New Papua New Guinea Embassy in Japan opened

Japan – Papua New New Guinea relations can only get better with the opening of the magnificent new PNG Embassy in Tokyo, according to Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare.

He was speaking in Tokyo yesterday when officially opening the new embassy building (pictured) in front of a large entourage from both Japan and PNG.

The K20 million building is named after former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Sir Albert Maori Kiki, who was instrumental in developing PNG foreign policy.

"Papua New Guinea already enjoys a fast-growing investment, trade and economic relationship with Japan," Sir Michael said.

"Japan is Papua New Guinea's second-largest trading partner.

"Japanese business entities have substantial investment interests in the agriculture, forestry, fisheries and oil and gas sectors.

"JBIC, Nippon Oil Exploration and Tokyo Electric's participation in the first PNG LNG project confirms the trend towards a more enhanced relationship between Papua New Guinea and Japan.

"This is further exemplified by the interest shown by JAPEX in the second LNG project being developed in Papua New Guinea."

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

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.

Nambawan Super Declares a solid profit for 2009

10% interest crediting rate for members and increases its reserves.

By any measure, 2009 was a difficult year for business and investment.  The global financial crisis (GFC) battered a wide range of industry sectors around the world, tightening the global flow of money and putting intense pressure on investment markets.

To some extent, the Papua New Guinea economy was sheltered from the worst of the GFC’s impact.  A number of the Fund’s investments thrived during the year, against the worldwide downward trend that saw billions wiped from share market capitalisations.

Against these very challenging conditions, the Board is very pleased to report that the Fund has delivered yet another solid result for our members. The Board’s prudent approach to managing members’ money has stood the Fund in very good stead.  This places the Fund in a strong position to take advantage of improvements in the various markets for the benefit of our members.

After tax profit for 2009 was a very respectable K191 million.  Interest of 10% (which equates to K236.5 million) has been approved for crediting to member accounts, including the Retirement Savings Accounts (RSAs) of retired members.  Offset against a headline inflation rate of 5.7%, the declared interest rate represents a positive real return of 4.3%, the seventh year in a row, since the reforms, in which the Fund has delivered double digit interest and, most importantly, real returns to members.

The Board also approved an interim interest rate of 3% for members leaving the Fund in 2010.

Determining the annual interest rate is a very serious decision for the Board of Directors. Account is taken of the audited financial statements of the Fund for the year, and consider all aspects that have bearing on the financial outcome, not just the after tax profit figure. The Board makes sure proper accounting standards are met.  It also factors in economic forecasts for the next few years, to make sure it sets aside sufficient reserves to meet the prudential requirements set by the Bank of Papua New Guinea.

Simply put, the Board does not drain your asset bucket to boast an artificially high interest rate. As you would appreciate, superannuation is a long term commitment. The Board’s job is to make sure that the Fund is sustainable over the long term so it will be there when the member comes to retire, however many years away that may be.

While double digit interest crediting has been approved for the year, Reserves have increased to K74.7 million from the 2008 levels of K66.6 million. Maintaining reserves at such prudent levels can help          reduce the impact on members of future market ups and downs.

In spite of the difficult investment conditions, the Fund’s total assets increased to K2.83 billion, an increase of K210 million over the 2008 total of K2.62 billion.  Income of K249 million was derived from the Fund’s investments, largely attributed to good performance in interest earnings, property revaluations, international shares and exchange rate benefits arising from the drop in value of the Kina.   The Fund has been prudent, responsible and conservative in the valuation of our investments.  This is reflected in only 33% of our total income being unrealised “paper profits”.

Membership of both the Fund and the RSA continued to grow during 2009.  By the end of the year 113,564 Papua New Guineans had entrusted Nambawan Super with the care of their superannuation money, with membership growth double that of the previous year.  Following this positive trend, the RSA also attracted a significant number of new members, people who recognise the value of leaving money in their account to help fund their later retirement years. The growth of the RSA is welcome on another level, as it represents a strengthening of the culture and habit of saving among our members.

All in all, the Fund’s performance and achievements in 2009’s challenging environment were very pleasing.

In the context of the regulatory environment in which the Fund operates, implementing good corporate governance practice and taking a careful and prudent approach to managing members’ money have long been priorities and they will continue to be priorities of the Board.

On behalf of all Fund members I would like to take the opportunity to thank my fellow Board members for their wise counsel and support throughout the year. I also extend a personal thank you to Nambawan Super’s dedicated management and staff and all service suppliers for their hard work and their energetic commitment to the Fund and its members during 2009.

Sir Nagora Bogan, KBE

CHAIRMAN

 

Growing a solid career in agriculture

Coaching in Australia, 2007

Rice breeding in Philippines, 2009

Institute of National Affairs SPSS Survey training Port Moresby 2010

Abner Yalu

Abner Yalu from Bukawa, Morobe province, is one of Papua New Guinea’s most highly-skilled up-coming agriculture experts with a Bachelor of Science degree from University of PNG, post-graduate certificate from University of Technology and Masters from University of Queensland.
The 30-year-old is departing for his MPhil/PhD with Queensland University of Technology (QUT) and Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Australia, in July 2010.
Mr Yalu is a biometrician (applied statistician) and plant breeder (quantitative genetics).
He is currently the leading biometrics consultant for all National Agriculture Research Systems (NARS) such as National Agriculture Research Institute, Fresh Produce Development Agency, Coffee Industry Corporation, Cocoa Coconut Institute, Oil Palm Research Association, etc) in Papua New Guinea.
Mr Yalu has resigned from NARI with the aim of starting his own consultancy firm.
He has run over 20 statistics and biometrics training workshops and has trained over 100 professional PNG researchers in government and non-governmental organisations.
His understanding and expertise in adult learning, learning styles, skills and action learning has made all his training workshops very enjoyable and intellectually-rewarding for all who’ve attended.
Mr Yalu has produced a number of statistics training materials including the ‘Mind Map’ of statistical tests that is used in deciding which statistical tests to apply in different research contexts.
His present biometrics/statistics trainings target surveys and experimental designs, data analysis and interpretations using statistical techniques such as linear models, mixed models, multivariate statistics, non-parametric, and results reporting and also use of statistical packages such as Genstat, R and SPSS.
Some of his consultancies in the past include Australian Centre for International Agriculture Research (ACIAR)-funded biometrics trainings for NARS and World Vision in 2005-2006.
Mr Yalu also has international biometrics consultancy experience with Queensland Department of Primary Industries (QDPI&F) and tutoring biometrics at the University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
He has plant breeding experience in both self and open-pollinated crops such as taro (Colocasia esculenta) and sweet potato (Ipomea batatas).
His professional experience in the release of four new PNG-bred hybrid taros by NARI are detailed in his book ‘Taro Improvement and Development in Papua New Guinea’ which can be found on the website:
http://www.apaari.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/taro-papua-guinea-final.pdf
He is well-versed with quantitative research analytical techniques from mixed models to multivariate statistics including MET and pattern analysis and biplots and calculating breeding values, combining abilities, heritability and etc.
Mr Yalu’s quantitative genetics knowledge also includes overseas research experience working on bi-informatics projects using online genetics databases to identify genetic sequences, breeding wheat for rust resistance and analysing genotype by environment data of pine tree evaluated across Australia.
He was also trained in rice (Oryza sativa) research to production in the Philippines in 2009.
His experiences have exposed him to extreme physical environments and conditions doing field work in remote places over long periods.
He is well-experienced in carrying out rural surveys, appraisals and impact assessments. He has taken part in surveys such as technology dissemination of rice in East Sepik province and taro in Morobe province.
Mr Yalu is a self-taught expert in adult learning and learning skills such as memorisation, study, thinking, learning, reading, writing and public speaking skills and setting and achieving goals.
He coaches high school and university students and any interest persons on his free time on voluntary basis as community service.
He was a mentor and coach at the Polyvision 2007-Pacific Youths of Tomorrow at the Ipswich Campus, Ipswich, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
His greatest passion is to help young people achieve their dreams in life the way he is living his at the moment.
Mr Yalu was born on Sept 14, 1979, to a Lutheran pastor father from Gobadik and a primary school mother from Lae.
He did his Grades One to Six from 1987-1992 at Ogelbeing Primary School in Western Highlands province, Grades Seven to 10 from 1993-1996 at Hagen Park High School, Grade 11 at Fatima Secondary in Western Highlands in 1997 and Grade 12 at Malala Secondary in Madang in 1998.
From 1999-2002, Mr Yalu was at UPNG studying for his Bachelor of Science Degree.
He joined NARI as a cadet scientist from 2003-2005, during which time he completed his post-graduate certificate in scientific communication/adult learning from Unitech, and from 2006-2008 did his Masters in Agriculture Studies, specialising in biometrics and quantitative genetics.

Meeting a stepping stone for women in agriculture

By DAISY TANIOVA PAWA

 

THE PNG Women in Agriculture Development Foundation’s (PNG WiADF) two-day discussion in Lae on Tuesday and Wednesday should be a stepping stone for women in Agriculture, for the development of this nation.

The importance was stressed with the participation of farmers in forming their strategic plan.

The plan would provide an opening for the foundation to seek assistance from government organisations and donor agencies.

Initiator of the foundation, Maria Linibi, said she recognised that the majority of PNG's population, of over 85%, lived in the rural areas and their livelihood was dependent on agriculture and related food activities for food production and income.

Mrs Linibi said that studies had shown that women in PNG did the majority of work in agriculture.

“That was why it was important that the capabilities of women in agriculture be enhanced so that there can be improvement and development in the standard of living in PNG,” she said.

The talks attracted organisations and dignitaries from around the country and abroad to speak about the challenges women faced in agriculture development and how they could be assisted in overcoming these obstacles.

The PNG WiADF was formed in 2007 and today has 24 affiliated groups from 13 different provinces.

Mrs Linibi said the foundation committed itself with passion to pursue and implement policies that were conducive to investments in human resource development, research and infrastructure to achieve food security.

She said the foundation would encourage generation of employment and income among women and promote equitable access to productive and financial resources.

Mrs Linibi said the foundation recognised the importance of food security for sustainable agriculture, floriculture, fisheries, forestry, other natural resources and rural development.

She said the sustainable development policies of the foundation would go into promoting full participation and empowerment of women, and equitable distribution of income and access to necessary social services such as education and health.

The foundation recognises that improving the quality of life for women can have an enormous effect on society because of the multiple roles women have in raising children, in education and as stewards of natural resources, to provide for their families.

Yesterday’s discussion was the highlight of the event where the women participants were able to air their grievances and establish networks with other stakeholders and partners who provided support and alternatives to the foundation’s effectiveness.

It was also an opportunity for the women in agriculture to showcase their produce by setting up stalls outside the Allan Quatermain Hall of the National Research Institute in Bubia.

Do Australian politicians care about what's happening in Papua New Guinea?

From John Pasquarelli

Since PNG gained its independence in 1975, all sides of politics have barely been interested in what is happening to one of our closest neighbours. Now that the huge Exxon-Mobil LNG development has been signed off, PNG is entering a dramatic phase in its modern history as it becomes a big player in the international energy market. A Communist Chinese 747 recently landed in Port Moresby, discharging passengers in military uniforms and suits – to sign up lucrative contracts for the supply of LNG to China. PNG politicians and their acolytes will rush to gorge at the money trough whilst many PNG villagers will make do with their A$250 annual income.

Southern Highlanders whose lands carry the oil and gas, are flooding into Moresby as a cargo cult hysteria builds and PNG faces more pressure on its demoralised Police and Military forces. Twelve violent criminals recently walked out of Moresby's Bomana prison accompanied by a PNG woman posing as a human right lawyer! - the possible involvement of senior police and politicians is doing the rounds in local markets and the media – not the best PR for a country where there will be a huge influx of foreigners to work on the project. Do Australian politicians care?

Work starts on Wabag police cells

Renovation work on the condemned Wabag police cells in Enga province started on Monday, and would take about four weeks to complete, The National reports.Porgera gold mine developer, Barrick (PNG) Ltd, is renovating the seven cells, doing extensions, replacing the sewage system, connecting water and electricity supplies and adding two more security razor wire fencing to the existing one due to numerous breakouts by detainees, usually by digging through the cell floor shown here by acting provincial police commander Chief Insp Martin Lakari and his policemen. The police cells were condemned by the health authorities in 2006. It all started with Wabag resident judge Justice Graham Ellis and his court staff scrubbing the cells on alternate Sundays.-Nationalpic by JAMES APA GUMUNO.

Calls blocked

Mobile networks fight over rates and payments

 

THE public could be hit with communication and power blackout heading into the long Easter holiday because of disputes between the phone companies and upgrade work at a power facility, The National reports.

Residents in Port Moresby are expected to suffer the most, with the Rouna 2 power station expected to shut down over much of the holiday period for work to be carried out.

The dispute over interconnection rates between the mobile phone companies surfaced again this week, with Digicel blocking off traffic, making calls from bemobile to Digicel impossible.

Industry sources monitoring the mobile activities yesterday said bemobile customers were hard hit, with Digicel blocking 95% of traffic.

Some callers had to try a number of times to get through, causing a lot of frustration.

Digicel said yesterday it was having issues with bemobile and Telikom with regard to who was going to pay for outstanding mobile invoices.

Digicel said both had denied liability and, therefore, Digicel had not received payments for service (interconnection) provided since June 12 last year.

It said the outstanding payments amounted to “several millions of kina”.

“Digicel cannot be expected to keep providing services indefinitely when bemobile is unwilling to even engage in discussions around mobile interconnect, outstanding mobile payments and, indeed, have expressly denied liability,” Digicel said in response to questions about why interconnect calls were blocked.

But bemobile sources said the current contractual relationship was with Telikom, meaning Telikom pays the interconnect fees owed for mobile to mobile calls and sms.

They said Digicel served Telikom with a demand for payment for K2.5 million at the old interconnect rates, and later withdrew this demand.

The sources said Digicel withdrew the demand because it could not invoice on the old rates, and did not want to state the new rates as doing so would be seen as acceptance of the new interconnection rate.

Digicel has recently gone to court to challenge the new rates introduced by the regulator ICCC, but lost the challenge.

Digicel claims it operates a bigger network, and is losing money on the new interconnection rates being applied.

Telikom and bemobile disagree, and argue that termination rates should be further reduced, as is the trend around the world.

Interconnection rates have dropped about 50%, down to 26 toea (peak) and 22 toea (off peak) per minute, from 46 toea to 42 toea per minute.

The rates were set by ICCC last December.

Industry sources say a drop in interconnection rate will mean cheaper calls for all mobile users.

At present, Digicel has the larger share of the mobile market. It controls about 80%.

When contacted about the dispute and the blocking of calls, Communications and Information Department secretary Henao Iduhu said he would meet all three parties to try to resolve the dispute.

Officials at ICCC could not be reached for comments.