Back on the road again!

I’ll be on the road for the next couple of days with the good guys from my ex employer, the Coffee Industry Corporation, in Goroka.

I’ll be flying up there tomorrow, driving up to Simbu where I overnight, on to Minj in the great Wahgi Valley of the Western Highlands on Thursday, and drive back to Aiyura in the Eastern Highlands on Friday.

I spend Saturday at Aiyura, travel back to Goroka on Sunday morning, and catch a flight back to Port Moresby.

I’ll be working on a newspaper supplement for the District-By-District Coffee Rehabilitation Programme run by the CIC.

I’m looking forward to the trip and should have a lot of yarns and pictures to share.

I’ll keep you posted if I find any internet cafes alongside the Highlands Highway.

 

My first 100 days in power

My first 100 days in power...I have not touched a drop of alcohol or a cigarette in 100 days and have never felt better in my life.

New university campus to open in East Sepik

Entrance to the once-thriving Sepik Agricultural College

Bush takes over a property of the Sepik Agricultural College

Prof Philip Siaguru (left) looks with concern at the skeleton of a classroom at Sepik Agricultural College

The bush-covered remains of the Sepik Agricultural College

Bush and a former staff house at the Sepik Agricultural College

The former Sepik Agriculture College will become a campus of the Vudal-based PNG University of Natural Resources and Environment in East New Britain province, with massive infrastructure development to start next year for first student enrolment in 2012.
It will be known as the Sepik Central Campus.
This is with the full blessing of Prime Minister and East Sepik MP Sir Michael Somare and the government.
Vice chancellor Prof Philip Siaguru revealed this after a fact-finding trip to the East Sepik province earlier this month.”
Minister for Commerce and Industry and Maprik MP Gabriel Kapris had initially wanted the now-closed Sepik Agriculture College to become a college of the UNRE, however, the fact-finding trip found out that it had the potential to be a campus on its own.
The UNRE, however, strongly emphasises that special financial dispensation must be provided by government or a donour agency to build infrastructure in 2010 and 2011, with the set target for first student enrolment in 2012.
The UNRE has included in its 2010 budget a round figure of K20 million to continue from the jump-start budget allocation of K5m pledged by the government for the remainder of 2009.
Infrastructure development planned for Phase One commencing next year consists of a female dormitory, two male dormitories, clinic, Christian centre, four academic staff houses, four mix staff houses, four support staff houses, administration block, estate and services, one classroom, one laboratory and one lecture hall.
Phase Two in 2011 consists of a female dormitory, two male dormitories, four academic staff houses, four mix staff houses, four support staff houses, one classroom, one laboratory, one lecture hall and a canteen.
By Phase Three in 2012, when student recruitment begins, construction will progress on a needs basis and normal application will be made through the Public Investment Plan (PIP) to progressively continue the development of the Sepik Central Campus.
“The purpose of this trip was fact finding,” Prof Siaguru said.
“The Minister for Commerce and Industry wanted Sepik Agriculture College to become a college of the university.
“But during the visit, we saw that it had huge potential, so it will not be a college but a university campus.
“We found that we can carry can carry out fisheries training at Pagwi, forestry training at Yambi and Kunjukini, livestock at Urimoi and oil palm at Turubu.
“Fisheries training facilities at Pagwi, forestry training facilities at Yambi and Kunjikini, and livestock at Urimoi.
“This means that all training programmes at the main Vudal campus will also run at the Sepik central Campus.
“Potential for training is very good.
“We have the full support of the Prime Minister.
“National Agriculture Development Programme is right behind it.
“NADP will now try to turn this plan into an NEC submission for K5 million to jumpstart the programme.”
Until its closure in 1992, the Sepik college at Bainyik, Maprik, was a lively agricultural training centre which produced quality extension officers for PNG and overseas countries such as the Solomon Islands.
It is now, however, a shocking skeleton of its former self with rundown and vandalised property covered by thick grass.
Mr Kapris at the beginning of this year wrote to Prof Siaguru to get the ball rolling, after similar letters to Pacific Adventist University, University of Techonology, Divine Word University and University of PNG failed to get any response.
He also allocated K100, 000 from his district improvement programme – with another K400, 000 to come – to kick start the project.
The re-opening of the Sepik college comes at a time when there is major agricultural development in East Sepik province through the K2.5 billion Sepik biofuel project by Cosmos Oil of Japan, and K900m agri-business development by Australian-based Chinese company SPZ Enterprises.

Dad to hang

Adopted son’s murderer sentenced to death

 

By JAMES APA GUMUNO in The National, Papua New Guinea’s No. 1 daily newspaper

 

THE National Court has sentenced a man to death by hanging for killing his adopted son using a shotgun in Wabag five years ago.

Acting judge Justice Nemo Yalo handed down the ultimate penalty in Mt Hagen last

Friday.

Ambrose Lati, a father of six from Keas village outside Wabag, was found guilty of wilful murder, under section 299 of Criminal Code Act, on March 26, 2009.

The court found that Lati killed his adopted son, Jumbo Lati, using a pump action shotgun on March 25, 2004, in Wabag town in order to take over his (deceased’s) house and land which Jumbo had inherited from his grandmother.

Jumbo was three months old when Lati and his wife Lucy adopted him. He was the son of Lina, the elder sister of Mrs Lati. They raised him together with their own five children.

Jumbo’s house and property, which he inherited, are located directly across Beat Street where his adopted father owns land and property, about 200m from the Wabag police station.

The court heard that on March 25, 2004, at about 4am, Jumbo and other neighbours were chasing some thieves who had attempted to steal a vehicle from a family in the neighbourhood.

Armed with a torch, Jumbo searched for the thieves near the Kop Creek which flows behind his house. He was worried the thieves might be hiding in his backyard.

He did not know that his adopted father was waiting for him, armed with a pump action shotgun. When Jumbo was about 15m away, Lati fired twice, but missed. The third shot, fired at point black range, killed Jumbo instantly.

Justice Yalo said this was a vicious and brutal killing where an adopted father had shown blatant disregard for the sanctity of human life.

He said he was mindful of the ever increasing community concerns about the prevalence of this particular nature of crime and their call to curb it.

He said such crime made society think that life had become so cheap, particularly in Enga province where there were more homicide offences as indicated by the records in the National Court’s registry.

He said the court was not swayed in any way in reaching the decision (on death penalty) by the recent media reports of the alleged killing of four children by their mother and the emotive public outburst that followed.

Justice Yalo said this case was decided on its merit.

He said that in this case, Lati’s pitiless and selfish economic interests had pushed him to the extent where he had shown no respect for the dignity and sanctity of the life of his adopted son.

He said the prisoner remained unremorseful for his crime, adding that crimes relating to economic interest occurring in other parts of the world like daring daylight bank robberies or hijacking of aircraft or kidnapping people for ransom had now landed in our country.

Justice Yalo said that Lati made a conscious decision to unlawfully take away the life of another fellow human being, which cannot be revived.

He said the crime not only breached section 299 of the Criminal Code, it was also a serious and flagrant breach of section 35 of the Constitution, where the right to life is provided for and protected.

“I am satisfied that the degree of moral and criminal culpability and the degree of cruelty and senselessness and the complete absence of pity exhibited by the prisoner is so grave and reprehensible that he is undeserving of a chance to live his own life.

“It is only just and fair that the prisoner should pay for the crime with his own life,” Justice Yalo said in his 44-page judgment.

He ordered that Lati be held in custody at Baisu jail and his sentence be carried out at a time and place to be appointed by the head of State, acting on advice, and that he be hanged by the neck until he is dead.

Justice Yalo also told the prisoner he had the right to appeal against the sentence, and had 40 days to do so.

 

I've nothing to hide, says Namah

From The National, Papua New Guinea’s No. 1 daily newspaper

 

FOREST Minister Belden Namah, a businessman before becoming an MP, has nothing to hide about his business activities.

Mr Namah said this in his personal explanation to Parliament last Friday.

“I have declared all my business interests to the Ombudsman Commission and I hide no secrets,” he said.

He strongly denied owning properties in Samoa and threatened to sue The National and Samoa Observer newspapers for defamation.

Launching a strong attack on the two newspapers, Mr Namah also took on Deputy Opposition leader Bart Philemon, saying he would “fix” Mr Philemon outside.

He was then asked to withdraw the remarks after Mr Philemon interjected to the chair about the nature of the threat.

He said he had instructed his lawyers to start legal proceedings against the two papers.

He said the Post-Courier did not run the story because a lawsuit was pending against that newspaper for allegedly writing a fabricated story about an alleged punch-up between himself and Treasurer Patrick Pruaitch.

Mr Namah denied owning properties in Samoa but admitted he was merely facilitating an investment arrangement between one of his overseas business partners and his local Samoan partner.

“I stand tall and proud and I hide no secrets,” he said.

“Before I became an MP, I was already into the multi-billion-dollar business of logging,” he said.

Mr Namah said he had used his company money to build roads and two bridges in his electorate before becoming an MP.

He said he was giving between K50, 000 and K100, 000 to charities as a private citizen.

“I have not squandered public funds,” he said.

He said he had fought for landowners, who were now being paid much higher royalties for their logs.

Mr Namah said he had made all declarations to the Ombudsman Commission on his business interests.

He also asked why a Papua New Guinean could not venture into businesses and buy houses in Australia.

He said there was talk recently against Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare buying houses in Australia.

He said Sir Michael had served 40 years and was the longest serving Member of Parliament, and he again asked what was wrong with the Prime Minister buying property in Australia.

“Those who hide themselves are hiding under ghost names,” he said.

“Our journalists really need to go back to school.

“They have to check with the land registry in Samoa.

“Is Namah’s name there?

“You are defaming a young politician.

“This is a pure attempt to destroy a young leader.

“Bring it on. I don’t fear.

“I have declared all my business interests to the Ombudsman Commission.”

Mr Namah was interrupted by Mr Philemon several times.

At one stage, he called a point of order, pointing to the Deputy Opposition leader and referring to him as “this son of a bishop or what”, but was asked to withdraw his un-parliamentary language.

“Some of our senior politicians are really hurt but, once again, I deny owning properties in Samoa,” Mr Namah said.

 

My Soul Mate

Received this lovely poem from my good friend Michelle today and she says it’s okay to share with all you wonderful people from around the world

 

By MICHELLE EVOA

 

Twinkle in my eye,

Heart skips a beat,

I Smile from within

My Laughter echoes

The joy I have since we crossed paths.

 

I see you in my sleep

Even when I am very awake.

The very thought of you

Makes me smile all over.

 

I anxiously await you,

For our quality time however brief

Attaches an ounce, I so very much

am yearning for.

 

Our conversations,

A window to my soul

And yet a very down trodden glimpse

Of my inner being.

 

I have in you;

My shoulder to cry on

Warmth for shelter,

A reason to smile.

You don’t need to say or do more

You are my soul mate.

 

Two questions...

Life really boils down to two questions...
1. Should I get a dog....?
OR...  
2. Should I have children?
No  matter what situations life throws at  you....
No  matter how long and treacherous your journey may seem..  
Remember  ~~ there is a light at the end of the tunnel.