Highlands farming field day at Tambul

By MALUM NALU

Fresh Produce Development officer Conrad Anton (right) explains the work of FPDA at the field day.-Picture by MALUM NALU

Picturesque Tambul, Western Highlands, on the foothills of the majestic Mt Giluwe, came alive last Saturday when National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI) highlands regional centre staged its third annual field day.
This event coincided with the 46th NARI council meeting which was held at Tambul last Friday, however, a lower-than-anticipated crowd attended the event.
An icy-cold typical Tambul downpour also cut short the event and had visitors running for cover.
With the theme ‘Enhancing sustainable farming for rural farmers’, the event provided an opportunity for the people of Tambul and visitors alike to learn about activities undertaken, meet scientific and technical staff, tour the grounds and facilities, and gather information on other activities NARI undertakes throughout the country.
This event provided 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.
Tambul MP and Minister for Civil Aviation, Benjamin Poponawa, was the chief guest, and was disappointed that not many people attended, given that his electorate is the capital of potatoes and fresh vegetables in the country.
‘Many more of our people should be here, however, they are not aware of the event,” he said.
“There should be more awareness about such activities in future.”
NARI council chairman Dr John Kola urged the local people to be proud that such an important institution was located on their land, and urged them to look after it.
“What is developed here will benefit the whole country,” he told them.
“When you look after this place, you are contributing to the development of Papua New Guinea.”
Major activities that were 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, and school children, attended the day.
Field days such as the one 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.
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.

Do away with ‘paper farmers’

By MALUM NALU

Tambul-Nebilyer MP and Civil Aviation Minister Benjamin Poponawa (right) listening attentively to NARI dought preparedness project team leader Akkinapally Ramakrishna at the field day in Tambul.-Picture by MALUM NALU

Tambul-Nebilyer MP and Civil Aviation Minister Benjamin Poponawa says the lessons of the massive corruption involved in the national agriculture development plan (NADP) must never be repeated if agriculture in Papua New Guinea is to prosper.
Poponawa, an outspoken critic of the NADP despite being in government and a member of the ruling National Alliance, said this last Saturday at the Nation Agriculture Research Institute field day at its high altitude research station in Tambul.
Tambul-Nebilyer is famous for producing the best potatoes and fresh vegetables in the country, and is already contributing in a big way towards development of agriculture in this country, with the research station.
It also has some of the best services found in a rural area such as good roads, health, education, mobile phone, district treasury and internet to enable NARI scientists and local people to be in touch with the world.
Tribal fighting and law and order issues have been kept to a bare minimum, and local people respect government facilities at the station.
Poponawa has, in the past, been blunt in his anger at NADP funds being stolen by “paper farmers” in Waigani who may have never touched a fork or spade in their lives.
“We already know the experience of the NADP,” he said at the field day.
“The people who ran the NADP did not think about the people, rather, about filling their own pockets.”
Poponawa called on the government not to forget about agriculture, despite the massive resource developments in the country such as gas, minerals and oil.
“Agriculture will be with us all the time,” he said.
“Gas, oil and gold will run out.
“The government should give more recognition to agriculture.”
Poponawa, who announced that he would give K50, 000 from his electoral funds to support the work of NARI, commended the organisation for its work in assisting the farmers of PNG.
“Tambul is privileged for NARI to be based here,” he said.
“NARI is an organization for the whole of PNG so I appeal to you, the local people, not to disrupt the work of NARI.
“I also thank NARI council for choosing to have its meeting in Tambul, rather than an expensive hotel in town.
“We want more scientists to come and be based here at Tambul.
“We have everything here.
“We have created a more-conduicive environment for scientists to come and be based here.”

Somare found guilty of official misconduct

By ABC Papua New Guinea correspondent Liam Fox

Papua New Guinea's prime minister has been found guilty of official
misconduct after failing to properly lodge financial returns.
It was alleged Sir Michael Somare failed to properly lodge more than a
decade's worth of annual financial returns with PNG's corruption
watchdog.
A special leadership tribunal made up of three foreign judges found
him guilty of five counts of filing returns late.
It also found him guilty of eight counts of filing incomplete returns
after he left out details of his salary and bank balances.
But he was found not guilty of failing to lodge any returns at all
over a three-year period in the 1990s.
The tribunal will hear submissions on penalties tomorrow.
Politicians who have been found guilty of similar offences in the past
have been handed small fines

Ruling on prime minister set for 1.30pm

By JULIA DAIA BORE

PRIME Minister Sir Michael Somare will know by the end of today
whether he is guilty of the 25 misconduct charges against him under
the leadership tribunal which heard evidence last week, The National
reports.
His fate will be determined by the tribunal based on a decision on
liabilities that will be handed down by three eminent judges – Roger
Gyles, Sir Bruce Robertson and Sir Robin Auld.
The tribunal said in a media statement last Friday that its findings
would be handed down at 1.30pm today.
Sir Michael had been accused of breaching the leadership code by
failing to submit his financial earnings for 1994-97.
The tribunal statement read: "The leadership tribunal, enquiring into
the allegations of misconduct in office by Sir Michael Somare, PM,
will deliver its decision on liability at 1.30pm on Monday, March 21,
2011."
The 25 charges laid against Sir Michael, and his referral in October
2006 by then former chief ombudsman Ila Geno, were categorised into
three main groups:
* Failing without reasonable excuse to give annual statements to the
Ombudsman Commission – under which there were five separate instances;
* Failure to give annual statements, at least once in every period of
12 months: in which eight individual charges were cited; and
* Incomplete annual statements; for which, 12 individual charges were cited.
Before the tribunal rose for the day last Tuesday, after giving its
final reasons about why the three members each chose not to suspend
the prime minister while the tribunal was in progress, which were
based on submissions from both the prosecution and the defence
lawyers, tribunal chairman Gyles said: "Supposing we deliver our
decision on liabilities on, say Friday (March 18), then Monday or
Tuesday next week will be set for more evidence.
"That is, if we find any liabilities, you need to call evidence on that."
Liabilities are the alleged legally accountable responsibilities –
hence, the charges – which could be held against Sir Michael relating
to his annual returns for 1994 to 1997, which he had allegedly not
filed with the Ombudsman Commission, declaring his annual earnings.
And, the tribunal noted, that if the prime minister did fill his
annual returns, then, he did not do so and submit them to the OC, on
time; or that, if the forms were filled, then they were not filled out
fully.

Prime minister in contempt of court again.

By SAM BASIL
Bulolo MP

The Prime Minister caused the Publication of the National Ministers constituting the NEC and their respective Responsibilities in the Nation al Gazette on Thursday 3rd March 2011, National Gazette No. G57 of 2011.
In the publication, particularly Schedule 30 provides that Patrick Pruaitch as the Minister for State Assisting the Prime Minister.
This is in direct contempt of the Orders of the Supreme Court in the case of Pruaitch v Manekn [2010] PGSC 7;SCl052 (31 May 2010) where the Supreme Court declared that the leader was automatically suspended when the charges were served on the Tribunal.
The highest Court of the land constituting Kirriwom J, Gavan-Nanu and Davani JJ declared that the leader was suspended forthwith.
How could the PM then appoint him to be a minister of his cabinet?
The Tribunal is yet to hear the case against Mr. Pruaitch and as far as I could recall, there was no court order setting aside the Supreme Court Orders.
Until the tribunal finally determines the allegations and unless a five-man bench of the Supreme Court overturns the decision of the Supreme Court in the above case, the orders are still effective.
Any action in derogation of that decision is clearly contempt.
The appointment and publication in the National Gazette is a clear case for contempt on the face of court.
This is a clear disrespect of the court orders and so I urge the registrar of the National and Supreme Court or the Chief Justice to cite the Prime Minister Sir Michael Thomas Somare for contempt.
If the PM can act in contempt of the decision of the highest court on the land then what is there for this country?
This is not the first time the PM had interfered and defeated the course of justice.
In 1979, Nahau Rooney who was then the Minister for Justice was imprisoned for interfering with the judiciary citing her for contempt.
Sir Michael was the Prime Minister at that time and released her on license after she had served one day of her sentence which prompted the mass resignation of five judges including the Chief Justice.
This was the first ever constitutional crises only four years after Independence.
I do not know whether the same can be done.
If the judiciary is adamant to protect its independence and most importantly, its orders, I suggest the judges should resign.
If the PM cannot obey the orders, what good is there for the Judiciary to hold on?
Judiciary is seen as the last beacon of hope.
People do not want to accept the decisions of the National Parliament and the executive government and are always going to Court and when such a decision is handed down, they accept it.
However, with such disrespect at the highest, it destroys everything that the judiciary holds on.
The damages this veteran MP and PM has done so far is far too great

Major breakthrough in fight against potato disease

From MALUM NALU in Tambul

National Agriculture Research Institute (NARI) had made a major breakthrough in the fight against the dreaded potato late blight (PLB), which just about decimated Papua New Guinea's K25 million potato industry in 2003.

It comes in the nick of time with the lucrative liquefied natural gas project just around the corner, and provides an added sense of food security with real fears of another prolonged drought.

NARI, with support from Australian Centre for Integrated Agricultural Research (ACIAR), has developed new PLB-resistant clones, which were showcased at its field day at the high altitude highlands regional centre at Tambul, Western Highlands, yesterday (Saturday (March 19).

Farmers, visitors and NARI council members were able to see first-hand the new clones, which will be officially released at NARI's annual agricultural innovations show at Bubia outside Lae in May.

The disease – caused by a fungal agent called Pythorthora infastans - remains a major concern for potato farmers in PNG, as it is easily transported by wind under moist and humid conditions, especially so in the highlands where it can rapidly multiply and spread over long distances in short times.

It has, to an extent, been controlled by expensive chemical fungicides and integrated disease management (IDM) systems.

NARI research has identified the behavior and type of PLB present in PNG, identified suitable chemical fungicides for PNG, and identified the PLB-resistant clones.

NARI director-general Dr Raghunath Ghodake told farmers, visitors and council members – who had their meeting in Tambul last Friday – that these outcomes would help PNG farmers to successfully grow potato again for cash income as well as food security.

"We now have three to four varieties of potato which are tolerant (to PLB)," he said.

"These will be released in May (at NARI's agricultural innovations show).

"These can be grown here at Tambul and people throughout PNG will benefit.

"Other stakeholders like Fresh Produce Development Agency (FPDA), will also benefit from our research, and will provide seeds to farmers as well as extension services."

Apart from the work of NARI and FPDA in getting PNG's potato industry back on a firm foothold, an exciting independent potato project in Lagaip-Porgera, Enga province – spearheaded by local MP Philip Kikala – was also showcased at the field day.

The project, led by former NARI scientist Humphrey Saese, is aimed at building capacity for high health seeds and sustainable potato production in Lagaip-Porgera and involves construction of three screen houses for producing mini-tubers.

"We are building three screen houses to take in 12,000 plantlets," Saese said in Tambul.

"That capacity will produce about four tones of mini-tubers."

Saese said he expected about 50 tonnes of seed production by June this year in Lagaip-Porgera from the work they had already done, including training and extension programmes, as well as introducing PLB-resistant lines to farmers.

‘Tribunal acted beyond powers’

Decisions made could be voided, says Donigi

THE prime minister's tribunal is exercising powers that it does not have and that decisions made by it could be voided, a prominent lawyer said in Port Moresby yesterday, The National reports.
Constitutional lawyer, ambassador Peter Donigi, said the tribunal had been asked to interpret and apply a constitutional law, which is the exclusive preserve of the Supreme Court and of no lesser court, including tribunals.
As section 142 (6) of the constitution, which has never been tested, is being interpreted on the question of suspension of Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare, Donigi said that job was rightly vested in the Supreme Court under section 18 of the constitution.
A member of the tribunal, Sir Robin Auld, has already alluded to the tribunal being forced to act beyond its powers when it was asked to decide whether or not to suspend the prime minister.
Donigi said the matter could be rectified if the Ombudsman Commission appealed any decision or made a constitutional reference to the Supreme Court.
That very issue will come to the fore when the tribunal hands down its decision at 1.30pm on Monday (see lead story).
Donigi was especially critical of the counsel in the tribunal who had failed so far to draw the attention of members of the tribunal to the existence of section 18(1) and section 18(2) of the constitution.
Those provisions provided plainly that, in the event a question of interpreting or applying the constitution arises in a lower court or a tribunal, that question must be referred to the Supreme Court.
It alone was vested with the powers to interpret the constitution, he said.
In a statement, Donigi said that the chief justice did not err in law and neither was the tribunal guilty in making a decision not to suspend the PM.
He said:  "However, in my view both counsel for the prosecution and that of the prime minister had erred substantially in their respective duty as officers of the court on a matter of prime constitutional importance to this nation," Donigi said.
"They have failed to draw the attention of the members of the tribunal to the existence of section 18(1) and 18(2) of the constitution.
"It would appear to me that a question of constitutional question has arisen in the matter of interpretation and application of section 142(6) of the constitution because this is the first time in the history of this country that this question has arisen.
"There are, therefore, no precedents for the tribunal to follow.
"The tribunal, therefore, is duty-bound and has no option but to find facts and refer the question to the Supreme Court for its opinion on whether the prime minister should be suspended.
"If one is to read the constitutional planning committee report, one will find that it was very explicit about the prime minister being one among equals.
"The only power that he exercises, which no one else has, is the power to appoint ministers and to remove them from office.
"We have had a travesty of justice by failure of the lawyers to perform their duty to up hold the rule of law in this nation.
"Unfortunately, the laws that we have adopted from England are not all together clear on the definition of the term 'may' as is used in section 142(6) of the constitution.
"All precedents say that the word 'may' can be interpreted as obligatory in some cases and, in other cases, as discretionary depending on the circumstances of each particular case.
"So, it would seem to me that the question of its interpretation and application is a matter for the Supreme Court to decide and not the tribunal.
"The tribunal has, therefore, erred in exercising powers it does not have under our constitution. In law, it can be said that the tribunal had acted beyond its powers by virtue of section 18 of the constitution and its ruling that the prime minister stays in office, therefore, is voidable.
"These are matters of law that could be rectified by an appropriate appeal or by a constitutional reference by the Ombudsman Commission."