Tribunal to decide on Sir Michael's fate today

By JULIA DAIA BORE and JACOB POK

 

PRIME Minister Sir Michael Somare will today know his fate on whether or not he will be suspended from office by the leadership tribunal hearing misconduct allegations against him, The National reports.

This will follow arguments by lawyers from both sides on whether or not the prime minister should be suspended.

Today may see both Sir Michael and accountant Glenn Blake taking the witness stand.

Last Friday, the prime minister’s defence team filed two affidavits at 12.30pm – that of Sir Michael and Blake – just before the tribunal convened at 1.30pm and served the documents to the prosecuting team (from the offices of the public prosecutor and the Ombudsman Commission).

The affidavits were then submitted by counsel representing the prime minister, Ian Molloy, to the tribunal during the hearing.

The tribunal, comprising chairman Roger Gyles and members Sir Bruce Robertson and Sir Robin Auld, asked public prosecutor Pondros Kaluwin what he thought of the late affidavits and he said he needed time until today to peruse the documents before replying.

The tribunal agreed to Kaluwin’s request and adjourned at about 2.30pm, setting 9.30am today to reconvene.

Outside court, counsel assisting the hearing Kerenga Kua said the prime minister’s team would ask for Sir Michael and accountant Blake to take the witness stand.

In his affidavit filed last Friday, Sir Michael stated: “I am aware of my obligations to give the Ombudsman Commission annual financial returns pursuant to the Organic Law on the Duties and Responsibilities of Leadership.

“Initially, I had personally completed my returns and lodged them.

“It has never been my intention not to comply with my obligations in respect of my financial statements.

“I have completed my statements honestly and to the best of my ability.

“However, through pressure of the business of government, the need to travel between my electorate and Port Moresby, and on overseas visits and the constant demands on my time, I acknowledged that my returns fell behind. I regret that.”

Sir Michael stated also that in 2000, he had engaged Blake, an accountant and family friend, to assist him with his outstanding returns and provided Blake the forms for May 1997-98 and May 1998-99.

In Blake’s affidavit, he stated that he came to know the Somare family through his business association with Arthur Somare at the time.

Blake confirmed being asked in 2000 by Sir Michael to assist him with his outstanding returns.

“I remember, specifically, asking him whether there were any earlier outstanding returns and he told me that he had prepared all the previous returns and they had been lodged.”

In relation to the returns being incomplete, Blake stated having difficulties obtaining Sir Michael’s salary details from the parliamentary salary section.

“I was unable to obtain an actual figure from parliament for any one year. No pay advice slips or certificates are issued and, frankly, despite my best endeavours, they were simply unable to tell me what Sir Michael had been paid in any one year.”

Relating to blank spaces in the forms, Blake said it was his “oversight”, adding that the intention was that the blank spaces were to indicate that there was, for instance, no income of that category derived.

Blake expressed being shocked at the Ombudsman Commission’s allegations about the missing statements, saying: “This came as a bombshell to me because it referred to outstanding returns for the years 1994-95, 1995-96 and 1996-97. 

“I have never heard of this before and, of course, it did not accord with what Sir Michael had told me when I was asked to prepare the 1997-98 and 1998-99 returns.

“I looked for any correspondence from the Ombudsman Commission on the subject and could find none.

“I then noted from the Ombudsman Commission’s letter of Oct 18, 2006, that the last correspondence from the commission on the subject was February 1998.

“There was apparently nothing subsequent to Feb 1998 and, certainly, nothing that I have seen.

“If I had any inclination during that eight-year period, that there were allegedly earlier outstanding returns, I would have acted to resolve the situation,” Blake stated, adding that Sir Michael had remained adamant that he had completed and lodged all his returns earlier; prior to those that Blake had been asked to take on to complete for Sir Michael.

In the final paragraph of his affidavit, Blake stated that under the current situation, with the missing returns for 1995, 1996 and 1997 that could not be located anywhere, he had now gone ahead and prepared “new returns” for those same years which Sir Michael had signed and filed last Friday.

He added that had he been aware they had not been lodged, as claimed now, he would have attended to them at the same time he had prepared the returns for the years 1997 and 1999. 

 

 

Office: PM in perfect health

By ISAAC NICHOLAS

 

PRIME Minister Sir Michael Somare is fine, confident and looking forward to facing the leadership tribunal this morning, The National reports.

There have been concerns about his health as he slid down his seat in a temporary lapse during the hearing last Friday morning.

The office of the prime minister has denied any serious health problems, saying Sir Michael will be at the tribunal today.

Spokesperson and the prime minister’s daughter Betha Somare told The National over the weekend that Sir Michael, who did not want to keep the tribunal waiting, had rushed up the ramp at the Supreme and National Court and was out of breath once seated.

She said the prime minister’s short lapse in the courtroom was not serious, but the public prosecutor called for a short adjournment as a precaution.

“He (PM) did not want to keep the judges waiting so he rushed up the ramps and was out of breath. He is fine, confident and looking forward to facing the tribunal tomorrow (this) morning,” she said.

The prime minister’s office also denied speculations that he had again collapsed at his home and was rushed to a private hospital and then flew out of the country for medical treatment at the weekend.

The prime minister had been going abroad for regular medical checks but last Friday’s lapse was unrelated.

Sir Michael is facing charges of misconduct in office for failing to submit his annual returns to the Ombudsman Commission between 1994 and 1997.

The prime minister’s morale and confidence had been boosted by his entire cabinet ministers attending the leadership tribunal last Thursday and Friday.

 

 

Waves hit Wewak

By GABRIEL FITO

 

THREE waves swept through the township of Wewak and its coastal villages last Friday night, destroying thousands of kina worth of properties, The National reports.

Fortunately, no casualties were reported.

Wewak residents living near along the coast were evacuated to Wewak Hill and Kreer Heights following the warning from the National Disaster and Emergency office that a possible tsunami would hit between 9pm on Friday and 2am on Saturday morning.

The tsunami alert was issued around the Pacific when a giant earthquake measuring 8.9 on the Richter Scale hit Honsu in Japan last Friday.

Back in Wewak, the only road to Second Royal Pacific Island Regiment base at Moem, which runs along the coastline, was battered and filled with debris and sand making it impassable for most vehicles.

A section of the road from Pukpuk Bridge to Petrus Point which was partly washed away by the recent king tide in December 2008 was made worse by last Friday’s waves.

All vehicles from Moem village and the army barracks are now using an access road which runs through swamp land on the eastern coastline to Sawarin village near Brandi Secondary School.

Wewak rural LLG president Francis Hevu toured all coastal villages on Saturday morning and sympathised with his people.

He said like the Moem Barracks road, the road to Cape Wom Memorial Park on the western end of Wewak was mostly washed away and he feared that these national government institutions would have no more roads linking to Wewak town.

These roads were built on swamp land between mangroves and sea but with last Friday’s waves, the sea had extended its shoreline onto the roads.

This means that if a tsunami or king tide were to strike, all roads would be completely destroyed.

Local villagers and settlements in town as well as shops and offices located less than 200m away from the shoreline were flooded.

A number of bush material houses on the beaches were brought down with canoes and dinghies either broken or washed inland.

A hamlet at Moem village had all its water wells covered by debris and salt water and locals said their main need now was for clean water to drink and cook with.

Hevu said he would seek assistance from the provincial disaster office today.

Meanwhile, there were unconfirmed reports of damages caused by the earthquake to the Murik Lakes area, the islands and other coastal villagers outside Wewak.

Wewak General Hospital, which is surrounded by sea on both sides, was also reportedly affected, however, the hospital’s CEO or provincial disaster office could not be reached for comments yesterday.

Think, discuss and stand behind your conclusions

From JOHN FOWKE

Today there is an increasing inclination among Papua New Guineans who have access to the net to post their views, their praise and their criticism in a wide variety of PNG-orientated blogs and in the daily and weekly papers.

 This is the sign of freedom and fairness which should prevail in a country with the sort of constitution PNG possesses.

 But in what seems a complete negation of such an assumption, almost none of these hundreds of commentators is willing to sign his or her own name!

As well, all of these people allocate blame and portray the manifest weaknesses and injustices faced by ordinary citizens, aspects of life in PNG

which are continuously featured in the news; and which have been featured time and again for more than the past decade. 

Very few however are able to come up with reasoned practicable solutions-  and this is what I find so extremely frustrating; this is why I continue to contribute my own views even though I receive the occasional rebuke for my pains.

Of course, I dont apologise at all.It would make me happy if others, born PNGans, took over my very minor role here. In a land where so great a number of the young and educated are apparently so insecure within their own society that they are not prepared to state their opinions over their given names, nor do anything much but criticise, is it not pointless to pine almost daily for " a new charismatic leader" or " a return to the application of principles in leadership as opposed to convenience and personal greed" as we read so often?

In a society so shy of making a strong stand upon any principle is it likely that such potential leaders are present and willing to come forward in any number?

These problems will not be resolved by  suggestions for confrontational activity like "civil disobedience" as has been spoken about recently.

 Any such an effort if it came to pass would be seen as a rebellion, and rightly so. It would be put down by the rulers of the nation using force as necessary.

This is not something to be considered.

 PNG's big problems are:

 ( 1) too many working citizens at all levels are both lazy and dishonest within the workplace. This applies in commerce as well as within the hugely-inefficient public service. 

 ( 2) the citizenry, the electorate, is not connected to the parties and has little idea at all of the role parties and MPs should desirably play. This major disconnect is fully responsible for the powerlessness of  PNG's people to effect changes and remedies to unfair, inefficient and dishonest practices in the public sector

Civil disobedience is not an effective  remedy for these issues even if it was not contested by the authorities.

Focused electorates and well-managed elections are the way ahead.

The remedy lies in a focused electorate which selects its MP on the basis of the quality of the individual, allied to a signed and witnessed agreement to serve the electorate through the medium of its local level government (LLG). This by constantly consulting with the LLG/s, carrying out agreed instructions, and reporting back in person to the LLG, as well as by depositing funds allocated for discretionary development in an account accessible only via approvals stemming from the LLG's annual budget.

In this situation the ward councillors will combine to watch over and effectively control  government inputs within the LLG area; schools, aid-posts, policing and roads and buildings; and focus needs and demands via the MP and the LLG chairman to government.

This arrangement will be opposed, naturally, by PNG's established political class which has luxuriated in a level of freedom and unilateral decision-making which has led to present-day dissatisfactions.

There will be a contest here, but wise MPs will see that there is the advantage of  long-term tenure for those who play the game.

An assurance of security which has always been notably absent in PNG politics.

The parties have always been too fluid, focused on momentary advantage rather than good policy, to provide the basis for lasting success for even the best of the nation's MPs.

Such a movement for change might very well be backed by a renewed effort by PNG's Christian community; a commitment to combine to enter the field as a second  nation-wide  focus group in support or in coalition with the L:LGs.

 Here may lie the seed for stability, honesty and full equity in the commonwealth of  PNG.

 The end of powerlessness and the beginning of true nationhood.

Somare health scare at PNG hearing

By LIAM FOX of ABC

The health of Papua New Guinea's elderly Prime Minister has caused a commotion at a tribunal investigating allegations of official misconduct.

A breathless Sir Michael Somare arrived late to the leadership tribunal that is hearing allegations he failed to properly lodge several years financial returns.

After he took a few doses from an asthma puffer, the 74-year-old's head rolled back and he appeared to be on the verge of fainting.

His daughter and official spokeswoman Betha Somare gasped audibly and rushed to his side.

The proceedings came to a halt as several other people crowded around the elderly statesman.

But after a few sips of water Sir Michael laughed off their concerns and told the tribunal he was fit to continue.

The tribunal has been adjourned until Monday.

Cocoa research vital for PNG

By SENIORL ANZU in Canberra

More cocoa research is needed to improve the understanding of nutrition-related limitations to cocoa production in Papua New Guinea, according to a new technical report published by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR), Canberra.
This is one of the four main recommendations in the latest ACIAR publication on PNG cocoa Nutritional status of cocoa in Papua New Guinea.
The other recommendations were for the PNG cocoa industry to produce appropriate nutrient management practices for the different regions of the country; establish effective pathways to adoption; and engage in education and capacity building initiatives for continued improvements in nutrient management research and extension.
The documentation follows a study led by the PNG Cocoa Coconut Institute (CCI) with Australian partners in 63 locations covering nine provinces countrywide recently.
Supported by ACIAR, the study was aimed at determining the nutrient status of cocoa in PNG, and to recommend further steps to determine if there were nutrient-related constraints on productivity, and how they might be overcome.
Information was gathered through cocoa block holder surveys in the 63 locations and plant and soil sample analysis from these sites, stakeholder workshops and research trials at the Tavilo research centre, East New Britain.
The report indicated that there were no external market constraints to low productivity of PNG cocoa but common factors were lack of appropriate agronomic knowledge, land shortages, low level of block maintenance, labour shortages and theft.
The devastating cocoa pod borer pest had drastically reduced cocoa yields in the country with annual production in East New Britain alone, the most-important cocoa-producing region “fell by over 60% to approximately 8,000 t” in 2009.
“PNG cocoa is known for its good and consistent quality, with particular flavour, high fat content and large beans,” the report said.
Quality and demand for PNG cocoa were good, partly due to good germplasm and quality control but productivity was the main limitation to increased income from cocoa.
It said: “For the cocoa industry to recover and prosper, it is essential that management of smallholder cocoa blocks improves dramatically.”
This includes widespread replanting and demonstrations using the integrated pest and disease management package.
The plant tissue samples were analysed at Waite Analytical Services in Adelaide and soil sample analysis done in Townsville by Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO).
The leaf sample analysis demonstrated widespread nutrient deficiency in nitrogen and iron – “with 95% of sampled blocks falling below the critical level for nitrogen and 89% for iron. Phosphorus deficiencies were encountered in about one-quarter of the blocks sampled”.
ACIAR has been involved in partnership with PNG research and development organisations in carrying out some of the necessary research in an array of agriculture, forestry and fisheries issues and this was one of them.
The report also noted the eminent need for capacity building within CCI and National Agriculture Research Institute (NARI) in the areas of, among others, field trials, data processing, sampling, methods of analysis, training and exposure.

Kaukau has big potential for PNG

By JOEL G WARAMBOI

Kaukau variety Beerwah Gold

Agriculture is the livelihood for more than 85% of the population in Papua New Guinea.
As our population continues to grow at 2.3% per annum, there will be demands for increasing food production to ensure food security.
The main staple foods and their annual production are sweet potato or kaukau (2.9 million) banana (700,000), yam (300,000), taro (350,000) and cassava (80,000) tonnes respectively.
Globally, more than 133 million tonnes of sweet potato is produced annually, and it is the seventh most-important crop after wheat, rice, maize, potato, barley and cassava.
In PNG, it is the most important crop both in terms of production as well consumption.
The top producing provinces are Southern Highlands (620,000), Eastern Highlands (470,000), Western Highlands (425,000), Enga (340,000) and Chimbu (294,000) tonnes respectively.
Smaller volumes are produced in Morobe (195,000), East Sepik, Bougainville and other places.
As a staple food, it provides about 64% of the energy needs for people.
At the current population of 6.5 million, per capita consumption is about 2.2 kg/person/year.
Its production is predominantly semi-subsistence.
Almost all of the sweetpotato is consumed at home as food, while a small amount is used for pig feed.
An increasing amount is being sold locally and or traded in distant markets of Lae, Port Moresby, Rabaul, and some mine sites.
Sweet potato has become a cash crop in PNG in recent years.
One major factor that has contributed to this trend is the rapid increase in urbanisation and population in major towns and cities.
Also, by value to weight, sweet potato is relatively cheaper and is affordable by low-income earners and families compared to imports like rice.
The farm-gate value of the sweetpotato industry in PNG is unknown.
By comparison, although Australia’s annual production is only 34,000 tonnes, their industry is worth A$40 million.
During transportation to markets, huge post-harvest losses occur because of improper handling, packaging, rotting and bruises.
The crop has high moisture, and is voluminous, and often fetches low market prices. Some studies have shown that, about 30% of the crop is already rotten on arrival in Port Moresby.
In monetary terms, this is K30 lost for every K100 that was supposed to be earned by the farmer.
There is no processing of the crop in PNG, unlike in China, where 10% of it is processed into foods like chips, crisps, snacks, bakes, breakfast food, candy and canned roots.
As livestock feed, it is fermented and reconstituted with either fish, copra or soybean meals for poultry and pigs.
Industrially, it is processed into starch, ethanol, bio-fuel, pigments, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, plastics and modified starches.
In the 1990s, the food processing and preservation unit at University of Technology in Lae did some product development work looking at flour, fries, chips, crisps, composite flour bread and other foods.

Kaukau flour

Most of this work was done on highlands varieties.
At around the same time, National Agriculture Research Institute (NARI) scientists working on the Pacific regional agricultural programme in Keravat, East New Britain did similar work on lowland varieties.
Currently at the University of Queensland in Australia, a major research project is looking at the processing and utilisation options of PNG sweet potato.
Of the 25 varieties studied, the research has generated information on the flour-yielding ability, nutritional content (minerals, protein), starch pasting and gelatinisation properties, as well as determining starch granule morphology and particle sizes, all of which are very important traits required to optimise processing and utilisation options of the crop.
The study has also addressed the issue of identifying suitable varieties for end-use qualities by determining the starch, amylose and sugar contents.
This is critical to recommend suitable varieties for different products.
Food is the cause of many lifestyle diseases in the world like diabetes, obesity and hipolipdermia, and PNG is no exception.
This study using an in-vitro (test tube) technique has also found some beneficial starch fractions called resistant starches (RS) in the PNG sweet potato varieties.
The RS basically escapes digestion in the small intestine and is beneficial to human health because it do not increase the level of blood sugar leading to some of the diseases mentioned above.
The sweet potato varieties with very high RS fractions were L3 and L135, and these varieties are available in NARI.
Another exciting component of the research is on extrusion processing, using sweet potato flour to make snack foods from white and orange fleshed sweet potato varieties.
The results are promising and have the potential to be introduced in PNG, especially for small to medium scale cottage industries which may be interested to make snack foods from sweet potato.
The same technology can be used to process other foods like potato, taro, cassava, banana and sago.
A lot has been said about agriculture as being the backbone of PNG.
In 2005, the PNG Government put in place the green revolution and export-driven economic recovery strategy.
For the agriculture sector, this strategy was aimed at improving production and creating market demands for our crops to meet the growing domestic demands and also to seek export market opportunities.
However, to date, no substantial investments through possible avenues such as the public investment programme (PIP) or the national agriculture development plan (NADP) have been made to boost production, as well as to develop and upscale processing technologies to realise the full potential and contribution of the sector to PNG economy.
Downstream processing and value addition has the potential to benefit en masse, raise the economic value, and create market demand for local crops.

Scientist Joel Waramboi doing research into kaukau

It will also improve food security and cash income levels, increase trade and replace/substitute imports, thereby contributing to broad-based economic growth and improvement in the living standards of the people.
• Joel G.Waramboi is a senior scientist with the National Agricultural Research Institute, and is currently doing his PhD at the University of Queensland, Australia. Copies of publications on this research are available and interested persons can contact him on j.waramboi@uq.edu.au