys wanted to have some guavas, so we went to one of the women selling guavas and the boys got five guavas for 40 toea each, which works out to 2 Kina.
They collected the guavas and we walked happily down the street, they munching on the succulent fruit, when suddenly, we hear a scream behind us an angry woman with her hands over her head.
She accused me, at point-blank range in front of a large group of people, that I had stolen her guavas.
I told her that I had inadvertently not paid and pulled out a 2 Kina note from my pocket.
However, she wanted me to go back to the market, and pay her the money, which I very reluctantly did.
And after paying up, she calls out for the entire world to hear, that I am a “stilman (thief)”.
No one took her seriously, and I told her that if she had been a bit more diplomatic, I would have bought off her whole table of guavas.
The next day, I went to my office at The National newspaper, and worked for the whole day.
After 7.30pm, as the driver was dropping us off in pouring rain, we almost had an accident at Tokarara.
A vehicle suddenly drove straight at us, on the wrong lane, and had it not been for the quick instincts of our driver Joe, who veered to the edge of the road, we would have had a head-on collision.
That errant vehicle, meanwhile, drove head-on into another vehicle behind us.
Our driver wanted to stop and see what happened, however, I advised him not to do so and drive off.
Who knows what would have happened to us on that dark, rainy night?
Sunday, January 18, 2009
And Then They Came For Me
After reading through the lively discussion on the state of the Pacific's media, I came across this: An editorial penned by Sri Lanka's Sunday Leader editor Lasantha Wickrematunge, who had been targetted for assassination, just three days before he was actually killed. He knew "they" were coming for him because the reporting of the newspaper he co-founded. The calmness with which he awaited his fate is awe inspiring. While it is symptomatic of the dangers some journalists have to work with, how Wickrematunge confronted those responsible for his death from beyond the grave should be an inspiration to all of us.
--
The editorial also featured on the Guardian's website here:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/jan/13/wickrematunga-final-editorial-final-editorial
The Sunday Leader website is here: http://www.thesundayleader.lk/20090111/editorial-.htm
--
And Then They Came For Me
No other profession calls on its practitioners to lay down their lives for their art save the armed forces and, in
I have been in the business of journalism a good long time. Indeed,
2009 will be The Sunday Leader's 15th year. Many things have changed in
Why then do we do it? I often wonder that. After all, I too am a husband, and the father of three wonderful children. I too have responsibilities and obligations that transcend my profession, be it the law or journalism. Is it worth the risk? Many people tell me it is not. Friends tell me to revert to the bar, and goodness knows it offers a better and safer livelihood. Others, including political leaders on both sides, have at various times sought to induce me to take to politics, going so far as to offer me ministries of my choice.
Diplomats, recognising the risk journalists face in
Whatever else I may have been stuck for, I have not been stuck for choice.
But there is a calling that is yet above high office, fame, lucre and security. It is the call of conscience.
The Sunday Leader has been a controversial newspaper because we say it like we see it: whether it be a spade, a thief or a murderer, we call it by that name. We do not hide behind euphemism. The investigative articles we print are supported by documentary evidence thanks to the public-spiritedness of citizens who at great risk to themselves pass on this material to us. We have exposed scandal after scandal, and never once in these 15 years has anyone proved us wrong or successfully prosecuted us.
The free media serve as a mirror in which the public can see itself sans mascara and styling gel. From us you learn the state of your nation, and especially its management by the people you elected to give your children a better future. Sometimes the image you see in that mirror is not a pleasant one. But while you may grumble in the privacy of your armchair, the journalists who hold the mirror up to you do so publicly and at great risk to themselves. That is our calling, and we do not shirk it.
Every newspaper has its angle, and we do not hide the fact that we have ours. Our commitment is to see
The Sunday Leader has never sought safety by unquestioningly articulating the majority view. Let's face it, that is the way to sell newspapers. On the contrary, as our opinion pieces over the years amply demonstrate, we often voice ideas that many people find distasteful. For example, we have consistently espoused the view that while separatist terrorism must be eradicated, it is more important to address the root causes of terrorism, and urged government to view
Many people suspect that The Sunday Leader has a political agenda: it does not. If we appear more critical of the government than of the opposition it is only because we believe that - pray excuse cricketing argot - there is no point in bowling to the fielding side. Remember that for the few years of our existence in which the UNP was in office, we proved to be the biggest thorn in its flesh, exposing excess and corruption wherever it occurred. Indeed, the steady stream of embarrassing expos‚s we published may well have served to precipitate the downfall of that government.
Neither should our distaste for the war be interpreted to mean that we support the Tigers. The LTTE are among the most ruthless and bloodthirsty organisations ever to have infested the planet. There is no gainsaying that it must be eradicated. But to do so by violating the rights of Tamil citizens, bombing and shooting them mercilessly, is not only wrong but shames the Sinhalese, whose claim to be custodians of the dhamma is forever called into question by this savagery, much of which is unknown to the public because of censorship.
What is more, a military occupation of the country's north and east will require the Tamil people of those regions to live eternally as second-class citizens, deprived of all self respect. Do not imagine that you can placate them by showering "development" and "reconstruction" on them in the post-war era. The wounds of war will scar them forever, and you will also have an even more bitter and hateful Diaspora to contend with. A problem amenable to a political solution will thus become a festering wound that will yield strife for all eternity. If I seem angry and frustrated, it is only because most of my countrymen - and all of the government - cannot see this writing so plainly on the wall.
It is well known that I was on two occasions brutally assaulted, while on another my house was sprayed with machine-gun fire. Despite the government's sanctimonious assurances, there was never a serious police inquiry into the perpetrators of these attacks, and the attackers were never apprehended. In all these cases, I have reason to believe the attacks were inspired by the government. When finally I am killed, it will be the government that kills me.
The irony in this is that, unknown to most of the public, Mahinda and I have been friends for more than a quarter century. Indeed, I suspect that I am one of the few people remaining who routinely addresses him by his first name and uses the familiar Sinhala address oya when talking to him. Although I do not attend the meetings he periodically holds for newspaper editors, hardly a month passes when we do not meet, privately or with a few close friends present, late at night at President's House. There we swap yarns, discuss politics and joke about the good old days. A few remarks to him would therefore be in order here.
Mahinda, when you finally fought your way to the SLFP presidential nomination in 2005, nowhere were you welcomed more warmly than in this column. Indeed, we broke with a decade of tradition by referring to you throughout by your first name. So well known were your commitments to human rights and liberal values that we ushered you in like a breath of fresh air. Then, through an act of folly, you got yourself involved in the Helping Hambantota scandal. It was after a lot of soul- searching that we broke the story, at the same time urging you to return the money. By the time you did so several weeks later, a great blow had been struck to your reputation. It is one you are still trying to live down.
You have told me yourself that you were not greedy for the presidency.
You did not have to hanker after it: it fell into your lap. You have told me that your sons are your greatest joy, and that you love spending time with them, leaving your brothers to operate the machinery of state. Now, it is clear to all who will see that that machinery has operated so well that my sons and daughter do not themselves have a father.
In the wake of my death I know you will make all the usual sanctimonious noises and call upon the police to hold a swift and thorough inquiry. But like all the inquiries you have ordered in the past, nothing will come of this one, too. For truth be told, we both know who will be behind my death, but dare not call his name. Not just my life, but yours too, depends on it.
Sadly, for all the dreams you had for our country in your younger days, in just three years you have reduced it to rubble. In the name of patriotism you have trampled on human rights, nurtured unbridled corruption and squandered public money like no other President before you. Indeed, your conduct has been like a small child suddenly let loose in a toyshop. That analogy is perhaps inapt because no child could have caused so much blood to be spilled on this land as you have, or trampled on the rights of its citizens as you do. Although you are now so drunk with power that you cannot see it, you will come to regret your sons having so rich an inheritance of blood. It can only bring tragedy. As for me, it is with a clear conscience that I go to meet my Maker. I wish, when your time finally comes, you could do the same. I wish.
As for me, I have the satisfaction of knowing that I walked tall and bowed to no man. And I have not travelled this journey alone. Fellow journalists in other branches of the media walked with me: most of them are now dead, imprisoned without trial or exiled in far-off lands. Others walk in the shadow of death that your Presidency has cast on the freedoms for which you once fought so hard. You will never be allowed to forget that my death took place under your watch. As anguished as I know you will be, I also know that you will have no choice but to protect my killers: you will see to it that the guilty one is never convicted. You have no choice. I feel sorry for you, and Shiranthi will have a long time to spend on her knees when next she goes for Confession for it is not just her owns sins which she must confess, but those of her extended family that keeps you in office.
As for the readers of The Sunday Leader, what can I say but Thank You for supporting our mission. We have espoused unpopular causes, stood up for those too feeble to stand up for themselves, locked horns with the high and mighty so swollen with power that they have forgotten their roots, exposed corruption and the waste of your hard-earned tax rupees, and made sure that whatever the propaganda of the day, you were allowed to hear a contrary view. For this I - and my family - have now paid the price that I have long known I will one day have to pay. I am - and have always been - ready for that. I have done nothing to prevent this outcome: no security, no precautions. I want my murderer to know that I am not a coward like he is, hiding behind human shields while condemning thousands of innocents to death. What am I among so many? It has long been written that my life would be taken, and by whom. All that remains to be written is when.
That The Sunday Leader will continue fighting the good fight, too, is written. For I did not fight this fight alone. Many more of us have to be - and will be - killed before The Leader is laid to rest. I hope my assassination will be seen not as a defeat of freedom but an inspiration for those who survive to step up their efforts. Indeed, I hope that it will help galvanise forces that will usher in a new era of human liberty in our beloved motherland. I also hope it will open the eyes of your President to the fact that however many are slaughtered in the name of patriotism, the human spirit will endure and flourish. Not all the Rajapakses combined can kill that.
People often ask me why I take such risks and tell me it is a matter of time before I am bumped off. Of course I know that: it is inevitable. But if we do not speak out now, there will be no one left to speak for those who cannot, whether they be ethnic minorities, the disadvantaged or the persecuted. An example that has inspired me throughout my career in journalism has been that of the German theologian, Martin Niem”ller. In his youth he was an anti-Semite and an admirer of Hitler. As Nazism took hold in
Niem”ller spoke out, and for his trouble was incarcerated in the Sachsenhausen and
First they came for the Jews
and I did not speak out because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for the Communists
and I did not speak out because I was not a Communist.
Then they came for the trade unionists
and I did not speak out because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for me
and there was no one left to speak out for me.
If you remember nothing else, remember this: The Leader is there for you, be you Sinhalese, Tamil, Muslim, low-caste, homosexual, dissident or disabled. Its staff will fight on, unbowed and unafraid, with the courage to which you have become accustomed. Do not take that commitment for granted. Let there be no doubt that whatever sacrifices we journalists make, they are not made for our own glory or enrichment: they are made for you. Whether you deserve their sacrifice is another matter. As for me, God knows I tried.
Keeping in touch with Sam Basil in the USA
My good mate and Bulolo MP Sam Basil, one of the most dynamic and productive young politicians in Papua New Guinea right now, is in the USA for the inauguration of Barrack Obama as US President on Tuesday, January 20.
It’s a huge vote-of-confidence in this businessman-cum-politician, who in only his first term in office, has won the admiration of the whole of
No doubt he will learn a lot from his trip to the
Sam has set up a blog http://sambasil2009usa-trip.blogspot.com/ in which he will inform those back in his electorate of Bulolo, Morobe province and
Log on and post your comments on Sam’s blog.
Education Minister stresses importance of paying school fees
Minister for Education James Marape (pictured) has called on parents to start preparing for their children’s school fees before classes resume on February 2 this year.
The Minister said the National Education Board (NEB) had approved the maximum fee per child in 2009 as K100 for elementary prep to grade 2, K250 for grades 3 to 6 and K250 for grades 7 to 8 in primary schools.
For grades 7 to 10 day students in secondary and vocational schools, the fee is K825 and K1, 200 for boarders.
For grades 11 and 12 in secondary schools and national high schools, the fee for day students is K900 and K1, 400 for boarders.
For students at the Flexible and Open Distance Education (FODE) the approved maximum fee is K90 per subject.
The fees for pre-service teacher training at primary teachers colleges and the Papua New Guinea Education Institute will be K1, 100 for students who are fully sponsored under the Higher Education Contribution Assistance Scheme (HECAS) and K1, 125 for self-sponsored day students and
For technical and business colleges, the fees have increased by 5% for all the courses offered as of January 2009.
The tuition fee for a full year (44 week) diploma or technical training certificate (TTC) course is K4, 830.
This includes the messing fee of K1, 800 for boarding students.
There is an increase by 10% in the fees for all sectors except secondary and vocational schools.
Following is a table showing the break-up of fees as per the
Break-up as per 2008
| School Level | | Government Contribution | Parental Contribution |
| Elementary EP – E2 | 90 | 70 | 20 |
| Primary Gr 3 – 5 | 230 | 110 | 120 |
| Primary Gr 6 – 8 | 230 | 110 | 120 |
| Sec/Voc Gr 9 – 10 (Day) | 750 | 225 | 525 |
| Sec/Voc Gr 9 – 10 (Boarder) | 1100 | 330 | 770 |
| Sec/Voc Gr 11 – 12 (Day) | 800 | 240 | 560 |
| Sec/Voc Gr 11 – 12 (Boarder) | 1300 | 390 | 910 |
| FODE | 80 | 24 | 56 |
| Permitted & Special Education | | 14 | |
“I call on all parents and guardians to start organising school fees, uniforms and stationery, which children need to start school with,” Mr Marape said.
“Children are excited about going back to school after a long holiday therefore we must start them off on a good and happy note and make sure to maintain that momentum throughout the year.
“This will help them concentrate and do well in school.”
Minister Marape said that he would announce the break-up of the 2009 fees as soon as he confirmed the funding with the Department of Treasury.
He added that the Department of Education would also need to confirm the enrolment data in order to work out the component of fees to be paid by the Government and parents in line with the
The Minister has urged all school authorities not to turn students away from school at the start of the year for non-payment of school fees.
“While parents are responsible for paying fees, I also appeal to all school authorities to allow students to enroll and attend classes even if they have not paid any fees while their parents and guardians sort out their school fees,” Mr Marape said.
“Children should not be deprived of their right to education.”
“The Ministry of Education recognises that many parents are finding it difficult to pay school fees.
“Those students whose parents are able to pay a portion of the fee must also be allowed to enroll for classes while parents sort out the remaining fees to be paid.”
He added that schools should not be demanding full payment during enrolment but should accept payment of fees in installments.
The Minister said that parents must also realise that schools needed money to operate and at this time of the year, schools would need money to purchase materials and resources for teachers and students to use to start the school year on a good note.
The Minister added that the fees parents paid contributed a lot to the operations of the school therefore parents must ensure that they played their part by paying fees for their children.