Christmas bombshell: PNGDF caterer quits

AN unpleasant Christmas surprise awaited PNG Defence Force soldiers at the weekend – they were told that can expect to go hungry for the rest of the festive season, The National reports.

This was because after serving them their Christmas Day meals on Saturday, contracted caterer NCS announced yesterday in a media statement that it had withdrawn catering services to the PNG Defence Force.

“This action is the result of non-payment of accounts dating back to April totalling more than K7 million,” NCS financial controller Tony Green said on behalf of the company’s board of directors.

He said NCS regretted withdrawing its services but it was left with no choice after numerous demands for payment, both verbal and written, over a period of several months went unheeded.

Green said that notice to suspend the catering services was given more than one month ago but was lifted after a payment was promised

“Unfortunately, that payment never eventuated and, two weeks ago, a final notice was given to PNGDF that services would cease if payment was not forthcoming.”

He said that while the PNGDF had always been slow to pay for services, the current level of debt and the time waiting to be paid had never been as bad as it was now.

Green added that the board had met and resolved that the risk to NCS and its suppliers was too great to continue incurring expenses without any clear sign of payment.

“NCS is a 100% PNG-owned company that has, in partnership with other PNG landowner companies, been very successful in winning contracts against international competition.

“Allowing the PNGDF debt to continue to grow would pose an enormous risk to NCS and its other clients,” he said.

The withdrawal of services would affect PNGDF messing facilities at Murray Barracks, Taurama Barracks, Goldie River Barracks, Igam Barracks (Lae), Moem Barracks (Wewak) and Lombrum naval base (Manus).

 

Abal puts God first

By YVONNE HAIP

 

ACTING Prime Minister Sam Abal returned to his Wabag electorate in Enga to a chief’s welcome last Friday for the first time in his capacity as acting prime minister, The National reports.

He was accompanied by Public Service Minister Moses Maladina, Mining Minister and Kompian-Ambum MP John Pundari, Enga Governor Peter Ipatas, Western Highlands Governor Tom Olga, North Waghi MP Benjamin Mul and acting Police Commissioner Tony Wagambie.

Thousands of people throughout Enga turned up to welcome Abal and his delegation, including his wife.

As the people stood watch, church elders dedicated Abal to the Lord and urged him to be the “leader to lead the people, pastor to feed the people and shepherd to look after the people”.

They said Abal had been bestowed a huge responsibility and challenged him to serve the country with integrity and honesty as a God-fearing leader.

The acting prime minister said he was committed to do the best for the people and called for Christians throughout the country to pray for PNG and receive God’s blessings.

He also cleared the air that there was no vacancy in the office of the prime minister as he had be given the power to perform the responsibilities of the prime minister.

He said he would do his job in consultation with other senior ministers to carry on with the policies and programmes implemented under the leadership of sidelined prime minister and East Sepik MP Sir Michael Somare.

“I did not ask for or make a move for the post of acting PM nor the deputy prime minister’s seat but it was Sir Michael’s decision, through his own wisdom (to appoint Abal as deputy prime minister),” he said.

He also committed the office of the prime minister to God because, without God, the country would not progress and asked Christians to pray for guidance during these hard times.

Other parliamentarians who witnessed the occasion indicated their support for Abal and promised to work with him.

 

 

Boat people organiser charged

By JEFFREY ELAPA

 

JONATHAN Baure, the organiser of the 130 Papua New Guineans who last week crossed illegally into Australia, has been arrested and charged with impersonation, The National reports.

The group, who attempted the Torres Strait crossing by a flotilla of boats to claim Australian citizenship, was returned to Daru Island on Saturday and Sunday on five charter planes where Baure was taken into custody and flown to Port Moresby.

He was locked up at the Boroko police station cell where spent the night. He was questioned yesterday before being charged.

Police said last night that Baure, 44, of Guruguru in Northern, had been charged under section 97(1)(b) of the Criminal Code for impersonating a public service officer.

The charge meant that he was providing illegal travel documents to the group, mostly from the Papuan provinces, to travel across the Torres Strait into Australia to pursue their interest.

Police said Baure would appear in court this week when his files were completed.

According to sources in Daru, Baure was initially arrested by Australian police and custom officials and was handed over to PNG customs and police when he was returned to Daru on Saturday.

They said he was put up at a lodge on the island before he was flown the next day, about 3.30pm to Port Moresby.

Australian authorities had chartered the planes to repatriate the group, who had claimed their Australian citizenship was illegally taken from them when PNG became independent in 1975.

Papua covers the southern half of the PNG mainland and the group claimed they were still Australian citizens because there had never been a referendum to legally sever ties with Australia.

But Immigration Department spokesman Sandi Logan told Radio Australia that they needed to follow correct procedures and lodge citizenship applications at the Australian High Commission in Port Moresby.

He said the vessels they arrived in Australia in would not be returned to them.

Fishing lessons from Tahiti

By MALUM NALU

Bulolo MP Sam Basil has taken three weeks off his busy political schedule to take his wife and children to Papeete, French Polynesia (Tahiti), where his wife comes from.
Not one to waste time, he has contacted politicians and businesses in Papeete, about how this country and Papua New Guinea can strengthen their economic and political ties.
Just before Christmas, Basil has a chance to see logline fishing boats sailing in to offload their catches at the fish wharf.

Basil admiring a big moon fish at the French Polynesia fish market

“The reason why I am interested to visit this establishment is that in PNG we have a well-established National Fisheries Authority (NFA) which I believe is the best in the Pacific Islands nations of fisheries in terms of regulating and also monitoring fishing activities of the long line, purse seiner operators and other fishing activities,” he said from Papeete.
“Unlike PNG, the Tahitians do not allow many purse seiner operators into their waters because they reckon it is too destructive and unsustainable, as the kilometer-long destructive nets scoop up everything from the ocean with unnecessary by-catches.

Basil being shown around the waterfront fish market in Papeete

“The purse seiner nets scoops up turtles, sea birds, sharks, dolphins and many other sea creatures including endangered species like the big eye tuna and others.”
Basil said he also had the chance to meet Joseph Teanotoga, chairman of the government-owned SEML Tahiti Nui Rava’ai a, local company set up the French Polynesian government to help the local fishing industry.

Basil with Joseph Teanotoga, who is now in control of the French Polynesian government's investment in long line boats

“They took several boats and signed up small fishing businesses to own and operate under a loan programme which didn’t work out, so the government pooled the boats into a government business arm managed under the chairmanship of Teanotoga,” he said.
“Teanotoga boasts that about 80% of the loan has been retired and by end of 2011 they should break free from their liabilities.
“The lesson’s learnt here are that fishing business is a very hard business with needs huge capital investment, especially the purchasing of boat and the first few months of operational expenses with a well-facilitated and dedicated wharf.
“We all know NFA is efficiently operated in PNG with enough revenue and must now invest into establishing a local auction market to properly regulate and allow locals to participate in the long line businesses and also the purse seiner business.
“A dedicated wharf and facilities such as the ice-making machines, back-up generator and auction facilities will cost us millions of kina which will be hard to establish at first, but with commitment from NFA and proper management and control can make tuna business available for all citizens to participate.
“Currently in PNG, the system favours outside investors who knows the business well and have the cash to come and participate, but as a responsible country we must use NFA to teach our people how to participate and make funding and facilities as such available to facilitate this important industry.
“The fishing business must be driven by nationals from trawling, beche de mer, and long line and purse seiners.
“Some people think it is impossible because they do not believe in themselves but I reckon PNG needs a change.”

Papua New Guinea boatpeople treated "hypocritically"

From JOHN PASQUARELLI



John Pasquarelli...berates Australian authorities for treatment of PNG border crossers

 The Australian boatpeople saga took an interesting turn last week when the story of Papuans coming across Torres Strait in dinghies surfaced in the Australian media. 

The fact that 120 people apparently made the trip should have meant a huge story but like a lot of politicians, the journos were asleep at the wheel and there was not a single TV image. 

According to reports,  Australian immigration officials seized the dinghies and the Papuans were 'sent packing' back to Daru. 

It is alleged that the Papuans were carrying false Australian citizenship documents but until the PNG media investigates, we are all in the dark somewhat.

Illegal boatpeople from the Middle East,  Afghanistan and Sri Lanka regularly arrive on Australian shores and  many of these people are culturally-incompatible with mainstream Australians,  especially the Muslims with their often unveiled contempt for the traditional Australian/Christian culture but this does not stop them embracing all the benefits that Australia affords,  including Centrelink and all the other welfare 'goodies.'  

Many ex-PNG expats find it hypocritical and confusing that Australian immigration can send the Papuans 'packing' but literally welcome other illegals to our shores. 

The situation is of course complex but woe betide Australian authorities if the thousands of West Papuan refugees decide to hop into their canoes and dinghies.

Namah welcomes Supreme Court ruling

Leader of PNG Party Hon Belden Namah has welcomed the Supreme Court ruling on Christmas Eve ordering the acting speaker Francis Marus to recall Parliament to elect a new governor general by or on January 20, 2011.

Namah said the Supreme Court ruling confirmed the common knowledge that the current National Alliance-led was hell-bent in breaking laws and the constitution to remain in power.

“It was very clear and obvious that that the government breached the constitution in the so-called re-election of Sir Paulias Matane as governor general on June 25, 2010 for another six-year term,” he said.

“The suspended Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare has been involved in the election of all governors general since independence. 

“He claims to have written the constitution and yet he chose not to abide by constitution he crafted himself.

“Sir Michael himself has endlessly been seeking relief through courts to deliberately avoid facing a Leadership Tribunal for alleged misconduct in office charges.

“Today Papua New Guinea does not have a governor general, prime minister, acting speaker and acting deputy prime minister.

“We are in serious constitutional crisis.”

Namah called for a mass exodus of concerned parliamentarians currently in government and join parties in the opposition to elect a new governor general and a new prime minister.

He urged all MPs to put PNG and its people ahead of personal, party and sectional interests.

“We have a paramount duty to correct the wrongs of this corruption-tainted government,” Namah said.

“People in all sectors of the whole PNG community are fed up.

“We’re at the mercy of the people’s goodness, but the patience of many is running thin.

“If we fail to fix the mess created by this Government, we’re in for big trouble.”

DEC incapable of regulating mine wastes and continues to do so

Bulolo MP Sam Basil has criticised the Department of Environment and Conservation for failing  to properly regulate the mining industry in Papua New Guinea and ensure its  operations are environmentally-safe.

 "DEC has a responsibility on behalf of the nation to ensure that mining operations are safe and will not damage the environment,” he said.

“Yet time and again the mines end up causing massive pollution problems while DEC sits by and watches."

 With pollution from Bougainville, Ok Tedi, Misima, Pogera mines and recently the Hidden Valley Project Mr Basil now confirms that PNG government through DEC is now telling the world that mining with pollution in PNG is normal business practice so all environmental cowboy are welcome to come and dig.

 Mr Basil has recently filed legal proceedings against the Hidden Valley mine in his constituency over its pollution of the Watut River.

 "It is not good enough for Environment Minister Benny Allen to say DEC received an environmental audit report on the Hidden Valley mine in May this year and will be working on an environmental improvement plan,” he said.

 “If the minister is serious about re-inventing another environmental improvement plan to supersede the failed plan, then the shut down mine and a complete river rehabilitation option must be his priority.

“The guns-for-hire environmental consultants will just report what DEC wants them to say to water down situation and we will not buy that cheaply.

“They must remember that the Bougainville and Ok Tedi days are long gone and we will not repeat the same mistakes and be fooled again.

 “If the Minister's sponsored audit report says the river is safe then I’m willing to invite the minister and his DEC secretary to consume a litre of water each collected from the Watut River in front of his people to prove to them that their river is safe.

“If they are not prepared to prove any report by consuming water from Watut then I am cautioning the minister in advance to be very careful about pushing report that he himself does not understand.

 "Where is the report?

“Why have I not been given a copy?

“Why don't the landowners who are suffering the impacts of the pollution have a copy?   “Is DEC trying to cover up things for the mining company?

“The report should be released immediately."

 Mr. Basil says that the DEC should explain why it has given the Hidden Valley mine an environmental permit in the first instance when they already know that almost all of their environmental approved plans have been a failure.

“It can only prove that DEC doesn't know what they are approving and must be held liable together with the operator should any litigation takes place against the  mining company for lying to the government and DEC for professional negligence to the people of PNG,” he said.

 

“The current pollution in the Watut river system without DEC noticing anything wrong until recently is very bad for the future of the mining industry and the development of the up-and-coming Wafi Golpu project in his electorate.

 “DEC only acts when the community mobilises and with this court action we are going all the way to make DEC and MMJV accountable to the people of Watut and the nation.

 “The same goes to the approval of the deep-sea mining permit that has recently been granted by DEC.

“It must be stopped at all costs until a thorough investigation by scientists is sought.

 “The National Fisheries Authority (NFA) must also be involved in that matter because the impact on our tuna stocks and its breeding ground is still not yet known and will be a threat to our growing tuna industry.

 "DEC like MRA is supposed to be protecting landowners, their resources and the environment, not facilitating mining on the cheap.”

 Mr Basil says he has instructed his lawyers to look into whether DEC and the Minister could be legally held liable for the damage the mine has caused.

 He also suggested that in the future it would be good to have Ministers appointed to their ministerial portfolios only if their electorate plays host to such projects.

 “Ministers from un-impacted areas which has no mine and pollution will simply make the ministers be just another rubber stamp which we are currently experiencing in PNG,” he said.

 “That is why we see endless writers writing to the view column of the dailies showing their endless frustrations against many unpopular decisions of departmental heads and their ministers.”

 Mr Basil also assures the public that when government changes” the new government will give priority to replace complacent and incompetent department secretaries and overhaul departments to honestly operate to protect the Independent State of Papua New Guinea and its people”.