No help for Manam islanders

By MALUM NALU

 

Displaced Manam islanders will be left to fend for themselves for the seventh year in 2011 despite K15 million approved by the national executive council last year to help resettle them, according to a well-placed government official attached to the Manam resettlement taskforce and National Disaster Committee.

The source said this was because the government could not make a firm commitment as to what the national executive council wanted and what its medium-term development plan (MTDP) under the department of national planning and monitoring supported.

The MTDP highlights quite clearly that “vulnerable and disadvantaged people will have the support they require from the government, service providers and the general public for meeting their right to a minimum standard of living”.

The source said last year, the NEC approved K15m to help resettle Manam islanders over a five-year period; however, this seemed to have gone unheeded by national planning and monitoring.

“Clearly, the Manam issue should no longer be treated as a disaster-related matter but a development issue because the state is now working towards the resettling of more than 15,000 persons and it is dealing with the rebuilding of people’s livelihoods,” the source said.

He said that early last year, when tensions flared up between Bogia landowners and displaced Manams because of over-crowdedness and other social problems, NEC intervened by setting up a task force.

He said the NEC directed that the K15m be to:

• Assist the national government to identify suitable resettlement land;
• Liaise with various leaseholders as well as traditional landowners; and
• Purchase suitable land for the permanent resettlement of Manams.

“During the course of establishing the Manam task force, a draft resettlement plan was then completed and circulated to selected agencies and donours for their immediate feedback,” the source said.

“A field visit followed and this was sponsored by the United Nations Development Program, National Disaster Office and the Office of the Centre for Humanitarian Refugees.

“After the field visit to one of the main Manam care centres, adequate feedback to finalise the document was made and that actually progressed the resettlement plan to a public investment programme (PIP) at K15m over a five-year period

“A PIP submission was then forwarded to the department of national planning and monitoring by the team leader of the task force and acting chief secretary, Manasupe Zurenuoc.

“If the PIP had been approved, then more interested donours like AusAID, World Bank, UNP and others who showed interest would have been invited to participate through counterpart funding or technical assistance,”

The source added: “How long will the Manam people be allowed to suffer because of some bad policy and budget decisions?

“Obviously, one would say that not too many consultations had been carried out by department of national planning and monitoring on the Manam resettlement issue, because the MTDP clearly reflects the issues relevant to Manam, and yet, it is not captured at all in the 2011 development budget.”

Meanwhile, former politician and Madang businessman Sir Peter Barter, who has helped the Manam people for 45 years through seven volcanic eruptions, said the whole sad saga would never have happened not it not been for a litany of inept politicians and ineffective public servants.

“I’m disgusted, absolutely disgusted,” he said.

“I strongly believe that the Manam people have been abused by the government.

“The whole thing is absolutely disgraceful.

“There are problems all over the place.

“It’s a breach of human rights.

“Very soon, the United Nations Human Rights Commission will bring it up in Geneva.

“It’s aggravated by people who will not help.

“I suggest that the prime minister (Sir Michael Somare) go and sit down with the Manam islanders and the landowners.

“It’s a story which should never have been necessary to tell.

“It should have been resolved six years ago.”

Illegals in Australia

By JOHN PASQUARELLI

The prophets of doom predicted that Australia would be reduced to a gigantic dustbowl – instead there is water, water everywhere with tragic results in many areas. 

A trickle that fast became another form of flood is the arrival on our northern shores of  'illegals',  causing our immigration department to become bogged down as it fails to cope with the increased processing and paperwork, resulting in other important areas of administration being neglected. 

As the Greens and their mates moan and wail,  Australian taxpayers are facing very serious problems further down the track,  created by a recent High Court decision.

 Mamdouh Habib has been granted compensation by the Gillard government for his alleged mistreatment at Guantanamo Bay and we may never know the amount of this handout. 

With trendy civil libertarian  lawyers circling the High Court decision like slavering wolves,  Christmas Island and other detention centres may well achieve Guantanamo-type status down the track with detainees sooled on to lodge claims for undisclosed compensation against Australian taxpayers. 

As news of Habib's payout is circulated on the internet and the mobile phone network,  people smugglers will no doubt advise their clients of the added attraction of taking a voyage to 'Hotel Australia'.

First encounter with the sea

Students Martin Gaso (left), Jason Olpa and Rachael Zarlo collecting sea water at the Esplanade in Lae last Friday to take back to their people in Tabib, Southern Highlands.

Story and picture by BENBERT WASA

THREE students from the remote Tabib village in the upper Lai valley of Mendi-Mulhiu district, Southern Highlands, have seen the sea for the first time last Friday when they travelled down to Lae to spend their holidays, The National reports.
Jason Olpa, Martin Gaso and Rachael Zarlo said they were shocked to see the waves splashing onto the shores, thinking the sea would chase them.
They said the ocean should have covered all the places since there are no mountains covering places like in the highlands, but they said: "God made it to be as it is."
Their uncle Joe Kinjul, who had been in Lae for a long time, said it was mostly the educated people who know about the sea while the majority were still wishing.
After sometime standing far away from the shoreline, the children moved closer with some anxiety out of fear of being hit by the waves while trying to collect the salt water to taste.
They said they were scared and happy, at the same time, that they will take bottles of the salt water back to their people in Tabib.
Gaso said it was an experience of a lifetime and he wished to return and visit the rolling waves.
"It is through education that it bring us to see the sea," he said.

Polye: I'm with National Alliance

DEPUTY parliamentary of National Alliance Highlands Don Pomb Polye has broken his silence on his political allegiance, saying yesterday that he remains a committed member of the party, The National reports.

Polye, dumped as deputy prime minister last month and relegated to Foreign Affairs, Trade and Immigration minister, also condemned actions of members within the NA camp who may have created the potential of destroying the party.

He did not name them.

"I would, as I had always, strive to uphold the policies, visions, goals and aspirations of the National Alliance - a party which I have helped, in humble ways, to establish and develop into the institution that it is today.

"Contrary to rumours, which have been deliberately concocted by my political rivals and their cohorts, I do not see the wisdom in me leading factions of NA to the opposition to form a new government."

Polye, who lost the number two top post and Works ministry to Wabag MP Sam Abal, said that as a pioneer member of the NA, he urged colleague deputy parliamentary leaders of NA, members of the parliamentary wing, executive members, foundation members and supporters of the party not to ever consider abandoning the party.

"I condemn the actions and inactions of some within or outside the party who may have created the potential for disintegration of the party as I will not allow the disintegration of NA.

"I stand to ensure the party's constitution, code of ethics, norms and practices are strictly adhered to as required by the Organic Law on political parties and the PNG constitution."

As he made his position known, acting Prime Minister Sam Abal will meet with governors today to discuss the 2011 budget implementation at Crowne Plaza.

Last Friday, he met departmental heads and heads of state-owned enterprises to plan how to implement and K9.3 billion budget.

He stressed that he wanted this year to be a year of implementation.

 

Government to seal 9,000km of national roads

ACTING Prime Minister and Works Minister Sam Abal has directed that all 9,000km of national roads be completely sealed and further directed department secretary, Joel Luma, to furnish a phased sealing programme before the end of this month, The National reports.

This directive was one of several given to Luma for a definite and targeted sealing programme.

“Our target must be to seal all 9,000km of roads that we have in the country. We must aim to seal all of them through a phased programme so that we do not struggle year in year out to sporadically bring our roads up to sealed standard.

He said 36% of the total 9,000 km of roads had been sealed which equated to only 3,000km sealed.

Abal said the difference was left wanting and “if we plan to seal 500km each year though a phased programme, we are able to cover the entire national roads adequately in a short period of time instead of spending billions of kina on upgrading and gravelling.”

“There must be a systematic and programmed way that is transparent for all to see so that we provide good and quality road access for our people to reach and procure adequate social services and participation in economic activity. It is our duty to do that,” Abal said.

The department was also asked to immediately set in motion plans to open five strategic road links to opening the country and making it attractive for investment and economic activity.

He said the government would negotiate with major resource developers of the oil and gas sectors toward a turnkey for the major economic Highlands Highway trunk route, that would run from Lae in Morobe to Mendi in Southern Highland and Wabag in Enga, while focus would also be on other important road links around the country.

Abal said the other roads are: the Gulf to Kikori road link (K20 million); Banz-Ruti to Madang (K20 million); Bogia (Madang) to Angoram (K20 million); New Britain Island connection between East and West New Britain (K10 million) and Buluminski Highway upgrading and sealing (K10 million) to be completed in 2011.

Furthermore, a loan negotiation for technical design for K1.3 billion was currently on going and if successful, would enable the works department to build bridges linking West and East Sepik.

Abal said in a concerted effort with transport sector partners and development aid donors, his department intended to provide and maintain a national roads network and other technical infrastructure for PNG to facilitate intra-regional connectivity so that people could seriously have access to core government services such as health and education both of which were significant contributors to human development.

 

Detained vessel flees Simpson Harbour

By VERONICA FRANCIS

 

A VESSEL detained by PNG Customs Services and currently the subject of court proceedings in regards to crude oil that was alleged to have been stolen from the Autonomous Region of Bougainville has fled PNG, The National reports.

The vessel was in anchorage in the Simpson Harbour, East New Britain, under state control, monitored by Customs and police when it turned off all its lights at midnight on Saturday and quietly cruised out of PNG.

The vessel is believed to be currently at sea desperately attempting to leave PNG waters.

PNG Customs Services Commissioner Gary Juffa confirmed the getaway and stated that Customs, police and the Papua New Guinea Defence Force were working to intercept the vessel and bring it back to PNG to face its impending court case.

On board the vessel is believed to be crude oil worth more than K15 million stolen from Bougainville.

Juffa admitted the incident was regrettable and he had already ordered assistant commissioner Islands region to conduct a full investigation into the matter to determine the facts surrounding the departure of the vessel.

He said because of the sensitivity of the issue he could not make further comments, adding responsible authorities were working together to recover the vessel, its cargo and charge those responsible.

It is believed the captain of the vessel had been charged with stealing by the police and for various other Customs offences and was awaiting court when he decided to flee after he was granted bail.

 

 

 

Madang teachers to be paid this week

By STEPHANIE ELIZAH

 

TEACHERS in Madang, unhappy over non-payment of their leave entitlements, have been assured they will be paid this week, The National reports.

Education division advisor Moses Sariki last Friday advised more than 200 teachers to check their bank accounts by Wednesday to confirm that their leave entitlements were deposited.

“Everything is under control. We will be paying an outstanding of K667, 676 to 293 teachers beginning Wednesday,” said Sariki.

He said that the payout would be made by the Madang administration who had agreed to use the province’s roll over funds from last year to resolve this issue while waiting for the national finance, treasury and planning office to process the entitlements.

“Our request for the additional amount we needed is still pending with the finance and treasury department.

“Madang provincial administration has been very supportive with stepping in to assist us using left over internal funds from last year’s budget,” Sariki said.

The update was welcomed by teachers even though it was late.

Teachers last week had threatened to boycott resuming duties on Jan 24 if their leave entitlements were not guaranteed by last Friday.

In an informal gathering the teachers listed their demands including an investigation into why the processing of leave fares has been very slow.

A copy of their demands was presented to Teaching Services Commission Momase regional advisor Joseph Ouyoumb who assured the teachers he would take the matter with appropriate authorities.

 Ouyoumb had, however, warned against the teachers boycotting duties, stating that the teachers would be penalised under the teachers services Act if such action was taken.