ACTING Prime Minister Sam Abal has called on Papua New Guineans to abandon hatred and to make PNG a God-loving and fearing nation, The National reports.
In his Easter message, Abal called for resolve to stop discrimination and fight off endemic corruption “that is clogging the wheels of development”.
“Let us translate our ethnic and linguistic diversity into something that can infuse unity and harmony in this country,” he said.
“I thank Sir Michael Somare for allowing me the privilege of standing in for him as acting prime minister.
“I am sure the people of Wabag and Enga are equally appreciative of this gesture. Their prayers are with you at this time.”
He urged the people to use Easter to take stock of their lives and to identify and secure a place with God.
Abal said alcoholism had caused misery and destruction in the lives of families.
“We try at every festive occasion to spice it up with alcohol, which has never been part of our culture of remembrance.
“We must not do that this Easter as it will lead to disharmony and even tragedy for many.”
He said the gun culture gripping PNG must go and there must be common resolve to eradicate it, particularly in the highlands where it had destroyed traditional leadership and social control.
“A compensation culture is before us. We must replace it with the desire for honesty and truth.
“Unreasonable compensatory claims camouflage laziness and a beggar mentality.
“We must rise above these if we are to achieve nation-building and development which, together, ride on sheer hard work and self-sacrifice.
“The PNG LNG project, which promises to transform the economy in the not-too-distant future, comes with its short-comings.
“We are in business with new players regarding new and unfamiliar resources and its economics of business.
“But, as a host country and people, we must play our part to welcome such developments.
“We must allow for compromises where necessary at the same time we expect our investors to understand and respect our rights to land and property where these life-changing projects are situated.”
Abal said, as acting prime minister, he was confident of the support of all other hardworking ministers who are committed to repositioning the country to deliver the PNG Vision 2050, the development strategic plan and the medium-term development plan.
He said the state enterprises ministry, under the leadership of Arthur Somare, “is driving the sovereign wealth fund initiative which, when realised, will result in the growth of consolidated revenue”.
“Only recently, Papua New Guineans themselves met in Kokopo in common resolve to request the government to pay attention and support the fertilisation and development of an indigenous business class in the country.
“The government has promised to assist them. We will do that immediately.
“As we reflect this Easter, let us give thanks to God Almighty and Jesus Christ for their grace in giving us this beautiful and resource-rich nation.”
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Tribal gunfight leaves 11 dead
By JAMES APA GUMUNO
ELEVEN people have fallen victims to high-powered guns used in a tribal fight in the Southern Highlands’ Kagua-Erave district, The National reports.
Many are unaccounted for, believed dead, while others were wounded, assistant police commissioner and highlands divisional commander Simon Kauba said yesterday.
He said many people from the warring tribes, Kandine and Mui, were killed within a short time because of the use of high-powered guns.
Kauba said provincial police commander Teddy Tei organised 15 policemen to accompany the provincial peace mediation team to Kagua yesterday.
He said the team would be camping in Kagua and would call on the leaders from both parties together to work out a peace process.
He said police and concerned authorities in the province would not allow people to kill each other using high-powered guns.
Kauba said the people should lay down their arms and cooperate with the developers in their province to bring in tangible improvements and services.
He said such tribal fights would not bring anything good into the area.
He said fight would cause more destruction, deaths and deprive the people of basic services.
He appealed to the tribal leaders of the warring tribes to encourage their people to lay down their arms and work closely with the police and provincial peace mediation team in Kagua to restore peace.
Kauba said whatever damage and loss of life in the past “is gone and it is time the fighting stop”.
The fight started two weeks ago over the death of a senior public servant from the Kandine tribe.
The Kandine blamed Mui for the death and killed six of them with one seriously injured.
The Mui retaliated and killed three people from the Kandine tribe.
ELEVEN people have fallen victims to high-powered guns used in a tribal fight in the Southern Highlands’ Kagua-Erave district, The National reports.
Many are unaccounted for, believed dead, while others were wounded, assistant police commissioner and highlands divisional commander Simon Kauba said yesterday.
He said many people from the warring tribes, Kandine and Mui, were killed within a short time because of the use of high-powered guns.
Kauba said provincial police commander Teddy Tei organised 15 policemen to accompany the provincial peace mediation team to Kagua yesterday.
He said the team would be camping in Kagua and would call on the leaders from both parties together to work out a peace process.
He said police and concerned authorities in the province would not allow people to kill each other using high-powered guns.
Kauba said the people should lay down their arms and cooperate with the developers in their province to bring in tangible improvements and services.
He said such tribal fights would not bring anything good into the area.
He said fight would cause more destruction, deaths and deprive the people of basic services.
He appealed to the tribal leaders of the warring tribes to encourage their people to lay down their arms and work closely with the police and provincial peace mediation team in Kagua to restore peace.
Kauba said whatever damage and loss of life in the past “is gone and it is time the fighting stop”.
The fight started two weeks ago over the death of a senior public servant from the Kandine tribe.
The Kandine blamed Mui for the death and killed six of them with one seriously injured.
The Mui retaliated and killed three people from the Kandine tribe.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Promoting a clean and green Earth Day 2011
Bank South Pacific’s Go Green ambassador Rachael Sapery James announced today the bank will be promoting awareness and conducting Go Green activities to coincide with Earth Day Friday 22nd April, 2011.
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| Ms James at |
Ms James will host Earth Day events in her home province New Ireland with students from local schools and surrounding villages learning the importance of Earth Day’s vision of helping the environment via conducting tree plantings and clean-ups.
Through such Go Green campaigns it is envisaged students and communities involved can spur others how strongly they care about the sustainability of the environment.
“At BSP we recognizs today’s students are tomorrow’s environmental leaders.
“We are thrilled to be a part of Earth Day, which is observed globally and to help students and communities understand the importance of our environment,” said Ms James.
Her visit to Kavieng, is part of her current campaign during which she has already visited Goroka and Lae.
She will encourage school students to plant one tree of importance on Earth Day.
“Students gain education and awareness and appreciate the importance of planting activities, importance of trees in our environment- through celebrating by planting a tree on Earth Day.
This will be an ongoing campaign as part of the Go Green initiative. Earth Day is observed on April 22nd every year and is a day designated for fostering appreciation of the earth's environment and awareness of the issues that threaten it.
Earth Day is observed in 175 countries globally. BSP recognises that many environmental threats and challenges cannot be solved in just one day. Longer-term commitment and action is necessary to combat these problems and restore the environment to a balanced, healthy condition.
The long term solution is to change mindsets and attitudes so everyone takes responsibility.
At BSP we are doing just that, with all our staff, including promoting awareness in schools and in the community.
Airlines PNG gets new Dash 8
AIRLINES PNG (APNG) yesterday announced a further expansion to its fleet with the purchase of a De Havilland DH8-100 (Dash 8) aircraft from Canadian operator North Cariboo Flying Service, The National reports.
These announcements come on the heels of the recently announced financial results for last year and the airline’s K27.2 million improvement in operating performance from the 2009 financial year.
The aircraft will be delivered later this month and will bring the company’s total Dash 8 fleet to 12.
APNG also welcomed back earlier this month a Twin Otter (TO) aircraft from maintenance in the US while another TO recently bought in January was due to enter service later this month.
This would bring the TO fleet to 10 aircraft and the total APNG fleet to 22 aircraft.
As the largest corporate charter airline in PNG, APNG flies contract charters for almost every major resource company in the country and is ExxonMobil’s exclusive fixed wing charter airline for the PNG LNG programme.
While this involvement in the major resource sector growth has fuelled much of the airline’s expansion, scheduled services continue to grow at an encouraging rate signalling the general improvement in business confidence in the country.
“We have been greatly encouraged by the growth in the market and the feedback received from our charter clients in particular,” Scott Roworth, APNG chief commercial officer said.
“The airline’s charter customers have no easy task in making air travel decisions which ultimately affect their operating performance and bottom line.
To have the lion’s share of the charter market is a reflection of the commitment we make to serving our customers’ specific needs and understanding their businesses. Our fleet expansion plans will further improve our customer service for charter and scheduled service passengers alike.”
These announcements come on the heels of the recently announced financial results for last year and the airline’s K27.2 million improvement in operating performance from the 2009 financial year.
The aircraft will be delivered later this month and will bring the company’s total Dash 8 fleet to 12.
APNG also welcomed back earlier this month a Twin Otter (TO) aircraft from maintenance in the US while another TO recently bought in January was due to enter service later this month.
This would bring the TO fleet to 10 aircraft and the total APNG fleet to 22 aircraft.
As the largest corporate charter airline in PNG, APNG flies contract charters for almost every major resource company in the country and is ExxonMobil’s exclusive fixed wing charter airline for the PNG LNG programme.
While this involvement in the major resource sector growth has fuelled much of the airline’s expansion, scheduled services continue to grow at an encouraging rate signalling the general improvement in business confidence in the country.
“We have been greatly encouraged by the growth in the market and the feedback received from our charter clients in particular,” Scott Roworth, APNG chief commercial officer said.
“The airline’s charter customers have no easy task in making air travel decisions which ultimately affect their operating performance and bottom line.
To have the lion’s share of the charter market is a reflection of the commitment we make to serving our customers’ specific needs and understanding their businesses. Our fleet expansion plans will further improve our customer service for charter and scheduled service passengers alike.”
Terror on South Bougainville
By STEPHANIE ELIZAH
CIVILIANS in the Konnou constituency of South Bougainville are living in fear as armed thugs continue a killing spree that has been ongoing since 2006, The National reports.
In a most recent spate of killings, two people, including a Grade 6 student of Ugubagohu primary school, are dead and another is wounded and recovering at the Arawa health centre.
South Bougainville police commander Paul Kamuai confirmed armed thugs fired several shots at civilians last Saturday, killing the two people instantly and wounding the other.
He said policemen were immediately dispatched to the area to protect the villagers and investigate the deaths.
Preliminary reports received by police said the gunshot victims were drinking alcohol when the armed thugs shot them in the head and chest and wounded the other on the leg.
Commander of Wissai Liberation Movement Philip Pusua, who travelled to Buka yesterday to report the fatal shooting, said no one knew why the latest shooting deaths had taken place.
He claimed the criminals were followers of former combatant Damien Koike from Mohoroi village in the Tabago area of South Bougainville and alleged they were led by Koike who moved into Leulo village indiscriminately firing shots at civilians before fleeing into the unoccupied Siniminoi and Tonolei jungles.
He said 23 civilians, including women and children, had been killed by Koike’s band of criminals in the Wissai area.
Pusua appealed to the PNG and Bougainville governments and former combatants in Bougain¬ville to protect the people of Konnou.
“I call on the government that we are not fighting a war or have a crisis in the Wissai Konnou area, we are being surrounded by a bunch of criminals, murderers, killing human beings in cold-blood, criminals who don’t have any desire for humanity, people who listen to no men,” he said.
“I want to appeal to the government or the ex-combatants to come up with an appropriate solution or action to address this lawlessness.
“I think it is time we draw a line between political issues and law and order issues, or should there be a law for our government in providing welfare and security for its citizens,” he said.
CIVILIANS in the Konnou constituency of South Bougainville are living in fear as armed thugs continue a killing spree that has been ongoing since 2006, The National reports.
In a most recent spate of killings, two people, including a Grade 6 student of Ugubagohu primary school, are dead and another is wounded and recovering at the Arawa health centre.
South Bougainville police commander Paul Kamuai confirmed armed thugs fired several shots at civilians last Saturday, killing the two people instantly and wounding the other.
He said policemen were immediately dispatched to the area to protect the villagers and investigate the deaths.
Preliminary reports received by police said the gunshot victims were drinking alcohol when the armed thugs shot them in the head and chest and wounded the other on the leg.
Commander of Wissai Liberation Movement Philip Pusua, who travelled to Buka yesterday to report the fatal shooting, said no one knew why the latest shooting deaths had taken place.
He claimed the criminals were followers of former combatant Damien Koike from Mohoroi village in the Tabago area of South Bougainville and alleged they were led by Koike who moved into Leulo village indiscriminately firing shots at civilians before fleeing into the unoccupied Siniminoi and Tonolei jungles.
He said 23 civilians, including women and children, had been killed by Koike’s band of criminals in the Wissai area.
Pusua appealed to the PNG and Bougainville governments and former combatants in Bougain¬ville to protect the people of Konnou.
“I call on the government that we are not fighting a war or have a crisis in the Wissai Konnou area, we are being surrounded by a bunch of criminals, murderers, killing human beings in cold-blood, criminals who don’t have any desire for humanity, people who listen to no men,” he said.
“I want to appeal to the government or the ex-combatants to come up with an appropriate solution or action to address this lawlessness.
“I think it is time we draw a line between political issues and law and order issues, or should there be a law for our government in providing welfare and security for its citizens,” he said.
Somare:Abal will continue top job
PRIME Minister Sir Michael Somare said acting Prime Minister Sam Abal will continue to perform the functions and responsibilities of the office of the prime minister, The National reports.
“I have accepted the decision of the tribunal and have served out the period of my two-week suspension from office as prime minister,” Sir Michael said.
“The country is in good hands and, while I am pleased that the period of my suspension is over, I will remain on medical leave until further notice,” the prime minister said in a short statement yesterday.
Abal, who is Deputy Prime Minister and Works minister, had been acting since Sir Michael was suspended.
“I take this opportunity to once again thank all the visitors and well-wishers, including those who are praying for my return to good health and speedy recovery,” Sir Michael said.
The prime minister, who is on medical leave in Singapore, said he had been visited by friend and former Australian prime minister and now foreign minister Kevin Rudd.
“During this period of infirmity, I was fortunate enough to be visited by my former Australian colleague, and now minister for foreign affairs, Kevin Rudd, on his way back from an official visit to the Middle East and Europe.
“We discussed issues surrounding my health and the possibility of a visit by Rudd to PNG in May.
“I reassured him that he is a friend of PNG and we will be looking forward to his visit,” Sir Michael said.
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Rudd drops in on PM … Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare got a surprise visit from his good friend and Australian foreign minister (and former Australian prime minister) Kevin Rudd while in Singapore on medical leave. Rudd was on his way back to Australia from duty visits to the Middle East and Europe. During the encounter, Sir Michael and Rudd also discussed the possibility of the latter visiting PNG next month.
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“The country is in good hands and, while I am pleased that the period of my suspension is over, I will remain on medical leave until further notice,” the prime minister said in a short statement yesterday.
Abal, who is Deputy Prime Minister and Works minister, had been acting since Sir Michael was suspended.
“I take this opportunity to once again thank all the visitors and well-wishers, including those who are praying for my return to good health and speedy recovery,” Sir Michael said.
The prime minister, who is on medical leave in Singapore, said he had been visited by friend and former Australian prime minister and now foreign minister Kevin Rudd.
“During this period of infirmity, I was fortunate enough to be visited by my former Australian colleague, and now minister for foreign affairs, Kevin Rudd, on his way back from an official visit to the Middle East and Europe.
“We discussed issues surrounding my health and the possibility of a visit by Rudd to PNG in May.
“I reassured him that he is a friend of PNG and we will be looking forward to his visit,” Sir Michael said.
Ex prime minister fights for resources
By JEFFREY ELAPA of The National
“TODAY, I propose to transfer wealth to resource owners, to those simple villagers who are blessed with owning a piece of inherited customary land, many of whom remain poor – so they too can enjoy a worthwhile, more satisfying life.”
So saying, governor of New Ireland and former prime minister, and one of the longest-serving parliamentarians, Sir Julius Chan yesterday proposed before a parliamentary committee to turn the mining, oil and gas extraction regime on it head.
He proposes, among others, to:
*Wrestle ownership of minerals and oil and gas back from the state into the hands of customary landowners;
*Devolve resource development powers to the provincial governments;
*Have local companies be licensed to explore and develop mineral and oil and gas resources with management rights extended to foreign firms if no expertise is found onshore; and
*Streamline existing state agencies into two so that one engages in exploration and extraction activities and another being an investment house.
Sir Julius, who moved a motion on May 14, 2009, for a comprehensive review of the Mining Act of 1992, said in a hard-hitting presentation that PNG was a country in “crisis”.
“If we do not correct some serious faults and failures in the way we approach the extraction of resources such as minerals, gas and oil, we will not only continue to fail to deliver progress to our people but will put the very survival of our country at peril.”
He said history had shown that resource-rich nations like PNG did not often do well while resource-poor countries like Singapore and South Korea do very well indeed.
He said this was because of the effects of the “resource curse” linked to resource developments, which drive up the cost of doing business in the country so that all other sectors of the economy suffer while only the resource sector prospers.
While the “resource curse” could be beaten, as had been experienced in other countries, it could only happen in PNG with a quantum shift in the way the resources sector was managed from the legal and policy framework up, Sir Julius said.
He said the past ad hoc and project-to-project approach should be reviewed so that resource landowners and the provincial government take ownership of their resources.
He blamed the current regime on no particular PNG administration but on a historical accident where PNG had inherited an Australian colonial legislation that discriminated against and took ownership of minerals and hydrocarbon resources from landowners and vested it in the administration, later the national government.
From then on, he said, it was “a story of ineptitude, ignorance, robbery and deceit”.
“It is shocking such a story can be told; even more shocking that it is the truth. But, it is the truth.
“We – the state, the people – have been duped. I know it is uncomfortable, but we must face the truth.”
Sir Julius, a former prime minister and the minister for finance, said ownership of the resources by the landowners was important for the equitable distribution of benefits.
He said PNG had been described as a “mountain of gold floating on a sea of oil”, but the truth was that the wealth of the nation was squandered and, in so doing, condemned our people to poverty while others prospered.
“Without mincing words, our country has been systematically giving away its birthright.
“That is not rhetoric; it is literally true.
“We may be pardoned for this at self-government, at independence but, after 35 years, we should have matured.
“The national government either does not understand or does not care that the way it has structured the minerals, oil and gas industries – indeed, the entire renewable and non-renewable resource sector, including fisheries and forestry – is not only wounding the people of this country, it is robbing the state of what should be its legitimate incomes for the development of the country.
“How has this happened?
“Put politics aside. We need to take a bi-partisan approach to correct our mistakes.
“TODAY, I propose to transfer wealth to resource owners, to those simple villagers who are blessed with owning a piece of inherited customary land, many of whom remain poor – so they too can enjoy a worthwhile, more satisfying life.”
So saying, governor of New Ireland and former prime minister, and one of the longest-serving parliamentarians, Sir Julius Chan yesterday proposed before a parliamentary committee to turn the mining, oil and gas extraction regime on it head.
He proposes, among others, to:
*Wrestle ownership of minerals and oil and gas back from the state into the hands of customary landowners;
*Devolve resource development powers to the provincial governments;
*Have local companies be licensed to explore and develop mineral and oil and gas resources with management rights extended to foreign firms if no expertise is found onshore; and
*Streamline existing state agencies into two so that one engages in exploration and extraction activities and another being an investment house.
Sir Julius, who moved a motion on May 14, 2009, for a comprehensive review of the Mining Act of 1992, said in a hard-hitting presentation that PNG was a country in “crisis”.
“If we do not correct some serious faults and failures in the way we approach the extraction of resources such as minerals, gas and oil, we will not only continue to fail to deliver progress to our people but will put the very survival of our country at peril.”
He said history had shown that resource-rich nations like PNG did not often do well while resource-poor countries like Singapore and South Korea do very well indeed.
He said this was because of the effects of the “resource curse” linked to resource developments, which drive up the cost of doing business in the country so that all other sectors of the economy suffer while only the resource sector prospers.
While the “resource curse” could be beaten, as had been experienced in other countries, it could only happen in PNG with a quantum shift in the way the resources sector was managed from the legal and policy framework up, Sir Julius said.
He said the past ad hoc and project-to-project approach should be reviewed so that resource landowners and the provincial government take ownership of their resources.
He blamed the current regime on no particular PNG administration but on a historical accident where PNG had inherited an Australian colonial legislation that discriminated against and took ownership of minerals and hydrocarbon resources from landowners and vested it in the administration, later the national government.
From then on, he said, it was “a story of ineptitude, ignorance, robbery and deceit”.
“It is shocking such a story can be told; even more shocking that it is the truth. But, it is the truth.
“We – the state, the people – have been duped. I know it is uncomfortable, but we must face the truth.”
Sir Julius, a former prime minister and the minister for finance, said ownership of the resources by the landowners was important for the equitable distribution of benefits.
He said PNG had been described as a “mountain of gold floating on a sea of oil”, but the truth was that the wealth of the nation was squandered and, in so doing, condemned our people to poverty while others prospered.
“Without mincing words, our country has been systematically giving away its birthright.
“That is not rhetoric; it is literally true.
“We may be pardoned for this at self-government, at independence but, after 35 years, we should have matured.
“The national government either does not understand or does not care that the way it has structured the minerals, oil and gas industries – indeed, the entire renewable and non-renewable resource sector, including fisheries and forestry – is not only wounding the people of this country, it is robbing the state of what should be its legitimate incomes for the development of the country.
“How has this happened?
“Put politics aside. We need to take a bi-partisan approach to correct our mistakes.
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