Story and picture by SOLDIER BURUKA
In some rural areas of PNG, the use of draft animals is becoming important in agricultue farming.
Draft animals can be used to perform a wide range of activities such as transporting produce to the market, ploughing and land preparation, carrying people to the gardens, and many others.
This photo, taken in the Bogia district of Madang province, shows a family enjoying a ride on a buffalo.
Papua New Guinea’s coffee industry has set a record export earning of K508.8 million for the calendar year 2008.
The good news was announced in a statement by the governing Coffee Industry Corporation
This is by far the highest level record for the industry.
The previous record was achieved in 2005 valuing K457 million.
“The Coffee Industry Corporation is pleased to announce that this significant result for the country’s coffee industry was achieved on the back of higher prices, combined with higher export volumes,” said an elated CIC chief executive officer Ricky Mitio.
“From the total earnings, growers received 66% while exporters and processors retained 19% and 15% respectively.
“The CIC would like to commend our coffee growers and other stakeholders in the marketing chain who contributed in bringing production up above the one million bag mark after it plunged to a 14-year low of 848,800 bags in 2006.
“This has enabled all industry stakeholders to cash in on the risen prices on the world market.”
Current Arabica prices are holding out at above the US$1.00/lb, (equivalent to K6.50/kg FOB for Y grade) level and growers have been urged by CIC to increase production though rehabilitation and planting new trees in their gardens to gain from higher prices again this year.
“Competition in the global market has placed the challenge on all industry stakeholders to encourage farmers to stick to coffee as a cash crop,” Mr Mitio said.
“Aggressive promotion of quality PNG coffee is also necessary to maintain markets and venture into emerging markets.”
Meanwhile, the district by district coffee rehabilitation programme funded under the National Agriculture Development Plan (NADP) has commenced in the Eastern Highlands, Western Highlands and Simbu provinces.
“This programme hopes to rejuvenate the current poor state of coffee gardens, especially in the smallholder sector,” Mr Mitio said.
“All growers are urged to work together with CIC to carry out this programme to increase production.”
Mount Hagen has run dry of all automotive, industrial and aviation fuel.
Fuel deliveries into the area were suspended after a landslip forced the closure of the Highlands Highway near Mindina.
InterOil Products Limited General Manager Peter Diezmann says the damaged section of roadway is impassable to heavy vehicles.
"Some sections of the Highway have been washed away down an embankment.
"In other parts, deep craters have appeared".
"The issue is one of public and environmental safety", Mr. Diezmann said.
"There is no way a vehicle the size and weight of a laden fuel tanker could attempt to negotiate this highly unstable section of roadway".
"The effects of any accident could be extremely serious".
It is the fourth time in recent months the Highlands Highway has been closed to heavy traffic due to flooding and landslips.
"The situation has gone beyond critical, there is not even enough fuel available to ration", Mr.. Diezmann said.
"The nation's third largest city is now effectively without fuel and we do not know when fresh stocks will be able to be brought in".
"It is only a matter of time before industry, public transport and some important public services begin to wind down".
"I sympathise with our customers who rely on fuel for many facets of their private and business lives".
"However, nothing can be done until the road surface has been made safe for traffic", Mr. Diezmann said.
"We hope authorities will act quickly to repair and replace the damaged sections of this important road link to the Highlands".
"The ramifications of delayed action could be extremely serious for the regional economy and the livelihoods of many Highland people".
"This is too important an issue for authorities not to act decisively and immediately", he said..
For further information
Susuve Laumaea
Senior Manager Media Relations - InterOil Corporation
Ph: (675) 321 7040
Mobile: (675) 684 5168
Email: susuve.laumaea@interoil.com
Wednesday, March 11, 2009: Another round of media-related incidents in
Forum chair Susuve Laumaea of
According to
“The nature of the letters and their sources are convincing proof that the search warrant exercise was not about protecting the public safety, but growing an atmosphere of fear amongst
“It also calls into question the process of securing search warrants in this instance, and what reasons or justifications were used to grant the warrants for letters whose contents seem so mundane in terms of the level of attention used.”
He says it’s time for Pacific Forum leaders to make known to
“The latest round of incidents provide a disturbing picture of the level of fear-mongering blatantly being practised by
“The Pacific Freedom Forum has long made clear its total condemnation of the current tactics from the
“It is time for Forum leaders to step up and make known their concern over the ongoing campaigns and human rights abuses becoming ever more prevalent in
PRIME Minister Sir Michael Somare has been challenged to present to Parliament documents showing that more than K4 billion, stashed away in various Government trust accounts since 2005, has not been used as “Government slush funds”, The National reports.
He has also been tasked to table in Parliament the details of all disbursements from these accounts as well as table a quarterly report to the Parliament on the operations of the trust accounts with details of all withdrawals and expenditures from them.
Sir Michael was also tasked to give reasons as to why sectoral funds allocated to the Health and Education departments, as well as the law and justice sector programme had been taken back and centralised under the Department of National Planning.
He was put to task by Opposition leader Sir Mekere Morauta in Parliament yesterday and responded, saying he would furnish the reports to Parliament with the assistance of Finance and Treasury Minister Patrick Pruaitch and National Planning Minister Paul Tiensten.
However, he gave the undertaking only after emphatically denying that the money was being used as “Government slush funds” as perceived by the Opposition and said he would have the documents tabled in Parliament to quell any suspicion, concern or cynicism over the lack of transparency in the allocation and disbursement of funds from trust accounts.
Sir Mekere told Parliament that the money, appropriated through supplementary budgets since 2005 and stashed away in trust accounts, had been removed from the scrutiny of the annual budget process and quarterly budget reviews.
He said as time passed, the public lost sight of the money, Parliament lost control over it and accountability was difficult to establish and enforced.
“The monies became Government slush funds,” Sir Mekere said.
I read this story in The National this morning with tears in my eyes. It is a sad, but true story of the difficulties many families in
By ANDREW ALPHONSE in The National
A DISPUTE between father and son over payment of school fees ended tragically when the father stabbed his son to death at Koli village in Ialibu,
Ialibu police identified the deceased as 17-year-old James Lapua, a Grade 12 student at the
Police said the father had sold a pig for K1, 300 last weekend.
Police believed the pig belonged to the son but was raised by the father.
As the son prepared to go to school that fateful morning, he asked his dad for part of the money for school fees from the sale of the pig.
Police said the father refused and an argument started during which the father went to his room, grabbed a knife and stabbed his son in the chest.
Police said Lapua died instantly.
An autopsy carried out at Ialibu hospital hours later confirmed that the knife had pierced the youngster’s heart, causing his instant death.
The father had fled the scene and is hiding in the bush.
Police criminal investigation division (CID) officers are investigating the incident.
Jacob Iki, chairman of the
Mr Iki, who is also Ialibu town mayor, described the killing as “senseless and barbaric”.
Mr Iki said Lapua was an outstanding student with a bright future.
He described Lapua as a well-behaved young man and a regular church-goer who was well liked by everyone in the community.
All classes at Ialibu Secondary were suspended yesterday in respect of young Lapua.
DO you believe you have a talent waiting to be uncovered?
Can you sing, dance or act?
Do you have an interest in sound or lighting equipment?
Are you a handyman or an artist?
If you answered yes to any of these, the Moresby Arts Theatre (MAT) needs you.
MAT is a place that encourages, nurtures and teaches creativity through performing arts. Having a captivated audience admire your abilities through a story on stage can be the most rewarding experience of a lifetime.
Once you’ve had a go on or backstage, you will return time and time again as theatre can pull together and create friendships, memories and experiences like you’ve never had before.
The theatre knows no boundaries and encourages all to participate – so bring family members along.
One such chance to have a go at something new will be at auditions for MAT’s melody of Andrew Lloyd-Webber musicals, which will be held this Saturday (March 14) at 2pm.
Directed by Michael Cornish and Co-produced by Judith Bona and Brenda Wilmott-Sharp, this arrangement of famous songs from Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita, Cats and Phantom of the Opera has something for everyone.
If you don’t know any songs, feel free to come along and sing something you are comfortable with, there is always a part for everybody and songs can be learned along the way.
The MAT is continuously looking for ways to support the Arts in the country.
Creating a market for artists of all kinds is something MAT hopes to be able to do more of this year with the introduction of its Arts & Craft Market.
Interested sellers and buskers are advised to book ahead.
Whilst mum and dad check out the markets, kina-a-kid movies and a bouncy castle will be there to keep all members of the family entertained.
This is also on this Saturday from 10am-2pm, and will be held every second Saturday of the month.
For any enquiries, call (675) 325 3503.
