Cocoa programme for Lower Watut communities

Cocoa is a major revenue-earner in Papua New Guinea and with the arrival of the cocoa pod borer (CPB) in 2006, efforts have been stepped up to save this very-lucrative commodity in the nation’s agricultural industry.

Fearing the potential negative impact of CPB on the industry if nothing was done, a national cocoa workshop on preparation of a strategic plan for the cocoa sector in PNG was held in April 2009, to discuss the findings and suggestions by a consultant headed by Agrifood Consulting International and to plan a way forward to save the industry.

A strategic plan was developed which contained five major goals including productivity – to increase average yields to 0.8 tonnes per hectare by 2015; production – to increase exports to 100, 000 tonnes by 2015,; profitability – to increase cocoa income to growers by at least 80% by 2015; CPB –losses due to CPB infestations contained at less than 10% of production and quality to enhance PNG’s market position as a supplier of high quality cocoa by 2015.

This is the plan on the national scale and Morobe Mining Joint Ventures (MMJV) is helping to ensure that this plan is implemented through the establishment of a cocoa programme for the villages and communities located in the footprint of its operations in Bulolo, Morobe province.

MMJV has commenced a cocoa programme especially for the Lower Watut people in partnership with all stakeholders including, the three levels of government, non-government organisations (NGOs) and the local people.

MMJV ensures that the local people fully participate in the project to build a sense of ownership for the sustainability of project for future generations.

The cocoa programme is being implemented in partnership with Bris Kanda, a non-government organisation (NGO) group working in the Huon Gulf district of Morobe province.

The activities involved in this programme are establishment of cocoa nurseries to increase the number of household involved in planting improved cocoa varieties by 10% by  mid 2011; establishment of budwood gardens in strategic locations so hybrid cocoa gardens can be expanded in the future,; extension services – to ensure that skills training and good block management practices are regularly carried out in the communities and cocoa fermentery funding assistance to provide seed funding (to those eligible to process cocoa) which will be repaid under a current revolving scheme.

The communities’ contribution to this project is through sweat equity, while MMJV is providing substantial funding, with Bris Kanda providing extension and other support services.

Most of these communities and cocoa groups have been working with Bris Kanda for a number of years and MMJV’s assistance is a big boost to their efforts to produce and sell quality cocoa beans as cocoa is their main cash crop.

The villagers thanked MMJV for initiating the program and Bris Kanda for providing the expertise and are committed to working together in improving cocoa production in the area.

According to a four year and five months study conducted by the University of Sydney, Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources in Australia and commissioned by Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIR) which ended on May 31, 2009, the PNG cocoa industry earned an estimated K168 million annually on production of 42 000 tons which makes up 2% of the world market.

A large part of this comes from nearly 70, 000 smallholders in 14 of the 20 provinces. The three major producing provinces are East New Britain, Madang and East Sepik.

 

January 11 for Governor General vote

By JEFFREY ELAPA

 

THE election of the governor-general takes precedence over all parliament business when the acting speaker, Francis Marus, recalls parliament on Jan 11 as directed by the Supreme Court, The National reports.

Marus, who is Talasea MP, told The National yesterday that any other government and opposition business, such as the proposed vote of no-confidence motion, would not be entertained. He said parliament had been recalled to elect a vice-regal.

The Supreme Court had, on Dec 10, ruled that the July reappointment of Sir Paulias Matane as governor-general for a second term was unconstitutional.

Marus said parliament would sit for a few weeks until the appointment was formalised and the new governor-general sworn in by the chief justice.

In their ruling early this month, a five-judge Supreme Court bench ruled that Speaker Jeffrey Nape had presided over the nomination and election processes of the vice-regal in parliament when he was, in fact, the acting governor-general.

Marus said he would adjourn the house for recess after the formalities of a new vice-regal were completed.

Parliament was due to meet for its first session next May.

However, opposition sources told The National that they would make a final attempt to submit a notice for a vote of no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare.

They said the two previous motions were not entertained by Nape, and they would make another attempt on Jan 11.

They appealed to the acting speaker to consider the motion as a matter of national interest and allow it to go through.

National parliament workers said public notices would be sent out today notifying MPs of the Jan 11 sitting.

Meanwhile, Attorney-General Sir Arnold Amet also brushed aside claims of a vacancy in the prime minister’s post following Sir Michael’s decision to step aside.

Sir Arnold said Sir Michael was still the prime minister as he was on voluntarily leave awaiting the tribunal.

 

 

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.