Drought and climate change to be focus of NARI show

The National Agricultural Research Institute is preparing the annual Agricultural Innovations Show for 2010 to be staged at its Sir Alkan Tololo Research Centre at Bubia, Morobe province, on Wednesday, May 5, 2010

This will be the fourth year of this ‘information exchange and knowledge sharing’ event in which partner and collaborating organisations in agricultural and rural development will be invited to display and exhibit their innovations and improved technologies and interact with farmers and the general public.

Over the past four years, NARI has been spearheading a campaign to prepare Papua New Guinea for recurring periods of prolonged drought linked to changes in the El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) in the tropical Pacific Ocean.

 In recognition of the urgent need to prepare PNG for such a scenario, the theme of NARI’s innovation show this year is: “Preparing PNG for Drought and Climate Change”.

As an integral component of the event, NARI is also hosting a major stakeholder forum under the banner: “Preparing PNG for Drought”.

This aim of this forum is to raise awareness on drought nationally and to debate how best to prepare rural communities for drought conditions.

NARI is inviting representatives from all the major international and national aid agencies and government institutions concerned with food and agriculture, environment and water security issues in PNG.

 Local non-government organisations, churches, community-based organisations and rural farming communities will also be invited to participate in this forum.

“The Government of PNG has recently committed public investment programme (PIP) funding to support NARI in a major project entitled: ‘Preparing rural communities for frequent and prolonged El Niño-induced drought events,” according to NARI director-general Dr Raghunath Ghodake.

 “This project will be launched during the stakeholder forum by the Chief Secretary to the PNG Government, Mr Manusupe Zurenuoc.

“Forum participants will be informed about the project aims, scope of operation and partnering arrangements, and opportunity will be given for feedback and comment on these matters.

“Presentations from other organisations will cover important issues of food distribution networks, clean water provision, and epidemic disease control, in the run-up to a severe drought event, and the forum will explore and debate these matters also.

“We believe that this forum will be an important milestone along the road to secure lives and livelihoods in PNG against a backdrop of increased climate change-related disasters both here and within the wider Pacific region.”

Fullhouse at Bomana for ANZAC Day service

Hundreds of people, mainly Australian trekkers, attended the traditional emotional ANZAC Day Dawn Service today at the Bomana War Cemetery outside Port Moresby.

People started arriving at Bomana as early as 4am for the ceremony and lit candles to see them through to the first rays of sunlight.

This year, unlike previous years, there were no Australian veterans; however, the number of people was up from last year and previous years.

The ceremony was attended by dignitaries including Governor General Sir Paulias Matane, Australian High commissioner Ian Kemish, New Zealand High Commissioner Niels Holm, British High Commissioner David Dunn, PNG Defence Force Commander Brig Gen Francis Agwi as well as military officers from the four countries.

The bands of the Royal PNG Constabulary and Correctional Services were out in force this morning at Bomana.

 Ecumenical services were celebrated by the Salvation Army chaplain.

Students of Ela Murray International School and Port Moresby International School sang Abide with Me while Elaine Kila, holder of the Butch Bisset Memorial Scholarship for Higher Education, read the poem A Tribute To ANZAC Day. 

“Fathers, sons and brothers, together they fought and died,” she recited.

“That we may live in peace while at home their mothers cried.

“When that final bugle calls them to cross the great divide.

“Their comrades will be waiting when they reach the other side.”

The Requiem was read by Col Mark Sheperd, head of Australian Defence staff in PNG while Bible readings were done by Mr Holm and Lt Col Gordon Milward, New Zealand Defence attaché.

Mr Kemish gave the official address.

Sir Paulias lead the wreath laying while The Ode was read by Brig Gen Agwi and Port Moresby Returned Services League president Joseph Fillipi.

The hundreds at Bomana later thronged to the Australian High Commission in Port Moresby for the traditional Gunfire Breakfast.

Hundreds attend ANZAC Day service in Madang

Captions: 1. Madang Governor Sir Arnold Amet with church leaders in Madang yesterday 2. Coastwatchers Memorial Lighouse in Madang yesterday. 3. Group Captain Tony Behm of the Australian Defence Force gives his talk. 4. Madang Governor Sir Arnold Amet addresses the crowd

 

More than 1, 000 people attended the ANZAC Day Dawn Service today at the Coastwatchers Memorial Lighthouse at Kalibobo in Madang.

 It was attended by Governor Sir Arnold Amet, his predecessor Sir Peter Barter together with representatives from the Australian Defence Force including Group Captain Tony Behm and Lt Col Simon Watts from the High Commission in Port Moresby. 

The ecumenical services were celebrated by Pastor Jeffrey Minirav, Rev Joiseph Tuoa and Fr Steven. 

The United Church Choir sang Abide with Me and O Help in Ages Past. 

“Both Grp Capt Behm and Sir Arnold addressed the service, a well-known local Alfred Sibut played the Last Post and Reveille and the Ode of Remembrance was read by Sub-Lt Isaac Napitalai of the PNG Defence Force,” Sir Peter said.

“It was a beautiful morning in Madang as  the sun rose over the horizon at 5.45am as the service commenced and upon the conclusion, a Gunfire Breakfast was served to the more than 1, 000 people who attended the service.”

Sir Peter Barter, chair of the Melanesian Foundation, thanked business houses who contributed towards the event including providing sufficient food to feed everyone, staff of Madang Resort for volunteering their time to set up the area for the service, PNG Maritime College, Correctional Institution Services, Divine Word University, Lutheran and Catholic Churches and choir from United Church for their contribution.

He in particular thanked the many hundreds of Papua New Guineans who had walked in from villages to attend the service.

ANZAC Day Dawn Service at Bomana War Cemetery, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea

1.Part of the crowd at the Dawn Service 2. First light at Bomana War Cemetery 3. Bearing wreaths to the Cross of Sacrifice 4. Australian High Commissioner Ian Kemish 5. Governor General Sir Paulias Matane 6. Papua New Guinea Defence Force Commander Brigadier General Francis Agwi 7. Governor General Sir Paulias Matane.-Pictures by AURI EVA

Nambawan Super thanks the State for settling contribution arrears

THE State (Government) paid up the K40 million outstanding in employer contributions to Nambawan Super last Friday.

Managing Director of Nambawan Super Mr Leon Buskens thanked the staff of the Treasury Department, especially Secretary Simon Tosali, who has diligently met a commitment made the previous week in dealing with the issue of contribution arrears.

The State had earlier paid K65 million which included penalty interest and reimbursement. The K65 million represented what Nambawan Super had already paid out, on behalf of the State, to members who had left employment.

Mr Buskens said: “The fundamental issue of under-budgetting on the part of the Government’s superannuation obligations will always give rise to the problem of arrears. Going forward, I hope that this will not be the case from this year and onwards.”

He reiterated that under the Superannuation General Provision Act 2000, employers must comply with their obligations to contribute for and on behalf of their employees and urged the State to ensure that these obligations were met.

Mr Buskens said failure by an employer to remit staff super funds was guilty of an offence under the Superannuation Act and as stipulated, the employer was required to remit employer and employee contributions within 14 days of the date of deduction.

 

 

Yumi rausim malaria long Papua New Guinea

 Port Moresby: SCHOOL children, local communities, global and national health organizations will gather at Waramo village outside Vanimo in Sandaun province

to mark World Malaria Day on Monday, April 26.

World Malaria Day, commemorated annually on April 25, marks a global effort to highlight the need for the prevention and control of malaria around the world.

Papua New Guinea is attempting to reduce malaria morbidity and mortality through delivering preventative, diagnostic and treatment services to all people at risk of malaria, especially pregnant women and children younger than age five who are more vulnerable to the devastating effects of malaria.

The National Department of Health is leading collaborative efforts with two major partners -- Rotarians Against Malaria (RAM) and Population Services International (PSI) – in fighting malaria, thanks to funding from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

The national theme “Yumi Rausim Malaria” affirms a call for collaboration from everyone in the country to free Papua New Guinea from malaria, and urges all to sleep under a long lasting insecticide treated mosquito net each and every night.

Malaria has been identified as one of the top five health priorities in the country and the leading cause of hospital admissions. Approximately 1.9 million cases of malaria are reported annually at health centres and hospitals, and every year between 600 and 700 Papua New Guineans die from malaria in health care facilities. The socio-economic burden the disease poses to PNG is substantial.

A recent study from the Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research found that 64.6% percent of households surveyed in PNG owned a long lasting insecticide treated mosquito net, but only 39.5% of children younger than age 5 and 41.3% of pregnant women reported having slept under their net.

The Papua New Guinea observation of World Malaria Day will feature the launch of the National Malaria Control Programme (NMCP) Strategic Plan 2009-2013 and the launch of a new National Malaria Control Programme logo and slogan.

The programme includes a speech by the Minister for Health & HIV, Sasa Zibe. Two demonstrations will occur – one showing how a Rapid Diagnostic Test for malaria works and another on how long lasting insecticide treated mosquito nets are delivered to pregnant women through antenatal care clinics.

 

For more information, contact:

Population Services International

Section 52, Allotment 18, Varahe Road, Gordons

P.O. Box 327, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea

Ph:  (675) 311 2190 / Fax:  (675) 311 2199

 

Lest we forget!

Captions: 1. (L-R) British Defence Advisor to Papua New Guinea Colonel Mark Hainge and the British High Commissioner to PNG, David Dunn, at last year's ANZAC Dawn Service at the Bomana war cemetary outside Port Moresby. 2.   Wreath laid at Bomana War Cemetary by the New Zealand Governor General during his visit last October.3.  The New Zealand Governor General (right) visits Bomana War Cemetary last October, accompanied by NZ Defence Force personnel.4.  The New Zealand Governor General (right) visits Bomana War Cemetary last October.