PRIME Minister Sir Michael Somare has appointed Angoram MP Arthur Somare the acting Finance and Treasury Minister, The National reports.
Government insiders told The National the prime minister signed the instrument for the appointment of Somare last Friday, and a public announcement on this change is expected this week.
This portfolio became vacant after incumbent Patrick Pruaitch was suspended from office because of his referral to a leadership tribunal over allegations of misconduct in office.
Pruatich is challenging his referral in court, and the case is pending.
There has been a lot of jostling and lobbying for this job since Pruaitch vacated it, and a number of ministers and backbenchers were hoping the job would go to them. But, insiders said, the job had to remain in the Momase region under the Kokopo Agreement that the National Alliance and its coalition partners agreed to after the general elections.
“A number of eligible and qualified candidates have missed out, but that is the nature of these political agreements,” an insider said when confirming the appointment of Somare.
Somare will double up as Public Enterprises Minister as well.
But the appointment raised eyebrows in some circles, with Somare also confronting misconduct allegations of his own.
The public prosecutor last week asked the chief justice to appoint a judge to head a leadership tribunal to inquire into allegations of misconduct in office which were referred in 2006.
Somare continues to hold office because he had taken out an injunction against his suspension, and is challenging his referral in court.
A MT Hagen-based newspaper journalist was shot dead, allegedly by a relative, at his village outside the city on Saturday, The National reports.
Police are investigating the death of Sent Timbi at his Ogugulben village at about 7.30pm.
Police said the man who pulled the trigger of the self-loading rifle was on the run after firing three shots – the first in the air, the second at a house showing videos and the third at Timbi.
He was killed instantly after the bullet penetrated his chest and went through the village store that he was standing beside.
Timbi’s immediate family of the Yamka tribe were confused and shocked, saying they did not know the motive behind the killing but were helping police with their investigations.
A relative Pang Pawa said the father of an 11-year-old boy was gunned down as he was talking with his tribesmen in front of the shop.
According to Pawa, the suspected gunman had called Timbi twice on Saturday night, telling the journalist that he had a problem with his employees at his coffee plantation and needed Timbi’s assistance to solve it.
He said Timbi was a devout SDA who had just returned home from church service and was making his way to the video premises, about 300m away, when the suspect drove towards their ceremonial ground close to the video site.
Pawa said three shots were then fired, the third being the fatal one which also went close to wounding the storekeeper inside.
Timbi’s body is now at the Mt Hagen General Hospital morgue.
He started his journalism career as a stringer with The National in 2007 before joining the Post-Courier last year.
Pawa said the family would allow justice to take its course.
Late yesterday (Saturday) another medevac was undertaken by the Melanesian Foundation helicopter piloted by Sir Peter Barter in Madang (pictures below).
Gideon Ningende, a young man aged about 30, was cut badly on the neck with a bush knife following an argument at Watung Village near Saidor.
He was rushed to Saidor Health Centre, stabilised then taken by helicopter to Modilon Hospital.
His condition was serious but provincial health Adviser, Markus Kachau met Sir Peter and rushed the patient to the emergency ward.
"We need to expose these medevacs which occur numerous times a week in order to get some funds to purchase avgas for the helicopter," Sir Peter said.
Former Madang Governor Sir Peter Barter tonight confirmed
that 15 people had died on ManamIsland from an
unconfirmed disease, believed to be cholera.
Dr Sibauk Bieb, the co-ordinator
for operations of the cholera taskforce in Madang was flown to Dugalava and
Bien on Manam by Sir Peter in his helicopter, where it was confirmed that 15
people had died and several more remained at Bien health centre, which is now downgraded to an aid post.
Dr Sibek Bieb
(centre) talking to villagers on ManamIsland yesterday.
“Dr Bieb was advised that a family of four had visited
Dangale village last week and upon their return to Dugalava No.2, they got sick
and within three hours they were dead,” Sir Peter said.
“All those dead are from Dugalava and Dr Bieb feels that
those who have become ill have probably contracted cholera as it appears all
the people affected are people who may have handled the bodies of the
deceased.”
The people in villages on Manam were quite hungry.
Sir Peter was told
the gardens were not producing and the only food they had was banana, which the
people claimed were very dry.
All the rice given to them had gone complained, a mother of
four from Dugalava No. 1.
Sir Peter flew to Bogia to where Dr Bieb advised the staff
of Bogia health centre not to send any more bodies back to Manam and arrange to
have them buried in Bogia.
“He (Dr Bieb) also advised the staff to practice caution
themselves when handling those that were sick and bodies of those who had
died,” Sir Peter said.
“Before returning to Madang, further stops were made at MalalaHigh
School, Asurumba and Mangem care centres to
advise the people from Dangale and Dugalava of the situation and advise that a
further medical team was on the way to Bogia and warn them not to take any
further bodies back to Manam.
Dr Sibek Bieb (right)
meeting with Manam islanders at Asuramba care centre on mainland Madang
yesterday.-Picture courtesy of SIR PETER BARTER
“It is expected that Dr Bieb will make a full report to the
provincial health office and National Disaster Office so that action be taken
to stop any further spread of the sickness that will be most likely diagnosed
as cholera.”
Fifteen people from ManamIsland on Madang province have died from a mysterious disease.
However, Sir Peter Barter, who today flew to the island on his helicopter, said tonight the disease could be cholera although this was yet to be confirmed.
The deaths were initially confirmed by local councilor Paul Mabora from Bogia today.
He said two children and 13 adults (five women and eight men) had died since Thursday June 17.
As Mabora spoke to from BogiaHospital, the sound of weeping relatives could be heard in the background, as the mystery ailment claimed its latest victim.
All victims are from Duguluba village on the volcanic island.
Mabora said all victims, some of whom had fronted up to the Bien health centre on Manam and Bogia Hospital on the mainland, had complained of having initial symptoms of a cold sensation which started from the soles of their feet and began to works its way upwards the upper part of the body.
By the time the cold feeling reached the abdomen and stomach of each of the victims, the feeling of hunger then became so intense and by the time the cold reached the heart, he or she collapsed and was pronounced dead.
Of the 15 people who died, 10 died in the village, three at Bien health centre and two at Bogia hospital.
Today a team of specialists from the Madang provincial health office and ModilonHospital was dispatched by road to Bogia and then by sea over to ManamIsland where they will be for the next couple of days.
A small team was today flown by Sir Peter Barter on helicopter to the Island to determine what the disease may be and how to prevent more deaths.
Mabora said he had approached health authorities in Madang last week for assistance but to no avail.
All the villagers living in Dugulaba are now panic-stricken and are making their way to live with relatives in care centres on the mainland.
Duguluba villagers had been living at Daigul care centre on the mainland until March this year when they were forced out by local landowners
Mabora said the first confirmed death from the disease was on Thursday June 17, and up to yesterday, when five people died, the total number of people who died was 15.
“Some people are in hospital at Bogia while some are at Bien health centre on ManamIsland,” he said.
“We do not know what kind of disease it is.
“If it is cholera, you have diarrhoea, but with this disease, you have no diarrhoea.
“Your legs go numb and it spreads up to the heart and you die.
“The victims felt cold in their legs and the feeling spread throughout the body.
“They then say they feel hungry and then drop dead.”
Mabora said the first victim on June 17 was a young father of three children named Raphael Jawa, who started complaining of the cold sensation and later died in his own house.
“Right now, all my people are fleeing from the island and are coming to Potsdam care centre on the mainland,” he said.
“They are saying that they want me to get them to Mangem care centre, which is towards Madang.
“I’ve talked with the Bogia district administrator about this but he said he had no funds.
“I’ve also talked with Pais Ikumar, the provincial director for disaster, but he said he had no funds.
“I do not know where my people will stay or get food to eat.
“This is a life-and-death situation.”
Mabora said Duguluba villagers lived a very hard life on Manam.
“We don’t have proper water supply on Manam,” he said.
“We get water from underground wells, but there is volcanic dust in the wells, so who knows?
“On the island, we can’t grow vegetables and we can’t get meat,
“The government only gives us rice and noodles.”
Mabora appealed to the people of Papua New Guinea as well as overseas donors to assist the Duguluba villagers.
“I am appealing to the people of PNG to help move our people to the mainland,” he said.
“I am also appealing for help from overseas donors.”
Ano Pala, the new Attorney
General, has not read his job description in the Attorney General
Act (it is really a very short Act and it is beyond me why he couldn't
manage it !) and so has stepped WAY beyond his powers and issued the letter to
the media last week.
I enclose my clients/the referrors' official response (published in full below).
Trying to tell the media they couldn't even print letters to the editor on
the environment amendments and trying to tell the police to cancel or not grant
permits for protests ! What is going on ! This is SERIOUS !!!!
We the Referrors in the Supreme
Court Reference SCR 3 of 2010 and the plaintiffs in the Ramu Nickel
tailings case note the purported “directions” or “orders” to
the public, police and media by the Attorney General Ano Pala and
comment
as follow:
The Reference asks the
Supreme Court to give its opinion on whether the Environmental
(Amendment)
Act 2010 contravenes the Constitution;
The Supreme Court will decide this on a construction of the Act
against
the provisions of the Constitution raised in the Reference. Its function
is one of interpreting the two laws;
The issue before the Supreme Court is therefore - is the Act constitutional? That is all, nothing more and nothing less.
A Reference seeking the advisory opinion of the Supreme Court does
not involve a dispute in the strict sense where sub
judice applies. Example - the Organic Law on the Integrity of
Political
Parties and Candidates is challenged as being unconstitutional. But,
debate has been going on upon this. Indeed, there is a conference to
be held in Alotau on it advertised in the newspapers. A party to the
Reference raised the issue of sub-judice there. But, this has
not stopped discussion of that law! Lawyers acting for the
Attorney-General
in that case - argued that conferences and discussions on that law were
not sub-judice. Why the double standard by the Attorney General?
There is nothing before the Supreme Court in this Reference that
prevents the MEDIA or ANYONE else from discussing whether or not it
is a good piece of legislation as a matter of public policy. There is
nothing preventing the MEDIA or ANYONE from discussing - if the Act
is constitutional as the Attorney General and government are saying
and will likely argue before the Court - if that is a good piece of
legislation.
There is nothing preventing the MEDIA or ANYONE else from discussing
– if the Act does take away landowners right to go to court and sue
as the Referror landowners will maintain - if that is a good policy.
The Attorney General's "advice" to MEDIA and others is
extra-ordinary. Why has he not given this advice to NEC the Parliament
so that all the Parliamentary debate on it this week should not have
taken place?
The Attorney General has no power to direct police what to do as
he does in the second last paragraph of his letter. Section 197(2) of
the Constitution says that no one outside the Force has power to direct
police on laying and prosecuting charges which necessarily includes
the power of arrest that he is threatening people with.
We understand that Mr Pala is new to the role of Attorney General
and we respectfully request he should take the time to read the
Attorney General Act to find out what his job description is.
He is the principal legal adviser to NEC, and that is the extent of
his authority
The AG, instead of advising
the government on legal matters, is attempting to usurp the powers of
the police and stop people from expressing themselves - which is
guaranteed
by the Constitution. This in itself is unlawful conduct.
A public-private partnership between National Capital
District Education, National Capital District Commission (NCDC) and Treid
Pacific (PNG) Ltd is setting the trend for implementation of universal basic
education (UBE) in NCD and Papua
New Guinea.
The partners - NCD Education, NCDC and Treid Pacific with Bavaroko Elementary School students
The national government’s UBE policy 2010-2019 advocates
that all six-year-old children throughout PNG must be in school – and complete
nine years of basic education - irrespective of location, environment and
social status.
Under this system, the national government pays 100% school
fee subsidy for Elementary Prep to Elementary Grade Two, and 30% subsidy for
Primary Three to Eight.
A demonstration of public-private partnership
The partnership will manage the fee free policy, provide
access through project-based development, ensure retention by providing quality
education and aim for a higher literacy level by 2019.
The school fee management strategy in NCD has three
components which are commodity, cash and quality.
The commodity component ensures equitable term-wise
materials are delivered to every student/teacher/officer/administration and
effective documentation is in place to ensure timely receipts.
Nobody misses out on their essential entitlements - equitable, quality education for all
The cash component ensures school staff are trained in basic
financial management and suitable measures are in place for physical inspections
and audit.
In-servicing all elementary head teachers on the new systems
The quality component refers to the joint management by
NDOE, NCDC and Treid Pacific.
“Universal Basic Education (UBE) basically means education
for everyone in Papua New
Guinea from Elementary Prep right up to
Grade Eight,” an official involved in the project told The National.
“Traditionally, in the past, cheques were raised and
distributed to schools in the form of cash grants.
“The national problem has always been that schools have not
been able to acquit the cash grants given to them, and neither the Department
(of Education) had the capacity to go and check every individual school on how
the money was utilised.
“The NCD Governor Powes Parkop, aware of the temptation for gross
misuse of public monies if not monitored closely, embarked on a system of
accountability and transparency to ensure that public money was used for the
maximum benefit of educating each and every child in NCD.
“He is also a great advocate of engaging professional
private contractors with proven track records of delivery of quality education.
“Hence, after public notice for companies to bid, the
company Treid Pacific Ltd was selected and contracted to be the private partner
in jointly developing the overall quality of education in NCD and also for it
to be the model for other provinces.”
Treid Pacific is already ensuring that 40% of each student’s
allocation from the national government is converted to essential basic
requirements for every student at various levels for the four terms of each
year.
The company pre-packages school books and other stationery
for each student, which are issued by their teachers, and parents must sign to
confirm receipt.
Parents signing proof of receipt acknowledgements
“This is a foolproof system of monitoring each student’s needs
and ensuring they receive their allocation on time,” the official explained.
“This NCD model should be followed by other provinces and
district in PNG
“Treid Pacific is also involved in establishing financial
management systems to ensure that 50% of the fee substitution with public funds
is acquitted.
“The PPP arrangement also involves the joint monitoring,
inspections, assessments, inventory control checks, general school
administration and operations undertaken in providing quality education.”
The official added status/scope /survey of each individual
school and development of a 5-10 year development plan was essential to ascertain the
intake pattern and phases of
accommodating all eligible students
after undertaking the household survey /child census.
“The quality of education as a result of adequate and better
teachers, more and better classrooms, adequate and better resources and
facilities, better effective administration and management and even nutritional
support (midday meal), will reduce the dropout levels and maximise retention up
to Grade Eight,” he said.
Teachers receiving their entitlements
NCD is setting the trend in all developmental activities
primarily because of:
·Strong and persuasive political will;
·District education board’s decisions; and
·Private partner’s professionalism
Students of Evedehana Elementary School
“The implementation of the UBE, which started at the
beginning of the school year 2010, is a big task ahead,” the official said.
Students of Foursquare Elementary School
“Cash was paid out directly to all elementary and primary
schools throughout the country in February /March 2010.
Students of Kilakila Elementary School
“A meeting of all senior education officers will be underway
in Goroka this week as to study if the money given to schools was used wisely
or unwisely or if anyone at all knows how it was used!
Students of St Paul's Elementary School
“The UBE implementation framework and guidelines will have
to be finalised immediately for policy change and implementation in the year
2011.”
