K300m World Bank loan to back women credit

 Loan funds for SMEs, says Kapris

 THE Government is close to finalising a K300 million loan with World Bank (WB) and the International Monetary Fund  (IMF) to help develop small to medium scale enterprises (SMEs) in Papua New Guinea, The National reports.

Commerce, Trade and Industry Minister Gabriel Kapris revealed this at a dinner hosted by the Morobe provincial government in honour of the delegates to the Women in Business expo held in Lae from Friday to today.

He said money from the loan would be available through commercial banks for lending to SME business owners, adding that it was now finalising the risk guarantee scheme with banks.

Mr Kapris said SMEs needed funds to support their development and low interest loans with long-term repayment arrangements were known to be the appropriate way for the small-to-medium size businesses to develop.

He said specific activities such as women in business or agriculture were some of the packages that the Government felt would address this issue.

Apart from K300 million loan being negotiated, Mr Kapris said under his ministry the Small Business Development Corp (SBDC) had placed nearly K2 million as credit guarantee fund with selected banks as security for small businesses that had viable proposals that need funding.

The Government has also allocated K40 million to the SBDC for SME and provided training for Papua New Guineans to run businesses.

A study into the difficulties faced by SMEs has identified appropriate technology as one of the areas that needs to be developed to ensure growth of enterprises in PNG.

Mr Kapris said information technology was also important in securing markets for products of the SMEs, adding his department was devising a list of negative and positive activity to guide small-scale businesses to get them through the first difficulties of doing business.

He highlighted yet again that PNG was a difficult country to do business as there were so many obstacles faced by those who venture into business.

These concerned transport infrastructure, water, power, telecommunication facilities among many other difficulties faced by businesses especially small businesses.

WIB seeks to develop women's microfinancing

THE PNG Women in Business (WIB) and City Mother’s Business Foundation (CMBF) aims to set up a microfinance regime solely for women, according to PNGWIB president Janet Sape, The National reports.

Mrs Sape, who is also the CMBF president, said stringent policies in getting loans from financial institutions prevented many aspiring businesswomen from venturing into small-to-medium (SME) businesses.

She made the comments during the launch of the inaugural WIB expo in Lae at the weekend.

Mrs Sape has urged the Government to assist with the creation of the institution and to legislate a policy that would allow K1 million from the annual K10 million district service improvement programme (DSIP) to be allocated to women’s project.

She said this would enable women to participate equally in business activities.

Mrs Sape said the expo was one of their programmes in partnership with the Small Business Development Corp (SBDC) under the Commerce and Industry that hoped to address issues faced by women entrepreneurs in the country.

It was also an opportunity for women to showcase their various businesses and demonstrate to the Government they have the potential to contribute to economic development, she said.

The expo is also an implementation of the SME policy under the medium-term development policy.

PNGWIB patron Sir Nagora Bogan described the expo as “a milestone for women to move forward and contribute economically”.

He challenged the women to have trust in themselves and take responsibility of their goals as it was crucial for women to be equal partners in the development of the country.

But Sir Nagora said it was also the responsibility of the Government to address policy issues that would address women’s concerns.

 

Here's the story the Post-Courier refuses to run

BY KEITH JACKSON

OBSERVERS OF the media in PNG are scratching their heads and wondering what the link is between carbon trader Kirk Roberts and the Post-Courier newspaper.

It’s not just that the Post-Courier runs stories favourable to Mr Roberts’ activities. Of real concern is the newspaper’s apparent refusal to publish stories that question his activities, even when they are backed up by the PNG Government.

PNG Attitude has been told by a reliable source that a Post-Courier editor has been quizzed on this seeming lack of fairness and balance in its coverage, but brusquely fobbed off questions and criticism of what seems like a badly flawed editorial policy.

Earlier this week the PNG Forest Authority placed an advertisement in the Post-Courier which announced that Roberts’ ‘carbon trading’ activities were under investigation.

Just two days later the Post-Courier ran another uncritical front-page story, which one reader described as “a ridiculous and nonsensical pro-Roberts piece”.

Anyway, thanks to Sky News which did manage to pick up the story, here it is:

'Carbon cowboy' in PNG legal spat

Australia's self-proclaimed 'carbon kingpin' Kirk Roberts is being investigated by a PNG government agency for allegedly misleading villagers in deals he hopes will net millions.

Mr Roberts, a former disqualified Australian horse trainer who also ran a Philippines cock-fighting business, once said he was 'the most beneficial foreigner' for PNG and has travelled across the country promoting carbon trading.

Mr Roberts shrugs off widespread criticisms and is adamant he represents numerous landowner groups who want lucrative carbon projects developed under a voluntary system.

But PNG authorities are worried Mr Roberts is undermining existing forestry laws, possibly misleading landowners in remote areas all while exploiting PNG's lack of national carbon trade legislation and policy.

East Pangia, in PNG's rugged Southern Highlands region, is the latest focus of various conflicting opinions that have flared as Mr Roberts promises what many villagers call 'sky money' - because he appears to be selling air.

PNG's Forest Authority managing director, Kanawi Pouru, has taken out a newspaper advertisement reminding Mr Roberts and landowners that East Pangia has already been allocated for logging.

Mr Pouru told AAP the Forest Management Agreement was one of 10 agreed projects identified for development by PNG's government in 2002.

'Roberts' operation obviously raises concerns for us,' he said.

'Our lawyers believe we have grounds to proceed against any moves that prevent an already existing forest plan.

'A commercial agreement with landowners has been entered.

'They can't sign rights away then reassign them to someone else like Roberts.

'We are not against carbon trading but we are being cautious because there is still a very high risk involved and so many rules that have not been sorted out.

'We need to understand the business first.'

The East Pangia FMA still existed and the logging operation would commence as soon as the agreement was executed next month, Mr Pouru said.

'(Mr Roberts) is being investigated and will be dealt with accordingly,' he said.

Last week Mr Roberts was in East Pangia mapping out a carbon project.

He did not answer (emailed) questions regarding the landowner's sudden switch from forestry to carbon trading, or the scientific credibility of his team.

Kuson Waku, a local landowner representative, told PNG's Post Courier newspaper: 'I want to benefit from all the forest.'

The story, supporting Mr Roberts' carbon trading plan, was accompanied by a photo of two locals each holding dead bush rats and tree kangaroos, with a possible implication that wildlife was under threat from logging.

PNG's Department of Environment and Conservation, Environment Ministry, NGOs and the environmental-law community have all raised concerns about Mr Roberts.

But Mr Roberts is no stranger to controversy.

Last year he was linked to the sacking of a top official after receiving dubious 'sample' carbon credit documents. And Mr Robert's company Nupan is tied to an ongoing government investigation of PNG's embattled, mismanaged and now bankrupt Office of Climate Change.

Adelaide-based company Carbon Planet, eyeing a potential billion dollar carbon trading market, in 2008 gave Mr Roberts $1.1 million for projects in PNG but now refuses to comment on their relationship with him.

In December last year, Carbon Planet's founder and chief operating officer Dave Sag walked out of an SBS television interview when asked about Mr Roberts and their PNG deals.

Here's the story the Post-Courier refuses to run

BY KEITH JACKSON

OBSERVERS OF the media in PNG are scratching their heads and wondering what the link is between carbon trader Kirk Roberts and the Post-Courier newspaper.

It’s not just that the Post-Courier runs stories favourable to Mr Roberts’ activities. Of real concern is the newspaper’s apparent refusal to publish stories that question his activities, even when they are backed up by the PNG Government.

PNG Attitude has been told by a reliable source that a Post-Courier editor has been quizzed on this seeming lack of fairness and balance in its coverage, but brusquely fobbed off  questions and criticism of what seems like a badly flawed editorial policy.

Earlier this week the PNG Forest Authority placed an advertisement in the Post-Courier which announced that Roberts’ ‘carbon trading’ activities were under investigation.

Just two days later the Post-Courier ran another uncritical front-page story, which one reader described as “a ridiculous and nonsensical pro-Roberts piece”.

Anyway, thanks to Sky News which did manage to pick up the story, here it is:

'Carbon cowboy' in PNG legal spat

Australia's self-proclaimed 'carbon kingpin' Kirk Roberts is being investigated by a PNG government agency for allegedly misleading villagers in deals he hopes will net millions.

Mr Roberts, a former disqualified Australian horse trainer who also ran a Philippines cock-fighting business, once said he was 'the most beneficial foreigner' for PNG and has travelled across the country promoting carbon trading.

Mr Roberts shrugs off widespread criticisms and is adamant he represents numerous landowner groups who want lucrative carbon projects developed under a voluntary system.

But PNG authorities are worried Mr Roberts is undermining existing forestry laws, possibly misleading landowners in remote areas all while exploiting PNG's lack of national carbon trade legislation and policy.

East Pangia, in PNG's rugged Southern Highlands region, is the latest focus of various conflicting opinions that have flared as Mr Roberts promises what many villagers call 'sky money' - because he appears to be selling air.

PNG's Forest Authority managing director, Kanawi Pouru, has taken out a newspaper advertisement reminding Mr Roberts and landowners that East Pangia has already been allocated for logging.

Mr Pouru told AAP the Forest Management Agreement was one of 10 agreed projects identified for development by PNG's government in 2002.

'Roberts' operation obviously raises concerns for us,' he said.

'Our lawyers believe we have grounds to proceed against any moves that prevent an already existing forest plan.

'A commercial agreement with landowners has been entered.

'They can't sign rights away then reassign them to someone else like Roberts.

'We are not against carbon trading but we are being cautious because there is still a very high risk involved and so many rules that have not been sorted out.

'We need to understand the business first.'

The East Pangia FMA still existed and the logging operation would commence as soon as the agreement was executed next month, Mr Pouru said.

'(Mr Roberts) is being investigated and will be dealt with accordingly,' he said.

Last week Mr Roberts was in East Pangia mapping out a carbon project.

He did not answer (emailed) questions regarding the landowner's sudden switch from forestry to carbon trading, or the scientific credibility of his team.

Kuson Waku, a local landowner representative, told PNG's Post Courier newspaper: 'I want to benefit from all the forest.'

The story, supporting Mr Roberts' carbon trading plan, was accompanied by a photo of two locals each holding dead bush rats and tree kangaroos, with a possible implication that wildlife was under threat from logging.

PNG's Department of Environment and Conservation, Environment Ministry, NGOs and the environmental-law community have all raised concerns about Mr Roberts.

But Mr Roberts is no stranger to controversy.

Last year he was linked to the sacking of a top official after receiving dubious 'sample' carbon credit documents. And Mr Robert's company Nupan is tied to an ongoing government investigation of PNG's embattled, mismanaged and now bankrupt Office of Climate Change.

Adelaide-based company Carbon Planet, eyeing a potential billion dollar carbon trading market, in 2008 gave Mr Roberts $1.1 million for projects in PNG but now refuses to comment on their relationship with him.

In December last year, Carbon Planet's founder and chief operating officer Dave Sag walked out of an SBS television interview when asked about Mr Roberts and their PNG deals.

Finding local markets is difficult

 Caption: Sesley Mainga from Angoram in East Sepik who travelled all the way to Lae to sell her handicrafts during the expo last Friday.  – Nationalpic by DOREEN POLOH WAIM

 

By DOREEN POLOH WAIM

 

FINDING local markets for traditional handicrafts is one of the difficulties that confront women in the rural areas, The National  reports.

Three women from Angoram in East Sepik province who came all the way to Lae, Morobe province, to participate in the inauguration PNG Women in Business (WIB) expo said on most occasions, they only had seasonal markets.

One of the women, Sesley Mainga, who specialises in weaving baskets, making shell head dresses and wooden carvings said they were able to sell their wares depending on tourist ships that occasionally visit the province.

Mrs Mainga said selling her handicraft in local markets had not been profitable for lack of demand.

She said many women in her area would like to travel to other provinces to sell their products but that might be too costly for them.

The two other businesswomen in her group, Rosa Simon and Schola Akwat, while expressing similar sentiments, added they joined the expo to meet potential handicraft collectors and distributors.

They said with the exposure, they also hoped to promote their culture and the significance of traditional handicrafts to the younger generation.

They also said the expo had also given them the opportunity to discover potential markets through established network with women from other provinces.

 

Horrific murder shocks Lae

NEWLY appointed chairman of Morobe’s Lands and Physical Planning Board Mr George Naemon was stabbed to death in a horrific attack last night in Lae.

The news sent shock-waves through the Lae community today as the young mechanical engineer who was appointed to the job only late last year was beginning to clamp down on illegal structures and obstructions at roadsides and public parks.

Naemon, from Kwahwie village in Yangoru, East Sepik province, was apparently attacked with a bayonet which struck him in the head and neck area. He died soon after from heavy loss of blood.

According to relatives in Lae, Naemon was in the company of other relatives at the Tapiok Club at Tent City re-settlement camp, when he was attacked by another group of people from Yangoru.

The attack was allegedly work-related, according to reliable sources.

The assailant is believed to be related to a Yangoru man who owned a property also in Tent City where Mr Naemon had issued instructions for a perimeter fence to be relocated as it encroached someone else’s property.

Several weeks ago, Naemon’s cousin was attacked over the same issue.

“We are very shocked and lost for words to hear of George Naemon’s killing,” a Morobe leader said from Lae today.

“He was a fine young man with his heart in the eight place … he was doing something the Morobeans were not able to do.”

An architect from Morobe province who worked with Naomen during his short time as chairman of the Lands and Physical Planning Board described his late colleague as a committed person who wanted nothing more than getting his job done properly and according to the rules and bylaws governing physical planning and town development.

“We are shocked and lost for words, Morobe has lost a great young man from Sepik who was here to help us,” he said.

Mr Naemon is married with several children.

He was the chief technical officer of the University of Technology’s Mechanical Engineering Department until his sacking a year ago over differences with his superiors.

He had sought re-dress through the National Court over his departure of Unitech, however, that case was still pending deliberation as he met his untimely fate – allegedly at the hands of his own Yangoru wantoks.

 

Pictures of Papua New Guinea Women in Business Expo

Pictures by JOHN SAMAR