Partnership is important in serving the community

By BUSISI SIWAKA of DAL

 

Public and private partnership between government agencies, non-government organisations, community groups, business houses and local community is important in promoting better livelihood.

One good example is the community work carried out by the Gawad Kalinga Community Development Foundation (PNG) Inc, through its network of Couples for Christ members, in and around the Gerehu suburb of Port Moresby.

One of the partners it is working closely with is the Department of Agriculture and Livestock, which has actively promoted food self-sufficiency including rice cultivation and teaching livelihood skills.

DAL has already been given special recognition for promoting agriculture and good livelihood within the community around the Gerehu suburb, which comprises mostly of landowners of Koitabuan origin and settlers.

Alex Sanny, who has worked with the community on behalf of Gawad Kalinga, says the organisation is doing a good community service and there are positive changes having an impact on people from different ethnic backgrounds and not only Koitabu people.

Gerehu and its settlements on the fringes are regarded as unsafe but that is slowly changing, thanks to the efforts by Gawad Kalinga and its partners, he said.

Many people are beginning to show interest in the group’s activities, which include farming, youth and church activities.

Mr Sanny, a Bougainvillean married to a Koitabu woman, said there had been overwhelming support from organisations such as Super Value Stores, National Capital District Commission, City Pharmacy Ltd, PNG Power Ltd, Digicel and others. Infrastructure and facilities that have been established included houses, a pre-school, clinic and a multi-purpose hall for community activities.

He said with DAL, some livelihood projects had already been implemented including backyard gardening and floriculture.

Plans are underway for development of livestock projects in poultry and piggery.

More residents are being encouraged to venture into agriculture farming activities.

DAL’s women in agriculture development unit and food security branch, and Fresh Produce Development Agency, have been in the forefront in encouraging the residents, mainly local landowners, to grow their own vegetable gardens and produce rice for consumption.

Mr Sanny said the most-important thing was that everything was being done through the Lord’s blessings and he urged all stakeholders to maintain that Christian spirit and continue the good work.

Partnerships and freight subsidies will boost agriculture growth

By SOLDIER BURUKA of DAL

 

Public private partnerships and freight subsidies will assist in promoting agricultural production, particularly the cash crop industry, according to Western province Chamber of Commerce and Industry executive and PNG Rubber Industry Board chairman Warren Dutton.

Mr Dutton made the call during the recent Consultative Implementation and Monitoring Council (CIMC) Southern regional development forum in Popondetta.

He said without strong public private partnerships and workable freight subsidies, the production of most smallholder crops had been in continual decline.

Mr Dutton said previous governments had introduced a policy on freight subsidies for smallholder produce; however, it had not been properly implemented.

He questioned why recommendations by the National Agriculture Council and CIMC national development forum for a freight subsidy scheme were yet to be implemented.

He said that without the partnership between village growers, co-operatives, buying and exporting companies, provincial governments and the national government there would be no cash crop industries in PNG.

Without freight subsidies to provide acceptable prices, all those industries would die, and 85% of PNG’s population would be the losers.

Mr Dutton told the forum that freight subsidies could be made to work in PNG.

“It is the most cost-effective way of distributing the large revenues that are already being earned from mining and oil projects and that will be earned from the LNG project,” he said.

“Surely, now is the time to use some of the funding of the NADP and the revenues which will flow from the LNG project, to provide the freight subsidies that will stimulate our most-remote and neglected smallholders to restart and/or increase their production.”

Mr Dutton said without subsidies, production of most of PNG’s smallholder crops had been in continual decline.

Production has been in decline ever since PNG “destroyed” its plantation industry and the partnerships which the plantations had with their neighboring smallholders.

He said the Government’s policy of encouraging public private partnerships was correct because it would rebuild the relationship which used to exist between smallholders and expert agricultural investors.

Those expert investors are then responsible for providing the training, transport, and marketing for their neighboring smallholders.

Most importantly they must pay an acceptable price for the smallholder’s product.

Mr Dutton said many cash crop industries were under threat because the prices offered to the smallholders were not acceptable to them.

The low prices do not provide an acceptable return for their labour.

He told the forum that the Western province smallholder rubber industry was the only successful smallholder rubber industry because it had hardworking village growers, a good public-private partnership and freight subsidies which allowed the growers to be paid an acceptable and competitive price for their cash crops and labour.

North Fly Rubber Limited’s public-private partnership first with Ok Tedi Mining Limited, then with PNG Sustainable Development Program, and now with the Western province administration has contributed greatly to the development of a sustainable rubber industry in the province.

OTML has for the past 18 years shipped processed rubber from Kiunga to Port Moresby or Queensland, allowing rubber growers to be paid an extra 25t per kg for their cup lump rubber.

 Now it allows them to be paid an extra 43 toea.

Without this assistance it would not have been worth the growers’ while to ever tap their rubber trees.

Rugby union alive and well in Kavieng

Caption: Kavieng rugby union action between N4C and Royals at the weekend.-Picture by GEBING JETHRO

 

By GEBING JETHRO in Kavieng

 

Kavieng rugby union has been running its pre-season competition for the last two weekends and next weekend heads into its seven competition.

Eight teams are set to tussle for the sevens crown this weekend.

In-form teams include Nomads and Royals, who have retained most players from the Buluminski Marlins, semi-finalist at last year’s Black Orchid Sevens in Buka.

The rest of the teams will be out to showcase yet some hidden talents.

Teams taking part are Royals, Nomads, Redskins, Watersides, Plumbers, N4C, Snafu and Putput.

An invitation is still open to intending teams.

After the sevens, it is planned to have a shorter 15’s season.

All teams are set and a planned three-day basic clinic on rules and skills will be run tomorrow (Tuesday, May 4), Wednesday and Thursday by Samson Korong, Mack Lentruth and other key figures in the local rugby fraternity.

Organisers have seen a huge interest among Kavieng youngsters and want to get them all on board.

The next thing is to establish contact with and affiliate with the PNG Rugby Football Union.

Interim committee members running the show are Sergent Silau (Digicel 72844465) and David Lotar (Digicel 71523501).     

All teams must attend tomorrow's clinic starting 4pm at the Court House Oval.

A meeting will also be held.

Protest march reminder

To all

Be advised that the planned protest march by the Port Moresby public has been approved by the police commissioner to be staged tomorrow and is expected to be violent, as criminal elements will take advantage of the situation to engage in activities like looting, rioting, etc.

The protesters will assemble at Boroko and will march to Waigani.

Therefore, remind the kids to stay away from these areas.

All the PMVs will be off the roads and shops will also be closed for business.

Tok save tasol.

 

 

 

bemobile Cup kicks off next Sunday

By HENRY MORABANG

 

Leading mobile phone company bemobile has committed K800, 000 as naming right to support the semi-professional bemobile Cup rugby league competition for 2010.

  Marketing Officer George Trad said this would be the second year for bemobile to back the premier rugby league competition in the country.

 Under the slogan “bemobile cup 2010 best yet”, this year’s contest promises to be one of the most-exciting and competitive seasons.

 The slogan is recognition that bemobile Cup is an exhilarating competition in its own right.

 Trad said that this year would again feature some of the top local rugby league talent PNG has on offer.

 He said this was the company’s second year as the official naming rights sponsor, stamping its strong commitment and support for rugby league in the country.

 “Our financial commitment for this year is K800,000 as well as promoting the game in all media and the community whenever and wherever we have an opportunity, with road shows, store visits and events throughout the season,” Trad said.

 He acknowledged key partners in the media as very important in achieving goals through effective dialogue to promote the game to the community as the bemobile Cup season unfolded.

 “We will be looking to utilise players in the community as never before, and hope to take great strides in making the game attractive to family groups by providing more family entertainment during pre-match and halftime periods,”Trad said.

 The bemobile Cup is a tough competition and also provides a platform for bringing people together as a promotional poster shot.

 Even though the players go head-to-head on the field there is a friendship and camaraderie off the field which makes them ideal ambassadors in the community.

 The return of prodigal team Simbu Warriors back into the high-profile rugby league competition mean there is definitely something in store for fans throughout the country.

 They will bring in their own unique brand of football into the competition.

The bemobile Cup competition has retained all seven franchises from last season with the inclusion of new kids on the block Warriors and Mount Hagen Kuris.

 Teams from last year are reigning premiers Agmark Guria, Toyota Mioks, Masta Mak Rangers, Bintangor Lahanis, ATCL Bombers, Civpac NCD Vipers, SBS Muruks and Bintangor Eagles.

 The Bintangor Group of Companies has pulled the plug on Mt Hagen Eagles, with Wantok Gaming System taking over as new sponsor.

 The bemobile Cup is set to kick off next Sunday, May 9,

 Despite the legal battle within the PNG Rugby Football League, the 2010 draw will see 18 rounds of matches with one team having a bye every weekend.

 The opening clashes will kick off with a big bang in Port Moresby where sister teams Vipers play Rangers, Eagles will host Mioks in Mt Hagen, reigning champions Gurias will tackle Lahanis at the Kalabond ‘graveyard’ in Kokopo while Bombers meet Muruks in Lae.

 Warriors will have a first bye but will have the luxury of hosting their first bemobile Cup game in the second round when they host seasoned campaigners Lahanis of neighbouring Goroka at the newly-upgraded premier Dickson Oval.

Papua New Guinea's new sea training school contributes to maritime shipping industry

By REGINALD RENAGI, DMS, OBE, psc, jssc (Rtd.)

 

Serving the maritime industry of PNG

For the first in many years, Papua New Guinea now has a new sea training school aimed at filling an important gap in the maritime industry.

 It’s a small start at this stage but the country’s first private sea training school - Pacific Maritime Training College (PMTC) - is managed by former professional mariners having a strong passionate vision of training educated men and women as skilled seafarer deck ratings to serve our maritime shipping industry.

The management of the school firmly believes the initial training provided now will support our growing shipping business by the provision of skilled seafarers graduating from the school.

The school believes in learning through application and requires its seafarer trainees (students) to learn and fully apply what they learn in the classroom at sea in whatever capacities they may be employed in future.

PMTC puts special emphasis on ship safety aspects as it considers this to be of paramount importance.

 The course materials are designed in a way that specifically instills in students general personal safety responsibility, discipline and social responsibility as seafarers.

The school’s complementary mission is to provide lifelong career learning skills opportunity for those serving in PNG’s maritime shipping industry.

 In so doing, our graduates will serve our country and further promotes PNG’s maritime interests within the region and globally.

National recognition

PMTC is recognised as a national undergraduate and graduate education sea training school.  Founded and recognised in 2009 by the National Training Council (NTC Approval Number # 181) and the National Maritime Safety Authority (NMSA).

 It is located in Konedobu, National Capital District, Port Moresby. 

One of the few schools in PNG, PMTC offers a complete line of training programmes that are specifically designed to help mariners advance from ordinary seafarer to bosun or assistant engineer, working onboard vessels of unlimited tonnage trading in PNG coastal waters.

Maritime courses

The following is a complete listing of PMTC programs that will lead to a specific qualification or endorsement:

• Basic Seamanship course for General Purpose (Deck and Engine). 
• Additional training may be required, including the completion of Basic Safety Training (BST). 

• On completion of the above-referenced minimum standards will permit graduating trainees to work in an entry-level position (General Purpose) as an Ordinary Seaman (deck hand rating), or engine hand rating.

• Ratings Forming part of a Navigational and Engine Watch course;
• Able-Bodied Seafarer course;
• Assistant Engineer course; and
• Bosun/Coxswain course.

Creating a positive-learning environment

PMTC director of training and master trainer, Reginald Renagi (OBE), who works under the college principal (a former merchant shipping master mariner, executive of the National Maritime College and National Maritime Safety Authority) has since last year been working hard with his training team to create a positive learning environment for new trainees enrolling to do courses each month. 

Renagi sees a very big future in the country’s first private maritime training provider and is very excited about including other intermediate and advanced maritime course within the next 12 to 24 months.  

As master trainer, he sees what the new school is offering to meet a very-important development requirement for this country by producing deck-rating seamen for its growing shipping business. 

This industry is going to grow very rapidly with the country desperately needing properly-trained skilled seafarers. 

The trained seaman will initially work on commercial coastal vessels, with many eventually going on to serve onboard foreign-flag vessels working in international ports. 

Reginald Renagi is serious about assisting the government meet this urgent demand for trained seaman and the PMTC is the perfect vehicle now being designed for this important industry development requirement. 

The director said the school opened in 2009 and presently conducts general purpose deck ratings basic seamanship training courses graduating some eighty seafarers within eight months of opening it doors to the public. 

Many of the students passing through the school have since found seafaring jobs onboard vessels putting to good use the training they received at PMTC.

The school is currently conducting its third training course for this year with more new course being designed by Reginald Renagi and his training team of former mariners.

The present seamanship course is of four weeks duration.

 On completion, three certificates are issued to trainees.

These certificates are: Basic Seamanship and a Safety at Sea Programmes including a General Purpose Rating (an NMSA approved certificate) for PNG Coastal Area of operations. 

All PMTC courses are conducted in accordance with professional requirements of the “Merchant Shipping Act” (STCW Convention) Regulations.

The courses involve both classroom and outdoor practical/demonstration sessions with external training service providers as required.  

In future, the PMTC plans to have onboard professional trainers from recognised international maritime schools to conduct specially designed professional short course programs at the school.

Crewing agency

Currently, plans are underway now to work closely together with Pacific Marine Crewing Agency to do job placements not only for seaman graduates from the school, but also with other seafarers seeking shipboard employment opportunities, but do not know how to go about it. 

Reginald Renagi said business is booming in PNG, especially now with the LNG project and the need for more seamen will only increase with time. 

The expanding shipping business and other commerce activities in PNG’s petroleum and mineral sectors of our economy will see that many vessels will want to employ trained seafarers to work in both coastal, and overseas trading vessels – and PMTC will be there to meet their needs now and in future.

External service providers

Director Renagi said the PMTC has already drawn up memorandum of agreements (MOA) with external service providers like PNG Fire Service, National Fisheries Authority and National Fisheries College.

 It is having discussions with interested stakeholders like PNG Customs Services, PNGDF, RPNGC, NTC, NMSA, Department of Transport and PNG Ports authorities to mention a few. 

PMTC further plans to soon conduct customs operations-related courses as well as port facility security courses. 

On this, the former Royal Australian Navy trained and senior defence force operational and executive manager is very confident the PMTC is here for the long haul with it long-term vision and mission of training and providing skilled seafarers for the PNG maritime industry. 

This will in future also have a big impact in the Pacific region’s shipping industry.

The PMTC is currently self-funded but the former navy man and master trainer believes with the right approach he is very confident the government will see it in their direct interest to support the country’s new sea training school’s vision to provide trained seafarers required for PNG’s shipping business, and help grow a strong economy.

 The sky is the limit and the PMTC plans to expand by running more relevant industry-related courses as well as increasing its trainer staff within the next 24 months.

 

Papua New Guinea needs a coast guard service

By REGINALD RENAGI

 

Papua New Guinea’s national security since independence has remained very much static. 

It is time the government shows it is serious about our national security. 

For a start, the whole Defence organisation must be completely overhauled as part of the government's national strategic plan 2010 - 2050. 

 The Ministry must critically improve its capacity in several key critical areas: command, management, leadership, organisational culture and effectiveness, assets and facilities, administration processes and staff procedures, strategic policies, programmes and projects, military rules and regulations, conditions of service for active members and retirees (pensioners), all ancillary services; and in general improving the general of our servicemen and women with their dependents in our defence communities. 

 This future challenge is now before our government. 

This is most vital if PNG is to get the very best out of defence in future. 

A lot of hollow-sounding speeches by politicians over the years are nothing more than mere platitudes. 

Such useless speeches only give people unnecessarily high expectations come election time, or on some special occasions.

 Soon after getting into public office, politicians easily forget about improving our country's security. 

 Politicians to date have yet to develop their required statesman skills with much finesse.  They must be well educated in what defence is all about and what it can do to develop PNG in numerous positive ways. 

Defence has an important nation building function mandated by the constitution.

 The defence organisation can on the whole contribute immensely to national security, development and unity of PNG if it is adequately resourced. 

 Since independence, defence has always been a very-loyal, committed and dedicated employee to successive governments. 

Over the years, service personnel have been inculcated with the noble ethos of diligently serving “God, Queen and Country" from day one. 

This noble Mindset makes defence very different from the normal run-of-the-mill dysfunctional bureaucracy we have now. 

 Despite some inherent deficiencies, defence is a more-loyal and committed state employee than other national agency. 

This has unfortunately been a one-way street for defence.

 The fact is our politicians and bureaucracy have no real idea at all about enhancing our national security. 

 Our elected representatives are just plain ignorant about key issues affecting national security. 

PNG needs a far-sighted visionary leadership that will address our national security today - not in another 33 years time. 

In future, when PNG may face a grave security threat then it will be too late as we will not even be ready then. 

 Today, the question of 'affordability' is no longer an option as we now have the resources to not keep neglecting our security. 

The Ministry and its defence council must demand more from our government for a better deal for defence. 

Defence officials must no longer be reticent about this vital issue of getting the government's attention to effectively put its money where its mouth is about national security.  

 I also urge senior defence officials to effectively articulate to our parliamentarians in several ways they know best.

 Defence has become a national disgrace because our country's leadership has consistently failed it. 

We only have to see what our neighbours' armed forces are doing these past few years to strengthen their defence forces to make us feel very ashamed of our own lack of real leadership here. 

I again encourage senior officers to professionally assert their real concerns to the defence council. 

The council must get the best deal for defence from government and parliament, and in the process, get full community support for defence. 

 In addition, a major paradigm shift is needed within defence. 

We need more personal effort, commitment and resources to really improve defence capabilities.

 PNG has the resources to positively change defence's present status.

It is time politicians stop their lip-service and show a real commitment towards modernising defence.

 If the government and parliament cannot even do this despite the pressing need today, than abolish the defence department and let a regional government take care of our national security.

 Yes, it does look too easy this way, except that our country will be seriously compromised to potential enemies.

 Today, the most feasible and viable option for government is to set up its own independent National Coastguard Service (NCS) by 2012.

 This must be a part of PNG's new national strategic plan.

 A future NCS will truly serve PNG well by contributing directly towards security and economic development in a far more cost-effective manner than before. 

A NCS will be a fully justified decision as this maritime security agency will generate revenue in several different ways. 

With our new strategic plan for the next 40 years, this presents a great opportunity for the defence Ministry and government for a new future security option.

 The coast guard's offshore tapestry resource protection tasks will include naval, coast guard and civil agency missions conducted all year round on behalf of several line agencies.

 The coast guard will be a new maritime security regime generating substantial revenue for our economy.

 In addition, the NCS will pay itself off many times over in any one year in the conduct of enforcement activities in support of government policies. 

We will have the required revenue to upgrade existing surveillance platforms including acquire additional operational assets. 

Current fleet strengths of ships and aircrafts will need to be augmented as required for improved surveillance and resources protection duties. 

 After 35 years of independence, PNG's national security will be further enhanced through an independent coast guard service. 

I suggest government planners incorporate this security planning option as a key priority development program within the MTDS and the national strategic development plan.

 

• The writer is a former patrol boat commander and defense chief