Hohola market protest

 Protesters, mostly women, youths and children, were among the crowd that turned up at yesterday’s opening of the Lareva market at Hohola 2, brandishing placards protesting the new facility. The protesters said the new location was incomplete without proper toilet and water facilities. A placard held by women and children also said women’s safety was not guaranteed. A petition to that effect was given to NCD Governor Powes Parkop six months ago to no avail. But, yesterday, Parkop assured the vendors that proper water and toilet facilities would be attended to immediately.

K6 billion needed for Highlands Highway

By JUNIOR UKAHA

 

THE government needs about K6 billion to completely overhaul the Highlands Highway to modern standard, The National reports.

A study on the reconstruction, commissioned by developer of the liquefied natural gas project ExxonMobil, was presented to the Department of Works yesterday at Parliament House.

The cost estimate was put at US$2.2 billion (or K5.83 billion), according to government officials at the ceremony.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Works and Transport Don Polye was on hand to receive the report.

The report highlighted the phases of the upgrade of the entire 759km stretch from Lae in Morobe to Hides, Southern Highlands, over the next five years (2010-15) and how much it will cost.

The cost estimate included works on road and bridge redesign, reconstruction, maintenance and upgrading from Lae to Hides via Eastern Highlands, Chimbu and Western

Highlands.

The initial priority works designated in the study included immediate repairs and maintenance to five key sections – Kassam Pass, Daulo Pass, Chimbu-Eastern Highlands border and the area close to Mendi.

Polye said funding for the work would come from the government’s annual budgets and from borrowings onshore and offshore.

The project would be managed by the National Roads Authority and the Department of Works with input from an international consultant.

Polye said work had begun in some crucial sections of the Highlands Highway, funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and AusAID under separate arrangements.

He said the aim was to do a complete overhaul of the deteriorating highway and turn it from an outdated T40 (40 tonne) road and bridge system to a new T60 road and bridge structure.

He said constructing work on the highway would go into full swing next year.

 

 

Lending and land tough for business

AN international financial expert has expressed concerns that lending and freeing of land for development are  major economic constraints affecting local business, The National reports.

Outgoing country manager for International Financial Corp (IFC) Peter Cusack said two major concerns plaguing small business were its inability to borrow money from financial institutions and mobilising land for development.

Cusack said the opportunities for small business to borrow from the banks were limited, or at times non-existent, until the idea of micro-financing had emerged.

He said small business entrepreneurs could not expand or sustain operations due to limited capital and that lending institutions do not trust them.

On land mobilisation, there is a need for traditional land to be freed up for development.

Cusack said the government needs to help landowners in their land registration so they could benefit from any development that would take place on the land.

Meanwhile, the problem of financial lending will be eased when small business entrepreneurs are readily informed of the opportunities available through set of data, lenders’ profile and other necessary information provided by Credit & Data Bureau Ltd (CDBL).

CDBL is a PNG company established in 2008 by leading financial institutions. 

Managing director Bruce Mackinly said: “We supply our members with information that allows them to make informed credit and business decisions.

“We collect this information from our members and also from public records … we then make this information available to our members through a sophisticated but user-friendly software system accessed through the internet,” Mackinly said.

He said CDBL principal business was the operation of a credit bureau database where members could access the credit history and identify details about their customers. 

The credit bureau also assists members with debt collection involving defaulting debtors who are in the database.

Nape: What K30 million?

SPEAKER of parliament Jeffery Nape has hit out at claims that as much as K30 million was paid to him by the government, The National reports.

A statement issued by the speaker’s office said the rumour had been circulating the streets of Port Moresby, and the corridors of the national parliament, in recent months.

The rumour said Nape was given K5 million, some said K12 million and others said K30 million, the statement said.

“Nape does not know anything about such money being made available to him, and does not understand how such malicious rumours could be circulated,” the statement said.

“The office of the speaker categorically denies this rumour and wishes to inform members of parliament and the people of PNG that the rumour is false and malicious in nature.

“This rumour is being perpetrated by some people to discredit the good speaker of parliament for reasons only known to them,” the statement said.

The speaker is currently away on holidays, and could not be reached for comments.

The statement was signed and issued by his second secondary Apa Kua.

Nape would preside over parliament when it resumed in two weeks, and would determine whether or not to allow a notice of a motion of no-confidence in the prime minister to go on the floor.

The prime minister will face a vote of no-confidence if Nape allows the motion through.

The opposition was pushing for this, and was confident the speaker does not have any reason to deny the notice.

PM tasked on abuse claims

By ISAAC NICHOLAS

PRIME Minister Sir Michael Somare has stressed the “excellent working relationship with Indonesia” amid claims of human rights abuse in West Papua, Indonesia, The National reports.

Sir Michael and US secretary of state Hillary Clinton were holding a joint media conference on Wednesday in Port Moresby when Australian Associated Press journalist Ilya Gridneff posed the question about alleged human rights abuses in West Papua.

The prime minister said there were anti-Indonesian groups distributing such reports alleging human rights abuses.

He said the government of Susilo Bambang Yudyohono was paving the way forward for Indonesia which had seen the granting of special autonomy to some regions in the country.

Sir Michael said the working relationship between PNG and Indonesia had been very good.

He said Indonesia had started on a programme to bring back its citizens and one of them was his personal driver, who was now in Lake Sentani and travelled freely to PNG.

Sir Michael said trade along the border region had increased with people from West Sepik, East Sepik and Madang regularly visiting Indonesia.

Of the alleged human rights abuses, the prime minister said the PNG government was aware of the reports and the Foreign Affairs Minister Sam Abal had asked the Indonesian government for a response.

Clinton, in response to the question, said the US considered itself a friend and ally, claiming that any matter was discussed and explained.

“I have no comments to the specific matter referred to,” Clinton said.

“If there are continuous violence of human rights, they should be investigated and those responsible be held accountable,” she added.

Group queries market facility

By JASON GIMA WURI

A GROUP of protesters comprising mainly women, youths and children yesterday confronted NCD Governor Powes Parkop as he was about to open the new Lareva market at Hohola 2, The National reports.

The protesters said the new site did not have any water and toilet facilities, fuelling threats of cholera and other diseases.

They also raised concerns on petty crimes and other illegal activities including the safety of women and girls using and visiting the market.

Hohola community chairman Abraham Araupe said a petition outlining these concerns were given to Parkop six months ago but to no avail.

“The market is now sitting right in the middle of our recreational area.

“There is no proper licencing from the NCD lands board and the market was built without proper facilities, planning and health inspections being carried out,” Araupe said.

Community leaders yesterday threatened to take out a court injunction against Parkop and NCDC.

However, Parkop told the protesters that the market had to be moved for the city’s benefit.

“We cannot listen to only one part of a group of people but, instead, we have to get everyone’s views - those from the Highlands, the Papuans, New Guinea Islands and Momase.

“This market does not belong to the Hagens or the Keremas only. It belongs to all of us in the city; it will improve our people’s lives with the vegetables and betelnuts sold here,” Parkop said.

“I understand and take into account your concerns for security, rubbish and health hazards.

“New toilets and water facilities will be in place immediately in the coming weeks.”

He also challenged the community to organise itself and collect taxes from the vendors to pay for security and the upkeep of the market.

The NCD governor also thanked Digicel and BSP for providing 300 and 100 beach umbrellas respectively for distribution to the market vendors.

Westpac to join LNG bandwagon

By PATRICK TALU

WESTPAC Bank PNG Ltd, the oldest bank in the country, will tap into the emerging banking opportunities spawned by the mining and petroleum boom, particularly the gas project, The National reports.

Incoming general manager for Pacific banking Greg Pawson told the media in Port Moresby yesterday the Pacific was a key focus for Westpac and PNG was one of the most focused areas that would  see the bank’s three strategies carried out.

“We are excited about some of the emerging opportunities particularly the gas project and the mining,” Pawson said.

“We are very eager to invest and leverage in terms of where we are now and we are mapping out a three-year strategic plan.

Pawson outlined the three key focus areas as:

* Investment in emerging market opportunities;

* Retails banking; and

* Strong business banking.

Investment in the emerging market opportunity was  along term concern, Pawson said.

On retail banking, there is no need to open new branches but instead, improvement should come in for wider and efficient banking services.

“On business banking, we are looking at how we can take that to the next level where we are looking at a significant relationship with the government, the diplomatic corps and other big corporate organisation to contribute to the growth of the economy of Papua New Guinea,” Pawson said.

Westpac managing director for PNG Ashleigh Matheson said as part of the three-year strategy, a state-of-the-art internet banking services was under way