Mothers plea for space

Problems at the Port Moresby General Hospital women’s ward seem to go on and on, The National reports.
Mothers have no beds and have to sleep on the bare floors due to overcrowding, there are no proper facilities for in-patients to use and midwives are hard to find, with about two a day. 
Workers attributed all these to lack of funds. 
Ward nurses and doctors described the challenge as “overwhelming; not enough beds and unfinished construction work due to lack of funds”. 
Statistics indicate an average 40-to-50 delivery a day and, with space an acute problem, mothers are forced to sleep along the corridors and even in the reception area of ward 10.

10 mums train in coffee quality control

WOMEN should also be seen as equal partners in business and not just as mothers and housewives, The National reports.

Ten mothers recently graduated with certificates in coffee quality control in a training workshop conducted by Coffee Industry Corp (CIC) in Okopa district, Eastern Highlands.

The training attracted 86 participants from the Tarabo coffee growers association of which 10 are mothers.

Eastern Highlands province smallholder coffee growers association chairman James Korarome said women should receive equal distribution of coffee income just as their male folks.

He added that most often, it was  the case where women did  all the hard work in processing coffee while the men dominate the marketing side of it, resulting in unfair distribution of income.

The coffee quality training comes under the CIC participatory rural participatory programme (PRAP) in bringing awareness and training to coffee farmers nationwide.

Korarome also issued a challenge to the men to respect women farmers to ensure quality production of coffee beans.

Meanwhile, general manager for CIC’s research and  grower service division, Dr Mark Kenny urged the graduates to return to their coffee gardens and apply the skills acquired and become advocates of quality coffee in their area.

 

 

MPs face bill

Women move into capital to push for reserved seats

 

PRESSURE is mounting on members of parliament to vote today to pass legislations to increase the number of women representatives in the house, The National reports.

The campaign to pass this legislation had gained momentum with women leaders from different parts of the country flying to Port Moresby this week to drum up support from their MPs.

And, yesterday, entrants to the Miss South Pacific beauty pageant added their voice to this cause by signing a statement of support. Ten of them signed, saying: “Women of the Pacific are watching this parliament for the vote.”

The bill, if passed, will have 22 seats reserved for women. It sought to amend section 101 of the constitution. To succeed, it needed an absolute majority of 72 MPs voting in favour of the bill.

Women leaders hoped parliament would sit right through this week and next week to entertain the bill and other important legislations pending in the house.

But, with the opposition’s budget reply at the top of the agenda today, and talks of a vote of no-confidence, there were speculations the government might adjourn parliament after the budget is voted on.

On the other hand, if the government is secured in its numbers during the vote on the 2011 budget, it would bring in the women’s bill and others to be deliberated and voted on.

Leader of government business and Minister for National Planning and Implementation Paul Tiensten did not provide a clear strategy yesterday, saying the government caucus would meet today to discuss how to handle the budget and the bills.

The government risked invoking the ire of women leaders and supporters of this legislation if it defers the bill.

“A lot of effort and resources have gone into this, and the least we expect is for the bill to at least make it to the floor to be voted on,” a woman representative said yesterday.

Because it was an important constitutional legislation, MPs will vote through resolutions along party lines.

 

 

Budget reply is priority, says Tiensten

By ISAAC NICHOLAS

 

THE opposition’s reply on next year’s budget will take precedence over all government business in parliament today, including the proposed bill on the reserved seats for women, The National reports.

Leader of government business Paul Tiensten said the opposition would be expected to reply to the budget at 2pm and debate would follow until the passage of the 2011 money plan.

This was expected to take three weeks.

“The government caucus will (this morning) decide on the programme on critical bills to be dealt with by parliament,” Tiensten said yesterday.

“We may sit for three weeks to deal with the huge government agenda, including the women’s reserved seats bill, but the government caucus will decide on the programme and see how we will manage.”

He said the three-week sitting would, at least, meet the 63-day requirement for parliament to sit in a calendar year.

Tiensten, who is National Planning and Monitoring minister, brushed aside claims of a vote of no-confidence against the prime minister.

He said moves by the opposition had backfired after they targeted the man who will entertain their motion – Speaker of Parliament Jeffrey Nape.

“The opposition should be constructive and provide alternative policies.

“We have a country to run and there is no way you can weave magic to resolve the country’s problems, which the opposition is pushing.

“They should sit down and formulate alternative policies and take them to the elections to get the mandate of the people to return and run the country.”

Tiensten was also expected to make a budget statement on the medium-term development plan (MTDP) in parliament today.

He said the MTDP was a measurable document that had been fully costed at K65 billion for the next five years, aimed at creating jobs, growing the economy and improving the quality of life for all Papua New Guineans.

He also condemned the recent “politics of shooting down personalities” instead of providing alternative policies and plans and how to fund them.

Tiensten also disputed the free education policy mooted by the opposition, saying it was not sustainable and funding it would mean sacrificing other sectors such as agriculture, infrastructure and economic development.

“You have to cost such policies.

“How much will you put into free education and, at the end of the day, what will you get out of it?” he asked.

“We have to be responsible in what we say, otherwise, we are kidding ourselves.”

 

PMGH women's ward runs short of space

By GRACE AUKA

UPNG journalism student

 

THE women’s ward at the Port Moresby General Hospital (PMGH) is facing overcrowding, lack of proper facilities and shortage of midwives due to shortage of funds, The National reports.

This was revealed by the hospital staff during a donation of linens by NCD Governor Powes Parkop his wife Jean and a group of women to ward 9 of the PMGH last Friday.

These concerns were raised by unit nurse coordinator Sr Jennifer Piakalyia and Dr Apeawusu Amoa, who said the ward was in distress and needed more support particularly for mothers. 

“The challenge faced by the hospital is overwhelming and it still needs more funds because currently there is not enough beds, unfinished construction work on a building next to ward 9, this all comes down to lack of funds,” Amoa said.

He emphasised that the hospital needed more funding and support for the women in PNG in order for them to be kept in a comfortable and caring environment when admitted to the hospital.

According to Piakalya, the number of women delivering a day was 40-50, but there were not enough hospital beds, forcing some of them to sleep and rest along the corridors and even in the reception area of ward 10.   

“The number of midwives has decreased, in a day there are only two midwives on duty to help mothers to deliver their babies,” she said.

The donation came from the women’s own effort and funds from a family project.

It comprised 100 pillows, 198 pillow cases and 174 bed sheets.

Beauties arrive for Miss South Pacific quest

By ILA PAILAEA

TEN of the 11 contestants for the 2010 Miss South Pacific pageant contest in Port Moresby have arrived in the country, The National reports.

NCD Governor Powes Parkop joining contestants from around the South Pacific, including New Zealand, in Port Moresby for this year’s Miss South Pacific title quest during dinner yesterday evening. Rachel Sapery James (fifth from left) is representing Papua New Guinea. – Nationalpic by AURI EVA

Twenty-three-year-old Miss Hawaii Pomaikai Klein is expected to fly in today for the week-long event.

Papua New Guinea will be represented by Miss PNG 2010 Rachel Sapery James. The other contestants are Miss Niue Island Maria Mitimeti; Miss Tonga Mafi Tuinukuafe; Miss Solomon Islands Fuatino Malasa; Miss Tokelau Meleka Mativa; Miss Samoa Jolivette Menime Ete; Miss Cook Islands Joyana Meyer; Miss Fiji Sera Tikotikoivatu; Miss American Samoa Cindy Fonofili Silao; and Miss Aotearoa New Zealand Angela Cudd.

Yesterday was a quiet day for the contestants with only two public appearances; the first at Lamana Hotel and during dinner at the Royal Papua Yacht Club.

The contestants and their chaperones will leave for Alotau, Milne Bay, today and return tomorrow to continue on with the pageant programme.

The crowning is scheduled for Saturday evening at the Sir John Guise indoor complex.

During a briefing with the media yesterday afternoon, many of the contestants spoke about the “beauty and friendly welcome” which made them felt at home.

Miss Tonga Mafi Tuinukuafe, perhaps, summed up most of their feelings: “I felt surprised by every minute of it. The different people, cultures are a world in one.

“PNG is rich, not only in its natural resources but also in the cultures you have.”

KAML: PNG economy performing along forecast

By PATRICK TALU

 

PAPUA New Guinea’s economy is performing broadly in line with the forecasts outlined in the March 2010 monetary policy statement, according to fund manager Kina Asset Management Ltd last Friday, The National reports.

Significant investment opportunities have emerged in recent times in both local and the Asian regions as a result of the recovery of dynamic economies, according to KAML.

“KAML is well positioned to benefit from the regional bounce back of current investments and the implementation of new investment opportunities which continue to emerge,” chairman Sir Rabbie Namaliu said.

He said while real GDP growth had been revised downwards to 7.5% from 8.5% this year, this mainly reflected the delay in the start of production from the Ramu nickel-cobalt project.

Sir Rabie released the KAML third quarter review last Friday.

“The construction of the LNG project infrastructure, now well underway, will underpin growth in the period ahead.

“The sales revenue generated will represent a significant inflow into the domestic economy and also the region,” he added.

Sir Rabbie said after its weakness early in the quarter, KAML had  benefited from the pick-up in stock markets late in the September quarter, a trend that has continued into the current month.

“The year-to-date performance of all asset classes has exceeded their respective benchmarks,” Sir Rabbie said.

He said PNG is currently among the emerging market countries that were experiencing recovery and growth faster than their more advanced counterparts, adding that it was important to relate the market overview to the implications for the KAML fund.