Richard Ashton Carver 'the Butterfly Man'

Friends and family of longtime Goroka and Eastern Highlands province resident, Richard Ashton Carver, are advised of his passing in Goroka on Sunday, July 25.

Born 1^st September 1916, died 25 July 2010.

A dinosaur from a bygone era, Richard was a man with a great work ethic, great ingenuity and bucket loads of tenacity.Apart from his many achievements – he will be most remembered for his tenacity and will to live – clearly demonstrated in the past few years, where with the help of a few friends he ‘escaped’ from an Australian nursing home, which had left him unable to move, bedridden, and without all his mental faculties.Upon returning back to PNG, he threw out his medication and little by little began to move his body again.He progressed to a wheelchair, and only two weeks before his death, Richard had progressed to the point where he stood up and walked …… much to the surprise of all family members.His speech, hearing and mental ability had all returned to normal.It was true testimony to his fighting spirit and will to live.Dearly missed by friends and family.

Funeral Service:  Wednesday 28 July 2010 at 1200 pm, St Johns Lutheran Church
Burial:  Wednesday 28 July 2010 at 4.00pmPark Ridge Estates

Sir Brian Bell passes on

PRIME Minister Sir Michael Somare has expressed deep sorrow over the death of businessman Sir Brian Bell (pictured) in Brisbane, Australia, yesterday, The National reports.

To many, Sir Brian, 82, could be described as a great man of the people; an honoured gentleman and citizen and a friend of Papua New Guinea.

Over the years, Brian Bell had become Mr B, a nametag that had stayed on until his death.

“Sir Brian has made considerable contributions to his adopted country Papua New Guinea for more than 50 years in business development and innumerable humanitarian causes.

“I take my hat off to this pioneer businessman who contributed to various organisations such as being chairman of the Port Moresby General Hospital until his death.

“He also served as deputy lord mayor of Port Moresby, a member of the PNG lands board, the Salvation Army advisory board and the PNG law and order committee.

“He was at one time chairman of UPNG Foundation, the NCD South Pacific Festival of Arts (1980) and the Salvation Army Red Shield Appeal. Sir Brian also served as patrons of AIESEC PNG University and the Port Moresby City Mission.

“Apart from setting up a school just outside Port Moresby, Sir Brian also helped in offering scholarships and funding to many needy and deserving young Papua New Guineans.”

The man from Cinchilla, Queensland, has been in PNG for longer than he has ever been at home and, for most of his years here, he has been a citizen.

Sir Brian, CSM, KBE, C.St.J, was knighted by the Queen for his many contributions to business and charity in PNG.

“PNG has recognised his invaluable contributions and bestowed upon him a number of well-earned awards over the years,” Sir Michael said.

Sir Brian was also the honorary consul-general of Norway and Sweden.

“On behalf of Papua New Guineans, Lady Veronica and my family, I sincerely thank the late Sir Brian’s family for his many contributions.

“He will be remembered by many whose lives he touched,” Sir Michael said.

Sir Brian was an icon who had been at the helm of his business everyday since he began in 1961, and had singularly been responsible for building up a

quality conscious non-food mercantile, hardware, home and electrical appliances business in Papua New Guinea – expanding from Port Moresby to Lae, Kokopo, Madang, Mt Hagen and other smaller towns in the country.

Brian Bell & Company Ltd has become one of Papua New Guinea`s premier retailer, wholesaler and distributor of non-food and clothing products companies.

Through its extensive branch and distribution network, it offers a wide range of products and services to businesses, aid agencies, mining companies, government departments and individuals throughout the country.

Brian Bell`s retail network comprises 10 retail outlets and more than 25 distribution agencies in all major commercial centres in PNG.

Polye to contest Prime Minister's post

ACTING Prime Minister Don Polye has made known his intentions to contest the prime minister’s post, The National reports.

Polye said he would make public his candidacy at the National Alliance party convention in the Jiwaka region next month.

He told reporters that there must be a strike of balance between all the other regions of the country, with Paias Wingti being the only prime minister from the region.

“Now is the time to give a chance to the highlands region,” Polye said.

He was speaking after announcing the ministerial portfolios of the new ministers last Thursday.

“With the new ministries, I do not think the Somare-Polye government will fall.

“The opposition cannot go and oust a government when you do not have a notice in parliament,” Polye said.

He said the opposition was trying to mislead the public and create instability within government.

The new cabinet ministers and their portfolios are Lucas Dekena (Lands), Francis Potape (Climate Change), Moses Maladina (Trade), Benjamin Poponawa ( Civil Aviation and Immigration), John Pundari (Mining), Timothy Bonga (Forest), Guma Wau (Culture and Tourism) and Fidelis Semoso (Bougainville Affairs).

The climate change, trade and immigration are new ministries.

“I ask the people of PNG, the public and private sectors to accord the new ministers their full support and cooperation.”

Polye said the new team would be the backbone of the new-look Somare-Polye government, stressing that the team would not be moved in any political horse trading.

He said the aim of the new group was to go into cabinet to discuss and review some of the controversial and much debated issues such as the amendments to the Ombudsman Commission Act.

He said other bills brought before parliament would also be reviewed by the new leaders.

“Nation building is not only to do with individuals with picks and shovels, plants and equipment or saws and hammers,’’ Polye said. “It is more so with the building of the culture in the mind and heart of hard work, strive, thrifty, industrious, honesty and justice in Papua New Guineans, children, women and men.

“A society of high standard in values and principles is what we must build,” Polye said.

Trade Minister Moses Maladina said the Ombudsman Commission Bill was introduced as a private member’s bill and he would also bring that up in cabinet for further discussion.

 

 

Remember their sacrifices: Governor General

THE stories of those brave men and women who fought in World War II  to make it possible for  us to have the freedom we enjoy today, must be properly documented and placed prominently in our national history, Governor-General Sir Paulias Matane said, The National reports.

Speaking at the 29th Remembrance Day ceremony in Port Moresby last Friday, Sir Paulias said this would “instil pride in us at their sacrifice and to remember them forever”.

“This history is an obligation for Papua New Guineans to remember the heroes who fought and helped, not just in the war, but also during the Bougainville crisis, so we can live to see this day,” he said.

Hosted by the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary, the celebration was themed “Building a strong and prosperous nation”, which Sir Paulias said was the reflection of the war, their efforts and the hardships and challenges that go into nation-building.

He said one such challenge was that children of today were not taught the importance and significance of Remembrance Day.

“I urge parents to ensure that their children understand the day and do not miss these ceremonies just because none of their relatives died,” the governor-general said.

“Children of today and tomorrow have the obligation to remember these brave people because their rights to be remembered far outweigh our rights to forget.”

Sir Paulias said we all must remember and know that it was when Australia realised that they were alone in the war that indigenous people of PNG assisted them, adding that this led to their continued relationship between both nations  today.

“There is no greater love from a man than to lay down his life for another, and it is this selflessness and humility which are some of the key virtues in our

constitution that we must embrace and practice to build a strong and prosperous nation,’’ he said.

“Let us emulate spirit and dedication of our heroes.”

Flower power for East New Britain women

Story and picture by ELIZABETH VUVU

 

Floriculture is one of the new endeavours currently being promoted strongly in East New Britain to provide womenfolk the opportunity to cultivate and sell plants and flowers to contribute to household income generation.

Last weekend a first-of-its-kind flower show was held at Vunapope Diocese Hall to make the public more aware of this potential.

The flower show is only the second project under the East New Britain Women and Youth in Agriculture partnership with National Agriculture Research Institute (NARI), Cocoa Coconut Institute (CCI) and Department of Agriculture and Livestock (DAL).

The first project is the commercialising of taro in which the women in agriculture have promoted the great potential in exporting taro as a cash commodity.

Pictured here are some mothers in ENB displaying their plants.

Planning Papua New Guinea's future in cofee

CIC staff led by company secretary Sally Maladina (standing at back),  while from right Kaiyo Kana, Rose Romalus, Matei Labun and Ingu Bofeng discuss in their group

By AUGUSTINE DOMINIC of CIC

The Coffee Industry Corporation can effectively deliver its services right down to coffee farmers and stakeholders in the districts level with a new business plan drawn up recently.

Chief executive officer of CIC Navi Anis said during the closing of a two-week planning workshop in Lae last week that the plan highlighted specific issues that CIC needed to prioritise and design projects to implement the needed service.

He said the business plan translated the revised PNG Coffee Industry Strategic Plan (PNGCISP), 2008-2018 to achievable and measurable objectives and projects for implementation.

The plan targets both the remote and accessible areas of Papua New Guinea that grow either Arabica or Robusta coffee.

Depending on project priority and funding, CIC aims to improve its services to the districts under the six main thematic areas: productivity; scale of production; marketing systems; information and communication; legal and policy; and capacity building.

Workshop facilitator Dr Simba Simbanda encouraged the participants, especially from CIC, to believe in themselves and take ownership of the plan in order to implement it and achieve the desired results.

The workshop was funded by the Australian Research and Development Support Facility (ARDSF) via AusAID and is a follow-up of various other workshops being held since 2009 and early 2010 to translate the PNGCISP into achievable plans.

Various workshop participants expressed great satisfaction for gaining the programme planning knowledge.

Manager for CIC’s industry regulation and compliance Sam Menaga said such knowledge was offered at university level and was gained over a number of years, however, he was fortunate to be part of the process.

CIC board director James Korarome shared similar sentiments and encouraged CIC staff to work together to being the services to coffee farmers and other stakeholders.

“When I was outside, I complained a lot that CIC was not doing much for the coffee farmers in the country, but since I became involved in the programme planning process of CIC, I can understand the constraints that CIC faces to deliver its services,” he said.

Julia Gillard as Prime Minister -the view from Oz

Gillard: A persona, not a politician

 

From JOHN FOWKE

 

That’s the problem. Where to, now, Oz? With a driver who has really only taken the car out on sunny Sundays so far?? First days in commuter traffic have resulted in dents and embarrassment. Good neighbour SBY doesnt appreciate the big "detention centre" scrape on his friendly parked vehicle, but he's keeping quiet, hoping his Aussie counterparts grow up and learn manners and respect sometime soon. Remember the Lombok Agreement, Julia?

 And you have further impoverished Australia's standing in the Pacific by taking such a clumsy, insular, pedantic stance over Frank Bainimarama's regime and its ongoing management of Fiji. Confrontation will produce nothing positive in Melanesia and Pacific society. This culture is - and this is a weakness as well as a positive element- one where Winston Churchill's famous admonition to “Jaw, jaw, not war, war," is the basic rule of the game. A game which will be played out regardless of big-daddy intervention from the two regional metropolitan nations.No skill, no savvy,no street-smarts at all, in the official Australian relationships with Fiji and with PNG.

 Gillard looked good on TV despite the gratingly “Melbourne painter-and-docker" variant of our normal Australian accent. In practice she is making the same sort of errors as Kevin did, firing from the hip without consultation. Is this the product of supreme self-satisfaction as it was in Kev, or simple naivety? Gillard herself was intimately concerned in the design of some of the most damaging projects of Rudd's time at the wheel.Only implemented a few short months ago, like the home-insulation scheme resulting in the deaths of installers, and the scandal-ridden schools building program- these matters are still reverberating loudly

 So it’s hard to be at all enthusiastic about Labour this time round, let alone supportive when it is born in mind that Labour is cosying-up bigtime with the Greens for preferences, ushering in the spectre of Green control of the Senate. May providence not allow this!!

 Any ideology of the faith-driven, "handed-down as immutable truth" kind  is a proven curse to humanity - and we in Australia need the Greens and their patronising " just do it like we say, theres a good boy/girl"  attitude just like we need the crazier versions of guitar-driven evangelical Christianity or militant Islamists  as political leaders and opinion -makers.

 Neither of the major Australian parties has any good, solid, experienced front-row forwards, nor any dazzling wingers. Very ordinary, unexceptional and almost entirely unproven in real-world matters.Once upon a time the two main parties were driven by beliefs derived from life-experience. labour was powered by experienced union officials, socialist lawyers and activists in left-wing causes. Liberal/National conservatives were led and pushed by everyday business people from small to very big, capitalist/business-minded lawyers and an occasional academic who had the guts to stand up and speak out in an environment domibnated by socialist thinkers.

 Today, all any of them care about is getting their shiny bums on the seats inthe big house in Canberra.Power and the chance to rule is what turns them all, almost without exception, on.

 So the only way for us voters, one step forward at the risk of half a a step back, is to vote for the Mad Monk's Mob.Regardless of our feelings about hairy little men who run around in tiny underpants and nothing else. 

 So as to avoid an unproductive period of subjection to social-engineering originating in a Green-influenced Senate. Let’s hope this era is not a long one. Talk about Hobson's choice!