By JOHN FOWKE
I have two friends who intend to stand; one an ex-MP, the other a mature man with much valuable experience, but not politically-active in the past.
Both are graduates of UPNG.
I know their electorates reasonably well and find the prospect of their candidature very interesting and encouraging.
Both are honest and positive men with good track-records.
What will happen?
Is it likely that a solid and united block of idealists who are determined to return PNG to a land of fair-shares and opportunity- for-everyone will emerge and lead?
A group of MPs within which there is a determination to see that justice, good health and a basic education are available to all citizens?
Basic conditions in the world of 2012, and conditions which this society has a right to expect.
Conditions which may be provided in this increasingly-wealthy country?
How may such a trans-tribal, trans-provincial unifying representative group emerge and coalesce?
The Christians, members of a potentially trans-tribal interest group, have tried and failed.
One hopes they will try again.
Is my suggestion, made in The National newspaper late last year, regarding the adoption of the LLG system as the foundation of national politics worth consideration by intending candidates?
As is now widely-accepted, a "party-system" imposed upon a classless, landowning society has been an incumberance; a matrix for the rise of a dissatisfied and increasingly resentful electorate.
In a society which has remained socially-classless and universally-landowning, with a commonality of interest and hope for the future, the first indigenous class to emerge and show its strength and influence as a unit above the commonality is the political class, which has appropriated much for itself to the loss and neglect of the mass of the people.
Even the best-known politicians have made statements recognising this as a problem.
How may a society which is completely divorced from knowledge and influence with the first indigenous social class it has ever seen, get out of the shadow of a shady and selfish party-system and into direct, positive, productive contact with its mausmen, its direct representatives, the MPS?
Is such a set of questions and considerations worthy of the attention of this blog's readership?
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Wafi-Golpu mine by 2016, says Harmony
JOHANNESBURG: South Africa’s Harmony Gold expects its proposed new US$3-billion Wafi-Golpu copper-gold mine in Papua New Guinea to come into production in 2016, The National reports.
Now in pre-feasibility stage in a joint-venture with Newcrest Gold of Australia, Wafi-Golpu is set to follow Harmony’s Hidden Valley copper-gold mine that came into production last September, also in a joint-venture with Newcrest.
“Even at this early stage, we can confidently say that Wafi-Golpu is going to be a mine. There’s no doubt about it,” Harmony Gold CEO Graham Briggs tells Mining Weekly Online.
The US$3-billion price tag is linked to mining taking place at a rate of 20-million tonnes a year.
However, current thinking is that actual output using the block-cave mining method may be 30-million tonnes a year, which would increase the amount of capital required.
The JSE- and NYSE-listed Harmony is committed to providing half of whatever capital is required.
Harmony Gold’s financial director Hannes Meyer said the high quality of the grade was positioning Wafi-Golpu as a relatively low-cost future mining operation.
Total cost of mining is expected to be US$25/tonne, against expected revenue of US$100/tonne to US$300/tonne, which makes it a high-margin business.
“It’s really capital insensitive,” Meyer said.
By 2014-15, when Harmony will have to arrange the capital for Wafi-Golpu, its South African Phakisa, Doornkop, Kusasalethu and other local projects will no longer be requiring high levels of capital and will begin generating strong cash flows, which will be able to underpin the financial requirements of the project.
Also, Wafi-Golpu has significant copper, which Harmony may use for commodity-backed financing for the project.
Meyer envisages that selling a third of the copper could provide between US$500 million and US$1 billion in project funding.
The anticipated profitability of the business also provides scope for the introduction of considerable debt into the financing structure.
“Equity will be the last route that we’ll pursue. We’ll explore all other avenues before we dilute shareholders,” Meyer said.
Harmony’s Hidden Valley mine is expected to produce at a rate of 280,000oz per year for the next 14 years.
The Wafi part of Wafi-Golpu is a gold-only resource and the Golpu part is copper-gold porphyry.
Continual exploration drilling since 2007 indicated the potential presence of 38 million oz of gold equivalent, with recent drilling unearthing an 883m strike at 5g/t to 7g/t gold equivalent.
Now in pre-feasibility stage in a joint-venture with Newcrest Gold of Australia, Wafi-Golpu is set to follow Harmony’s Hidden Valley copper-gold mine that came into production last September, also in a joint-venture with Newcrest.
“Even at this early stage, we can confidently say that Wafi-Golpu is going to be a mine. There’s no doubt about it,” Harmony Gold CEO Graham Briggs tells Mining Weekly Online.
The US$3-billion price tag is linked to mining taking place at a rate of 20-million tonnes a year.
However, current thinking is that actual output using the block-cave mining method may be 30-million tonnes a year, which would increase the amount of capital required.
The JSE- and NYSE-listed Harmony is committed to providing half of whatever capital is required.
Harmony Gold’s financial director Hannes Meyer said the high quality of the grade was positioning Wafi-Golpu as a relatively low-cost future mining operation.
Total cost of mining is expected to be US$25/tonne, against expected revenue of US$100/tonne to US$300/tonne, which makes it a high-margin business.
“It’s really capital insensitive,” Meyer said.
By 2014-15, when Harmony will have to arrange the capital for Wafi-Golpu, its South African Phakisa, Doornkop, Kusasalethu and other local projects will no longer be requiring high levels of capital and will begin generating strong cash flows, which will be able to underpin the financial requirements of the project.
Also, Wafi-Golpu has significant copper, which Harmony may use for commodity-backed financing for the project.
Meyer envisages that selling a third of the copper could provide between US$500 million and US$1 billion in project funding.
The anticipated profitability of the business also provides scope for the introduction of considerable debt into the financing structure.
“Equity will be the last route that we’ll pursue. We’ll explore all other avenues before we dilute shareholders,” Meyer said.
Harmony’s Hidden Valley mine is expected to produce at a rate of 280,000oz per year for the next 14 years.
The Wafi part of Wafi-Golpu is a gold-only resource and the Golpu part is copper-gold porphyry.
Continual exploration drilling since 2007 indicated the potential presence of 38 million oz of gold equivalent, with recent drilling unearthing an 883m strike at 5g/t to 7g/t gold equivalent.
Customs raises K1.9 billion for state
By JUNIOR UKAHA
THE Papua New Guinea Customs Commission has raised more than K1.9 billion in duties for the national government last year, commissioner Gary Juffa said last week, The National reports.
Speaking at a media conference in Port Moresby, while officially launching the customs annual report for last year, Juffa said despite constraints like lack of manpower, the organisation had posted an extra K273 million (16%) in revenue for the state, surpassing the government’s forecasted target of K1.7 billion.
Juffa said this was an increase of K416 million (27%) compared to revenue collected for 2009.
“The increase in revenue collection is primarily attributed to the increase in international trade volume, and enhanced compliance strategies employed by customs,” he said.
He said the revenue came from import duties, import GST, import excise, export duties and local taxes including inland excise and sundry collections.
“I would like to thank my executives for a wonderful job last year which resulted in the organisation raising more revenue than what was expected by the government,” Juffa said.
He said customs, as the entity responsible for monitoring the movement of goods in and out of the country, “will continue to protect the interests of the country and its people by detecting and preventing contraband products and dangerous and illicit materials from entering the country”.
He said the work of customs was not limited to enhancing border security but involved in protecting the community, facilitating international trade and commerce and collecting government revenue and trade statistics.
Juffa said this year would see customs embark on a number of projects including:
*Recruiting more staff;
*Relocating its headquarters and Southern region office to a new location;
*Building institutional capacity through specialists training and strategic management;
*Installation of two new container x-ray technology at the Lae and Port Moresby ports to detect contraband and dangerous materials; and
*The introduction of a wide range of customs user-pay service fees in accordance with the CUSTA trust instruments.
THE Papua New Guinea Customs Commission has raised more than K1.9 billion in duties for the national government last year, commissioner Gary Juffa said last week, The National reports.
Speaking at a media conference in Port Moresby, while officially launching the customs annual report for last year, Juffa said despite constraints like lack of manpower, the organisation had posted an extra K273 million (16%) in revenue for the state, surpassing the government’s forecasted target of K1.7 billion.
Juffa said this was an increase of K416 million (27%) compared to revenue collected for 2009.
“The increase in revenue collection is primarily attributed to the increase in international trade volume, and enhanced compliance strategies employed by customs,” he said.
He said the revenue came from import duties, import GST, import excise, export duties and local taxes including inland excise and sundry collections.
“I would like to thank my executives for a wonderful job last year which resulted in the organisation raising more revenue than what was expected by the government,” Juffa said.
He said customs, as the entity responsible for monitoring the movement of goods in and out of the country, “will continue to protect the interests of the country and its people by detecting and preventing contraband products and dangerous and illicit materials from entering the country”.
He said the work of customs was not limited to enhancing border security but involved in protecting the community, facilitating international trade and commerce and collecting government revenue and trade statistics.
Juffa said this year would see customs embark on a number of projects including:
*Recruiting more staff;
*Relocating its headquarters and Southern region office to a new location;
*Building institutional capacity through specialists training and strategic management;
*Installation of two new container x-ray technology at the Lae and Port Moresby ports to detect contraband and dangerous materials; and
*The introduction of a wide range of customs user-pay service fees in accordance with the CUSTA trust instruments.
Chimbui politician Joe Mek Teine and administrator Joe Dorpar die
Politician Mek Teine and administrator Dorpar die
By ANCILLA WRAKUALE
CHIMBU suffered a double tragedy over the Easter weekend with the deaths of Kundiawa-Gembogl MP Joe Mek Teine and senior public servant Joseph Dorpar, The National reports.
Both deaths occurred yesterday at the Port Moresby Pacific International Hospital.
Teine collapsed at 10pm last Saturday night and was rushed to the hospital where he was admitted at the intensive care unit where attempts were made to revive him from an apparent heart attack. He died at 11am yesterday at the hospital.
Dorpar, from Boko Kawa in Kerowagi, was staying at the Aku Lodge at Boroko when he suffered a stroke and was rushed to the hospital at about 4am yesterday. A relative said he was pronounced dead on arrival.
He said Dorpar came to Port Moresby last Saturday for a business trip and was to return yesterday afternoon to Madang, but died in the morning.
Dorpar was a senior public servant in Southern Highlands and was administrator of Chimbu and Madang provinces.
He is survived by his wife and six children.
Teine will be missed by the National Party of which he was parliamentary leader, by the PNG Law Reform Commission which he had served as chairman since September 2007 and by the people of Kundiawa-Gembogl, his Enduka tribe and his family.
Teine embarked this month on an extensive nationwide tour to gauge the views on sorcery with a view to drafting new legislation for it.
A relative said he had just returned from leading a delegation to Chimbu for two weeks and had been scheduled to go to Morobe on Friday but decided to stay with his family over Easter.
Teine was appointed to the post after Dr Allan Marat was elevated and appointed the minister for justice and attorney-general.
He was a lawyer by profession and a first-time politician although he had contested in many previous elections.
NCD governor and fellow lawyer Powes Parkop last night offered his condolences and sympathy to the family and relatives of the late Mek Teine.
Parkop said: “His death is a great loss to his family and relatives, to the people of Kundiawa-Gembogl and to the nation.
“In his life as a lawyer, he served our people well and, in his short term as an MP, he proved that he could also equally serve our nation as a politician.
“National Party has lost a good leader and the nation is poorer without the likes of the late MP who has had a great passion for our people and our nation.”
Teine was preparing his party policy statement to deli¬ver at a National Party meeting this Saturday.
His son Johnny will be graduating from the University of PNG this Friday.
Teine is survived by wife Dala and children Emmanuel, Julianne, Johnny, Quina and three grandchildren.
By ANCILLA WRAKUALE
CHIMBU suffered a double tragedy over the Easter weekend with the deaths of Kundiawa-Gembogl MP Joe Mek Teine and senior public servant Joseph Dorpar, The National reports.
Both deaths occurred yesterday at the Port Moresby Pacific International Hospital.
Teine collapsed at 10pm last Saturday night and was rushed to the hospital where he was admitted at the intensive care unit where attempts were made to revive him from an apparent heart attack. He died at 11am yesterday at the hospital.
Dorpar, from Boko Kawa in Kerowagi, was staying at the Aku Lodge at Boroko when he suffered a stroke and was rushed to the hospital at about 4am yesterday. A relative said he was pronounced dead on arrival.
He said Dorpar came to Port Moresby last Saturday for a business trip and was to return yesterday afternoon to Madang, but died in the morning.
Dorpar was a senior public servant in Southern Highlands and was administrator of Chimbu and Madang provinces.
He is survived by his wife and six children.
Teine will be missed by the National Party of which he was parliamentary leader, by the PNG Law Reform Commission which he had served as chairman since September 2007 and by the people of Kundiawa-Gembogl, his Enduka tribe and his family.
Teine embarked this month on an extensive nationwide tour to gauge the views on sorcery with a view to drafting new legislation for it.
A relative said he had just returned from leading a delegation to Chimbu for two weeks and had been scheduled to go to Morobe on Friday but decided to stay with his family over Easter.
Teine was appointed to the post after Dr Allan Marat was elevated and appointed the minister for justice and attorney-general.
He was a lawyer by profession and a first-time politician although he had contested in many previous elections.
NCD governor and fellow lawyer Powes Parkop last night offered his condolences and sympathy to the family and relatives of the late Mek Teine.
Parkop said: “His death is a great loss to his family and relatives, to the people of Kundiawa-Gembogl and to the nation.
“In his life as a lawyer, he served our people well and, in his short term as an MP, he proved that he could also equally serve our nation as a politician.
“National Party has lost a good leader and the nation is poorer without the likes of the late MP who has had a great passion for our people and our nation.”
Teine was preparing his party policy statement to deli¬ver at a National Party meeting this Saturday.
His son Johnny will be graduating from the University of PNG this Friday.
Teine is survived by wife Dala and children Emmanuel, Julianne, Johnny, Quina and three grandchildren.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Need for farm mechanisation in Papua New Guinea
By SURYA NATH of NARI
Agriculture is an energy conversion system in which food, fibre, biomass for fuel and processing by-products are produced for consumption and use by human society.
A sufficient supply level of consumable products is necessary for the desired development and it can be achieved through enough supply of energy input and skilled man-power.
The agriculture sector which is the most important sector in Papua New Guinea has neither enough skilled man power nor energy input to realise the full potential of land and labour. Traditional method of farming using hand tools like bush knives, digging stick, axe and spade are common amongst rural population engaged in subsistence farming.
This practice has not been able to supply sufficient food in order to meet the growing food demand by an increasing population.
The energy input through tractor and other motorised source is unlikely to meet the demand in the near future because such machines are out of reach of subsistence farmers.
The utilisation of human energy in farming with improved appropriate technologies can provide partial solution; however, it is becoming clear that the rural population have given up toiling their land because of lack of support from the government.
This in turn has caused migration of rural people to urban centres and projects sites with the hope getting paid employment.
The energy input is estimated to be only 0.1hp/ha/yr (horse power per hectare per year) in the South Pacific including PNG.
The energy input in agriculture in other developing countries like India and China is 0.7hp/ha/yr which clearly demonstrates that agriculture sector in PNG is not getting its due attention.
There are some major constraints to effective mechanisation at subsistence level in PNG agriculture including: lack of credit, proper extension and appropriate technologies; lack of knowledge and skills in use, repair and maintenance of machines; lack of research and development on farm-mechanisation suitable for subsistence farmers; land being hilly and sloppy; and poor quality of imported machines.
It will be wise to tackle some of the constraints in order to realise meaningful mechanisation. Focus should be on the development of appropriate technologies which could make multiple cropping feasible, generate interest for labourers in producing, harvesting, processing, storing, transporting, and marketing.
The total area cultivated in PNG stands at 11.7858 million hectares accounting for cash crops (cocoa, coconut, oil palm, coffee, sugarcane) and food crops.
Banana, taro, sweet potato, yam and cassava are the major staple crops.
Production of rice is also picking up in many parts of the country.
Farm machineries available in the country are imported.
Tractors, soil preparation equipment, and harvesting and threshing equipment are reported to be the major equipments imported. Most of these machineries are destined to plantations and commercial farmers.
Subsistence farmers are completely left out from the use of machines.
This situation is largely due to lack of mechanisation policy on the part of the government.
It is recorded that about 5,000 tractors, 7,600 soil preparation equipments, and 6,000 harvesting and threshing equipments have been imported during 1996 – 2002.
This clearly indicates that machinery input is very low for crop production in PNG.
On the assumption that 4,000 tractors are working at any given time, the total power available will be only 240,000 kilowatt (Kw), given each tractor is of 60 Kw.
If 20 % of the land is to be made optimally productive, it comes to about 2.6 million ha.
A human being is rated at about 0.1 horse power (hp) and the minimum power requirement for an effective agriculture has to be 0.5hp per hectare per year.
Thus the required energy is about 1.3 million hp, which is equal to 1 million Kw.
Assuming that two million people are always busy in farming, the energy input from manual labor will be equal to 0.2 million hp which is equal to 0.154 million Kw.
The combined energy available from the tractors and human power is only 0.394 million Kw leaving a deficit of 0.706 million Kw.
The remedy of energy deficit of such magnitude is very difficult and it should be of concern to planners and implementers.
It is advisable that animal traction and two wheel tractors are in corporated in agriculture production system with appropriate technologies in order to boost the production to feed the increasing population.
The following are some of the areas that could be considered to improve farm mechanisation in the country: establishment of animal traction centre, establishment of agro-service centers throughout the country, establishment of curriculum in agricultural engineering and technology at tertiary level, establishment of division of agricultural mechanisation at national level, inclusion of agricultural machines related information in agricultural extension programmes, and exemption of tax on imported agriculture machines for subsistence farmers.
The above suggestions necessary to ensure agriculture production is maximised, and realise the agriculture potential that we have.
Improved farm mechanisation can result into:
• Increased productivity of land and labor
• Increased income to farmers
• Reduction in post –harvest losses
• Reduction in drudgery and back-breaking farm work
• Timeliness in field preparation and subsequent operations
• Precision in agricultural operation
• Improvement of safety of farm workers
• Improvement in working environment
• Respect to human dignity
• Increase in agricultural labor efficiency
• Intensive farming for all the cultivable land
• Creation of rural employment, and
• Availability of improved housing and sanitation
It can be concluded that farm mechanisation in PNG must be introduced at a pace that the farmers can use appropriate technology and simultaneously training and education is also pursued.
This way not only the productivity of land and labor will increase but will also provide employment in rural areas.
Agriculture is an energy conversion system in which food, fibre, biomass for fuel and processing by-products are produced for consumption and use by human society.
A sufficient supply level of consumable products is necessary for the desired development and it can be achieved through enough supply of energy input and skilled man-power.
The agriculture sector which is the most important sector in Papua New Guinea has neither enough skilled man power nor energy input to realise the full potential of land and labour. Traditional method of farming using hand tools like bush knives, digging stick, axe and spade are common amongst rural population engaged in subsistence farming.
This practice has not been able to supply sufficient food in order to meet the growing food demand by an increasing population.
The energy input through tractor and other motorised source is unlikely to meet the demand in the near future because such machines are out of reach of subsistence farmers.
The utilisation of human energy in farming with improved appropriate technologies can provide partial solution; however, it is becoming clear that the rural population have given up toiling their land because of lack of support from the government.
This in turn has caused migration of rural people to urban centres and projects sites with the hope getting paid employment.
The energy input is estimated to be only 0.1hp/ha/yr (horse power per hectare per year) in the South Pacific including PNG.
The energy input in agriculture in other developing countries like India and China is 0.7hp/ha/yr which clearly demonstrates that agriculture sector in PNG is not getting its due attention.
There are some major constraints to effective mechanisation at subsistence level in PNG agriculture including: lack of credit, proper extension and appropriate technologies; lack of knowledge and skills in use, repair and maintenance of machines; lack of research and development on farm-mechanisation suitable for subsistence farmers; land being hilly and sloppy; and poor quality of imported machines.
It will be wise to tackle some of the constraints in order to realise meaningful mechanisation. Focus should be on the development of appropriate technologies which could make multiple cropping feasible, generate interest for labourers in producing, harvesting, processing, storing, transporting, and marketing.
The total area cultivated in PNG stands at 11.7858 million hectares accounting for cash crops (cocoa, coconut, oil palm, coffee, sugarcane) and food crops.
Banana, taro, sweet potato, yam and cassava are the major staple crops.
Production of rice is also picking up in many parts of the country.
Farm machineries available in the country are imported.
Tractors, soil preparation equipment, and harvesting and threshing equipment are reported to be the major equipments imported. Most of these machineries are destined to plantations and commercial farmers.
Subsistence farmers are completely left out from the use of machines.
This situation is largely due to lack of mechanisation policy on the part of the government.
It is recorded that about 5,000 tractors, 7,600 soil preparation equipments, and 6,000 harvesting and threshing equipments have been imported during 1996 – 2002.
This clearly indicates that machinery input is very low for crop production in PNG.
On the assumption that 4,000 tractors are working at any given time, the total power available will be only 240,000 kilowatt (Kw), given each tractor is of 60 Kw.
If 20 % of the land is to be made optimally productive, it comes to about 2.6 million ha.
A human being is rated at about 0.1 horse power (hp) and the minimum power requirement for an effective agriculture has to be 0.5hp per hectare per year.
Thus the required energy is about 1.3 million hp, which is equal to 1 million Kw.
Assuming that two million people are always busy in farming, the energy input from manual labor will be equal to 0.2 million hp which is equal to 0.154 million Kw.
The combined energy available from the tractors and human power is only 0.394 million Kw leaving a deficit of 0.706 million Kw.
The remedy of energy deficit of such magnitude is very difficult and it should be of concern to planners and implementers.
It is advisable that animal traction and two wheel tractors are in corporated in agriculture production system with appropriate technologies in order to boost the production to feed the increasing population.
The following are some of the areas that could be considered to improve farm mechanisation in the country: establishment of animal traction centre, establishment of agro-service centers throughout the country, establishment of curriculum in agricultural engineering and technology at tertiary level, establishment of division of agricultural mechanisation at national level, inclusion of agricultural machines related information in agricultural extension programmes, and exemption of tax on imported agriculture machines for subsistence farmers.
The above suggestions necessary to ensure agriculture production is maximised, and realise the agriculture potential that we have.
Improved farm mechanisation can result into:
• Increased productivity of land and labor
• Increased income to farmers
• Reduction in post –harvest losses
• Reduction in drudgery and back-breaking farm work
• Timeliness in field preparation and subsequent operations
• Precision in agricultural operation
• Improvement of safety of farm workers
• Improvement in working environment
• Respect to human dignity
• Increase in agricultural labor efficiency
• Intensive farming for all the cultivable land
• Creation of rural employment, and
• Availability of improved housing and sanitation
It can be concluded that farm mechanisation in PNG must be introduced at a pace that the farmers can use appropriate technology and simultaneously training and education is also pursued.
This way not only the productivity of land and labor will increase but will also provide employment in rural areas.
ANZAC Day in Madang
By PETER MEMAFU
ANZAC DAY in Madang commenced with a large turnout of more than 500 plus people despite an earlier freak storm and two heavy downpours.
People converged onto the Coast Watchers Memorial Lighthouse (otherwise known as Madang’s Kalibobo Lighthouse), including visiting Australians, New Zealanders and Papua New Guineans.
“Madang ANZAC Days are always the biggest gathering throughout Papua New Guinea"
These were the remarks of the acting chairman of the organising committee, Richard Coleman.
"ANZAC day commemorates both WW1 and WW2 and it is a time when we remember those of our loved ones who fought in the war,” he said.
Rev Joseph Toua of the United Church in Madang opened the ANZAC Dawn Service with a prayer while Divine Word University's Fr Philip Smith did the Bible reading quoting the Book of Isaiah 49:1-6 and shared a beautiful sermon of our purposes in life and he made references to the earlier French explorers who thought PNG was the ends of the earth and named some of the famous landmarks called the Finnisterre Range (meaning the ends of the earth) and the Kalibobo Lighthouse
Br Andrew Simpson, who represented Australia, spoke of peace with direct references made to a song called “A Note to God” that was performed by Emamnuella Memafu before his brief remarks
“I’d ask for wars to end and for peace to mend this world," we part of the words of the song.
Maureen Hill, who is a longtime resident of Madang, represented New Zealand and was honored to speak about her heritage and continuous involvements with ANZAC and Remembrance Days over the years.
She also made references to the significance of Madang’s Kalibobo Lighthouse as well.
All ANZAC Days in Madang are usually hosted by the Melanesian Foundation and the Madang Resort Hotel and also with the help of other private sector groups that help provide the famous ANZAC Day Gunfire Breakfast.
ANZAC DAY in Madang commenced with a large turnout of more than 500 plus people despite an earlier freak storm and two heavy downpours.
 |
| ANZAC Day in Madang |
“Madang ANZAC Days are always the biggest gathering throughout Papua New Guinea"
These were the remarks of the acting chairman of the organising committee, Richard Coleman.
"ANZAC day commemorates both WW1 and WW2 and it is a time when we remember those of our loved ones who fought in the war,” he said.
Rev Joseph Toua of the United Church in Madang opened the ANZAC Dawn Service with a prayer while Divine Word University's Fr Philip Smith did the Bible reading quoting the Book of Isaiah 49:1-6 and shared a beautiful sermon of our purposes in life and he made references to the earlier French explorers who thought PNG was the ends of the earth and named some of the famous landmarks called the Finnisterre Range (meaning the ends of the earth) and the Kalibobo Lighthouse
Br Andrew Simpson, who represented Australia, spoke of peace with direct references made to a song called “A Note to God” that was performed by Emamnuella Memafu before his brief remarks
“I’d ask for wars to end and for peace to mend this world," we part of the words of the song.
Maureen Hill, who is a longtime resident of Madang, represented New Zealand and was honored to speak about her heritage and continuous involvements with ANZAC and Remembrance Days over the years.
She also made references to the significance of Madang’s Kalibobo Lighthouse as well.
All ANZAC Days in Madang are usually hosted by the Melanesian Foundation and the Madang Resort Hotel and also with the help of other private sector groups that help provide the famous ANZAC Day Gunfire Breakfast.
ANZAC Day at Bomana War Cemetery
More than 1,000 people - one of the biggest-ever crowds seen in recent years, packed Bomana War Cemetery in Port Moresby today for an emotional and moving ANZAC Day Dawn Service.
There were prayers, Bible radings, poem reading, ANZAC Day addres by the New Zealand High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea, wreath-laying, Ode, Last Post, Two Minutes Silence, Lament, and the National Anthems of Papua New Guinea, Australia and New Zealand.
Port Moresby Returned Services League Port Moresby sub-branch president, Mick Pye, estimated a crowd of 11,000 people, many of them trekkers of the Kokoda Trail.
"The occasion was very good," he said.
"It's a fantastic event that happens once a year and brings the bonds between Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea even closer."
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| Papua New Guinea Defence Force soldiers at the Dawn Service |
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| Australian school students among those present at Bomana today |
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| Rest In Peace |
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| Magical sunrise over Bomana |
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| Picture-perfect settings at Bomana War Cemetery |
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