Doctors to strike

Four major hospitals to be targeted over outstanding claims

 

By KARI TOTONA

 

DOCTORS yesterday decided to go on a nationwide strike starting next Friday, The National reports.

The National Doctors Association (NDA) yesterday confirmed the industrial action, saying this was because the departments of Health and Personnel Management had failed to honour commitments they reached in agreements and understandings last year to improve doctors’ work conditions.

The doctors were supported by the Nurses Association, which was also considering its options.

Trade Union Congress (TUC) secretary-general John Paska, who met with the doctors’ executive committee, condemned the inaction and called for the sacking of the departmental heads.

NDA president Dr Kauve Pomat said the strike could have been averted and expressed bitter disappointment at learning that the DPM had no knowledge of the NDA negotiations and the memorandum of agreement with draft awards signed in 2007.

The MoA draft agreement was for 2007-09 after the NDA came up with a job value study which resulted in two outcomes; the salary structure and the incentive packages.

“DPM has always been a party in the MoA signing and, so, we have gathered all regional representatives today to get their views.

“From today’s (yesterday) executive meeting, we have come up with the resolution to go on an industrial strike nationwide,” he said.

The president told the media that they would meet with the industrial registry office today to set the ball rolling.

“This is an indication of inefficiency of the employer (Health) and they have been known for signing MoU and MoA and not implementing them,” he said.

Another member Dr Thomas Vinit said that doctors had been considerate but the MoA had lapsed and there was no more agreement in place.

“The government of the day and the employer has to decide for the public what’s best for them and everyone else who will be affected by this,” he said.

Emergency cases would be attended upon advice during the strike.

Pomat also revealed that 68 doctors had left the industry to look for greener pastures while four hospitals remained closed.

About 20% of national doctors are not members of the NDA.

Paska said doctors in PNG should not be forced to walk out of their jobs.

“This is a huge disgrace to the country and those incompetent heads in the Health and Personnel Management departments should be sacked for their inaction,” he said.

He stressed that doctors could not continue to work under stress when the terms and conditions that go with their employment were sub-standard.

“Doctors are not the same as others because they deal with people’s lives and for the DPM to play marbles with them is injustice,” he said.

Paska said, if in the event that the doctors go on strike and any life or lives are lost, those concerned should sue Health and Personnel Management.

Nurses Association (NA) president Eimi Kaptigau said many doctors and nurses were either aged or sick and those able had to work twice as hard under poor conditions.

“Aren’t they concerned about the situation?” she asked.

She said doctors and nurses work for the same employer and that they were in this together.

Kaptigau said doctors and nurses “cannot be treated like this”.

“With the government’s Vision 2050, where is the human resource attraction in the health sector?” she asked.

The National understands that responses from provinces would come out in a scheduled executive meeting next week. 

 

 

East New Britain farmers target corn

By ELIZABETH MELCHIOR of FPDA

FARMERS in inland Baining area of East New Britain province are targeting corn as the major income earner to sustain their livelihoods.

Corn specialist Elizabeth Melchior with farmers during a corn-harvesting demonstration at Gaulim.

Already, over 100 farmers from four different wards in inland Baining are involved in the production and marketing of corn.
These wards include Gaulim, Kainagunan, Ivere and Ivongi.
The demand for the corn production follows a partnership pilot project between Fresh Produce Development Agency and Gazelle district.
FPDA is facilitating the training aspect of it.
FPDA is a semi-autonomous government agency established under the PNG Companies Act to develop a commercially-viable and sustainable horticulture industry for PNG.
The initiative by these two organisations is to encourage farmers to explore alternative means of earning an income.
In 2010, farmers from the vicinity of the four wards were searching for alternative means of earning an income when FPDA came to their aid and started providing technical trainings on producing vegetables.
Farmers in this location and other parts of East New Britain have lost most of their income from cocoa, which has been the main income earning commodity.
The loss was due to a major pest attack caused by cocoa pod borer that devastated the whole industry in East New Britain.
Introducing vegetable production in parts of inland Baining area has been an eye-opener for many farmers that have given up hope.
The farmers are now undergoing a series of trainings that is developing them to become more semi-commercial farmers.
The training covers vegetable production to marketing, gender and budgeting.
Currently, farmers are into their second crop with the assistance of FPDA and are now enjoying the benefits.
With the vast land areas of the inland Baining, farmers are fortunate to open huge areas for food production

Port Moresby farmer trainees graduate

By SOLDIER BURUKA of DAL
The Port Moresby Farmer Training Centre was established 10 years ago by a former secondary school agriculture teacher John Mebil.



Asseneth Tugiau, superintendent vocational education, Department of Education, presenting certificate to Natasha Noah, while John Mebil looks on.


Located at 12-Mile outside Port Moresby, the centre with about 30ha of land, provides agricultural training courses for school leavers, unemployed youths and interested people. Last week, five young men and women graduated with certificates in integrated farming after successfully completing a 12-months course.
The group was sponsored by Foundation for People and Community Development Inc. (FPCD) under its youth mental health programme funded by AusAid.
Mebil, the principal director, said the graduation also marked the centre’s 10th anniversary.
He said the turnout was small but everyone was happy and enjoyed the feast of cow, sheep and pig meat after the event.
The former Laloki secondary school teacher said he started the centre with the aim of continuing to teach and train young Papua New Guineans in agricultural farming for a sustainable livelihood.
Mebil said agriculture was the mainstay of our economy and provided the best opportunity for young people to participate in rural development.
Mebil said the five youths - who learned basic skills in livestock, food crops, rural engineering as well as eco-tourism and human spiritual development - did very well.
One of the incentives provided was in the form of savings with the PNG Microfinance bank.
Whatever the trainees produced and marketed during the training programme was saved in the bank and the accumulated savings was given back to them on graduation day.
The centre has the capacity to take up to 60 trainees and Mebil has appealed to the government, non-government organisations, donor agencies and private sector to provide more support to encourage young people to be trained in agriculture.



The five graduands sitting in front flanked by official guests during the ceremony.

 He said with major developments such as the LNG coming up there were more opportunities now for people in and around Central province to venture into food security activities.
“Young people should be encouraged to go into agriculture farming as there is a big demand for fresh produce, livestock and other agricultural industries,” Mebil said.
He thanked the agencies that either sponsored the centre or sent representatives to the graduation including FPCD, Education Department, Central provincial government, PNG Microfinance and Fresh Produce Development Agency.
He was disappointed that Department of Agriculture and Livestock did not send anyone.

Lower Watut cocoa farmers get small business training

Participants to the SYB training showing off their certificates.

Fifty-five cocoa farmers from 13 villages in the Lower Watut River community have successfully completed a two-week training to improve their business knowledge and management skills through a Hidden Valley mine sponsored start your business (SYB) programme last week. The SYB two-week training, facilitated by three certified Small Business Development Corporation (SBDC) trainers, is aimed at helping equip the farmers and established cocoa groups in the Lower Watut region with the necessary skills to operate their cocoa businesses successfully.
The training programmes are part of Hidden Valley’s overall agriculture programme to compliment and build the capacity of local farmers.
Last year, following consultation and agreement with stakeholders, Hidden Valley engaged the services of SBDC to conduct two weekly training sessions for recipient communities under its various stakeholder community sustainable development (CSD) programmes.
Eric Ngawi, a local participant, thanked MMJV for funding the programme through SBDC, saying the training was timely and very useful as it would better equip them in the cocoa industry as well as enable them to take advantage of business opportunities that could arise from mining developments.
Huon district administrator Tony Ase, while thanking MMJV for the development programmes, challenged participants to take ownership of the training and utilise it through practice as well as to pass on the knowledge to others.
The SYB training comprises two phases: to do business awareness in analysing and understanding the local environment before deciding on business type or suitability for aspiring entrepreneurs; and to develop business plans taking into account marketing issues, business type, staffing, costing/pricing and starting capital/finance.
Wafi community affairs manager, Rolland Allbrook thanked participants and trainers for taking the time to attend the two-week training session.
“Agriculture is the backbone of this country and rightfully, your attendance is an indication of the desire to use the opportunity provided by developers such as MMJV to improve your knowledge,” he said.
“MMJV is happy to work with communities that show initiative, take ownership and are committed to improving their livelihoods, looking ahead into the future, because the mine will not be here for ever.”
Hidden Valley gold mine has also facilitated SYB training for coffee farmers in seven Biangai coffee growers’ groups, including farmers from two landowner villages of Winima and Kwembu; as well as for fish farmers under Middle Watut fish farmers’ cooperative.
To date, a total 131 participants and 25 observers have attended with more planned to follow suit.
Peter Piawu, SYB PNG programme manager, said SBDC was enjoying the partnership with MMJV, which was delivering a lot of business knowledge and skills to benefit the people on the ground that needed it.
The SYB training is internationally recognised and practised in 129 developing countries around the world.
The training is developed and certified by International Labour Organisation (ILO) and very high in material content.
According to SBDC, it has extensive training coverage throughout the country.

Lower Watut cocoa farmers get help from MMJV

A cluster nursery group tending to their hybrid cocoa seeds nursery at Mafanazo village, Lower Watut

Morobe Mining Joint Ventures, Hidden Valley mine has embarked on an intensive cocoa development and extension programme in the Lower Watut River communities aimed at establishing higher yielding crop varieties. The programme was initiated last year utilising partnerships with other service organisations and community service organisation, Bris Kanda Inc, and is set to benefit an estimated 900 farmers by building on and improving the existing work done by previous service providers.
Since June 2010, MMJV’s community sustainable development (CSD) agricultural team in consultation with the communities has helped to reorganise all existing cocoa groups’ farmers groups and emerging farmers under a cluster group system, where central nurseries are set up in each village to serve the planting material needs of the farmers.
According to a study facilitated by Bris Kanda, well over 90% of cocoa production in the Lower Watut impact region is based on low-yielding variety introduced in the colonial days.
With the cluster groups approach, it is envisaged that high-yielding cocoa varieties will be introduced and established, gradually phasing out the low-yielding variety that is currently grown.
Under the programme, over K120, 000 has already been injected into supporting this programme.
Some of these funds were used to provide materials to the 26 cluster groups comprising an estimated 900 farmers from 13 villages, to construct nurseries.
High yielding cocoa variety seeds from Cocoa and Coconut Research Institute (CCRI) at Murnas in Madang are also distributed to each group on a monthly basis.
To date 100, 000 hybrid seeds have been purchased with 61,000 distributed and established so far.
In addition, 100,000 polybags, 50 rolls of shade cloth and four cartons of nails were purchased and distributed for the construction of the 26 cluster group’s nurseries. Pruning and budding tools (six pole pruners, 10 secateurs, 10 punning saw, 58 budding knives and 594 budding tapes) were purchased and will be distributed during a field budding and training programme to be conducted in each of the villages which commenced in late February this year.
Already, further plans are in place to purchase an additional 50,000 polybags for the purpose of raising root stocks for budding superior clones.
This approach will assist the 26 cocoa cluster groups to raise and establish 150,000 high-yielding cocoa varieties in the farmer’s field in the first 12 months of rolling out this programme.
Each group has also been assisted with setting up bud wood gardens of 200-plus stands to provide bud stick requirements for a superior clone budding programme to be undertaken in the future.

Highlands farming field day at Tambul

By JAMES LARAKI of NARI
TAMBUL basin in the Western Highlands will come alive on Saturday when National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI) highlands regional centre stages its third annual field day.

 Anton Kerru of NARI Tambul talking to visitors on the importance of field evaluation of potatoes during the second annual field day at Tambul in 2009.

This event will coincide with the 46th NARI council meeting which will be held at Tambul on Friday..
With the theme ‘Enhancing Sustainable Farming for Rural Farmers’, this event will provide an opportunity for the people of Tambul and visitors alike to learn about activities undertaken, meet scientific and technical staff, tour the campus and facilities, and gather information on other activities NARI undertakes throughout the country.
This event will provide the chance to people to find out more about the research and development activities undertaken by NARI in the high altitude highlands region of PNG and how they can source and adopt them.
Preparations are well under way to stage the event with the local MP and Minister for Civil Aviation, Benjamin Poponawa, confirmed as the chief guest.
Major activities that are to be displayed and demonstrated include kaukau (sweet potato) silage-making for pig feed, village broiler production, improved pasture species, wheat milling and cooking, high-yielding pyrethrum clones, early-maturing kaukau varieties, and mini tuber production of selected potato clones.
Representatives from divisions of primary industry in Enga and Western Highlands provinces, Enga Pyrethrum Company, National Development Bank, National Micro-Bank, Correctional Services of Baisu, Porgera Joint Venture, Christian Leaders Training College, Tambul/Nebilyer district administration, Fresh Produce Development Agency, Jiwaka Women’s Association, Highlands Farmers and Piggery Association, MKL Vegetables, Laiagam district project office, farmers, school children, and the general public are expected to attend.

NARI officers (left) explaining the various potato clones tested in PNG for resistance against potato late blight during the second annual field day in Tambul in 2009.

Field days such as the one to be staged in Tambul are one of the means that NARI uses to allow stakeholders to come together to share information, exchange views and see for themselves the agricultural technologies and innovations being developed and tested.
NARI is using various ways and means to be effective in innovation systems approach, which includes: agricultural innovations shows, community-based resource centres, information centres, regional research and development advisory committees, commodity committees, public and private sector partnerships, piloting and out-scaling and up-scaling models, and innovations systems approach to research and development.

Silage making from sweet potato for feeding pigs will be one of the technologies demonstrated at the field day: Michael Dom of NARI demonstrating the technology to visitors to NARI’s fourth innovation show at Bubia outside Lae last May.

NARI also shares its innovations and technologies through the media, various shows and other major events, various publications, audio-visual products, newsletter, and its website (http://www.nari.org.pg/).
Similar open days are organised in all NARI regional centres around the country including the annual innovations show which will be staged on May 5 at the Sir Alkan Tololo Research Centre at Bubia, outside Lae.

Chief justice erred in law

English judge says tribunal acted beyond its jurisdiction

 

By JULIA DAIA BORE

 

A MEMBER of the leadership tribunal yesterday expressed disbelief that PNG law could have intended for the prime minister to be treated less severely than other leaders, The National reports.

“I just can’t believe that the legislature could have intended that the prime minister could have lesser penalty than other leaders,” Sir Robin Auld said when explaining his “reserved” decision.

He further said the tribunal was forced to “act beyond its jurisdiction” when the decision was left to it to decide whether or not to suspend Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare.

He was referring to the decision by Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia to leave the matter of suspension up to the tribunal to decide.

“The tribunal has been caused to act beyond its jurisdiction,” he said yesterday.

Sir Robin on Monday dissented from the decision by his two colleagues not to suspend the prime minister for the duration of the tribunal.

The Englishman, who now serves as president of the court of appeals in Solomon Islands, quoted relevant parts of PNG’s Constitution [section 142(6)] and the relevant Organic Law on the Duties and Responsibilities of Leadership (section 28), among others, and also made reference to the decision of the Supreme Court last May relating to the Ombudsman Commission (OC) versus Patrick Pruaitch.

He quoted the section where it made reference to the “automatic” suspension of a leader when referred for prosecution by the OC.

Sir Robin said Pruaitch’s Supreme Court decision, paragraphs 80-90, stated that a leader once referred, and when the chief justice convened a tribunal, that “all” leaders are deemed automatically suspended with full pay by the application of section 28 of the Organic Law “pending, and I repeat, pending” the tribunal, he said.

“The wording of section 28 is very clear,” he said.

Sir Robin added that the Organic Law was “mandatory” and that the outcome “does not produce any conflict”.

Read together with the constitution, Sir Robin’s indication was that the Organic Law on Duties and Responsibilities of Leadership and the constitution might have conflicted each other.

He pointed out that section 142(6) of the PNG Constitution granted the prime minister an exception to all other leaders.

The section stated: “The prime minister may be suspended from office (a) by the tribunal under an Organic Law made for the purposes of section 28, pending an investigation into a question of misconduct in office.” 

This is what Sir Robin could not “believe” was the intention of parliament for the prime minister to have a lesser penalty when all other leaders faced automatic suspension.

Sir Robin said since the tribunal had been granted the discretion to decide and, since his two pre-eminent colleagues had decided in favour of not suspending the prime minister, he had no option but to agree with them.

The hearing adjourned yesterday but did not set a time for it to reconvene.