Health officials condemn Baisu

By JAMES APA GUMUNO

 

HEALTH officials from Western Highlands inspected the Baisu jail yesterday and declared it unsafe for human habitation, The National reports.

They recommended the immediate closure of this jail.

They confirmed that dysentery was the cause of the death of three prisoners last week. Many other prisoners had become ill through using contaminated water.

Prisoners demanded a transfer to other prisons in the region in fear of getting infected. Failure by the prison officials to move them had led to the breakout last Friday, in which prison guards allegedly shot dead six escaping prisoners.

Director medical service of Mt Hagen General Hospital Dr Michael Dokup said yesterday that the jail was unfit to keep prisoners and recommended that all remaining prisoners be transferred to other jails.

Dokup said, during their visit, they discovered that there was no water in the jail for cooking and drinking.

He said the prisoners used contaminated water from the drain for their daily needs.

He said sanitation and hygiene of the jail was very poor and not fit for human beings to live.

To illustrate his point, Dokup said even a pig locked up in the jail would die because of the appalling conditions.

He said the sewage system of the jail was blocked and sewage was overflowing into gardens and drains.

He said it was clear the supply of fresh clean water was the jail’s biggest problem.

Dokup slammed comments by Correctional Services Minister Tony Aimo and Commissioner Richard Sikani that the shooting was justified.

He said the two should visit Baisu and see for themselves the conditions there.

Dokup said he was puzzled at claims in the media by Aimo and Sikani that health workers visited the jail and fumigated facilities in there and collected samples for clinical tests.

He said nothing like that had happened.

Aimo: Prison shooting okay

CORRECTIONAL Services Minister Tony Aimo and Commissioner Richard Sikani yesterday defended the shooting of prisoners at the Baisu jail outside Mt Hagen last week, The National reports.

The shooting of the prisoners, apparently by warders, led to the death of seven prisoners.

It appeared that the prisoners were shot at without any warning shots being fired first, prompting calls for an inquiry into the killings.

A relative of an inmate who died claimed his brother, a remandee, was shot in the head.

But Aimo and Sikani yesterday said the warders acted within their rights and there was no need for an investigation.

Sikani stressed that it was now a coroner’s case that would require a coronial inquest into the incident.

He said there would be no internal investigation.

Aimo backed his commissioner, saying the CS officers did their mandated responsibilities in the course of duty.

The minister said the actions of the CS officers also prevented the mass escape of all 400 prisoners held at Baisu jail.

He also slammed critics who have been opposing his plan to bring in non-lethal weapons from a manufacturer in Australia for the Correctional Services.

This would cost the CS K9 million, money many critics said should have been used to improve conditions at Baisu and other jails in the country.

“If I had non-lethal weapons, these escapees will not have been killed,” Aimo said in defence of the use of firearms by warders.

On the mystery illness that killed three prisoners, and caused the prisoners to break out last Friday, Aimo said the CS should not be the only government agency to be blamed as there were others that had failed in their duties which contributed to the worsening water situation at Baisu.

Aimo said the water problem at Baisu contributed to dysentery and diarrhoea which led to the earlier deaths of three detainees on Oct 30, last Tuesday and last Wednesday at the Mt Hagen General Hospital.

He said the Correctional Services was doing everything to address the issues including transferring 50 inmates to Barawagi in Chimbu and 20 to BuiIebu in the Southern Highlands. It had also brought in a contractor to look at the water problems.

He said health officers also visited the jail and fumigated detainee facilities twice for a number of days and collected samples for clinical tests while PNG Waterboard and CS contractors were working on the water lines to restore water.

An internal memo from the deputy commissioner operations, Henry Wavik, said last Friday at 4pm, detainees in the maximum security compound collaborated and, in fear of contracting the diseases after seeing 21 detainees hospitalised and three dead, scaled the fence.

The memo said 57 escaped with CS officers in pursuit recapturing 31, five were shot dead instantly while 12 were seriously wounded.

Twenty-six are still at large.

Reports said those killed included one each from Tari, Laiagam and Wabag with two from Mt Hagen.

 

Authorities respond to cholera on Daru

THE Health Department is making arrangements to airlift urgent medical supplies to Daru, Western, as it confirmed a suspected outbreak of cholera in the province, The National reports.

Acting secretary Paul Dopsie said yesterday the department was arranging to airlift oral rehydration solutions, intravenous fluid and other urgent supplies to Daru.

Dopsie said the department was monitoring the situation on the ground and also urged people to take preventive measures.

The department also advised relevant authorities to address poor water and sanitation situation in Daru to avoid further spread of diseases such as typhoid, cholera and other diarrhoeal diseases.

Dopsie confirmed the department had received reports of more than 200 patients being treated at the Daru Hospital outpatient wing on Monday night.

He said laboratory samples had been sent to the pathology laboratory at the Port Moresby General Hospital to confirm the cause of the outbreak.

Meanwhile, AusAID is monitoring the cholera outbreak that had killed 15 children and hospitalised more than 60 people.

The outbreak’s proximity to Australia, and the regular flow of PNG people through the Torres Strait, on customary and traditional grounds, is being watched by Australia, authorities said.

“AusAID will meet with World Health Organisation officials and the national government to discuss the findings and, if necessary, may consider a joint mission to Daru,” an official said.

The National reported on Tuesday that hundreds of locals on Daru Island had been treated over the past three weeks, with 15 children dying from cholera.

Dr Amos Lano told The National the children died at both the hospital and their homes from cholera-related symptoms of watery diarrhoea, abdominal pain and vomiting.

“Patients started feeling sick after drinking well water which is now being checked to determine if it is contaminated,” he said.

Warren Dutton, a former politician, said concerned residents in Kiunga met on Monday night to find ways to prevent the further spread of the disease.

“Up until now, there has been no notification from any of the health or other authorities responsible for the health and safety of the people of Western.

“Hand washing and sanitation has become crucial and we are urging that all flights, especially from Daru into Kiunga, are properly dealt with when passengers get off the plane,” he added.

 

 

Baki given seven days

By ANGELINE KARIUS

POLICE Commissioner Gari Baki has been given seven days to explain why he should not be suspended and his contract of employment terminated.

Baki told The National that he appeared before the Public Services Commission and was asked to show cause.

He has until next Tuesday to give a written explanation.

Baki is to respond to allegations that he misled Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare and senior members of cabinet over a submission for K10 million to deploy police in the liquefied natural gas project areas.

Baki said he appeared before the commission at 1.30 yesterday afternoon.

It is understood that under the Public Service Management Act, and its general orders, any public servant who was alleged to have breached his or her employment contract would be given a minimum of two weeks to respond to the allegations.

Baki said in the meantime, he was performing his duties as police commissioner.

He issued a media statement yesterday afternoon saying he was still in charge, and he would investigate members of the force who were using the opportunity to cause disaffection and disunity in the force.

Baki called upon all police officers currently lobbying for support from government in the appointment of a new head of the force to refrain from doing so and return to their duties.

“I am still the commissioner of police and, if there are matters before cabinet, they will remain that way until cabinet has made its decision.

“Until then, I call upon all police officers, including acting deputy police commissioner Tony Wagambie and NCD metropolitan commander Chief Supt Fred Yakasa, to return to their posts and carry out their mandated duties,” Baki added.

He warned that continued lobbying could destabilise the force and might have negative implications on the law and order situation in the country.

Baki given seven days

By ANGELINE KARIUS

 

POLICE Commissioner Gari Baki has been given seven days to explain why he should not be suspended and his contract of employment terminated, The National reports.

Baki told The National that he appeared before the Public Services Commission and was asked to show cause.

He has until next Tuesday to give a written explanation.

Baki is to respond to allegations that he misled Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare and senior members of cabinet over a submission for K10 million to deploy police in the liquefied natural gas project areas.

Baki said he appeared before the commission at 1.30 yesterday afternoon.

It is understood that under the Public Service Management Act, and its general orders, any public servant who was alleged to have breached his or her employment contract would be given a minimum of two weeks to respond to the allegations.

Baki said in the meantime, he was performing his duties as police commissioner.

He issued a media statement yesterday afternoon saying he was still in charge, and he would investigate members of the force who were using the opportunity to cause disaffection and disunity in the force.

Baki called upon all police officers currently lobbying for support from government in the appointment of a new head of the force to refrain from doing so and return to their duties.

“I am still the commissioner of police and, if there are matters before cabinet, they will remain that way until cabinet has made its decision.

“Until then, I call upon all police officers, including acting deputy police commissioner Tony Wagambie and NCD metropolitan commander Chief Supt Fred Yakasa, to return to their posts and carry out their mandated duties,” Baki added.

He warned that continued lobbying could destabilise the force and might have negative implications on the law and order situation in the country.

Western province cholera plan 'not implemented'

By MALUM NALU

 

Western Province Chamber of Commerce and Industry today slammed Daru hospital chief executive officer Dr Amos Lano for not implementing the provincial cholera plan since June this year.

Acting president Warren Dutton said the plan – which he showed documentary proof of - had been agreed to at the June meeting involving representatives from health agencies of the Catholic and Evangelical churches, Ok Tedi Mining Limited (OTML), police, Defense Force, local Level governments, provincial administration and the chamber of Commerce, but yet, Dr Lano had been sitting on it since then.

“The ‘Western Province Cholera Plan’, if it was ever completed, has not been implemented despite the fact that Dr Amos Lano is reported on the front page of today's The National newspaper, as saying ‘the outbreak was first reported on the island on Oct 5’,” Dutton said.

“Surely he should have at least immediately have advised his Governor (Bob Danaya), who is himself a medical practitioner of many years experience, of the fact that there was a cholera outbreak in the capital of the Western province.

 “Surely the national Department of Health should have long since have been asked to come to the assistance of the threatened people of the Western province.”

Dutton said shortly before noon on Monday, the business community and the missions of Kiunga were advised by the CEO of Kiunga hospital, Sr Rosemary Joseph, that 10 people had died in Daru from a suspected outbreak of cholera. 

“At 5pm, representatives of the Montfort Catholic Mission, OTML, Horizon Oil Limited, Western Province Constructions Limited and others met to be briefed by Sr Joseph on the precautions required to protect the citizens of Kiunga town, and all the villages in close proximity, from contracting the disease,” Dutton said.

“As a result of this advice, one of the guest houses now requires all its staff and all guests and visitors to disinfect their shoes and their hands before they enter.

 “Up until now there has been no notification, from any other of the health or other authorities responsible for the health and safety of the people of the Western province, advising of the imminent danger of cholera being introduced in to Kiunga and Tabubil on the direct aircraft flights from Daru. 

“It is understood that OTML health services in Tabubil yesterday Monday) afternoon held a meeting about cholera.

“It is known that OTML health services have long since developed a cholera contingency plan.”

 

Puns for educated minds

1. The fattest knight at King Arthur's round table was Sir Cumference. He acquired his size from too much pi.

2. I thought I saw an eye doctor on an Alaskan island, but it turned out to be an optical Aleutian.

3. She was only a whiskey maker, but he loved her still.

4. A rubber band pistol was confiscated from algebra class, because it was a weapon of math disruption.

5. No matter how much you push the envelope, it'll still be stationery.

6. A dog gave birth to puppies near the road and was cited for littering.

7. A grenade thrown into a kitchen in France would result in Linoleum Blownapart.

8. Two silk worms had a race. They ended up in a tie.

9. A hole has been found in the nudist camp wall. The police are looking into it.

10. Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.

11. Atheism is a non-prophet organisation.

12. Two hats were hanging on a hat rack in the hallway. One hat said to the other: 'You stay here; I'll go on a head.'

13. I wondered why the baseball kept getting bigger. Then it hit me.

14. A sign on the lawn at a drug rehab center said: 'Keep off the Grass.'

15. The midget fortune-teller who escaped from prison was a small medium at large.

16. The soldier who survived mustard gas and pepper spray is now a seasoned veteran.

17. A backward poet writes inverse.

18. In a democracy it's your vote that counts. In feudalism it's your count that votes.

19. When cannibals ate a missionary, they got a taste of religion.

20. If you jumped off the bridge in Paris, you'd be in Seine.

21. A vulture boards an airplane, carrying two dead raccoons. The stewardess looks at him and says, 'I'm sorry, sir, only one carrion allowed per passenger.'

22. Two fish swim into a concrete wall.  One turns to the other and says 'Dam!'

23. Two Eskimos sitting in a kayak were chilly, so they lit a fire in the craft. Unsurprisingly it sank, proving once again that you can't have your kayak and heat it too.

24. Two hydrogen atoms meet. One says, 'I've lost my electron.' The other says 'Are you sure?' The first replies, 'Yes, I'm positive.'

25. Did you hear about the Buddhist who refused Novocain during a root canal? His goal: transcend dental medication.

26. There was the person who sent 10 puns to friends, with the hope that at least one of the puns would make them laugh.  No pun in 10 did.

Singing sensation

Samantha Clark took centre stage last Friday at the official launch of the Mineral Resources Development Corporation (MRDC) website when she turned up with her guitar and started belting out numbers, The National reports.

Invited guests included Deputy Prime Minister Don Polye, Finance, Treasury and Public Service Minister Peter O’Neill and Treasury secretary Simon Tosali, who is also chairman of MRDC. 

Standing in for Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare, who could not make it, O’Neill praised MRDC for its improved investments and returns for landowner from funds under its custody.