PEA talks terms with government

NEGOTIATIONS start today between the Public Employees Association and the Department of Personnel Management over salary and housing allowance for public servants, The National reports.

The current three-year agreement between the government and PEA will expire at the end of this month.

According to association execution executives, PEA would push to have the housing allowances for public servants increased to K250 a fortnight starting next year.

President Michael Malabag yesterday said if the government did not have the capacity to pay that amount for all public servants, the association would then push for K250 a fortnight to be applied only to PEA’s 15,000 financial members.

Other deals the association hoped to cut with DPM included:

* Salary increases to meet current and ongoing high standard of living plus the effect of the LNG and to stop a brain-drain on the public service;

* The 35% tax on final entitlements to be lowered to 15%;

* Risk allowances for public servants on Bougainville and Rabaul; and

* The push for the delivery of quality public services.

Malabag said the other issue to be raised and penned into the agreement would be the devolution of powers and discipline which had not been effective in the past.

Department of Personnel Management secretary John Kali, in a letter to Malabag last Monday, stated that many of the issues raised could be addressed outside of the negotiations including concessional tax rates of 35%, impact of DPM powers devolution, review of general orders and penalty clauses for heads of government agencies.

Kali stated that the substance of negotiations would focus on salary and work-related allowances including housing and allowances for attraction and retention; review of redundancy provisions and re-employment of retrenched officers and isolation of retirement from the current redundancy agreement.

 

Youths use game to go on rampage

By DANIEL M DAVID

 

SOUTHERN Highlanders who did not travel to Lae in Morobe to watch their rugby league team play Goroka Lahanis in the bemobile Cup grand final went on a rampage last Friday and smashed walls of the Agiru Centre and Bank South Pacific office branch, The National reports.

The group, comprising mainly youths, demanded last Thursday that the provincial government hire buses and trucks to take them to Lae to watch Mendi Muruks take on Lahanis.

Getting no response from the provincial administration, the frustrated youths, who were joined by informal sector vendors, pelted both buildings with rocks and other missiles.

Provincial administrator William Powi condemned the actions of the youths.

“People of Southern Highlands must understand that the provincial government is there to serve the whole population and not a few selfish individuals.

“Muruks is our team and we are proud of them making the grand final; genuine supporters have travelled to Lae on their own.

“I condemn the behaviour and primitive actions of these youths,” he added.

Powi said his office was not a sports office and, even though the provincial government had assisted the Muruks financially, the budget did not cater for supporters’ transportation.

“Police were outnumbered and did not make any arrests.

“But, there are youths who are known to police and they will be arrested,” the provincial administrator said.

Mendi police and provincial police commander Supt Terry Tei could not be reached for comments.

APEC issues declaration on food security

Issued by the 1^st APEC Ministerial Meeting on Food Security

 

Niigata, Japan, 17 October 2010 – At the conclusion of the 1^st APEC Ministerial Meeting on Food Security, APEC ministers adopted the Niigata Declaration on APEC Food Security.

 Meeting for the first time, in Niigata, Japan on Saturday and Sunday, APEC Ministers recognised the region’s vulnerability to food price spikes, population increases and constraints on agricultural production and how these issues impact long-term food security.

 They stated that trade plays a key role in food security. Improved food security in the region would contribute to the attainment of APEC’s human security goals and assist the implementation of the APEC Leaders’ Growth Strategy.

 APEC member economies agreed to collectively pursue shared goals of sustainable development of the agricultural sector and facilitation of investment, trade and markets.

 Ministers agreed that cooperation is required in order to help adapt to, and mitigate, climate change and to enhance disaster preparedness in the agricultural sector to help the region achieve a stable supply of food for its people. They agreed on the following actions:

 

• Expanding food supply capacity
• Enhancing disaster preparedness in agriculture
• Developing rural communities
• Confronting challenges in climate change and natural resource management

 Ministers also agreed that food security cannot be achieved without stable, efficient and equitable distribution systems that can deliver food to the whole population. To accomplish the goal of facilitation of investment, trade and markets, Ministers agreed that APEC economies should cooperate to:

 

·        Promote investment in agriculture

·        Facilitate trade in food and agricultural products

·        Strengthen confidence in agricultural markets

·        Improve agribusiness environment

·        Improve food safety practices

 

Ministers also endorsed an APEC Action Plan on Food Security, which identifies specific activities to be implemented by APEC economies to strengthen regional food security.

 With inputs from Food and Agriculture Organisation, Asian Development Bank, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, the World Food Programme, the World Bank, the United Nations’ High-Level Task Force and the International Fund for Agricultural Development during the plenary session, Ministers recognised that meaningful consultation with relevant stakeholders is critical to making sustained progress towards our food security goals.

 APEC Food Ministers will convey the outcomes of their meeting to APEC Leaders in November when they meet in Yokohama, Japan.

 

                                                           #  #  #

 

For the declaration, visit:

http://www.apec.org/apec/ministerial_statements/sectoral_ministerial/food_security/2010_fs.html

 

For more information please contact:

Michael Chapnick (in Japan): +65 9647-4847 (mobile) or mc@apec.org

Trudy Harris (in Singapore): +65 9898-3710 (mobile) or th@apec.org

 

 

 

Highlands Pacific targeted for role in Ramu mine

Australian listed company, Highlands Pacific, is being targeted in an on-line campaign – www.actnowpng.org/action - over its role in the controversial Ramu nickel mine.

Highlands Pacific is part of the consortium that owns the Ramu mine and which is planning to dump millions of tons of mine waste into the sea.

“Such dumping would not be permitted in Australia where Highlands Pacific is based”, says Effrey Dademo, programme manager for Act Now!

Highlands Pacific is also being targeted for its failure to condemn the intimidation of local landowners and their supporters who have suffered threats and violence after speaking out against the marine dumping plans.

“Highlands Pacific claims that it is a socially-responsible company with high ethical standards but we are not seeing those standards being applied at the Ramu mine”, Ms Dademo adds.

The on-line campaign, in which members of the public can send emails to the board of Highlands Pacific, can be viewed at www.actnowpng.org/action

 

For further information and comment contact Effrey Dademo on (765) 7689 5266 and at effrey@actnowpng.or

 

Wau-Bulolo social mapping gets joint district budget planning and priorities committee endorsement

The Bulolo district joint district budget planning and priorities
committee (JDPBPC) under the chairmanship of local MP Sam Basil has
endorsed the social mapping study to be undertaken at by Social
Environmental Research and Consultancy Services (SERACS) Ltd, a
research and consultancy group specialising in anthropological, social
and environmental research.
The project is an initiative of the local member Sam Basil and
villagers that have been affected over the year.
Bulolo MP Sam Basil said: "I want to be proactive in addressing
land-related issues, and social mapping is the way forward in my
electorate as there is a lot of mineral resource development and
exploration taking place, and if we are not proactive in addressing
this issues, law and order problems arising from land disputes are
likely to happen, and has already happened in the Wau Bulolo
District".
The Bulolo district JDBPPC has approved K250, 000 funding of the
project with the first trench payment of K100, 000.
The social mapping study that would be undertaken by SERACS would
focus on the systematic collection of information on customary social
groups and the tracts of land they are associated with.
The team leader of SERACS Dr Rodney Kameata highlighted at the
presentation to the members of the Bulolo JDPBPC that "social mapping
study should entail an understanding of the cultural and historical
factors that have shaped the relationship between people and their
environment".
The local level government council presidents present at the JPPBPC
meeting and the Bulolo district public servants appreciated that Mr
Basil is being proactive in addressing a lot of the land-related
issues, and setting the foundation for any land-based developments
that would be taking place in his electorate.
John Yawa, president of the Wau LLG said: "A lot of the land issues
in the electorate are outstanding, and the initiative of social
mapping is a means to provide empirical evidence and information in
relation to land and customary rights.
"We the LLG presidents appreciate the move."
Another LLG president Mathias Philip said: "While mineral exploration
and development is on the boom in the district, the developers and the
agencies of the state need to proactively work with the customary
landowners, and guide them through.
"Such is not happening and the initiative is priority in the Bulolo district."
Mr Basil said that this initiative of social mapping should be the
first undertaken when a developer first enters customary land,
however, has not happened much.
Population growth has also created an unprecedented growth of villages
expanding with spillover effects resulting in unwarranted casualties,
loss of lives and assets from related land disputes.
The social mapping project is the best way forward for everybody
especially making vital information available for our future
generations to use.

Spotlight on LNG project

LNG Watch Papua New Guinea is a new initiative designed to place a critical spotlight on the development of the LNG project.

More information about the project and its administrator is available on the LNG Watch blog:http://lngwatchpng.blogspot.com

 

Books for students

Zion Zeal Christian Academy children in Waigani, NCD, reading the Hunting for Minerals and Oil in Papua New Guinea books they received from a surprise visit by Oil Search personnel yesterday, The National reports.

The books, published by the PNG Chamber of Mines and Petroleum, attempt to give primary school children a better understanding of how minerals and oil are discovered and developed. – Picture courtesy of Oil Search Ltd