Motigate cover-up

Ombudsman wants Prime Minister, Polye investigated

 PRIME Minister Sir Michael Somare covered up the Motigate Affair, according to the Ombudsman Commission, The National reports.

The Ombudsman recommended that Sir Michael and his former deputy prime minister, Don Polye, be referred to the Police Commissioner to be investigated for possible Criminal Code charges.

Also recommended for police investigations are acting chief of staff of the Prime Minister Leonard Louma, deputy commissioner of police (administration) Toami Kulunga, police lawyer Hodges Ette and four senior Defence Force personnel.

It said this in its 70-page final report into the Julian Moti Report Affair which was tabled in Parliament by Deputy Speaker Francis Marus today.

Ombudsman commissioners John Nero and Phoebe Sangetari compiled the report, noting with concern that the procedures of the arrest of Moti, then the Solomon Islands attorney-general, were flawed from the outset when he was taken out of Jackson International Airport transit lounge, en route to Honiara, on Sept 29, 2006.

The Ombudsman said the police and the courts misinterpreted the Extradition Act and the Migration Act while PNG Defence Force air squadron acted out of line in eventually flying Moti to Munda, in the Solomon Islands, breaching PNG Civil Aviation procedures in the process.

It said the Prime Minister had used a national security provision of the Organic Law of the Ombudsman Commission on Nov 2, 2006, to prevent Mr Louma and then chief secretary, Joshua Kalinoe, giving evidence to the Ombudsman Commission and a separate Government inquiry into the Moti affair.

The Ombudsman said "this is seen as a means of protection, or cover-up" which prevented Mr Kalinoe, departmental heads and public servants from giving any information, answering questions or producing documents and other matters to the Ombudsman.

“In the opinion of the Ombudsman Commission, the direction to transport Mr Moti to the Solomon Islands came from the Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, Sir Michael Somare, which was facilitated by key government officials,” it concluded.

 

Irregularities cited in arrest, transportation of Moti

THE Ombudsman Commission said in its final report into the Motigate Affair that there many irregularities and technical/legal flaws surrounding the initial arrest, detention, bail and transportation of Julian Ronald Moti, The National reports.

It said his initial arrest and detention was unlawful because the arrest was made without a provisional warrant of arrest.

The bail, it noted, was unlawful because Moti was not allowed to be bailed under the Extradition Act of 2005, unless on special circumstances.

The Ombudsman also noted that the provisional warrants of arrest issued were not applicable under the Extradition Act.

"Despite the fact that there was no NEC decision to transport Moti to the Solomon Islands, key Government officials directed and facilitated the transportation. Their actions were contrary to the order of the court that Moti be arrested and brought before it."

It said, overall, there was lack of proper awareness of the laws and procedures under the Extradition Act of 2005 among relevant Government bodies which caused confusion in the implementation of the extradition process.

It said that as far as it was concerned, Moti's entry into PNG did not breach the Migration Action (ch.16).

"The initial arrest and detention of Moti (by the police) was unlawful and in breach of the Extradition Act.

"The direction from the then deputy Prime Minister, Don Polye, to acting police commissioner Toami Kulunga to have Moti released from police custody was wrong."

The Ombudsman Commission said in its executive summary that the actions of Joseph Assaigo (late), then director general of OSCA, to direct the PNGDF to fly Moti to Munda (Solomon Islands) was wrong.

Also, the PNGDF hierarchy and the air transport command were wrong in complying with "an unsanctioned operation" and in breach of the Civil Aviation Act of 2000.

 

Retired army chief warns of serious security threat

THE build-up of illegal firearms in the country is seriously threatening to destroy Papua New Guinea, former PNGDF commander and National Guns Control Committee (NGCC) chairman retired army general Jerry Singirok has said, The National reports.

"PNG's national security faces an extremely serious threat.

"The National Government's failure to deal with the threat posed by the build-up of illegal firearms is threatening national security," he said.

Speaking in Lae today, Gen Singirok said the Government should urgently debate in the current Parliament sitting the NGCC report and take immediate action to deal with the crisis.

"The Government received the NGCC report in September 2005 and yet, to date, it has shown no real political will to deal with this increasingly serious threat.

"The report contains 244 recommendations for affirmative action," he added.

"Our national security is at stake and I do not say this lightly.

"We are in a far more serious situation now than ever before and the future does not look any better as long as illegal firearms are being supplied freely nationwide without any deterrent or action," Gen Singirok said.

He said the NGCC's warning to the Government and politicians in 2005 about the rapidly increasing influx of illegal high-powered firearms being brought into PNG "is now happening".

"It is no longer an academic finding or conclusion nor a rumour. It is real and it is real throughout the Highlands region, Lae, Mamose, Islands and Port Moresby.

"The people have spoken; they told my committee in 2005 that they want all illegal guns removed from society.

"They told the committee their lives are in grave danger; the mothers came forward and told of how their husbands had been killed by guns in tribal fights, yet their stories were not bad enough to move the Government into action.

"I want to tell the Government and Parliament that the consequences of lack of control by them are evident, already in state institutions such as the police and Correctional Services.

"As chairman of the NGCC, I am calling on the Government as a matter of urgency and of national importance to immediately debate the 2005 NGCC report," he said, urging the ministers of Justice and Internal Security to take the lead in the debate and implement the NGCC's recommendations.

 

Air Energi now here

Caption: Air Energi Pacifica Ltd staff and management from the Air Energi offices in Brisbane, Singapore, Perth and PNG.  – Picture courtesy of Air Energi

THE reputation set by recruitment company Pacifica HR for high service delivery will continue now that global recruitment company Air Energi has acquired the outfit, The National reports.

Now known as Air Energi Pacifica Ltd, the group commercial director for Air Energi Graeme Lewis says there will be no staff changes or in the range of services offered by Air Energi.

The new company was officially launched last Thursday at Crowne Plaza in Port Moresby.

Air Energi is an international global manpower and recruitment services provider with regional headquarters in Manchester, Doha, Calgary, Houston, Singapore and Brisbane and a network of 30 offices worldwide, which now includes the Port Moresby office.

Air Energi said in a statement the Port Moresby office comprised 20 staff that fell in line with the Air Energi values of being innovative, passionate, pragmatic, knowledgeable and inclusive in what they did.

Mr Lewis, in his speech, talked about Air Energi’s proud record for providing support to some of the most prestigious energy projects around the world for the last 25 years.

Matthew Smith, vice-president for Air Energi Australasia, formally launched the business with Bank South Pacific chairman Noreo Beangke.

Mr Smith said Air Energi was happy with its decision to acquire the PNG-based human resource organisation, to further build on the existing business and pledged his full commitment to the development of the staff.

TWL offering 35% of equity in company

Caption: Staff of TWL in front of  hauling trucks at Moro. –  Nationalpic by SHEILA LASIBORI

 By SHEILA LASIBORI

 

SOUTHERN Highlands-based transport company Trans Wonderland Ltd (TWL) is offering an un-acquired 35% equity to landowner companies (lancos), according to managing director Larry Andagali, The National reports.

So far, 65% has being taken up by existing lancos, the latest being Moran Ina Naga Ltd, which paid K240,000 for its 10% equity share covering areas in petroleum development licence (PDL) 5 and 6 (each have 5% interest in the purchase).

Witnessed by some company directors, Moran chairman Tony Kila made the cheque payment to Mr Andagali on last night in Port Moresby during the deal signing between Hides Gas Development Corp (HGDC) and Business for Millennium Development (B4MD).

TWL, which started operating last June but formally launched only in July, has 21 earth-moving equipment to date from the initial 17 and employees over 120 staff.

According to Mr Andagali, the Moro-based company with offices in Lae for LNG cargo coordination would go into shipping and aviation.

“TWL will also move into aviation and shipping … we are having discussions and are still working on it,” he said, adding with the support of Moran and other lancos, they would reach their investment goals.

 “So everyone in Hides, Kutubu and Moran … we still have 35% that is available,” he said as he called on landowners in areas along the LNG pipeline, Angore, Juha, Komo airfield, PDL 1 and 5 to form their companies and buy shares in TWL.

Mr Andagali said starting from Moran at the border of PDL 6 into Juha, Angore and Hides would take up 50% in TWL while Kutubu, Upper Foe and Lower Foe including Poroma access road landowners would own the other 50%.

He said TWL was also working with Gobe and Kikori landowners who owned a transport company.

“We are in discussions for a joint venture tie-up to provide transportation services from Kopi all the way to Hides so there is no interruption.

“TWL is to be one-stop-shop transport and logistics company … we are working towards that aim to build up to 100-300 truck-fleet but working towards 100 trucks,” he said.

TWL’s six-monthly meeting for shareholders is due this month end.

Mitsui wins gas plan deals

 THE PNG liquefied natural gas (LNG) project has awarded Japanese transport company Mitsui OSK Lines Ltd (MOL) two long-term charters, The National reports.

The charters are for MOL’s two existing 177,000 cubic meter capacity LNG carriers with the state-of-the-art tri-fuel-diesel electric propulsion systems built in Korea at Hyundai yards this year and co-owned by Itochu Corp (Itochu) (MOL 70% and Itochu 30%).

The vessels are to be operated by MOL.

Simultaneously, MOL has entered into two heads of agreement, one with the PNG LNG project and one with an ExxonMobil affiliated company in the Gorgon project. Here, MOL will construct and long-term charter a total of four LNG vessels to the projects, all of which are planned to be built in China.

Deliveries will start in 2014-16 timeframe.

According to the statement, MOL has a proven track record of providing first class transportation for large scale LNG projects in the Asia Pacific and Middle East regions for over 30 years.

MOL also acknowledged ExxonMobil for their long association and their affiliates and joint ventures and was looking forward to working with them and their partners in the years ahead.

 

InterOil profit US$6.1m

INTEROIL Corp recorded net profit of US$6.1 million (K17 million) as against a net loss of US$11.8 million (K32 million) for the same period in 2008, The National reports.

The company said it was its first posting of annual profit.

Profits from InterOil’s refining and distribution businesses more than offset losses incurred in its developing upstream and liquefaction businesses.

This profit figure for the period ending Dec 31 included a significant expense item amounting to US$31.7 million (K87 million) for a “loss on extinguishment of indirect participation interest liability”.

This relates to an exchange transaction entered into with certain indirect participation interest (IPI) holders when their interests were exchanged for a certain number of InterOil’s common shares.

InterOil petroleum products sold in PNG totalled 6.5 million barrels for fiscal year last year compared with 6.6 million barrels in 2008, a steady result in light of the global economic backdrop.

Total revenue last year was US$693.1 million (K1.904 billion), compared with US$919.7 million (K2.527 billion) for 2008.

“The difference is primarily explained by lower crude oil prices, giving rise to commensurately lower product pricing in the current year,” InterOil said in a statement.

InterOil’s earnings before interest taxes, depreciation and amortisation (Ebitda) for the year was US$19.3 million (K53 million), down US$3.1 million (K9 million) from US$22.4 million (K62 million) in 2008.

This Ebitda figure would be US$51 million (K140 million) if the US$31.7 million (K87 million) ‘loss on extinguishment’ of the IPI liability was excluded.