Nasfund, Lamana in Fiji hotel project

FIJI National Provident Fund’s wholly-owned subsidiary FNPF Investments Ltd has entered into a joint venture with consortium partners from Papua New Guinea for the redevelopment of the Grand Pacific Hotel dubbed Fiji’s “Grand Old Lady”, The National reports.

The joint venture with the National Superannuation Fund Ltd (Nasfund) and Lamana Group of Co is expected to enhance Suva’s destination presence as a provider of a leading luxury hotel for today’s modern business traveller.

It had been confirmed that design work was being finalised by Lamana Group in conjunction with several consultants, with construction targeted to begin in the third quarter of next year.

FNPF chief executive officer Aisake Taito said the investment was a major step in ensuring good returns for the 280,000 plus members.

“The fund is committed to the redevelopment of the GPH as this is in line with the FNPF’s reform objectives, specifically, the rehabilitation of non-performing investments,” Taito said.

He said the project was expected to add slightly over 1% to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP), “which is good for the economy and country”.

Taito said the fund was confident that with the PNG consortium, it “found the right partners with the right capacity and extensive expertise in hotel development and management”.

“With a presence in Port Moresby, Honiara and now Suva, the expansion of Nasfund investments with Kostas Constantinou, OBE of Lamana Group, represented a significant cross-border investment that would result in a real tangible asset and reflects a growing confidence in Fiji by their fellow Melanesians,” he said.

Nasfund co-chief executive Rod Mitchell said: “The expansion of Papua New Guinean investment further into the Pacific market as well is a strategic milestone for us.

“Offering a world of style, service, and connection, Grand Pacific Hotel will be designed for today’s Pacific business traveller, which means providing the services and amenities needed for our guests to enjoy the luxury of being themselves.”

The fund said the hotel would be developed as a high-end Pacific business traveller hotel with restaurant, lobby lounge, specialty bar, convention facilities, multiple meeting rooms and health club.

 

 

Probe on Baki ready for NEC

AN investigation into allegations against suspended Police Commissioner Gari Baki has been completed, with the final report expected to go before cabinet this week, The National reports.

Chief secretary Manasupe Zurenuoc said the final report, including specific recommendations, would be presented to the National Executive Council for its consideration.

The investigation team comprised former judge Nemo Yalo, PNG Trade Union Congress and Public Employees Association president Michael Malabag and businessman Allan Bird. They were given two weeks by the NEC to submit their findings to Zurenuoc, which they did last Wednesday.

The allegations against Baki were raised in a letter, dated Nov 4, 2010, by the prime minister.

Baki was alleged to have misled government and senior government officers into allocating K10 million for police operations at the liquefied natural gas (LNG) project sites.

Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare, in another letter to then Public Service Minister Peter O’Neill on Nov 4, instructed for the Department of Personnel Management to facilitate the suspension of Baki.

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

The same letter also gave instructions for DPM to prepare instruments to appoint Tony Wagambie and Fred Yakasa as acting commissioner and deputy commissioner respectively, which were effected on Nov 8.

In a statement yesterday, Zurenuoc also highlighted the need to follow established procedures and processes of governance.

Zurenuoc also made specific reference to the need to promote the ideals of good governance and, particularly, the elements of integrity, independence and the greater charter in being accountable to the people of Papua New Guinea.

He also thanked the investigators for completing their assigned tasks within the specified period.

 

 

Public servants told to deliver

By STEPHANIE ELIZAH

 

GOVERNMENT workers should not be politicking but concentrate on serving the government of the day, Margaret Elias, acting secretary of the Prime Minister’s Department, said, The National reports.

She also said that public service must be based on trust and honesty and that all public servants needed to work together to serve the nation.

“True public servants must care,” Elias said yesterday when responding to queries last week on her department’s focus for next year which she described as another challenging and hectic year.

“So much money has been given, for the first time we have more than K9 billion budgeted for the country.

“Among other tasks, we need to connect the roads, improve our health, education and infrastructure and uplift our performances and implement our plans,” she said.

Elias added that acting Prime Minister Sam Abal had recently given directive that by Jan 7, the public service must organise itself, plan its resources well and implement its departmental operational budgets.

“What this tells us is that this time around, the central agencies coordination committee (CACC), through the chief secretary, will be closely monitoring the performance of government agencies,” she said.

Elias said that strategically, the Department of Prime Minister and NEC would continue in the new year to effectively lead in policy administration, reforming the public service and coordinating and implementing NEC decisions and monitoring performance of departmental heads.

“This is a real test; we need to rise to the occasion and do what we are supposed to do,” Elias said.

 

 

Army HQ acts to pay caterer

By VERONICA FRANCIS

 

MURRAY Barracks army headquarters yesterday forked out K2.5 million to caterer NCS to continue their services to the PNG Defence Force, The National reports.

The NCS had announced on Dec 27 that it had withdrawn its services to all PNGDF messing facilities because of non-payment of accounts, dating back to April, totalling more than K7 million.

However, it would resume its normal services today after the K2.5 million payment was made.

Acting PNGDF commander Capt Alois Ur Tom confirmed yesterday that the money had been paid to NCS which had agreed to continue with its services.

He added that there was an outstanding of K4.5 million which would be paid by February.

He revealed NCS had agreed to continue with its services in the northern units which comprised the Lombrum naval base in Manus, Igam in Lae and Moem barracks in Wewak.

Ur Tom said for the southern unit, PNGDF’s contingency cooks had been put in place until NCS did its entire stock-take for the New Year before resuming normal services.

All services were expected to be back to normal by Jan 1, he added.

Ur Tom said at the moment, they could not do much to settle the debts because the finance office had closed for the festive season but, he believed, the outstanding bills would be paid within the next two months.

He assured all PNGDF soldiers that all NCS services were back to normal due to a quick response by the management.

 

MMJV investing today for a better tomorrow

Children from Latep in the upper Watut are among a number of communities, enjoying the benefit of clean reliable water supplies better than seasonal river flows brought right to their doorsteps

Morobe Mining Joint Venture’s (MMJV) Hidden Valley mine has this year spent more than K6 million on sustainable projects aimed at improving the lives of its host communities.
Health, education, agriculture and infrastructure development projects are the four major programmes currently being implemented through MMJV’s community sustainable development plans for the people of Wau / Bulolo district and Morobe province.
The projects include construction of water supply systems, roads and bridges including emergency repairs and ongoing maintenance and upgrade of the Lae – Bulolo highway, health and sanitation awareness, training in fish farming, cocoa and coffee growing, and other extension services and school fee assistance and construction of classrooms.
Community water supply projects are well underway and will cater for up to about 40 villages including landowner villages right through the Watut River communities.
To date the people of Golden Pine, Manki 1, Tsili Tsili, Mafranazo and Uruf are now enjoying the benefits of clean fresh water brought right to their doorsteps while progress on awareness, feasibility, soliciting village commitment to ensure ownership, ordering and delivery of materials are being progressed.
This covers Kwembu 1, 2 and 3, Nauti, Winima, Manki 2, Latep and Leklu for the upper regions, Biamena, Gawapu, Dambi, Kapin Nayakes, Piu, Babuaf Madzim, Pekumbe, Wawas in the middle Watut areas; and Maralina, Wongkins, Kapungung, Chiatz, Goraris, Wampan, Bavaga, Kasek and Magaring.
Also on water supply programmess, MMJV recently came to an agreement with the Minister for Health (also the Member for Huon Gulf), Sasa Zibe, to match the district on a kina-for-kina basis up to K1 million for water supply projects as nominated by the Huon Gulf joint district planning and budget priorities committee (JDP and BPC).
MMJV is sponsoring training for small-scale alluvial miners from the landowner and Watut villages at the Wau Small Scale Mining Centre (WSSMC) school of alluvial mining to help them improve their mining yields.
This year the company also paid education subsidies for the children of the Hidden Valley mine landowner villages of Nauti, Kwembu and Winima, affected Watut villages and Wafi-Golpu project area.
Infrastructure development in the three landowner villages of Nauti, Winima and Kwembu, including aid posts, school classrooms and community halls and construction of the Babuaf clinic in the Lower Watut area at Wongkins is also nearing completion.
Plans are also in place to construct six double-storey classrooms and three teacher’s houses in Wau, Baiyune, Bulolo and other selected schools down the Watut River and along the Lae-Bulolo highway in partnership with the provincial division of education.
These programmes were developed following extensive community consultation with all stakeholders, including the different levels of government taking into account the five-year development plans of Morobe provincial government, local level government (LLG) and district wards.
Following these meetings a number of private public partnership (PPP) agreements involving MMJV, the different levels of government, business houses and NGO groups such as Lutheran Development Services, Adventist Development and Relief Agency, Bris Kanda, Morobe Fisheries Management Authority, NARI, dational and provincial departments of Works, health and education and Mainland Holdings Ltd, were developed to help facilitate the delivery of the programmes and projects.
General manager - sustainability and external relations, David Wissink, said that the focus of a number of the projects, such as aquaculture and agricultural training and extension services, was to help affected communities create non-mine related revenue generating activities, and to be self-sustaining.
“We cannot and will never take over the role of government but as a responsible development partner concerned for the livelihood of the people of Wau/ Bulolo, Morobe and Papua New Guinea, we will always proactively seek to engage, support and assist all stakeholders through working partnerships that will deliver benefits for everyone involved in this project,” he said.

Partnership agreement for water supply funding for Huon Gulf district

A partnership funding agreement for rural water supply projects has been reached by the Huon Gulf district in Morobe province and Morobe Mining Joint Ventures (MMJV).

A partnership for rural water supply projects in Huon Gulf district.  Representatives of Newcrest Mining Limited Borone Isana (left) and Morobe Mining Joint Ventures' DrGeoff Day (second from left) and Johannes van Heerden (right) with Hon Sasa Zibe at the signing of the water supply funding agreement

The agreement will see both partners (MMJV and Huon Gulf district) fund the establishment of water supplies on a kina-for-kina basis up to a total of K1million each.
The programme will target communities residing within the Huon Gulf district which are in the vicinity of MMJV’s mining and exploration activities near the Wafi-Golpu project and Morobe exploration sites in other areas of the district.
Access to clean safe and reliable water supplies has been identified as a priority for the people of the Huon Gulf district in Morobe Province.
Recently the Huon Gulf joint district planning and budget priorities committee (JDPand BPC) headed by Huon Gulf MP and Minister for Health and HIV and AIDS,Sasa Zibe, identified this as a key objective for all communities in his district.
The focus on rural water supplies by the Huon Gulf JDP and BPC also falls closely in line with the Morobe Mining Joint Ventures (MMJV) sustainable development activities
MMJV considers the provision of clean, reliable water supplies as a key component of its community development support programme for areas that fall within the footprint of its mining and exploration activities in the Morobe province.
The agreement complements MMJV’s existing water supply programme currently being implemented in the Bulolo district throughout Hidden Valley landowner and Watut River communities in partnership with Adventist Development Relief Agency (ADRA) and Lutheran Development Service (LDS).
The programme funding will be administered by a project management committee with district and MMJV representation.
Mr Zibe and MMJV general manager - sustainability and external relations, David Wissink both agreed on the importance of forging close working partnerships to help provide an important benefit to the communities where it was needed most.

Population and agriculture

By SENIORL ANZU of NARI

Papua New Guinea  has a challenge of feeding its young and growing population

Feeding the growing population is a major challenge facing the world today.
This poses a huge demand on agriculture which is unrelenting.
It was until the 20th century that much of the changes in human population happened in billions within a shorter period of time.
Human population left the 20th century with 6.1 billion when in the beginning of the century, there were only about 1.6 billion people.
Today’s net increase of world population stands at 2.5 people every second.
That means 9, 000 more people are born every hour and 216, 000 every day.
Global forecasts are that the planet will experience massive population increase in the coming decades, which mean the current figure of 6.8 billion would reach 9 billion by 2050.
The rising population brings with it the effects of migration and urban drift.
Worldwide figures show that the number of international migrants was 191 million in 2005, up from 155 million in 1990, constituting 3% of the world population.
The major flow of international migrants is from developing to developed countries, with about 62 million migrants making the move in 2005, mainly to find work and send money home to their families.
Migration is common in Papua New Guinea.
While many people leave homes in search for employment, others migrate in search of better services and opportunities.
Urban drift has implications in overcrowding, and depleting of food and household resources. Urban drifts by youths contribute to law and order and other social issues in major centres.
Overpopulating the planet puts everyone all at risk of extreme environmental and social consequences that are being witnessed today.
Clearing the forests for agricultural use has become one of the main threats, and high population growth rates are seen as one of the main causes.
The 2008 global food crisis was a manifestation of the relationship between population and food production.
One of the reasons of this crisis was that the ‘world has been consuming more food than it has been producing’.
Simply the world was not efficient enough in producing agricultural outputs, especially food commodities.
Further to this, the world was not investing enough in agriculture.
The sector is grossly underinvested and underused.
It is often misplaced in policy decision making and development investments.
And PNG is very much in this category.
The need to accommodate the rapid rise in human population is eminent.
It poses a major challenge to food producers and processers.
The world will not only need to find ways to improve food production and access to food to meet the needs of this growing population, but to also satisfy their changing dietary preferences for meat and diary products.
The challenge is also to halt the drift of young people from rural to urban areas and meet the growing demands for bioenergy sources.
Tackling the growing demand for agriculture requires a multi-pronged approach involving all stakeholders. Increasing agricultural productivity and food production can become the optimal strategy to accommodate population pressure.
This can be supported with innovative agronomic practices, new crop varieties, conservation agriculture, and the use of water- and resource-sufficient techniques through systematic approaches on a sustainable basis.
For this to be effective, policy and institutional interventions with effective funding mechanisms are crucial so as to that allow for increased productivity at smallholder and household level.
This is true for PNG.
Therefore, the country should improve on agricultural productivity and production, especially in the food and livestock sector to feed its own population.
Our current population is estimated to be around 6.7 million- this is based on annual national growth rate of 2.6% using 2000 population census data.
This is up from 5.1 million in 2000.
At the present rate, PNG’s year 2000 population would double by 2030.
Studies also reveal that approximately 105 000 people are added to the population every year. And these people must be fed, housed, educated and provided with access to health care.
PNG is endowed with the necessary agro-climatic resources and genetic diversity to produce a variety of food crops and outputs not only for domestic consumption but also for export to needy countries.
PNG has the advantage because of its huge resource base and potentials which are yet to be explored.
The country has enormous agricultural resources such as vast land mass, fertile soils and favorable climate for various types and kinds of crops.
PNG has a rich bio-diversity and a variety of food species, fruits and nuts, and cash crops.
Local farmers can grow various crops including cereals and pulses together with range of livestock species.
PNG has abundant land and bio-mass, creating opportunities for bio-fuels as well.
PNG has made modest advances on the technology front in terms of improved varieties and practices for a range of agricultural commodities and environments.
There is a huge potential in applying modern bio-technology, processing techniques and value adding, and linking farmers to markets.
However, climate change and the anticipated extreme conditions due to changing weather patterns are real issues which must be equally considered.