Chopper saved from arson

A US$20 MILLION (K56.4 million) twin-rotor Columbia helicopter was nearly razed by a frustrated Hides gas field landowner on Monday,The National reports.

The arsonist managed to cut the security wire fence to gain entry into Oil Search Ltd (OSL) Nogoli camp at about 7.30pm.

He then climbed into the helicopter through the rear opening and emptied a kerosene container, including in the cockpit.

He then lit a match stick to start a fire.

The light and smoke alerted security guards who rushed into the helicopter to put out the flames.

Tari liquefied natural gas project police security operations commander Jim Namora said Wabag-based police mobile squad (MS) 12 commander chief Sgt Joseph Ka’a responded swiftly when alerted by the camp’s security.

Namora said Ka’a, who was then leading a section of the MS12 on motor patrol near the camp, helped put out the fire.

They then launched a dawn raid on a house near the camp yesterday and picked up the suspected arsonist.

“He was arrested and charged with one count of being unlawfully in the camp premises and another for committing arson.”

Namora said more charges would be considered according to the Civil Aviation Act.

The suspect told police during interrogation that he was “unhappy” with OSL and how OSL conducted its operations in Hides, and, therefore, decided to burn the aircraft to show his frustration.

He was flown to Moro to be locked up in police custody pending a court appearance.

An expatriate manager at Hides commended police for their quick action in saving the twin-engine Chinook Colombia helicopter.

The source said OSL would have lost more than K100 million if the aircraft was razed.

The aircraft, owned by Pacific Helicopters Ltd, is contracted by OSL to fly in equipment and machinery for its operations at Hides, Lake Kutubu, Moran and the nearby oil and gas fields for the coming LNG.

The helicopter did not sustain any major damage.

The hard job of trying to be fair to AusAID

From PAUL OATES

WHEN SOMEONE known only as 'Peter' suggested on PNG Attitude that some people might be a trifle unfair when reflecting on AusAID's manifest flaws, I thought: "Fair enough, let's look at what is being offered to Papua New Guinea on Australia's behalf."
So, seeking evidence to contradict my opinions, I investigated a website 'Peter' identified as presenting more positive stories, http://www.educo.net/our_projects/law_and_justice/justice_advisory_group.htm
Now I know it's easy to cherrypick details that align with preconceived notions but, in this case, not only was it easy to select information to support my argument, there appeared to be little available to contradict it.
Quote: Educo has considerable experience in promoting and fostering political processes, in particular strengthening institutions of political accountability and improving government responsiveness. Our firm has successfully implemented large projects such as the five-year $5.7 million Ombudsman Commission Institutional Strengthening Project in PNG.
So if $5.7 million has been spent strengthening the PNG Ombudsman, exactly how has that helped the PNG Ombudsman Commission over the last five years? This is the same Ombudsman Commission that has reportedly been poorly resourced and cash strapped to the extent that is had difficulty in performing its role in PNG.
Then the following information is provided under 'Educo achievements' in the $11 million Justice Advisory Group Project to provide "independent advice on the law and justice sector" and "promote sector coordination":
Quote: Educo has produced a performance monitoring framework for the law and justice sector, as well as studies and reviews covering fraud and corruption, village courts, community-based corrections, restorative justice, police, sector planning and coordination, facilities and infrastructure management and a sustainability strategy for sector performance monitoring.
In May 2006, AusAID assessed Educo's management performance on the project at "an average of 100% against all indicators". That's pretty good - 100% - but exactly what were the indicators and which ones over achieved and which ones didn't work at all. In other words, what did $11m actually achieve for PNG in the long term. Alas, no details.
So 'Peter', unfortunately I am still none the wiser as to which of my criticisms were misconceived.
I am, however, more convinced than ever that my suggestions should be given practical consideration by those in AusAID who are organising this project.
I am also further disenchanted with the apparent ease with which highly paid AusAID consultants are able to justify their claims against Australian taxpayers with extensive 'goobledegook or, in layman's terms, sheer and simple 'bulldust'.
Here are a few more interesting facts and figures from the informative Bertelsmann website http://www.bertelsmann-transformation-index.de/118.0.html?&L=1:
PNG aid per person. $50.20 [I wonder what the average PNGian would say if they knew this?]
Basic Administration. The country suffers from an inefficient, corrupt bureaucracy, serious problems with maintaining law and order, weak discipline within the army and police forces, and poor governance. Most analysts consider PNG a weak state in which the state apparatus cannot implement even the most basic policies. The government's most basic operational machinery is either dilapidated or non-existent in many rural areas and the highlands, where tribal conflicts continue. [What is the use of trying to fix governance issues when the 'state apparatus cannot implement even the most basic policies'?]
Rule of Law. The ombudsman office suffers from a lack of capable staff and resources. [So what happened to the $5.7 million for strengthening the Ombudsman spent by Educo and paid for by AusAID?]
Management Performance. Under the Strongim Gavman Program 40 Australian officials will be placed in the PNG bureaucracy to assist with reforms in the areas of economic and public sector governance, border management, transport safety and security, and law and justice. The political leadership will respond with proposed changes to mistakes made and failed policies, but more often than not, policies remain stuck in the same routines. Senior politicians who interfere with the implementation of public policies often block new policies that threaten their personal interests. [So what objectives are to be achieved by the two lawyers recruited by AusAID? What has been achieved after $11 million spent on the Educo Justice Advisory Group?]
Anti-corruption policy. In theory, the government is committed to battling corruption and nurturing good governance. In reality, however, corruption is endemic. It is a problem at all - including the highest - levels of politics, bureaucracy and society. It is almost impossible to carry out an effective anti-corruption policy in practice. The Ombudsman Commission conducts investigations of political leaders suspected of corruption, but once a politician resigns, the Commission can no longer legally investigate the case. [Again, what happened to the $5.7 million?]

Papuan taipan anti-venom on trial

The deadly Papuan taipan, one of the most-venomous snakes in the world.-Picture courtesy of DAVID WILLIAMS

By MALUM NALU

The world’s leading clinical toxinologist has given the thumbs up to Port Moresby General Hospital and rural health centres for the care given to snake bite victims, particularly the deadly Papuan taipan, one of the most-venomous snakes in the world and the leading cause of death in Papua New Guinea.

Prof David A. Warrell, the world’s leading clinical toxinologist, principally famous for his work on prospective studies of snakebite in tropical developing countries, said this after a lecture at the University of PNG’s medical school in Port Moresby on Monday evening.

Prof Warrell, who is professor of tropical medicine at the University of Oxford in England, has been in the country planning a clinical trial of the new Papuan taipan anti-venom developed by Port Moresby-based clinical toxinologist and herpetologist Dr David ‘Snakeman’ Williams of the Australian Venom Research Unit.

However, there is no indication yet as to when the anti-venom would become available, as it would first have to be trialed and approved.

Prof Warrell is no stranger to PNG, having worked here between 1986 and 2001 on a collaborative project between the University of Oxford and UPNG’s department of health.

“I haven’t come back (to PNG) for 10 years so this is very exciting for me,” he told me after the lecture.

“I’m very impressed by the care given to snakebite victims here at the hospital and in the health centres.

“For example, I visited Kwikila on Sunday, which is a health centre run by health extension officers and nurses.

“The key to saving lives in snake bite is good, early treatment, and that starts at the rural health centres.

“I’m back here to see the progress with the snake bite programme because it’s reached an exciting stage with the development of a new anti-venom, an alternative to Australian anti-venom, manufactured in Costa Rica.

“This was developed over the last two years by David Williams and his team here at the (UPNG) department of health.

“First it’s got to be subjected to clinical trials to confirm the very-promising potency and safety.

“These trials will be carried out here at Port Moresby General Hospital.

“I hope to be involved in the new trials of anti-venom here and I wish them the best of fortune in carrying out the trials.

“I agree with the dean here, Prof Isi Kevau, that this research could be very stimulating to medical students and young doctors here to remind them of the importance of doing research.”

Dr Williams announced last September before leaving for Switzerland that the new anti-venom would cost one-eighth of the current very-expensive price.

The cost of a vial is currently K4, 500; however, the new anti-venom will cost K600-K650 per vial.

The Papuan taipan (Oxyuranus scutellatus) is responsible for more than 90% of all cases of envenoming in south-eastern PNG, and the cost of treatment with available anti-venoms manufactured in Australia currently exceeds K4, 500 per vial.

Analysis of the incidence of bites by taipans have resulted in needs estimate of at least 700-1, 000 vials of appropriate anti-venom each year, yet, much less than this is purchased by the National Department of Health because it cannot afford this many vials at the current prices.

Matching seeds to needs in times of climate change

Dr Ehsan Dulloo (left) of Bioversity International and NARI director general Dr Raghunath Ghodake at NARI Headquarters in Lae on Monday

By SENIORL ANZU of NARI

Local varieties of taro and sweet potato (kaukau) that are well-adapted to the predicted future climates will be matched to target areas in PNG, says a visiting specialist in agricultural biodiversity and conservation.
Dr Ehsan Dulloo, a senior scientist from Bioversity International in Italy, said climate change was imposing an unprecedented threat to livelihoods and food security with great impacts over time and across locations and PNG needed to match seeds to the needs of farmers for climate change adaptation.
He said this in Lae early on Monday during an inception workshop and launch of a new project on agricultural biodiversity in PNG.
The project, titled ‘Matching Seeds to Needs: using locally available varieties for adapting to climate change and improving the livelihoods of the poor farmers in PNG, ’will be undertaken in the country in partnership with NARI over the next three years.
It is funded by Bioversity International-UK to the value of US$300,000.
The other major partners are the Fresh Produce Development Agency, PNG Women in Agriculture Development Foundation (PNGWiADF), and the Centre for Pacific Crops and Trees.
NARI director general Dr Raghunath Ghodake thanked Bioversity International and welcomed the new development.
He said the impacts of climate change on agriculture were real and this was true with genetic resources for food and agriculture and the project was important for the country.
Under the project, the regions in PNG under greatest threat from climate change will be identified, and results from global climate models will be used to predict the future climates in these regions.
Based on these climate models, varieties of PNG’s two most important staple crops (kaukau and taro) that are well-adapted to the predicted future climates will be matched to these target areas. Seeds of these adapted varieties will be made available to farmers through community-based seed multiplication and delivery systems.
With seeds adapted to their needs, resource-poor communities will be able to sustain agricultural production despite changes in climate conditions and avoid falling deeper into poverty.
Kaukau and taro were chosen because they are among PNG’s most important staple crops: kaukau alone accounts for 66% of total staple crop production in the country.
NARI will provide planting materials, associated information and personnel in the field.
The institute will also be responsible for identifying the most-useful varieties which can ensure that farmers can sustain and even increase production in the future despite changing climatic conditions.
The Centre for Pacific Crops and Trees will maintain elite lines selected through this project from national collections and make available planting material and information to breeders, researchers and farmers in PNG and other countries.
Technical contributions, including training, will be provided through complementary funding from the Global Crop Diversity Trust, a multinational organisation.
The PNGWiADF will play a key role in ensuring the participation of women farmers in germplasm selection and dissemination, assisted by private industries in PNG such as FPDA and Allele Fresh Produce.
The overall impact of the project will be that local communities in PNG and their food production systems will successfully adapt to changes in climate, maintaining or even improving their food security and improving their livelihoods to reduce poverty.
The Lae workshop was held at NARI headquarters and was attended by representatives of project partners, University of Technology, Lae district and farmers from Morobe, Eastern Highlands and Central provinces.
Its goal was to launch the project, inform shareholders of its aim, develop and agree on the detailed work plan of the project, and assign roles and responsibilities of the participants.

Papua New Guinea defence force at the crossroads

By REGINALD RENAGI

As we progress further into this millennium, the role of the Papua New Guinea Defence Force in developing and maintaining PNG’s defence capability will no doubt go through a significant change. 

I begin with a simple thesis: unless our present defence force structure is altered in some fundamental way, PNG’s military will become increasingly inadequate for the burdens placed on it by our country’s foreign and defence policies. 

It is almost 35 years since PNG was given her own military, and during this time, the government saw no real need to review its capabilities. 

Although successive governments did recognise the need for maintaining an efficient military, much lip-service has been paid to the important issue of defence and national security over the years. 

As a result, the defence force has seen little change since Independence in 1975.

For more than three decades, changes in PNG’s strategic environment and the need for greater self-reliance in defence have been understood for many years. 

However, for a variety of reasons, the defence organisation has not yet translated these fundamental changes into a coherent national security strategy, and new defence force structures have not occurred.

In view of the difficulties involved in predicting either likely threats to the country, or a range of possible contingencies which PNG could face in the future; thus, most of our strategic assessments during the post independence period has so far been of a ‘no threat’ environment. 

For valid reasons it would be highly irresponsible to plan forward on this basis – as PNG can not always plan for a ‘no threat’ future.

This no-threat ‘syndrome’ has clouded successive government’s thinking and has made it complacent for well over three decades. 

This complacency has directly contributed to a great extent the present grave security situation PNG finds itself today. 

As an independent sovereign nation, we really have no credible excuse for not recognising the basic elements of PNG’s national security situation with which we have to deal with now.  

Prime Minister Somare has been in office for a long time. 

In that time, his two-term government has consistently failed even to this day to not critically reappraise what his predecessor, Sir Mekere did in 2001. 

Now is the time to put the Ministry of Defence on notice now before the 2012 elections by coming to the rescue of the PNGDF.

Today, Defence is at a ‘crossroads’ in PNG.

It is time for the government to fix the PNGDF and bring it back to its former glory. 

The country’s national security situation now demands for the Ministry and Defence department to face up to some real issues, make long-term decisions and get on with those decisions.

Defending PNG in future calls for a complete re-appraisal of our outlook on the capabilities of the PNGDF now; not in another three decades time.  

Deadly floods

Caption: That’s how high the water reached ... Villagers pointing to debris trapped by this tree to show the height of the flood waters at its peak.

 

2 killed, 6 missing as river burst its banks

 

TWO children drowned and six people are still missing as heavy rain wreaked havoc on coastal villages in Central province, west of Port Moresby, at the weekend, The National reports.

Six houses were swept away by the flooding Veimauri River, which also destroyed food gardens, provincial disaster officials reported yesterday.

The bodies of the two children, a seven-year-old girl and her two-year-old brother, were recovered among flood debris, along the Veimauri River early yesterday morning and taken to the Port Moresby General Hospital morgue for post-mortem results.

The mother had also been swept away by flood waters but was found alive by villagers.

Disaster officials said the Veimauri burst its banks on Saturday, washing away the homes and food gardens at Avara village, near the Galley Ridge rubber estate at Doa, not far from the Hiritano Highway.

They said the search was continuing for the missing six.

Yesterday afternoon, Central Governor Alphonse Moroi, accompanied by Central police commander Chief Supt John Maru, visited the area and assured the people that shelter, clothing and food would be dispatched from Port Moresby today.

Maru said that Central police would lead the search for the six still missing, further down the river.

The Galley Ridge rubber estate at Doa and Avara village border on the Veimauri River.

Avara village is made up of people originally from Woitape in Goilala and Koiari area who are landowners there.

It has a population of more than 200 people with homes scattered along the river, up to the Veimauri Bridge at the Hiritano Highway crossing.

Last night, Maru confirmed that there were other villages along the Doa area which were affected by flood waters, although not as seriously as Avara.

Police would check them out today to see whether they suffered casualties, he said.

 

 

Kroton Ltd in control

THE government has created a new company to take full control of the PNG LNG project, and any future petroleum projects in the country, The National reports.

The company is known as Kroton No. 2 Ltd, previously a subsidiary of the Independent Public Business Corporation, controlling the state’s interest in the project.

Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare announced that Kroton No. 2 would now have its own management and board. It is understood Dairi Vele from the Gas Office would be chief executive officer of Kroton, but this could not be confirmed.

Kroton would manage the state’s 19.6% equity in the LNG project.

The prime minister said Kroton No.2 Ltd would be a fully-functional petroleum company with the appropriate resources to adequately represent the State’s interest in the LNG project.

Sir Michael said since Kroton No.2 Ltd was wholly-owned by the state through the General Business Trust, it is imperative that Kroton played a leadership role in the commercial development of the hydrocarbon industry in the country.

“To facilitate this, cabinet has endorsed the functional separation of Kroton No. 2 Ltd from IPBC to allow the former to develop into a national hydrocarbon development corporation while IPBC focuses on value-adding and management of the General Business Trust.

“IPBC will remain as a shareholder in Kroton No. 2 Ltd until the maturity of the existing funding arrangements with the International Petroleum Investment Company (IPIC) of Abu Dhabi. Thereafter, the shareholding will be reviewed.”

The government borrowed money from IPIC to invest in the project, swapping with the Middle East company cash for the state’s equity in Oil Search Ltd.

Sir Michael said Kroton No.2 would represent the interest of the state in all future meetings relating to the LNG project.

The Department of Public Enterprises and its minister and IPBC have been directed to fast track the necessary logistical requirements to enable the office to be fully functional and report back to NEC.

“In addition, the Public Enterprises secretary has been directed to lead the formulation of a national hydrocarbon policy primarily aimed at maximising the state’s participation and optimising value to the state, in close consultation with key departments and agencies,” Sir Michael said.

“The government has acknowledged the achievements of the state in terms of the PNG LNG project reaching its final investment decision on Dec 8, 2009, and the financial close on March 12, 2010.”