FORMER Papua New Guinea ambassador to China John Momis is confident of becoming president of Bougainville, The National reports.
As of last night, Momis was leading incumbent President James Tanis by a comfortable margin.
When The National went to press, Momis polled 25,134 votes to Tanis’ 13,875 votes, a difference of over 11,000.
The five other candidates were not polling well enough to pose any threat to the two.
He told Radio New Zealand that baring any foul play, he would win because he had wide support.
Momis said once elected, he would get straight to work to ensure Bougainville moved away from dependency on aid, and ensure weapons disposal was completed quickly.
“I have a two-pronged approach to reconstruct the economy of Bougainville. One is to find ways and means of enabling the people to raise income for themselves and their families.
“We must not be made to be dependent on the government.
“The other approach will be to find ways and means of enabling the government to go into big projects which would involve joint venture businesses with good credible foreign partners, to generate revenue for the government.”
He said his government would use the increased revenue to provide badly needed services like education, health and infrastructure.
“Bougainville is rich with natural resources in many, many areas. That is something that we must do. We can’t be forever dependent on handouts,” he said.
He said the Tanis government had failed to tackle the problem of weapon disposal in a meaningful way, and that would be one of his first priorities.
These are a few pictures taken from helicopter afternoon 40 miles out to sea approaching Madang.
We dropped a bucket of beer, fruit, sandwiches newspapers, various emails exhanged and a map of Madang showing her where she will be escorted to the Marina.
Higher res pictures were sent to media this afternoon.
Roz looks very excited; we spoke on the radio and is looking forward to her arrival in Madang.
Roz Savage 47.5 nautical miles south east of Madang today.-Picture courtesy of SIR PETER BARTER
By MALUM NALU
British woman adventurer Roz Savage is expected to arrive in Madang at 2pm tomorrow (Thursday) after an epic rowing voyage across the Pacific from Kiribati, something that has never been done before.
This (Wednesday) afternoon, Sir Peter Barter flew in his helicopter to meet Savage, who is expected to arrive in Madang tomorrow afternoon to a warm welcome by school children, a flotilla of canoes and other boats marking the end of her historic epic voyage across the Pacific.
Sir Peter's helicopter lowered a bucket containing a mobile telephone, several cans of beer, fresh fruit, sandwiches, newspapers and information about Madang.
She is expected to be given a welcome fit for a heroine from people of the resort town of Madang
“Roz Savage is expected to arrive around 2pm in Madang, and escorted into the Madang Resort Marina by hundreds of children dressed in traditional dress,” Sir Peter said tonight.
“It is also expected that many banana boats and fishing vessels including the Kalibobo Spirit will provide a warm welcome to the intrepid lone sailor after months at sea by herself.”
Savage was the first person in 2005 to row across the Atlantic Ocean from Great Britain to the United States.
She then rowed from Los Angeles to Hawaii and is now approaching Madang from Kiribati.
“This quite an amazing voyage as no one before has rowed solo across the Atlantic and now the Pacific Ocean and it will be a historic day for Madang and PNG when she finally arrives,” Sir Peter said
“Her main message about her voyage is to raise awareness of climate change, which of course is important in PNG, where so many islands and coastal regions are being threatened with rising water.”
The loss of value in marketable sweet potato or kaukau in mainland PNG happens at all points of the supply chain from farms in the Highlands to markets in Lae and Port Moresby, according to a survey by National Agriculture Research Institute and the Fresh Produce Development Agency.
A stakeholder workshop on ‘Towards Better Kaukau Supply Chain in PNG’, which started at NARI Headquarters in Lae today, was told that such losses happened due to damages during handling and transportation.
A survey participant, Ronald Pam (pictured), told the stakeholders that some of the obvious damages were skinning, broken root and rotten tubers.
“Lots of damages occur at loading and unloading,” he said.
“Major impacts lead to lots of broken root.
“This then result in lots of rotten tubers that can not be sold (soft rot) at the markets.”
Such damages affect the value of kaukau when they appear at the market place.
The survey identified that causes included rough handling, different packaging methods, and transportation-related problems derived from handling and high humidity.
Pam, who works for FPDA, said damage starts on-farm from rough handling and this built up further down the chain.
He said according to the survey, the number of broken roots increased through transportation - due to loading and unloading.
In introducing the workshop, Prof Barbara Chambers of the University of Canberra, who facilitated the two-day workshop, said the event was to sensitise discussions on the supply chain of kaukau, with reference to value adding and post-harvest of kaukau.
Prof Chambers said the meeting was to inform stakeholders about recent research outcomes on the present scenario of kaukau supply chain from Highlands to coastal markets and gauge their views on improving the situation.
She said the farmers, transporters, researchers and other industry players were expected to discuss issues relating to adding value and post-harvest management of kaukau.
Specific information required through the consultation are on the level of village training, research/product development, training needs and resources, additional research needs and new interventions on kaukau marketing efficiency, post-harvest management and value addition.
“To get the produce to Port Moresby, there are a lot of delays in between transits that add more problems,”Pam said.
“While kaukau temperature is normally 20-30C, temperatures can be as high as 37C+ in containers, and these have a large impact on shelf life.
“We now know where the damage is occurring and what is causing it.”
He suggested to workshop participants to identify strategies to minimise the problems, and specifically to look at options for reducing damage in on-farm handling, packing bags, packaging types, curing (to make the kaukau tougher and more resilient), and reducing delays in transit – getting the product there in time.
The workshop was part of a major research project undertaken by PNG and Australian organisations to find avenues that can reduce post-harvest losses and improve quality out-turn of kaukau; thus helping farmers increase their household incomes.
The study, which commenced in 2008, is funded by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR).
It primarily emerged after the need for research on post-farmgate marketing/post-harvest of sweet potato in PNG was identified to complement other current ACIAR projects which focus on the supply side.
The local collaborating organisations include NARI, FPDA and a Mt Hagen- based NGO - Rural Women’s Development Initiative - while the Australian counterparts are the University of Canberra and New South Wales Department of Primary Industry. Their representatives plus others from agro-businesses, NGOs, and semi-commercial farmers attended the meeting. The workshop will conclude tomorrow.
East new Britain farmers participating in a training session on pig feeding systems at NARI Keravat BY WANDAMU PALAU and SENIORL ANZU of NARI
Agriculture stakeholders in the New Guinea Islands region had hands-on training on feed development for smallholder livestock using locally available resources and research information. The training, at National Agriculture Research Institute Keravat in East New Britain, was provided by the NARI livestock team from Lae from May 18-19. Over 50 farmers, teachers, trainers, research and extension officers attended. The two days of class presentations, discussions, information material sharing and practical demonstrations enhanced the attendants’ knowledge for further dissemination to other members of their communities. Livestock research leader Dr Workneh Ayalew said the training was on improved poultry and pig feeding systems. The poultry training was led by Janet Pandi of NARI Tambul with assistance from other members of the livestock team. Similarly, the training on pig feeding systems was led by Michael Dom of NARI Labu, assisted by other members of the team. Most of the trainees came from around Kerevat while provincial agriculture staff from Manus and West New Britain also attended. Other participants were from the University of Natural Resources and Environment and the Organisation for Industrial Spiritual and Cultural Advancement (OISCA) with more representation from secondary schools like Utmei, Malabunga, George Brown and Warangoi. Dr Ayalew said the general discussion after the training brought out specific needs for further training as well as some researchable issues. Dr Workneh said provincial agriculture officers from Manus and WNB provinces expressed the need for similar trainings in their provinces and were advised in get in touch with NARI-Kerevat or Labu to follow this up further. Training coordinator Gadi Ling of NARI Keravat said all provincial divisions of primary industry in New Guinea Islands were invited for this vital feed formulation training. This is because the common regional problem that hampers livestock productivity is the expensive and intermittent availability of commercial feeds for piggery or poultry. The specialised training showed how farmers can make effective use of the local feed resources to enhance livestock production. Ling said that the training also aimed at showing NARI’s research on addressing livestock productivity and related feed issues. The provincial network can then facilitate similar training to the wider community in the region. The launching of NARI’s concentrate feed for broiler finisher feed chickens was very well received and appreciated by the participants.
CARE staff unloading emergency non food items (NFIs) at Marawaka during the dysentery epidemic in Wonenara sub-district in October 2009 Grade 3 students from KahuleVillage, ARB, with their own messages for World AIDS Day December 2009 Field officer, Joycelyn Sapura, conducts a household survey in Simogu, EHP, March 2010
CARE has worked in Papua New Guinea since 1989, in response to emergencies including the El Nino drought and frost in 1997, the Aitape tsunami in 1998, the ManamIsland volcanic eruption in 2004 and floods in OroProvince in 2007.
Most recently CARE, in partnership with the Eastern Highlands provincial division of health, supported the people of Wonenara when the dysentery epidemic crossed from Menyamya, Morobe, into the Eastern Highlands.
Since the establishment of CARE’s Headquarters in Goroka in 2006, CARE has worked to support remote and disadvantaged areas with improved agricultural practices, water supply, education, HIV prevention and care, disaster risk management, capacity building and working to address gender based violence and providing women with increased opportunities to generate income.
CARE’s work focuses on some of the remotest communities in parts of the Obura-Wonenara district of Eastern Highlands province.
CARE also has a programme office in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville (ARB).
The Komuniti Tingim AIDS programme has been operating on BukaIsland since August 2008.
In 2010 the programmes focus shifted to young people, in particular young women, in acknowledgement of the challenges faced by youth in a post-conflict environment.
The programme will also expand to Tinputz with a possible further expansion to Central and Southern Bougainville in future years.
A knowledge attitude and practice (KAP) study is almost complete.
This is the first study of its kind in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville, gathering information specifically about young people.
The results will inform CARE’s programme over the next three years and will be shared with government and other partners.
In the Eastern Highlands, CARE is embarking on a new programme known as the integrated community development programme (ICDP) which focuses on governance.
A baseline study was conducted earlier this year in Marawaka, Andakombe, Simogu and Wonenara.
Secondary information has been gathering since the second half of 2009.
The first phase of the field component of the baseline pilot took place in February 2010 and focused on Aiyura and Bioka areas of Obura Wonenara District.
Methodology and outcomes of the pilot fed into the second phase, the field study in target communities.
During field work the ICDP team conducted household surveys, focus groups and government services surveys.
The household survey has collected information around themes such as:household assets, health, nutrition, HIV and AIDS, water and sanitation, and livelihoods.
In addition focus group discussions were held covering areas such as services, experience with and response to disasters, gender, disability, law and order, leadership, and challenges communities are facing.
Of particular value will be information that identifies the situation of women and girls. The debrief of field staff indicates that maternal and infant mortality are likely to be higher than the provincial average, women’s literacy is likely to be lower, the age that girls are taken out of school is likely to be very low and women’s role in decision making is severely compromised as a result.
In terms of CARE’s central focus on women’s empowerment this evidence will be extremely useful for CARE’s advocacy work.
The results are now being analysed and a final report is due by the end of June.
The report will be shared with the communities, government and a full range of partners.
Many of these communities are keen to establish small coffee-growing businesses to increase household income, assist with school fees and medical expenses and other social benefits for families and communities.
CARE will work in partnership with government, National Agriculture Research Institute, Coffee Industry Corporation and other partners to assist these remote communities to improve their livelihoods.
THE matter concerning a K15.5 million payout granted to Madang businessman Peter Yama by the National Court in mid-April is before the courts again, The Nationalreports.
Department of Justice and Attorney-General secretary Dr Lawrence Kalinoe has applied for a Supreme Court reference on the matter.
Kalinoe, acting for the state through lawyer Peter Donigi, is seeking to establish the validity of the payout and whether due legal processes were followed.
The reference application is seeking answers from as far back as Nov 28, 2002, when a deed of settlement was reached between Yama and the solicitor-general, and leading up to a National Court order on April 14 for the money to be paid.
The state is arguing that the deed of settlement did not follow the basic principles of governance, highlighting parts 2, 3 and 6 of the Constitution dealing with the national legal system.
The State had also applied for a stay on the execution of the April 14 National Court decision.
The reference application was filed last month.
A three-judge bench comprising Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia and justices Gibbs Salika and Bernard Sakora yesterday morning heard, and granted, an application by Yama seeking to be included in the special reference proceedings.
The matter was adjourned to next Monday for Yama’s lawyer, Ben Lomai, to submit a notice of objection to competency of the special reference sought by Kalinoe.
