Census delay could affect elections: Electoral Commission

PAPUA New Guinea Electoral Commission officials are worried that the delay in the 2010 housing and population census will affect the commission’s preparations for the 2012 general election, The National reports.

Commission officials said the delay would affect the electoral update, common roll and other data needed by the commission to  conduct the general election.

Electoral commissioner Andrew Trawen could not be reached for comments yesterday but his office said he would be making a media statement today to outline the full implication of the delay in the 2010 national census.

The census was originally scheduled to start on July 11 but census director Kit Ronga announced on Monday that the census had been deferred to next year.

Ronga cited various logistics problems, including funding, as contributing to the need for the deferral although much of the work had been done.

To date, less than half of K66 million released by the Department of National Planning has been  made available to the National Statistical Office.

The last national census was held in 2000.

Since then, the population has grown rapidly, but it is unclear what the actually annual growth rate is.

Some place it at 6%, which was higher than economic growth rate until the commodity boom pushed the economic growth rate up.

The director of PNG’s Institute of National Affairs, Paul Barker, told Radio New Zealand that delaying the census adds more worry that PNG would not run a free and fair election.

Coffee prices up by 20% in June

By AUGUSTINE DOMINIC of CIC

Coffee price in PNG has increased by 20% this month (June 2010) compared to the same period in the previous year.

Chief executive officer of the Coffee Industry Corporation Navi Anis said the increase was due to low production owing to adverse weather conditions in competing coffee-producing countries, especially in Central America and Columbia, thus increasing market demand and shifting coffee buyer focus to PNG and other Asia Pacific countries.

 Coffee Industry Corporation CEO Navi Anis

He said from the current trend of the world market supply and demand, the prediction was that the price may continue to be maintained or improve for the next six months but that depended on the response from the affected producing countries to meet the world market demand.

Anis said, however, that there had been generally a steady increase in the coffee price over the last 10 years since 2001 and 2002.

He said CIC had been encouraging farmers to continue maintaining their bond with the coffee tree and those who have heeded to CIC’s advice were now capitalising on the high coffee prices.

“The common and consistent message from CIC to the major coffee growing areas of PNG, is that there is no other major alternative but to maintain constant link with coffee and those who have not, unfortunately could be missing out, as their chance is limited,” Anis said.

He said CIC could not stop farmers from switching from coffee to vegetable cultivation during off coffee season periods, however, considering various factors including perishability and market availability of vegetables, there were more risks involved with vegetables than coffee.

Anis further encouraged farmers to be in organised groups to reap maximum benefits from coffee projects and other opportunities such as the increase in coffee price currently being experienced throughout the country.

Factories around PNG were purchasing green bean Arabica Coffee at an average price for A grade at K8.99, X grade at K8.43, PSC-X at K7.83, and Y1 grade at K7.62in June 2010.

In the same month last year factories were buying at an average lower price per kilogram for K7.73, K7.12, K6.72, and K6.51respectively for each grade.

The parchment Arabica coffee was bought between the range of K4.50 to K4.80 per kilogram in major coffee-growing provinces for Class One and Class Two was bought at K2.90 to K4.60.

In the same period last year, Class One was bought at the range of K2.80 to K4.20 per kilogram and Class Two was bought at a range of K2.50 to K4.00.

CIC’s acting manager economics Shane Kewa supported Mr. Anis and said the increase in coffee price was due to bad weather conditions in major world coffee-supplying countries in South America, the 20% drop in Robusta production in Vietnam and the 4.7% drop in the European stockpile.

Coffee berry borer a serious threat to Papua New Guinea coffee industry

By MALUM NALU

The Coffee Industry Corporation (CIC) has placed a temporary moratorium on the distribution of coffee seeds in the Papua New Guinea/Indonesian border areas in a move to detect the presence of the dreaded coffee berry borer.

Adult coffee berry borer  

Considered as the most-dangerous insect, which could decimate PNG’s lucrative multi-million kina coffee industry that supports the livelihood of thousands of people in the country, the coffee berry borer is known for reducing coffee production in many countries.

It is, according to CIC, the “most serious pest of coffee affecting production in most countries. It is not present in PNG. The government is supporting an initiative from the CIC to prevent it from entering the country. Preventative action programmes include awareness and literacy, monitoring and surveillance, emergency response planning and forging partnerships with international research institutions”.

 Coffee berry borer larvae inside a coffee berry

 Coffee berry borer is not in PNG yet, however, CIC and National Agricultural Quarantine and Inspection Authority (NAQIA) are taking no chances with it already having a stranglehold on Indonesia.

This is to prevent this insidious pest from entering PNG via Indonesia

Acting general manager for CIC’s Aiyura-based research and grower services division (RGSD), Dr Mark Kenny, placed the ban in April this year and it is still being enforced.

“The moratorium is effective until a delimiting survey currently carried out by CIC and NAQIA in the Telefomin district is completed to establish if the coffee berry borer is present at the PNG side of the border,” he said.

Dr Kenny stressed that a review of the moratorium would be made depending on the outcome of the survey report.

It is also understood from technical persons in CIC and NAQIA, who are carrying out the survey,  that coffee from Telefomin and Vanimo-Green districts has been restricted from entering Mt  Hagen,  Wewak or Vanimo until major coffee rehabilitation work is carried out in these districts.

This is due to the neglect of coffee gardens in the border areas for the past 15 years as a result of the high cost of freighting the coffee to the nearest market.

The coffee berry borer is an insect that feeds on the coffee berry and is considered as seriously dangerous to the coffee industry compared to other coffee pests which feed on the coffee tree and leaves.

 Adult coffee berry borer entering green bean.-Pictures courtesy of CIC

Papua New Guinea declares blackout on controversial law

From SUSUVE LAUMAEA

 

The declaration by attorney general Ano Pala is simply unconstitutional and has no "legs" to stand on.

It is a deliberate tactic to scare off the media and to prevent public debate on a piece of legislation that is draconian, harsh and oppressive.

Declaration by AG Ano Pala is unconstitutional

Justice minister warns media against reporting

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (Radio New Zealand International, June 28, 2010) – A senior reporter at Papua New Guinea’s Post-Courier newspaper says a government edict banning discussion on the amendment to the Environmental Law Act will not stop their coverage of the controversial issue.

The unprecedented edict, from the Justice Minister and Attorney General Ano Pala, says there is to be no more discussion, comment or reference in the media to the recent amendment.

He warns that media coverage of it runs the risk of being in contempt of Supreme Court proceedings in which Madang landowners are challenging a proposed marine tailings system for Ramu nickel mine.

The Post-Courier’s chief court reporter, Todagia Kelola, says they will ignore the edict if need be.

"We are still trying to understand if it’s a good piece of legislation or a bad good piece of legislation. When these guys come out to comment on it, there is nothing preventing us from discussing it. The new Attorney General, he doesn’t have any power to direct the media nor the police or any other constitutional body on making a statement on this issue."

Advice on Governor General's election flawed

Today’s editorial from The National, Papua New Guinea’s No. 1 daily newspaper

THE legal advice provided to the prime minister on the appointment of the governor-general is seriously flawed.
The actions of Parliament in the recent controversial re-appointment of the governor-general were contrary to the explicit directions provided by the Constitution.
The appointment of Grand Chief Sir Paulias Matane for a second term as governor-general, therefore, cannot be held to be legal.
The legal advice or, as it turned out, the legal position adopted by the government and Parliament, is a clear misreading of section 87 of the Constitution and should not stand any serious contest of it in a court of law.
The part of the Constitution cited as the basis for the advice is section 87(5).
Clearly, and in plain English, that entire section deals only with “qualifications for appointment” to the post of governor-general.
It makes no mention of the process for the “appointment of the GG” which is, again, very clearly spelled out in the following section.
Section 88 of the Constitution provides for “appointment to office” of the governor-general.
The proper and legal process for “appointment to the office of governor-general” is via an “exhaustive secret ballot” in accordance with an Organic Law.
The relevant part of section 88(2) reads: “A decision of the Parliament to nominate a person for appointment as governor-general shall be made by a simple majority vote, in an exhaustive secret ballot conducted in accordance with an Organic Law.
An examination of the said Organic Law on “nomination of the governor-general” makes it clear that two things must happen:  First, there must be an exhaustive secret ballot –  even in the event where there is only one candidate for the post.
And, two, following such an exhaustive secret ballot, Parliament’s choice of a new governor-general must be declared by a simple majority.
These did not happen last Friday, June 25.
There was no secret ballot.
There was, however, an open ballot.
The open ballot was itself not illegal. This open ballot is provided for under section 87(5) of the Constitution to determine the eligibility of any incumbent governor-general, in this instance, Sir Paulias, to serve a second term in office.
The relevant part reads: “(5) No person is eligible for appointment as governor-general more than once unless the Parliament, by a two-third absolute majority vote, approves appointment for a second term, but no person is eligible for appointment for a third term.” Reading the above statement on its own would make it appear as if Parliament’s action of last Friday not to conduct a secret ballot is in order. That was what the prime minister’s legal counsel asserted was the proper reading of that sub-section.
But, when you read sub-section (5) along with, or in the context of, the heading of section (87), as it should be read, an entirely different proposition unfolds.
The law then reads: “Section 87: QUALIFICATIONS FOR APPOINTMENT . . . (5) No person is eligible for appointment as governor-general more than once unless the Parliament, by two-thirds absolute majority vote, approves appointment for a second term . . .”
It becomes abundantly clear here that the open ballot of last Friday was actually the beginning of the process, and, not the final outcome.
Via that open ballot, Parliament registered beyond any reasonable doubt, by a vote of 84-13, that Sir Paulias was qualified and eligible for appointment to serve a second term as governor-general.
Parliament only needed then to move on to the actual appointment process via “an exhaustive secret ballot”. That never happened.
The Organic Law on the “nomination of the governor-general” provides guidelines on how the exhaustive secret ballot ought to be carried out. There are no other procedures stipulated in the Constitution, and in the Organic Law, by which a governor-general can be appointed except via an exhaustive secret ballot.
Sir Paulias was not the only candidate.
In this case, there were three other contenders – former auditor-general Sir Makena Geno, a former contender for the post Sir Pato Kakaraya and former Enga deputy premier Ronald Rimbao.
The Organic Law stipulates that the speaker will announce all candidates and distribute ballot papers for Members of Parliament to write their choices. The candidate with the least number of votes would be dropped and the process would be repeated until only one emerges as Parliament’s choice.
Last Friday, there would need to have been three secret ballots after which the winner would have been declared.
It is clear that Sir Paulias, as the government’s candidate, had the biggest support and had it been subjected to the secret ballot, he would have emerged the eventual winner.
The fact that this process was thwarted denied the other three contenders their right to due process, justice and fair play by the highest law-making authority in the country – Parliament itself.
This is disgraceful.
The decision by Parliament, following only the open (eligibility) ballot, that Sir Paulias is duly appointed as governor-general of Papua New Guinea for a second term cannot be held to have been legally conducted.
It has to be void and of no effect.
Section 87(5), which has been relied upon as the basis for that decision, has been wrongly interpreted and the government wrongly advised. How such an advice could have been concocted for the Head of Government is mischievous, to say the least, and has made a mockery of the democratic and parliamentary processes and procedures.
Sir Paulias is himself a stickler for the law and all things proper.
We note that he has not taken the Oath of Allegiance or made the Declaration of Loyalty and Declaration Office before the chief justice as he is compelled to do by section 90 of the Constitution. He cannot take office or perform duties until this compulsory requirement is met.
It would only be proper if he were to refuse to do so until due process has been followed and the law complied with to the letter.
Parliament should be recalled so that a governor-general can properly be appointed in accordance with the law.
Of Sir Paulias’ re-appointment, we have little doubt.
Of Parliament’s conduct in this specific instance, and the kind of professional advisers the government keeps, we are very much in doubt.

 

UNESCO supports Pacific History Conference at University of Goroka

Secretary General of UNESCO Yori Yei (left) presenting K5, 000 to acting Vice Chancellor Dr Jeyarathan with Pacific History Conference organising committee chairman Dr Kari and Paul Peter,  manager for culture at UNESCO,  looking on.

 By KATE GUNN of UOG

On Tuesday June 29, 2010, UNESCO country office honoured its commitment to history and cultural studies in Papua New Guinea by supporting Pacific history. 

Secretary General of UNESCO in Papua New Guinea Yori Yei travelled to the University of Goroka to present in person K5, 000 to the acting Vice Chancellor Dr P Jeyarathan.

  The donation is to assist the university with its fundraising efforts for the Pacific History Conference to be held at UOG in September of this year. 

After attending the National Dance Symposium held at UOG in April of this year, Yei was asked if UNESCO could support the up-and-coming Pacific History Conference.

 He stated that: “This is an important conference and UNESCO is happy to support it as it is in line with the education and culture policies of UNESCO.”

 Yei said UNESCO was supporting other institutions around PNG in an ongoing programme focusing on partnerships.

 “UNESCO recognises the step UOG is taking with Pacific history as part of cultural studies and is happy to partner with the University of Goroka for the conference,” he said.

Dr Jeyarathan sincerely thanked Yei for UNESCO’s contribution to the conference and support to UOG, and formally invited representatives from the organisation to attend the Pacific History Conference in September. 

Chair of the conference organising committee Dr Sam Kari was also on hand to witness the donation, and thanked Yei for UNESCO’s donation and agreed it was an important step in the partnership for the two organisations.

The Pacific History Conference will take place from Sept 12-16, 2010 at UOG and is co-hosted by the Pacific History Association.

 The theme of the conference is: Pacific at the Crossroads – reflecting the past, adjusting the present and directing the future.

For further information or to donate/support the conference please contact Dr Sam Kari on (675) 5311842 or karis@uog.ac.pg or Bomai Witne on (675) 5311895 or witneb@uog.ac.pg

When two tribes go to war

Warring tribesmen in Komo, Southern Highlands, last weekend came together for a peace ceremony. Many attended brandishing all types of guns, not to make war but peace as they stockpiled them at the ceremonial ground. Witnessing all these taking place was Komo LLG president Thomas Potape, pictured removing a single-shot firearm from a warrior during the peace ceremony. More than 40 pigs were slaughtered and K13, 000 given to both sides to end fighting in the area.-Picture courtesy of The National.