Court interpreter guilty of contempt

By SAMUEL RAITANO

 

A COURT interpreter who failed to turn up for a hearing about two years ago was sentenced to six months jail with hard labour by the National Court yesterday for contempt, The National reports.

The decision by Justice Mark Sevua at Waigani followed Ronald Otios failure to attend court for his interpreting duties in Court on Nov 6, 2008.

The judgment was passed yesterday, two years after the accused had been found guilty on Nov 10, 2008, as being guilty of contempt of court for neglecting his duty.

Otio was absent as an interpreter on a murder trial, causing the court to adjourn, which was seen as interference with court processes.

According to the court decision, Otio had failed to inform his superior of his ‘absence’ in order to rearrange a replacement, causing inconveniences and unfairness to the trial of a murder suspect who needed translation of the proceedings in Motu.

Otio’s penalty of six months imprisonment with hard labour was, however, suspended by the court on the grounds that the contemnor expressed remorse, was a first time offender and had paid cash bail of K500 as ordered by the court in 2008.

Otio has been permanently suspended from his duties and placed under good behaviour bond for two years, commencing yesterday.

 

Court to decide today on soldier's bail

By ILA PAILAEA

 

THE ruling on a bail application for a PNGDF soldier charged with wilful murder and armed robbery will be handed down this morning by acting Chief Justice Judge Bernard Sakora, The National reports.

A PNGDF lawyer, acting for Lance Corporal Daniel Mona, had to disrobe his gown and appear not as the legal counsel but as a friend to assist Mona.

When the lawyer asked for leave to appear as lawyer advising the court he did not have a current practising certificate, Sakora, in reply, said, “This court does not grant practising certificates. You can sit there but if you choose to appear, you have to disrobe (remove the lawyers gown and bib) and appear as a friend. If leave is granted to appear as counsel, then this court would be in breach of the laws of this country.”

Sakora told the accused that all documents required for a bail application were in order, including copies served on the state and that he was happy to hear the application.

The judge noted that the contents of Mona’s affidavit stated the circumstances he faced, being a family man, while he was being detained.

When asked whether he had anything to add, Mona told the Court, “I am still a serving member of the PNGDF and I’m thinking of my job, if detained beyond 21 days, I’ll be put off the pay roll.” He further told the court he had paid a K1, 000 fine for a fire-arm charge.

He was, however, arrested on one count of wilful murder and two counts of armed robbery.

His friend told the court that according to the summary of facts, Mona was not implicated.

The State sought to show that Mona was connected to the crime after police recovered rifle magazines in his home at Taurama army barracks when co-accused, Elijah Manu led them there.

Manu allegedly gave the firearm used in the crime to a soldier for safe keeping.

Mona is alleged to have been involved in stealing more than K5, 5000 from NR Global Rubber Company near the Correctional Services headquarters at Islander last October, where a senior policeman was shot dead and several police firearms were reported to have been stolen.

 

 

 

Barrick Gold falls 2.9%

BARRICK Gold Corp, the world’s largest gold producer, dropped 2.9% in the Canadian stock exchange after US manufacturing and construction reports boosted confidence in the economy, The National reports.

Barrick Gold, which owns 95% of the Porgera gold mine in Papua New Guinea, lost 2.9% to C$51.59.

The S&P/TSX surged 14% last year as gold jumped 30% on concern central-bank stimulus programmes may spur future inflation.

Eight of the world’s 20 largest gold producers, including Barrick Gold, are Canadian.

Teck Resources Ltd., Canada’s biggest base-metals and coal producer, advanced 1.7% after the institute for supply management’s gauge of US manufacturing climbed to a seven-month high.

The Standard & Poor’s/TSX composite index slipped 40.91 points, or 0.3%, to 13,402.31 at 4 p.m. in Toronto.

Canadian markets were closed on Tuesday when the US commerce department said construction spending rose 0.4% last November, twice the median forecast of economists in a Bloomberg survey.

“Gold is a bit of a safe haven for people,” Doug Davis, vice chairman of Toronto money manager Davis-Rea Ltd., which manages C$400 million.

“If they think it’s time to get a little less safe, they may move some money out of gold.” – Bloomberg

 

 

 

 

 

Barter doesn't like 'chief' award

By MALUM NALU

 

Madang businessman and former politician Sir Peter Barter does not like the chief” title added to his knighthood in this year’s New Year’s honours list.

This is in contrast to many Papua New Guineans who are lining up to be bestowed awards, which has made the whole system a joke among many people.

Sir Peter, who has been busy attending to the Manam Island volcano eruptions since Christmas Day, made this clear  on Monday when asked to  to comment on his being awarded the chief title together with retired Catholic Archbishop Sir Brian Barnes and former house of assembly member Sir Akepa Miakwe.

“I do not want to be called anything else but ‘Peter’,” he told The National.

“The first I heard about this Logohu award was in The National this morning.

“I did not ask for it

“In fact, more than 12 months ago, it was mentioned and I made a specific comment that I did not want any more awards.

“There are other people who have done a lot more than myself.

“My reward is being accepted by the people of PNG as a Papua New Guinean.”

Sir Peter, one of PNG’s largest tourism operators who runs Madang-based Melanesian Tourist Services and Madang Resort Hotel, said his one regret was the lack of development in tourism.

“My regret is that we have not been able to really develop tourism in PNG, which would have created so many more jobs, business opportunities and an economic income for so many people in rural areas,” he said.

“It is about time we began to exploit a renewable resource.”

 

Minister's house razed in gunfight

Maladina and family not at Lae home during attack

 

By PISAI GUMAR

 

A STATE minister’s high covenant family home at 4-Mile in Lae, Morobe, was burnt to ashes during an ethnic clash on Monday afternoon, The National reports.

Public Service Minister and Esa’ala MP Moses Maladina, who was born and raised in Lae, was not at home.

Police said the incident happened at about 3.30pm after they had contained a nasty gun battle that morning.

Lae metropolitan commander Supt Nema Mondiai could not confirm the number of casualties, adding only that “the wounded were from both sides”.

He said an angry mob, alleged to be from one faction, went to Maladina’s home and set it alight.

According to police reports, the minister’s family was innocent and had no part in the conflict that morning.

Mondiai had instructed the police officer in-charge of criminal investigations to immediately conduct a thorough investigation.

According to police reports, the gunfight that morning had started over a bag of betelnut at the 4-Mile bus stop.

Western Highland’s community leaders said one of their men had been dropped off with three betelnut bags at the bus stop from Madang the previous evening.

A passerby, alleged to be a settler from Lufa, grabbed one of the bags and walked away.

The owner pursued the thief and demanded that it be returned but failed. A fight erupted and others joined in.

The Western Highlands leaders said the 4-Mile community was tired of being harassed and accosted by the Lufas, who they blame for all the troubles.

They added that the uprising was conducted by “a mixture of people from the Momase, Highlands, New Guinea Islands and Papua regions who stood up to defend themselves”.

Mondiai addressed the factions on Monday night and admitted that police was “going nowhere with issues arising from the area”.

Mondiai, who is deputy chairman of the provincial law and order committee, said measures were needed immediately to resolve these problems.

“The miles area, in general, should now be put under the spotlight because no one respects the authorities or the rule of law,” Mondiai said.

Police were monitoring the situation, which is quiet but tense.

 

 

Rabaul women hit back at Kalaut

By RIGGO NANGAN

 

CONCERNED mothers in Rabaul, East New Britain, have refuted claims by police that local women are boarding foreign vessels to socialise with the crews, The National reports.

They said that the allegations by police in the media on Monday were broad and had tainted the image of local women. 

Faith Kuri, a mother of five grown-up children and also a grandmother, spoke for the women from Rabaul yesterday.

She said if police knew of any immoral activities going on between the ships’ crew and local women, they should move in and make arrests.

Kuri was responding to a report in Monday’s The National where East New Britain provincial police commander Supt Sylvester Kalaut alleged that young local women would board these foreign vessels, have drinks with the men and engage in intimate activities.

Kuri, from Oro and a longtime resident at Newcamp in Rabaul, said the foreigners could be involved in other illegal activities but that was a matter for police to investigate.

She said many people like herself and her family were left homeless during the 1994 volcanic eruptions with little or no assistance from the concerned authorities and government.  

“Because of the situation we are in, we do exchange food and other items like Digicel flex cards with the ships’ crew for fresh fish,” Kuri said.

She said they then sell the fish at the markets to earn a living.

“If the wharf security or Customs complain, then it would be okay because they look after the wharf 24 hours and seven days a week,” she said, adding that police only moved in during the festive period.

She said the barter trade between the foreigners and the local community had been going on for some time and no one had complained.

Kuri said any illegal activities must be dealt with by the authorities.

Police also attributed rising sex crimes and diseases to this activity.

They said drug smuggling and trafficking was rife among locals and crews of foreign vessels, many of whom had also been caught possessing overseas pornographic materials.

 

Abal orders probe into business development grant payouts

ACTING Prime Minister Sam Abal has ordered an investigation into whether or not payments of business development grants (BDG) had allegedly landed in the wrong hands.

Abal has directed acting chief secretary Manasupe Zurenuoc to carry out an investigation into payment of K66.2 million by the Department of Commerce and Industry (DCI) during the festive season to more than 50 landowner companies.

The payment was part of K120 million parked in DCI for payment as seed capital to companies selected under the licence-based benefits sharing agreement (LBBSA).

Last September the first batch of the BDG totalling K27.2 million was paid to 13 landowner companies.

The latest payment excluded landowner companies yet to be nominated from Angore PDL 8 and Juha PDL 9 due to court orders taken out by landowner factions to stop BDG payments in both areas.

A couple of other payments had been withheld on request from concerned parties or for legal reasons.

Abal noted that commerce officers had heeded his direction and worked throughout the festive season to make all BDG payments before Christmas.

“I am satisfied that the payments have finally been made. I have directed an investigation only because there are allegations and innuendos in the media that payments have been made to a few groups who are well outside the LBBSA areas.

 “The government and concerned parties must be satisfied that officers have acted above reproach as their duty calls them to.

“If some are found to have not followed proper procedures or the law, they will be strictly dealt with under public service regulations and, if necessary, under the criminal code.”

Abal also cautioned the media and the public to desist from insinuating questionable or illegal deals by naming companies, individuals and public servants involved in the payouts.

 “Certain individuals and companies have been named but I am not at liberty to comment on this without a full report on the payments.

“I urge the media and the public not to castigate such individuals and companies who, at the end of the day following proper investigations, might be found to have legitimate reasons to have been included in this exercise.

“Naming civil servants involved in this very difficult process actually puts them in danger.

The acting prime minister has also directed DCI to conduct an internal investigation and report within this week how the payments were made.

Cabinet directed the DCI to take the lead role on the BDG in order to ensure a local business spin-off policy in the LNG project.

Abal said following the investigation he will release a full list of the companies that had been paid out and provide explanations for those which approved payments are being withheld.

He called on all aggrieved parties to make known their grievances through the right department so that their complaints could be dealt with.

He said public threats and media statements tended to aggravate issues rather than resolve them.