Policeman shot dead in Port Moresby robbery

By JULIA DAIA BORE

 

A LONG-serving policeman and father of seven was shot dead at close range yesterday while escorting a company’s pay-run in Port Moresby, The National reports.

The shooting took place during the afternoon rush hour outside the Correctional Services headquarters at Hohola about 4.30pm.

He was named as Paul Waim, from Kerowagi, Chimbu, who was stationed at Moreguina, in Central’s Abau district.

Bystanders gathering around the vehicle to check on the policeman who was shot and could be seen lying across the two front seats. – Pictures courtesy of CS media

Waim and another policeman were escorting a rubber company depositing cash and pay run from the Abau district when they were attacked in the city.

Eyewitnesses said Waim and his colleague and others were in a utility vehicle driving slowly towards the busy Wards Drive from Islander Drive when their vehicle was intercepted by another utility vehicle near the Islander drain and the CS headquarters.

They said they saw the killers, armed with weapons, step out their vehicle, a silver-brown Toyota Hilux, and confronted the passengers in the intercepted utility.

One eyewitness said: “They came out with high-powered guns and shouted to the driver to leave the utility, screaming, ‘come out, you come’.

“Then, one of the men holding onto the weapon, appeared to be holding a pistol, fired six to seven continuous shots at the policeman.

“The gun was emptied on the policeman who was in uniform.”

The impact of the bullets threw Waim back, flat on the seat in the vehicle.

“The armed men then rushed into their vehicle and sped off toward Hohola.”

The sound of gunshots drew a large crowd who tried to help before the other policeman, apparently unhurt, drove his wounded colleague to Port Moresby General Hospital.

Another eyewitness said they also noticed the killers remove two weapons from the utility which the policemen were in before they fled the scene.

One eyewitnesses described the scene as “just straight out a movie” and that “things happened so swiftly, fast and unsuspicious”.

Port Moresby police could not be contacted to confirm whether any money was stolen.

Central police commander Chief Supt John Maru, who was at the Port Moresby General Hospital late yesterday to arrange for the release of the body, had called on companies seeking police escort to provide a separate vehicle from the vehicle carrying the money.

Maru also condemned the lack of resources and inadequate funding of the police force which he said was the reason why policemen in escort situations, such as yesterday’s, were left to carry out the escort, travelling in the same vehicle as that carrying the cash. 

K500 million deal for LNG landowners

By PATRICK TALU

 

LANDOWNERS will succeed if they stop waiting to be fed by politicians, put their businessmen’s cap on and prepare themselves for the challenge of businesses with global reputation, The National reports.

Hides landowner leader Larry Andagali echoed this when landowner company Trans Wonderland Ltd (TWL) clinched a lucrative deal associated with the PNG LNG project.

TWL, the flagship umbrella company representing seven gas-field landowner companies in Southern Highlands, yesterday signed a contract worth more than K500 million to provide logistics to the PNG LNG project.

The contract was for a three-year period.

The deal was signed between TWL, PNG LNG project operator Esso Highlands Ltd and Agility Ltd, the world’s leading logistics mover.

Under the agreement, TWL and its partners will provide a central base of operations in Lae, for receipt, storage and processing of goods and equipment to be transported to the project site and supply trucking resources drawn from a number of companies.

The trucking resources and operation will be provided through the joint venture partnership; Northern Logistic Group Joint Venture between five logistic companies.

These companies included TWL, Mapai Transport, Traisa and Kutubu Transport.

Andagali, who is a director of TWL, said it dawned on him during the signing of the umbrella benefits sharing agreement in Kokopo last year that if landowners were to succeed, they had to organise themselves.

“I had to remove my landowner cap and wear the businessman’s cap.

“I realise I could not milk anything from Peter Graham, so we had to organise ourselves and get details, however small, right.

“This (contract) was not given to me on a golden platter.

“We had to work hard and organise ourselves for it,” he added.

He said it underscored the importance of the national content plan.

Petroleum and Energy Minister William Duma welcomed the TWL deal.

Duma said as minister responsible for oil and gas, he would have preferred to see a landowner company awarded a multi-million-kina contract in its own right.

Esa’ala MP Moses Maladina said the contract was another option for landowners, instead of waiting for royalties and dividends.

The early works of the PNG LNG project had suffered some stop-work due to landowner protests, but the government insisted it was on track to ship its first gas in 2014.

 

 

Papua New Guinea stalling UN climate talks, says Greenpeace

GREENPEACE has criticised Papua New Guinea for stalling crucial global climate change talks in China.

Delegates from more than 170 countries are meeting in Tianjin, China, to try to revive UN climate negotiations that failed to create a binding agreement in Copenhagen last year.

The talks are a prelude to a United Nation’s summit starting next month in Mexico, but UN on Wednesday said they had so far failed to make significant progress.

The global bickering centres on the details of the complex UN plan to reduce climate change through its reducing emissions from deforestation and degradation (REDD) agenda.

PNG, as co-chair of the REDD negotiations, is arguing for less scrutiny on donor funding as a way to fast-track the process.

But Greenpeace forests campaigner in PNG, Sam Moko, said this was a worry showing PNG appeared more interested in donor money than seriously tackling climate change.

“With a reputation of corruption, complete disregard for landowner rights, free and prior informed consent and accurate estimations of likely benefits accruing from REDD, PNG is in no fit state to be receiving REDD funding without strict conditions in place,” he said.

Greenpeace Australia Pacific’s Paul Winn, who is at the discussions in China, said PNG was putting the REDD process at risk of failure.

“The PNG delegation is using its position to keep stakeholders, such as green groups and indigenous people’s groups, away from the meetings in an attempt to keep rules on social and biodiversity safeguards out of the REDD framework.”

The PNG prime minister’s office did not return AAP’s calls and emails to clarify its position or answer Greenpeace’s criticisms.

On Sept 23, Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare, 74, who wanted to forge combating climate change as his legacy before retiring, told UN meetings in New York that REDD must go ahead.

But Sir Michael was critical of the World Bank and the UN “tangling us in endless process and conditionalities”.

“REDD and all its co-benefits can no longer be held hostage by UN negotiations that are mired in self-serving inaction,” Sir Michael said.

“While we must support the UN process where possible, we must steadfastly refuse to let the bureaucracy impede our progress”.

PNG has been plagued by a litany of scandals and corruption allegations surrounding its REDD efforts.  – AAP

Captain Timothy Narara tames the A380 ‘beast’

By MALUM NALU

As Papua New Guinea celebrated 35 years of independence on September 16, the small Papua New Guinea community in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, also got together for a mumu for their motherland.

They included the small group of PNG pilots and their families based in UAE, as well as PNG women married to expatriates and now living there.

Among this small group of nationalists was Captain Timothy Narara, who only three days earlier, had made history by being the first Papua New Guinean to be licensed to fly the Airbus A380, the largest passenger airliner in the world, for Emirates Airlines.

Captain Timothy Narara in the cockpit of the Airbus A380

Ironically, his elder brother Granger, who is vice president of flight operations with another UAE airline Etihad, was the first Papua New Guinean to fly the A380 – which pilots call ‘The Beast’ – a couple of years ago but that was only a trial test flight with Airbus.

Timothy Narara has gone a step further than big brother by being licensed to fly passengers on the A380 to anywhere in the world.

An Emirates Airlines A380 which Captain Timothy Narara is flying

“The first flight I did was on the 13^th of September,” he tells me on Skype from Abu Dhabi on Wednesday evening.

“I went to Heathrow Airport in London.

“I started the conversion course for the A380 on the 15^th of August this year.

“Because I’ve been flying Airbuses for the last 12 years, the conversion to the A380 only took me about a month and a half.

“If you’ve flown an Airbus before, the philosophy is pretty much the same.

“I started the conversion course on August 15th and finished on September 10th.

“On the first flight which I did, there was an instructor with me.

“I went to Bangkok on September 20^th and on the 29^th of September 29^th, did my final ‘check’ flight to Toronto.

“Once you complete your ‘check’ flights, you are by yourself and can fly anywhere in the world with a first officer.

“I went to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, yesterday (Tuesday, October 5).

“My next flight in a couple of days is when I go to Beijing.”

The boy from Dobu, Milne Bay province, now aged 45, tells me that he should never have become a pilot in the first place, as he graduated as a second lieutenant from the PNG Defence Force Academy in Lae in November 1984 as an infantry officer.

Timothy Narara (right) with fellow PNGDF pilot Eddie Nigea beside an Arava

“I graduated from the Defence Academy as an infantry officer,” he laughs.

“Later on, I changed course, because there was an opportunity to become a pilot.

“I went to Melbourne for a course, I was lucky, I passed, and I stuck to that.

“There was an opportunity and I took it!”

Timothy Narara was born in Madang Hospital in November 1964, when his father was working there at the power station.

 The family then moved to Kudjip in the Western Highlands shortly after as the father got a job with the Nazarene mission hydro station and Narara went to school in Banz until 1973 when the family moved back to Esa’ala in Milne Bay province.

“I completed primary School at Esa’ala primary school and continued grade 7 to 10 at Wesley High School on Fergusson Island, completing year 10 in 1980, then did year 11 and 12 at Sogeri National High School.

“I joined the PNGDF after completing year 12 in 1982.

“I was moved to Igam Barracks in Lae to do officers’ training at the PNG Defence Academy and successfully obtained a commission as a second lieutenant in November 1984.

“ I then was fortunate enough to get selected to attend a pilots’ course sponsored by the defence cooperation programme with Australia,  and was sent down to Melbourne in 1985 for 12 months,  returning to PNG rated on the Nomad aircraft in December 1986,  and shortly after that started flying the IAI Arava. 

“In 1987, I attended an instructor’s course in Australia which was completed and followed by a year of instructing at the RAAF Flight Training School in Point Cook, Australia.

“The Bougainville crisis was in full swing by this time so I returned to PNG in December 1990 and was deployed to Bougainville in early 1991 with my RATS comrades.

“Flying in Bougainville was one of the most-challenging times as we were often fatigued and under extreme pressure from all the elements, be it environmental, human or combat-orientated.

Timothy Narara (left) and Paul Boga in an Iroquois helicopter in PNGDF flying days

“The guys flew extremely well and we all came out pretty much intact.

“I left the comforts of the military as a major in June 1994 and joined Air Niugini as a first officer on the F28 and later on got my command on the Dash 8.

“In June 1998, I left Air Niugini and moved to the United Arab Emirates and joined my brother Granger, at Emirates Airline, in the United Arab Emirates.

“  I started on the Airbus A 310/A 300 as a first officer and at that time the airline only had about 30 airplanes, all wide bodies, and flew to about 40 or 50 destinations.

“I got my command two and a half years later on the A330 and also flew the A 340.

“To date Emirates has a fleet of 150 airplanes and growing, comprising of B777-200, B777-200LR, B777-300, B777-300ER, A330-200, A340-300, A340-500 and the A380-800.

“In September of 2010, I moved across to the A380-800 as a captain.

“The aircraft operates with a crew of two pilots and a total of 24 cabin crew and can carry up to 517 passengers seating 14 first class, 76 business class and 427 economy class.

“It is the largest passenger aircraft in the world.

“To date Emirates has 12 A 80-800 aircraft and should have 15 by the end of the year.

“Deliveries will begin again towards the end of next year until there are over 90 A380s.”

The good news for Papua New Guinea is that another PNG pilot at Emirates Airlines, Goroka boy Captain Locklyn Sabumei, will next month do the conversion to the A380.

Timothy’s elder brother, Granger, leads two other PNG pilots at the other UAE airline company, Etihad, who are Captain Hans Pederson of Bougainville (ex Air Niugini who flies the Boeing 777) and Captain Terry Togumagoma of Milne Bay (ex PNGDF who flies the Airbus A330/340).

 But for now, life of good for Timothy Narara and his wife and Sogeri sweetheart Nellie, from Tufi in Nothern province, and their three sons.

Batman...Captain Timothy 'Tico' Narara and wife Nellie in UAE

“I’ve wanted to fly the A380 for a while,” he tells me.

“I want to do this for a couple of years and see how it goes.

“I can never tell the future, however, I’d like to come back to PNG someday, as I’m a citizen and I hold a PNG passport.”

Ice falls in Komo

More than 2,000 people in Komo and Mananda villages in the Southern Highlands have been affected by frost, The National reports.
A villager (pictured) showing a chunk of ice found in his garden on Monday afternoon. 
Other villagers also found their gardens and surroundings affected and have called on the government to assist them. 
It is understood that LNG developer ExxonMobil officers are in the area assessing the situation.

Big push for Papua New Guinea hydro-power

Qld premier to spearhead talks with business sector next week

 

THE proposed hydro power plant in Gulf province from which electricity would be undersea-cabled  to Queensland is gaining momentum, with premier Anna Bligh spearheading the talks with Townsville business leaders, The National reports.

The Cairns Post reported that the Queensland premier would meet with business leaders in Townsville next week to promote plans to import hydropower from Papua New Guinea for use in Queensland’s north.

“Bligh will govern Queensland from the north next week, basing herself in Townsville from Oct 11 to 16,” the newspaper reported yesterday.

She told parliament she would  be sharing with Townsville business leaders’ information about plans to import green power generated from Purari River to Queensland via an undersea cable.

She said she would also meet with federal independent MP Kennedy Bob Katter and Mt Isa state MP Betty Kiernan, about the project.

Bligh also revealed she plans to travel to PNG in December with representatives from Origin Energy, which is pursuing the hydropower project with PNG Sustainable Development Program Ltd.

“I will be joining with the CEO of Origin Energy to speak at a business breakfast of Townsville business leaders about this project,” she said yesterday.

The premier last month signed a memorandum of co-operation with the PNG government, Origin and PNG Energy Developments Ltd to begin investigations into the multi-billion dollar plan.

A comprehensive feasibility study was expected to be finished in 2012 and PNG green power could be pumping into the national grid at Townsville by 2020.

The 50:50 joint venture between Origin and PNGSDP could ultimately see the hydro-power plant built at Purari River, the country’s third largest waterway located in the Gulf province.

Last month, Origin chief executive Grant King said the ongoing assessment of the project was consistent with his company’s pursuit of renewable energy opportunities.

 “This would be the first project to deliver year-round baseload renewable energy into mainland Australia,” King said.

Bligh also said for the project to be viable, PNG needed a baseload customer for the power, which her state would become.

“If successful, this project would be a massive win-win for both PNG and Queensland, opening up new opportunities for all of us,’’ Bligh said.

Deputy prime minister Don Polye said it was a milestone to have the governments come together with the private sector in a partnership to develop such an important project.

 

 

City time-bomb

NCD police overpowered by influx of people

 

By THOMAS HUKAHU

 

The National Capital District is sitting on a law and order time bomb, The National reports.

This warning came from the city’s top policeman, metropolitan commander Supt Fred Yakasa.

Yakasa said the increasing number of people moving into Port Moresby from other centres, and from overseas, was presenting a major problem to them and was really stretching them.

“NCD police need more support to manage law and order problems in the city.

“We lack resources and manpower and need urgent help,” Yakasa said.

He was speaking as city residents came to terms with another brutal killing, this time a premeditated murder of a first-year law student at the University of Papua New Guinea.

Yakasa said where there were more people moving about in a place, there was bound to be more problems.

He said police were doing all they could but they could only stretch so much. And, that was the case with Port Moresby.

“Our situation is not helped with the absence of reserve police personnel, a task force or a dog unit. All these must be looked at seriously to help us do proper policing of the city.

“I know the department’s executive management team is trying hard to assist my men, but I think our politicians must also see the realities and assist police in their work to maintain law and order in the city,” Yakasa added.

He also thanked community leaders who had worked tirelessly in their communities to resolve problems at their level.

Yakasa said: “I really appreciate those leaders. It is very encouraging to hear of leaders like that who are helping to maintain law and order in their communities.”

Law and order was everybody’s problem, not just the police, he added. 

Yakasa also appealed to the public to respect the rule of law and, under no circumstances, take the law into their own hands.

Port Moresby city’s population is estimated to be around 450,000, although some government authorities said the number could be as high as 600,000 due to a high influx of people, especially from the highlands, in recent years.

The increase in population was placing a stress on utility and service providers for electricity, water and sewerage.

A national census due to start this year to determine the country’s population, and the population in towns and cities like Port Moresby, had been put off due to lack of funding by the national government.