Jailed diplomatic broker indicted on new charge

Taipei, Jan. 5 (CNA) A diplomatic middleman in Taiwan's failed bid to forge diplomatic ties with Papua New Guinea in 2006 was indicted Wednesday on breach of trust charges.

Prosecutors recommended that Wu Shih-tsai (pictured above), who is serving time in a local jail for other offenses, be given a 4.5-year prison sentence for embezzling US$29.8 million in government funds along with his accomplice.
The Taipei District Prosecutors Office said in the indictment that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs wired the money into a joint account held by Wu and Ching Chi-ju in a Singapore bank in September 2006 to be used to facilitate the establishment of diplomatic ties between Taiwan and the Pacific country.
The diplomatic bid failed, but the duo did not return the funds to the ministry, which found out later that the funds had been completely withdrawn from the bank account between November and December that year.
Wu was arrested by law enforcement authorities when the scandal came to light at the end of former President Chen Shui-bian's second term in May 2008, but Ching managed to flee to the United States.
As the case involved confidential information, the prosecutors office did not reveal details of the results of its investigation in accordance with provisions of the Classified National Security Information Protection Act.
They would only say that Wu was indicted for breach of trust because he siphoned off government funds after failing to fulfill his promised mission.
As Wu is a civilian with no official function, he can only be indicted based on the Criminal Code rather than the Anti-Corruption Statute that mainly applies to corrupt dealings by public functionaries, prosecutors said.
They also asked the court to freeze any funds in Wu's bank accounts and confiscate all real estate holdings under his name.
The government has pursued other means to recover the embezzled funds. In a civil suit filed in Singapore by the Foreign Ministry, a Singaporean court ruled that Taiwan was entitled to the sum of US$29.8 million plus interest earned on the account between the deposit date and the verdict date.
A ministry statement issued last May said it believed that at least US$10.52 million of the lost funds could be retrieved, pointing to the US$6 million frozen in a Singapore account in Ching's name and the US$3 million in a Singapore account held by Wu.
The ministry has successfully retrieved about US$7 million of the lost funds to date.
Wu is presently serving time in a Taiwan jail after he was convicted in October 2008 on charges of forgery and making false accusations related to the Papua New Guinea case and on an unrelated cigarette smuggling charge.
He was sentenced to 30 months in jail and began serving the sentence in May 2009.
Prosecutors said investigations of other suspects in the case, including Chiou I-jen, secretary-general of the National Security Council, and former Minister of Foreign Affairs James Huang, are still ongoing. They are also investigating whether other former and incumbent officials are involved in the case.
Wu's accomplice Ching is on the wanted list.

Justin 'JK' Kili in running for governor general position

By MALUM NALU

Well-known media personality Justin ‘JK’ Kili (pictured) has made himself available for election of the Governor General to be conducted in Parliament next Tuesday.
Acting Governor General and North Bougainville MP Michael Ogio, also Minister for Higher Education, was understood to have met Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare yesterday (Wednesday) to declare his unavailability for election and to lobby for Kili to contest on behalf of the people of Bougainville.
The Government is understood to have asked for Ogio’s candidacy for the Governor General’s seat, however, he has decided against it because of political commitment to his people as North Bougainville MP.
Kili is said to have the support of all four Bougainville MPs in Ogio, South Bougainville’s Steven Kama, Central Bougainville’s Jimmy Miringtoro and Governor Fidelis Semoso as well as president John Momis.
Kili, 58, from Lemanmanu village on Buka, confirmed his availability for the Governor General’s election in an interview yesterday.
He is a Queen’s awardee, PNG Logohu medal awardee, two-time Prime Ministerial awardee, Australian Senatorial awardee and the most-trained, most-honoured, and, most-celebrated medial personnel and industry manager in Papua New Guinea.
He will need the support of another 11 MPs to meet the required 15 to be eligible to contest, however, is confident of garnering the support because of his nationwide popularity as a radio icon.
“If the people (through their MPs) want me to contest, then I will oblige,” he said.
“If anything comes to fruition, I can honestly say that I am qualified as a citizen of Papua New Guinea.
“I have the international exposure and the regional experience for the job, if the people so want me to do.
“I think I’m capable, willing and able.
“If Parliament elects me, that’s on merit.
“I have not put my hands up, but the people of Bougainville have put their hands up for me.
“Our (Bougainville) members are pushing for me, so I leave it to them.”
Ogio was not available when contacted for comment.

Hidden Valley Joint Venture denies nuisance claim brought by the Member for Bulolo

The Hidden Valley Joint Venture denies allegations made against it in a writ purportedly served upon the PNG Joint Venture companies late yesterday by the legal advisor acting for the Member of Parliament for Bulolo and a number of customary landowners living along the Watut River.

The Joint Venturers will vigorously defend the litigation should it proceed.

The writ alleges nuisance relating to mine-related sediment and seeks damages and injunctive relief in relation to the Hidden Valley Mine operations.

The issue and purported service of the writ is contrary to the agreement reached between the Member and the Joint Venture (jointly publicly announced on 6 December) to establish an expert technical advisory panel as a vehicle for constructive resolution of sediment related issues in a transparent and cooperative forum.

The pending legal action now prejudices the ability of the Member and his legal advisor to participate in this process.

The issue and purported service of the writ by the Member’s legal advisor appears to be prompted by voluntary compensation payments being made by the Joint Venture to communities along the Watut River.

The payments were for flood damage to crops and gardens, to which mine related sediment may have contributed, along with natural events including land slips and major rain events.

These payments have been underway since November and are now almost complete. The vast majority of eligible people have now received their payment. The Member has been fully aware of the status of the payments throughout the payment period.

Additionally, in mid December the Joint Venture formally confirmed with the Member and his legal advisor, that by accepting these compensation payments landowners do not in any way infringe on their future rights to claim further compensation.

Importantly, at Hidden Valley Mine all tailings from the processing of ore are stored permanently in an engineered Tailings Storage Facility. No tailings are discharged from our site.

Hidden Valley Mine has a demonstrated track record of working with communities. A range of effective environmental and community programs are in place and ongoing. The Hidden Valley mine has a 2000-strong workforce, most of whom are local people.

The Joint Venture remains committed to addressing issues with affected communities in a constructive and expeditious manner.

 

Media inquiries:

David Wissink

General Manager Sustainability & External Relations

Tel. +675 7100 2406

Email. david.wissink@morobejv.com

 

Boycott looms as students miss out

University and college entries up from 2010

 

ABOUT 200 teachers in Madang will not resume duties on Jan 31 if they do not receive their leave fares this week, The National reports.

The frustrated teachers yesterday gathered at the provincial education office seeking answers over the delay in their leave fares.

While in Chimbu, more than 120 Grade 10 students who have performed well would miss out on continuing to Grade 11 due to space shortage at the four secondary high schools.

Each school could only take in 40 students.

Provincial education adviser Essy Wal Kaima confirmed that the students did perform well in their examinations last year, but there were not enough Gr 11 spaces available.

He said another 20 students from Chimbu had been selected to do Gr 11 at the various national high schools in the country.

Meanwhile, the number of students entering universities and colleges this year had increased with 208 of them (out of 4,398) securing academic excellence scholarships.

Office of Higher Education (OHE) student support and scholarship branch director Joseph Morimai yesterday said 3,389 students nationwide had also made it into the higher education contribution assistance scheme (Hecas).

The remaining 801 students would be self-sponsored.

Morimai said out of the total number of students selected this year, 1,887 of them were females.

The OHE car park at Waigani, NCD, had been busy since Tuesday when the students’ lists went up for public viewing.

PNG Teachers Association (PNGTA) Momase region president Moses Gabougi said the teachers in Madang had been waiting since Dec 10 last year to return home for holidays.

“With only two weeks remaining before teachers resume duties, this group is still waiting for their leave fares.

“Madang teachers have been facing this problem for the last 10 years.

“If our other Momase provinces like Morobe and the Sepiks are doing okay, why is Madang still facing late leave fares problem?”

Gabougi said PNGTA executives would meet with the affected teachers at 10am today at the Holy Spirit open cathedral to address the issue.

However, provincial education adviser Moses Sariki said their request for an additional K600, 000 was still being processed by the departments of Finance and Treasury and Planning and Monitoring in Port Moresby.

“There are 402 teachers entitled for leave fares.

“The department has paid K841, 000 to nearly half of them and we need another K600, 000 to pay the rest; its just that the system is slow,” Sariki added.

“I guarantee that the teachers will receive their leave fares, even if it comes late; it is their entitlements.”

 

Claims of bias in police posts rejected outright

By JEFFREY ELAPA

 

ACTING Police Commissioner Anthony Wagambie has denied any anomaly and flaws in the recent promotion process of commissioned and non-commissioned officers, The National reports.

Wagambie was responding to allegations of flaws and suspicious acts of nepotism and favouritism by disgruntled members of the police force who had been overlooked.

He said promotions were done on merit and loyalty and nobody gets promotions for nothing if they can not perform and also that not everyone can be promoted as there are limited positions.

Wagambie said that only those highly recommended were considered for promotions which is done yearly and urged those who missed out to work hard.

Early this week, members of the Royal PNG Constabulary demanded the acting police commissioner use his powers under the Police Force Act to rescind and recall the current promotions of commissioned and non-commissioned officers (NCOs).

Low ranking officers and the NCOs said the recent promotion of both the commissioned and the non-commissioned officers of the RPNGC, sanctioned by Wagambie and gazetted on Jan 2, are surrounded with flaws and suspicious with elements of nepotism and favouritism.

The disappointed officers said certain commissioned officers and non-commissioned officers that had pending criminal investigations against them or who have been out of the force for five consecutive years were recalled and/or promoted.

They stated that the appointment process used has left the force wide open for abuse and distrust leading to the creation of division among the ranks and files.

They claimed that those officers who had been performing their duties diligently, have passed the required examination and those that did not have disciplinary records were overlooked.

They claimed the current promotions as a pay-back and a slap in the face of those aligned to the former police commissioner and they have vowed to destabilise the force in whatever avenue possible.

They said claimed the promotion was a complete mockery of the whole promotion system and those identifies to sit for the promotion board must not deviate from their core functions to serve the interest of any one person.

Meanwhile, NCD metropolitan Supt Joseph Tondop said the police force was a disciplined organisation and any protest was not acceptable and all normal police operations would continue.

He said promotions were a normal process and not everyone can be promoted at once.

 

Relaxed and intact

SOME members of the government coalition yesterday took the afternoon off to relax on a boat cruise to the Fisherman Island outside Port Moresby before a planned meeting of departmental heads and their ministers on Friday, The National reports.
Accompanying acting Prime Minister Sam Abal were Peter O’Neill (Treasury), Gabriel Kapris (Commerce and Industry), Michael Ogio (Higher Education), Sir Arnold Amet (Attorney-General), Ben Semri (Fisheries), Moses Maladina (Public Service), Timothy Bonga (Forests), Sani Rambi (Labour and Industrial Relations) and governors Anderson Agiru (Southern Highlands) and Peter Ipatas (Enga).
Their presence further reaffirmed that the government coalition is intact and will see its programmes implemented without delay this year.

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.