Interim crash report says airstrip was bad

By STEPHANIE ELIZAH

AN interim report into the crash in August in Milne Bay, which killed three Australians and a New Zealander, suggests that the condition of the airstrip may have caused the crash, The National reports.

Minister for Civil Aviation Benjamin Poponawa had received the preliminary report on the investigation into the Trans Air Cessna jet crash on Aug 31, which killed the four on Misima Island, Milne Bay.

The report, prepared by investigators from the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB), Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) PNG and the Accident Investigation Commission (ACI), depicted preliminary analysis of the history of the flight, Bwagaioa aerodrome runway information, site and wreckage information and examination on the main landing gear of the Cessna.

Poponawa cautioned that the preliminary report was derived from the initial investigation into the crash.

He said further evidence might alter the circumstances as depicted in the report.

He said investigations were continuing and would include further examination and analysis of various aspects of the crash including the pilot’s background and experience.

Analysis of recordings from the aircraft’s cockpit voice recorder and flight data recordings had been sent to the United States national transportation safety board (NTSB) for recovery.

The preliminary report revealed that the aircraft had travelled 30m beyond the end of the runway before it came into contact with trees and the terrain. A loud explosion was heard and fireball and smoke was observed at the end of the runway.

Crash survivor co-pilot Kelby Cheyne, who was interviewed after his recovery in Brisbane, Australia, recalled that he had exited the aircraft unassisted through a hole in the captain’s window. Shortly after that, a fuel-fed post impact fire destroyed the remaining aircraft wreckage.

Local island inhabitants, who arrived at the scene five to 10 minutes after the accident, assisted with getting the co-pilot to the local hospital.

Findings on the condition of the Bwagaioa airstrip revealed that the runway surface consisted of crushed coral on clay which had been partly overgrown with grass and moss. The only navigation aid on the island was a non-directional beacon (NDB) that was inoperative at the time of the accident.

Investigators reported that the aircraft brakes sustained heat damage from the post-accident fire but appeared to be in relatively good condition and the brake rotors turned freely by hand with no apparent defects.

The final report is expected early next year.

The truth about Papua New Guinea's carbon trade scheme

By CARBON TRADER

Port Moresby

The Prime Minister (PM) of Papua New Guinea (PNG) stated in The National (11^th October 2010) that the REDD+ approach that is being championed by his government is being undermined by the trading of forest carbon through the voluntary carbon schemes (VCS) in PNG.

He describes VCS as being risky and premature.

But how much truth is in what the PM said is anybody’s guess. 

The PM does not elaborate on the risks involved in the VCS, but the only cheap excuse given is that the VCS are thinly capitalised.

The advantages of the VCS over a compliance forest carbon market are not discussed by the PM.

Moreover, the PM failed to admit that REDD markets for forest carbon exists under some VCS, but a compliance market for forest carbon does not exist at the moment and the likelihood of a world market for forest carbon through the REDD+ scheme is far from reality.

The sad fact is that countries in South America, Asia and Africa have gone into VCS, while we are the only ones that are still fighting to engage in a compliance market for forest carbon, which does not exist or is yet to materialise.

Therefore, one wonders why the PM, PNG’s climate change ambassador and the acting director of Office of Climate Change and Development (OCCD) are all hell-bent on a REDD+ carbon scheme under the compliance market.

The reason why the OCCD, the PM and our climate change ambassador are globe trotting on climate change and carbon trade issues is that they want some of that $4.5 billion (US) that has been earmarked for REDD+ projects in developing countries.

So far our negotiations have failed two times to access any international funding because PNG does not want any strings attached to these REDD+ funds.

However, the international community is aware of what is going on in developing countries and will not release any funds until stringent measures are put place by respective governments to protect the rights of indigenous peoples and their forest resources from carbon cowboys.

Earlier this year, the PNGexposed Blog published an article that accused the PNG government of trying to be the “ultimate carbon cowboy”.

Nupan Trading was in the spotlight and was seen as being the culprit in carbon trade deals in PNG, but the PNGexposed Blog article also put the PNG government in the spotlight.

This article has been widely read and circulated over the internet and there are now more suspicions about the PNG government’s moves to have customary landowners snub the VCS.

It makes one wonder whether the moves taken by the PNG government are genuine in reducing emissions from deforestation and degradation of forests and ultimately combating climate change, or, is the PNG government trying to blackmail the international community into giving us funds so that we can put them in our pockets; let alone pay for political stability to protect the so-called “national interest”.

At the moment VCS are legal in a sense that it is a business deal that can be struck between a customary land owing group and a carbon broker.

The government has no control over customary lands therefore it cannot decide which carbon market the customary landowners chose to trade their forest carbon.

However, the OCCD, as the mandated authority on climate change and carbon trade issues in PNG, can facilitate carbon trade business deals between customary landowners and carbon dealers under the VCS.

The only problem with carbon dealers in the VCS is the issue of “carbon cowboys”, but this problem should be addressed by the OCCD.

The OCCD should check on any carbon dealer’s records and give appropriate advice to customary landowners on the authenticity of the carbon dealer and whether his business interest is genuine and has integrity.

However, to date the OCCD has refused to have anything to do with VCS or issue carbon certificates.

The reasons given by OCCD for not recognising VCS in PNG and not issuing carbon certificates to Nupan Trading and other carbon dealers is the same as that given above by the PM.

Regardless of the reasons given by the PM and OCCD about VCS in PNG, these are business deals like any forestry and mining business deals and OCCD will have to cater for that.

But the position taken so far by OCCD and the PNG Government to snub VCS indicates that there is something fishy going on in terms of carbon trade in PNG, and it goes to cement the suspicion that the PNG Government wants to be the “ultimate carbon cowboy”. 

One reason why the government wants customary landowners to snub the VCS is that it wants to keep all carbon credits from REDD+ for its own interest so that it becomes the one and only carbon broker in PNG.

Therefore, if the OCCD facilitates business deals between customary landowners and the VCS and much of the forest areas in PNG are registered under the VCS, there will be few or no forest areas left for the PNG government when an international agreement is reached after 2012.

The PNG Government wants to be the “ultimate carbon cowboy” in PNG so it is playing delay tactics to stall VCS in PNG and to maintain all forest areas for itself to have access to when a compliance market comes on after 2012.

The PM also stated that a climate framework was not yet finalised to protect and safeguard the interests of customary landowners dealing with carbon dealers under the VCS.

 However, this is the cheapest excuse that can be given, and it insults the intelligence of people who are familiar with development of policies and legislations.

The issue of climate change has been around since the 1980s, and literature has built up immensely within science and policy domains in the last few years which are available and can be used to develop a climate change framework for PNG.

Thus there is no excuse for the OCCD to say that it has not produced a climate change framework for PNG as yet.

Two offices have preceded the OCCD, in which time a climate change framework should have been produced by now, and the civil societies in PNG have been constantly calling on the government to put in place legislation and policy for climate change.

Moreover, there is sufficient human resource within country that can be utilise by OCCD to draft a climate change framework, but it seems a few handpicked people are being used by the government to run the show so that some peoples’ vested interests are protected.

But since no policy or legislation has been developed for climate change in PNG as yet, it goes to show that the PNG government is deliberately avoiding the issue so that it does not put itself under any obligation to protect its indigenous people and their forest resources from carbon cowboys, of which the PNG government is one of them and the “ultimate carbon cowboy”.

Finally, a few years ago the PM was questioned on his family’s vested interest in carbon trade in PNG and the establishment of a pyramid structure that was establish within the Office of Climate Change and Carbon Trade (OCCCT) to  deliberate on carbon financing.

Although time has passed and memories have faded, I am of the opinion that the pyramid structure that existed within OCCCT is still alive and exists within the OCCD and is just waiting to deliberate on any international funding on REDD+ that may come out from the $4.5 billion (US) earmarked for developing countries.

Preparing Papua New Guinea for likely drought in near future

By RAGHUNATH GHODAKE and MARTIN MOSE of NARI

There is a high possibility of occurrence of a strong El Niño event, causing severe drought in Papua New Guinea within the next three to four years (2011-2014).  

 In fact, there are strong indications for El Niño conditions developing in the later part of 2011.

 Strong El Niño events causing severe drought conditions in PNG have increased in frequency over the last 100 years. 

Prior to 1972, the average interval between such strong El Niño events was about 30 years; whereas in recent past such interval has been reduced to 10-15 years.

 Besides, the recent El Niño events have been much stronger and have been producing increasingly more severe drought conditions in PNG.  

This suggests another El Niño event causing severe drought in PNG is highly likely within the next three to four years. 

During the 1997 drought there were severe shortages of food and water, with garden produce declining by 80%, 1.2 million people without locally-available food, declined health and increased mortality, and huge exodus of people to towns (Bang et al. (2003) ESCAP CGPRT Centre Working Paper 73). 

 By considering the increasing severity of the recent El Niño events, it is expected that the next drought may also be more prolonged and more damaging than that of the year 1997, and that would put the lives and livelihoods of many thousands of people at risk throughout the country.

It should however be noted that reliable assessment and indications of El Niño occurrence can only be known two to three months ahead of such event and that would be too late to prepare for adaptation to and mitigation of adverse impacts of such severe drought, particularly in a country like PNG where the majority of population is in remote areas with weak communication and infrastructure.  

Therefore there is need to have an appropriate understanding and preparedness to face such events much in advance.   

Food production in PNG is highly vulnerable to El Niño-induced droughts and even other seasonal events of droughts.  

Unless action is taken to empower and equip our farming and rural communities with appropriate technologies and information, people would be exposed to food insecurity, malnutrition and hunger.   

It is advisable that PNG has contingency measures in place which can be activated at short notice to deal with drought and food shortage situations under such a highly likely scenario.  

National Agriculture Research Institute (NARI) and its sister institutions like the National Disaster Centre (NDC)  are raising awareness, nationally, of the prospect of a drought in the near future and generating debate on how best to prepare rural communities for such a scenario.  There is certainly a need to empower farming and rural communities with information on and access to drought-coping strategies such as water and food conservation techniques, drought-tolerant crops, their species and management practices, and understanding of El Niño and drought events.  

These activities need to be undertaken in partnership with government and non-government organisations, community-based and church organisations and progressive communities.

Besides food and water shortages (both in rural and  urban areas), severe droughts can cause disease outbreaks, population out migration, school closures, bush and forest fires, hydro-power shortages, breakdown of transport and communication infrastructures and law and order problems. 

Drought management will therefore require a multi-sectoral partnership through a national drought management task force.

NARI and NDC are working closely with other organisations such as National Weather Service and other stakeholder groups in this endeavor and are strongly advocating for a national drought preparedness strategy to coordinate and manage the numerous emergency issues associated with likely severe drought in near future.

The challenge is for all in preparing PNG for such an event.

University of Goroka receives new books from Mormons

President Fata (left) donating the books to early childhood head of department Dr Dinah Ope with deputy librarian Kametan Parkop (centre) looking on

The University of Goroka was last Friday the recipient of a donation of early childhood text books from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

President Fata of the Port Moresby Mission of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints was on campus to present the donation of books to the value of K10, 500 to the department of early childhood studies of the education faculty at UOG.

The donation came about after President Fata toured the campus in May this year and saw first hand the need for books at the university. 

He then contacted dead of department for early childhood studies Dr Dinah Ope and arrangements began to order the books from the United States of America.

President Fata said he was happy to help the university with its need for books as he had previously seen a lot of empty shelves in the library on his first visit to the campus.

Dr Ope said the donation was timely and she was grateful to have the books funded by the church.

 “There are currently no books on early childhood in the library so these are the first batch for the programme,” she said.

“ Students will start to use them next year”, said Dr Ope.

The donation was also witnessed by members of the Goroka Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, education faculty, library and other staff of the university.

True spirit of Fourth Goal in Papua New Guinea Constitution destroyed

The current resource exploitation trend, coupled with changes in natural resources and environmental laws of Papua New Guinea clearly undermines the true spirit of the Fourth Goal of the National Constitution.

In effect, it has compromised this and PNG’s future generations by lawmakers.

Vision 2050 uses the analogy of a driver knowing where to go before getting into a vehicle, assuming the road map PNG.

Theoretically, this might be so, but practicality it may not be easy, if not impossible.

Normally, before a driver gets into a car he/she knowing there is road connecting the destiny.

PNG is geographically a difficult country with rugged terrains, high mountains, gullies, large rivers and wet conditions.

Therefore, road to the destiny of this Vision can be described the same.

Given the PNG road conditions, type of vehicle and the necessary accessories like spare tyres, additional fuels, wheel-jack and other accessories are important.

Will ever the driver of this vehicle reach its destiny is the question to be answered in 2050.

Will the PNG LNG Project build an all-weather type road with a vehicle fitted with all the necessary accessories take this nation to its destiny in 2050?

The generation of 2050 will reflect on the journey and provide the answer to this question.    

The Fourth Goal of PNG’s Constitution declares that “Our natural resources and environment to be conserved and used for the collective benefit of us all and are replenished for the benefit of future generations”.

PNG’s social-economic development strength is at present based on natural resources.

How these resources are managed jointly with their surrounding environments on sustainable basis is the key to meeting future generations’ inspirations and needs.

It also requires fair and equitable distribution of wealth derived from these resources and reinvesting the returns into management these resources and environments.

In early 2004, PM Sir Michael Somare challenged the Australian Government and the World Bank by announcing that he had 10 impacts forestry projects, which if all came into operation, would generate more than K300 million annually.

Sir Michael said then that he would no longer need the Australian aid money.

Consequently, the World Bank Forest Conservation Programme was kicked out of PNG.

Recently, on Kundu 2 Talk-Back Show, Mr Kevin Condrad confirmed that he was behind that advice which saw the withdrawal of the World Bank Forest Conservation Programme, and the beginning of negotiation for forest carbon.

Main reason behind this decision was the comparative monetary values.

The forest carbon is now seen as a second major source of development fund to the PNG LNG Project revenue generation for PNG.

Sir Michael championed the formation of Coalition for Rainforest Nations (CfRN) and has been heavily engaged in the international negotiations for the forest carbon projects.

Quick assessment on technical inputs by individual member countries of CfRN) showed that PNG contributed very little in this regard, though PNG is boasting of the Chairmanship of the group.

What happened to the 10 impact forestry projects since then?

Are these 10 impact forestry project areas still intact to fully realise the forgone value of forest conservation with forest carbon projects?

The 2009 Copenhagen meeting on Climate Change and reducing emissions from deforestation and degradation (REDD) failed to come up with any agreed way forward.

It was a total failure to PNG costing the nation’s taxpayers K8 million to send the delegation across.

PNG’s position paper for the Copenhagen meeting was prepared by two sets of international consultant teams at very extravagant fees.

The first group involved individual consultants from Australia claiming to be the experts on PNG, compiling different sector reports on the drivers of deforestation.

Following the compilation of these individual reports, another consultant firm put together the reports for PNG’s positional paper for Copenhagen meeting.

This consultant firm is also responsible for PNG’s Climate-Compatible Development policy framework document and the ultimate changes to the Office of Climate Change and the office name.

This firm is now the main contender to undertake PNG REDD demonstration projects in PNG.

Concurrently, the Office of Climate Change has turned into a battle ground for political cronies to muscle their ways into office.

Initial establishment cost of the office including fleet of vehicles was phenomenal and controversial.

In 2009 there were four regional conferences conducted throughout PNG.

A report is yet to be compiled together with the accounts of funds spent on the conferences.

After the conferences a major controversy surfaced involving the EO of OCCES of his involvement in voluntary forest carbon markets deals which led to his suspension and thereafter his fate was not known up to the abolition of the office in June 2000.

In November 2009, another NEC Decision abolished OCCES and was replaced with Office of Climate Change and Development (OCCD).

The frequent NEC Decisions affecting Office of Climate Changes to facilitate individual cronies’ interests and agendas are cause for concern.

The recent changes in to the Forestry and Environment Acts raise more concern among resource owners.

Why is the Government manipulating tactics and intimidating its own citizens to control their birthright and God-given resources?

Exploitation of natural resources using such tactics sends wrong messages to the international communities.

Over 97% of land in PNG is traditionally-owned.

The effective participation of the resource owners in any meaningful dialogue and decision is now in jeopardy and thus democratic principles adopted by PNG is now being tested.

Collapse of effective natural resource laws through such changes to give full government control in PNG is a dangerous trend heading towards dictatorial rule.

The changes in the Forestry Act diminished the forest resource owners’ freedom of choice of developer for their forest resources.

The changes gave ultimate power to the PNG Forestry Board to make final decision on the developer.

Were the changes made to merely to cover up for the Forestry Board’s blunders in 1999 for allocating the Kamula Doso Forest Management Area (FMA) in the Western Province to Wawoi Guavi.

The decision was against the Provincial Forest Management Committee (PFMC) choice in which resource owners were party to the decision.

Also, the Forestry Board allocated the Middle Ramu FMA to another company against the Madang PFMC decision and recommendations.

In both cases, Forestry Board was found to have violation of Section 69 of the Act.

Changes to the Act are simply to make the Board and ultimately the Minister have more control over the forest resource allocation in PNG, thus going back to the dark days of the Barnett Inquiry into the forestry sector in PNG in 1987.

Similarly, the changes to the Environment Act 2000 were simply to cover up for the incompetency of the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) in dealing with such environmental issues and also to protect Government’s dealing with Ramu Nickel.

Ramu Nickel deal is similar to the Bougainville one where the deal was signed overseas without much input from the relevant stakeholders including the landowners.

Though the proposed Deep Sea Tailing Placement (DSTP) may have met all the necessary requirements, the system has been worldwide considered to be of high risk because a small leakage in the ocean will cause more damage than if the same leakage was occurred on land.

There were already such instances with Misima Mine and Lihir Gold Mine.

Why repeating the same mistake?

Is it because DSTP is the cheapest means and that PNG is the cheapest place to practice environmental protection and management?

Adding new laws (Sub-sections 69, A & B) to outlaw any third party involvement in land and resources issues in PNG is a crime of humanity.

About 97% of land and resources are owned by the people and 80% of these people live on these land and resources in the most remote parts of PNG.

These people are the most-vulnerable ones to the environmental risks, which also give rise to poverty and deprivation of human rights to healthy living.

The changes to the Environment Act 2000 ultimately will give more powers to the Secretary of DEC both as the Director of Environment and the Chairman of Environment Council (Sections 15-17).

The Secretary has the ultimate power to make the final decision on the issue of environmental harm and landowners will only dispute his decision through Court without any third party involvement.

This is an act of violation against human rights.

The 80% of the population do not have access to legal means and to subject them to such requirements is a crime against humanity.

NGOs are the organisations that can quickly come to landowners’ aid when it comes to immediate services.

In effect, the changes make it difficult for any NGO to assist the disadvantaged landowners and communities PNG-wide to pursue their concerns with land and environment.

Is this fair and fits the principle of democracy?

And in whose interest are these changes of the Act trying to protect?

Legislators ought to know that they will be the most-frustrated ones when they find themselves back home and want to seek re-election in 2012.

At the dawn of this new Millennium the world leaders came to realisation that human miseries were brought about as a result of the so-called social-economic development.

The world leaders then came up 8 Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) with set targets, and recommended that MDG 7 which deals with ensuring environmental sustainability is the key to achieving the other development goals.

Apparently, PNG through the current Government had little regard on the environmental issues in this country.

The National Planning & Monitoring Department’s Performance Framework Report on the MTDS in 2007 clearly showed that Environment Sector has the rating of zero (0) out of 5 for its trend of development and 1 out of 5 for its current performance.

Generally, the overall ratings of each sector on the MTDS were very poor and we now are moving into the new MTDS under the new National Strategic Plan for PNG’s Vision 2050.

PNG to date has failed miserably in meeting many important regional and international Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs), including the Millennium Development Goals.

The responsible sectors have lost touch of their mandates to ensure sustainable development principles in the country.

DEC is merely there to facilitate the process of environment permit issuance.

The important sectors are no longer headed by technically qualified citizens, but rather by political cronies to protect and pursue certain political interest.

The power of money is more frightening than the barrel of gun - even the gun barrel gun works through the power of money.

The revelations in the video recording by prisoner William Kapris should not be taken lightly and that the development of natural resources in PNG will is the key factor to the downfall of this resource-rich nation.

This calls for urgent action from lawmakers.

In early 2008, Environment Minister Benny Allen during the swearing-in of the Environment Council members challenged the member of the Council with an allegation that a multi-million company tried to bribe him to approve their Environment Permit Application.

Has the Minister forgotten that challenge or can the Minister reveal the name of the company?

Manipulation of resource and environmental laws in the country to suit minority groups and foreign multinational in PNG is a very bad and dangerous which can cause the collapse of this nation.

Do we have to wait until the whole system collapses on us?

Papua New Guinea’s national security – a cause for concern

By Honorable BELDEN NAMAH, MP

Leader of PNG Party & Member for Vanimo/Green

Papua New Guinea’s national security and sovereignty is at stake as a direct result of the current government’s continued neglect in addressing properly the nation’s security concerns.

In recent times, the nation has experienced widespread criminal activities with increased armed hold-ups, kidnappings, robberies, rapes, cold blooded murders and other serious crimes.

In addition, there have been numerous instances of open defiance of the rule of law by ordinary citizens and increasingly it is becoming the order of the day.

Members of Parliament have been publicly confronted and physically assaulted by their own voters causing injuries.

Worse still, police personnel, the very people who are to enforce law and order are on the receiving end of firearms.

On 6th October 2010, a man was murdered in Vanimo and a senior government officer sustained serious head injuries on 8th October 2010, which left his skull partially open.

Also this month, in Port Moresby a long-serving senior policeman, father of seven was brutally killed in broad day light by merciless, gun-trotting, trigger-happy thugs in the heart Port Moresby city at Waigani.

This particular law enforcing officer was providing escort for a private company.

Why do some policemen choose to provide private escort to companies?

Why are police personnel resorting to doing extra jobs outside of their duty statement?

One of the main reasons is that the salary they earn fortnightly simply cannot sustain their families. Therefore, some officers at their own accord provide escort for private companies and other similar tasks.

Coupled with the PNG’s prevailing law and order situation has been the dramatic increase in human trafficking, illicit drugs trade, arms smuggling and illegal trans-border crossings with countries which PNG shares its borders.

Even the formerly quiet and peaceful towns such as Alotau in Milne Bay province and Vanimo in Sandaun are no longer safe.

The Government and state law enforcing agencies are fully aware of trans-border and trans-national crimes along the PNG-Indonesia border, PNG-Australia border along the Torres Strait region and PNG- Solomon Islands borders.

The crimes along border regions are highly organised involving modern and sophisticated techniques and communication making it difficult for easy detection.

Numerous calls from all sectors of the wider PNG community for appropriate and swift government action have simply fallen on deaf ears.

The current Somare Government simply does not care about the safety, security and well being of the nation’s over six million citizens and of course our investment partners and tourists.

The Somare Government has no concern for its life assets - the lives of our citizens and others.

 It is a clear demonstration of this government’s don’t care attitude towards addressing the security concerns of the nation and the nation’s development needs and issues of national interests.

This is an indicative fact that the current Somare government has failed to properly fund, strengthen and equip PNG’s three discipline forces.

The low morale among rank and file of the Royal PNG Constabulary, PNG Defence Force (PNGDF) and Correctional Institution Services (CIS) are evidence of this.

Very poor living conditions, condemned houses and dilapidated buildings and work places have compounded the problems over decades of neglect.

Whilst our service men and women continue to perform their duties under extreme conditions, the Somare government continues to cloud the issues with big promises of life transformation multi-billion kina projects such as PNG LNG and the Ramu Nickel projects.

While the government continues to ignore the plight of its citizens to provide safe and secure communities, thugs have reigned taking full advantage of the lack of leadership in the Somare government in addressing important security issues.

In effect, thugs are ruling the country in many fronts of the wider PNG community.

There is no Government guarantee of the safety of its citizens and foreigners including temporary residents and tourists.

The Prime Minister and members of his Kitchen Cabinet are not worried. They are not affected because they have 24-hour body guards and security when they travel around PNG.

If not in PNG, they are safe in Australia living in properties acquired during their term in Parliament. Their families (wives and children) are living overseas in safe environment enjoying better living conditions.

But for the rest of us, we have to fend for ourselves including our daughters and mothers left vulnerable to physical and sexual assaults.

Their bags and other belongings are snatched at bus-stops, market places and other public places every day and it is becoming an accepted way of life.

Is this the kind of society we want?

Where have we gone wrong?

Where is executive government authority?

What is the Government doing to protect its citizens, business houses and foreigners in this country?

Way forward for PNG

It has become increasingly evident that the Somare Government has lost the plot.

 It no longer cares what happens to the ordinary citizens of this great nation, nor does it care for its own leaders.

The Government has proven itself to be more interested in multinational corporations in the pretext of national economic development.

THE WAY FORWARD FOR PNG IS A SECURE, SAFE AND STABLE NATON WITH PEACE AND GOOD ORDER BEING OF PARAMOUNT IMPORTANCE. PEACE AND GOOD ORDER IS PRE-REQUISITE TO ALL FORMS OF DEVELOPMENT.

As the nation has witnessed, there have been number of defections by Members of Parliament who supported the current Somare Government.

We, the leaders who withdrew our support of the Somare Government, did so because we could not tolerate the way a lot of important national issues affecting our country are being addressed and managed.

There will be more defections in the coming weeks before next month’s Parliament session, which begins on the 16th of November, 2010.

WE MUST REMOVE THE CURRENT SOMARE GOVERNMENT DURING THE NOVEMBER SESSION. WHEN WE DO, WE WILL PLACE LAW AND ORDER AS THE TOP PRIORITY.

Funding to important components of police law enforcement sections will be boosted to restore some authority and rule of law will be an immediate action by the new Government.

This will be followed by major funding programmes for Police, PNGDF and CIS.

In the Police Force, we will weed out corrupt and unfit personnel and replaced them with honest, hard working and physically fit young men and women employed from all around PNG.

Recruitment teams will go out to rural towns and communities to identify honest, hardworking and fit young men and women.

Recruitment will not be centred on Port Moresby, Lae and other major centres.

Whilst strengthening institutional capacity building, focus will also be on major increase in staff ceiling to make the discipline forces play a more active and meaningful role in a modern 21st Century PNG.

We will put more money to improve the conditions of CIS, including conditions of prisoners and CIS officers.

We will allocate sufficient funding for prisoner rehabilitation programmes so when inmates have served their terms, they will come out equipped with some skills to return to their communities as law abiding citizens.

There will be increased funding allocation to the PNGDF to improve existing facilities as well as its surveillance, civic work and other capabilities.

By addressing the current problems faced by the three disciplinary forces, we can then comfortably talk about development needs of our country.

These three important institutions must be the flag carriers of our nation.

The pride of our nation and the envy of every youth are to wear the uniform and serve our nation.

That is to provide a better and safer PNG for our people, business community and foreigners and as well as those who are here on short visits or long-term residency and tourists.

Whilst providing and securing safer communities, we will work with the churches and other recognised community based organisations to develop our communities and the nation as a whole.

This is “UNITY in DIVERSITY with PEACE and GOOD ORDER”

The security and law and order issues of Papua New Guinea are of national concern.

They are very serious issues which must be attended to without delay to save this and the future generations of PNG.

By reducing the current level of crime, it will create a climate conducive for increased foreign and local investments.

A more-peaceful and crime-free nation means more tourists coming into PNG bringing in additional revenue through foreign exchange.

As responsible elected lawmakers, all Members of Parliament are not only duty bound, but have moral obligation to move swiftly and take appropriate action to contain PNG’s law and order problem now before it is too late.

Somare told not to destroy PNGSDP

Opposition Leader Mekere Morauta today urged Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare to show leadership by stopping ministers from destroying PNG Sustainable Development Program.

PNGSDP was established by Sir Mekere when he was Prime Minister in 2002. 

His government negotiated the gift by BHP of its 52% equity in the Ok Tedi mine. 

“This was a gift by BHP, with Parliament’s assent, to the people of Western province and to the people of Papua New Guinea,” he said.

“It was not a gift to the Government of the day or to future governments. 

“And the gift was conditional. 

“It was conditional on the gift being managed properly as a trust, independent of Government.

“It was my view that the trust should be insulated from the sticky hands of politicians, so that they could not get their hands on it to spend on personal or political projects. 

“BHP supported my view, and the way PNGSDP was established is the result, with BHP appointing three directors including the chairman. 

“The Treasury, the Bank of PNG and the PNG Chamber of Commerce appoint three other directors, along with an independent international accountant.” 

Sir Mekere said:  “The funds of the Trust were also set up very deliberately – one as a future generations fund, to ensure the people of Western Province had access to services after the mine closes; another as a fund just for the development of Western province; and a third fund as a national fund, for development projects anywhere in Papua New Guinea.

“At the end of 2009, after seven years existence, PNGSDP had assets of K2.8 billion, K2.2 billion kina of the total being the long-term fund.

“Since its establishment, PNGSDP has approved project funding of K531 million, 54% in the Western province and 46% in other parts of PNG.”

Sir Mekere said that he was pleased to see that the Treasurer, Peter O’Neill had retracted his initial statement on PNGSDP last week. 

“However, Mr O’Neill has not denied that he has written to BHP demanding changes to the trust company so that the Government could appoint board members and have access to the funds of the company.”

“The Minister for Planning, Paul Tiensten bolted into the debate, salivated by the prospect of having access to the 2.8 billion kina (and growing) financial assets of PNGSDP. 

“He has not yet explained to the nation what he and his colleagues have done with the 5 billion kina that was parked in trust accounts under his control. 

“The Opposition has reports that there is less than 500 million left in the trust accounts. 

“The thought of the Somare government having access to the assets of PNGSDP is sickening and frightening.”

Sir Mekere said Sir Michael and his ministers should stop destroying institutions that were working. 

“Concentrate on making the public service more efficient, on getting decent health and education services to people, on supplying people with reliable and affordable power and transport services. 

“The Prime Minister, Treasurer and Planning Minister should be reforming the institutions that have become dysfunctional in the last eight years, the scores of institutions that are in intensive care, requiring resuscitation. 

“Don’t kill others that are working.”

Sir Mekere said that the reasons given by O’Neill and Tiensten for wanting control of PNGSDP were spurious. 

“They are a camouflage. 

“Their real interest is getting their hands on the money, not on solving environmental issues in the Western province. 

“And since when has the Government proved itself an efficient spender of development funds? 

“Why should the Department of National Planning have access to PNGSDP money, when it can’t spend its own money properly?

“Unlike the Government, the expenditure of funds by PNGSDP is totally transparent, with full accountability. 

“Government Ministers should be taking a lesson from the model and practice of PNGSDP, instead of trying to pollute it. 

“The books are open. 

“If they have a problem, or have specific projects they would like PNGSDP to consider, act like civilised human beings and talk to the CEO, Mr David Sode, instead of destroying the institution.

“The statements by the Ministers reflect their ignorance of what PNGSDP is doing, in its own right and as the major shareholder in Ok Tedi. 

“If Mr O’Neill studied the environmental mitigation actions of the company since 2002, he would see value in the record of the company in the past seven years. 

“Over US$40 million per annum has been spent on dredging at Bige, which has arrested the expansion of flooding downstream. 

“For the past two years, a flotation plant has removed the sulphur from the tailings, greatly reducing the risk of future acid and related water problems. 

“The capital cost of this plant is around $US350 million, with an annual recurrent cost of around US$50 million.”

“The increased concern for environmental issues is a direct result of responsible national ownership of the mine, a result which Papua New Guineans should be proud of.”

Sir Mekere said that apart from PNGSDP being deliberately set up as a trust independent of Government, with a specific focus on the development needs of the Western province, he also envisaged PNGSDP playing a major role in national development as a partner of the national and provincial governments, of the private sector, of communities, and of churches.

“If the Planning Minister and his colleagues took time to educate themselves, they would learn that PNGSDP is fulfilling this role.

“Instead of criticising it, the government should be encouraging it as a partner in development.

“ I am quite sure the hundreds of thousands of people, especially in rural areas, who have been the recipients of PNGSDP projects, whether schools, health centres, roads, rural electrification, microfinance, rubber, aquaculture, forestry projects or water supply, to name a few, do not share the views of Paul Tiensten or Peter O’Neill about PNGSDP.”

Sir Mekere said that his vision was for the dividend income flowing from the 52% equity in Ok Tedi previously owned by BHP to be used productively, to build up social and economic infrastructure for PNG now, and in the future. 

“That is happening. 

“It would be a national crime if PNGSDP were to pass into the hands of politicians. 

“I hope people will speak out and tell the government to leave PNGSDP alone. 

“We all know elections are nearing. 

“This attempted takeover of PNGSDP smells to me of building war chests for elections. 

“We must not allow it.”