Family tragedy in plane crash

Plane crash victims all members of a family

 

The six people who were killed in the plane crash at Boana in Morobe province last week (body bags and wrecked plane pictured) were all members of a family, The National reports.

The dead were a mother, her three children and two grandchildren.

They were on their way home from Port Moresby, via Lae, when they perished in the fatal crash of the light aircraft owned by Kiunga Aviation last Wednesday morning.

Bodies of the dead are still at the morgue at Angau Memorial Hospital awaiting a coroner’s inquest.

The mother is a first cousin of Morobe Governor Luther Wenge.

She was identified as Dambi Kindik, 45; her daughters Julie Agasabu, 20, and Jacinta Naio, 20; son Jerry Kindik, 10; and grandchildren Raymond Zalingan, seven, and Rolina Agasambu, 11 months.

Baby Rolina is the daughter of Julie.

Jacinta was a first-year electronics student at Badili Vocational Centre, Jerry in Grade Seven at Gerehu Primary School, and Raymond in elementary at St Paul’s, all in Port Moresby.

Mr Wenge said Mrs Kindik and her family were traveling home to Baindoang to erect the headstone for her husband Pomas Kindik’s grave.

Mr Kindik had passed away in 2008.

All their bodies were severely charred, according to Dr Kobby Bomario of Angau Memorial Hospital.

 

Papua New Guinea loses a true champion in Henry Kila

HENRY Kila, Papua New Guinea's first internationally-qualified insurer and insurance broker and a leading sports personality, has died, The National reports.

He was 58.

Mr Kila died at about two o’clock yesterday morning from an acute heart attack brought on by clogged arteries and diabetic condition at the Port Moresby Private Specialist Medical Centre, his son Guy said.

He is survived by wife Sandy Masau and sons Guy and Emmanuel, in-laws Janet and Trinnett, grand children Lawrence, Cassandra and Solomon, his mother Avia, brother Jack and sister Joan, Ruth and his in-laws and their children.

Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare expressed deep sadness after learning of the passing of Mr Kila.

“Mr Kila’s passing is a great loss to the business community and the sporting fraternity of PNG. PNG has lost a good man of very humble demeanor,” Sir Michael said.

“I have found Mr Kila to be a very constructive partner in developing a healthy relationship between the private sector and the National Government,” he said and acknowledged Mr Kila’s contribution in promoting the Australia/PNG relations.

Close friend and deputy opposition leader Bart Philemon described him as a trail-blazer into insurance industry for 40 years, a major player in sporting development, and a key stakeholder in business development helping to nurture the business council from infant stages to its current dominant present.

“We have lost a true nationalist, an un-hailed statesman and definitely an outstanding Papua New Guinean unparalleled in private sector involvement.”

A member of the APEC Advisory Council representing PNG, he was a founding member (since 1995) and president from 2006 of Business Council of PNG, Managing Director of South Pacific Insurance Advisors Ltd; was president of PNG Sports Federation and National Olympic Committee (2000-2003) which caps an illustrious involvement in sports in diverse codes as PNG Softball, PNG Football League and PNG Rugby Union including a stint as a commissioner with PNG Sports Commission around September 2003.

 

Concern about rising sea levels in Salamaua

The once-sandy coastline at Aleawe in Salamaua, Morobe province, which is gradually being eaten away by rising sea levels.-Picture by NAMON MAWASON

Rising sea levels are eating away at the roots of trees along the Salamaua coastline.-Picture by NAMON MAWASON

A life buoy from the ill-fated mv Lihir Express, which had a mishap last October off the Salamaua coast.-Picture by NAMON MAWASON

A man from Salamaua, Morobe province, has expressed concern about rising sea levels in this beautiful and historic part of Papua New Guinea.
Lae business executive Namon Mawason, who is from Laukano village in Salamaua, was greatly shocked to see the rising sea levels when he spent the New Year weekend there.
At a popular picnic spot, known to Laukano villagers as Aleawe, rising sea levels have swamped the beach and eaten away the roots of trees along the coastline.
He has called on provincial and national authorities to immediately carry out an investigation into rising sea levels in Salamaua.
Mr Mawason took photographs of the rising sea levels.
“The photographs show the possible effects of climate change on the water front in Salamaua, particularly in Aleawe,” Mr Mawason said.
He said they also found a life buoy from the ill-fated mv Lihir Express, which overturned with its cargo of 20 containers last October off the Salamaua coast, but was refloated and returned safely to Lae.

Port Moresby moves towards sea in 2010

Caption: Artist’s impression of Harbour City

 

Nasfund’s bold commitment three years ago to shift the city focus to the water and to Harbour City is moving closer to reality with the announcement of 65 apartments to be constructed, starting March 2010.

Nasfund will own 60% of this venture.

The additional 65 apartments combined with the 20 apartments (Sol Wara) already under construction plus 9,000 sq m of office space signals a new concept for Port Moresby – living and working by the water.

“This major on-going project was the product of a well-considered plan to shift the Town towards the sea and capitalise on Fairfax Harbour,” according to Nasfund joint CEO Rod Mitchell.

“Similarly Harbour City and the surrounding precinct of Konedobu were ideal for development being two kilometers from the GPO and linked to the Poreporena freeway. “Easy access without the congestion of town made this location extremely desirable.

“It also meant that the Town could be split with a new ‘City’ – totally without the constraints the ‘Old City’ had shackled itself to, including poor traffic flows and ‘hotch potch’ architecture.

“This however will soon change as Nasfund develops a commercial plan for the Burns Philp site and in doing so revitalise a significant part of the town centre.

“Across in Konedobu, with the soon to be completed IPA House covering 2,700 sq m and ‘the Factory’ – a seven pod commercial development covering 6,200 sq m, the “Archipelago project will draw to a close as we begin plans for a further commercial splash in late 2010.”

 

Anti-corruption commission urgently needed in Papua New Guinea

By REGINALD RENAGI

 

If the Papua New Guinea government and parliament is really serious about combating corruption at all levels than it must immediately set up an Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC). 

Setting up an ICAC entity has been mooted many times before in various public forums but nothing substantive has resulted from this.

 The main reason for this inaction so far is that successive PNG governments have always lacked the required political will and determination to stamp out corruption in PNG. 

An ICAC should be a principal agency with a statutory charter to investigate and prevent corruption in PNG.

 It must be totally independent from the executive branch of the Government.

The principal objectives should be:

• To enforce anti-corruption laws vigilantly and professionally, to make corruption a high-risk crime;

• To identify and eliminate opportunities for corruption in government departments and public bodies by reviewing their procedures and practices, and promote corruption prevention in private sector businesses; and

• To educate the community about the evils of corruption and enlist their support in the war against corruption.

The anti-corruption agency needs a simple but basic plan of action before employing other more complex strategies in future to combat corruption.

 The plan should be to conduct investigation, prevention and education, through the operations, corruption prevention and community relations divisions within the Commission. 

The agency must implement effective strategies such as employing proactive investigation techniques to identify and prosecute instances of corruption which might otherwise go unreported.

A further approach must also include use of undercover operations and broader and more effective use of intelligence and information technology.

In addition, ICAC's investigators must be given continuous professional training to keep pace with the changing commercial environment, technological advances and the latest developments in criminal investigation techniques.

 The training should embrace a wide range of topics, including financial investigation, IT applications, computer forensics, video interview techniques, case management and court proceedings.

Joint operational groups must be established and should comprise of retired senior service officers, dedicated ICAC agents and the disciplined services to strengthen inter-agency cooperation.

Regular meetings should be held to step up operational liaison, addressing common concerns, and developing anti-corruption strategies within the respective disciplined services.

ICAC's main strategic tasks should be focused towards reducing opportunities for corruption in PNG government departments and other public bodies. 

It should also include advising private sector and corporate bodies on corruption prevention. The agency must also conduct detailed studies of practices and procedures of the public sector by helping them to effectively implement corruption prevention measures. 

Its other services should include providing effective consultation services to public sector organisations when new procedures or policies are being formulated, and when urgent corruption prevention advice is urgently required.

 Upon request, ICAC must also provide free and confidential corruption prevention advice to the private sector.

They should include reviewing systems and procedures, drawing up codes of conduct and holding corruption prevention seminars, workshops, etc.

Establishing ICAC in PNG will help other state agencies develop their corruption prevention capability, by producing easy-to-use Best Practice Packages on ways to prevent, minimise or in some controlled manner curb corruption-related opportunities in such corruption prone areas such as procurement, staff administration, information system security, contract letting and administration. 

A good community relations strategy is required to educate the public against corruption and enlist their support in the fight against corruption. Community education should be conducted using mass media programmes and a network of ICAC sub-branch offices in the provinces.

Other future strategies to use on regular basis are give advice on organisational guidelines to state agencies by conducting corruption prevention presentations for government officers.

Apart from civil servants, the ICAC office must regularly conduct training seminars for public and private sector organisations, and assist by providing to other agencies by encouraging them to launch staff integrity promotion projects within their respective organisations.

 

Reginald Renagi

Port Moresby

Ela Vista a development to watch out for in 2010

Ela Vista, a new luxury low-to-medium density residential development is coming up on Touaguba Hill, facing Ela Beach, and will be one of the many developments to watch this year and beyond.

 This development promises to transform the face of Port Moresby once completed in the next few years.

The whole project totals 180 residential units on a land covering about 3.5 ha.

The K250 million-project will be developed in stages by Glory Estate Ltd (formerly known as Kembis Holdings Ltd).

The first stage totals 87 units, comprising semi-detached, terraces, and triplex apartments.

Set high on Touaguba Hill, Ela Vista looks over Ela Beach and beyond toward the sea.

 It also looks over the Koki area.

Apart from the spectacular view it affords, the development is also handily located near amenities.

It is only 300m from the city centre.

 Ela Vista boasts a contemporary design offering open-plan living to suit the lifestyle of young executives or a family.

Each unit is designed to take full advantage of the views while offering safe, convenient and comfortable living.

Ela Vista will have 24-hour security, back-up power and water supply through a centralised property management team appointed by developer, Glory Estate Ltd. Common facilities like street lights, landscape and rubbish disposal will also be taken care of by the team.

Enquiries may be made to Glory Estate Ltd on telephones 238818/3112249 or email gloryestate@gmail.com .

Work progresses well on Vision City Waigani

Mega-mall expected to open this year

 

Work is progressing well on Vision City Waigani, a project which promises to transform the whole economic landscape of Port Moresby.

I yesterday visited the project site and found a hive of activity on the eye-catching site, with workmen busy as bees.

The Rimbunan Hijau (PNG) Group is undertaking this most-ambitious commercial property development ever undertaken in the country at an estimated cost of K1 billion.

The proposed multi-user complex will incorporate a three-storey mega-mall, a 12-storey hotel with more than 290 rooms, a twin-tower office block, a convention centre and about 120 serviced apartments.

The mega-mall is expected to be opened this year, however, RH management were not available yesterday for comment.

Vision City is located on a 9.2ha site fronted by Waigani Drive and Sir John Guise Stadium.

Vision City will create a new focal point for shopping and business in addition to Boroko, the downtown area and Harbour City.

The master plan for the spectacular project, to be undertaken by the RH Group's property subsidiary, Dynasty Development Ltd, has been approved by the National Capital District Commission and a ground-breaking ceremony was held on Tuesday, June 17, 2008.

Work began first with the shopping mall.

Besides a large hypermart and department store, the mega-mall will feature more than 50 retail outlets.

The entire project is expected to take between seven and 10 years and will create about 1,800 jobs at the peak of construction.

"Once Vision City is completed we expect that about 5,000 people will be employed or accommodated within this vast complex that will virtually represent a city within a city," RH managing director James Lau said in 2008.

"It will be home to some 250 business entities and be responsible for generation of business activities worth K200 million to K250 million a year.

"This and other projects being undertaken in Harbour City and in the downtown area are destined to turn Port Moresby into one of the most-dynamic and vibrant cities in the South Pacific.

According to Dynasty, the mini-city complex will have a floor area of 150,000 sq metres or more than seven times the floor space in the 19-storey Deloitte Tower.

The 33,000 sqm shopping mall alone will increase Port Moresby's current shopping floor area by more than 20% and generate around 1,200 jobs.

Similarly the hotel, which will be managed by an international chain, will be the largest in the city.

The twin 10-storey office blocks will be built in two phases.

On completion they will boost the available office area by 60,000 sq m, about three times more than the space available in Deloitte Tower.

Mr Lau said the RH Group had spent several years planning this mixed commercial and residential development.

"This project will only be successful if the PNG economy continues to experience strong growth and we are confident that initiatives undertaken by the present government in recent years will ensure a healthy climate will prevail for private sector investment and growth," he said.

"The extremely strong growth in employment in the past two years is one of the factors that make us confident that a visionary project of this scale can be a commercial success by providing many more world-class amenities for public use.

The complex will incorporate various high-tech features to take care of growing concerns about greenhouse effects and climate change.

The hotel, for example, will employ sun-shading devices to maximise natural ventilation and natural lighting and an "external skin of steel mesh over part of the façade" will reduce power requirements.

The landscaped courtyard for the serviced apartments will also allow for better cross ventilation and improved entry of natural sunlight.

There will be 2,600 parking lots, with a third of them under cover.

Residents of the apartments will have use of squash courts and a gymnasium.