In-fighting threatens to split government

Potape stripped

 

By PEARSON KOLO

 

PRIME Minister Sir Michael Somare has removed Komo-Margarima MP Francis Potape as minister for climate change amid signs all may not be well in government, The National reports.

In a week of drama involving the United Resources Party, a major coalition partner in government, it has emerged that the prime minister decided to relieve Potape of the climate change portfolio, and also the function of minister for state assisting the prime minister in LNG matters.

Potape has been made minister without portfolio, but will assist the prime minister in matters relating to the functions of climate change, state protocol and ceremonies, parliamentary services and MTDGs.

The prime minister’s decision appeared in the National Gazette No.G208 published last Tuesday.

The URP is embroiled in a drama which threatened to tear the party apart, with its leader and Petroleum and Energy Minister William Duma refusing to recognise five new MPs from the opposition who joined the party.

Potape and Southern Highlands Governor Anderson Agiru called a press conference last Thursday to welcome the five MPs. But Duma walked into the conference and told them they could not join the party without following the legal process.

Duma, Agiru and Potape could not be reached for comments yesterday.

But sources said political forces were at play, and were using individuals in the URP to achieve their goals.

“The political situation is still fluid.

“We have a parliament sitting coming up in November in which anything can happen.

“The prime ninister is not safe until January next year, so there could be a lot of posturing for positions,” a source said.

Another source said certain politicians wanted to see Deputy Prime Minister Don Polye and Duma removed by the prime minister, and were pushing Agiru and the URP.

“Agiru is a staunch supporter of the prime minister and the government, but is being pushed into a corner,” the source said.

The source said these politicians pushing Agiru and the URP wanted the deputy prime minister’s position and the finance and treasury portfolio.

Polye refused to comment.

He said he was committed to the prime minister and the National Alliance party, and cabinet positions were the prerogative of the prime minister.

 

Duma: Five opposition members not in United Resource Party

MINISTER for Petroleum and Energy and parliamentary leader of the United Resource Party William Duma said yesterday five MPs who left the opposition to join his party are not yet members of URP, The National reports.

Duma made this position known to the MPs last Thursday, and reiterated this yesterday.

“They are not members of the URP. They have not formally and legally joined. There are systems and processes and they have not followed that,” Duma said.

The five are Imbonggu MP Francis Awesa (PNG Party), Simbu Governor Fr John Garia (PNG Party), Henganofi MP Ferao Orimyo (PNG Party), Mendi MP Isaac Joseph (New Generation) and South Bougainville MP Steven Kama (New Generation).

They called a press conference with Southern Highlands Governor Anderson Agiru last Thursday in parliament and announced they were joining the URP.

While they were speaking to reporters, Duma walked into the press conference and told them they could not be part of URP.

“I am the parliamentary leader of the URP. Mal Kela-Smith (Eastern Highlands governor) is the deputy leader. We have not been consulted.

“As a party, we have not met to discuss these or any new MPs joining the party.

“We have systems and processes to follow. Most of the provisions of the Organic Law on the Integrity of Political Parties and Candidates are still intact, and we have to respect and follow the law.

“I do not think they have been properly released from their political parties. So, legally speaking, they are not members of URP. Their purported acceptance to the party (URP) is null and void,” Duma said.

Members of the URP are Duma, Kela-Smith, Agiru, Environment and Conservation Minister Benny Allan (Unggai-Bena), Tourism Minister Guma Wau (Kerowagi), Minister for State Francis Potape (Komo-Margarima), Middle Fly MP Roy Biyama, Dei MP Puri Ruing, Kagua-Erave MP James Lagea and Daulo MP Patrick Kondo.

Wau flew into Port Moresby from Japan yesterday and met with Duma to discuss the issue.

Duma met and discussed this development with Kela-Smith, Allan, Ruing and Biyama, and will meet with Agiru and the rest of the caucus members this week.

“The URP is committed to its alliance with Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare and the National Alliance party. We will not depart from this pact,” Duma said.

 

 

Unitech back to class on Thursday

THE University of Technology in Lae is set to resume formal lectures from Thursday to complete the 2010 academic year, The National reports.

The university council has resolved to approve the recommendation of the Unitech academic board to reconvene formal lectures following the directive from the Office of Higher Education (OHE).

The decision was also made possible following agreement by the student groups involved in the conflict to return to lectures while allowing the reconciliation process to start.

Students residing off campus have been urged to return immediately to prepare for resumption of lectures.

All students should return and reside on campus by tomorrow, a proposed peace and reconciliation processwill start with payment of bel kol to family of the deceased taking place on Wednesday and on Thursday formal lectures should resume.

The university council has further resolved to:

* Approve the actions undertaken by administration, including the security arrangements and the transfer of the vice-chancellor’s powers relating to law and order and security to Lae police to administer;

* Approve the resolution of the academic board for lost time to be recovered through the conduct of lectures during weekends and after hours;

* Set up an independent investigation team, with membership made up of a former police commissioner, a senior respected lawyer and a nominee from the OHE to investigate and report on the root causes of the ethnic dispute; and

* Appeal to the provincial administrators and leaders of Chimbu and the two Sepik provinces to accept the invitation by the university and take the lead in bringing their respective students to fully reconcile and achieve lasting peace.

OHE director general Dr William Tagis went on national radio last Friday morning to comment on the situation at Unitech.

He warned students who were on various OHE scholarships to return to classes this week or face losing their scholarships for the 2011 academic year.

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Don Polye said the Unitech issue was the result of total lack of commitment where armed students terrorised other students, resulting in mass withdrawal by the students since the beginning of this month

Polye said the university administration, the police and the on-campus security company had failed to carry out their duties like checking on visitors, students and staff and declaring a curfew with the campus when the fighting started.

Hidden Valley gold mining environmental issues

By DR GAE GOWAE

 

Dear all,

This is a challenge to us Morobeans.

 The plight of the people affected by the Hidden Valley gold mining needs immediate attention by concerned Morobeans. 

You may have watched this on the EMTV Tok Piksa sometimes last month where people developed skin diseases and are scared to wash in the river where the waste system from the mining company is connected.

Few deaths occurred in children while adults are struggling with the disease.

Also garden areas now under water and slowly turning into swamp areas as a result of high sedimentation believed to be from the waste discharge from the mining causing high water table and runoffs.

 This never happened before until after the mining operation started.

 Both Hon. Sam Basil and Governor Luther Wenge have pledged their financial support for an independent team of scientists to investigate the cause.

 However, to date nothing has come forth from neither member, simply because of political differences. 

Sam Basil is trying to engage a University of PNG team which includes me while Luther Wenge is trying to engage his own team with me as the team leader. However, the total cost of the whole exercise (from Upper Watut to the mouth of Markham river and Labu Buttu village) require combine amounts from both MPs. This is becuse the engagement of the team will be through consultancy work arrangements and the fees are relatively high in the case of UPNG.

 Meanwhile landowners association from the area is up caught up between these differences.

The landowners’ association simply wants an independent team to udentake the study, regardless of which team, but need money to engage a team.

Neither MP will release the money to the landowners’ association because both MPs want to deal directly with the investigation team for political milage purposes. 

 I am also now caught up between these political differences, because of my association with the teams to undertake the study.

The study needs to be undetaken thoroughly because of the size of the area and that we are up against a multi-million company, and our findings need to be credible.

 To cut down the costs I now want to undertake the study outside consultancy work (volunteer basis) but I will need certain specific expertise in mining and waste engineering, hydraulogist, aquatic biologist, and an applied chemist among the Morobeans to come foward and assist.

The major cost component in this case will be for water and soil samples to be analysed at the Unitech analysis laboratory.

The other cost components will include the logistic support (transportation, accommodation, etc.), and travelling allowances.

 I am now negotiating this option with the landowners’ association leaders.

Any ideas or technical assistance from the Morobeans will be greatly appreciated.

Associate professor Eric Kwa and I are working together in this case.

 I welcome any thoughts or ideas from those of you Morobeans out there to assist our people who are now the victims of the so-called economic development activities.

 

Dr. Gae Gowae

Senior Lecturer

Environmental Sciences

UPNG 

APEC senior officials assess progress ahead of leaders' meeting

Issued by the APEC Secretariat

 

Sendai, Japan, 26 September, 2010 – Senior officials discussed key reports and recommendations on enhancing trade and investment in the Asia-Pacific region that will be submitted to Ministers and Leaders of member economies when they meet in November.

 At the two-day senior officials’ meeting (SOM) in Sendai, Japan, delegates focused on APEC’s 2010 initiatives including its “high-quality” growth strategy, assessment on progress of the Bogor Goals and the way forward on greater regional economic integration.

 They made progress on the substance of APEC’s growth strategy, which aims to improve the quality of economic growth in the Asia-Pacific region in the wake of the global financial crisis, and identifies five key areas to target.

 Although the APEC region has become the world’s growth centre by promoting free and open trade and economic integration, APEC Leaders declared in 2009 the need for a strategy on growth, recognising that challenges such as further environmental sustainability and social inclusiveness are essential to the future prosperity and well-being of its citizens.

 “Is it clear that member economies cannot continue with ‘growth as usual’ and the quality needs to be improved so that it is more balanced, inclusive, sustainable, innovative and secure,” APEC Japan 2010 senior official co-chair Shigeru Nakamura said.

 “Member economies recognise, for example, the need to protect our environment and natural resources and therefore develop sustainable growth. APEC could also contribute to inclusive growth by promoting policies for job creation as well as more economic opportunities for women,” he said.

APEC Japan 2010 senior official co-chair Hidehiko Nishiyama added: “The meeting made progress towards finalising this strategy which will be presented to leaders on the way forward for the next five years.”

 Senior officials also held discussions on the substance of a report that assesses APEC member economies’ progress on free and open trade. The assessment report on meeting the Bogor goals will also be presented to ministers and leaders in November.

 APEC Leaders issued a declaration in Bogor, Indonesia in 1994 that called for industrialised member economies to achieve free and open trade by 2010, and developing members by 2020. APEC has conducted a thorough and objective assessment on the progress of achieving those goals, with consultation from APEC’s policy support unit and external bodies.

 The progress of five economies – Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand and the USA – has been examined. Another eight economies, Chile, Hong Kong China, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, Singapore and Chinese Taipei, have volunteered to undergo early assessment before their own target date of 2020. 

 Officials also focused on the way forward on APEC’s strategy for structural reform. APEC is undertaking initiatives aimed at making it easier to do business by reducing “behind-the-border” barriers to trade, such as reducing unnecessary and costly regulations and reforming competition policy.

 They also focused on ways to accelerate regional economic integration, including possible pathways to a free trade area of the Asia-Pacific.

 Officials have been holding related meetings, workshops and symposiums in Sendai in the lead up to the senior officials’ meeting, which covered a wide range of issues, including non-tariff barriers to trade, energy security, food security, disaster preparedness, sustainable tourism, anti-corruption and supply chain connectivity.

 The APEC senior officials’ meeting is the third this year, and officials will gather again in November to finalise recommendations for ministers’ and leaders’ meeting, which takes place later that month.

 

                   # # #

 

For more information, contact: Trudy Harris +65 98983710 or th@apec.org

 

                                                 Michael Chapnick +65 96474847 or mc@apec.org

 

For photos, visit: http://www.apec.org/apec/news___media/news_photos.html  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lutheran youth conference ends in Buang

By Pastor SAKARIA MALELAK

Post-graduate student

Martin Luther Seminary

 A week-long Lutheran Jabem district youth conference came to an end in Bulandem parish, Buang circuit today.

Pr Gedisa Okamaisa delivering his speech.

The conference started last Monday September 20 and ended today.

It finished on a high note with Malalo circuit who won the bid to host the 2011 Jabem district youth conference.

Conference participants came from all 14 circuits that make up Jabem district including Kaiapit, Sangan, Wantoat, Wampar, Lae, Lae City, Laulu, Deka, Jabem, Malalo, Buang, Menyamya, Aseki and Kaintiba.

A total of 600 participants attended this conference.

Fog covers the conference area

The theme of the conference was “Wokabaut wantaim bilong ol bilip man meri insait long pasin bilong laikim (Walking with faith and love).

Bulolo MP Sam Basil was invited to declare the winners of the newly-elected executives with Araba Saia as the new district youth coordinator with a new secretary.

Jabem district president Pastor Gedisa Okamaisa accompanied by the nomination committee Paul Siwari and his chairman Pastor Douglas Tukiti ran the elections which saw the new executives voted into place.

Conference chairman

 Basil delivered a strong message to the Jabem district youths to use their Christian principals to guide them in their decision-making because the future was in their hands.

Bad leaders with bad decisions riddled with corruption has brought Papua New Guinea this far where  after 35 years we are still wondering what went wrong.

2012 elections is fast approaching, therefore, electing a good leader can make some difference.

A leader who has been exposed to private or public sector management with good and quality leadership experience can make a good leader.  

A leader who thinks from the heart makes good decisions.

 The onus is now with the youth of today to find those leaders in the next general elections and bring them into parliament.

Buang scouts leading Bulolo MP Sam Basil and delegates into the conference area

The conference ended today with Holy Communion service, after which delegates from the 14 circuits head back home.

Dance to the tapioka!

Hagara magic ... The Grade 6 tapioka dance troupe from Milne Bay yesterday stole the show at the Hagara Primary School near Hanuabada village, NCD, during the school’s Grade 6 mini-cultural show. Their exotic hip movements and war cries kept the crowd on its toes throughout. Three other groups also performed representing Central, Goroka in Eastern Highlands and the Tolais of East New Britain. The songs and dances were part of their school curriculum. – Words and picture by AURI EVA