Coffee managers urged to create wealth

Workshop participants and facilitators at Lae International Hotel. Coffee Industry Corporation CEO Ricky Mitio is standing fourth from the left in the front row

Senior coffee managers have been learning wealth creation in the industry at a weeklong workshop in Lae.
The workshop ran from last Monday till Friday (April 24) with senior staff and managers of Coffee Industry Corporation now well-equipped with knowledge to create an enabling environment for wealth creation by actors in the coffee value chain in the coffee industry and Papua New Guinea.
The workshop was facilitated by international consultants Dr Simba Simbanda from Zimbabwe and Dr Zenette Franco from Brazil, who are specialists in agricultural strategic planning and learning capacity building respectively, delivering the modules for learning.
The workshop was facilitated by Agricultural Research & Development Support Facility, an AusAID programme for agriculture in PNG.
This workshop was to review and improve the PNG Coffee Industry Strategic Plan 2008 – 2018.
It aims to institutionalise the planning process so that senior managers of CIC will continue to liaise with industry stakeholders and other partners to add value to the strategic plan.
The plan identifies key thematic areas that CIC should deliver on its mandate to the coffee industry.
It is critical to identify the relevant programmes and projects, competence, as well as capacity of players along the coffee value chain to achieve the desired results.
“We should think outside of the box and do things in a new paradigm,” CIC chief executive officer Ricky Mitio told participants.
“Thus, in changing the way CIC has been doing things in the past to a new paradigm, this will facilitate the creation of wealth for our farmers, who are the backbone of the coffee industry.”
Senior entomologist Nelson Simbiken said: “Let’s move away from the coffee tree and go to the farmers.
“Adoption of recommended technologies depends very much on farmers’ priorities.”
Senior CIC coffee inspector Anton Buro said there were so many “loopholes” in CIC’s programmes to deliver services to stakeholders.
“In reviewing those present programmes, we can streamline and mobilise resources to where they are needed,” he said.
“I am happy that in my programming, I will use the appropriate tools to develop a comprehensive programme in my area of work.”

Mordern house with Sepik features

By GEORGE TIPPING

Many large blocks in Boroko, Port Moresby, which contained single houses built in the colonial era have since been developed with blocks of apartments.
Other blocks have a refurbished version of the early single storey homes.
However, there is one house (pictured above) still under construction that has something rather special and is very different.
The owner is Australian and the wife is Sepik.
This combination has produced a house that has all the most-modern facilities but with traditional Sepik features incorporated into the construction of the house.
The main house is now two-storey and 309 square metres in area with four bedrooms, study and family room plus a very-spacious lounge and dining area.
The principal feature is every woman’s dream kitchen in three long granite bench tops imported from Australia with rosewood cabinetwork and a servery opening directly to the 2.5 metre entertainment pool deck running the full length of the house.
The wide staircase and carved balustrade are also in rosewood.
The rosewood entry columns all have Sepik carvings; the cheesewood pressure termite treated weatherboards are in three specially-profiled wide sizes finished with a charcoal stain and clear Cabot’s oil finish and with maroon powder coated aluminium windows. The internal house colours are all ‘earthy’ but include some strong colour feature walls. The dining table has a long chandelier suspended from the high ceiling which really sets off the formal dining area.
Flooring is a combination of Kwila timber externally and large tiled floors internally with smaller tiles to wet areas.
The main shower has a large polished brass shower outlet designed in the opulent years of the past.
The 17 x 2.4 metre lap pool has blue tiles to represent the Sepik River and the attached spa has a mosaic-tiled pukpuk lazing in the sun on the river bank.
The terra cotta tiles used for the pool coping have a heavy bullnose to prevent debris entering the pool.
There is a separate entertainment building complete with BBQ zone, kitchenette, pool table, plasma TV, bathroom and a glass wall which opens out to the pool side.
The house has been designed by K G Contractors Ltd (KGC) in conjunction with their client, Architect Consult Services and Vincent Hicks Structural Engineer.
All on site construction works has been performed by KGC leading their subcontract team of Abcott Joinery (cabinetwork), Niugini Plumbing Services, MTG Electrical, South Pacific Airconditioning and J D Hayes (metalwork).
Material suppliers included Cloudy Bay Sustainable Forestry (timber), Niugini Glass & Aluminium (windows), L & A Tile Merchants (tiles) and Taubmans (paint).

WW11 veteran pays an emotional ANZAC Day pilgrimage

Jack Kauffman against the shocking contrast of white marble headstones at Bomana War Cemetery

World War 11 veteran Jack Kauffma pays an emotional pilgrimage at Bomana War Cemetery on ANZAC Day Jack Kauffman (right) and his faithful tour guide Andrew Kagil after the ANZAC Day Dawn Service at Bomana War Cemetery

Among the hundreds of people who attended the traditional ANZAC Day Dawn Service at Bomana War Cemtery outside Port Moresby last Saturday was one sprightly 85-year-old, from Canberra, Australia.
His chest bedecked with medals, Harry Kaufmann admired the beautiful wreaths laid at the Cross of Sacrifice, and lay wandered among the white marble headstones to pay respect to his fallen mates.
He was in the country during the dark days of WW11 in 1942 and 1943, a fresh-faced 19-year-old, and after he left, has never been back until now.
Mr Kaufmann admitted that he never took part in actual fighting during WW11, being a member of the 6th Australian Mobile Ammunition Repair Workshop, based at Koitaki and Sogeri outside Port Moresby.
He had three elder brothers, all of whom were engaged in WW11, with one being killed at Singapore.
“I was the youngest of four boys,” he told me.
“One of them was killed at Singapore while another was taken as a POW (prisoner of war) at Singapore.
“My other brother was in the airforce here (New Guinea).”
Mr Kauffman’s unit was responsible for supplying and repairing all Australian ammunition used during WW11, including Kokoda, and he got to know many of the soldiers who now rest at Bomana.
“When there was trouble with ammunition, that’s when we had to go,” he recalled.
“We were based mainly at Sogeri.
“We had to prepare all the ammunition here, prepare them for the aircraft, parachutes, and all that.
“We didn’t do any actual fighting.
“We had to make sure that the ammunition was working.
“I was at Sogeri, Koitaki and Owers’ Corner.”
Mr Kauffman’s tour guide Andrew Kagil said taking him around was one of the most-emotional experiences of his 20 years in tourism.
“I took him to Sogeri, Koitaki, Owers’ Corner and Bomana War Cemetery,” Mr Kagil said.
“He became very emotional when he saw his old stomping ground, and tears flowed freely.”
Mr Kaufmann paid tribute to the Papuans and New Guineans who had selflessly helped the Australians during WW11.
“Your people were on the ground to help us,” he said.
“We never knew what we were doing from day-to-day.”
Meanwhile, more than 1,000 people attended the dawn ceremony at Bomana.
Australians and Papua New Guineans stood side-by-side to honour the fallen.
Afterwards, people many laid flowers against the cemetery's white marble headstones, as children of Ela Murray International School sang haunting strains of Pete Seeger’s Where Have All the Flowers Gone?.
New Zealand High Commissioner Neils Holm gave the address, while Ms Christine Coulthard of the Gungahlin Returned Services League (RSL) sub-branch and Mr Joe Filippi of the Port Moresby RSL recited The Ode.
Those who attended included members of the diplomatic corps and hundreds of trekkers who had walked the Kokoda Trail PNG, including more than 50 students from a boys’ high school in Sydney, in the lead-up to ANZAC Day.
More than 3,800 servicemen are buried at Bomana, 702 unidentified.
To the north-west, ceremonies were held in several places along the Kokoda Trail where Australian diggers repelled the Japanese advance during WW11.
Hundreds of Australians walked the Kokoda Trail in the lead-up to Anzac Day.

ANZAC Day pictures from Bomana War Cemetery, Port Moresby, April 25, 2009

Papua New Guinea Defence Force Commander Commdore Peter Ilau lays a wreath

Guard of honour

VIPS at the Dawn Service

VIPS at the Dawn Service

The Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary Band

Students of Ela Murray International School sing a song

Members of the Papua New Guinea Defence Force against a backdrop of graves at Bomana War Cemetery

A salute from the Papua New Guinea Defence Force

Wreaths abound after wreath laying

Post- Dawn Service scene

Visiting Australian teacher wearing his grandfather's medals

WW11 veteranHarry Kaufmann (right)

WW11 veteran Harry Kaufmann

WW11 veteran Harry Kaufmann

Youngsters from a Sydney High School who paid a pilgrimage after walking the Kokoda Trail

Rankings of Papua New Guinea websites

This blog is doing quite well in the Papua New Guinea rankings of most-visited sites and is now rated among the top 10 most-popular sites of the country.

Click http://alexa.com/topsites/category/Top/Regional/Oceania/Papua_New_Guinea to see rankings of Papua New Guinea sites.

 

Malum

 

 

How the Papua New Guinea health system failed an old soldier

Jack Osi with bagpipes

Jack Osi and family a few weeks before his death

By AARON HAYES

Jack Osi was a familiar face in the Defence Force over the past thirty years.

He was one of the bagpipe players in the Royal Pacific Islands Regiment pipe band and he was often right in the front row of marchers at parades, ceremonies and other special occasions.

He travelled the country performing for dignitaries and the general public alike.

Even after his retirement he was recalled many times to play and march in parades because the new generation of the Defence Force now has only a handful of bagpipe players left.Last year he gave his last two public performances.

One was in front of a camera for a film crew from Ireland shooting a travel show called No Frontiers.

They were doing a jungle trek up the Lakekamu River near Jack's home and when they heard that there was a bagpipe player nearby they insisted on getting him to play for them.

Ireland and Scotland are the two countries where bagpipes originated so the Irish film crew was astonished to hear their national instrument played so expertly out in the middle of the PNG jungle.

Well-known Irish TV personality Kathryn Thomas appeared with Jack in the segment.

The film crew's visit was coordinated by local tour company Ecotourism Melanesia and they also visited Simbai and Mt Wilhelm.

If you have broadband internet access you can watch footage of the show at this internet link: http://www.rte.ie/travel/nofrontiers/20080323_papuanewguinea.html (rte.ie/travel/nofrontiers/20080323_papuanewguinea.html)Jack Osi's final gig was the Independence Day celebrations in Western Province in September last year.

He and some other retired army bandsmen were flown out to Balimo and Kiunga on a charter flight to play at the Independence ceremonies.

Balimo seems like just as strange a place to hear bagpipes as the Lakekamu River.

Sadly, Jack Osi passed away on Easter Saturday night, and his bagpipes now sit quietly in their case, never to be blown by Jack's lips again.

* * * * *

Jack was a fit and healthy 55-year-old but started to experience paralysis on one side of his body just before Christmas.

A CT-scan showed that he had some kind of tumour growing on his brain.

Maybe tuberculoma. Maybe cancer.

Doctors put him in the hospital and said to try treatment for TB first and if that doesn't work, assume it's cancer and try to surgically remove it.

He was in hospital for many weeks but during the nurses strike earlier this year the wards were understaffed and he was discharged.

When the strike was over it took four weeks to get him re-admitted because there weren't any beds.

By this time he was almost completely paralysed and another CT-scan showed the tumour was getting bigger.

Probably cancer because it wasn't responding to TB drugs.

Poor old Jack found it difficult to eat the solid food provided by his family and lost weight rapidly but for some reason the hospital did not put him on a drip.

They don't even seem to have bleach to mop the floors these days so it wouldn't be surprising if they didn't have an IV drip for an old soldier either.

Doctors said to operate but dithered and delayed and then it was too late - he was gone.

Weak from lack of nutrition, he just ran out of life energy well before the tumour could deliver its fatal coup.

But even after death the health system dealt poor old Jack a final body blow.

When he died at midnight, the morgue was closed and the family was told to take his body home for the night and bring him back at 8am in the morning.

His grieving widow and four proud sons had to wheel his still-warm corpse down to the carpark, manhandle him into a sitting position in the back seat of the car and drive him to the house for overnight.

By morning when it was time to drive him back to the hospital, rigor mortis had already set in and the four sons, by now distressed and traumatised by the ordeal, struggled to get the stiffening corpse into the car.

What a humiliating experience for the family of this proud soldier, to have to unload his corpse from the back seat of a car and carry him into the morgue.

But how is Jack Osi's experience any different from any other public health care patient in the city?

The wards are overflowing and waiting lists for beds are very long.

The corridors, toilets and other public areas of the hospital are filthy.

Even in the wards, flywires are ripped and clogged with dirt and many overhead fans, lights, taps and toilets don't work.

The morgue seems to be always full, or closed, or both.

Different doctors do ward rounds each day and patient care seems inconsistent.

One doctor says one thing, another doctor says something else, if you're lucky to get any information at all.

Most of the time doctors are rushing and don't stop to explain properly about the patient's diagnosis, treatment and prognosis.

Nurses too never seem to have time to stop and explain what's going on.

Probably shortage of staff, equipment and supplies is the reason for all these problems, and maybe it all boils down to not enough money or not enough prudent use of money.

All Jack Osi's family know is that their father served his country with distinction but when it was time for the national health system to look after the old soldier, it failed miserably.

Donations for Jack Osi's widow Mrs Haro Osi can be deposited to Ecotourism Melanesia Ltd Tour Trust Account ANZ 12024994.

Papua New Guinea’s building boom in pictures

Reef Apartments – Stage 111

Construction to commence in August, 2009.
Reef Apartments are set to reach a new bench mark of excellence in quality, style and finish.
The 18 luxury apartments all have stunning views over Fairfax Harbour, with two of the three bedrooms all with views to the harbour.
Each unit has two spacious undercover car parks.
A separate car wash bay is also provided on site.
The complex will contain a complete entertainment area with all facilities readily available.

IPI Building Lae

The Building consists of a secure semi-basement car parking for all tenants plus separate
off street visitor parking.
It is anticipated that there will be over 1000 square metres ground floor retail area with four floors of commercial space at 750 square metres per level of net lettable Area.
The remaining top two penthouse floors contain a mixture of two and three bedroom boutique apartments totalling 10 that have unsurpassed views to the Huon Gulf and Salamaua.
The entire building has been carefully designed to latest technology while being
Environmentally- friendly and robust to meet the harsh and diverse climate conditions
experienced in Lae.
The building will be a landmark building for Lae and Nambawan Super Limited.

CBD development

Nambawan Super Limited is leading the building boom currently under construction.
Fletcher Morobe Constructions are up to the fifth level of the nine-Level tower when completed.
The building is a boutique commercial and residential development offering an attractive street scape retail facility at ground level.
Two levels of car parking with one level below ground and the other suspended above ground, followed by four levels of commercial office space, each level containing private ablutions for each individual office.
The top two floors will contain six spacious penthouse units that will have stunning views to both Fairfax Harbour and the ocean.
The building has been designed to the highest international environmental standards.

Armit Place

Currently selling individual floors and units ‘off the plan’ through Century 21.
Three levels of secure underground parking
Additional car parking spaces are also available to privately purchase.
Five levels of commercial office space.
Five levels of luxury penthouse-style apartments.

By GARY G. HALLARDAssociate Director/Senior Project Manager
Pacific Architects Consortium (PNG) Limited