Sir Mekere questions Prime Minister on corruption

From David Ulg Ketepa in Detroit, Michigan, USA

While many do not agree with me that we are heading out to become a police state under National Alliance, I strongly feel that we are shifting to that direction and I am afraid it will become soon. National Alliance now has the mandate and has the power to size government and bulldoze drastic changes which will see our freedom taken away from us.

The gun culture is now making Papua New Guinea another African state heading for disaster. The country population has tripled since the nineties, infant mortality is at its peak, TB and malaria among curable diseases is killing thousands every year, and what are the politicians doing about it? Nothing absolutely nothing.

I look at the current band of politicians and I don’t see anyone capable of standing out amongst the Third World as a person to be reckoned. Our political history is tainted with so much dirt; it’s tainted by people who have become rich overnight after plundering all the natural resources which would have put us on par with countries like Singapore and Malaysia.
These countries were born around the same time Papua New Guinea got self-government and they are now controlling all the major trade and economies in our region. While we are still scratching around the surfaces fighting for scraps, our own in-fighting is killing the hope of progress.
We forget the fact that MPs or members of Parliament are there now to make Laws. For Somare's terms in office, can someone list me the laws that were passed by him? Or under his leadership? We know this from high school social science that legislators make laws, which laws have NA under Somare's leadership pass to protect the continual plunder, rape, and stealing of our natural resources? What are the laws being passed to date to address corruption and the culture of greed and lust for power?
And the questions go on and on... Somare is cunningly manipulating our system to extend his empire and that of his cohorts and somebody has got to stand up to fight for the best interest of the majority of our people. He will do anything to cling onto power, even to places like Kandep to campaign for Polye. No gat sem blo em!

DUK
Detroit, Michigan
http://www.pngemmiyet.blogspot.com/

Corruption in Somare Government

Mr Speaker, I direct my question to the Prime Minister.

Prime Minister,

During your visit to Kandep to support the by-election campaign of Don Polye, you announced your intention to quit politics in 2012. Last Friday, the Post-Courier, your Government’s favourite daily, reported this news under the heading “Sir Michael to quit, again”.

The paper also went on to report and I quote: “The elderly statesman admitted corrupt practices were rampant in government systems but diverted the blame to public servants as the worst perpetrators”.

Prime Minister, at last you have admitted that your Government is corrupt. But instead of telling the people of Kandep and people everywhere what you intend to do about it, you blamed public servants.

Prime Minister, people are just fed up with corruption. Everyone, everywhere, is talking about it. People are fed up with lack of action to punish corrupt people and lack of action to get rid of corruption.

Now that you have finally admitted corruption in the public sector is, in your words, “rampant”:

1. Can you now tell us how you will deal with the corruption you have discovered?

2. Can you outline in detail and in concrete terms your plan to fight the growth and spread of this evil and destructive disease?

3. Can you give facts to substantiate your statement that public servants are the quote “worst perpetrators”? In what ways, and in what areas?

The large majority of people would in fact disagree with you. Most people know that it is a handful of Ministers who are the worst perpetrators, and people know who these Ministers are. Most people think that those public servants who are corrupt are just copying their political masters: public servants know they can get away with corrupt practices, because their leaders are in it too. They have joined the same club.

4. How will you convince Papua New Guineans otherwise?

5. But more importantly, how will you lead the fight against corruption?

Mekere Morauta Kt MP

Leader of the Opposition and

Member for Moresby North-West

Discovering Papua New Guinea aboard the Oceanic Discoverer

Tourist vessel mv Oceanic Discoverer arrived in Papua New Guinea on Nov 6 and will spend a month in the country.

The vessel arrived on Nov 6 in Alotau from Cairns and will undertake several cruises whilst in PNG waters visiting Fergusson Island, Kitava Island, Tuam Island, Madang, Lower Sepik River, Manam Island, Crown Island, Witu (Garova), Tufi, d'Entrecasteaux Group, Bona Island, Louisiade Archipelago, Laughlin Islands and continue on to Giza in the Solomon Islands on Nov 30.

The ships owner is Coral Sea Cruises based in Cairns, Australia

The vessel operates regular cruises to PNG waters and is being handled by Melanesian Tourist Services based in Madang.

Oceanic Discoverer is a modern sleek but small ship that can negotiate remote reefs, islands and shallow bays where bigger ships cannot go.

Onboard facilities are good and what you would expect of a much larger cruise ship: spa pool, bars, and lecture room.

Oceanic Discoverer passengers tend to be adventurous 35-65 and international.

When all cabins have double occupancy, the ship provides a space ratio of 25.5 tons per passenger and a crew to passenger ratio of one for every 3.6 passengers.

At full capacity the space ratio is 25.5 tons per passenger and the crew ratio is one to 3.6 passengers.

World's largest floating community to visit Papua New Guinea

The world’s only private residential cruise ship, mv The World, operated and managed by US-based company ResidenSea with some 150 residents and guests on board is set to sail through Papua New Guinea’s prime tourist destinations from November 20 to December 2.
These include premier beaches in Kavieng, Rabaul, Walindi, Witu Island, Madang, Karkar, Kitava, Alotau, Samarai and Debroyne Lagoon before travelling onto Cairns, Australia.
Its visit promises to maximise benefit to the local people, particularly those who sell carvings and artifacts.
The ships agent in PNG is Inchep Shipping and MTS are handling ground arrangements.
While the ship appears to be a typical holiday liner at 43,000 tons, mv The World is the only private community at sea, offering residential options and rental travel experiences to the discriminating traveler.
The mv The World has 165 homes onboard ranging from 30 sq m (325 sq ft) up to 300 sq m (3,300 sq ft).
The ship’s operator, ResidenSea, assists those who are interested to purchase a residence or rent a private home onboard the ship.
Its luxury studios are designed by-world renowned names in ship design: Nina Campbell, JP Molyneux Studio, TMT Design, Yran & Storbraaten, and Hirsch Bedner & Associates.

Australian teenage adventurer nears equator

Australian teenager Jessica Watson, who hopes to become the youngest person to sail solo and unassisted across the globe, is now nearing the equator after leaving Australia last month (pictured).
It is still too early to predict an exact date that she will cross the line, but based on her current progress, this could occur on the weekend of Nov 21-22.
Sunday marked three weeks since Ms Watson’s departure from Sydney Harbour, when she is expected to pass 2,300 nautical miles, 10% of the way through her epic journey.
For the next eight months, as the 16-year-old sails across more than 21,000 nautical miles of ocean, she will live aboard the 34-foot yacht Ella's Pink Lady with little except a satellite phone and internet access for company.
Her location will be tracked by a GPS device attached to her clothing as she voyages round Cape Horn and on towards the Cape of Good Hope.
Watson’s blog http://www.youngestround.blogspot.com/ is receiving thousands of hits from people around Australia and the world as they follow her adventures.
Her updated website http://www.jessicawatson.com.au/ has a tracking map so people can keep an eye on her movements.
“Really loving the way Ella's been chewing away the miles over the last few days,” she wrote in her latest blog post over the Tongan Trench.
“With the wind sitting on 20-25knots from the south east its good trade wind sailing, even if the sun hasn't been doing too much of that shining business lately.
“We're also really starting to make some good progress north.
“The GPS readout now puts our latitude well into the teens.
“The temperature is just starting to get a little warm in the cabin, but with so much water over the deck, having the hatches open is completely out of the question.
“But I'm sure this is nothing compared to how warm it will get over the over the next few weeks!
“With a bit of a headache, plenty of sea room and Ella's Pink Lady not needing much attention from me today, I pretty much just spent the day wedged into a comfy position working away at a book and staying dry.
“Apart from the odd flying fish and bird there's not really been a lot of wild life around lately and still no luck catching any fish.
“Then again we have just passed over the Tongan Trench one of the deepest places on earth.
“I'm not much of a fisherman but maybe it hasn't exactly been the greatest place to catch fish?
“I'll just have to keep trying!
“The overcast skies have been making for some dark nights out here.
“The sky and sea are completely black with no way of telling them apart.
“It's completely pot luck whether or not I get a face full of spray when I stick my head out above the dodger for a look around.
“But even if I do get un-lucky and cop a wave, I can't say it really bothers me.
“Normally I'll just laugh or squeal, even if I'm half asleep!”
“So it's all going well and at this pace, we'll be passing Samoa in the next few days and from there it really is a clear run to the equator.”

APEC members enjoy de facto integration, analysis reveals

Issued by the APEC Secretariat

9 November 2009 – The impact of APEC membership on trade is comparable to that of a free trade agreement, even without a binding agreement.

In a report completed last month, an independent research team has tackled the much-debated question: Does APEC really make a difference to trade?

The report’s analysis reveals that APEC members trade with each other more than they do with other free trading agreement partners and much more with trading partners who are both members of APEC and members of the World Trade Organisation. This, say analysts, demonstrates the high level of de facto integration between members of APEC, even under non-binding arrangements.

After taking into account the usual factors that influence trade – like size of economy, distance between economies, WTO membership and being in an FTA with a trading partner – APEC members are 3 times more likely to export to another member than to a non-member and two times more likely to import from another member than from a non-member.

Findings are further supported by a five-fold increase in trade within APEC since its establishment in 1989 and the 67 percent share that intra-regional trade comprises of total APEC trade. Notably, this is a larger intra-regional share of trade than that in the EU-27.

“This provides analytical evidence that APEC achieves results, explains Philip Gaetjens, Director of the APEC Policy Support Unit, the team responsible for the report.

“It shows that regional integration is strong and has prospered under a voluntary and non-binding approach to enhancing trade.”

Member economies have virtually eliminated tariffs and continue to find ways to reduce trade barriers. APEC has been exploring the possibility of a Free Trade Area in the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP).

The Report

Trade Creation in the APEC Region: Measurement of the Magnitude of and Changes in Intra-Regional Trade since APEC’s Inception, APEC Policy Support Unit, October 2009.

For a short synopsis of report findings, go to:

http://www.apec.org/etc/medialib/apec_media_library/downloads/psu/2009/reports.Par.0002.File.tmp/FS_Trade_Creation_Paper_Findings.doc

To view the report in its entirety, go to:

http://www.apec.org/etc/medialib/apec_media_library/downloads/psu/2009/reports.Par.0001.File.tmp/MeasureIntraRegTrade.pdf

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

Plans afoot to build fisheries facility in Oro Bay

By UNRE Public Relations

PLANS are afoot to build a fisheries facility at the PNG University of Natural Resources and Environment Popondetta Campus.

Plans are to have this facility built at Oro Bay where the university has about one to two hectares of undeveloped land.

Campus director Jack Lapauve said he was keen on seeing this land developed and therefore had already assigned a lecturer to survey it.

Mr Lapauve said tentative plans were to put up a shelter that could house basic things like fishing gear and outboard motors and dinghies.

He said this facility was vital as it would enable the students to put into practice what they learn in the classrooms.

He said to make these plans a reality, it would require finance.

However, he said he was confident that with a good proposal, the university would be able to secure funding support.

“I really want to see that land being developed and therefore I am prepared to do

whatever it takes,” Mr Lapauve said.

“I am confident that with a good proposal we will be able to secure funding not only from the government but from other donor agencies.”

Mr Lapauve said the establishment of the facilities would go a long way in ensuring the campus was self-reliant.

“…whatever the students are able to catch will be put into the mess and the surplus can then be sold to the public or private entities here,” he said.