InterOil responds to allegations

Port Moresby PNG; Cairns, Australia and Houston, TX --March 29, 2010 --INTEROIL Corporation believes that allegations made in an article concerning certain litigation which has been ongoing in Texas since 2005, have been raised now in an attempt to divert attention from the successful operations of the company.

Operations conducted by the company which were evaluated by independent engineering evaluations consultants, GLJ Petroleum Consultants Ltd., resulted in an increase in our gross best case contingent resources estimate by 889 million barrels of oil equivalent resources, to a revised total of 8.2 tcf of natural gas and 156 million barrels of condensate, in the past fiscal year.

The article was timed to benefit recent short selling activities.

The “short” interest in InterOil increased to 3,548,056 shares in mid-March.

InterOil's policy is to not provide commentary on ongoing litigation beyond the description of it appropriately and consistently set forth in our Annual Information Statement and Form 40-F available on our website or from the SEC.

In our Annual Information Form (AIF), filed on March 1, 2010 the Company continued to disclose that Company's Chief Executive Officer, Phil Mulacek, and his controlled entities Petroleum Independent & Exploration Corporation and P.I.E. Group, LLC, together with the Company and certain of its subsidiaries, are defendants in Todd Peters, et. al. v. Phil Mulacek et. al.; Case No. 05-040-03592-CV; pending in the 284th District Court of Montgomery County, Texas.

Appropriate details concerning this long running action are provided. InterOil and its subsidiaries were not party to, nor otherwise involved in, the Nikiski Partners filing referenced in the article.

 

For Further Information

Contact:

Susuve Laumaea

Senior Manager – Media Relations/Public Affairs

 (PNG Operations)

Tel: 675 - 3099 363

Mobile: 675 – 721 3870

Email:susuve.laumaea@interoil.com or slaumaea@digicelpacific.blackberry.com

Wall is coming down Gooding

By JAMES WANJIK

 

THE STORY, “Ramu mine work halted”, (Post-Courier, Wednesday, March 24, 2010 p.31) is wall now exposed. Time was when miners hid behind the wall from reach of landowners. The game is shifting. Landowners will bring down the wall. That wall and its Waigani legal eagles will soon be laid bare.

Plot World Bank and European Union had leaders did not know. Mineral Resources Authority (MRA) is very dangerous for PNG. No lawyer of Government had wanted truth known.

When I raised serious constitutional legal issues in September and October 2006 with the Government’s Law Office it was enough to get their arrogance ignited. Little did they know about MRA. Mole MRA planted in Justice Department was a politically devious lawyer from Wakunai. Rest Wakunai leader wanted hidden. No more and MRA is wandering leaderless already.

Many truths about MRA are out. National Alliance (NA) Party leadership struggles is a result of MRA withdrawing mining powers on Bougainville from the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG). Hopeless and powerless on Bougainville MRA plotted removal of Paul Tiensten. MRA played off NA leaders to hide its sin.

At Kainantu Barrick Gold acquired Highlands Pacific’s interest to shut the mine. MRA has not raised an eye.

At no time and place has MRA acted for PNG people. Ramu mine is worse. It wanted Somare and his leadership to be openly challenged. Looking at lot of abusive and derogatory articles on the internet blogs for Ramu mine and crime and corruption in PNG tells a lot about MRA. It has not answered any of these articles for the leadership of Somare.

Gooding is last person to know about MRA it seems. No miner including Highlands Pacific has challenged my view that MRA is a counterfeit regulator of mines. MRA is unconstitutional and was operating illegally. It has no legal standing and competence to do anything lawful. For Ramu mine this means MRA had no lawful authority and worse no legal competency to approve mine construction in about June/ July 2007. Highlands Pacific, like the Ramu mine manager and operator, has no code of ethics to have let the Government know about this basic and fundamental legal flaw.

Law on MRA is unconstitutional. MRA is now exposed. Miners will regret working with MRA. And ignorance of law is no excuse. Knowingly supporting breach of law and worse constitutional law is reckless.

Gooding, how do you fare?

 

Japan-PNG relations take a turn for the better

B y MALUM NALU

 

Japan-Papua New Guinea relations take a turn for the better tomorrow (Wednesday March 31) with the opening of the new PNG Embassy building in Tokyo and the commencement of twice-weekly Air Niugini flights from Port Moresby to Narita.

Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare will open the new PNG chancery today, the same day that Air Niugini launches its second weekly Port Moresby-Narita flight.

Charge d' Affaires Dennis Bebego said from Tokyo that the PNG Embassy in Toky was currently in the process of finalising arrangements for the formal opening and naming of the newly-constructed building by Sir Michael.

"This is a significant national event and is a realisation of the national government's commitment to the tune of K20 million towards this chancery project," he said.

"It is historic in that this would be the second building to have been constructed and owned by the government to house its overseas diplomatic mission; the first being the PNG High Commission building in Canberra.

"The construction of this chancery, which began in May 2009 with a groundbreaking ceremony performed also by Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare, was completed in December last year and the building formally handed over on Jan 19, 2010.

"It is now scheduled for formal opening on Mar 31, 2010, when Prime Minister makes an official visit to Japan.

"A large entourage of guests and VIPs from PNG as well as Japan will attend the event."

Mr Bebego said the commitment by the government to this project was recognition of the important and maturing relations between Japan and PNG – "a relationship that in recent times has gone to a higher level, with the recent involvement of some high profile Japanese companies in the PNG LNG project".

 

University of Goroka into distance learning

 

Caption: Workshop participants in Goroka

 

The University of Goroka last week hosted a workshop with Flexible Open and Distance Education (FODE) to discuss a partnership with UOG's School of Distance and Flexible Learning (DFL). 

FODE will form the basis of support for new programme -  Bachelor of Education in School Management at UOG -  starting in semester two of this year.

The roles, responsibilities and functions of the entities involved were part of the workshop along with critical components for the delivery and support of learning materials to distance learners. 

Topics such as learner support functions, tasks and the perceptions of distance learning were also covered. 

A mission statement was also developed at the workshop based on in-service teacher education through the partnership with FODE.

Ouka Lavaki (ML), assistant secretary National Capital District for general education services,  was present at the workshop and fully supported UOG’s move to offer in-service teacher education via DFL. 

Mr Lavaki said the programme at UOG was “a way forward for many teachers out there who wish to upgrade by bringing services to their doorstep”.

The workshop was also attended by Eileen Lala, academic registrar from FODE and provincial co-ordinators from Eastern Highlands Joe Sogone, Western Highlands Robert Alua and Oro Cecilia Gangai. 

FODE distance learning centres will be utilised as support centres for the DFL program. 

Demas Tongogo, principal of FODE, said he was happy to be “party to the work UOG is doing to upgrade teachers and to directly contribute”.

Visiting specialist in distance learning ProfTony Wrightson commented “it was not an easy task to begin nurturing this ‘baby’ at a single mode institution like UOG… but this kind of innovation is about access and giving opportunities to those who could never have tertiary education before”. 

Prof Wrightson said that UOG staff and their goodwill towards DFL had been of a high standard, and that it made sense for UOG and FODE to march together to achieve their goal.

A memorandum of agreeement (MOA) document is planned to be signed between UOG and FODE later this year.

UOG is fully committed to DFL and has provided funding and new staff positions to assist with the running of the new course.

Momis signs up to vie for presidency

By ALOYSIUS LAUKAI

 

FORMER Bougainville Regional Member and Ambassador John Momis (pictured) became the fourth candidate to nominate to contest the presidential seat in the Autonomous Bougainville Government second general elections yesterday, The National reports.

He was accompanied by a huge crowd of supporters which included the sacred UPE group from Wakunai.

Mr Momis will lead the New Bougainville Party in this coming election.

The other three presidential candidates who have nominated are current President James Tanis, Ruben Siara and a woman candidate, Magdalen Toroansi.

Mr Tanis was the first to nominate following the issuing of writs last Friday. He started his campaigning at Gogohe at the weekend and is now in Arawa.

 

 

Sir J: Govt filthy rich, people poor

 ‘Speaker totally biased, courts are tired, law enforcement agencies cannot cope with computerised white collar crimes while jails have become transit picnic grounds for criminals’

 

NEW Ireland Governor Sir Julius Chan says the Government is filthy rich but its people continue to live in saksak houses, no medicine, dilapidated schools and totally forlorn.

“The Parliament is no longer the People’s House, but a rubber stamp for the multi-billionaires who can influence our leaders to introduce laws and agreements we know very little about, yet the long term impact is unpredictable.

“The Speaker is totally biased, the courts are tired, law enforcement agencies can no longer cope with computerised white collar crimes, whilst our jails have become transit picnic grounds for criminals.

“The people of this country are tired of sitting on the outside and begging for what is properly theirs,” he said.

“For too long, Papua New Guineans have been spectators of resource developments on their traditional lands which do not equate with the wealth and benefits derived from their rich resources.

“It is time for the Government to transfer wealth from the State to the people,” Sir Julius said.

“The people are tired of others telling them what they can and cannot do with papagraun.

“The people are tired of seeing pay raises and allowance raises in Waigani, when the State does not even consider it necessary to provide them with the pittance the State has promised to provide.

 “Under the current and previous governments, New Ireland has not improved after 15 years of Lihir gold and three years of Simberi mining, and this would be the same scenario in all mining provinces across the country,” he said.

Sir Julius said mothers in Bougainville, after the 16 years of the crises, had shown determination and resilience to sustain a society built out of nothing, making the best use of them to rehabilitate and rebuild families and communities.

“This is the reason we need strong representation of the women in all spheres of endeavour, a step that we, in New Ireland, have accepted and submitted to the autonomy committee to have nine seats of deputy presidents of LLG to be contested only by women and give them free choice to contest all other seats in the provincial elections.

“We need to re-look and reassess our policies and strategies and exercise fairness and justice that will position our people to access more benefits from what they already inherit and own as citizens of our country,” he added.

Sir Julius said women must start exerting their influence as equal stakeholders of the wealth of the land to attain balanced social-economic development for the country.

“In the wake of the mineral, oil and gas boom, they must seize the opportunities to benefit as equal stakeholders of the land,” he said at a gathering of women in Faniufa village outside Goroka yesterday.

He said the role of women needed to be redefined and strengthened to uphold their status.

“They have been taken for granted as participants in the various levels of landowner agreements and investment undertakings with developers and the State irrespective of their special status and role in the communities.

“You have to move on from housemaids to housekeeping and stop the men from squandering and signing agreements that cannot be fulfilled,” he added

Soldiers hear about K13mil, no pay date

PROTESTING soldiers at the Taurama Barracks in Port Moresby were told yesterday K13 million has been awarded for their pay rise, but no date has been given for its implementation, The National reports.

They were told that K13 million was approved by the Government for the PNG Defence Force to implement its new salary structure for this year and also to pay outstanding payments only for January to December last year.

But it is still uncertain which payday this would actually come into effect.

PNGDF director for personnel Navy Cmdr Michael David was at the Taurama barracks yesterday to calm down the soldiers and explain the break-up of the funds.

He said the salary and conditions monitoring committee, (SCMC) led by Department of Personnel Management (DPM) had decided to award an 8% pay rise despite their earlier demands last month for a 100% increment.

The disgruntled soldiers had claimed then that the increment had been outstanding since 2007.

The implementation phase of the funds for officers from the rank of private to colonel, and of how the increments would be paid according to the new PNGDF salary structure, was discussed with soldiers at Taurama yesterday.

However, no schedule as to the actual date of commencement was given.

Cmdr David assured them that although some agreement had been reached, DPM has not given a clear confirmation as to what payday this would be effected.

Of the K13 million, K4 million would take care of outstanding salaries from last January to December while K8 million would be used to implement the new salary structure beginning in January this year. 

As Cmdr David was leaving the Taurama barracks in his car, he was shouted at by the soldiers who were still not convinced by what he had informed them.

After Cmdr David left, Taurama barracks Cmdr Lt Col Emmanuel Todick reassured the officers that he would be pursuing the matter but called for understanding and patience from the soldiers while DPM and other agencies put an implementation schedule in place.