16th APEC FINANCE MINISTERS' MEETING JOINT MINISTERIAL STATEMENT

Introduction

1. We, the finance ministers of the APEC economies, convened our 16th annual meeting in Singapore on 12 November 2009 under the chairmanship of Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Minister for Finance of Singapore. The meeting was also attended by the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, the President of the World Bank, the President of the Asian Development Bank and the Chair of the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC).
2. We gathered in the aftermath of the worst financial crisis and global recession since the Second World War. Just a year ago, the collapse of several large financial institutions led to global credit seizures, which then evolved into a macroeconomic crisis with a plunge in global trade and output, significant job losses and simultaneous recessions around the world.
3. We welcomed the vigorous response of APEC members in stabilising their economies by implementing extraordinary supportive fiscal measures, rapidly easing monetary policy, encouraging the flow of credit and supporting their financial sectors in an unprecedented manner. We commended the G-20’s role in coordinating these measures at the global level and pledged to maintain policies strongly supportive of growth until a durable recovery in private demand is secured.
4. We strongly welcomed the expansion of the G-20 agenda from addressing the global crisis to achieving a more balanced and sustainable pattern of growth. We are also committed to pursuing economic growth that is inclusive and broad-based. Inclusive growth creates opportunities for all of our people to enjoy the benefits of regional economic integration. This will support domestic demand in the region. The efforts of APEC members will play a critical role in achieving balanced and sustainable growth, given the size and dynamism of APEC economies. We also recognised that APEC, with its strength in consensus-building and implementing multi-year initiatives, is well-placed to reinforce the momentum of the G-20 agenda.
5. We agreed that in the post-crisis period, key challenges facing the world economy include restoring growth potential; successfully exiting the extraordinary fiscal, financial and monetary policy measures; implementing credible medium-term fiscal consolidation strategies; and meeting the region’s massive infrastructure needs.
6. We noted the important contribution that free and open trade and investment regimes have made to the growth and dynamism of the APEC region.  We are committed to supporting free and open trade and investment to advance Asia-Pacific and global prosperity and growth sustainability, and will actively resist protectionist measures. Despite the challenges of the crisis, we reaffirmed our strong commitment to achieve the Bogor Goals.

Fiscal Stimulus and Exit Strategies

7. We agreed on the crucial role that supportive fiscal measures in the APEC region had played in avoiding an even deeper global recession and resolved to remain vigilant until the economic recovery gains traction. We recognised the need to reduce and stabilise public sector debt burdens at a low and prudent level. In many economies, this will require, beyond the mere phasing out of stimulus measures, a comprehensive strategy of sustained budget consolidation, growth-enhancing reforms, and measures to address long-term demographic challenges.
8. We agreed that the pace of implementing exit strategies should take into account different stages in the economic recovery of member economies, the type of policy measures to be phased out, and any spillovers caused by our strategies. However, actions that would strengthen fiscal credibility without negatively affecting demand--such as measures to strengthen fiscal frameworks and some pension and health sector reforms, including those that will be phased in gradually--should start to be implemented as soon as possible.

Reforms to Support Strong, Sustainable and Balanced Growth

9. We welcomed the launch of the Framework for Strong, Sustainable and Balanced Growth at the G-20 Meeting of Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors in St Andrews. We noted their agreement on a detailed timetable for a new consultative mutual assessment process. We will, as appropriate, support the work of international organisations, including the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank (WB), to evaluate the collective consistency of policies of individual economies and regional groupings with the shared objective of achieving strong, sustainable and balanced global growth, by providing information on our policies and forecasts.
10. We are committed to maintaining and increasing the dynamism of our domestic economies. We agreed that, depending on individual economies’ circumstances, a combination of macro-economic policy adjustments and structural reforms was needed to achieve this, whilst supporting balanced and sustainable global growth. We discussed how structural reforms to improve economic flexibility, raise productive potential, develop financial markets and increase private demand can contribute to raising potential output growth over the medium- to long-term and narrowing development imbalances and reducing poverty.
11. In this regard:

·               APEC members with sustained, significant external deficits pledge to undertake policies to support private savings and undertake fiscal consolidation while maintaining open markets and strengthening export sectors.

·               APEC members with sustained, significant external surpluses pledge to strengthen domestic sources of growth. According to circumstances in individual economies, this could include increasing investment, reducing financial markets distortions, boosting productivity in service sectors, improving social safety nets, and lifting constraints on demand growth.

12. We will undertake monetary policies consistent with price stability in the context of market oriented exchange rates that reflect underlying economic fundamentals.
13. We called upon APEC economies to leverage on each others’ expertise in structural reforms in specific areas. Recognising the diversity within APEC, however, there can be no single approach. Rather, structural reforms need to take into account individual economies’ stage of development, demographic trends, factor and institutional endowments and comparative advantages. We discussed the important roles that the IMF and Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) play in helping APEC economies design and implement growth reform measures as these institutions have a good contextual understanding of the region and individual APEC economies. We encouraged the Economic Committee to intensify its efforts to promote structural reform, particularly noting the importance of its work on competition policy and regulatory reform.
14. We directed officials to, on a pathfinder basis and in partnership with the IMF and MDBs, to identify priority areas for structural reform in economies and the region, and develop modalities to share best practices and expertise, and connect reform needs with expertise and resources from member economies, the IMF, MDBs and the private sector. This should be developed in close consultation with the APEC Economic Committee and trade officials, in order to better deliver initiatives that help drive structural reform in APEC.
15. We will prepare a report to our Leaders in a year’s time on our efforts to achieve stronger, more balanced, and sustained growth in the Asia-Pacific region.

Strengthening Financial Systems and Facilitating Finance for Sustained Growth

16. We committed to strengthen financial supervision to prevent the re-emergence in the financial system of excess credit growth and excess leverage and undertake macro prudential and regulatory policies to help prevent credit and asset price cycles from becoming forces of destabilisation.
17. At the same time, we recognised the importance of efficient and innovative financial systems in assuring development and continued income growth. We are committed to financial sector development and reforms oriented to improve the competitiveness and efficient operation of markets.
18. We agreed that it was critical to encourage the revival of cross-border investment flows. In this regard, we recognised the importance of ensuring that finance continues to flow into areas of development such as infrastructure and green growth. We also welcome ABAC's report and recognise its contribution to strengthening financial systems in the region.

Infrastructure Financing Development

19. The infrastructure needs of the Asia-Pacific region over the next decade are expected to be some US$750 billion a year, as economies replace aging infrastructure and build new infrastructure to keep pace with rapid economic development. The global recession vastly complicated the challenges facing APEC economies in financing infrastructure requirements, with the post-crisis investment climate characterised by strain on public balance sheets and reduced private sector risk appetite. In this regard, we noted the important role of the MDBs in helping economies upgrade necessary infrastructure in the region, thereby contributing to enhanced development capacity, poverty reduction and improved living standards. To this end, we agreed to work towards adopting sustainable and viable financing policies, and supporting technical assistance, capacity-building and knowledge-sharing initiatives to make infrastructure markets operate more effectively.
20. We welcomed the progress in implementing commercially viable infrastructure projects and practical PPP models to attract funding from private investors. In this regard, we encouraged economies to work with MDBs to develop and implement simple and replicable models to facilitate private investments into infrastructure. We welcomed progress towards developing common approaches towards private infrastructure investment across APEC economies, and noted the scope for further progress as demonstrated in the expert report Meeting APEC’s Post Crisis Infrastructure Challenge: Towards Commonality in PPP Infrastructure Markets. We welcomed the pathfinder initiative on developing a harmonised road map for private infrastructure provision. We also called upon MDBs to conduct studies and provide recommendations to help facilitate, catalyse and channel private sector financing into these sectors.
21. We affirmed the importance of incorporating the expertise and resources of the MDBs, economies and the private sector to facilitate increased private sector investment in infrastructure projects in the region. In this regard, we welcome the launch of the inaugural World Bank-Singapore Infrastructure Finance Summit, which serves as a valuable platform for the exchange of views on infrastructure financing developments, innovations in infrastructure financing and urban development, and showcase regional infrastructure initiatives and projects.

Capital Market Development

22. We supported the need for further capital market development and integration and to broaden and diversify the investor base. We resolved to intensify our efforts to promote capital market development efforts as these are integral to efficient intermediation of savings and capital flows, therefore contributing to enhanced long-term sustainable growth. To this end, we welcomed the ongoing capacity building initiatives to assist economies in strengthening their technical skills and knowledge base to develop and deepen their financial markets. In delivering such capacity-building, we are contributing to the broader implementation of G-20 financial sector reform priorities and the Financial Stability Board.
23. We reaffirmed our commitment for greater participation of financial institutions, pension funds, insurance companies and fund managers to provide depth and innovation in capital markets. We noted the successful outcomes of the 3^rd APEC Public-Private Sector Forum on bond market development, and we welcomed ABAC’s proposal to organise the fourth installment of the forum in Japan in 2010.  

Trade Finance

24. We noted the Report of the APEC 2009 Trade Finance Follow-Up Survey, which showed that the trade finance situation in APEC economies had improved since the first survey in June 2009, and that most APEC economies expect the trade finance situation to further improve over the next six months. Nevertheless, we agreed that APEC needs to remain vigilant.

Green Economy

25. We recognised the need to take action to tackle the threat of climate change and working towards an ambitious outcome in Copenhagen, within the objective, provisions and principles of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
26. We agreed on the importance of rationalising and phasing out over the medium term, inefficient fossil fuel subsidies that encourage wasteful consumption. We recognised the importance of providing those in need with essential energy services, including through the use of targeted cash transfers and other appropriate mechanisms. We will work with our Ministers responsible for energy policies to develop implementation strategies and timeframes that reflect our individual circumstances. We ask the IMF and MDBs to offer support to economies in this process.
27. We also agreed on the importance of simultaneously pursuing growth and improvement of the environment through research and development in clean energy and green technology, energy conservation and efficiency, as well as mitigating and adapting to climate change and environmental degradation.
28. In this regard, we requested our officials to study the status of green growth in APEC and public and private financing for green industries, including roles of market-based financing.

Other Matters and the Venue for the Next Meeting

29. We noted the recommendations of APEC Policy Support Unit’s (PSU) study on food security.
30. We are committed to fighting corruption, money laundering, terrorist financing, and other criminal abuse of the financial system. In this regard, we will continue to aggressively work to implement international anti-money laundering and counter-financing of terrorism standards and to comply with relevant United Nations Security Council Resolutions. We support the Financial Action Task Force’s mandate to include responding to new threats which affect the integrity of the financial system, such as proliferation finance. We welcome APEC’s work on securing remittances and cross border payments, detecting cash couriers and bulk cash smugglers, and preventing the terrorist abuse of non-profit organisations.
31. We thanked Singapore for hosting the APEC Finance Ministers' Process this year. We will meet again for our 17th meeting in Kyoto, Japan in November 2010.

 

Papua New Guinea Filipinos maligned by 'rubbish-grade' newspaper

By ALFREDO P HERNANDEZ    

 

LAST Tuesday, November 10, Filipinos in this city and across Papua New Guinea woke up to find themselves in the midst of 16,000 illegal Pinoys.

Well, that is, if you are to believe what the Post-Courier, a second-rate Australian-owned daily newspaper, headlined on that day on Page 1: “16,000 aliens”, with subhead, “More than 80 per cent of Filipinos are living illegally in PNG”.

And the alleged source of the figures, according to Post-Courier?

Well, no less than the Philippine Ambassador to PNG, Madam Shirley Ho-Vicario, who has been quoted in the report.

Madam Ho-Vicario, the daily reported, testified last Friday, November 6, at the Parliamentary Bi-partisan committee probing the anti-Asian riots that occurred last May, where she purportedly revealed the existence of 19,000 Filipinos in PNG, of which 16,000 are illegal.

The committee wanted to know the reasons that triggered the marginalized Papua New Guinean to go into rioting and to loot variety shops and groceries owned and operated by Chinese in the Highlands and in Port Moresby.

The locals hate illegal aliens, particularly Asians whose numbers in PNG are growing, because they feel that these undocumented expatriates are robbing them of jobs and livelihood reserved for them under the law.

Immediately, a flurry of emails crisscrossed the PNG cyberspace, originating from Pinoy expatriates with access to the internet who expressed disbelief that there are 19,000 Filipinos in PNG, of which 16,000 are illegal.

A number have even rebuked the Ambassador, calling her “traitor” and “stupid”, for making public such highly-sensitive and derogatory information.

One hyper-sensitive Pinoy expat had called the Philippine Embassy with a threat to burn it down “for making the Filipinos look really, really bad in the eyes of the international community”.

It couldn’t be helped. Most of Pinoys in PNG are employed with valid documents as professionals – accountants, pharmacists, engineers, teachers, IT experts, foresters, miners, managers, administrative officers and others.

And now this damaging news report.

Already, Joey Sena, the president of the Filipino Association of PNG (FAPNG), has expressed concern over the safety of his compatriots around the country.

He was quite aware that the recent racist attacks on Asians, particularly the illegal Chinese, and the alleged illegal businesses they operate, could now be directed to PNG Pinoys.

But then, he tried to tell the community to remain calm and urged the members to be vigilant of their own personal safety.

That morning when the story broke, Madam Ho-Vicario was already nursing a blood-pressure gone berserk, as she read the Post-Courier, horrified that it has put words into her mouth.

“How did they (Post-Courier) come up with these figures …?” she exclaimed, as she read and re-read the report, while noting that finally, the newspaper got her name right!

“This is pure fabrication … !” she said of the story.

That noon, immediately after arriving at work, I went straight to our library to have a look at the day’s editions of PNG’s two daily newspapers – The National, the country’s leading daily where I work, and Post-Courier.

Our rival paper’s front-page headline “16,000 aliens” quickly grabbed my eyes; and reading through the story, I couldn’t believe what I was reading: That our Ambassador has spilled the beans before a Parliamentary Bi-partisan committee hearing!

Immediately, however, I doubted the reliability and credibility of the story. You know why?

The night before, at about 7.25pm, I received an email from a long-time colleague working at Post-Courier as a sub-editor (deskman), asking for the name of the Philippine Ambassador to PNG, and closing his message with: “it’s just urgent …” In the newspaper work, it’s deadline time at these hours.

I saw no harm in giving him our Ambassador’s name, although I was aware that it’s quite unethical for a newspaper to ask for some info from a rival newspaper like The National.

Looking at the news story again, it dawned on me one thing: That the reporter who filed the story on the “16,000 aliens” never saw the Ambassador at the alleged committee hearing because such hearing where she had purportedly testified on illegal Pinoys never took place.

First of all, how come he failed to know the Ambassador’s name?

I assumed that when he filed the story on Monday night, he left the name of the Philippine Ambassador to PNG blank. So, when the sub-editor, who is my colleague, edited the story, he found the Ambassador’s name missing in the copy, prompting him to get it from his own source: Me.

When I saw her at the embassy that afternoon, ‘Amba”, as we refer to her during informal chats, was fuming mad, looking like smoke was coming out of her ears and mouth, as she berated the Post- reporter who filed the story and the daily paper – Post-Courier -- that allowed a rubbish report to go to print.

“Ka Freddie, I need to counter this report as soon as possible…” Amba said immediately after we shook hands. “The (Filipino) community has been put at risk because of these anti-Asian sentiments and I, personally, have been maligned by the report.”

So what’s the real story?

“I’m denying the report … it’s all fabricated … it has no factual basis, it’s unfounded and far from the truth.

“I demand that Post-Courier retract the story and print the truth.”

“There could never be 19,000 Filipinos living and working in this country,” Amba said.

“I never appeared on the said committee hearing on that day to give evidence on this matter.

“I was never interviewed on that matter or present at the Bipartisan Parliamentary Inquiry (last Friday).

“I never know who MP (Philip) Kilala is, how he looks … I just don’t know him,” Amba said, referring to the source which provided Post-Courier the fabricated figures of “19,000 Filipinos in PNG, of which 16,000 are illegal”.

So, what’s the real score on PNG Filipinos? I asked her.

According of official figures submitted by the Philippine Embassy in Port Moresby to the Philippine Congress as required of embassies worldwide, there are only 10,120 expatriates in the country as of June 2009.

About 670 of them are permanent residents, 6,600 are temporary migrants (work permit holders), and 2,850 which are considered “undocumented or irregular” (these are the holders of business visa and tourist visa).

Since I was the one to file the report on Amba’s denial of the Post-Courier report, my boss editor reminded me to get the side of Post-Courier. So, I called the editor in chief on his cell phone.

Well, it is SOP in this job – getting both sides of the story. But it is something not practiced in Post-Courier.

“We stand by our story,” he told me over the phone.

The editor said their report was based on information their reporter obtained from a source that was at the parliamentary committee hearing when Amba purportedly gave evidence last Friday.

Categorically denying this, the Ambassador told me that afternoon that “I was never at the Parliament last Friday”.

The denial story that I filed came out the next day, Wednesday, and was headlined: “Philippine Embassy denies ‘aliens’ report”.

On the same day, the chairman of the Parliamentary Bi-partisan Committee on Asian-Owned & Operated Businesses in PNG, Jamie Maxton-Graham, Member of Parliament, sent a letter to Amba, stating:

“The front page report stated in part that you appeared in person before my inquiry on Friday, November 6, during which you gave evidence that 16,000 out of 19,000 Filipino residents in this country are doing so illegally.

“… I wish to state categorically THAT YOU NEVER APPEARED (caps mine) before my Inquiry, either in person or through a representative on the date as stated by Post-Courier. Neither have we received any written submission from your Embassy.

“The newspaper report is quite erroneous in that respect,” Chairman Maxtone-Graham stressed.

That night when I phoned Post-Courier’s editor-in-chief to get the side of his paper, he told me: “We will not make any further report on this matter … we stand by our report …”

Talk about fairness in reporting, of good journalism.

However, in today’s edition of Post-Courier, it published the Ambassador’s denial of having appeared at the committee hearing, obviously in a desperate effort to wiggle out of the shit that it has buried itself into.

It finally admitted that it made an error in reporting that she appeared before the committee on Friday, November 6. “She did not attend and made a submission,” Post-Courier said.

However, while it earlier reported that Madam Ho-Vicario actually appeared at the bi-partisan committee hearing last Friday where she purportedly disclosed the number of Filipinos in PNG and how many of them are illegal, Post-Courier has made a turn-about and is now saying in today’s report that MP Kikala stated on a bi-partisan committee hearing last Monday that the Ambassador “informed” him of the 16,000 illegal Filipinos in the country.

He, however, was unable to tell Post Courier on what occasion did the Ambassador divulge to him the derogatory information. Was it during a formal parliamentary bi-partisan hearing? Was it during lunch or dinner? Was it during a drinking spree?

Or was he just fishing for some “blockbuster” story to get some attention and pluck himself out of obscurity?

Funny, while Amba has categorically said she “never knew MP Kikala or had met him”, the (dis)honorable MP is claiming to have obtained the information directly from her.

But whatever this occasion was, it never happened. Madam Ho-Vicario was very clear in saying that “I never know who MP (Philip) Kikala is, how he looks … I just don’t know him”.

So, it’s very clear that the paper has conflicted itself while making the report in its own confusion to steer away from the heat.

And the reporter, Pearson Kolo, had “masturbated” himself to produce a highly-fabricated and incendiary story.

Well, it is very clear now that the Philippine Embassy could not expect anything fairer from the offending daily, even a follow-up story rectifying the salient points of the report – the alleged 16,000 illegal Filipinos – and reporting the actual number of Filipino expatriates, or getting the Ambassador’s side of the issue.

To seek redress, the embassy is now consulting with the legal department of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) in Manila for advice. It is also contemplating on bringing the issue to the Media Council.

True, Amba is bent on suing the newspaper.

Meantime, the Pinoys here are jittery as anti-Asian sentiments rage across PNG.

Thanks Post-Courier for making this hatred a reality now for us, Filipinos!

Email the writer: jarahdz500@online.net.pg

                             alfredophernandez@thenational.com.pg

To see previous articles, please visit: http://www.batasmauricio.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=40:letters-from-port-moresby&layout=blog&Itemid=117

 

 

K2 milllion funds missing

From PAUL OATES in Queensland, Australia

Malum,
This is a clear breach of the law and should have been referred to the police immediately it was detected.

Why was it left for so long?

That in itself should be investigated.
The police ought to be given a set time limit for the investigation report to be available.

Given the known facts, it should only take only a few days to resolve.

Otherwise, perhaps an investigation should be made into the police investigation methods.

Cheers,

Paul
______________________

K2 million in district funds missing, Parliament told
MORE than K2 million in district services improvement programme (DSIP) funds earmarked for the Tewai-Siassi district in Morobe province has gone missing and a commercial bank has been blamed for processing the payments.
The payments were made between May 26 and Sept 23 this year to two Port Moresby-based companies.
Information provided by Tewai-Siassi Member Vincent Michaels to Parliament yesterday revealed that the two companies operated out of the Gerehu suburb and Telikom Rumana respectively.
According to information supplied by Mr Michaels, K200,000 was withdrawn on May 26 without any identification of the payee from the district's account number 1001373192 held at Bank South Pacific Lae branch.
On Aug 6, cheque number 135 for K900,000 was raised. It was presented to the bank the next day but dishonoured. The same cheque was presented again at a BSP branch in Port Moresby and successfully cashed to Rainco Project Consultants Limited, a Telikom Rumana-based company.
On Sept 8, cheque number 158 of K383,754.73 was made payable in cash to an unknown payee and a day later, cheque number 123 of K750,950 was paid to Paul II Construction Limited and dishonoured. According to Mr Michaels, this dishonoured cheque was again presented on Sept 23 and successfully paid out.
A concerned Deputy Prime Minister yesterday assured Mr Michaels and the people of Tewai-Siassi that immediate action would be taken to ensure that those involved were brought to justice.
He said he would advise Treasury Minister Patrick Pruaitch to have a meeting with BSP to establish how these payments of substantial amounts of money were made without thorough checks by the bank.
Sir Puka told Parliament that when the guidelines on the use of the funds were drawn up, there was a specific form that was drawn up to ensure that money being paid had been endorsed by respective joint district planning and budget priority committees (JDP&BPC).
He said form 11 would bear the signature of the chairman of the JDP&BPC and the district administrator to show to the bank that the cheque was in order and payment could be released.
"BSP staff at commercial centres throughout the country are aware that no cheques must be cashed without form 11. That's one important accountability method that the Government included in the management guidelines of the DSIP.
"In the investigations that will have to be done if form 11 was not signed and attached and bank officers released those enormous volumes of funds, then no doubt something is enormously wrong and corruption has now gone to the private sector as well," Sir Puka said
Mr Michaels told Parliament that the experience was frightening and showed that corruption had now reached the "rural people's money".

bemobile 12 months on…reflections from Chairman Anthony Smare

Over 12 months ago, competition arrived in the telecommunications sector in the mobile phone market and it was clear that Telikom’s mobile division, Bee Mobile, was not ready.
It was undercapitalised.
It was inefficient.
It also did not have personnel that had experience and excelled in the cut-throat world of mobile telephone competition.
The National Government and the board of Telikom decided to spin Bee Mobile into a new structure and to invite new partners to come on board to take the company forward into the new competitive environment.
Twelve months ago the new Bemobile was born.
It had new partners to join Telikom as shareholders – Nambawan Super Limited, Nasfund Limited, PNG Sustainable Development Company Limited, Hong Kong investment fund GEMS and American mobile operator Trilogy International Partners LLC.
The new partners brought with them capital and mobile telecoms expertise.
Telikom brought its existing Bee Mobile business, customers and network, and 70 employees.
The new organisation was to be called bemobile.
The challenge for the new organisation was to build a state-of-the-art mobile business, that provided accessible, reliable and most importantly, affordable, mobile telephone services to as many people of PNG as possible.
But to me, as a Papua New Guinean and chairman of the company, it was also important that in transforming bemobile, we had to keep faithful to our PNG values, maintain our PNG identity and put the interests of the PNG people – who are both our owners and customers – first.
In the last 12 months, the old tired blue and green Bee Mobile has been transformed into an exciting, dynamic, bold, orange bemobile army with a state-of-the art, rapidly expanding mobile network.
Expertise has been brought in from all over the world, but fused with local telecoms expertise of the Papua New Guineans in the technical and sales and marketing divisions of bemobile.
The best and brightest young Papua New Guineans – young, patriotic, and ambitious - have also been recruited into bemobile from educational institutions and other business houses.
A first-class telecommunications team has been built to take bemobile forward.
In the last 12 months, bemobile has built state-of-the-art switching facilities and media gateways in the major regional centres of PNG.
We have built out new base stations in the core population areas of PNG, and are rapidly rolling out an additional 400 towers, with large base stations brimming with the latest technology to provide internet, GPRS and mobile telephone.
We have also shattered the pricing barriers in PNG by bringing low call pricing and challenging the high interconnection rates that are being imposed artificially in PNG and which discourage competition.
We have also at all times promoted and maintained our PNG identity.
We took over the bemobile cup, the nation’s leading sporting competition, and made it the best edition in the history of the NRL competition, with the support of the NRL, the PNGRFL, the Franchise Owners, and the PNG people.
We also saw a national school children design competition produce a unique Papua New Guinean design of the bemobile cup trophy – designed by the immensely-talented 13-year-old Florence Metta, a Grade Six student from Koki’s St Francis School in Port Moresby.
We have maintained our PNG identity in all of our advertising and our branding, adopting the overlaid kina shells as our symbol – the “O” in bemobile.
We are a PNG company, thus our advertising must reflect it.
Our Orange Men concept has become a modern-day pop phenomenon in PNG and has captured the imagination of millions, judging by how they were received in the past week in Lae, Hagen and Port Moresby.
We have adopted our PNG-first mantra with our pricing, our products and how we promote our pricing and products to our people.
We provide simple, affordable call pricing to all networks and straight-forward honest advertising.
Reflecting on our main objectives when we started out in November 14, 2008, I am happy with our progress.
We have brought in the expertise and the capital we needed.
We have created a new organisation that the people of PNG can be proud to call their own, with an identity and a network that has excited and enthused our general population.
We have brought the wildly-popular 49 toea all network call pricing and we have brought in the quality European-made Alcatel phone and made it available for K29.
We have taken the first step and set the pricing benchmark and now others are reacting.
It gives me great satisfaction that the PNG people are responding – already bemobile has shattered its records for call volumes and phone sales rates.
Our customer base is expanding exponentially.
The orange army is expanding, village by village, town by town, valley by valley, and island by island.
A lot of this is due to the tremendous work that Roger Blott, the bemobile CEO, and our team at bemobile have put in.
This success is also due to the support of our shareholders, our business partners, our retail partners, and especially the people of PNG who are both our customers and our owners.
My message to the PNG people is this – I hope you are happy with the progress of your company, bemobile.
Thank you for keeping the faith and for showing your patriotism and nationalism by supporting us.
Just like this nation, when you and I are united we succeed, divided we fall – I look forward to your continuing support for the next twelve months as we take bemobile, PNG’s own mobile company, even higher.

Thankyou.

Anthony Smare
Chairman

True development is human development

By James Wanjik

 

PRIOR to independence, Papua New Guinea’s self government leaders pronounced eight policy aims commonly referred to as the 8 Aims.

At independence these were reduced to five national goals. The very first goal which indeed is the vision is integral human development.

It is about holistic human development encompassing four components of a person: body, heart, mind and spirit.

Each of these components has unique needs and attributes.

Our development strategy has been economic development on the back of mineral resources.

It is about making money first before providing service to our people.

Money was made but service did not reach our people as pre-independence, independence and post independence leaders anticipated and charted for PNG in its first national goal.

 Our poor human development index, deteriorated and deteriorating physical and social infrastructure in many parts of our country, increasing incidence of crimes, and poverty of leadership and governance culminating from ignorant and arrogant leadership complemented with corrupt governance are symptoms of PNG not achieving its first national goal 34 years on after independence.

The plight of our borderless people in the six border provinces is even worse.

In some parts of our border there are not even schools to open the window to the outside world and more so to liberate the person from bondage of powerlessness.

Health services are non-existent to provide health care and support.

Infrastructure is unavailable to provide economic opportunity to our people.

Few of these services are provided by kind hearts in missionaries and churches.

Such predicaments make it challenging for any meaningful regulation of the border areas; something that had eluded successive governments over the years.

Just after 33^rd independence anniversary of our nationhood in 2008 a search was on for a meaningful path to border development and management.

The idea of border development authority was born in earnest. In October 2008 the 8^th Parliament made a momentous decision to pass the Border Development Authority Act 2008.

 PNG would now see the development of its border areas being coordinated and funded with a vision to liberate our border people.

Only a free people would be free to move change in perception of national security and liberty.  

Since commencement of the Border Development Authority Act 2008 and the appointment of the Executive Chairman and the Board of the BDA in October 2008 it has worked hard to win buy-ins and ownership.

In six months after its inauguration in Port Moresby in March 3, 2009 the BDA has moved with lightning speed to secure its position as a model-in-the-making of a development and service delivery authority.

BDA is aware that border development and management is a political hot potato for those inclined at political power play arising from perceived fiefdom syndrome.

It has so far avoided that by keeping to its core mandate to coordinate funding and development in the border areas of PNG.

BDA’s Corporate Plan 2009 – 2012 and 10 Year Development Master Plan 2010 – 2020 are the key documents on how to do and what to do at the BDA.

On the dual launches of these documents in Vanimo, Sandaun Province on 09 October 2009 Hon. Patrick Pruaitch, Minister for Treasury and Finance would have been forthright had he stated that ‘true development is human development’ and the BDA will be an agent of change in development thinking.  

Below is the full text of a speech that was not made. 

TODAY is a wake up time for PNG. No more sleep and no more excuses.

We are ready to move and be the change. Such is the Border Development Authority.

 It has worked hard since its inauguration in March this year.

In just six months Pomat Manuai, the Executive Chairman and his Board and Management with able assistance of BDA staff and a few national consultants in collaboration with regulatory agencies and border provinces have done us proud.

The BDA has developed a Corporate Plan 2009 – 2012 to guide its actions.

 It has a vision to serve the people in the border areas of PNG. Our people in the border areas are some of the most neglected in government services and infrastructure.

Our people desire to stay in a secured and humane environment.

The BDA was to be the change.

BDA has also gone further.

It has completed a 10-year development master plan.

This is what BDA will do in the years ahead.

In Sandaun and more specifically Wutung Border Post lot of background work has been done on the free trade concept.

 BDA is the Executing Agency for this project. A State Team went to Manila in 3^rd week of October 2009 to negotiate a 25 million USD loan with the Asian Development Bank.

 The Government will provide 5 million USD as its contribution taking the total project cost to 30 million USD.

BDA is also assisting our Security Organisations.

At the launch of Corporate and 10 year plans the BDA saw to it that the security of PNG was mobilised with donations of four vehicles to the Defence and Police Forces at Vanimo for border patrols.

 The Vanimo jail also was assured of funding commitment for jail dormitory and staff quarters.

In a matter of weeks from now BDA will see first of several landing crafts being delivered to it.

Sandaun will be serviced by MV Ulayut.

Others to benefit immediately are East Sepik, Manus, East New Britain and West New Britain.

In 2010 BDA will acquire some more to service New Ireland, Bougainville, Milne Bay and Western Province.

At this juncture mention and acknowledgement for the counterpart funding support of the Government is due the Ministry of National Planning.

BDA committed     K 10 million and Planning assisted with another K 10 million.

BDA is in the process of setting up a shipping company to manage the fleet though in the early days it might be looking at the possibility of contracting a professional shipping company to manage its fleet.

To move a new organisation in such a short time is a remarkable achievement.

BDA is setting out to be a model service delivery and development authority.

On Wednesday 30 September when the cabinet was briefed on the progress BDA had made it was all praises.

 BDA has a record to build on.

We will work hand in hand to build on.

The Government we understand is ready for challenges ahead. Rowing out of government were those who want Ministries.

They lack human skills to deal with other leaders. Such leaders need position to serve people.

 Very sad indeed for such leaders. PNG does not need the pandemic changes of governments of the past.

 Worse there has been no pronouncement of new policies.

Just what do the pollies in the Opposition and their renegades intend to do?

Our people must ask the Opposition.

Role of BDA is apolitical.

It will help our people regardless of who is in government.

 PNG will not tolerate a government that is only interested to raid the till.

Some leaders of the Opposition are true party freaks.

 They are salivating to party on PNG resources.

Time will tell who helped the people and who helped self.

No leader in the Opposition had wanted their incompetence laid bare.

Well they have no veil left.

The truth is they only want position, pay and privileges.

Nogat sem bilong ol.

The Government is about serving our people.

 BDA is the Government’s baby.

BDA will grow in love of service.

When people feel the impact and get impacted by the BDA they will be free from manipulation and control by power hungry leaders.

Fisheries programme comes of age in Kavieng

PNG UNRE Chancellor Sir Rabbie Namaliu congratulating Augustine Galuwa, who graduated last year with a diploma in fisheries and marine resources.-Picture courtesy of UNRE

By UNRE Public Relations

“I, Sir Rabbie Namaliu, Chancellor of Papua New Guinea University of Natural Resources and Environment, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the statutes, regulation and by-laws of the university, now confer the degrees, to those who have successfully completed the academic requirements of their course as laid down and duly prescribed by the academic board and approved by the council, and today, their names included in the 2009 roll of graduates of the university.”
These are the words that will signify the coming of age of the university’s fisheries and marine resources (FMR) programme on Friday Nov 27, 2009 when UNRE Chancellor Sir Rabbie Namaliu confers bachelor’s degrees on five FMR pioneer graduates – Christopher Binabat, Joseph Kendou, Robinson Liu, Priscilla Warambin and Jane Wungun.
While the moment will no doubt be a proud one for the five and their families, it will be a prouder moment for the university, National Fisheries Authority, German Technical Cooperation (GTZ), University of Bremen’s Centre for Marine Tropical Ecology (ZMT), Office of Higher Education and all those who collectively contributed to making the academic programme a success since its inception in 2006.
Many challenges including the lack of funding and teaching staff faced the programme designers when it was on the drawing board in 2005, but with determination and perseverance; and the strong professional will to bring into the higher education training a much needed skill that was lacking, they overcame these.
The fruits of their labour are the two female and three male students who will go down in history books as not only the first degree graduands of the programme but also as the first fisheries degree graduands in the country after more than 20 years.
With the world now focusing more and more on the sustainable use and conservation of natural resources and environment, the introduction of this course could not have come at a better time for the fisheries sector in the country as well as the South Pacific and the world as it provides a skilled and better qualified workforce for an industry that is rising internationally as a mainstay in the economy.
Meanwhile, also graduating on the day will be 16 students who will be awarded diplomas in fisheries and marine resources by Sir Rabbie.
They are the second batch of diplomats under the programme, the first group of seven students graduating in the inaugural FMR graduation ceremony last year.
Since the first 20 students were admitted in 2006, there has been an increase in applications from students throughout the country wanting to gain entry into the programme.
This year’s first year students also include seven Solomon Islands students who applied for the programme to help develop their country’s fisheries and marine resources.
They move to UNRE’s affiliated campus, National Fisheries College, for their second year of study.
UNRE expects to take in more Solomon Islanders for the same course next year.
For now, however, all eyes are on the five degree pioneers who will make history for the fisheries and marine resources programme, higher education training and the fisheries sector.

Fisheries programme comes of age in Kavieng

 PNG UNRE Chancellor Sir Rabbie Namaliu congratulating Augustine Galuwa, who graduated last year with a diploma in fisheries and marine resources.-Picture courtesy of UNRE

 

By UNRE Public Relations

 

“I, Sir Rabbie Namaliu, Chancellor of Papua New Guinea University of Natural Resources and Environment, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the statutes, regulation and by-laws of the university, now confer the degrees, to those who have successfully completed the academic requirements of their course as laid down and duly prescribed by the academic board and approved by the council, and today, their names included in the 2009 roll of graduates of the university.”

These are the words that will signify the coming of age of the university’s fisheries and marine resources (FMR) programme on Friday Nov 27, 2009 when UNRE Chancellor Sir Rabbie Namaliu confers bachelor’s degrees on five FMR pioneer graduates – Christopher Binabat, Joseph Kendou, Robinson Liu, Priscilla Warambin and Jane Wungun.

While the moment will no doubt be a proud one for the five and their families, it will be a prouder moment for the university, National Fisheries Authority, German Technical Cooperation (GTZ), University of Bremen’s Centre for Marine Tropical Ecology (ZMT), Office of Higher Education and all those who collectively contributed to making the academic programme a success since its inception in 2006.

Many challenges including the lack of funding and teaching staff faced the programme designers when it was on the drawing board in 2005, but with determination and perseverance; and the strong professional will to bring into the higher education training a much needed skill that was lacking, they overcame these.

The fruits of their labour are the two female and three male students who will go down in history books as not only the first degree graduands of the programme but also as the first fisheries degree graduands in the country after more than 20 years.

With the world now focusing more and more on the sustainable use and conservation of natural resources and environment, the introduction of this course could not have come at a better time for the fisheries sector in the country as well as the South Pacific and the world as it provides a skilled and better qualified workforce for an industry that is rising internationally as a mainstay in the economy.

Meanwhile, also graduating on the day will be 16 students who will be awarded diplomas in fisheries and marine resources by Sir Rabbie.

They are the second batch of diplomats under the programme, the first group of seven students graduating in the inaugural FMR graduation ceremony last year.

Since the first 20 students were admitted in 2006, there has been an increase in applications from students throughout the country wanting to gain entry into the programme.

This year’s first year students also include seven Solomon Islands students who applied for the programme to help develop their country’s fisheries and marine resources.

They move to UNRE’s affiliated campus, National Fisheries College, for their second year of study.

UNRE expects to take in more Solomon Islanders for the same course next year.

For now, however, all eyes are on the five degree pioneers who will make history for the fisheries and marine resources programme, higher education training and the fisheries sector.