Postcards from Lae from the 1950s and 1960s

Attractive Coronation Drive, Lae
Bowling green, Lae
Colourful Bretag Park, Lae
Children's pool, Lae Botanical Gardens
Hotel Cecil, Lae
IPI Building, Lae
Lae Golf Course
Lily pond, Lae Botanical Gardens
Niall Reserve Sports Ground
Red Cross Hostel, Coronation Drive, Lae
Rich tropical growth in Botanical Gardens, Lae
View of Huon Gulf from RSL Club
View over Lae and the Huon Gulf from Lae Club
View of Voco Point from Stewart Park
Voco Point, Lae

Pictures of the opening of Fresh Produce Development Agency's potato project in Tambul, Western Highlands province

Above are pictures of the opening of the Fresh Produce Development Agency's 12 new potato screen houses in Tambul, Western Highlands province, on Tuesday, September 22.

Fresh vegetables galore in Western Highlands province

Western Highlands province is the fresh vegetable capital of Papua New Guinea, as these pictures which I took on Tuesday this week show.

Taking a drive up to Tambul, we came across this wonderful vegetable market, near the Western Highlands-Enga border.

As we drove into Tambul - near Southern Highlands and on the foothills of the majestic Mount Giluwe (PNG's second highest mountain) - we came across this unbelievable brocolli garden.

Makes we wonder why we continue to import food from overseas.

Pictures from Mount Hagen market

Above are pictures of Mount Hagen market, which I took on Tuesday this week.

An excellent market, foodwise, although be warned that there are a lot of conmen, pickpockets and thieves around.

The kids hung around me like leeches.

I did like the excellent strawberries, and bought buckets of them for my children before travelling back to Port Moresby on Tuesday night.

In praise of the humble potato

Two of the new potato screen houses at Tambul, Western Highlands province
Fresh Produce Development Agency potato garden at Tambul
Potato growing at Tambul
Inside one of the new potato screen houses at Tambul

The importance of the potato industry in Papua New Guinea has been stressed in no uncertain terms.

Potato’s virtues were extolled in the country’s potato capital of Tambul, Western Highlands province, during Tuesday’s opening of Fresh Produce Development Agency’s 12 new potato screen houses there.

The aphid (potato pest)-proof houses, valued at K50, 000 each, were funded by the national government’s public investment programme (PIP).

They are situated next to the National Agriculture Research Institute’s high altitude programme at Tambul.

The 12 new screen houses add to the existing 12 and will be a major boost to PNG’s K100 million potato industry as it makes a comeback from the devastation of the notorious Potato Late Blight Disease of 2003, which almost destroyed the industry in the country.

Potato plantlets from the tissue culture laboratory at Aiyura Valley in the Eastern Highlands province will be taken to Tambul, where they will be grown in the screen houses before being distributed to farmers.

This technology allows FPDA to produce disease-free seedlings which can be rapidly multiplied before being distributed to farmers.

Tambul potato farmers’ representative Philip Talopa said the potato industry was one of the larger agricultural industries that could be worth K100m or more.

“We have 52 seed growers in the Highlands, 30 of whom come from Western Highlands province and the majority comes from Tambul,” he told hundreds of people who gathered at Tambul, beneath majestic Mt Giluwe, on Tuesday.

“Tambul produces about 75% of potatoes in PNG.

“Other major areas of production include Okapa and Daulo in Eastern Highlands, Gembogl in Simbu province, Upper Ialibu in Southern Highlands and Kandep in Enga.

“Tambul, however, is the backbone of the potato industry in Papua New Guinea.

“In good times, and in bad times, we fall back on potato.

“We now have 12 new potato screen houses at Tambul, which added to the existing 12, makes for 24 altogether, at which plantlets from Aiyura are grown before being distributed to farmers.

“FPDA and NARI now have an agreement, and they are producing more plantlets.

“We at Tambul are the engine room of the industry.

“We will now be able to produce more seeds.

“We don’t have any other major cash crops, apart from potato.

“We have the right climactic conditions here to be able to mass-produce seeds for distribution to farmers.”

Mr Talopa wants the government to stop imports of potatoes to give a chance to local farmers to develop the industry, government to subsidise costs of chemicals and fertilisers, and frost-resistant varieities of potato to be developed as Tambul and other high-altitude areas that grow potatoes are prone to frost.

Agriculture businessman and strong potato advocate Grame Ross, of Alele Farm Fresh Produce, said potato had the best returns in agriculture with an 86% profit margin; the industry was worth over K100m and was a guaranteed source of food security.

“The potato, according to experts, is the crop with the best return in Papua New Guinea.,” he said.

“We have a big need for quality seeds in PNG.

“Many people in PNG are crying for quality seeds.

“These new screen houses are a big step forward.

“Before 2003, we were importing a lot of seeds from Australia.

“Today, we are independent in seed production.

“Papua New Guinea can do it.

“We don’t have good distribution.

“You Tambul have good supply.

“There must be equal distribution in Papua New Guinea.

“The seed industry is a new one which can be worth up to K46m annually.

“There is an urgent need for training, especially in such areas as safety when using chemicals.

“Potato is a big deal.

“It is disease-free and nutritional.

“This will create family values in PNG.”

Eastern Highlands agricultural advisor John Sari said potato was the best bet for farmers in high-altitude areas of PNG.

“Tambul has the ideal climate or growing potatoes, being situated 2,000m above sea level, where coffee doesn’t grow well,” he said.

“There is now light at the end of the tunnel.

“Potato will one day beat coffee and cocoa.”

Five Papua New Guineans secure UK scholarships

2008/09 UK Chevening scholarship recipient Mellie Samson (in blue shirt) who returned from the UK on Friday after completing his masters in conservation science briefs the departing scholars. Next to him is Deborah Kakis, Reichert Tanda and facing him is Rosemary Benjamin, Junior Novera and Erick Kowa during an induction programme at the British High Commission in Port Moresby. BHC scholarship officer Kila Kome is sitting next to Mr Tanda.

Papua New Guinean scholars (L-R) Junior Novera, Rosemary Benjamin, Deborah Kakis, Reichert Tanda and Erick Kowa who are successful recipients of the 2009/10 Chevening, Steamships Chevening and Commonwealth scholarships in the UK. Behind them is Steamships general manager (business development) Gary Seddon and British High Commissioner to PNG David Dunn.

Five Papua New Guineans have secured UK Government educational scholarships to study in the United Kingdom.
In a first for PNG, one of the scholars, Junior Novera, is the inaugural recipient of the Steamships Chevening Scholarship a partnership between the Steamships Trading Company Limited and the UK Government.

Junior will be studying for a masters degree in conservation biology and wildlife management at Lancaster University.
The other recipients, awarded scholarships under the Chevening and Commonwealth Scholarship Programmes include Erick Kowa, who will study energy futures at the University of Aberdeen and Rosemary Benjamin who will study biotechnology at the University of East London.

Reichert Tanda will study economic development at the University of Bradford and Deborah Kakis will study the modern application of mathematics at the University of Bath.
Steamships managing director David Cox said the company’s sponsorship of the Steamships Chevening Scholarship scheme was integral to the company's commitment to the future and development of PNG and its desire to build local expertise and world class scientific capacity.
“We at Steamships and the broader Swire Group take pride in being environmentally aware and responsible.

"Strengthening research capacity in PNG is one of the most effective and sustainable ways of advancing conservation and environmental responsibility.

"Congratulations to Mr Novera on securing the scholarship and we wish you well in your studies,” he said.
British High Commissioner to PNG, David Dunn, thanked Steamships for co-funding the Chevening Steamships scholarship and congratulated Mr Novera and the four other scholars on securing scholarships to undergo a masters programme in the UK.
“The UK spends more than half a million Kina a year on educational scholarships in PNG. By securing a Chevening or Commonwealth scholarship you are now clearly identified as a future leader in your area expertise.

"I hope that you will get the most out of your experience in the UK, and proudly fly the flag for PNG during your 12 months abroad.

"Safe travels and we look forward to welcoming you back to PNG next year when you can put to work the skills and experience you have developed during you’re time in Britain" he added.
The scholars underwent an induction programme at the British High Commission last Friday where they were briefed on studying in the UK by BHC staff and previous Chevening/Commonwealth scholars.

They were then joined by members of the British Graduates Society to wish them well on their travels.
Applications for UK scholarships for academic year 2010-2011 will open in the next two weeks. Visit http://www.ukinpng.fco.gov.uk/ or watch the local press for information.