Marengo inks financing deal with China

By PATRICK TALU

 

MARENGO Mining (MGO), the operator of the Yandera gold, copper and molybdenum project in Madang, has signed a landmark financing and off-take deal with a Chinese construction and engineering group for its 100% owned Yandera project, The National reports.

In a statement released yesterday, MGO said the memorandum of understanding (MOU) with China’s Nonferrous Metal Industry’s Foreign Engineering and Construction (NFC) was facilitated by Perth-based Arccon WA Pty Ltd (Arccon).

Under the MOU, Marengo has agreed to work exclusively with NFC and Arccon to establish the cost and programme for delivery of the Yandera project in parallel with the completion of the current definitive feasibility study (DFS).

Marengo’s managing director Les Emery said: “This potentially paves the way for formal agreements which will underpin the development of one of the world’s significant new copper projects.”

“While the foundation of the MOU is the construction and engineering contract for the Yandera project, it is important to note that the deal also contemplates NFC facilitating project finance and concentrate off-take for the project, together with potentially investing either in Marengo or the project, or both,” he said.

NFC president Wang Hongqian added: “NFC looks forward to a close and co-operative relationship with Marengo Mining as we work together to lay the foundations for one of the world’s biggest new copper mines in PNG.”

They said the discussions would be conducted to enter into a formal construction agreement (engineering, procurement and construction or EPC contract).

Here, Marengo will appoint NFC as the principal contractor, under a lump-sum turnkey contract, following a detailed evaluation of the project construction costs to be undertaken by NFC as part of the final stage of the DFS.

 

 

A nation mourns

Flashback: Kingal in China during the international students’ convention last year. More than 500 foreigners in China attended this annual convention in Beijing. Kingal had also ministered the Word of God to believers in Russia. – Picture courtesy of MATHEW YAKAI

PAPUA NEW Guinea is in mourning over the sudden and tragic loss of evangelist Joseph Kingal.

Kingal, in his early 40s, from Western Highlands, as the head of The Word, The Spirit and The Cross evangelistic ministries based at Omili, Lae, was seen as the flag bearer of hope and redemption in a country racked with social problems, The National reports.

The graduate accountant-turned preacher and wife, Susan, registered the evangelistic movement as directors in 1996 and went on nationwide crusades wooing in thousands to their nightly sessions.

Their messages, based on the Bible at the week-long crusades, hit a chord with thousands of people at all levels of society.

Many people from the streets and settlements of Lae, Port Moresby, Mt Hagen, Goroka, Madang and Rabaul were shocked upon learning of Kingal’s demise in a nasty traffic accident on a bridge in the Markham Valley, Morobe, while returning from a crusade in Madang.

The influence he wielded was so much so that his death had sparked people into taking up a national government function of building and maintaining infrastructure. People are now trying to set up a fund from donations from the public to make the Zumim bridge safe.

Many callers yesterday were told that Kingal had passed away and that his wife was at the Angau Memorial Hospital requiring life-saving surgery and one of their children was being monitored while in a critical condition.

Outside his ministry at the old Tanubada ice cream factory at Omili, hundreds of mourners and well-wishers tried to gain entry but were prevented.

Members of the ministry had barred the public, only allowing pastors to enter as Kingal’s body lay, having been transferred from Angau Memorial Hospital.

More mourners were flocking in by road from Madang and the highlands provinces of Enga, Southern, Western, Chimbu and Eastern.

Traffic officers at Air Niugini said many more would be travelling in from Port Moresby, Kimbe and Rabaul.

In Port Moresby, a prayer vigil was being held by fellow evangelist Pastor Joseph Walters where hundreds of mourners attended.

Kingal’s death had gripped a nation so much so that public office holders, including Governor-General Sir Paulias Matane and settlement dwellers, were sending in their condolences to the media.

An attempt to blanket news coverage was made by the managing director of Wantok Radiolight, Pawa Warena, who asked not to broadcast “any more stories” about the accident “until advised by the Joseph Kingal Ministry”.

But public demand for details surrounding the death, and of the state of his family members, was overwhelming.

MP blames government for Kingal's death

By RIGGO NANGAN

 

MARKHAM MP Koni Iguan yesterday blamed the government for the death of prominent evangelist Pastor Joseph Kingal, The National reports.

Iguan, who appeared upset when he went on Radio Morobe’s Kundu FM yesterday morning, said the relatives of those who have died from accidents occurring at the “death trap” Zumim Bridge in Markham Valley, and should sue the government for negligence.

Iguan said he had, on numerous occasions, been calling on the government to redesign the bridge to a safer standard after an increase in accidents and deaths were attributed to its current state.

Two months ago, Iguan, accompanied by Bulolo MP Sam Basil and Tewai-Siassi MP Vincent Michaels, visited the bridge and pleaded with the government to do something.

He said he had brought the matter up in parliament where Works and Transport Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Don Polye gave an assurance that he would “look into it”.

Iguan said at the time of taking the matter up in parliament, the number of deaths stood at 56.

“As I speak now, the number has soared to almost 200,” he said.

“They were told something like this would happen and there was ample time to do something to prevent it, but they failed.”

Iguan said he would file a petition to Polye and give the government 14 days to act, in default, he would mobilise his people and they would block off the road to get attention.

“I am sad over the death of this young spiritual leader.

“Kingal has contributed meaningfully to both the spiritual and economical developments of the country,” he said.

 

 

Fifteen break out of Hagen police lockup

By JAMES APA GUMUNO

 

FIFTEEN remandees broke out of an overcrowded Mt Hagen police cell on Monday afternoon during a heavy downpour, The National reports.

The National Court remandees from Baisu jail broke the brick wall, jumped over the security fence and dashed to freedom.

Metropolitan commander Chief Insp John Kale said yesterday that the 15 escapees were among 99 who had been locked up in the cell which was built to hold no more than 50 prisoners.

He said the remandees had been brought from the jail to the police cell to await their court appearances when they escaped under the cover of heavy rain between 3pm and 4pm.

Kale said that none had been recaptured after the alarm was raised.

He said that the breakout would not have happened if the cell blocks had been renovated and the holes in the brick work patched.

Kale said numerous requests had been made to headquarters for funds to renovate but to no avail.

Meanwhile, he appealed to the people to cooperate with police and correctional services officers to recapture the escapees.

He said that these escapees were dangerous and posed a big threat to the community.

Attempts made to get in touch with Baisu jail commander yesterday afternoon for further comments were unsuccessful.

 

Defence under scrutiny

THE PNG Defence Force is expected to come under the microscope of the government when the National Executive Council meets today, The National reports.

Some cabinet members are furious that both the uniformed and civilian heads of the Defence Force are out of the country when it is facing dire situations with power, telephone, and water to Murray Barracks cut off for non-payment of bills.

Sources said Defence secretary Fred Punangi was in Israel with Foreign Minister Sam Abal while commander Brig-Gen Francis Agwi is in South Korea for a regional meeting.

Both have taken trips at a time when questions about mismanagement of finance, frustrations about lack of consultations and tensions were emerging from army headquarters, causing grave concern in government.

Punangi is understood to have travelled despite a direction from Defence Minister Bob Dadae for him not to take the trip.

“Our phones have been cut and we have been without power for over two months.

“This is Murray Barracks, the PNG Defence Force headquarters we are talking about.

“Yet, the two heads can find the money to travel abroad, but cannot find the money to pay the bills to restore these vital services,” a defence source said.

Dadae is expected to brief cabinet on the situation confronting the force, and may even recommend that action be taken against those in charge.

Sources said heads of various sections of the force had become very concerned about the transfer of funds from one account to another and the use of those funds for purposes not intended for.

A number of confidential internal PNGDF correspondences sighted by The National suggested a deep level of frustration about these issues.

Defence ministry officials contacted refused to comment, saying the minister was the only one authorised to do so.

Agriculture officers urged to deal with prolonged dry

By SOLDIER BURUKA of DAL

Floriculture is one of the agriculture activities supported through the SSSEP. Goroka women proudly show off their floral arrangements during a recent show

Agricultural officers in the Eastern Highlands province have been urged to provide the best advice to help farmers to deal with the prolonged dry weather conditions currently affecting the region.

Many farmers in the rural areas are depending on the agriculture staff to assist in providing the most appropriate advice and technical support, according to John Gimisive, the province’s deputy administrator for district services and local government.

Gimisive said farmers in the province and elsewhere in the region now faced difficulties with their food gardens, coffee trees and livestock because of the prolonged dry weather.

The dry weather conditions have affected many food gardens and people were not harvesting their normal food staples resulting in widespread hunger.

Gimisive made the remarks when he officially opened a one-day workshop on the smallholder support services expansion Project (SSSEP) in Goroka recently.

Staff of the SSSEP under the Department of Agriculture and Livestock met with the Eastern Highlands provincial administration to discuss the SSSEP, district selection criteria and methods and processes for district agriculture planning.

The SSSEP is an agriculture smallholder extension concept successfully trialled in Eastern Highlands and Morobe and is now being expanded to other districts in these two provinces as well as Chimbu and Central provinces.

The pilot phase of the project, funded by the Asian Development Bank, proved successful during its trial phase.

The expansion phase has again been made possible by a K3 million grant provided by the New Zealand government through its aid agency, NZAid.  

Gimisive said he hoped that through the expansion of SSSEP in the province, the provincial and district staff could utilise their knowledge, skills and experiences to assist farmers in dealing with dry weather conditions.

He said farmers needed to be encouraged to look at different farming options and alternatives instead of their traditional practices to overcome difficult situations.

 He said the SSSEP was a good extension concept that had been well received and had improved agriculture extension and agriculture productivity in the Eastern Highlands and Morobe provinces.

He said three new districts in Eastern Highlands would be included in the expansion phase and he urged relevant district staff to give their best in making the concept work in the rural areas.

DAL’s Highlands' regional director Mawe Gonapa said region was densely populated and with the creation of two new provinces, Hela and Jiwaka, and increase in mining activities especially with the LNG project, the delivery of agricultural services was far more important than previously.

He said people were more willing to try out new innovations such as the SSSEP concept to improve their livelihood.

DAL will work in partnership with the provoincial administration and other stakeholders to promote agriculture initiatives that will bring benefits and change their lifestyles.

He said food crops including rice, vegetables, honey bee, fish farming, livestock and other activities were expected to get a boost with the expansion of SSSEP.

Eastern Highlands provincial agriculture advisor Bubia Muhuju said there were many challenges facing the administration including dry weather conditions which were leading to drought, and the LNG project which means there would be more demand for food.

He said there was inadequate capacity to meet the supply and demand and to deal with disaster situations, but he hoped that through the SSSEP there would be some ways and means to overcome these problems.

SSSEP will provide the opportunity to boost food production as well as introduction of high yielding crops with nutritional value.

He said officers in the districts lacked resources and funding and he appealed to political leaders to give more support to agriculture-based programmes.

Eastern Highlands deputy administrator for project management and coordination, Solomon Tato, in closing the workshop said the administration appreciated the support from DAL and NZAid and agreed that the SSSEP concept could be expanded to other sectors.

“Eastern Highlands depends on its natural resources because it does not have any mining, gas and oil, and it is therefore imperative that all stakeholders including politicians and leaders need to work together to improve agriculture productivity,” he said.

“District staff have also been urged to work as a team and make an impact in the communities they serve.”

Tato also pointed that a new structure was being finalised, which means there would be more new positions for agricultural officers in the districts.

Distinguished USA professorship to Papua New Guinea writer/scholar

By MALUM NALU

 

The University of Hawaii in the USA has recognised Dr Steven Edmund Winduo’s creative and intellectual contributions to the production of new knowledge and culture in the Asia Pacific region.  

Dr Winduo, a columnist with The National, is the first Papua New Guinean to be awarded the distinguished Arthur Lynn Andrews chair in Pacific and Asian studies.

He is recognised for his consistent creative output and intellectual scholarship in the area of Pacific literature and indigenous knowledge productions.

Dr Winduo will take up the award in Jan 1, 2011.

He will teach a senior honors level course, entitled Studies in Literature and Culture of the Pacific. 

In addition, he will deliver two public lectures on Pacific literature and cultural productions and give a reading of his poetry in conjunction with the department of English.

“The Andrews chair was established by Harriet Cousens Andrews to promote Pacific and Asian studies at the University of Hawaii through the selection of outstanding visiting professors each year,” Dr Winduo said.
”The chair’s name honors Arthur Lynn Andrews (1871-1945

“The Andrews chair is a distinguished professorial chair held at 100% fulltime employment within the School of Pacific and Asian Studies.

“It was set up by a bequest made in honor of Arthur Lynn Andrews, who was the first dean of the University of Hawaii, college of arts and the sciences, in 1920.

“He was later the dean of faculties from 1930 to 1936, when he retired and served as a member of the University of Hawaii board of regents from 1941 to 1943.

“The Arthur Lynn Andrews chair is cycled within the school of Pacific and Asian studies. “Previous Pacific Islanders to receive this award include the famous New Zealand-based Samoan writer Albert Wendt and Sia Figiel, also of Samoa and a Commonwealth writers’ prize winner.”

Dr Winduo is one of PNG’s leading writers and scholar with 20 years of teaching, research, and writing experience with UPNG.

He earned his PhD in English at the University of Minnesota, USA under the Fulbright and MacArthur Foundation Fellowship in 1998.  

His MA degree in English was earned at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand.  

His BA and BA Honours degrees in literature, philosophy, and history were earned at UPNG.

As a PNG writer, Dr Winduo has more international success with his works published, read, cited, and discussed in various publications and universities around the world.

Dr Winduo’s writings and ideas are studied in courses on the literature and cultures of the Pacific Islands at the University of Hawaii, University of Texas, Cornell University, University of New Mexico, University of Auckland, Heidelburg University (Germany), and the University of the South Pacific.

He commands respect as an influential writer and scholar within the South Pacific region.

 His literary scholarship and writings are recognised internationally.

 He has an impressive list of publications.

This year Dr Winduo added three new books to his credits A Rower’s Song, Reframing Indigenous Knowledge, and The Unpainted Mask.

He is working on several more new books he hopes to have published in the upcoming year.

Dr Winduo writes a weekly column as Steven’s Window in The National’s Weekender and blogs as www.stevenswindow.blogspot.com

He held the visiting professor in English at the University of Minnesota between 2007 and 2008.

In 2006, he served as a Macmillan Brown research scholar at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand.  

He was also the co-ordinator of Oceania Future Forum for the Japanese Foundation and Waseda Hoshien International University in Tokyo, Japan.

He taught as a guest lecturer on board the Cairns-based Oceanic Discoverer, a tourist ship cruising through the Melanesian Islands of New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands and PNG.

Dr Winduo is a founding member and served as the vice-president of the Samoan-based International Council for the Study of Pacific Islands.

Apart from his teaching, Dr Winduo also contributes his vast knowledge and experience to various developmental activities coordinated the Media Council of PNG, Bible Society of PNG, Correctional Services the National Literacy and Awareness Secretariat.

Dr Winduo designed the blueprint for the establishment of Melanesian and Pacific studies (MAPS) and the Melanesian institute of arts and communication (MIAC) in the school of humanities and social sciences at UPNG.

He is pleased with the recognition and award offered to him by international universities, especially in the USA.

“The distinguished Arthur Lynn Andrews professorship is an honour given out to few influential scholars within the Asia Pacific region,” Dr Winduo said.

“For me, this award is special because it is an international honor that raises the bar to another level.

“UPNG has no professorial positions to fill or any award system to recognise outstanding scholarship and academic productivity by this national academic.

“Nonetheless, I am happy with UPNG’s support in releasing me to take up this award at the centre for Pacific studies in the school of Pacific and Asian studies, University of Hawaii, USA.”