Talks to review Panguna deal

By STEPHANIE ELIZAH

 

DISCUSSIONS to allow for a review of the Bougainville Copper Agreement is in progress with landowners from the mining lease areas of the Panguna mine encouraged to unite under one umbrella company, The National reports.

President John Momis said the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) was working hard to encourage the landowners to unite so that they could speak and be heard in one voice.

“I am satisfied we are doing okay,” he said, adding that he believed a memorandum of understanding would be reached soon with the Panguna landowners as part of the process towards allowing for a review of the Bougainville Copper Agreement.

“We need to get the mine reopened. It will kick-start developments in Bougainville,” Momis said.

“At this time, we have not negotiated with potential developers but we have spoken with the chairman of Bougainville Copper Ltd and made known to him to respect the interest of the stakeholders, including the PNG government.”

He said he was confident that the government, with a vast mining industry, would extend its support to the autonomous region “to access the reservoir of knowledge and experience with regards to mine issues”.

Momis appealed to landowners on Bougainville to work together in re-building its peace and economy.

He added that the last thing he wanted was instability on Bougainville.

Bougainville deputy administrator for policy Raymond Masono said money was needed to conduct awareness on various ABG programmes, including weapons disposal and reconciliation.

“Weapons disposal remains a priority for the ABG.

“What it requires now is a weapons disposal plan and funding of about K6 million,” he said.

Masono said the reconciliation programme was also a priority which would require about the same amount of funding.

“Without peace and weapons disposal, economic development will not progress,” he added.

Panel set up to investigate Baki

AN investigation team has been established by the national government to probe allegations leveled against suspended Police Commissioner Gari Baki, The National reports.

The team led by former counsel of the Ombudsman Commission and former judge Nemo Yalo, also have PNG Trade Union and Public Employees Association president Michael Malabag and businessman Allan Bird have been given two weeks to submit their findings to acting chief secretary to government Manasupe Zurenuoc.

The acting chief secretary will then make a report to cabinet for further deliberations and actions.

The allegations against the suspended commissioner were raised in a letter dated Nov 4, by the prime minister which will form the basis of the investigations.

The letter had alleged that Baki had misled the government and other senior government officers in allocating K10 million for LNG operations.

The prime minister in a separate letter to the then Public Service Minister Peter O’Neill on the same date instructed the Department of Personnel Management to facilitate the suspension of Baki.

The allegations raised were that the commissioner had allowed the police force to run down and there was a general break-down in law and order.

The same letter to O’Neill gave instructions for personnel management to prepare instruments to appoint Tony Wagambie and Fred Yakasa as acting commissioner and deputy commissioner respectively.

The national executive council a couple of days later on Nov 8 suspended Baki and endorsed the acting appointments.

Zurenuoc could not be reached for comments and terms of reference of the investigations and the cost involved in the two weeks investigation.

A milestone for Madang Teachers’ College and University of Goroka

The first 10 Bachelor of Education (Primary) graduates at the MTC graduation last Friday

Madang Teachers’ College (MTC) and the University of Goroka (UOG) jointly witnessed the graduation of 10 Bachelor of Education (Primary) students at the Madang Teachers’ College 47th graduation ceremony last Friday. The result of a partnership between UOGand MTC, the students were the first intake for the Bachelor of Education (Primary) pre-service course for MTC after completing their first two years of study at UOG.
This is the first group of course graduates in the histories of both MTC and UOG.
Pro Chancellor of the University of Goroka Jerry Tetaga was present at the graduation where he gave the official address on behalf of UOG.
Tetaga said the council of UOG was focused on producing “graduates who can go out and teach good values to our children; the graduation between UOG and MTC is a special milestone”.
Guest of honour, Dr Gairo Onagi, said it was “not an affiliation but a partnership and collaboration with MTC that had made history”.
He said the status of MTC was elevated with the help of UOG.
Dr Onagi said UOG could not alone meet the government’s high demand for teachers, so one institution complimented the other.
Principal of Madang Teachers’ College, Stephen Potek, said MTC was very grateful to UOG for the partnership and would continue to graduate quality teachers with their help.
A record number of 447 students graduated at MTC on the day.

Donors keen to spur global agricultural research

By SENIORL ANZU of NARI

Agricultural research in developing countries attracts global funding

The notion of Agricultural Research for Development (AR4D) is increasingly getting internationally attention, both technically and financially.
In a new powerful display of solidarity with the world’s poor, a key donors and stakeholders meeting in Washington, D.C. early this month took a decisive step toward harmonising funding for AR4D.
This is a much-appreciated development at a time when a lot of the national agricultural research systems (NARS) globally are focused on meeting real needs of resource poor farmers in the context of AR4D.
AR4D is a paradigm shift of making agricultural research more effective in creating positive development impact, especially for smallholder farming and rural communities.
The 2008 World Development Report’s focus on agriculture for development is a direct manifestation of this shift, especially in its bid to address the millennium development goals.
The focus is to reduce and eradicate extreme poverty, assure food security, improve livelihoods, and bring in sustainable and equitable growth and development for the overall welfare of individuals and communities in the world.
The Washington meeting agreed to channel their collective support into major strategic research initiatives that will decisively confront hunger and poverty in developing countries, while cushioning climate change impacts and curbing natural resource destruction.
Inger Andersen, Fund Chair of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) says the agreement “represents a bold response to the major challenges that agriculture faces today”.
Andersen is also Vice President for Sustainable Development, World Bank.
“A more collective approach for supporting agricultural research will give new impetus to the work of the 8,000 scientists and other professionals of the CGIAR, building on a strong record of major positive impact on human well-being.”
The new agreement establishes a multi-donor trust fund (the CGIAR Fund), connecting donors with the Consortium of International Agricultural Research Centers.
Approval came after deliberations by the CGIAR Fund’s decision making body, the Fund Council, on November 1-2.
Director General of PNG’s NARI, Dr Raghunath Ghodake, is a member of this Fund Council, which is a 22-member apex body responsible for allocating research funds to international agricultural research centres and national research and development organisations.
The CGIAR Fund is a new multi-donor, multi-year funding mechanism that provides strategic financing to support agricultural research.
The fund is focused on reducing poverty and hunger, improving human health and nutrition, and enhancing ecosystem resilience through high-quality international agricultural research, partnership and leadership.
This is supported by creating and accelerating sustainable increases in the productivity and production of healthy food by and for the poor; conserving, enhancing, and sustainable use of natural resources and biodiversity to improve the livelihoods of the poor in response to climate change and other factors; and promoting policy and institutional change that will stimulate agricultural growth and equity to benefit the poor, especially rural women and other disadvantaged groups.
More specifically, the CGIAR Fund will finance research guided by the Strategy and Results Framework that sets out common goals, objectives and results for the new CGIAR partnership. The strategy will be implemented by the CGIAR-supported Centers and their partner institutions through a portfolio of Mega Programs, ambitious research programs that aim to address today’s most pressing AR4D challenges.
Over the course of 2010 the Fund is being set up at the World Bank, which will serve as Trustee for the Fund.
Fund donors also confirmed new leadership and members of the CGIAR’s Independent Science and Partnership Council.
CGIAR Fund donors further agreed to support two new strategic research programs – one dealing with rice-based farming systems and the other with climate change, agriculture and food security.
Building on consultations with hundreds of collaborators around the world, the rice program underwent rigorous external review and revision.
The result is a broad research agenda centering on major rice ecologies and fostering critical developments in rice genomics, genetics, agronomy, postharvest handling and policy.
To ensure maximum impact, the research will be carried out jointly by three CGIAR Centers and major international organizations in France and Japan in collaboration with hundreds of partners, including the private sector, NARS and civil society.
Partners will officially launch the new initiative on November 10 at the Third International Rice Congress taking place in Hanoi, Vietnam.
The initiative on climate change, agriculture and food security, developed with the Earth System Science Partnership (ESSP), will involve all CGIAR Centers and a wide coalition of partners.
It will offer developing country farmers new options for coping with current climate variability, adapting to emerging impacts in the coming decades and mitigating climate change through a “carbon-friendly” agriculture that also strengthens food security and reduces poverty.
This program will be launched during the United Nations Climate Change Conference in early December at Cancún, Mexico.
CGIAR is a global partnership that unites organizations engaged in research for sustainable development.
The funders include developing and industrialized country governments, foundations, and international and regional organizations.
The work they support is carried out by 15 members of the Consortium of International Agricultural Research Centers, in close collaboration with hundreds of partner organizations, including national and regional research institutes, civil society organizations, academia, and the private sector.

Cook Islands’ Meyer is Miss South Pacific

By JUNIOR UKAHA

Miss South Pacific Joyanna Meyer, surrounded by fellow contestants (standing from left) Miss Tokelau Meleka Mativa, Miss American Samoa Cindy Fonofili Silao and Miss Solomon Islands Fuantino Malasa. (Front seated) Miss Samoa Jolivette Menime Ete, Miss Aotearoa NZ Angella Cudd and Miss Fiji Sera Tikotikoivatu. – Nationalpic by JASON GIMA WURI

MISS Cook Islands Joyanna Meyer is the new Miss South Pacific Queen 2010-2011, The National reports.
The 21-year-old Meyer beat 10 other Pacific beauties, including PNG’s own Rachel Sapery James, on Saturday night at the Sir John Guise indoor complex to win the pageant.
In the lead-up to the crowning, she also scooped three of the eight awards on offer – Miss Photogenic, Miss Sarong and Miss Talent.
An eager local media contingent could not talk to Meyer after the crowning as she was ushered to her hotel by chaperones who promised that “media will be allowed to talk to her first thing Sunday morning”.
Despite initial hiccups at the start of the evening, which was televised lived by EMTV, it was also disappointing our own contestant failed to win a single award.
Meyer won the crown after scoring the most points in each of the four different categories the Miss South Pacific pageants were judged on sarong (laplap), talent, traditional island and stage interview.
One of the judges, New Zealander Moana Maniaopoto, confessed it was difficult to come up with a final winner as all the contestants were equally superb in the different categories they were judged on.
“I must admit it was quite difficult for us to actually come up with a winner,” she said.
“All the girls put on a great performance.
“But at the end someone has to be crowned,” Maniaopoto said.
The first runner-up was Miss Aotearoa (NZ) Angella Cudd followed by Miss Samoa Julivette Menime Ete (third), Miss Hawaiian Islands Pomaikai Klein (fourth) and Miss Fiji Sera Tikotikoivatu (fifth).
The other award winners were Miss Elegance Pomaii Klein, Miss Tourism Sera Tikotikoivatu, Miss Internet Julivette Menime Ete and Miss Friendship Mafi Tui’nukuafe (Miss Tonga).
The winner of the float procession hosted during the day went to Miss Niue Maria Mitimeti who had the best decorated float that drew a huge crowd.
The outgoing Miss South Pacific queen Marawalesi Nailatikau, while handing the crown over to Meyer, said she was happy her journey ended and that it was time to pass on the reign to the new queen
“My journey ends here and her journey begins,” she said
She said all the contestants were queens in their own rights and that there were many issues in the Pacific regarding women that needed to be addressed.
Next year’s Miss South Pacific contest will be held in Apia, Samoa, the birthplace of the event.

Pacific group seeks 30% cut in tuna catch

A GROUP of Pacific fishing nations, including Papua New Guinea, has called for a near-30% cut in next year’s tuna catch as concern about over-fishing increases, The National reports.

The eight members of the parties to the Nauru agreement (PNA) group control waters where a quarter of the world’s tuna is caught, Radio Australia reported at the weekend.

At a meeting in Majuro, in the Marshall Islands, last week they agreed to cut licensed fishing days from 40,000 to 28,469 next year.

The PNA nations operate a system known as the “vessel day scheme”, selling “fishing days” instead of licensing a set number of vessels to fish in the region.

But during the three years the scheme had been in place, the Pacific nations have had difficulty enforcing it, reducing its effectiveness for conservation.

The PNA is a sub-regional agreement on terms and conditions for tuna purse seine fishing licences in the region.

Apart from PNG, the other parties are Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, the Solomon Islands and Tuvalu.

These countries own waters which supply 25% of the world’s tuna, an estimated US$2 billion worth of fish every year.

PNA fisheries policy makers met to discuss how to skyrocket fishing revenue by establishing connections with industry so the islands could become involved in all aspects of the tuna business – to compete on the same level as industry-leading Thai canneries and tuna suppliers, Ansform Aqorau, director of the PNA office in Majuro, Transform Aqorau, said.

He added that island nations must integrate boats with processing facilities and marketing into Europe and North America, PacNews reported.

“PNA is looking for long-term linkages with processing plants,” he said.

Aquorau said it would be necessary for the Pacific Islands to compete with Thai tuna products.

“The islands have set hard limits but have had difficulty in actually doing it,” Phil Roberts of Tri-Marine International, one of the world’s largest suppliers of tuna, who attended the talks in Majuro, said.

He told AFP: “The proposal to cut to 28,000 fishing days in 2011 means they will have to cut back a lot of boats.

“If they don’t, they will never get fishing under control.”

 

 

Lightning kills 4

20 more burnt as storm hits market

 

By YVONNE HAIP

 

FOUR people were struck dead by lightning on Saturday in the upper Mendi area of the Southern Highlands, The National reports.

Twenty others received serious burns in the electric storm at about 3pm at Egari village, 18km outside Mendi, provincial disaster and emergency relief coordinator Martin Pat said yesterday.

He said the dead included a male teenager and three women, two in their early 20s.

Locals at the Egari market, recently built by Mendi MP Pr Isaac Joseph, took shelter as the storm hit and could do little to save the casualties.

Mendi General Hospital chief executive officer Joseph Turian confirmed that four people were pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital.

He also said that at least 20 people were treated at the hospital, kept overnight and discharged yesterday.

Three with more serious wounds were retained, Turian said, adding that others who received minor injuries were treated at the Mongol Health Centre on Saturday.

He said the hospital was quick to respond as soon as word of the disaster reached the accident and emergency section in the afternoon.

Pat said a provincial disaster and emergency relief team visited Egari village yesterday to assess the damage, saying that about 400 people were at the market when the electric storm struck.

They were astounded by its intensity, he said, adding that lightning struck two trees and the three women who were sitting nearby on one of the market benches.

Pat did not say how the teenager was killed, however, his team had assured relatives of the deceased that they would work with relevant authorities to make sure that some form of relief assistance was provided.

He also commended Mendi hospital staff for ensuring that the patients received care and treatment.

He identified the deceased as Job Peand, 13; Janet Simon, 25; Rita Samal, 24; and an elderly woman Ogon Nonpi.

The wounded were recovering from shock, he added.

People in the area said a child was struck dead by lightning last year in a similar electric storm.