Benefits of globalisation to be more widely spread across APEC societies, say Ministers

Issued by the APEC Secretariat

Singapore, 22 July 2009 – After two days of discussion, APEC Ministers Responsible for Trade have declared their intention to “ensure that the benefits of globalisation are spread more widely across our societies and that our growth strategies are consistent with sustainable development.”

The complete Meeting of APEC Ministers Responsible for Trade, Statement of the Chair (21 – 22 July 2009) may be found at: http://www.apec.org/media/2009_mrt_statement.html

For more information, contact:

Carolyn Williams at cdw@apec.org or at (65) 9617 7316

Anita Douglas at ad@apec.org or at (65) 9172 6427

 

APEC Trade Ministers address economic crisis and positioning for trade recovery

Issued by the APEC Secretariat

Singapore, 22 July 2009 – At the close of a two-day meeting (21 – 22 July) in Singapore, APEC Trade Ministers outlined their response to issues affecting economic recovery and long-term growth. 

The complete Statement on Addressing the Economic Crisis and Positioning for Recovery may be accessed at: http://www.apec.org/media/2009_mrt_standaone_statement.html

For more information, contact:

Carolyn Williams at cdw@apec.org or at (65) 9617 7316

Anita Douglas at ad@apec.org or at (65) 9172 6427

 

 

Light of hope shines on the children of Laloki

The sad remains of St Peter’s Literacy School-Laloki after the senseless burning and destruction in June 2008

A sense of normalcy at makeshift classroom at St Peter’s Literacy School – Laloki

The first tragedy of war is innocence, more so in Papua New Guinea, where the ubiquitous violence so tragically affects our young children.
People are needlessly killed, schools and hospitals are burned down, in this ever-present orgy of violence.
Such is the story of St Peter’s Literacy School at Laloki outside Port Moresby.
Site preparations were underway to rebuild St Peter's Literacy School at the new site at Laloki when disaster struck.
On June 26, 2008, ethic clashes flared between Western Highlanders and Goilalas over the death of a Western Highlands taxi driver at Laloki.
During the subsequent rampage and attacks that took place, all building and school materials for Light of Hope (PNG) – the charity group organising the building of the school - were looted and the storage shed burnt down by supporters of Western Highlanders and opportunists.
Light of Hope PNG had been financially supporting efforts for literacy programmes for Goilala children, born and raised out of Baruni Dump, since November 2000.
The school, St Peter's Literacy School at Baruni, was the vision and initiative of one Peter Laiam from Goilala.
With supervision from Sisters of the Order of St Joseph, namely Sr Elmah, additional community programmes included personal hygiene, health and cooking for
women of Goilala.
Light of Hope PNG, through Pro-Ma Systems PNG Ltd, provided the funding to pay for two classrooms, fulltime wages for four teachers, wages for cooks to cook meals,
two sets of school uniforms for over 80 children (ages 6 - 15), and all school materials including desks and books.
In October 2006, due to ethnic clashes between Baruni landowners and Goilalas, the Baruni landowners burned down all settlements in Baruni Dump area except for
the school classroom building and teachers’ houses.
The local councillor from Baruni village ordered the closure and dismantling of St Peters Literacy School.
The children of Goilala living off the dump have since returned to scavenging for food there and other activities since closure of the school.
In the meantime, since December 2006, Light of Hope PNG embarked on a search for land and an alternate site for St Peter's Literacy School.
Over a year later, in January 2008, an agreement was reached with lease holders of a block of land at Laloki, about 10 minutes drive outside of Port Moresby.
Transfer of land was formalised and preparatory work commenced immediately.
All work was progressing with the building of a storage shed and positioning of building materials on site.
All that hard work and vision, however, came to an abrupt end overnight with the senseless violence at Laloki,
“Light of Hope PNG had just raised funds from its first corporate fundraising event in May 2008 and purchased materials to rebuild the school when this happened,” Mr Duma recalls of the Laloki tragedy.
“So this was a major set back and the school could not be rebuilt whilst peace and reconcilitation processes took place under police supervision and appeals from both MP Andrew Mald and Governor Powes Parkop.”
After more than a year, peace and normalcy has finally been restored at Laloki, and on August 1, Light of Hope (PNG) is hosting its second corporate fundraising event, supported by Pro-Ma Systems, at Crowne Plaza in Port Moresby,
“This is to raise additional funds for completion of the project to make up for losses suffered in June 2008,” Mr Duma explains.
“As chairman of the fundraising committee, I am appealing for support from business houses, many of whom have workers and staff residing in settlements in and around Eight-Mile and Laloki areas, whose children would benefit from this effort during 2009 when literacy programmes commence from St. Peters' Literacy School.
“Also, I am appealing to political leaders and parliamentary representatives of various ethnic groups residing in settlements around Laloki area to support by donating funds or sponsor corporate tables.
“Plans are well in place for building works to commence in August and official opening in November by founders of Pro-Ma Systems and Light of Hope (PNG) Inc Mr Val Fittler and Mrs Sandra Fittler, coinciding with Pro-Ma Systems annual national conference.
“The entire Pro-Ma distributor network throughout PNG is also called upon to share in the vision of the founders towards a brighter future for underprivileged children in PNG and continue supporting by engaging in Pro-Ma business activities, from which funds have gone towards Light of Hope work since 2000.”
Light of Hope, a non-profit organisation registered in Australia, is administered by Pro-Ma Systems with every dollar given to this worthy cause forwarded to those with real needs.
Light of Hope delivers food, clothing, shelter and clean water to the needy, such as those at Laloki.
Beyond this obvious front line attack, the organisation is also investing heavily into the development of local leaders.
Imparting skills and life building education, helpless communities are being transformed as a ray of hope pierces the night.
Light of Hope provides aid to children of all nationalities without partiality to creed or race, equipping, training and empowering children to become leaders who can positively impact future generations.
For more information, contact Mr Duma on telephone 323 1393, mobile 72009901 or email aduma@pro-masystems.com.pg

The significance of Remembrance Day in Papua New Guinea

A soldier of the Papua Infantry Battalion in January 1941. It was a patrol of the PIB that on July 23 1942, at Awala, first encountered the Japanese advancing from the north Papuan coast up the Kokoda Track. Picture by AUSTRALIAN WAR MEMORIAL

Papua New Guinea carriers on the Kokoda Track in August 1942. Captain GH ‘Doc’ Vernon, the medical officer for the carriers on Kokoda wrote: “…the immediate prospect before them was grim, a meal that consisted only of rice and none too much of that, and a night of shivering discomfort for most as there was only enough blankets to issue on to every man.” (Vernon, quoted by Victor Austin, To Kokoda and Beyond: The Story of the 39th Battalion, 1941-1943). Picture by AUSTRALIAN WAR MEMORIAL

Papua New Guinean stretcher bearers tending Private A Baldwin 2/33rd Battalion, on the Kokoda Track, October 1942. Of the care of the bearers, Captain Henry ‘Blue’ Steward, Regimental Medical Officer, 2/16th Battalion, wrote: “With four men each side of a stretcher, they took it in turns to sleep and to watch, giving each wounded man whatever food, drink or comfort there might be. “ (HD Steward, Recollections of a Regimental Medical Officer). Picture by AUSTRALIAN WAR MEMORIAL

Fuzzy Wuzzy Angel statue at the war museum at Kokoda

Remembrance Day falls today but surprisingly few Papua New Guineans continue to know the significance of the day.
Thousands of young people do not seem to know the sacrifices of their grandfathers during World War 11 and ensuing conflicts such as the recently-ended one on Bougainville.
Remembrance Day is held on July 23 in recognition of the first engagement between PNG troops of the native Papua Infantry Battalion and Japanese troops on that day in 1942 at Awala near Kokoda.
The PIB fought in Buna, Gona, Sanananda and Kumusi in the Northern Province alongside Australian soldiers.
Today marks the 67th anniversary of the first engagement by PNG and Australian forces against the invading Japanese in WWII.
Out of the chaos and death that followed came the enduring heroism of the Kokoda Trail, and the special relationship that has bound PNG and Australia ever since.
It was on this day, in 1942, that Japanese troops landed on the northern coast of New Guinea and unexpectedly began to march over the Owen Stanley Ranges with the intent of capturing Port Moresby.
Had they succeeded, the mainland of Australia would have come under dire threat.
Remembrance Day marks the anniversary of the first engagement between the opposing troops, and from that engagement, as the Australian force was progressively outnumbered, began the long fighting withdrawal over the Owen Stanley Range.
The 21st Brigade, commanded by Brigadier Potts DSO MC, was rushed to New Guinea and within days, its 1, 500 men were closing in on the precarious Owen Stanley Ranges in an attempt to position themselves to stop the advance of the Japanese forces - now building up to over 10, 000 men.
The brigade also engaged the ill-trained but gallant militia 39th Battalion at Isurava in the foothills on the far side of the range.
In 1942, a seldom-used track climbed from the small village of Buna on the north coast of Papua, over the Owen Stanley Ranges and on to Port Moresby.
The track was fairly easy up the slopes through Gorari and Oivi to the village of Kokoda, which stood on a small plateau 400 metres above sea level, flanked by mountains rising to over 2000 metres.
It then climbed over steep ridges and through deep valleys to Deniki, Isurava, Kagi, Ioribaiwa, Ilolo and, at Owers’ Corner, linked with a vehicle road leading from plantations in the hills above Port Moresby down to the coastal plains.
Between Kokoda and Ilolo, the track often climbed up gradients so steep that it was heartbreaking labor for burdened men to climb even a few hundred yards.
Much of the track was through dense rainforest, which enclosed the narrow passage between walls of thick bush.
At higher levels the terrain became moss and stunted trees, which were often covered in mist.
From July to November 1942, this was the setting for a bitter campaign to prevent the fall of Port Moresby.
On January 23, 1942, the Japanese landed at Kavieng on New Ireland and at Rabaul on New Britain where they quickly overcame the Australian defenders.
On March 8, the Japanese established themselves firmly at Lae and Salamaua in Morobe.
But the famous Battle of the Coral Sea from May 5 to 8 averted a Japanese sea-borne invasion of Port Moresby.
The American success at the Battle of Midway in June not only destroyed Japan's capacity for undertaking long range offensives but also provided the Americans with the opportunity to move from the defensive to the offensive.
The Japanese, who were regularly bombing Port Moresby with 20 to 30 bombers with fighter escort, decided on the overland attack across the Owen Stanley Ranges.
On the Kododa Trail the Australian 7th Division resisted the Japanese General Horii's overland attempt to capture Port Moresby, and the advance was halted within 30 miles of the city.
A small force of Australians known as ‘Maroubra Force’ arrived at Buna on July 21, 1942, as the first Japanese force of 15, 00 men landed at Gona, eight miles to the west.
The first engagement between the opposing troops was on July 23, 1942, and from that engagement, as the Australian force was progressively outnumbered, began the long fighting withdrawal over the Owen Stanley Range.
Kokoda is a small plateau on the north-east slopes of the Owen Stanley Range and possessed a small airstrip the retention of which, for at least as long as it would take Australia to fly in supplies and reinforcements, was of great importance.
However, the remnants of Maroubra Force, exhausted by a month's constant fighting, were unable to achieve this.
Valiant though their effort was, even recapturing the plateau after being driven out, the Japanese need was of equal importance.
They needed a forward base at Kokoda for their drive over the ranges along the Kokoda Trail to Port Moresby and they struck before the Australians were able to muster sufficient strength.
The initiative now remained with the Japanese and Australian withdrawal began again -through Isurava, Alola, Templeton's Crossing, Myola, Efogi, Menari and Nauro until at Ioribaiwa Ridge, beyond which the Japanese could not be permitted to penetrate, a final stand was made.
From August 26 to September 16 in 1942, Brigadier Potts's Maroubra Force, consisting of the 2/16th Battalion, together with the 2/14th, the 2/27th and the militia 39th and scattered elements of the ill-trained 53rd Battalion - outnumbered and outgunned by an estimated five to one - fought the Japanese to an eventual standstill on the ridges overlooking Port Moresby.
Two main battles were fought during that period (Isurava August 26 to 29 and Brigade ‘Butchers' Hill from September 6 to 8).
In general, the desperately tired but determined force kept themselves between the Japanese Major General Horri's South Sea Force and Port Moresby - defending, retreating and then counter-attacking in a masterly display of strategic defence.
Conditions were almost indescribable.
It rained for most of the time, the weary men endured some of the most difficult terrain in the world and they were racked by malaria and dysentery.
But they kept on fighting, making the enemy pay dearly for every yard of ground.
They bought time for those being prepared to come up from Port Moresby to relieve them.
The Australians, however, had a surprise in store for the enemy.
This was in the form of 25-pounder guns brought from Moresby to the road head at Owers’ Corner and then laboriously dragged into position at Imita Ridge, opening up on the enemy's barricades.
It was now the turn of the Japanese to suffer what the Australians had suffered in the preceding two months.
Australian shelling smashed Japanese defences and aggressive patrols inflicted severe losses.
On the morning of September 28 the Australians were closing in and it became evident then the Japanese were withdrawing.
The chase, with the Australians the pursuers, was now on.
The Japanese, despite sickness and hunger, were still formidable and tenaciously defended all the places in their withdrawal as the Australians had in their retreat some weeks earlier.
Kokoda was entered on November 2 and this was the beginning of the end of Japanese hopes in Papua.
The campaign now entered a phase known as ‘The Battle of the Beaches’.
The Japanese were bottled up in the area from where they had begun their drive against Port Moresby some months previously - Buna and Gona.
This final campaign began on November 19, 1942, and ended on January 22, 1943, when all organised resistance by the Japanese in Papua ended.
Lt Col Honner DSO MC, who commanded the gallant 39th in the campaign, later wrote of these men in the foreword to Peter Brune's book 'Those Rugged Bloody Heroes': "They have joined the immortals."
Of those that did not survive, he wrote: "Wherever their bones may lie, the courage of heroes is consecrated in the hearts and engraved in the history of the free."

The Real Petronius and Papua New Guinea Railroads

By PAUL OATES in Queensland, Australia

 

(The following information is taken from the Wikipedia site.)

“In recent times, a popular quote on reorganization is often (but spuriously) attributed to a Gaius Petronius. In one version, it reads:

We trained hard ... but it seemed that every time we were beginning to form up into teams we would be reorganized. I was to learn later in life that we tend to meet any new situation by reorganizing; and a wonderful method it can be for creating the illusion of progress while producing confusion, inefficiency, and demoralization.

A shortened version occasionally seen (as on http://huizen.nhkanaal.nl/~rickdos/kwot.htm, which to do the web-page author justice, lists it as an ``annoying quote'', and on Martin F. Falatic's http://enteract.com/~marty/quotes-short.html, which does not) is:

Reorganization is a splendid method of producing the illusion of progress whilst creating confusion, inefficiency and demoralization (Petronius Arbiter, 60 A.D.)

But apparently, the real Petronius Arbiter never wrote these words. They have reputedly never been found in his writings.

So who is the REAL Petronius?

The following appears on page 162 of Robert Townsend's Up the Organization (New York: Knopf, 1970): I was to learn later in life that we tend to meet any new situation by reorganizing; and a wonderful method it can be for creating the illusion of progress while producing confusion, inefficiency, and demoralization. Townsend cites ``Petronius Arbiter (circa A.D. 60).'' Another quote from Townsend (page 7): ``And God created the Organization and gave it dominion over man.’’... Genesis 1, 30A, Subparagraph VIII: which tells us how reliable Townsend is.

Is Townsend the sought-for perpetrator? Many think so, but it seems more likely he is simply an early continuator into print of a long-standing bulletin-board joke. Many correspondents, most notably Richard Dengrove, have told me about a note by J. P. Sullivan in the May 1981 Petronian Society Newsletter (12(1), p.1) addressing this important question. Quoting (without permission):

... let me give my tentative account, which I hope other readers can correct, of its provenance. Some disgruntled soldier of a literary bent, whether commissioned or noncommissioned I do not know, pinned this ``quotation'' to a bulletin board in one of the camps of the armies occupying Germany sometime after 1945 (the style suggests a British occupying force). Since the sentiment is impeccable, whether applied to military, governmental, or academic administration, it has enjoyed a cachet borrowed from Petronius ever since.

(To which I might add, sometimes I think it applies to administration in the business world, too.)”

So why do these words seem to resonate so loudly in today’s society to the extent that they are quoted on walls and on notice boards? Could it be because we can clearly see the axiomatic truth behind them?

In the early 1980’s, when the current craze of workstations started to over take from the traditional office accommodation for government employees, it seemed like almost every second workstation had a copy of the Petronius quote pinned to the wall. It was for some reason noticeably absent from senior officers and notice boards outside Ministerial offices.

Could it be that ordinary workers were trying to express their feelings by using a ‘surrogate’ quotation?

A common point of exasperation with many government employees was the continual changing of departments and responsibilities. While the name of the department might change change, the function it performed usually didn’t. The real beneficiaries always seemed to be the printers who were required to print new stationary for the new department and the paper industry who had to keep the supply of paper up with the latest government changes. In the early 1970’s, a reported, worldwide paper shortage resulted in at least six separate memos from each level of government being sent to every TPNG outstation warning of the paper shortage and requesting that only essential correspondence be sent in on paper.

A recent state premier always had a ready answer for the question about what was the government doing about something? “I have a plan!” he would say. Whether that particular plan actually worked or not was immaterial. It was a very good foil to any further questions and allowed him to talk about what he wanted.

Most government departments always seem to change after any election. This seems to fit in quite well to the claimed Petronius system of ‘change creating an illusion of progress’. Governments and Ministers must be seen to be doing something to justify their own existence even though the real reason they are put in power is to achieve results. It’s only after being elected that first time politicians actually find that achieving results is very difficult whereas creating a climate of ‘smoke and mirrors’ is actually quite easy.

The problem in these days of hyper quick information dissemination is that the process of change has become entrenched as never ending and an ever more frequent alternative to actually doing anything. Government employees that are trying to cope with the last upheaval then seem to be drowned in the next ‘tsunami’ of yet another change or a new idea to provide a diversion from reality.

In a recent article (*)  below, the PNG Parliament is to consider the possibility of introducing railroads as a remedy for the country’s ailing transport system.  Now on the surface, this is a good proposal to make. Afterall, many countries use rail as a cheap and practical transportation system and if run commercially, it can be economically viable.

Let’s therefore look at the potential viability of PNG having a railroad system. Firstly, a railway logically requires roiling stock. This would have to be bought from somewhere along with the necessary expertise and training to operate this new equipment. Initially, expenditure would be ‘front ended’ and huge. Then a network of rail links would have to be constructed to enable the rolling stock to move people and cargo around. Railway engines to pull the new rolling stock would have to be bought and a decision made as to what method of locomotion the engine would use.

Now, should it be coal fired, diesel driven or electric? Given the lack of any natural coal deposits and that coal is currently politically ‘on the nose’; clearly this would not be a good choice. Then the availability of an uninterrupted supply of electricity is essential to ensure a train doesn’t get stalled on a line between stations. Moresby residents may therefore have a view about this factor, given the numerous power interruptions and spikes that have happened in the past. The logical choice would then be diesel power to run the new ‘locos’. This is an obvious choice since there is already the knowledge and expertise to run diesel engines available and the product is already imported to run the current transport methods using road and sea.

There are two island states nearby where railways have been in operation and these could be used for comparison with PNG. Firstly, Tasmania has a rail link between the North and South of the country but this is only used for freight. The other island state, New Zealand, also seems to use rail for freight purposes as well. Apparently, passengers prefer road and air travel.  Whoops! What a ‘downer’!

While New Zealand is in the Pacific Ring of Fire, the effects of this factor are mostly restricted to the North Island. Earthquakes in PNG often disrupt current road transport arrangements with landslides and wash ways. What would this do to a fixed and solid train line made up of iron tracks that must be at a constant distance apart from each other and on a firm foundation? How would any repairs be made to twisted and broken tracks unless a service road was nearby?

But if there logically had to be a service road nearby any potential railway track, and this service road could be easily repaired as are PNG roads now, why have a railroad at all?

Now if the current PNG transport system is not working or needs proper funding to repair it, then clearly this is beyond the scope of current government expertise. Therefore, why not try something else? Afterall, by the time that any new alternative is found to require exactly the same skills and dedication to make it work as do the current alternatives, those who are currently championing the idea will have their government superannuation schemes to enjoy and be long gone.

So who is the real Petronius? Why it’s all of us who can see what’s happening but apparently can’t do anything about it.

________________________________________________________________________

 

 

* Post Courier News

     Friday 17th July, 2009

 

 

Railway proposal before Parliament

 

By Gorethy Kenneth

 

PARLIAMENT was given notice yesterday for the proposed introduction of

railways as an alternative means of transport for Papua New Guinea.

The notice of motion came from National Capital District Governor Powes

Parkop who said this new mode of transport would help with the current

growing number of people in the country.

Yesterday his motion was read by the Clerk of Parliament for the Bill to be

enacted.

It read: "Mr Speaker, I give notice- that I shall move that this Parliament

recognises railways as an alternative mode of transport in Papua New Guinea

and accordingly call upon the National Government to:

. ENDORSE a feasibility study for two pilot projects for a railway network

to connect Kerema in Gulf Province with Port Moresby and Alotau in Milne Bay

and from Lae in Morobe Province to Kassam Pass and Madang

. THE Engineering Department of the Papua New Guinea University of

Technology be engaged to do a feasibility study on these two projects in

view of the study that they have already undertaken previously into this

mode of transport.

. Consider the project as a priority and provide adequate funding or the

feasibility study to commence immediately

. Seek funding from international donors for technical assistance for the

project and engage into dialogue with possible investors and donors to

secure funding for the two pilot rail projects in the country and

. Encourage affected Provincial Governments to provide support to the two

projects particularly Gulf, Milne Bay, Morobe, Madang and the National

Capital District Commission to ensure that this pilot project is implemented

as soon as possible.

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.